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墨書 Inktalez
Jun Jin Villa.
In just three short years, the enterprises under Jun Jin rose rapidly throughout the Jin Dynasty, intertwining deeply with every aspect of the kingdom like a Miracle. At that moment, Jun Jin became a name known to all, ubiquitous and renowned. In recent years, the newly emerged Vermilion Bird King Mai Qi, a commercial prodigy, gained fame across the land. Alongside the later Xuanwu King Qingci, White Tiger King Lian, and Azure Dragon King Song Kong, they were collectively known as the Four Kings.
The master of these legendary Four Kings was referred to by the world as “Jin Shao”.
At this moment, in the secluded courtyard of Jun Jin Villa, during the late autumn of September, the chirping of swallows lingered beneath the eaves, while a gentle breeze scattered fallen crimson leaves across the ground. Phoenix feathers swayed under the shadows of parasol trees, and the subtle fragrance from the garden once graced sleeves. The southern rains were abundant, and sunlight bathed everything in warmth, causing nature to flourish. Climbing roses adorned the walls, their thorny red blooms swaying in the wind, blooming freely and beautifully.
A figure dressed in white floated gracefully, as if walking among clouds, with sleeves billowing like moonlight.
The languid expression of a young man appeared somewhat blurred in the morning mist that enveloped the garden. His delicate features were softened by a gentle haze. His long, fair hands, more beautiful than those of any woman, idly caressed a pure white creature resembling a fox or wolf pup in his grasp, absentmindedly stroking its smooth back. The creature occasionally let out soft whimpers of contentment.
“How is the villa?” His indifferent tone was so light that it made Mai Qi feel as though he were in a Dream.
“Master, there are six hundred sixty servants in total at the villa, all personally selected by me. Their backgrounds are simple and clean, without unnecessary troubles. Among them are seventy-two renowned chefs from various regions who fully respect your commands. There are fifty-seven gardeners... Everything is conducted in secrecy; no one has noticed the vast presence of the villa.”
“You’ve done well. Thank you for your hard work, Little Seven. What about the factory?”
“There are forty-nine large workshops and one hundred forty-eight small ones. Two hundred forty-five workers are employed. Everything is operating normally. However…” Mai Qi’s brow furrowed slightly, hesitating to continue.
The workers at the factory were skilled embroiderers recruited from nearby impoverished mountain villages under contracts that ensured their rights—a rare privilege indeed. Although they had chosen a secluded location for the factory to avoid attention, they could not completely prevent thieves and ruffians from causing trouble and attempting to harass the young and beautiful village embroiderers, which left some workers feeling uneasy.
“What’s wrong?” The young man’s gaze sharpened as he asked coldly.
“There have been many ruffians coming to cause trouble and demanding monthly payments. The chain stores have faced similar issues; although losses are minimal, it ultimately harms our business,” Mai Qi replied respectfully.
The young man’s expression turned slightly cold; the pure white creature nestled quietly in his arms seemed to sense his mood and suddenly opened its red eyes, revealing a fierce and chilling light. The boy paused his caress for a moment before smiling faintly at his little companion: “Little White, do you think those troublesome fellows deserve punishment too?” He then looked gently at Mai Qi: “Little Seven, such things will not happen again in the future. All enterprises belonging to Jun Jin throughout the Jin Dynasty will have someone protecting them in secret to eliminate all filth. You need not worry about this.”
Though puzzled internally, Mai Qi still responded respectfully: “Yes, Little Seven understands.”
The young man handed over Little White to a girl who had been following him closely and slowly approached Mai Qi. He lifted Mai Qi’s chin gently with his slender fingers and gazed deeply into his eyes. His gaze was as clear and gentle as autumn water, almost enveloping Mai Qi, who found himself lost in it and couldn’t help but blush.
He murmured softly: “Master.”
The young man released him, turning around with a gentle smile. His deep, magnetic laughter rippled through the surroundings, lingering in the air for a long time.
"Little Seven," the young man suddenly sighed softly, not looking at him. "In a few months, I will be going to a place. It won't be long before I return. I will have someone send the design samples to you." He turned to look seriously at Mai Qi. "While I'm away, I leave everything in your hands."
"Young Master is joking; these are all duties that Little Seven should fulfill."
The young master surveyed the mansion, which could no longer be described as merely magnificent; it was not just a large house. He said lightly, "Little Seven, this will be our home from now on. To me, Little Seven is not just my steward but family."
Mai Qi's eyes reddened. With a thud, he knelt on the ground. "Little Seven is willing to follow the Young Master for eternity."
The young master remained silent for a long time before finally murmuring, "Phoenix Nirvana, death and rebirth. Little Seven, it won't be long before I return."
"Useless! A bunch of useless fools!" Anger appeared on the noble man's face for the first time. "Chen Wen!"
The man called Chen Wen emerged from the shadows into the brightly lit hall. "At your service."
With an indifferent smile, the nobleman sent Chen Wen flying against a nearby golden pillar. He barely had time to wipe away the blood trickling from his lips before he quickly composed himself and knelt on the ground.
"The Dark Gate that rules over the world can't even find one person; what punishment should that deserve?"
Chen Wen replied in a deep voice, "Master, I am incompetent."
Suddenly, Shen Qing, who had been silent beside them, spoke up. "Master, this cannot be blamed on Commander Chen. Years ago, when you ordered us to track An Young Master, we discovered he was unusual. The imperial guards we dispatched were easily shaken off by him. We have been unable to uncover his identity. This is all because An Young Master is too—"
Kneeling on the ground, Chen Wen couldn't help but sigh at Shen Qing's ignorance and naivety. He kept his head lowered, not wanting to witness what would happen next; his enraged master could do anything.
Sure enough, the nobleman coldly chuckled and said, "Someone take this ungrateful servant down to receive fifty strikes with a rod."
Shen Qing was taken aback, remaining kneeling on the ground without understanding why he was being punished, yet there was no hint of disrespect on his face.
"Everyone, get lost."
"Yes."
An Jin, An Jin, where are you? Why did you disappear into your own world without saying a word? As if this person never existed in the world...
It has been three months, a full three months...
In all the places we used to eat, drink, and have fun together, there is no trace of him anywhere. Not even a hint of his presence can be found; it has vanished in an instant... I have never valued anyone's existence this much before, nor have I ever missed someone to this extent, almost driving me mad...
Holding his head in pain, the man let out a roar that tore through the air...
Three months ago.
Near Jiankang City, at Crescent Lake.
In that lake filled with lotus flowers, various colors and species of lotuses bloomed beautifully. Rich purples and reds, some bright and some elegant, stood gracefully in the clear water, with a few buds peeking out from the corners. A white dragonfly with transparent wings landed on one of the tips, creating a poetic and dreamlike scene. Even though autumn was approaching, the warm and humid climate of the south had little effect. It was only now that such beauty could be seen.
Under layers of lush green lotus leaves stirred by the wind, several small boats swayed on the enchanting surface of the water. A group of lotus pickers played and sang among the lotus leaves, their voices mingling with pure and melodious laughter.
"What a beautiful scene of lotus picking! It's truly breathtaking!" An Jin exclaimed as he ran to the edge of the boat, pointing at the group of laughing women not far away.
"What's so great about this?" Sima Langye replied, puzzled by what was so admirable about a group of country girls.
"You really don't understand aesthetics. Alas, it's a pity I can't draw; otherwise, I would capture all of this to enjoy later," An Jin sighed regretfully.
Sima Langye raised an eyebrow subtly and gestured for Shen Qing to fetch paper and ink.
"Brother Sima, you can draw? No, you actually know how to paint!" The surprise and doubt in An Jin's tone left Sima Langye feeling somewhat frustrated.
With an air of nonchalance, he rolled up his long sleeves and walked over to the desk prepared by Shen Qing. He spoke in a deep voice: "I can manage a bit with painting."
However, after a moment, An Jin realized just how absurdly wrong he had been at the beginning. The little bit he claimed to know was already expressed with such vividness and lifelike detail. It truly was what one would call lifelike. He wondered if his so-called expertise would surpass that of Gu Kaizhi, who was unmatched in the world.
In less than half a tea's worth of time, a beautiful painting of women gathering lotus flowers was completed. An Jin eagerly rushed over to take a look.
But the more he looked, the stranger his expression became, filled mostly with embarrassment. The painting depicted five women, each with different clothing and hairstyles, yet their faces bore an uncanny resemblance to one another. Was it possible that An Jin's eyes were deceiving him? Those women's faces were clearly reminiscent of his own appearance in women's clothing.
"What kind of beauty painting is this? Brother Sima, are you deliberately mocking Little Jin by turning me into a grotesque version of myself? Painting so many beauties to look like my transformed self—neither male nor female! I won't pay any attention to Brother Sima anymore," An Jin pretended to be angry as he tossed the painting back to Sima Langye, trying to mask his discomfort.
Sima Langye merely stared blankly at the painting that Little Jin had thrown onto the table. He had been looking at those women, yet somehow in his mind and on the canvas, they all transformed into Little Jin's likeness. Was it that aside from him, no other woman could capture his gaze? But Little Jin was a man; why did he keep having such illusions?
He ignored Little Jin's words for a long time until he heard him mumble softly, "Are you trying to make me change genders? This is ridiculous."
Change genders. If Little Jin were a woman. Sima Langye was startled by his own thoughts. Yet he could not suppress such despicable ideas. They burrowed deeper into his heart like roots climbing up a rock face, spreading rapidly.
If Little Jin were a woman, Sima Langye would be willing to give her the entire world in this lifetime. He would let her be the only true love of his life.
But still—
Life is an illusion. Knowing full well it was impossible, knowing he could never have it, he still couldn't help but indulge in fantasies and prayers for it.
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