239 Those Things That She Couldnst Put Down (1/2)
Chapter 239: Those Things That She Couldn't Put Down
Translator: TransnEditor: Transn
”I rank thirteenth, so you may call me Thirteen.”
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”You're also familiar with talismans?”
”A little.”
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”Senior Brother Thirteen, are you also familiar with calligraphy?”
”A little.”
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”Senior Brother Thirteen, what do you think of this Chicken Soup Calligraphy?”
”The strokes in this piece are unrestrained, appearing leisurely but lacking in soul. This piece seems novel, but in actuality, the calligrapher used some underhanded tricks to mimic the proper method of doing calligraphy. It lacks honesty and elegance, not at all worth a mention.”
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Like the Wilderness cold winds that constantly entered the tents, those conversations during their journey kept emerging in Mo Shanshan's mind. Her dazed eyes appeared more and more confused, even somewhat lost.
He ranked thirteenth in the Academy. Who else could it be but him? Besides that man, which Tang person would dare show so much contempt for the Chicken Soup Calligraphy and the Flower Blooms Section? Besides, he had admitted to knowing about Talisman Taoism a little that night. Why didn't she put two and two together? She probably had known about this deep down.
She looked at the sheet of paper seemingly marked with a child's scribbles on the table and reached out to turn it into a paper roll. She was so embarrassed and angry that she didn't want anyone to see her. But she didn't know if this feeling came from the twisted calligraphy or her lost heart. However, whatever it was, her embarrassment was laced with annoyance at the moment.
He accompanied her throughout the long journey and eventually even staying in her carriage. But she didn't know this man was that man. She even admitted liking Senior Brother Thirteen in front of him, though he wasn't aware it was he that she was talking about and she didn't know the man she had a crush on was the same person in front of her. However, now she finally knew they were one and the same.
Calligraphic Addict was known to be a girl of good breeding and manners. For her to do something like that, how could she not be embarrassed? If that man knew the truth, how could she not feel like dying of shame? Zhuo Zhihua even wanted her to explain to him, how could she not feel annoyed?
With trembling fingers, she pulled out that well-preserved copy from the side of the table. When she looked at the words on the paper, her long and thin eyelashes brushed gently across her cheeks as if trying to hide the blush on her fair skin.
News of the surprising Tang calligrapher in Chang'an came to her in spring. She found out there was young calligrapher who had received the deep admiration of the Tang Emperor in a distant foreign country. She habitually commanded her deacon to collect copies of the calligrapher's works. Though she didn't see the legendary Flower Blooms Sect piece, she saw this copy of Chicken Soup Calligraphy.
The legendary young calligrapher was accepted as the successor to the Divine Talisman position simply because Master Yan Se loved his Chicken Soup Calligraphy. As someone who had been learning from the Divine Talisman and Master of Calligrapher, Master Wang, Calligraphic Addict naturally knew how strict the Divine Talisman Master would be when it came to the requirements for the successor. Thus, she had been carefully observing this Chicken Soup Calligraphy for a long time.
She didn't see the potential Master Yan Se saw in the calligrapher, nor did she shed tears like the girls in the House of Red Sleeves did after listening to Master Yan She's take on the meaning of the calligraphy piece. But she wasn't far from becoming a Divine Talisman Master herself so she could tell there were many meanings hidden in this calligraphy piece.
In addition, she had also seen many other copies of this piece. Proud as she was, she had to admit the young calligrapher from Chang'an City wrote very well. Besides the Master of Calligrapher, no one was his rival in this world.
When news of the mountaineering test on the Second Floor of the Academy reached the Great River Kingdom, she was shocked to find that the calligrapher had actually defeated Prince Long Qing and became a disciple of the Headmaster of Academy.
She used to be good friends with Flower Addict and they often exchanged correspondence. So she knew very well that Prince Long Qing was a nearly perfect person, but he actually lost to that man. Now, even the Headmaster of Academy also accepted him as a student. Then… this person surely was decent in terms of morality, temper, and eloquence?
Just then, she saw something different in the Chicken Soup Calligraphy when she gave it another look. On the corner was a simple, scribbled-on memo. Though the language and strokes were unorganized, yet it gave off the subtle amiableness of nature. Such a proper and matter-of-course style, such open and candid style; it was as if the Haotian Divine Light had emitted thunder from the clouds, forcing the world to look like this from now on.
She was curious it was under what kind of circumstances that prompted the man to write such a sentence. Due to some certain reasons, she had always believed it to be foolish to judge people by their words. But since the spring of this year, she couldn't suppress the feeling she began to have for the young man far away in Chang'an City because of these words.
Such a feeling wasn't complicated, but very subtle and crystal clear.
She hadn't met that man, only seen his words. But their minds as fellow calligraphers were in tune. When she looked at his words, she felt like she was seeing him in person. It was as if the man was by her side.
From spring and all the way to summer, she had been quietly looking at the man's calligraphy piece beside the Ink Lake under Mogan Mountain. In the legends, the lake was said to be black but was, in fact, clear and clean. The water reflected the stars in the sky as well as the girl's calm, smiling face.
The man was behind her, looking at the calligraphy piece in her hands and her face reflected on the water. He didn't speak and neither did he have to. He quietly watched her beside the Ink Lake.
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Mo Shanshan looked at that copy of Chicken Soup Calligraphy and she blinked slowly. The flush on her face gradually faded and the embarrassment in her eyes had long turned into confusion and restlessness. She looked at the piece for a long time before asking in a whisper, ”So you're him. Who's Sangsang mentioned in the piece?”
”Sangsang, your young master, I, am drunk today...”
Was Sangsang his little handmaiden? Had she been with you for many years? So he would so naturally trust and rely on her. Was it out of habit or was there something else? Why hadn't she heard him mention about Sangsang throughout the journey? Oh right, he was still pretending to be someone else and naturally wouldn't bring this up. But who on earth was this Sangsang?
Master Yan Se could understand Ning Que's purposeful forgetfulness from the piece. From the brushstrokes, the girls from the House of Red Sleeves could smell the fragrance of the bowl of chicken soup from their homes. But she could feel the importance of the person, Sangsang, to the calligrapher.
Just then, Zhuo Zhihua lifted the curtain and came in. She couldn't help a smile when she saw Mo Shanshan holding her chin next to the book table, in a daze. She often saw her Hill Master in this condition by the Ink Lake this year, so she understood well about she felt even if others didn't.
”Look at it again after dinner and think of what to do,” she joked.
It was precise because Zhuo Zhihua was close to her that she was able to guess her feelings. That was why Mo Shanshan felt the mixture of annoyance and embarrassment when she faced her.
Mo Shanshan was feeling disturbed and confused by the name at the beginning of the Chicken Soup Calligraphy, but when she heard Zhuo Zhihua's words, she couldn't help feeling even more embarrassed. She had never been ashamed of her life for she had never been fond of anyone. How could she not be embarrassed now that her thoughts were known to her dear Senior Sister?
She used her hand to hold her round and pink cheeks, her sparse eyelashes gently brushing across them. She pressed her red and thin lips into a straight line. Looking at piles of luggage carefully sorted out in a corner of the tent, she suddenly said angrily, ”Send these bags to him.”
Zhuo Zhihua smiled. ”I don't have the time.”
Mo Shanshan turned and looked at Cat Girl coming in behind her. She said in a low voice, ”Catty, you're familiar with that guy. Send the luggage to the Tang camp for him.”
Cat Girl scratched her head in puzzlement. ”Why? Brother said he would be back soon.”
Mo Shanshan slightly furrowed her brows. ”Why do you have so many questions? He's a Tang. He can't always stay in our tent. Send the luggage to him. Then we're even.”
That thin copy of Chicken Soup Calligraphy was still on the table. That faint figure was still reflected above the surface of the Ink Lake. The tacit understanding of fighting side by side for thousands of miles was still in her memories. How could she erase everything by returning the luggage?
Her feelings weren't a luggage. Because they had no weight, so it was difficult to mention and even more difficult to put down.
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