Chapter 5, The Long Ditch Flows Silently Under the Moon (1)

A few carefully chosen numbers enhance the scene, creating a grand atmosphere and broadening the space, illuminating the entire room

I smiled at him calmly, without any hint of shyness. Perhaps my gaze was too bright and direct, causing him to feel a slight sense of disarray in our eye contact. After a moment of hesitation, he gently turned his head away.

I was taken aback; where did things go wrong

I paused for a moment, then took a couple of steps closer to observe carefully. The young man in the purple robe, adorned with a white jade crown and green ornaments, had clear and delicate features. When he smiled, his slender eyes would narrow, resembling a cat—adorable, gentle, and pure like a young kitten

My heart gradually calmed down, and I gently broke into a serene and gentle smile. I slowly walked to the front of the painting, and all the gazes in the room turned back to me in an instant, fixated on my figure. Mu Xin also turned her head, her face filled with disbelief as she stared at me.

Indeed! How terrible! There is no time left! It was only when I mentioned the birthday gift that I realized it was getting late. If I do not deliver the birthday gift soon, the birthday celebrant will be taken to the banquet to drink, and if he gets drunk, how will he appreciate my painting

"Go on, go on." The godfather laughed heartily: "I will go see your mother and see if she is still as lazy as ever"

With a chuckle, I hurriedly bowed to my godfather: "Godfather, Brother Yun, let me go pay my respects to the birthday celebrant first; if I am late, my uncle will grumble about me for a month..."

However, I still heard Yun whispering behind me: "Sister, I am waiting for you"

Pouring the wine of the West River, gently filling the Big Dipper cup, all things are offered in return to the guests, why must one alone whistle by the boat, one must know that tonight is even better than any other night

Halfway through reading, he suddenly paused, his expression awkward. The room full of distinguished guests seemed to struggle simultaneously out of the torrent of flattery, falling instantly into an elegant silence.

Hastily rushing into the main hall, I tidied my slightly disheveled hair at the door, stepped in steadily, and immediately spotted my uncle in the center of the crowd

Suddenly overjoyed: "Brother Yun, you have come too?"

I turned my head with a smile, and behind me stood my mother's sworn brother, a friend of my uncle, my godfather. I only knew his surname was Zhu; as for his given name, neither my mother nor my uncle had ever mentioned it, and I did not ask. Given his close ties with the current emperor, he must be of royal descent. My godfather seldom visited; since I could remember, I had only seen him three times. When I was younger, he would always lift me high into the air, allowing me to spin in his not-so-strong arms, which made me giggle with delight. His son, Yun, would stand by smiling at me, his slender, slightly bright eyes narrowed, and on his handsome face was a perpetually gentle and tolerant expression.

I gritted my teeth, having taken every precaution, yet I still fell into his trap. Under normal circumstances, it would not matter, but here, at my uncle's birthday celebration, with the room filled with distinguished guests, nobles, high-ranking officials, and ladies of status, this blunder—how am I to rectify it?

In the profound silence, I hear someone softly sighing: "At an age not yet suitable for the hairpin, with a slender waist like a delicate willow, fragrant cheeks melting like spring snow, and emerald tresses resembling autumn mist."

As if I had not heard, I did not even cast a glance, but respectfully wished my uncle a happy birthday, presenting the painting with both hands, my face slightly flushed: "Huaisu, lacking in talent, has scribbled carelessly; I hope my uncle will overlook this, considering my sincere heart, and not take offense."

This fellow is quite malicious

Uncle laughed so hard that his eyebrows shot up again, and immediately took over: "In Uncle's eyes, Huaisu's paintings are the best!" He then ordered someone to hang it on the wall.

I feel that something has gone wrong. These high-ranking officials and celebrities are the ones who are most adept at concealing their emotions. Once such an expression appears on their faces, it signifies that the matter is serious

My uncle was not dressed in official attire, but wore a robe made of ochre-colored fabric adorned with intricate floral patterns, featuring wide sleeves and a flowing silhouette. He was adorned with a jade belt and a golden crown, and on his finger sparkled a large, precious blood jade ring. Standing tall and elegant, he exuded an air of confidence and grace, moving with a natural elegance that made him appear like a dashing nobleman, effortlessly charming in social interactions, which made me unable to suppress a sense of pride.

Ignoring the crowd, I take up my pen, dip it in ink, and with the tip of the pen poised, I swiftly write numbers in the blank space

I slipped in through the crowd, and my uncle spotted me at a glance, his eyes lighting up as he waved for me to come over. The guests in the hall all turned their heads in unison, and each person's gaze instantly brightened. The earlier chaos and noise immediately fell silent, and I suddenly felt as if I could hear the sound of a flower falling to the ground thirty feet away

Wonderful!

Now that I have grown up, my godfather can no longer hold me; he can only gently stroke my hair in this manner. A slight sense of melancholy stirs within me, and I suddenly resent the overly neat adornments. I raise my eyes to look at my godfather; he has a kind expression, with rounded brows and eyes, exuding an elegant demeanor. However, I am astonished to find that even at just over thirty years of age, he has already aged, with even his temples showing a hint of gray.

Those with keen eyes noticed the words and exclaimed, "Miss also writes beautifully!" They then shook their heads and nodded as if they had encountered an exquisite piece of literature, reciting aloud: "... ... Drawing from the West River, carefully measuring the Northern Dipper, all phenomena as guests ... ... "

My gaze revealed my doubts, and my godfather smiled: "It is not very convenient to go to the main hall. I have just offered birthday wishes to your uncle. Yun likes this quiet and unique place and said he wanted to rest here. However, upon seeing you just now, I realized the true intentions of this fellow."

A warm yet not overly broad hand gently patted my head, as light as if it were afraid of disturbing a single strand of my hair. Immediately, a slightly hoarse voice sounded: "Wild girl, what are you looking for? Let me see you. It’s been so long since we last met, and you’ve grown taller, becoming even more like a fairy."

Thinking of the person who often came with Yun to see me, I couldn't help but feel even happier. I leaned out to look and asked, "Where is my godfather? Has he arrived yet? Oh, don't block the way, let me go in and have a look."

I calmly opened my eyes and looked at my godfather, who had been watching us intently. As I turned to him, I caught a fleeting glimpse of concern in his eyes, but it vanished almost instantly, leaving me uncertain whether my perception was accurate.

Upon hearing the last sentence, her porcelain-like, pure white face suddenly flushed slightly, yet she did not argue; she merely smiled gently at me

A cold sweat broke out all at once, and my first instinct was to turn and look at Mu Xin, who was standing in the corner. Sure enough, he slightly tilted his head back, a smile in the corner of his eyes, his expression filled with an infinite sense of triumph from his cunning schemes.

Upon closer inspection of the calligraphy and painting, there were indeed no errors. When I turned to look at my uncle, his expression had surprisingly changed slightly.

The hall fell silent for a moment, and then, a burst of colorful sounds erupted, the passionate applause seeming to break through the roof: "Excellent!"

As the painting unfolds, everyone praises it enthusiastically, lauding the artist's skillful brushwork, the graceful lines, and the transcendent quality of the scene. The inner spirit is rich, with a foundation of gold and iron, and the clouds and mist complement the work. In short, even contemporary masters standing before my childish painting would likely feel so ashamed that they would want to burrow into the ground.

The godfather has already turned to look at the painting in my hand: "Huaisu, is this the birthday gift you prepared for the Marquis of Xiping?"

Miss Gao Cai! This segment of punctuation revitalizes the imagery of Zhang Anguo's words; it requires no small talent to achieve this. If Zhang Jun were to know from the underworld, he would surely smile and reveal the truth!

Recalling the expressions of the crowd while viewing the painting, it seems that the issue does not lie with the painting itself, but rather with that line of verse

At this moment, it was not the time for revenge. My thoughts raced quickly, and I steadied myself. I swiftly dipped my hand into the tea beside me, using the gesture of adjusting my hair to discreetly wipe my already cooled palms across my burning cheeks. The sensation of hot coals melting ice quickly brought me back to my senses. I had it!

It is only natural for them to come to celebrate my uncle's birthday, but why do they not go to the main hall

I also smiled, took a step back, slightly raised my face, and looked at the calligraphy and painting that I had altered

I smiled slightly, slipping away while retorting, "Godfather, if you say the same in front of Mother later, I will be convinced..." Before I could finish my words, my voice had already faded away.

As soon as these words were spoken, a slight commotion arose, and everyone turned to look at that person, seemingly reproaching him for his frivolity. In such a setting, how could one recite such lascivious verses, comparing me to the courtesans of the brothel.