mtl008 Chapter 724: The Rain Shelter Built by a Wealthy Merchant in Jiangnan
Chapter 724: The Rain Shelter Built by a Wealthy Merchant in Jiangnan
She thought, regardless of whether she could understand the couplet's secrets or not, she would walk around the perimeter of Daqing Mountain again. Perhaps by ignoring the couplet itself, she could find something strange about Daqing Mountain.
Therefore, those who had been there before naturally had to be invited back, and they had to reconsider and reconsider, and also try Xiaolian's suggestion. She looked up at the sky, it should be almost noon, time waits for no one.
The people living in the mansion came quickly. Everyone sat down and drank a few sips of tea together. Ah Qi and Chong San also went into the study.
Xiaolian was also kept by Jing Chunxi. She was sitting awkwardly in the corner at the moment, acting very properly and not showing any fear.
Facing the couplet once again, everyone thought the young lady had discovered something. A tense and expectant atmosphere hung in the air. Some people stared intently at the couplet, while many more looked at Jing Chunxi. Chongsan narrowed his eyes, as if trying to see through the couplet.
Seeing that her father and mother were looking at her with expectant expressions, Jing Chunxi said, "Can you write the words 'shelter from the rain' on the blank scroll according to the size of the words 'shelter from the wind'?" Her voice was very soft, but it was like a stone thrown into a calm lake, stirring up ripples.
Jing Yi had no idea that when he rushed over, he would be greeted with such a sentence. His eyebrows raised high, and he seemed unhappy.
He knew it was a good idea, and perhaps that was the tricky part. His eyes moved back and forth between the couplet and his daughter, his fingers tapping unconsciously on the table.
The others were slightly startled by this, but soon recovered and some began to nod. Xiao Man's eyes lit up, as if she had thought of something interesting.
The original couplet was incomplete, but perhaps once it was completed, the reader would gain some insight. The air in the study seemed to become more lively.
Finally, everyone turned their attention to Jing Yi, hoping to hear his opinion. The sunlight from behind the curtains cast varying shades of shadow on his angular face, making his expression even more unpredictable.
Seeing that no one said anything, Ah Qi was the first to speak, "Boss, your handwriting is already good, it's just regular script. Practice it a few more times before writing it down." His voice was rough and powerful, breaking the brief silence in the study.
Jing Chunxi had seen Jing Yi's calligraphy before. It was similar to that of his uncle. He must have learned it from him. Although it was not the best, it was still pretty good.
The memory of her uncle splashing ink and brushing appeared before her eyes, the wolf-hair brush dancing across the rice paper with such grace that it looked like a dance. So she nodded, glancing across at her mother, who also nodded in agreement. It seemed her stepfather's calligraphy was also familiar to her.
The corners of Jing Qiurong's mouth rose slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile.
"No!" Jing Yi glared at Jing Chunxi, a warning in his eyes. His expression was clear: it mirrored what Jing Chunxi had just thought. How could one imitate the emperor's handwriting? If anyone found out, would he still have his head?
His voice was low, but it carried an unquestionable authority that seemed to lower the temperature in the study a little.
Jing Chunxi was helpless and came up with another idea, "Why not try using charcoal first?" She tilted her head, and a strand of hair slipped out of her bun and swayed gently beside her cheek.
"That will also dirty the words, which is difficult to deal with." Jing Yi shook his head and tapped his fingers on the table faster.
The young lady and the master argued back and forth, and finally the young lady spread her hands, looking helpless. Everyone was confused. Only Jing Qiurong knew the reason, but she couldn't think of a better way, so she could only stare blankly.
"Miss, since you have to use charcoal, you might as well use rubbings like we did at Tao's house. First, use white paper to make rubbings, and then write the couplets after you have practiced well." July, who was standing by, suddenly suggested in a low voice when she heard this.
Her voice was as light as a feather falling to the ground, but it drew everyone's attention. Qiyue's face immediately turned red, as if she had applied a light layer of rouge, and Ah Qi was stunned by the sight.
Most people were completely bewildered. Although most of them had gone to Jiujiang Commandery and entered the Tao Residence, few knew about Jing Chunxi's copy of the painting at the Tao Residence. Chuntao, Qiyue, and Jiuyue were the only ones who knew about it.
Chuntao was standing by the door at this moment, waiting for more tea. She nodded slightly when she heard this.
Therefore, some people can't even tell what "tuo" means. Chongsan has never been to school and doesn't know many words. He scratched his head, looking confused.
"Rubbing? How could there be such characters for us to rub?" Jing Chunxi naturally knew what July meant. If there were these two characters written by an emperor and they were asked to rub them, why would they have so much headache?
There was a hint of helplessness in her voice, and her eyes unconsciously drifted out the window. The shadows of the mountains in the distance looked a little bleak in the winter.
Jing Yi looked at Ah Qi and Chong San, who both shook their heads at him. Even though Ah Qi had spent most of his time in the capital, he had never seen a similar handwriting, let alone the two uncommon characters for "sheltered from the rain."
"Isn't it 'Shelter from the Rain'? It looks quite similar to me, and the size... I'll have to see it up close to tell." Qiyue said, deliberately pointing in the direction opposite to Daqing Mountain. Her fingertips trembled slightly. She was usually invisible, and was obviously not used to speaking in front of so many people.
"Are you talking about that pavilion, the one built by a wealthy businessman in Jiangnan?" Xiao Man suddenly exclaimed, her voice so loud that everyone was startled, "It seems to be really called the Shelter Pavilion!" Her eyes widened, as if she had discovered some incredible secret.
Even without Xiao Man's comment, everyone present, except Xiao Lian and Jing Qiurong, recalled the rain shelter. The pavilion in their memory had soaring eaves and angled corners, its vermilion pillars somewhat faded, yet it was still clear that a considerable sum of money had been spent on its construction, resulting in its grandeur.
Last time, they stopped at the Shelter Pavilion to compare the pattern copied from Tao Mansion with Daqing Mountain.
It was a sunny day, and the wildflowers around the pavilion were in full bloom. I sat there for a while, listening to the old farmer tell stories about wealthy merchants in the south of the Yangtze River.
The old man's voice was hoarse and his eyes narrowed into slits as he told the story. Even after many years, he still remembers the situation clearly.
"Aqi, prepare the horses! It's the same person from last time. Let's go to the shelter." Jing Yi suddenly stood up and spoke quickly with a commanding tone.
At this time, he had already thought of something. It was not just a problem with the words, but the entire pavilion was probably not simple.
His robe blew up a gust of wind and he walked out quickly.
Jing Chunxi also hurriedly ordered, "Xiaoman, find a few pieces of the largest white paper; Qiyue, go to the kitchen to find some charcoal, some more; Uncle Chong, take down the couplets on the wall and take them with you." She spoke quickly but logically, and her hands pointed at the people she was ordering.
Everyone responded quickly, and soon, only Jing Qiurong and Xiaolian were left in the study, looking at each other. Chuntao had already retreated the moment Jing Yi stood up.
After going out again and watching everyone get on their horses, Jing Qiurong said without saying a word to them, "It seems like we are redundant in the face of important matters." Her voice was very soft, but regret was immediately blown away by the north wind.
Xiaolian stood beside her, looking at the dust raised by the departing horses' hooves, her eyes flashing with complex lights, including envy, expectation, and hope.