Chapter 414 - The Beautiful Yearning in His Hear (1/2)

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The little lass was pure at heart. In her eyes, Chief Steward Su was just like everyone else, and she would naively appreciate his appearance and get close to him because of his aura. Every reaction of hers towards Chief Steward Su was purely because of himself, not his identity, and she was sincere in her every compliment and gaze. As such, Chief Steward Su treated her differently.

“Sir Su, this place backs the mountains while facing the sea while the surroundings are beautiful and the feng shui is exceptional. When Sir Su retires, you can come here to pass off the rest of your days.” Seeing that Su Ran liked this ocean view, Yu Xiaocao’s eyes flickered before she grinned broadly, “Sir Su, can I recite you a poem?”

Su Ran turned around, a warm smile on his face as he looked at her, “Oh? You also know how to recite poems?”

“Don’t underestimate me. At the very least, I’ve studied for two years with my county official little brother!” Yu Xiaocao adorably rolled her eyes, clearing her throat, “From tomorrow onwards, become a blissful man,

Feed horses, chop firewood, traverse the world;

From tomorrow onwards, care for grain and vegetables;

I have a house, facing the sea, with spring blossoms.” ……

Give every winding river and every mountain an endearing name.

Stranger, I, too, wish you happiness,

I wish for you a glittering path ahead,

I wish for you to meet your lover, make a home,

I wish for you to receive happiness in this world,

I only wish to face the sea, with spring blossoms…” [1]

Zhu Junyang secretly held his breath, resisting the urge to laugh. He did his best to maintain his emotionless face, but the slight tilt of the edge of his lips said otherwise, “Xiaocao, are you sure this is a poem?”

“You’re so uncultured, do you even know how to appreciate the artistic concept of poems?” Yu Xiaocao threw him a disdainful look. In her previous life, this lyrical poem written by modern poet Hai Zi [2] had been spread among the people for a long time, and it expressed the poet’s yearning for happiness in his loneliness and desolation. It was just right for Su Ran’s current state of mind.

Su Ran faintly nodded his head, “Although Miss Xiaocao’s poem seems more like an epode, it is comparatively freer than that. The artistic concept of the poem is clear yet deep, bright yet implicit, easygoing and hearty yet dignified and rich. It is indeed a rare, good piece.”

‘Facing the sea in the warmth of spring while the flowers bloomed.’ It was such a beautiful yearning. Perhaps it was the average little warmth that he longed for in his heart, but would never obtain. Su Ran took one last look at the calm ocean waters before he turned around and continued his steady ascent uphill on the stone steps.

Among the favored eunuchs recorded in history, how many of them were actually able to smoothly retire? Most of them were unjustly blamed for the emperor. They became the person who had bewitched the emperor into his misdoings, and even in death they did not have a place to rest in peace. Right now, the emperor was still young. He was wise and loved his people, but what about the future? The human heart changed easily, so who knew what would happen in the future? ‘Facing the sea in the warmth of spring while the flowers bloomed.’ Perhaps it would be the only yearning in his heart.

“Sir Su, I think you’re more fit to be a recluse—living in the mountains facing the sea, a peach blossom tree beyond your door, and beneath the tree, a guqin…” Yu Xiaocao felt moved by the scene she drew. Ah! A person who was akin to a banished immortal, playing his guqin as he sat beneath the brilliant peach blossoms, the breeze caressing his long hair as the edge of his clothes danced with the petals of the peach blossoms...it was such a wonderful scene.

Su Ran climbed the steps quietly, slowly, as though by doing this, he would be able to get closer to the peaceful life she had made up, to the beautiful yearning in his heart. The edges of his lips faintly curled upwards, and it was as if he was no longer the person who commanded the emperor’s hidden guards. He was no longer the head steward who could flood the court with blood in a split second, but instead a recluse who secluded himself in the forests, with a jug of wine in hand while he was surrounded by flowers, lying drunk in a forest of peach blossoms…

In Prince Jing’s West Mountain manor, Su Ran stood to leave after he greeted Princess Consort Jing and drank the tea that Xiaocao had personally brewed. He was afraid that he might feel more and more reluctant to leave if he stayed even a while longer…Perhaps it was time he found a successor.

Before leaving Dongshan Village, he stood in front of his white, immaculate steed and passed a jade pendant to Yu Xiaocao, smiling as he said gently, “When you arrive at the capital, if you meet a situation that you can’t resolve, take this jade pendant to Eastern Dwelling Distillery. As long as it’s within my capabilities, I’ll definitely help you!”