Chapter 96 Like Strong Wine (Part 8) He wanted to do that.
Zhi Rou disliked playing riddles with people, and her brows furrowed, showing some displeasure.
They are different after all, Zhi Rou thought to herself. It's good that he's not here today.
"I heard your brother has also returned to the capital. He and Yuan Zhan are truly brothers by nature; they do everything the same," Sheng Xingyun said from the side, her chin swaying slightly, revealing a hint of sighing.
He had never called Song Qiyu that before, and Zhi Rou was stunned. For a moment, someone else came to mind.
After responding, Zhi Rou playfully gave him a disapproving look: "Aren't you afraid of my big brother anymore?"
Sheng Xingyun scoffed: "He's just a mortal, what do I have to be afraid of?"
He remembered how, when he was young, he found the third daughter of the Song family to be adorable and wanted to strike up a conversation with her. How pure a child's heart is! But Song Qiyu didn't understand, and seeing him approach her younger sister, she harbored resentment.
One day, he was passing by the polo field when Song Qiyu made him look very foolish. After that, he wanted to disappear into the ground whenever he saw the Song siblings. Wei Yuanzhan knew about this and would laugh at him whenever he saw them.
Childhood grudges are now as light as smoke, and Sheng Xingyun no longer cares about them. He just thinks that everyone he knows is young and successful, and looking back at himself, he can't help but feel a little depressed.
As I pondered, my thoughts drifted to Qiyun Garden, a place historically inhabited by talented but unappreciated individuals.
He casually began, "By the way, Mr. Xue Nan sold Qiyun Garden to me."
He took a few steps, then turned to look at Zhirou, "The teacher said there's a jar of 'Top Scholar's Wine' under the pomegranate tree. He originally intended to bring it out when you came of age, but you..."
As her voice faded, Zhi Rou's fingertips clenched slightly.
In previous years, on her birthday, she always remembered that Wei Yuanzhan had drunk "Nourishing Heart Tea," but she had never received it, so she asked her master for it every year. At that time, she did not know that it was wine, but her master said every year that he would give it to her on the fifteenth, and gradually she realized the meaning.
During her recent trip back to Beijing, Zhi Rou visited Qi Yun Garden.
There were now wealthy servants standing guard at the gate, and the plaque remained unchanged, but the former elegance and scholarly atmosphere had been replaced by an aggressive wealth that made it somewhat strange.
She stepped forward to look for her master, but was stopped by the servants outside the door, who said that their master was not in the house and no one could enter.
Zhi Rou then asked who their master was, but the men remained silent and glared at her fiercely.
As Sheng Xingyun spoke, Zhi Rou's face showed a critical expression: "Are you the new owner of Qiyun Garden?"
Then he asked, "Where did my master go?"
"He's traveling around. I reckon he's probably in Jiangdong right now."
Will he come back?
Sheng Xingyun shook his head: "The master didn't tell me."
He paused, then a thought suddenly flashed through his mind. "If you want to see your master, why not let Yuan Zhan go with you to Jiangdong? Isn't his grandmother there too?"
If Sheng Xingyun had made this suggestion before, Zhi Rou wouldn't have been surprised at all. But today he was acting strangely, always bringing her up with Wei Yuanzhan. Could it be that Wei Yuanzhan had said something to him?
Zhi Rou stopped and looked at Sheng Xingyun with some nervousness.
It's hard to describe the feeling; it's like dancing on a knife's edge, or standing in the sunlight yet feeling a deep, cold shadow.
An unknown panic crept into her chest. Zhi Rou prided herself on being calm, but everything fell apart when she encountered Wei Yuanzhan.
Seeing that she didn't move, Sheng Xingyun turned around: "...Did I say something wrong?"
Unlike when she was a child, Song Zhirou has grown into a stunning beauty. When she looks at someone without any expression, her whole aura is icy, making people afraid to approach her.
Fortunately, not long after, she lifted her foot forward and, quite irrationally, said, "I'll walk by myself, you're too slow."
Without looking back, she walked around the narrow bridge, quickening her pace, determined not to let him follow.
With Sheng Xingyun's encouragement, Zhi Rou originally thought that Wei Yuanzhan was avoiding her because of what happened last night, but now she thought that she was overthinking it and no longer tried to verify it. She had something else she was more curious about.
As Zhi Rou had predicted, Wei Yuanzhan's failure to wait for her to wake up at Yanxian Tower was indeed due to some kind of predicament.
He didn't get drunk that night.
His military upbringing instilled in him a habit of keeping his mind sharp, whether it was before a battle or while on duty.
His every move in the pavilion was driven by his own will.
He wanted to do that.
If it weren't for the astonishment and innocence in her eyes when she looked at him, revealing her trust, he doesn't know what else he might have done.
He was torn between his overwhelming emotions and his fear of offending someone; these conflicting feelings clung to his heart, binding him.
Wei Yuanzhan was eager to distract himself with other matters, and when the emperor asked him to accompany him to the imperial palace, he almost felt relieved and accepted the decree with a sense of relief.
I returned three days later.
Every year on the 27th day of the first lunar month, the people of the capital would hang up lanterns again, making the city as bright as day, far surpassing the Lantern Festival.
In the past, there was much war and chaos. Barbarian tribes once sent corpses to our country, causing the spread of plague and causing immense suffering to the people, with cries of agony echoing across the land. At that time, a traveling physician was residing in the capital. Witnessing this calamity, he could not bear to stand idly by and resolutely administered acupuncture and medicine, saving countless people from danger.
However, he himself fell ill and succumbed to his illness, passing away in the capital. The people, grateful for his kindness, would light a thousand lanterns every year at this time to express their sorrow and respect.
The city lights, shining brightly under the railings, create a dazzling spectacle. Looking out, it seems as if the sea has been turned to gold, surging wave after wave under the starry sky.
Wei Yuanzhan and Sheng Xingyun were on the top floor of Yanxian Tower, where the eaves only covered half of the space, leaving a large open platform hanging out. Looking up, they saw the bright moon; looking down, they saw the bustling capital city.
Sheng Xingyun placed his hands on the railing, leaned half his body against it, looked down at the street scene, and turned to the person next to him, saying, "Do you think the people in the sky can see how many rows of lights they hang?"
As soon as he finished asking the question, he straightened up, casually looked up for a moment, and answered himself, "So far away, how could that be?"
Wei Yuanzhan stood beside him with his hands behind his back. The brilliance before him was almost extravagant. Through the starlight, he recalled that when his grandfather passed away, he had listened to the advice of his servants when he was young. Whenever he was hesitant about something, he would light a lamp in the corridor.
If the flame goes out quickly, it means his grandfather is instructing him to choose the left; if it continues to burn for a long time, it means he is being led to choose the right.
He ordered many times, but the latter always came first.
After he turned ten, he stopped believing in supernatural phenomena and mystical theories about the universe.
Whether you see it or not, it's just a way to comfort yourself.
Wei Yuanzhan turned and leaned against the railing, his arms wrapped around himself. The night wind brushed against his brow, smoothing away some of his listlessness.
Sheng Xingyun did not refute.
No matter what others did, it didn't interfere with his business at all. He even had a mocking smile on his lips: "What the restaurant made today is enough to celebrate the Lantern Festival."
Upon hearing this, Wei Yuanzhan curled his lips, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.
The banquet table was illuminated by the glow of the room. He turned his head and scrutinized Sheng Xingyun's face for a moment: "Are you really not going to paint anymore?"
“What’s the use of painting?” Sheng Xingyun shrugged indifferently, resting his elbow on the railing. “People admire famous scholars, not merchants like us. Just like my father said, what I paint is worthless.”
Hearing these words from his friend, Wei Yuanzhan's thick eyebrows furrowed, his hands fell to his sides, and his shoulders straightened, displaying a firm attitude: "What he said is wrong."
Sheng Xingyun glanced at him, smiled, and didn't take it seriously.
Then I heard someone beside me say, "Are the landscapes and scenes you depict not what your heart truly desires?"
Without a moment to think, Wei Yuanzhan stared intently at him: "Xingyun, how the world judges a painting does not determine its value. What you paint is very precious."
His eyes were clear and bright; Sheng Xingyun had nowhere to hide under his gaze.
Wei Yuanzhan is right. Brush and ink are works of art that express one's feelings, so why bother asking whether they are useful or not?
But he often thinks that he has been silent for too long, and one day he will forget the original intention of painting.
Neither of them spoke again.
After a moment's thought, Sheng Xingyun said frankly, "I bought Qiyun Garden."
Wei Yuanzhan raised an eyebrow and said nonchalantly, "Who knows if Wu Wei's fate will befall me?"
Qiyun Garden was the former residence of Wu Wei of the previous dynasty. He had a difficult life and his ambitions were not fulfilled. Although he was appreciated by the last emperor of the previous dynasty and was able to realize his ambitions, his final ending was particularly tragic.
Hearing that he compared himself to Wu Wei, Wei Yuanzhan felt uneasy and did not want him to suffer such an end.
She squeezed his shoulder with her hand and finally whispered, "You're not Wu Wei."
In the entire capital city, there were only two people Sheng Xingyun could open his heart to: Wei Yuanzhan and Song Zhirou.
Upon hearing the return of an old friend, Sheng Xingyun smiled, knowing that he meant that he could go further than Wu Wei, which was somewhat comforting. He then touched his nose, turned around, and continued to look down.
The night view of Beijing has its own unique charm. At first glance, it may seem somewhat extravagant and decadent, but most of the people are still ordinary and kind-hearted people who release lanterns out of a devout belief.
In the crowded flow of people, Sheng Xingyun suddenly spotted a familiar figure. He nodded and pointed outwards: "Song Zhirou."
It was her, in her usual round-necked long robe, with a unique short sword at her waist in addition to jade ornaments. She walked in the crowd, accompanied by a tall, imposing man who looked older than them.
"Who is that person? Do you know him?"
Sheng Xingyun had never seen any men besides them around Song Zhirou. Perhaps she had met them outside the capital, but... how did they end up in the capital?
He blinked in surprise and glanced at Wei Yuanzhan.
As he expected, Wei Yuanzhan looked down at him with a cold gaze and remained silent.
Zhi Rou had no choice and was unwilling to lead Su Du to the Song residence to meet her mother in person. Therefore, on the Lantern Festival, she took out the portrait that Ling Hewei had given her and personally handed it to Su Du.
The Guanyue Tower stands tall and straight. When it was first built, it was favored by many literati. Two years ago, a fire burned it to ruins. Although it has been repaired, fewer and fewer people come and go here. Now it has become a desolate place.
Zhi Rou held up a lamp, and Su Du stood beside her, holding the beginning and end of the scroll in both hands, his gaze fixed on the woman in the painting, his expression different from usual.
Zhi Rou's attention never strayed; she stared at Su Du almost without blinking. It was as if flesh and blood had grown into his bones overnight. She glimpsed emotions on his face, intense yet seemingly unreal.
"Did you draw this?" he finally asked, his voice low and somber.
Zhi Rou was startled for a moment by his sudden gaze: "What?" Then, as she spoke, she softly replied, "It wasn't me."
Su Du's gaze returned to the painting, and after a long while, she said, "I want to see her."
"Does it really matter whether I see you or not?" Zhi Rou blurted out in an instant, her heart pounding like a drum in her chest. The more she tried to calm herself down, the more chaotic her thoughts became.
Before she was certain, she desperately wanted to find out the relationship between her mother and Chang Shi, but now she only felt resistance, a strong resistance, and she would do everything in her power to stop it.
"What do you want to do after you see my mother?" Zhi Rou pressed on before he could answer.
Su Du frowned deeply, rolling up the portrait while turning his body to the side, his gaze fixed on Zhi Rou.
With a subtle searching, as if trying to find clues from her expression, clothing, and even the folds in her cuffs.
She didn't flinch, but stood quietly, only her wary eyes betraying her unease.
Su Du hesitated, furrowing his brow, and asked, "You and I share the same blood, so why are you so afraid of me?"
The woman in the painting looked exactly like his mother from his memory, which made his long-dormant heart beat again.
Zhi Rou is her mother's daughter, and thus his younger sister.
They are the closest people in the world, bound by blood, an unbreakable bond.
She shouldn't be afraid of him.
For Su Du, this was the most open and honest thing he could do. He had learned to hide his sensual pleasures long ago, and by the age of eight, he had already developed this habit.
Zhi Rou's heart pounded, and her voice rose slightly: "I didn't." Then, realizing something, she quickly added, "I'm not."
Su didn't respond again. The long silence and the way he looked at her made Zhi Rou feel uneasy; she could almost hear her own breathing.
She looked away, her words less sharp than before: "I've kept my promise to you. That's all. I'm going back now."
"I'll take you." Su Du walked to her side without hesitation.
Zhi Rou stamped her foot, her eyes deep, calm, and moist, like a pair of warm jade, but her voice was cool: "No need."
Su Du seemed not to hear him and said in a gentle tone, "Let me take you."
The bright lights and bustling street unfolded like a scroll painting. Zhi Rou walked alongside Su Du, her back stiff, her palms clenching and unclenching, finally reaching for the knife at her waist as if seeking solace.
Su Du no longer posed a threat to Zhi Rou, but walking together with him made her feel uneasy, as if she were walking on clouds, and she was also somewhat fearful of falling.
After walking for a while, Zhi Rou glanced at his face and was startled when he looked over. She then tried her best to control herself and didn't look at him again.
A bullock cart passed by on the side of the road, its county bell ringing softly. A figure sat half-sitting on the carriage seat. Zhi Rou frowned slightly upon seeing his figure.
That person seems to be...
Before he could even process what was happening, Su Du's sleeve brushed against her hand, then quickly swept past, and he abruptly stopped.
Under the dazzling lights, Su Du's face was flushed red, and the shadows covered his eyes, making his brow bone and eye sockets appear particularly heavy.
He stared at the street expressionlessly for a while, then turned to Zhirou and asked, "Have you offended anyone?"
Since arriving in the capital, he has kept a low profile, and all the former members of the Chang family he has come into contact with are people he deeply trusts. In contrast, Song Zhirou was summoned by the Empress shortly after returning to the capital and even stayed overnight at the Eastern Palace.
Su looked at her, and seeing the doubt in her eyes, said again, "Someone is following us."
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