Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin Read Free Book Online Page B

understands, he can hear what others cannot. Sentiment and sound cannot be separated.”
    “I’ve often thought the same,” Magistrate Tiger said, and stood by the fishpond as if in deep thought.
    “Ah, but I’m not here to spout philosophy,” Duke Zhe said. “I’m here to hear you play! The finer the music, the more noble the person—is that not true?”
    “My playing is elementary,” Magistrate Tiger said humbly. “But I do try to convey my most noble thoughts with it.”
    And without any further words, Magistrate Tiger began to strum the qin. As his familiar chords rang through the air, the fish began to jump out of the water, expecting the rice that had always been there before. They leaped again and again, as if dancing to the music. They shimmered in the sunlight, soaring and diving like cascades of orange and gold rainbows. It was beautiful.
    Slowly, Magistrate Tiger stopped playing. The carp slowly stopped jumping. As the qin rested silently, the pond was calm. Duke Zhe looked amazed and, without a word, bowed to Magistrate Tiger.
    “I have never experienced such a wondrous sight,” Duke Zhe said. “To my ears, your playing was simple, but it must have conveyed such harmonious thoughts that only the fish could hear and rejoice at. You must be a very virtuous and wise man, Magistrate.”
    “Oh, you flatter me,” Magistrate Tiger purred. “I simply try my best.”
    “Your name has come up once or twice at some of the imperial functions,” Duke Zhe continued. “I will make sure that you begin to receive the attention you deserve.”
    “Thank you, Lord Duke,” Magistrate Tiger said. “You are most gracious.”
    The duke turned around and began to walk back to the house. Magistrate Tiger moved to follow him, but before he turned, a look of triumphant conceit flashed on his face. The boy felt a shock run through him. It had been a trick!
    His father had planned the whole thing, the son realized. The practicing at the pond, the throwing of the rice every day—they had been training the fish to jump to Magistrate Tiger’s music. And all of it had been done just to influence Duke Zhe.
    As Magistrate Tiger and Duke Zhe disappeared into the house, the boy dropped from the tree and stared blankly into the fishpond. It was clever of his father to trick the duke, was it not? But as he remembered Duke Zhe’s serious, sincere face filled with awe, the boy saw his own face in the still water before him. And his own face looked guilty.



As Rendi finished the story, he looked at all of them staring at him silently. “You said it didn’t have to be a good story,” he said crossly.
    “No, it was very good,” Madame Chang said. “It was extremely interesting.”
    “Yes.” Peiyi nodded. “I’m just surprised.”
    At that, Rendi grinned. And then he was the one who was surprised, because everyone smiled back.



CHAPTER
14
    When Rendi finished his story, the sunlight had all but disappeared, and the night sky seemed to be swallowing the small inn. Even as Master Chao lit the large lantern in the open doorway, the blackness spread like spilled ink.
    “So dark,” Mr. Shan said, to no one.
    After telling his story, Rendi felt surprisingly talkative, and the thoughts he had been holding inside began to leak out.
    “It’s because the moon is gone. It’s missing,” Rendi said.“And the sky…” Rendi stopped. Did he dare mention the crying sky? Would they think he was crazy?
    “Nonsense,” Master Chao said. “Missing moon! It’s just another moonless night.”
    “Rendi’s right,” Peiyi said. “The moon is lost.”
    “Well, we didn’t lose it,” Master Chao said. “Someone else can go find it. We have other things to do.”
    Rendi swallowed his disappointment. No one cared about the moon, and the wails he heard in the night probably were just in his head. As if agreeing, the dark sky began to sigh—a sad, miserable whimper. When Rendi looked up, Madame Chang was standing in front of him,