The Book of All Things: Born for Joy

Li Zichun looked at Jiang Yiyi and Lin Sishi in front of him and said, "Which of you do you think sang better?"

Lin Sishi sighed and said, "I'm withdrawing from the competition. Yi Yi is indeed better. She perfectly conveyed the emotions of this song. I concede defeat."

Jiang Yi patted her on the shoulder and said, "Si Shi, you've already done very well. After all, you're still young, and it's not easy to sing like this now. Keep it up."

Li Zichun smiled and nodded. The answer was the same as he had expected. The whispers in the room were all about Jiang Yiyi; she was indeed the undisputed winner. Lin Sishi also performed very well, even surprising him somewhat. He couldn't help but have other plans for her. He would see if her popularity could secure the last two solo performance spots first; otherwise, all his plans would be in vain.

It's better to offer help in times of need than to add flowers to brocade. Both adding and offering require finesse; the timing and the ingredients must be just right, otherwise it will only backfire and annoy people.

Li Zichun nodded in approval, acknowledging the result and signaling them to keep up the good work.

Zheng Conghu and Yuan Zi'an had already received their orders to go on stage. Li Zichun had asked them what kind of song they wanted. Yuan Zi'an was indifferent, since he had sung his songs before, so he was fine with any type of song. Zheng Conghu, who used to be in the military arts troupe, had always hoped for more military songs. Over the years, he had been singing the same few classic songs that were popular decades ago, so he tentatively asked, "Could you write a song about the moon with a military theme?"

Li Zichun had thought of many different types of songs, but he never expected it to be a military-themed one. It was quite unexpected.

Zheng Conghu looked at Li Zichun's briefly hesitant and confused face, and was about to say something to change the subject when the other party just smiled lightly and said, "Since you've brought it up, Zian has no problem with it either. Let's make it a military theme, but it probably won't become a popular song. Think it through yourself."

After receiving affirmative answers from Zheng Conghu and Yuan Zi'an, Li Zichun gave them this poem, "The Moon on the Fifteenth":

The full moon shines on my hometown and the border.

In the quiet night, you miss me, and so do I.

I stayed by the baby's cradle.

You patrol the border of the motherland.

I cultivate the fields in my hometown.

You are on guard duty at the border.

Ah, the sweetness of your harvest is in the fruits of our labor.

There is also my sweetness.

The medals are half mine and half yours.

The full moon shines on my hometown and the border.

In the quiet night, you miss me, and so do I.

I am filial to my parents and work hard without complaint.

You dedicated yourself to the motherland, shedding blood and sweat.

I bear the heavy responsibility for my whole family.

You are protecting national security

Ah, the prosperity of our motherland is due to your contributions, and also to mine.

Family reunion is my wish, and it's your wish too.

Ah ah

It's also your wish.

The key techniques for singing military-themed songs lie in emotion and momentum. With Zheng Conghu's guidance and military-style instruction, Yuan Zi'an sang very well.

After the two finished singing, the audience spontaneously applauded. It felt like something was ignited in everyone's heart. It was hard to explain, but it was just exhilarating.

With their performance over, the recording of Moonlight Sonata has come to a temporary end. The next appearance will depend on how much everyone likes these ten songs about the moon.

While they were recording the remaining variety show segments, Li Zichun practiced various vocal techniques and dance choreography skills with Lü Fang and Lou Yideng. He needed to improve himself in the shortest amount of time so that he could enter the next stage in top form.

Lu Fang and Lou Yideng were generous with their advice. It was a rare opportunity for the school to produce such a popular artist, and they wanted to impart all the knowledge they had to him.

So during breaks in the variety show recording, you could often hear Li Zichun's screams of agony as they tortured him.

When it's time to rest, Li Jiawei and Zhao Qianfan will come forward to massage and feed him to prevent him from becoming physically exhausted or experiencing any accidents to his muscles, bones, or joints.

Fortunately, the two teachers were very good at striking a balance, always pushing him just below the breaking point, so he could recover after a short rest. Therefore, Li Zichun generally didn't cause any major problems, and everyone found his wailing and howling amusing. But his continuous learning and improvement attitude was truly admirable, and everyone sincerely respected him.

Soon, the recording of all the variety shows ended, and after they were broadcast, the exciting celebration banquet performance list came in full swing.

Everyone did their best to win points. The program's anonymous voting has ended, and the scores have been posted online. Finally, we'll see the final results of the online voting before the celebration banquet and farewell performance begin.

The results of the calculation surprised everyone. Ten people were awarded the opportunity to perform solo, and the top ten had the same score, which was simply unbelievable.

If this continues, Li Zichun will have to compose ten more songs about the moon for these ten people.

Ha, things have gone too far!

Li Zichun stroked his chin, looked at the data, and said expressionlessly, "It seems that the people targeting us have never given up from the beginning!"

Li Zichun patted director Zhang Xiaochuan on the shoulder, looking at the computer with an indifferent expression.

The surrounding celebrities also remained silent. How was this supposed to work? Many of them were in the top ten, both looking forward to the new song and feeling that it was an impossible task.

Lu Fang and Lou Yideng also seemed to be deep in thought, wondering if they should help him in the name of the school.

After hearing the news, Fan Liwen called him to ask about his plans and whether he wanted to find an excuse to cancel the celebration banquet.

Gu Quan also called to inquire about the situation and checked the national music data charts of the Great Zhou Kingdom. Only Dynasty Entertainment could mobilize so many people to vote at once.

Li Zichun felt that Xing Yiling did not have the power and courage to calculate to the point of having exactly ten people tied for first place with one vote each. It seemed to be the work of the legendary big shot Sun Tianxing.

Li Zichun smiled contemptuously. Such a petty trick, let's see how I outsmart it.

After receiving Li Zichun's reply, "It's okay, bring it on," everyone felt relieved and even had some expectations. Could he really write ten songs about the moon in such a short time?

Suddenly, the whole nation was paying attention. Songs about the moon had already swept the entire circle, and everyone felt that there was nothing left to write about. They wanted to see what new tricks this man, who had just been given the title of "Moon Emperor," could come up with.

The higher the attention, the higher the expectations. For a time, everyone's expectations for this variety show celebration banquet moon special even exceeded those for the variety show itself. Its popularity soared to the top of the country, showing a significant gap compared to the second place.

For a moment, no one knew whether it was their love for the "moon" itself, their love for the singers on the show, their expectations for Li Zichun's talent, or their inexplicable expectation that the show would fail.

At night, when people walk down the street, they often look up to see if there is a moon, wondering what new ideas they can come up with from it.

There's only one week left until this final performance.

How much can one accomplish in a week? For Li Zichun, time is enough.

He quietly looked at the list in his hand: "Jiang Yiyi, Zheng Conghu, Zhao Qianfan, Li Jiawei, Yuan Zian, Qin Yuzi, Cheng Xinghe, Li Ke, Feng Zhennian, Lin Fengmian."

If the previously agreed-upon one song per person is followed, then Zhao Qianfan and Li Jiawei's "Lotus Pond Moonlight" will only be considered an entertainment song and will not be included. All the songs and the performance rhythm will need to be rearranged.

A week is neither a long nor a short time. Li Zichun quickly had director Zhang Xiaochuan gather all the selected people back. He had too many things to do.

With his exceptional memory, Li Zichun quickly recorded the arrangement and music, leaving everyone in disbelief as they looked at the song in his hands. However, he soon regained his composure; in the face of a genius, everything seemed perfectly normal.

After a week of intense rehearsals, under the guidance of Lü Fang and Lou Yideng, and with the approval of director Zhang Xiaochuan and Li Zichun, the final celebration banquet, the Moon Capital Grand Gathering, finally arrived.

The performance was broadcast live, both online and in person.

Host Li Fei and director Zhang Xiaochuan stood in front of the stage and said to the camera: "Respected elders, dear relatives and friends, good evening! Time flies, youth blossoms here, and we are all here to strive for our ideals. After three months of recording and broadcasting, on this stage filled with joy and smiles, in this ocean of laughter and songs, in this sacred place where we have worked together, we gather here today to welcome our grand feast."

Wow, it looks pretty professional. People who just walked in probably thought it was some kind of gala!

"Next, please enjoy the song and dance performance 'Guanghan Palace' led by Liu Xueqi from Huating Entertainment and Zhong Lingling from Seagate Media."

The scene shifts to an antique-style flower-lined pavilion, where Zhong Lingling, dressed in a blue veil, dances gracefully. Having been promoted to lead dancer as a substitute, she initially thought she wouldn't have her own dance routine, but unexpectedly, by persevering to the end, she became a moon palace fairy. The dance Li Zichun performed for them was "The Moon Palace," the closing segment of Henan Radio and Television's "2021 Mid-Autumn Festival Wonderful Tour." The classical and modern dances of Chang'e and the Jade Rabbit, set amidst swirling clouds, were magnificent and enchanting, making it seem like a real-life scene in the moon palace.

For the background music, he chose Wu Bixia's version of "Guanghan Palace". Among all the stars, Li Zichun couldn't find anyone who could handle the song. Li Jiawei was already on the list, so he had no choice but to find Liu Xueqi. But she was too young. After a week of teaching by him and Lu Fang, they were finally able to finish the song.

Her voice was pure and bright, and she used different singing styles such as coloratura, opera, and pop in one song, making it full of charm. With Li Zichun's word-by-word guidance and her extraordinary performance on stage, she finally mastered the song:

At midnight, as the moon rises high in the sky, who feels heartache for whom?

A cup of turbid wine poured into my heart, who made whose heart turn cold?

Being in the Three Realms, one is both obsequious and fearful.

The waxing and waning of the moon, the chaos of the world—who became the hero?

In the clear light of the moon

The moon's shadow sways like a dream.

Osmanthus blossoms intoxicate the neon lights

Who cares about carved beams and painted rafters?

I only wish for the morning drum and evening bell

Transformed into a touch of gentleness

Clouds surge across the sky

It was her lingering regret and unrequited love…

Liu Xueqi sang with great enthusiasm, far exceeding her usual training performance, which can be considered an extraordinary performance.

"The mica screen reflects the deep shadows of candles"

A dancer in feathered robes, stepping on blades, dances, but who is she thinking of?

The long river gradually falls as dawn breaks and a meteor sinks.

The moon palace night is long, the jade rabbit invites me to dream of my beloved…

"Ahhhhhhh~ Ohhhhhhh~" Liu Xueqi's coloratura singing amazed both the audience and the internet.

The final scene shows Zhong Lingling, who plays Chang'e, with her flowing robes, standing on the moon and gazing at the national space station. Netizens exclaimed that it was beautiful and captivating, and the barrage of comments was filled with praise.

Is this how you start the game? How are you going to respond afterwards?

After Liu Xueqi finished singing, she received widespread praise both online and at the venue.

Li Zichun was already standing on the boat, standing alone in the wind, his voice rising and falling as he spoke of his understanding of the moon: "Throughout history, among all the scenery of the world, nothing is more enduring and unpredictable than the bright moon in the sky. The human heart is filled with gains and losses, with sighs and regrets, and the waxing and waning of the moon is just like the unpredictable joys and sorrows of the human world, making it a rich artistic symbol and cultural carrier."

When we talk about the moon, we're talking about a thousand possibilities of beauty. It's the homesickness of "The dew is white tonight, the moon is brighter in my hometown," the loneliness of "Raising a cup to invite the bright moon, making three with my shadow," the sadness of "Man cannot reach the bright moon, yet the moon follows him as he walks," the regret of "Bearing resentment, I wish I were the moon in the sky, so that every year I could still be full for my lover," and the magnanimity of "The bright moon shines straight in, its heart unfathomable."

It is the crescent moon, "pointed at both ends and curved in the middle," its sharpness outwardly gentle yet showing its favoritism towards you; it is the slight imperfection that allows it to endure; it is the longing that arises when our eyes meet on the moon, though we are in different places; it is the heart-lamp that illuminates the joys and sorrows of life, like the bright moon and clear spring, a symbol of freedom within.

It is a coordinate fallen among the stars, a companion to "blowing out the reading lamp, bathed in moonlight," and the exclusive sentiment of "In this life, besides my hometown, I have only written about the moon for you alone."

It is a hidden secret, the only one, a metaphor, an alienation, an illusion, tolerance, eternity, restlessness, eccentricity, a masterpiece, omnipresence, and the embodiment of love.

This moon is my most precious and purest thing, and I give it to you.

He finished speaking in one breath, then lowered his eyes and smiled gently, staring at the screen with deep affection, and slowly added the last sentence: "I hope I can be your moon."

(Compiled and written by CCTV News)

PS: Data is from Baidu Encyclopedia.

"The Moon on the Fifteenth" is a song with lyrics by Shi Xiang, music by Tie Yuan and Xu Xiyi, arrangement by Lou Lianguang, and sung by Dong Zhenhou. It was composed in 1984 and won the first prize of the Second PLA Literature and Art Award in 1986. In June 2019, the song was selected as one of the "100 Outstanding Songs Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China".

"Guanghan Palace" is an ancient-style song released and performed by Wanziyo on April 30, 2019. Composer: Liu Fengyao, Lyricist: Jiang Cheng, Arranger: Hou Yiqiang / EZ-Mitchell.

References: "40 Quotes about the Moon from CCTV: 'The Moon is the Best Thing I Can Give You'" Source: CCTV News, Yilin Composition