Shangsi (fourth day)
Bai Ziming, dressed in a bamboo-green robe, sat quietly on the bluestone by the stream, with his wide sleeves hanging down and his posture elegant.
He used his fingers to beat the stones as a rhythm and sang aloud. His voice was clear and melodious, penetrating the gurgling water:
"The reeds are plucked, the white dew has not yet dried. The so-called sweetheart is at the bank of the water——"
As the sound of the wine lingered, he refilled the empty cup in his hand with the clear Lansheng wine, then leaned over and gently placed it in the flowing stream.
The wine cup, carrying half a cup of emerald green sake, slowly floated down along the winding stream, swaying unsteadily until it stopped in front of a quiet woman in a dark blue chest-length skirt.
The woman had an elegant appearance and a peaceful expression, with a faint smile on her lips, like ripples on still water.
She raised her slender fingers slightly, took the wine cup calmly, raised her head and drank the blue wine in the cup.
The silver hairpin in her hair swayed gently, and the falling rice-bead tassels swayed and shimmered, reflecting the sparkling water and shining brightly.
Putting down the wine cup, she gently opened her red lips, and the sound of her response was as clear as spring water hitting jade, crisp and pleasant:
"There is a beautiful person, clear and graceful. Meeting her by chance is just what I wish for."
The graceful ending had not yet completely dissipated in the warm spring air when a scholar in a moon-white robe on the other side of the river continued with a smile in a gentle voice:
"There are tall trees in the south, and I cannot rest in them. There are wandering girls in the Han River, and I cannot think of them."
After saying this, he casually broke off a tender green branch of a new willow on the bank, and with a light flick of his wrist, he threw the soft willow branch right onto the hem of the woman's skirt spread out on the green grass.
"Brother Xu, this is against the rules!"
Seeing this, several young men who looked like scholars downstream immediately laughed and started to make a fuss.
"The wine hasn't even been drunk yet, why are you rushing to answer the poem and throw the willow?"
Before the white-robed scholar could answer, another person teased him mischievously:
"Yes, yes, Brother Ziming, Brother Xu is showing his goodwill to Madam right in front of you! What are you going to do? You can't let him off easily!"
"Hmm, how? What do you mean?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Ziming flicked his sleeves and raised his eyebrows in pretending to be displeased, but the upturned corners of his eyes clearly hid a hint of smile and understanding.
The woman beside him covered her lips with her sleeve and coughed twice. Bai Ziming immediately stopped joking, bent down to pick up the willow branch, and handed it to his wife with a smile, his tone full of undisguised pride:
"Our Qiaochun is stunningly beautiful, with a kind heart and a gentle mind. Naturally, everyone loves her. How could you ordinary people with such short-sightedness understand?"
The white-robed scholar who was throwing the willow also nodded with a smile, bowed to the couple, and explained:
"Sister Qiaochun and I have known each other since childhood. We have a deep friendship and I have absolutely no other intentions... I'm just leaving for Beijing to study soon. I've been away for years, so I'm breaking willow branches to say farewell. Please don't be offended, Brother Ziming."
As he spoke, he poured himself a full cup of wine and raised it to his chest.
"But it was indeed Xu who disrupted the order of the wine flow."
Then he raised his head, drank the wine in the cup, showed the bottom of the cup, and said cheerfully:
"Then drink a glass as a punishment to serve as a warning to others!"
A breeze blew by the stream, bringing the fragrance of peaches and plums and the aroma of clear wine, and the sounds of reciting poetry and playing intertwined continuously.
Such an elegant and lively scene attracted He Shu, who was passing by, to stop and take Cang Jue beside him, and walked towards the stream curiously.
"gentlemen!"
Everyone at the banquet soon noticed them.
When Bai Ziming saw Qingshan, he immediately put down his wine cup and walked over to him, his face showing surprise:
"What a coincidence! Are you heading into the city?"
He took a few steps closer, his eyes swept over the people beside Qingshan, pausing briefly on Heshu and Cangjue, and finally looking at Sang Li, who was standing as still as snow, and asked politely with a bow:
"This girl...I wonder who she is..."
"Sang Li."
Sang Li nodded slightly, his tone as cold as usual.
"It's Miss Sang, nice to meet you, my name is Bai Ziming."
Bai Ziming was very respectful in his ceremony.
His friends behind him also raised their heads and looked over. Bai Qiaochun, who had just recited the poem, walked lightly to her husband's side and bowed to Qingshan and the others:
"How are you, sir? On this auspicious day of Shangsi, with spring in its warm and beautiful scenery, I am truly fortunate to meet you in such a beautiful place."
She then looked at He Shu and said in a gentle voice,
"Greetings to Master He, Master Cang, and Miss Sang. I am Bai Qiaochun, and I am honored to be here."
"Miss Qiaochun is so polite."
He Shu quickly reached out and lightly supported her arm.
Qingshan glanced at the brightly dressed men and women, who were chatting and laughing in groups of three or four, drinking wine, by the stream, and asked slowly:
"During the Shangsi Festival, most people hold a banquet at Yingqing Ferry outside the city. Why did they choose to hold it here by a small stream in the mountains?"
"Sir, you don't know."
Bai Ziming explained with a smile,
"Today, Yingqing Ferry is bustling with people and noise, losing the tranquility and charm of wine flowing through winding streams. Last time, when I came to Luzhu Mountain to look for you, I stumbled upon this stream, which is exceptionally tranquil and beautiful, with a sense of wildness. So today, I invited a few close friends and their families to come along, away from the hustle and bustle, to enjoy wine flowing through winding streams here, enjoying the tranquility and freedom."
"So that's how it is. It's really a noble thing."
Qingshan nodded.
While they were chatting, He Shu took Cang Jue and quietly took two steps back. He lowered his head and leaned close to the boy's ear, lowering his voice with amazement:
"Cangjue, the bride from a few days ago, Miss Qiaochun, was so beautiful! She looked like she walked out of a painting."
As soon as he finished speaking, before Cang Jue could respond, Sang Li had already taken a step forward calmly, pulled the young man behind him, and stood beside He Shu.
She stood with her arms folded, her eyes still fixed on the stream, but her voice was filled with a hint of accusation:
"I forgot to ask you just now. What on earth were you talking about with Cangjue last time? After I came back yesterday, he actually insisted on going to the Bai Mansion to recognize his relatives, and he kept saying that Miss Bai Qiaochun was his long-lost sister. Can you tell me, what's going on?"
He Shu was stunned at first, then suddenly realized something, an embarrassed look appeared on his face, he raised his hand to scratch his forehead unnaturally, and laughed dryly twice:
"It's a misunderstanding, a complete misunderstanding..."
He didn't expect that the excuses he made to cover up his whereabouts that day were taken seriously by this simple-minded little guy, and even led to such outrageous associations.
He Shu sighed resignedly and could only explain in a low voice through gritted teeth:
"My dear little ancestor, I was wrong last time. She actually looks completely different from you. Besides, you're a demon, and she's human. According to the human calendar, you could be her father, and we're siblings! I just said it casually, why did you insist on believing it?"
Cangjue lowered his head, twisting his belt with his fingers from time to time, without saying a word, and it was unknown how much he had heard.
The more He Shu looked at him, the more he felt that this guy was deliberately pretending to be stupid. He felt very angry and was about to say something else when the group of girls playing in the water upstream suddenly burst into laughter like silver bells, which just interrupted him.
Looking up, I saw the girls' toes lightly touching the spring water, and the colorful silk ribbons tied on their ankles were entwined with the fallen petals floating on the water. They danced gracefully with their nimble steps, their skirts flying in the air, which was very beautiful.
Perhaps noticing the gazes of the people on the shore, a brave girl threw an exquisitely embroidered sachet across the stream, aiming directly at He Shu.
He Shu subconsciously reached out to take it, and felt the smoothness of silk and the faint fragrance.
He immediately realized what was wrong and quickly stuffed it into Cang Jue's arms as if it were a hot potato, and laughed loudly at the other side:
"My apologies, ladies! I... I already have someone I love, and this is a token of my love!"
As he spoke, he hurriedly took out the green sachet that Qingshan had just given him from his arms and held it high in gesture.
"Oh, what a pity!"
The girls on the other side were not embarrassed or angry, and continued to smile. Their eyes turned to Cang Jue, who was holding the sachet and was at a loss, and began to tease him.
"But this young man is also very handsome! He has beautiful features and looks very endearing!"
The boisterous voices came one after another, with the unique cuteness and straightforwardness of young girls, which made the young man's ears blush and even his ears were stained red.
He tightly grasped the sachet that had suddenly appeared in his hand, not knowing whether to take it or throw it away. He was so embarrassed that he spoke incoherently, his voice weak and mosquito-like:
“I…I…this…”
He stammered, almost burying his flushed face in his chest.
Seeing this, Sang Li sighed softly.
She turned to the other side of the stream, took the sachet from Cangjue's hand, raised the corners of her mouth slightly, tried her best to make her expression look softer, and said:
"Since he's so embarrassed and upset, ladies, please don't make things difficult for him. I haven't received any free gifts yet, so I wonder if you ladies would be willing to part with them and give them to me?"
"Of course! If you like it, please take it! May this sachet bring you good fortune!"
The girl who had thrown away the sachet responded readily, smiled at her other companions, and without further entanglement, they soon dispersed with laughter and continued their waterside play.
Over there, Qingshan and Bai Ziming's conversation was also coming to an end.
"It's a rare occasion, so I won't bother you any more. I'll take my leave now."
Qingshan bowed and said goodbye in a gentle tone.
"Everyone, take care."
Bai Ziming returned the greeting with a smile. He waved his hand and watched Qingshan turn around and join the group of three people he was traveling with.
Qingshan walked to Heshu's side, took his wrist very naturally, took the green sachet that had not yet been put away from his hand, and tied it firmly to the silk ribbon tied around his waist. His movements were gentle and focused.
After tying it, he raised his eyes and said softly:
"Let's go."
He Shu lowered his head, his eyes falling on the green color, and the corners of his mouth rose uncontrollably, outlining a bright arc.
The crystal-clear stream, laden with petals of withered flowers, rushed down the mountain. The orchids on the bank had been plucked by young girls, who pinned them in their hair or wore them on their lapels.
I don't know which scholar's laughter startled the roosting egrets, and when they flapped their wings, they shattered the beautiful smiles reflected in the water, but carried the tender feelings of spring in the stream even further.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com