Chapter 44: She is actually a little cute when she is angry.
What's the point of mentioning the feelings in her heart that are insignificant to him and that he wouldn't take to heart even if he knew about it?
Zhu Hao thought about the following words a thousand times, but he couldn't think of any appropriate words. No matter what he said, as long as Song Xieqing didn't care about her, he would just feel that it didn't matter.
There is always a way out. Just when Zhu Hao was speechless, he heard an increasingly intense quarrel from the side.
"Eh? What happened over there?" Zhu Hao left, leaving Song Xieqing standing there but smiling without saying a word.
The place where the sound was transmitted was a small open-air courtyard, specially provided for the people who carried the sedan chair during the procession to rest.
The jade statue was placed on the sedan chair, with a moon-white headband embroidered with ancient pines and green cranes fluttering between the temples. The statue's body shone with a jade-like luster in the moonlight, making its jade-like face look gentle.
The courtyard was crowded with believers in robes. Zhu Hao probably knew what everyone was clamoring about. It was a long story. The eldest lady of the Xie family in East Street was supposed to be this year's Jade Lady, but unexpectedly, she took advantage of the crowded parade to elope with her lover!
Xie Shangqing, the eldest lady of the Xie family, was the one who broke off her engagement with Shi Chunsheng last year. Last month, her elder relatives arranged a new marriage for her. Unexpectedly, Xie Shangqing accepted the offer, but she actually had other plans. No wonder she offered herself as a prostitute a few days ago! It turned out she was trying to escape the scrutiny of her family!
It was past midnight, and the procession was supposed to be waiting at Zhe'erzhai, waiting for the Jade Maiden to light the candles and dust the statue before placing it in the main hall. But something went wrong at that moment...
Someone lit the inner courtyard's eaves lamps, and the elder in the lead suddenly pointed at Zhu Hao and exclaimed, "I was wondering why you looked so familiar! It turns out you're the girl from the Zhu family! Oh! I remember your birth date and time! Not only do they match Master Huaixian's, they also complement each other!"
A daughter's birth date and eight characters naturally cannot be shown to others easily, after all, it is related to the matter of marriage. However, Zhu Hao's birth date and eight characters are not really a secret. After Zhu Hao threw the hydrangea at Song Xieqing's jade statue last year, Zhu Lanxiang tried like crazy to find a marriage for her, and took out her birth date and eight characters to see if they were compatible.
The old man stepped forward hurriedly. "Oh! Huaixian should have arrived safely at the Zhe'erzhai Palace at this time, but something went wrong with the Jade Maiden. If we miss the auspicious time and incur the wrath of the Immortal Lord, Huaicheng might be struck by a natural disaster! Zhu girl! Are you okay later? If nothing..."
Before he could finish his words, a rude man shouted fiercely, "Uncle Gu! Absolutely not! Have you forgotten? Last year, she threw the hydrangea at the statue. The Immortal Lord must have considered it unlucky. What if the candle she offered goes out? What if she displeases the Immortal Lord and affects Huaicheng's harvest and prosperity this year? If the Immortal Lord holds her accountable, how can she, a mere woman, bear the responsibility?"
"That's strange. When did this city's fortune need to be supported by a woman? What do you mean by 'a mere woman'? Can a mere man like you keep the candle burning? How can a mere man like you be qualified to understand the Immortal Lord's intentions?"
Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a man in a purple robe standing at the gate of the courtyard. The man had clear eyebrows and eyes as bright as stars. When everyone saw clearly, no one dared to argue. After all... the descendants of Huaixian had spoken, what else could they say?
Seeing that it was Shi Chunsheng who had come, Zhu Hao waved him off and retorted to the rude man, "Do you think I'm stupid? Do you really think I don't know that for the past hundred years, whenever a jade maiden holds a candle, the candle will go out? Why, when it comes to me, you put all the blame on me?" Zhu Hao glanced at the jade statue in the center of the open courtyard and asked the old man, "If I were to become a jade maiden, would there be any reward?"
As soon as this question was posed, one could hear a pin drop. Being a Jade Maiden brings one close to the Immortal Lord, while being a God offers candles and whisks—it's a privilege to be a woman! What outrageous words is this woman saying? If it's a privilege, why would there be any reward?
Zhu Hao had already seen the answer from the strange expressions on everyone's faces. She turned around and tried to leave, "I won't do this if I don't get paid."
Although there are a few other options besides the eldest lady of the Xie family, time is of the essence. If we go now, we will probably miss the auspicious time. Besides, we have to change into our ritual clothes, put on makeup, and style our hair. Although Madam Zhu was a bit rash, the Immortal King didn't punish Huaicheng for the embroidered ball incident! On the contrary, if we miss the auspicious time today...
"Hey, hey, hey! Wait! Wait a minute, Zhu girl!" The old man glared at the rough man who had just spoken rudely to Zhu Hao, then took a stumbling step forward to chase him, "Five taels of silver!"
I wish you good luck and a happy journey.
"Ten taels! How about ten taels?"
Ten taels of silver was really nothing to Zhu Hao right now, but she still stopped, her brows relaxed and she said, "Deal."
Zhu Hao walked up to Shi Chunsheng and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, it took so long for you to find me. Today's work is on me. If you don't have anything to do tonight, I'll treat you to a midnight snack after I finish my work."
Shi Chunsheng smiled back, "I'll be waiting for you, Shopkeeper Zhu."
…
Since Zhu Hao was the Jade Maiden offering candles, she naturally had to follow the etiquette and customs passed down from generation to generation in this city. She followed the instructions and walked into a side room at the side of the courtyard. There, a woman named "Sister Li" put on makeup for her again. Zhu Hao's hair was a little messy and needed to be combed again.
Fortunately, Sister Li was very quick and had her makeup and hair styled in no time. Zhu Hao went into the inner room to change into her ritual attire. She vaguely heard Sister Li say from outside, "Madam Zhu, there's a hairpin missing from your hair style. I'll go look in the side room next door."
Zhu Hao responded softly.
The sacrificial robes were quite complicated, and Zhu Hao's figure was thin, so the clothes were a little loose on her. Zhu Hao held up the hem of her skirt and sat down in front of the table.
The ear room was shabby, and the narrow inner room only had a desk and a stool. There was no bronze mirror in front of the desk. Zhu Hao didn't know what she looked like at the moment, so she had to raise her hand and gently stroke her bun. Zhu Hao found that the left bun was indeed a little messy and needed to be fixed with a hairpin.
Zhu Hao felt bored. She wondered why Sister Li hadn't returned yet, while leaning over the table and fiddling with her rouge. She let her mind go and let her soul wander. She was so absorbed that she didn't even hear the increasingly clear footsteps behind her.
Song Xieqing had no intention of keeping quiet. He and Zhu Hao were only half an arm's length apart, but she was still bending over the table, fiddling with the rouge on one side.
He twirled a crabapple hairpin with two fingers, which he had bought when he passed by a stall just now.
But this is his thing.
After hundreds of years, it finally returned to his hands.
The first time Song Xieqing saw the hairpin again, the thought of his mother and his wish for good luck flashed through his mind.
He actually felt from the bottom of his heart that this hairpin suited her.
A hundred years ago, my father asked a master craftsman to cast this hairpin for my mother. After my father passed away, my mother remarried and gave this hairpin to him, hoping that he could find a good wife and no longer be alone.
Song Xieqing scoffed at this, but it was something left by his mother. Therefore, a hundred years ago, he kept the hairpin in his arms for several years. After his mother passed away, it became the only relic to commemorate her. However, Song Xieqing never had the opportunity to wear the Haitang Buyao in his hair again until his death, let alone choose a new owner for it.
It's not that he doesn't understand love, but the word "love" is worth a thousand gold. No matter how tedious and trivial it is, he can't guarantee that he can protect the woman he loves in the chaotic world of war and chaos. Those who have been involved with him, even the mother who gave birth to him, have all met a tragic end, all because of him. He has been condemned by the world. Given this, how can he be worthy of harming a decent woman?
Song Xieqing held her bun with one hand and inserted the hairpin into Zhu Hao's hair with the other.
"Sister Li, have you found the hairpin?"
After saying that, Zhu Hao raised his hand and touched his bun, vaguely seeing the shape of a flower.
Their fingertips touched for a moment. Zhu Hao instinctively shrank back, then grabbed Song Xieqing's hand and turned around.
The woman's cheeks are painted with mist-shadowed dark purple flowers. This flower only exists in strange stories and myths, but it has many meanings, such as exorcising demons and bringing good fortune, blessing people with longevity, and also brushing away the dust of the past for old friends.
She was dressed in a ritual garment woven of green and red, with pearls and jade hanging from her forehead, and the pigtails on her ears were adorned with tassels made of ancient coins. A red ribbon hung from her flying bun, and her fair face and red lips were so radiant that they might rival the moon in brilliance.
Zhu Hao let go of him, and her fingertips slowly stroked the crabapple branch to the bottom. The pearl tassels on her hairpin swayed with it. She raised her eyes and stared at the man who was so close to her.
As he looked around, the light in his eyes flickered, and its color was like spring.
Song Xieqing's hand was suspended in mid-air, just a hair's breadth away from touching her cheek. He slightly bent his fingers, but saw a subtle sly glint in the eyes of the person in front of him. She asked him, "Why do you have a girl's hairpin?"
She suddenly put her cheek against the back of his hand, which was about to fall, and asked, "Does it look good?"
She kept staring at him with her pair of lively eyes. The inner room was dimly lit by candlelight and it was quiet. Only the sound of each other's breathing could be heard. Song Xieqing looked at her from above. She had a jade neck, snow-white skin, and clear and lovely eyes. There was an ambiguity between their eyes.
Zhu Hao's cheek against the back of his hand was obviously cold, but it made his skin feel hot. He raised his other hand and held her chin as if possessed by a demon. The light in Song Xieqing's eyes hidden under his eyelashes gradually became deep.
He bent down and bowed his head.
In the end, he just straightened a strand of hair on her temple.
He turned his blessed cheek away and said, "Not bad."
…
There were still a few scattered fireworks across the sky. The procession team marched forward with flags painted with ink scrolls and ancient texts in their hands. Eight musical notes were played at the end of the procession. People who believed in Huaixian followed with incense in hand. The head of the procession was carried by eight people on a sedan chair. On this sedan chair, Huaixian was in the shape of a phoenix.
When they arrived at Zhe'erzhai, they saw a woman standing at the door. She held a jade bottle in her left hand and took out a willow branch from the jade bottle with her right hand. The willow tip was wet with the morning dew. She circled the jade statue three times. Her rings and bracelets jingled, her silk ribbons dragged on the ground, and the morning dew washed all around her. A crabapple hairpin on her flying bun swayed with each step. She was graceful and elegant. The scene was like a goddess descending to the mortal world to bless all people. Afterwards, the woman passed the jade bottle and willow branch to someone else, and she took the ever-burning candle handed to her from the side.
The base of this candle is made of colored glaze, and the inner column is filled with a wax body as thick as a woman's wrist. When Zhu Hao holds it in his palm, it feels like he is holding the weight of a rock.
The stronger the night wind, the more she had to endure her coughing, and she also had to maintain an upright and steady posture while holding the burning candle and moving forward. Most importantly, she had to protect the candle from going out.
Before this, she had always thought that the candles worshipped by the Jade Maiden had been extinguished for a hundred years, and it must be Song Xieqing's obstruction. But now, Zhu Hao experienced it firsthand and realized that she had wronged him.
To make a wish, hold a long-lit candle in your hand and bow towards the statue.
The lanterns hanging on the ninety-nine steps suddenly lit up, shining brightly, extending straight to the main hall, illuminating the road ahead.
She led the team with a lit candle in her hand, followed by a jade-carved statue of a deity.
Zhu Haofang walked up a few steps and couldn't help laughing at herself. She was still too conceited. You know, she usually didn't carry anything and would be so tired that she would be panting and sweating when walking up these steps. She would have to take a short break after walking up ten steps. What's more, she had to hold such a thing in her hands?
It's not that easy to earn just ten taels of silver.
Her long skirt was winding up the stairs, and she could only climb to the top step by dragging this complicated and heavy sacrificial garment at all costs, but she was not sure that she could keep the candle from going out.
The Huai people watching in the room were all betting on which step the Jade Girl would reach when the ever-burning candle in her hand would go out. How many times would it go out when she reached the main hall?
However, something astonishing happened. No matter how fierce the night wind, the candle held by the Jade Maiden remained burning even after the statue was carried into the main hall and placed on the shrine! It was a once-in-a-century wonder! The Huai Immortal had truly appeared! Bless our Huai region!
As she walked along the stairs, Zhu Hao didn't feel tired at all. She was about to trip over her long skirt several times, but she was safe and sound.
She looked up at the jade statue in front of her, and smiled so that the corners of her eyes and her red lips looked like crescent moons.
…
As the hour of Hai was about to pass, Zhu Hao took off her sacrificial clothes in a side hall of Zhe'erzhai, untied the bun that Li Jie had combed for her, and took off all the hairpins that did not belong to her, including the Begonia hairpin that Song Xieqing had personally pinned into her hair.
This hairpin is exquisitely crafted, with petals made of gold and pink jade holding a three-inch-long tassel inlaid with gold threads and beads. The beads are of excellent color and shape, and are quite remarkable. However, the hairpin is somewhat worn, and the style does not look like that of modern times. Could it be... a product of his dynasty?
Zhu Hao twisted the hairpin with two fingers and casually tied her half-loose long hair into a bun, and fixed it with the hairpin.
Zhu Hao walked down the long steps. There were few visitors in the room, and the hanging lights on both sides of the steps had gone out. The moon was as bright as day, and she saw a dark shadow standing on the last step.
She stopped halfway and called out from a distance, "Chunsheng?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a black figure flashed into the shadows and rushed in front of her like a gust of ghost wind. The sudden scene made Zhu Hao's heart beat wildly. She fell down on the edge of the steps. Fortunately, it didn't hurt, but she felt a little numb.
Song Xieqing flicked his sleeves and said in an ambiguous tone, "It's not him, are you sad?"
He glanced briefly at the woman who was still sitting on the steps. Song Xieqing was silent for a moment and said calmly, "His grandfather is ill and has gone home first."
Zhu Hao jumped to his feet and asked, "What disease did his grandfather... contract? Is his life in danger?"
As soon as she said this, she realized that it was not appropriate to ask him. It would be better to wait until Song Xieqing gave her another excuse like "one cannot see into the secrets of heaven". Therefore, Zhu Hao did not wait for his response and went down the stairs covering her buttocks.
"Shi Yu is fine."
Zhu Hao suddenly turned around and saw Song Xieqing following her closely. Her eyes widened.
Song Xieqing's eyes swept across the crabapple hairpin on her bun, "What's wrong?"
Zhu Hao retracted his gaze and walked forward, "Nothing."
As she took a step forward, she suddenly felt an arm extended across Zhu Hao's body, blocking her path. Song Xieqing opened his clenched fist, and a heavy gold ingot rested in his palm. "The Jade Maiden's reward." He raised his eyebrows and said leisurely, "A mere ten taels of silver, how can it be worthy of my status?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Hao covered her lips and smiled. Naturally, she was not polite with him. Zhu Hao took the gold ingot and held it in her arms for a while, then took it out and took a bite. Song Xieqing took in all her actions and expressions, and an imperceptible curve appeared at the corner of his mouth.
The two of them exchanged glances without saying a word, but were heading in the same direction. Zhu Hao glanced at him from time to time. She had never been a quiet person, and walking around like this, bored, especially with this huge Buddha, inevitably reminded her of her sudden bold behavior when she was dressing up just now. Thinking back on it now, it was indeed a bit inappropriate.
Zhu Hao was ashamed, and his mind began to repeatedly recall Song Xieqing's expression at that time, and the words: "Not bad."
Zhu Hao suddenly felt upset. She stopped and then turned around frantically on the spot. Zhu Hao suddenly squatted on the ground and howled wildly.
Song Xieqing: ...?
Song Xieqing didn't hear clearly what was shouted.
The surroundings were so quiet that only the rustling of wind through branches could be heard. She had been so engrossed that she had forgotten Song Xieqing was still there. To break the awkward situation, Zhu Hao made small talk, "I like to flip through that Huaixian Record when I have free time. I've also read some official history recently, but there's very little about you in it. Moreover, there are some slight discrepancies between what is recorded in it and the Huaixian Record, so I can't tell the truth from the falsehood. I don't mean to be clichéd. It's just like reading a storybook. It's not fun until you know the ending..."
Song Xieqing stared at the crabapple hairpin on her bun that swayed with every step. The hazy moonlight cast a shadow on the woman's beautiful profile. He recalled how Zhu Hao carefully protected the ever-bright candle, so cautious, strict and upright, and then howled for no reason. Was she actually a little cute? Song Xieqing smiled sideways, and when he turned around, he was as serious as before, "If you have something to say, just say it directly. There's no need to get excited."
She wanted to know about his past. Song Xieqing seemed to be in a good mood today, so Zhu Hao boldly asked, "I saw in the Huaixian Records that the Huai people killed you, and you... were dismembered..."
"I killed myself."
Those four simple words made Zhu Hao's heart drop. She turned around and stared at him intently. Zhu Hao's face was filled with disbelief, "Suicide?!"
Song Xieqing looked calm, as if the person he was talking about was not himself. "Yes, but the separation of the head and body and the dismemberment are true."
Zhu Hao's voice trembled uncontrollably. "Why did you commit suicide?"
He replied truthfully: "No business."
He was as calm as the surface of a lake in a windless place. It seemed that nothing and no one could make his heart fluctuate. Zhu Hao couldn't help but think that the person standing in front of her was not a living being of flesh and blood, but a pool of almost dried-up stagnant water. She was just like an insignificant breeze trying to stir up the stagnant water.
She felt like she had something stuck in her throat, and a nameless rage burned in her, "The Immortal Lord is wasting his life."
When Song Xieqing heard this, he really didn't understand what she meant. By the time he figured out what she meant, the young lady had already pulled up her skirt and walked away.
He flashed in front of her. Zhu Hao ignored him and was about to go around him, but Song Xieqing grabbed one of her wrists and seemed to be hesitant to speak.
His lips moved, and the knuckles that were clenched around Zhu Hao's wrist were pushed away by her. Song Xieqing looked at her increasingly distant figure, and the coldness on his face almost melted away in the dark night.
The night wind has died down, but the small pond in Zhe'erzhai is still rippling.
This was the first time she was angry with him since they met.
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