Chapter 30 Moss Green "She's fine."
After her birthday, Xue Chan left the palace.
At the end of February, Xue Chan came to Jixiang Temple to offer incense to her mother according to the lunar calendar.
"Actually, you didn't need to come to Jixiang Temple with me."
"What does it matter? Your mother is also my aunt. It's only right that I come to pay my respects."
Cheng Huaizhu took her arm and said, "Since we're staying at home anyway, why don't we go out for a walk? The spring scenery at Jixiang Temple is just right. Wouldn't it be great if we went to the back mountain together to admire the flowers and paint?"
Xue Chan looked into the girl's innocent eyes, smiled gently, and softly hummed in agreement.
It was midday, and the two, having eaten their vegetarian meal early, were feeling a bit sleepy, so they rested in the side room.
Inside the Hall of Rebirth, Zheng Tan was offering incense. Looking at the memorial tablet, his eyes welled up with tears, and he sighed softly.
"She is now in the palace, and she cannot even pay respects to her own parents."
Jiang Ce, who had come to see Zheng Tan, came in and greeted him. Upon seeing the memorial tablet, he couldn't help but sigh.
"Did you see Sister Run a few days ago? Is she alright?"
"He seems alright, he can even joke around, but..."
It was too agonizing.
Zheng Tan lowered her head and wept: "She said that back then, she caused you to be flogged by His Majesty. But since she couldn't see you, she really had no way to thank you."
When the Deng family's property was confiscated, it had been only half a year since Deng Run had become famous in the capital with his "Ode to Dongyang".
All the men were executed, and the women were confiscated and made maids in the inner palace. Deng's grandfather died of exhaustion, Deng's mother hanged herself, and twelve-year-old Deng Yuan died of illness in prison before she could even enter the palace.
Only Deng Run remained, all alone.
When she first entered the palace, Jiang Ce went to secretly visit her, but instead stumbled upon the Prince of Ning attempting to humiliate her.
The two men got into a fight, and Jiang Ce nearly beat him half to death. If the palace servants hadn't intervened in time, he would have received far more than thirty strokes of the cane.
"It will get better."
Zheng Tan looked up at the outside of the hall. It was a peaceful midday, and the shadows of the trees on the ground swayed gently.
May Heaven have mercy and bless her.
She calmed herself down a bit: "Would you like to come back with me?"
Jiang Ce shook his head: "I want to go find my mother."
Zheng Tan didn't say anything. After all, tomorrow was the anniversary of his father's death.
The two walked out of the hall. Jiang Ce saw her onto the carriage before turning back and walking through the hall and around the long corridor.
It was afternoon, and his simple clothes cast hazy shadows.
As the sun dipped westward, a ray of light shone through the latticed window on the wall and fell upon Xue Chan.
Xue Chan was dazzled by the sunlight and sat up, letting out a soft yawn.
After sleeping for a while, I felt much less sleepy and more refreshed.
Cheng Huaizhu was still asleep, so Xue Chan quietly left. As soon as she went out, she saw Yun Sheng and Ren Dong playing a game of grass fighting under the eaves.
Yun Sheng: "Does the young lady wish to go out?"
Xue Chan looked to her right, where there was a moon gate connecting the courtyard to another wing room, with an apricot tree planted in the corner of the wall.
"I want to go see the flowers there. It's just across the wall. You don't need to follow me."
She lifted her skirt and stepped through the moon gate, which led to another courtyard, where no one was present.
The ground paved with blue bricks was very clean, and the towering ancient cypress trees cast a light green shade.
There is a Zhongni-style guqin on the stone table.
Although she was not skilled in music, she could still recognize its value. But why was such a zither placed here?
Afraid of bumping into something, I only glanced at it twice before moving away and instead walked towards the apricot blossoms on the east wall.
Xue Chan stood among the flowers, tilted her head back, and closed her eyes.
Because they cannot see, their hearing is all the more acute. A breeze rustles through the ancient cypress trees, causing their branches and leaves to sway.
The silence was long and profound.
Lady Yu and Lanxi walked over from under the eaves and witnessed this scene.
She was enjoying herself.
This was Yu Niangzi's intuition upon seeing Xue Chan; she knew that Xue Chan was enjoying the tranquility and peace of this small world.
Lanxi saw a faint smile in her eyes, as if she found the scene quite interesting and beautiful.
The two stood quietly under the eaves watching her.
Xue Chan, who was standing under the wall, suddenly opened her eyes, gently pulled up her long skirt, and squatted down.
When Madam Yu saw Xue Chan tilt her body slightly, then look down at something with a puzzled expression, she noticed that Xue Chan was very focused and engrossed.
She was curious, so she tiptoed over.
What are you looking at?
Xue Chan was startled by the sound and looked up at her blankly.
She was a woman in her early thirties, with a fair complexion and almond-shaped eyes. She smiled gently and spoke very softly.
Xue Chan immediately stood up and apologized: "I... I thought this was a courtyard that could be entered. I'm sorry for disturbing you."
The other person laughed: "You still haven't told me what you were looking at just now?"
"Moss," Xue Chan pointed to the base of the flowering tree in the corner of the wall, her voice lowering slightly with embarrassment, "there's a patch of moss growing there."
Yu Niangzi looked in the direction she was pointing.
A patch of shady green moss grew in the corner, sprouting from beneath the tree roots and quietly clinging to the gray-white wall. It grew freely in that small corner, exuding a calm and steady vitality.
It even blossomed, blooming brilliantly and passionately.
Xue Chan stood under the sun, her face slightly flushed: "Actually, there's nothing much to see, just a patch of moss."
Madam Yu smiled gently and said, "There's nothing to see here, so why have you been looking at it for so long, so intently?"
The girl's voice softened slightly: "If I tell you my reasons, you might laugh."
"How will you know if I'll laugh or not if you don't tell me?"
Her voice was soft yet earnest, so Xue Chan began to speak.
"Because it's cute."
How do you know?
“I think this patch of moss… looks like a mountain.”
Yu Niangzi: "Like a mountain?"
Xue Chan nodded: "Yes, it's like rolling green hills, with flowing water and wildflowers."
Upon hearing this, Lady Yu looked again, and at this moment she became much more serious.
The moss grows in patches, some slightly raised, like silent little hills. And in these spring waters and mountains formed by the verdant moss, tiny flowers, as small as grains of rice, bloom everywhere.
It was subtle and quiet, yet it became a breathtaking scene of spring.
"I'm so sorry to have made you laugh."
“‘Sitting and watching the moss grow green, it seems to want to climb onto one’s clothes.’ That must be just like it.” Madam Yu stroked her bracelet and replied, “I think so too, it’s very cute.”
Having received approval and agreement, Xue Chan's eyes lit up, and she pointed to the zither on the stone table: "Is that your zither?"
"Yes"
"But why is the zither here? It's so valuable. What if someone takes it?"
Lanxi laughed and said, "No, my wife lives here. The monks here all recognize this zither, so it won't be lost."
Xue Chan smiled and said, "Then you must play the zither very well."
Lady Yu sat down next to the stone bench and asked her, "Can you play the zither?"
Xue Chan was taken aback.
Well, that's the question...
What should she say?
That's no longer a question of whether it's good or bad.
Back then, Old Master Xue hired a teacher to teach him the zither. After two months of instruction, he was eager to hear her play. After she finished playing, he sat in the pavilion, stunned, for a long time.
After a long while, he finally spoke seriously with Xue Chan.
"This gentleman is not good, let's find another one."
However, over the years, Xue Chan changed several teachers, but still made no progress.
Old Master Xue stubbornly refused to give up. He blamed the teacher for being bad, and he blamed the zither he bought for being bad, but he never suspected that Xue Chan had a problem.
Even Chi Qingyan and Li Wu's mothers had personally taught them, but they all remained silent.
In the end, they could only comfort him by saying that there are many people in the world who are not good at music, and Xue Chan is not an exception.
These words seemed to really comfort him, so he continued to comfort Xue Chan.
"Qiao Niang, it's alright."
Xue Chan didn't know how to answer; it was so awkward, but she still remained honest.
"I didn't play well..."
Lady Yu chuckled and said, "No need to be modest."
Xue Chan remained silent as birds flew past on the branches.
When Madam Yu saw that her face had turned redder, she just smiled and said nothing.
With long fingers stroking the strings, the music begins.
Clear as water, cold as stone, ringing like jade pendants, and gurgling like spring water.
Xue Chan's eyes flashed as she picked up a flower branch, dipped it in water to make ink, and used it as paper to spread on the wall.
The pine-covered mountains are verdant, shrouded in mist and rain, with lush vegetation and orchids blooming in secluded spots.
Lanxi initially thought Xue Chan was just expressing her feelings, but she was also surprised to see Xue Chan wielding her brush and ink to create a painting.
"Wife"
As the last note faded, Madam Yu looked up at the sound and, following Lanxi's gaze, also paused slightly.
This was exactly what she had imagined.
She looked at Xue Chan, a hint of appreciation in her eyes: "You're good at painting?"
She appreciates the painting skills, but even more so, she appreciates the fact that the artist can understand her own piano playing.
Xue Chan nodded subconsciously, then realized what she meant and smiled shyly, "Your wife plays the zither so well that I was moved to say this."
Looking at the painting on the wall, Madam Yu smiled gently and asked, "Can I have this painting?"
"certainly!"
But....
"This was painted with water; it will disappear in a little while..."
Xue Chan thought for a moment and suggested, "Why don't I go home and repaint it, and then send someone to deliver it to you, Madam?"
"Alright, but we still don't know whose daughter you are."
Xue Chan: "The Cheng family of Zhishu Lane."
Yu Niangzi nodded. She knew about the Cheng family and that the Cheng family did indeed have a daughter who was a cousin of Erlang's fiancée.
Xue Chan also asked her, "Where is my wife?"
Lanxi replied with a smile, "My wife is from the Marquis of Wu'an's mansion."
Xue Chan's smile vanished instantly as she realized what was happening.
She should have remembered this sooner; Huaizhu had told her about it when she first arrived in the capital.
Jiang Ce's mother's surname was Yu. She was extremely skilled in music and was once summoned to the palace to compose and teach music. She was a very famous music master.
To confirm, Xue Chan still asked, "Are you... Jiang Erlang's mother?"
Madam Yu hadn't expected her to ask that, but she still answered, "Indeed, you must be the second daughter of the Cheng family, right?"
“No, I’m not.” Xue Chan shook her head and looked up at her. “Miss Cheng is my cousin.”
"My surname is Xue."
Lanxi was surprised and looked at Madam Yu.
But Lady Yu was only briefly surprised before she laughed: "Isn't that even better?"
She approached Xue Chan with a gentle smile: "Then I'll trouble Miss Xue to paint this picture for me."
Xue Chan smiled and shook her head: "It is my good fortune that you can appreciate it."
"Qiao Niang, what are you doing there? It's time to come play with me."
Cheng Huaizhu's voice called her name.
"It really is Miss Cheng Er here," Madam Yu joked, then added, "Your little sister has been looking for you anxiously, hurry up and go."
Xue Chan bowed and walked toward Cheng Huaizhu, when Lady Yu suddenly called her back.
She turned around and saw Lady Yu standing there, smiling gently.
"If you are interested in learning the piano, you can come and find me."
"good"
After Xue Chan left, Lanxi walked up to Madam Yu and asked, "What does Madam think of Miss Xue?"
Yu Niangzi looked at the painting on the wall; it was half dry, with only half of the orchid in the stream remaining.
She shook her head, lowered her eyes, and smiled softly: "It's hard to know someone's character after just one meeting."
"But my wife seems to admire her quite a bit."
Yu Niangzi said, "I just feel that music, calligraphy and painting all need to be pure."
That's why it's even more regrettable.
She sighed deeply and closed her eyes.
"mother"
Jiang Ce appeared at the door, looking uneasy.
Lady Yu turned around and looked at him: "Come in."
Jiang Ce walked up to her, his eyes slightly lowered, but he didn't dare to get too close, afraid that her next words would be to tell him to go home.
He quietly followed behind her, up the stone steps, and across the threshold.
Madam Yu sat down: "The sun is scorching hot, why did you come at this time?"
Jiang Ce: "Tomorrow is the anniversary of my father's death. I would like to pay my respects with you."
After he finished speaking, he lowered his head and said nothing more, simply waiting quietly for her reply.
Have you eaten?
Jiang Ce was slightly stunned. His pupils dilated, and he shook his head blankly.
"not yet"
"Since there isn't any, let's eat here."
Lanxi smiled with satisfaction.
Jiang Ce was still reeling from the surprise of the caring words when Yu Niangzi had already moved to the side.
"good"
Although he was sitting there, his eyes kept glancing in that direction, while Madam Yu only opened a musical score to look at.
Lanxi had a vegetarian meal brought in, and Yu Niangzi and Jiang Ce sat down facing each other.
Seeing that there was only one set of chopsticks and a bowl on the table, Jiang Ce asked, "Aren't you eating?"
Yu Niangzi: "I've already eaten."
Jiang Ce was happier after she said that.
The afternoon sunlight streamed in quietly, filling the room with peace and tranquility.
Yu Niangzi looked down at the sheet music, while Lanxi occasionally smiled and served Jiang Ce some food.
Jiang Ce: "Mother, are you planning to come back with me?"
She didn't look up, but simply gave a faint "hmm".
Lanxi: "Actually, even though Erlang isn't coming, Madam has already had her things packed and is preparing to return to the Marquis's residence."
Jiang Ce glanced at Yu Niangzi sitting to one side, blinked, and then lowered his head to eat.
Lanxi's eyes flickered slightly, and she asked him with a smile.
"Has Erlang met Miss Xue yet?"
Yu Niangzi paused slightly as she turned the pages of her book, and gently tilted her ear.
Jiang Ce swallowed: "A few times, but not many times."
He smiled slightly.
We didn't meet often, but each meeting was memorable.
Lanxi: "So... what does Erlang think of Miss Xue?"
Jiang Ce paused, his hand holding the food in his chopsticks, and fell silent.
Lanxi lowered her eyes, sighing slightly in her heart. Yu Niangzi turned the pages of her book, but her gaze wasn't on it.
The room was quiet for a moment, and the light on the floor seemed to be frozen in place like a ball of white.
Jiang Ce stared at the ball of light, somewhat lost in thought, at the face that resembled Zhang Ruyu.
A sudden gust of wind blew outside the window, causing the light and shadows to dance.
The light and shadow swayed, like the rippling surface of water, with waves spreading in circles.
It was a clear, bluish-green color. Each piece, like glass, shimmered with sparkling light like scattered stars. In a daze, I seemed to hear that soft laugh again.
After a long while, a soft sound came from inside the room.
"fine"
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Author's Note: "Sitting and watching the moss's green hue, it seems to want to climb onto one's clothes." -- Wang Wei, "Writing About Things"
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