Chapter 67 Chapter 67 Poetry Party (1)
About an hour later, Tong Yang and Lü Zhu finally arrived late. Shan He and Liang Ye had already drunk half a pot of Lu'an tea. When they saw Tong Yang and Lü Zhu, the pearl hairpin in Lü Zhu's hair was crooked, and her temples were frizzy.
Shanhe frowned, lowered her head, and continued to sketch the scenery of Wuyou Garden, but the tip of her brush was a little heavier than before.
Tong Yang casually sat down on the stone bench, poured tea, and asked nonchalantly, "Jichen, where did you just go for your leisure? This garden is really big, I was afraid you would get lost."
Liang Ye took a sip of tea with a nonchalant air, without even lifting his eyelids: "Right here. Shan Shan is painting, I'll keep her company."
"Right here?" Tong Yang looked around the pavilion on the water with slight surprise. "Just sitting here painting?"
Shanhe gripped the pen even tighter, and lowered his head even further, as if he wished he could hide inside the painting.
Meanwhile, Green Pearl leaned closer, nestled beside Shanhe, and looked at Shanhe with a smile, saying, "Shanshan? So your name is Shanshan? What a lovely name..."
Shanhe, however, felt that the fragrance emanating from Green Pearl had dissipated, leaving only the warm, sticky feeling of slight sweat. She raised her eyes, nodded slightly, and caught sight of Liang Ye sitting opposite her. His face had darkened, his gaze sweeping over Green Pearl, his voice neither pleased nor angry: "The people around Erlang have rather unusual manners. You may call her Lady Xue."
Seeing that he was a tough nut to crack, Green Pearl's smile froze, and she mumbled, "Oh." She then turned awkwardly to Tong Yang and said in a coquettish tone, "Why do you only call me Green Pearl?"
Tong Yang was gulping down his tea when he heard this. He put down his cup and laughed, "Aren't there also Green Girl and Little Green Hoof? What? Green? Pearl?" He couldn't help but clap his hands and laugh. Green Pearl couldn't help but laugh too, and lunged at him as if to hit him. Tong Yang grabbed her hand while begging for mercy, "Oh! Grandma Green, Lady Pearl, please forgive me this time!"
Liang Ye had long been impatient with what he was hearing, and now, seeing them laughing and joking like this, his tone suddenly turned cold. He turned to Shan He and said, "This scene is interesting today. Remember to paint the octagonal pavilion where the opera is performed later."
Green Pearl couldn't help but ask, "Singing opera? What opera?"
Tong Yang was startled and immediately stopped his playful antics. This was Liang Ye pointing him out. In the past, he had spent a fortune to snatch a courtesan from the hands of the old Prince Yongshun, causing his brother to be framed by an official and made the scapegoat, resulting in his exile to Kangzhou. If Liang Ye hadn't intervened for Ouyang Tongfu, dealing with the Zhao family who constantly opposed him and helping him pay off his gambling debts, his messy affairs would likely have driven the old man to his death sooner or later. Although Liang Ye was a few years younger than the two brothers, he was shrewd, ruthless, and calculating. The old man was currently preparing to recommend someone to the Imperial Secretariat. While Tong Yang wasn't particularly knowledgeable about politics, he understood the old man's intention: to cultivate the next Imperial Secretariat prime minister. How could he dare offend Liang Ye, this cold-faced bodhisattva?
The Secretariat (Menxia Sheng) was responsible for overseeing all government affairs and reviewing, revising, and rejecting imperial edicts.
This is truly a promising future, and with the old man helping him, Ouyang Tongyang clicked his tongue inwardly. He really didn't understand why Liang Ye was so determined to go to the Dali Temple.
Seeing Liang Ye's displeasure, Tong Yang quickly gave Lü Zhu a wink and scolded her with a smile, "My brother Liang is a very upright and proper person. When you see him, you'd better rein in your frivolous behavior!"
The jarring words "my worthy brother" reached Liang Ye's ears, and with a breath of stale air, he went to gaze at the red calyxes brushing against the blue water and the lotus leaves reaching the blue sky.
Seeing Tong Yang's attitude, Green Pearl was furious. Hearing the words "my worthy brother" only fueled her anger. This Liang Ye was several years younger and from a far less prestigious family, so why was she so afraid of him, and instead allowed to be lectured by this greenhorn? Looking at Madam Xue, head bowed, painting, she seemed like a fairy who kept them at arm's length—such an air of aloofness! Green Pearl couldn't help but sneer inwardly: We're all concubines, who's more noble than whom! Your man is powerful and capable, lecturing my man like a grandson—I can't do that!
It turned out that Green Pearl had previously worked at the Imperial Music Bureau, where she had learned poetry, songs, music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. Now, seeing Shanhe's painting, which surpassed her own, she felt even more unconvinced and immediately stopped smiling: "Yes, yes, I am the most unrestrained and crude one, how can I compare to Lady Xue's composure and elegance? This Wuyou Garden is quite ingenious. Since Lady Xue's painting is almost finished, and it seems to be missing a few lines of poetry, why not use the painting as the theme and hold a poetry gathering? Wouldn't that be better than sitting here idly?"
Tong Yang frowned. He was not knowledgeable in poetry and painting, and besides, he knew Liang Ye's talent. Wasn't Lü Zhu trying to show off her limited skills in front of Liang Ye, which would be embarrassing for her? Just as he was about to politely refuse, he saw Lü Zhu glaring at him with her delicate eyebrows raised. He usually loved Lü Zhu's coquettish and mischievous appearance, so he thought it was fine. After all, Lü Zhu was talented in poetry and had a lot of literary knowledge. No matter what, Liang Ye wouldn't want to steal the limelight from a pretty little woman, would he? So Tong Yang changed the subject: "If that's the case, then so be it. It's still early anyway." He thought for a moment and called over the maidservant serving him, "Go and get the box from the second shelf of the third shelf in my study, the one with the lotus carving." He then ordered the maidservants to bring the writing implements and instructed the servants to bring over a few long tables.
After the maids and servants left, Tong Yang said, "Although there are only four of us, since we are going to have a poetry gathering, we should have a prize. I still have a bronze dagger inlaid with gold leaf and cloud patterns. It was given to me by the late emperor when I went to the palace for a banquet earlier. It is a perfect match."
Seeing that Tong Yang had arranged the poetry gathering so easily, Liang Ye swallowed his initial reluctance, especially since it involved writing a poem for Shan He. He had occasionally seen Shan He paint these past few days, but she always added her own inscriptions, mostly on masterpieces by predecessors, never giving him a chance. Today, however, Lü Zhu brought it up, and Liang Ye had long harbored the idea of collaborating with Shan He on poetry and painting. Therefore, Liang Ye nodded in agreement.
Seeing that Liang Ye had agreed, Shanhe had nothing more to say. She pursed her lips and said, "My poetic talent is limited, but I am willing to offer my critique and select the best lines for the painting."
Hearing Shanhe's self-deprecating words, Lüzhu realized she had hit Shanhe's weak point and wouldn't agree to Shanhe's suggestion. Lüzhu pouted and said coquettishly, "There are only four of us. If Lady Xue is gone, it will only be the three of us. What's the point? In my opinion, Lady Xue should come too!"
Tong Yang hurriedly echoed Green Pearl.
Liang Ye remained noncommittal.
Seeing that the painting was roughly finished, Shanhe could only nod in agreement.
As they spoke, the maids and servants brought over the items needed for the poetry gathering. Four long tables were arranged in a row, upon which were placed the Four Treasures of the Study (writing brush, ink stick, inkstone, and paper). The maids laid out paper and ground ink, attending to their needs with great care. Shanhe's painting was placed on the octagonal table in the center of the pavilion, weighed down by a jade paperweight, for everyone to view. The painting depicted the scenery of Wuyou Garden, with peaks nestled between the distant sky and the nearby water. Figures were hidden among the painted beams and flying eaves. What was even more remarkable was the octagonal pavilion in the lower left corner, surrounded by lotus leaves that stretched to the sky, lush and verdant. It was rendered with layers of varying shades of green and emerald, and then sprinkled with gold paint to resemble glistening dew. The most exquisite part of the painting was precisely these lotus leaves in the pond, shimmering with golden light.
Tong Yang also praised it, saying, "This painting is ingenious and unique!"
Just as Shanhe was about to curtsy, Liang Ye spoke up calmly: "This is indeed one of her simple works. Last time, her painting 'Sunset Glow Dyed Maple Leaves' used three-quarters of the painting to depict red maple leaves. She also used vermilion mixed with ochre, layering and dyeing the leaves, and sprinkled gold powder on top. Its brilliance surpassed even the sunset glow. When it was framed and hung on the wall, it completely overshadowed other paintings, making people only see her 'Dyed Maple Leaves'."
Upon hearing this, Tong Yang hurriedly said, "Just hearing Ji Chen's description makes me yearn to see it. I wonder if I'll ever have the chance to appreciate it."
Although Liang Ye's face remained indifferent, his lips curled slightly as he spoke, revealing a deep sense of smugness within him. He glanced at Tong Yang, noticing Tong Yang's uncouth and unworthy appearance, and frowned slightly. Just as he was about to speak, Green Pearl frowned and teased him sourly, "How could a mere mortal like you possibly see the painting of Master Liang's concubine?"
Tong Yang feigned anger and reached out to twist the green bead, but in reality, the two were entangled in a tangle again. Shan He and Liang Ye exchanged a glance, then looked away, each choosing a table to grind ink and begin to carefully compose their thoughts.
Seeing that Liang Ye and Shan He remained silent and had begun to compose their poems, Lü Zhu pushed Tong Yang aside and muttered, "Alright! Your brother Liang is a very proper and upright person. When you see him, you should tone down your frivolous manner!" After saying that, she sat down by the railing of the pavilion to admire the lotus flowers and ignored him.
Seeing that the three of them were engrossed in their writing, Tong Yang felt bored. He strolled to the octagonal table, looked at Zi Shanhe's painting for a while, sighed deeply, then stood behind Lü Zhu, followed her gaze to the lotus leaves reaching the sky, sighed deeply again, and finally walked to the long table. He ground the pine soot ink until it was smooth and shiny, then picked up his brush and sighed deeply.
After one incense stick had burned out, Tong Yang's masterpiece was finished. Looking up, he saw that Lü Zhu was still leaning against the railing, biting her pen, Shan He had written half a poem, and Liang Ye's thoughts were flowing smoothly, with seven or eight lines already written, and he was still writing. Tong Yang had no choice but to pour himself some tea and rest. He waited for another two incense sticks to burn before Shan He and Lü Zhu finished their poems, while Liang Ye was still deep in thought.
Shanhe stood to the side, observing Liang Ye's expression. He saw that Liang Ye initially appeared calm and confident, but then gradually became completely absorbed in his work, as if entering a state of complete absorption, his eyes filled with emotion and his brows smiling – it must have been an excellent piece. However, at this moment, he frowned, deep in thought, the smile fading from his face, his eyes filled with an unyielding sorrow. Shanhe lifted her foot to go and look at his poem, but heard Tong Yang impatiently say, "We've been waiting so long; Ji Chen's work will probably take a while longer. It's more appropriate for us to comment first."
Shanhe had no choice but to ignore Liang Ye and asked in a low voice, "In that case, whose should we judge first?"
Before she could finish her question, Tong Yang stood up and laughed loudly, "I'm so proud of myself!"
So Green Pearl picked up Tong Yang's work and said with a smile, "I'll read his." After saying that, Green Pearl glanced at it briefly and couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at?" Tong Yang glanced at her sideways. "Quickly read it to Madam Xue and ask her to take a good look at it."
Green Pearl bit her lip, suppressing her laughter, before finally speaking in a low voice:
The poem is titled "Jade Toad" and reads as follows: One frog, two frogs, three or four frogs, five frogs, six frogs, seven or eight frogs. Nine frogs, ten frogs, countless frogs, plop, plop, leaping over lotus flowers.
Shanhe could no longer contain herself; she smiled and, together with Lüzhu, covered their faces and laughed.
Seeing the two young ladies making fun of him, Tong Yang glared at them and said, "What are you laughing at! This is something that is both elegant and popular, it rhymes, and the meaning is simple and easy to understand!"
Green Pearl laughed so hard she bent over, "No need for judging! Your poem is definitely the worst!"
Shanhe smiled and said, "It's quite childlike." She couldn't help but turn around and glance at Liang Ye, who was still deep in thought. Shanhe felt a little confused.
Tong Yang, feeling embarrassed, feigned anger and said, "My poem is simple and genuine, far superior to those affected ones!" He hurriedly turned to leave, saying, "You all write well, let me appreciate it too!" Then he looked at Shan He, "Let me appreciate Lady Xue's first!"
Shanhe suppressed a smile, took out his own poem and handed it to Lüzhu: "Please also read it aloud for me, Miss Lüzhu."
Green Pearl took it, glanced at it first, and her smile gradually faded. She first praised, "This is a proper poem." Then she read it carefully: "The poem is titled 'Written at Wuyou Garden,' and the poem is as follows: Distant sky and nearby water, ten thousand peaks gather, painted beams and flying eaves hide the jade railing."
Tong Yang said, "It's just so-so." Green Pearl glared at him and said, "You know everything now."
"Observing both the real and the unreal reveals profound truths; with a single turn of form and emptiness, existence returns to non-existence."
The wind lifts the emerald canopy, creating a thousand waves; the pavilion stands tall amidst the clear waters, like an octagonal pearl.
A small boat, lightly rowed, glides across the ancient ferry; looking back, heaven and earth are both blurred.
While Green Pearl and Shanhe remained silent, Tong Yang exclaimed, "This is incredible! They're about to begin Zen meditation!"
Green Pearl smiled faintly and said, "You really understand now."
Tong Yang smiled and said, "How could I not understand? I may not know about other things, but the two words 'form and emptiness' are what my old man always talks about. He says things like 'form is emptiness, emptiness is form.'"
Green Pearl then asked, "So what do you think of this poem?"
Tong Yang blurted out, "No good."
Both Green Pearl and Shanhe were puzzled: "How so?"
Tong Yang said seriously, "Everything is 'empty,' everything is 'vague,' so it's better to just die."
Just as Green Pearl was about to speak sarcastically to him, Shanhe nodded: "It is indeed poorly written. Now that I think about it, the only thing I really wanted to write was the last sentence."
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Author's Note: Sorry, sorry, my poem is in the next chapter. Putting it in this chapter would have made it too long, and it gave me a headache.
My writing is not good; I didn't pay attention to the tones at the beginning and end of the lines. Please bear with it and just focus on the meaning.
Ouyang Tongyang's poem is a poetic interpretation of Emperor Qianlong's "Flying Snow." Shanshan's poem is also something I imitated after reading some other poems (I'm not a Zen practitioner, but Shanshan's current state of mind should be open and yearning for true freedom, so please bear with it).
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