Others might not understand, but Lu Ming immediately knew that this station director was up to no good.
This piece, "Zhe Xian" (谪仙), was a traditional Chinese song, a melody with a distinctly Chinese character.
While playing it on the piano would undoubtedly affect the piece itself, no matter the influence, it was impossible for a Chinese melody to turn into a Japanese style!
Now, everyone felt the music had a strange, uncanny style, sounding nothing like a Chinese song and more like something from Sakura Country.
Some even doubted if it was "Zhe Xian" at all.
In truth, the song was indeed "Zhe Xian." The problem was that the director had replaced all the 'major keys' in the original grand and majestic Chinese melody with the 'minor keys' prevalent in Sakura Country! This immediately caused a 180-degree shift in the listening experience.
What was originally a solemn and grand piece instantly became eerie and even a little terrifying.
The director, while seemingly playing a Chinese song, was actually still humiliating China, deliberately using Sakura Country's minor keys to insult China's traditional ancient style music.
His intentions were despicable!
This was akin to being unable to defeat you, but wanting to disgust you intensely. The director's actions seemed to be in defense of Hashimoto Mei and a plea for Sakura Country.
Heh.
Therefore, Lu Ming could no longer listen. He let out a loud shout, "Stop!"
Suddenly, all eyes turned to Lu Ming on stage. At the same time, the director’s hands halted, and he looked up at Lu Ming.
He asked, "Mr. Lu, what advice do you have?"
Lu Ming walked down from the stage step by step, saying as he went, "Director, it seems your skills are lacking."
What?
Arrogant!
The director sneered, "Lacking skills? Do you know I am a level ten pianist? And you dare say my skills are lacking?"
Lu Ming retorted, "A level ten pianist, and you can't even distinguish between major and minor keys?"
Uh...
The director was instantly speechless.
It wasn't that he couldn't distinguish; he had simply taken everyone present as laymen, as idiots, believing they wouldn't notice. Even if there were differences, they wouldn't understand the principles behind them.
He hadn't expected Lu Ming, such a brute, to understand major and minor keys.
He had truly underestimated Lu Ming.
Lu Ming wasn't born a martial artist or a warlord. Previously, he was the young master of the prestigious Lu family in the capital, having learned piano from a young age and possessing great talent.
At a tender age, he had won first place in the Capital Junior Piano Competition, and by the age of 12, he had reached level ten in piano.
Versatile in both arts and martial arts – that described a person like Lu Ming!
He snorted coldly and walked directly up to the director, saying in a stern voice, "It seems the director has been associating too closely with the people of Sakura Country and has almost forgotten our ancestors' legacy. Please step aside. I will now demonstrate how the authentic Chinese ancient melody, 'Zhe Xian,' should be played!"
"This..." The director was stunned. He had absolutely not expected Lu Ming to possess such a skill.
He didn't want to yield, but the situation wouldn't allow it.
Lu Ming wasn't asking him; it was more like ordering him! Seeing the director make no reaction, Lu Ming simply grabbed him by the collar, like lifting a small chicken, and pulled him off the stool, tossing him aside. This left the director utterly disgraced and extremely embarrassed!
Following this, Lu Ming flicked his sleeves and swaggered to the stool, placing his hands lightly on the piano keys. He was genuinely going to play the piano, not joking.
At this moment, Jiang Mengxin was the most anxious. She had been with Lu Ming for quite some time and knew his capabilities.
Let Lu Ming fight, okay, he was formidable.
But asking Lu Ming to play the piano? Hah, that was like asking Zhang Fei to embroider – what a joke!
"No," Jiang Mengxin's hands trembled with nervousness. Couldn't Lu Ming just avoid being a hero at a time like this? If he played poorly, it would be a laughingstock, making everyone in Jinling mock him.
To protect Lu Ming's dignity and to prevent the Jiang family from falling into utter ridicule, Jiang Mengxin hurried forward, trying to grab Lu Ming's arm to stop his foolish and reckless act.
But!
It was too late.
The moment Jiang Mengxin stretched out her hand, Lu Ming's hands moved first. His fingers danced across the keys like a swarm of happy little bees freely soaring among flowers.
What followed was a melodious, moving, and ancient tune.
The music was grand yet not without charm, magnificent yet not without gentleness, making listeners feel as if they were climbing to the heavens, feasting and singing with immortals in the clouds, a moment of sheer delight!
The song was still the same song, no different from what the director had played earlier.
However, the listening experience had undergone a drastic transformation.
This was the difference between major and minor keys.
China is not Sakura Country; there's no need for furtiveness or eeriness. It directly employs the grand and majestic major keys to play the music, welcoming all nations and celebrating from all directions!
"Excellent!!!" The city mayor, who understood music, immediately discerned the difference between Lu Ming's and the director's performances. He knew Lu Ming's noble intentions and once again prevented a humiliation of China by a villain, applauding him with excitement.
Others, though they didn't understand music, could still discern the difference in the listening experience. Lu Ming's performance was clearly more captivating than the director's.
Thus, everyone couldn't help but applaud him. Some young girls even transformed into ardent fans, cheering loudly for Lu Ming and even flocking to take photos with him.
This put Jiang Mengxin in an awkward position.
She had never imagined Lu Ming to be so profoundly skilled, possessing such deep knowledge of the piano.
After all, Jiang Mengxin, born into a prominent family, had also studied piano since childhood.
Unfortunately, she had absolutely no talent in this area. No matter how much she practiced, she couldn't achieve much, eventually only reaching level four in piano, barely an amateur.
Precisely because she had studied piano, Jiang Mengxin knew all the more how high Lu Ming's current level was.
Immeasurable.
Profound.
Peak mastery.
In front of Lu Ming, Jiang Mengxin felt like a primary school student before a postgraduate. At this moment, Jiang Mengxin was both shocked by Lu Ming and filled with affection.
She had never realized her fiancé was so multi-talented.
Jiang Mengxin silently thought to herself, "Lu Ming, oh Lu Ming, how many things about you are still unknown to me? How much have you kept hidden from me?"
In reality, what she knew was merely the tip of the iceberg.
If Jiang Mengxin were to discover that Lu Ming was the Divine Doctor of China, the Dragon Warlord, and a national hero of China, she would likely faint from excitement and immediately head to the civil affairs bureau to register their marriage, firmly securing Lu Ming and leaving no opportunity for other women.
Jiang Mengxin looked at Lu Ming playing, as if a princess gazing at a prince.
At this moment.
She felt Lu Ming was impossibly handsome!!!