Reborn as the Blissful Wife in the countryside Chapter 1718: Battle of Music

Dong dong dong, dong dong dong!

Rhythmical drumbeats sounded, forming a rousing drum music.

This was the wealthy families in the city feeling overjoyed, pulling out the big drums from their homes, and having the eldest son stand on a cart to drum and celebrate.

The driver pulled the cart, following their Old Master, the remaining sons, and numerous servants, while shouting together: "God bless Great Chu, we’ve defeated the Rong people, chased them away!"

Clang clang clang!

Families in the alleys and streets couldn’t afford big drums, so they carried out copper gongs, striking them and shouting: "Victory, we’ve chased away those Rong bandit beasts!"

Clang clang clang!

Some families even brought out cymbals as big as hats, continually beating them to produce a domineering sound.

The copper gong beaters nearby were displeased, pounding away clang clang clang vigorously. When the sound overwhelmed the cymbals, they smugly shot a glance at the people beating cymbals, chuckling: "When it comes to loud sounds, it’s undoubtable that the Iron King copper gong reigns supreme!"

The family pounding cymbals was frustrated, increasing their force to beat the cymbals, and a sound duel commenced with the copper gong beaters, causing distress for the drum-playing family on the same street.

Elder Ba noticed their drumming sound was overshadowed by the copper gong and cymbal sounds, and dissatisfied, he shouted at his eldest son: "Eldest, didn’t you eat? Use some strength! This big drum is the King of all instruments, produce some grandeur for me, being overtaken by these superficial copper gong and cymbals, what is this supposed to mean? Do you want our family to be ridiculed by others?!"

There has always been a tradition that during festive events, each household would drum and strike gongs, play and sing to celebrate, with some subtle rivalry over whose musical instrument was loudest.

Eldest Young Master Ba felt aggrieved; he was a scholar, not as physically strong as those street men, and moreover, he was playing the big drum while others were beating copper gongs, which naturally sounded louder than a drum. Even if he played to death, he couldn’t surpass them!

But Elder Ba didn’t care, fixing his gaze on Eldest Young Master Ba with an expression saying, "If you can’t surpass them, I’ll beat you to death."

Eldest Young Master Ba had no choice but to desperately play the drum, exhausted to half death, yet the drum music was still drowned out by the copper gong and cymbal sounds.

"Father, it’s not possible, for the sake of us being father and son, please spare me." Eldest Young Master Ba couldn’t hold out, gasping for breath and begging for mercy, exhausted as he hugged the drum to rest.

"Useless thing, can’t even muster the energy to beat a drum, move aside quickly, let your second brother take over." After scolding Eldest Young Master Ba, Elder Ba had his second son climb up the cart to continue drumming towards the Government Office Main Street.

It’s an unwritten rule that when there’s a major celebration in the city, each household converges from different streets to the Government Office Main Street to revel before returning home.

"Hey, thank you, Father, just watch what I can do, I’ll earn back our family’s honor for you!" Second Young Master Ba was thrilled; he finally had a chance to outshine his elder brother.

But it was less than an hour before he regretted it... Damn it, beating a drum indeed is an exhausting task!

"Second, you practice martial arts, your physique is sturdier than your elder brother’s, yet you can’t even play a drum? What use do I have for you?!" Elder Ba was infuriated, feeling his two sons had cost him face.

The Hu family, beating gongs, and the Zhang family, playing cymbals like ghosts following along, laughed: "What’s wrong with Elder Ba? Getting angry on a festive day? Both Young Masters are pampered, unable to play the big drum is normal. If all else fails, pay a tael of silver, and I’ll help you play the drum to Government Office Main Street?"

"Get lost! Hu Laosan, don’t find trouble here on a festive day!" Elder Ba cursed the Hu and Zhang families.

But after cursing, he quietly let the housekeeper slip each family a tael of silver, asking them to stay put for an hour to distance them from the family and prevent them from stealing the limelight.

The Hu and Zhang families were willing, thanked Elder Ba, and relying on their many family members, blocked several families playing copper gongs behind them.

Elder Ba was quite satisfied, cursing his two sons, urging them to quickly play the drum, quickly move, lest they get caught up and have to spend another two taels of silver!

The street was bustling; when they arrived at Government Office Main Street, the entire street was already clamoring with sounds of drums and gongs, various musical instruments resounding.

The most overbearing was the Feng Family Escort Agency. Who knows what they were thinking, they actually arranged a suona ensemble, a group of escort masters blowing violently, causing everyone to be annoyed by the earth-shattering suona sound.

Magistrate Hao hid in the government office, stuffing cotton in his ears but still feeling tortured!

"When will these awful noises stop? Is anyone gonna allow us to live? These sounds are making my head swell."

Qi Vice Magistrate also stuffed his ears, headache splitting as he said: "Indeed, these people are really too much, even if they want to celebrate, they should do it comfortably, how did it turn into a musical rivalry?"

During the former dynasty, the trend of Madmen prevailed, and musical rivalries arose from then, but people competed with elegant instruments like the zither and lute, never like these, competing with copper gongs, cymbals, and suona, almost costing people their lives!

Qi Vice Magistrate further said: "Squad Leader Lou, pass my command, let them celebrate for just an hour, although we won the battle, there’s still much to deal with in the Prefecture. Moreover, this war cost us many lives, and with the Ghost Festival approaching, we shouldn’t be this tumultuous, some mourning is necessary."

Such a celebration for driving away the Rong bandits definitely deserved citywide celebration. Magistrate Hao couldn’t order a stop and ruin the festivity, so he let this Evil Man take the fall.

Magistrate Hao was satisfied upon hearing the order... Indeed, being a bit ruthless was right, after he managed Vice Magistrate Qi rudely a few times, Qi Vice Magistrate grew timid, starting to act according to his mood.

"Yes." Squad Leader Lou led a group of government officials out of the office, shouting to the people celebrating in musical rivalry: "Qi Vice Magistrate commands, with the Ghost Festival nearing, focus on mourning the deceased and disperse after celebrating for an hour!"

But the street noise was too loud, Squadron Leader Lou shouted to the point his throat was almost breaking, yet no one heard him, continuing to drum and revel.

Such rare grand revelry attracted Gu Jinli and her party, who also took a carriage out to witness. Fortunately, the carriage horses were replaced with warhorses, their ears blocked, able to withstand the disturbance, not being frightened by the copper gong sounds.

"Oh my God, this is crazy, there are guys beating drums shirtless over there?" Ji Zhenniang covered her eyes, peeking from her fingers at those hitting drums half-naked... It’s a pity their bodies weren’t as pleasing as Xie Cheng’s!

Oh dear, she was supposed to be a proper lady, from a respectable family, how could she think of such things?

Gu Jinli was speechless, giving her a whack on the back of the head: "Are you mad? Covering your face, shaking your shoulders, stamping your feet, acting shy, and muttering about being a proper lady from a respectable family, can’t see can’t see, what exactly are you thinking that’s not suitable for children?"

Ji Zhenniang, in a fit of excitement, voiced her thoughts. Upon hearing Gu Jinli’s question and seeing Ms. Gao Lei glancing at her, turned red with shame and anger, shouting: "Talking nonsense, I am a proper woman, how could I think of such improper things!"

Gu Jinli fanned herself with a fan while chuckling: "I didn’t say you’re improper, why are you upset? Besides, you’ve already given birth, can you stop pretending to be a na?ve and innocent girl?"