An imagined Han-era music bureau before dawn: a court musician waits beside one unplayed yellow-bell pitch pipe while the possibility of a first note hangs over the quiet courtyard. Sheng leads the chamber texture, with sparse guqin and a restrained pulse beneath the female vocal.

[Intro] 漏尽未尽，宫灯微明 一管黄钟，横置案屏

[Verse 1] 汉苑霜深，玉阶无声 乐署门掩，晓雾入庭 笙簧未动，琴徽有尘 独抱旧谱，候第一声

[Chorus] 黄钟未鸣，天未明 谁听此调过长城 一音落在青云外 一音还向故人庭

[Verse 2] 铜壶将竭，残烛欲倾 竹简半卷，墨冷如冰 我试宫商，指下微轻 却见星河，渐隐东城

[Bridge] 若天有序，何使人各行 若声可渡，愿寄此一声 不问来者，知否我名 只将未发之音，守到晓星

[Final Chorus] 黄钟未鸣，天已明 霜色离开玉阶影 一音落在青云外 一音还向故人庭 黄钟未鸣，谁先听 我把余声付晓风 待他年有人翻旧谱 知此孤灯曾照宫庭

[Outro] 灯尽无言，管横如梦 一声未发，万里皆空