Music rang out across the plaza in the town as the two bards plucked at their instruments. They quickly garnered the attention of the locals as Mù Tiān Mìng began to sing. They had lost the imperial hunting parties some time ago, giving them some much needed space as well as a moment to acquire funds for food and supplies.

Làng Wū Yáo knew the song well. It was the one she had partially sung when he first met her, the one he taught her the rest of the lyrics, the one his mother had written. He wanted to sing with her, but even opening his mouth was dangerous with his sorcerous voice so he clamped it shut.

Even without singing, this wasn't bad at all. He plucked the pipa strings peacefully, hearing the note of each string and the joyful sounds of the crowd they've attracted. He never once thought of using his musical prowess to make money for himself. The tavern made a fortune off him, and if he sang, he probably could make a fortune himself. While his heart certainly sang out for a song, he wouldn't stoop to that level to con people out of their money. He was better than that.

He closed his eyes, listening to the coins being dropped into the bowl they'd set out. A few copper coins, more than enough to pay for several meals but then there was a single silver coin. Someone was a big spender. People walked by on their daily business. Some had stopped to listen and enjoy the song. No signs of the imperials, no signs of Yīn Xiàtiān. Yet, at least.

As the song concluded, the two musicians stood to take a bow. The gathered crowd applauded. "Thank you for listening to our songs," Mù said appreciatively. "For now, we'll need to rest our voices." She plucked the bowl from the ground, taking it with them. It was an excuse as neither was tired, though she couldn't deny that lunch sounded good right now. "Let's hope that Bù Huàn has found something," she added to Làng quietly as they left the plaza square.

"Let's hope his investigation skills are better than his cooking!" Líng Yá teased.

They entered the nearby restaurant finding Shāng Bù Huàn waiting for them. The pair settled down at the table, Mù next to Shāng and Làng across from them.

Mù dumped the contents of the bowl out on the table. "Quite the earnings. They certainly enjoyed the songs." She glanced at Làng who still hadn't said a word since they'd emerged from the forest two days ago. She could tell he wanted to sing along with her. It was written all over his face, but she also knew the sorcerous power of his voice. He had quieted as a means to control its power, but that didn't mean his heart didn't demand a song like hers often did. "Perhaps we could sing a duet again once we're out of the city." The slightest of smiles on his face caused her to smile in reply.

Làng had to admit he felt the most alive when he sang, and singing with her was something special. She was the first person to be kind to him, to befriend him and express concern. She'd listened to his concerns about the voice he'd heard when he was alone, and she'd expressed concerns about him being used. He could feel that friendship every time they sang together. Even at the palace, he could feel it when they fought. Sure she wasn't holding back, but only two with a strong friendship could sing a duet like they had.

Shāng counted the money, equally distributing it to each person at the table. Làng stared at the silver coin and one bronze coin pushed his way. He hadn't ever been paid for his songs before in anything but food and lodging. He took the coins, staring at them in his hand a moment before he tucked them into a pocket.

"Did you find anything interesting, Bù Huàn?" Mù broke the silence.

"Not much useful other than Yīn Xiàtiān may have passed through here," Shāng replied. "There was a strange bout of violence yesterday but it strangely passed."

Làng peered out the window behind the other two. The city looked nothing like the town where they first encountered the effects of the Sorrowful Soul. People bustled by, going about their normal business. The crowd they had attracted with their music was slowly dispersing. It looked and sounded normal.

"She might be testing its power," Mù reasoned. "Though I would've expected her to take it straight to her boss given his desire to obtain the Index."

"It's that obsession with this guy, I bet!" Líng Yá pointed out.

Làng's frown was a bit more subtle than the two across the table.

"Do you think she might try to use the sword on Wū Yáo?" Mù worried.

Shāng rubbed at his chin. "I'd rather not think of the worst, but obsession can drive people mad."

"And she was pretty mad that we intervened before she could abduct him," Mù said.

"Like I'd let that happen!" Líng Yá hissed.

Làng frowned slightly at his own inability to protect himself against her. He could've used Líng Yá to fight against her had it not been for the pain rippling through his head and down to his very soul along with that strange weakness in his knees. He was still mad about letting a cicada past his defenses into his ear.

"Besides, Làng is avoiding talking just so she won't find us yet!" Líng Yá added.

Mù frowned. At least he had the pipa to talk for him so he wasn't completely silent.

"We'll find her and retrieve that sword," Shāng said with certainty. "Or she might find us. Either way, we'll be victorious."

"You mean you two, man," Líng Yá pointed out.

Shāng quickly shook his head. "All of us. We are in this sword hunt together after all. We don't leave our friends behind. Ever."

Làng stared a moment before nodding. It was still a strange thought to be doing this, and part of him wondered what his mother would think of his current self. He was still a blade, just his own blade now and not serving the empire as the Court Virtuoso as his mother likely wanted for him. He was fighting against the empire his mother wanted him to serve, the one she thought would protect his songs. But this was his life now, no one else's. He chose this path of his own free will.

He looked up as the server placed a bowl of dumplings on the table.

"You sure know how to order good food!" Líng Yá commented.

Shāng laughed. "Well I'm sure it's much better than lumpy soup." Even he admitted the soup was kind of bad but at least it was filling.

They each took his share. Làng stared at the dumpling for a moment. The palace had kept him well fed to ensure he stayed there, but there was something about local town dumplings that hit a spot no rich palace food ever could. Even with the lumpy soup, he was appreciative of the food he had, no longer worrying about being used in order to feed himself. He had to admit the dumpling was pretty satisfying and quickly consumed it.

Shāng nearly choked on his dumpling. "You don't have to scarf the food down you know."

Làng stared at the empty dumpling bowl compared to the barely touched ones across the table. He had done the same thing with the lumpy soup without really noticing. He had grown accustomed to eating whatever he could whenever he could, even when there was plenty of food available at the palace. He scarfed it down, hoping to digest everything before the next performance. That wasn't necessary anymore, was it? But old habits die hard.

"Take the fourth dumpling. I know I can't finish it," Shāng offered.

Reaching forward, Làng squeezed a piece of it off with the chopsticks before taking a share of it. He was hungry after exerting that much energy to repair his ear but he certainly didn't want to be greedy. He nearly frowned as Shāng pushed the dumpling bowl towards him with the other pieces.

"Using that much qi can really take a toll on someone," Shāng pointed out.

"Not like you don't exert a boatload of it when you fight!" Líng Yá pointed out. "Don't think this guy hasn't noticed!"

Shāng laughed. "I'd be surprised if you didn't notice in the short time we've traveled together." They were all sensitive to qi, Làng included. Shāng's fighting style exerted a massive amount of qi, often recklessly and sloppily. It wore on him but it reminded him of how much it took to take someone's life. Every other time, he was simply suppressing it to be unnoticed.

Làng conceded and took all the pieces of the fourth dumpling. He nearly consumed the remaining dumpling pieces, side-eyeing the person who now approached the table. Something about the man threw Làng's senses into a knot. The lumbering sounds of his steps spoke of falsehood along with a strange noise in the floorboards he hadn't heard when he and Mù entered earlier.

"Say, I heard you two playing in the plaza and am in need of musicians tonight," the man proposed.

"Not a chance!" Líng Yá refused before the man could even finish. "Get lost!"

"I could offer you more money than you got in that bowl!" the man protested.

Mù glanced at Làng, noticing the musician hadn't taken his eyes off the intruding man. She would've refused the offer either way, as taverns liked to take advantage of musicians, but that look said something else was there. Perhaps greed since Làng hadn't acted any more strongly than glaring at him from behind his bangs.

"You heard the pipa," Mù said sharply. "We are not interested."

The man leaned forward, reaching for Làng's shoulder as his arm brushed over the table and their warm lunch. The musician immediately pushed him away, the mere contact telling him what was going on. That feeling he'd felt before wasn't simply greed underneath that smile attempting to be inviting. He knew that feeling that was emanating from him.

Làng stood up sharply, striking the man with an empty bowl and knocking him out. His companions stared at him, shocked.

"Làng!" Shāng exclaimed. "There was no need to-"

Before Shāng could object any more, Làng turned over his cup of green tea, spilling it on the table along with several cicadas as the illusion faded.

"That man was affected by the Sorrowful Soul!" Líng Yá explained. "Those bugs fell from his sleeve into the tea when he reached for Làng!"

Shāng swallowed hard. What was with Huò Shì Míng Huáng's assassins and having him nearly eat bugs? At least the musicians prevented him from nearly swallowing bugs again.

Làng crushed the bugs with the tea cup before they had a chance to escape. "Yīn Xiàtiān. She's sending us a message."

...

Author's musings

Something that always had me curious was how Shāng always had money. By the time he gets to Dong Li, he definitely has some in his pocket but where did he get it? What can you do to make money when you're doing what they do? Well music of course. People will pay for a good song (a normal song, not one combined with drugs like at the tavern).

Shāng seems more adept at gathering some information while they make some coins. He certainly seems to gather intel while Mù is at the pagoda, so gathering it here works just as well. They've lost the imperial hunting parties, so it gives them a little bit of respite.

Well until they had cicadas in their tea...