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墨書 Inktalez
Hearing the name Huo Yun'ai, Qing Wu couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and confusion. "Isn't a dragon's carving good enough? But a phoenix is acceptable?"
After a moment's thought, she suggested, "How about carving a tiger instead?"
Huo Yun'ai paused for a moment and slowly repeated, "...a tiger?"
"Yes." Qing Wu knew he had questions and smiled, "The tiger is also a king. The king of the forest."
Huo Yun'ai was taken aback for a moment before realizing that Qing Wu's mention of the dragon was not entirely random.
What she wanted was something tangible that could represent him. A dragon was too obvious and unsuitable for an ordinary household, so she had to abandon that idea and settled for the tiger instead.
A myriad of emotions surged in Huo Yun'ai's heart as he lightly tapped the short wood with his knuckles, "Alright, let's go with the tiger."
Just as he was about to start, he suddenly thought of something and asked, "How about making it a paperweight?"
It could be placed on the desk every day, visible while studying or practicing calligraphy.
Qing Wu pondered for a moment before smiling and saying, "That sounds great."
Before Zheng Ning entered the courtyard, he had no idea that the two were outside waiting in the yard. He stopped in his tracks and stared at them for a while before continuing on his way.
The White-Clad Youth sat on a large rock beneath the artificial hill, holding a short sword with full concentration.
The girl wrapped in a thick white tiger skin cloak was curled up on a chair moved out from the house, her eyes fixed intently on the object in the boy's hand without blinking.
The gentle sound of flowing water trickled by, softly cascading over the protruding rocks of the artificial hill and flowing into the hollow below.
Amidst this sound of water, the two engaged in low conversation without noticing Zheng Ning's approach.
They formed their own paintings, their own world, and no one could bear to break that beauty and tranquility.
Zheng Ning intended to remind Huo Yun'ai that it was almost time to leave and that it would be better to prepare in advance.
But upon seeing the scene before him, he suddenly hesitated. After much consideration, he ultimately turned and left.
—Forget it. It's better not to go for now.
He would leave when he had no choice.
...
When Qing Wu returned home, Liu Anfeng and Liu An Ting were standing on chairs, each pulling one side of a large red paper, measuring it against the top of the door.
Liu Anzhi stood a little farther away, frowning as he looked up, occasionally saying, "A bit to the left. A bit higher on the right. Too high, lower it a bit..."
Qing Wu stood at a distance, avoiding the direct view of the red door, smiling as he watched from the right side. Once the horizontal couplet was properly placed and secured, he called out to his brothers.
Liu Anfeng jumped down from the chair and ran over, pointing at the still slightly damp red paper with characters on it, hands on his hips as he laughed, "How about that? Didn't I do a great job? So neat!"
Liu An Ting slowly stepped down from the wall, brushing off his clothes as he scoffed, "If I hadn't been pulling hard beside you, you probably would have torn that paper right off."
Liu Anfeng was unconvinced and retorted playfully.
While the two brothers were arguing about their accomplishments, Liu Anzhi casually picked up Qing Wu and walked inside, laughing, "What did Wu learn today? Why don't you tell your big brother about it?"
He glanced back at his younger brothers with a glare before looking again at the large red couplet.
Liu An Ting immediately understood and hurriedly pulled Liu Anfeng aside, whispering a few words in his ear.
Only then did Liu Anfeng realize that his sister was currently in mourning, and the red color clashed with that. He quickly closed his mouth and, along with Liu An Ting, hurriedly followed Liu Anzhi inside.
Previously, the He Family had mentioned that his sister was sensible and had already taken the initiative to avoid wearing bright colors during the mourning period. During the New Year, he would keep a low profile.
The He Family thought that even if Qing Wu could not remember the past, she still knew that those who had passed away were her relatives. Surely, she would not want to see red during the New Year. They specifically instructed their sons to help their sister if they encountered any inappropriate situations. Additionally, they reminded them to keep an eye on Qing Wu when there was nothing going on, so she wouldn’t feel too lonely. After all, during the New Year, many people came and went, and as the matriarch of the He Family, she could not watch over her daughter at all times. They could only rely on her brothers to be more attentive.
The brothers listened carefully to their mother’s words. Now that they saw the situation, they naturally wanted to take their sister away from any discomfort.
During the New Year period, guests frequently visited.
Qing Wu wore white and found it inconvenient to meet guests, which saved her a lot of trouble and made things quieter.
She decided to practice the characters and strokes that Huo Yun'ai had taught her and repeatedly practiced the paintings she had learned from Zheng Ning.
In the meantime, her three brothers would occasionally come to the West Courtyard to see her. At least one of them would always be by her side unless important guests arrived.
However, when they were in her room, they wouldn’t actively seek her out for conversation but would quietly stay nearby. They would read books, practice writing, or review their studies. Even Liu Anfeng, who loved lively environments, was no exception; he remained quiet and calm. Occasionally, when he spoke to Qing Wu, he softened his voice considerably.
Qing Wu understood that they didn’t want her to feel too lonely on this joyous occasion, so they kept her company. She also knew that she must be thinking of those who had passed away during this time and that her mood wouldn’t be very good; hence they chose not to disturb her.
Qing Wu felt grateful in her heart.
Although she did not recognize those who had passed away, she vividly remembered the tragic scenes from that time. She insisted on wearing white and was determined to observe the mourning period fully; partly for those relatives who had died tragically and partly to do something for the girl whose soul was no longer present.
During this time, there was also someone who frequently visited her courtyard.
That would be Wu Linxi.
When Wu Linxi promised to give her a Green Plum, he started moving the plant the very next day.
However, this plant is quite delicate, and he has taken great care in nurturing it. If he is not careful, it might not thrive. The one he moved over has already been well cared for by Wu Linxi, who often comes by to check on it.
Although this matter had already been settled, he has been visiting more frequently than usual these past few days. It is evident that Liu An Ting and the others have mentioned Qing Wu's situation to him, prompting him to come by often.
It would be one thing if it were just her brother, but now that Wu Linxi is taking such care of her, Qing Wu truly feels guilty. Yet, how could she bring this up in front of Wu Linxi?
She could only wait for a moment when no one else was around and quietly discuss this matter with Liu An Ting, who is closest to Wu Linxi.
Liu An Ting did not seem to mind and chuckled, saying, "There's nothing wrong with that. He enjoys peace and quiet and dislikes being in crowded places. With his family coming and going, he must be even more annoyed. Coming here gives him an excuse to find some tranquility."
Even so, Qing Wu knew that her brother was merely trying to comfort her. If he wanted peace, he could find it anywhere. Wu Linxi's actions were still for her sake.
Grateful for the kindness of her family and friends, Qing Wu worked even harder on her painting and calligraphy, planning to create heartfelt pieces for everyone as the New Year approached.
Just as everyone was settling into the New Year and looking forward to the upcoming Lantern Festival in a few days, a decree suddenly arrived at the Liu Family.
At that time, Liu Fangyi was chatting with the neighboring Wu Langzhong when he heard this news and was quite surprised. In front of Wu Langzhong, he opened the decree to read it.
The document was formal and typical in appearance. The first half praised Liu Fangyi with some flattering remarks that could easily be overlooked.
It was the second half that mentioned the key point.
—Once the festival was over, Liu Fangyi must immediately set out for a position far away in the northwest.
The news came too suddenly, catching everyone off guard.
Including Young Emperor.
Huo Yun'ai felt a surge of anger and forcefully threw his tea cup, shattering it into pieces.
"Zheng An!" His face was as cold as frost, his tone icy. "I respect him as a teacher, yet he dares!"
Dares to scheme against him behind his back!
Taking a deep breath to steady his mind, Huo Yun'ai reached for the armrest of the chair and slowly sat down.
He slightly turned his head to look at Qin Shuying and asked in a deep voice, "Is there no room for negotiation on this matter?"
Feeling the weight of the emperor's wrath, the carefree young general was also drenched in sweat.
Qin Shuying found it incredibly difficult to speak the next words but had no choice but to respond. After a long pause, he finally managed to utter a hesitant "yes."
He hadn't anticipated such a turn of events.
By the time he learned of it, the orders had already been issued. It was too late to remedy the situation. If he used his power to force a change, it would likely give those Old Ministers a chance to seize upon it and make trouble for him.
With the new emperor just ascending the throne, every move he made was under scrutiny. At this moment, he could not afford to make any mistakes.
Thinking of this, Qin Shuying felt a wave of self-reproach.
When that group of Old Ministers confronted His Majesty in court, he should not have handed the Girl over to His Majesty in front of them.
As a result, Zheng An saw the clues and seized the opportunity, delivering a heavy blow to the Emperor's heart.
Previously silent, Zheng Ning spoke up at this moment, saying, "Although Liu Fangyi is to be transferred, it doesn't mean that the entire Liu Family has to move away." As long as the relatives remain in the capital, Girl can stay in the city, right?
Upon hearing this, Huo Yun'ai's expression darkened even further.
Zheng Ning was not particularly familiar with the situation of the Liu Family, feeling puzzled and looking towards Qin Shuying for help.
Qin Shuying raised her hand to partially cover her mouth and said in a very soft voice, "Liu Family has split. The remaining members are still stranded in the capital. Those people are not very friendly towards Girl and her mother and brother."
In just a few short sentences, the stakes were already clear.
— The Liu Family's Second House had recently fallen out with the Matriarch and the Third Branch. Those people had not yet left Capital City, so how could Liu Fangyi feel at ease leaving his wife and children under their watch?
They would inevitably have to take them along.
Since the entire Liu Family was leaving, then what about Liu Qingwu...
Qin Shuying and Zheng Ning exchanged a silent glance, both lowering their eyes, not daring to look at Huo Yun'ai's expression any longer.
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