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A Moonlit Mountain (1)
T/N: Translated by Jen on Broken Jinsei! Please do not repost my translations! All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
Lu Qi Yang leaving the capital for the northern pass was something that Shen Lan Chi long knew of.
Although feeling reluctant to part, she ultimately knew that this was the only way. Lu Zi Xiang was dangerously eyeing the Zhennan Wang Manor from above. If Lu Qi Yang doesn’t quickly win over the hearts of the soldiers, then he can only wait to be turned into a meal on the table by Lu Zi Xiang.
The northern pass was far away. Even if rushing normally, it would still take half a month or two weeks, and if encountering rocks blocking the road, it will get dragged out even more. Less than ten days after Lu Qi Yang left, letters were sent back, one for the wangfei, and one for Shen Lan Chi. In the letter for Shen Lan Chi, there was even a withered flower.
He said that he’d saw a small and delicate flower by the roadside, finding it very novel, so placed it in the letter to send back. However, he forgot that the journey was long. When this flower reached Shen Lan Chi’s hand, it had already withered.
Even so, Shen Lan Chi still had it dried in the sun and pressed between a book.
• • •
The summer in the capital was gradually getting denser, the cicadas chirping louder and louder. Although having rained a few times in the afternoon, the summer heat didn’t extinguish by much.
Liu Ru Yan straightened her conical hat, quickening her pace as she headed towards a narrow alleyway.
She was originally the Liu family’s delicately raised third miss, but today, she didn’t adorn any ornaments, instead wearing a rough hemp dress. Under the cover of the veil hanging from the conical hat, one could faintly see raven hair loosely hanging down, with only a jade hairpin in her hair.
The little bluestone path under her feet was somewhat damaged, the stone frequently getting stepped on year round, getting smoothed out and creating holes from the wear and tear, also accumulating rainwater, a completely wet path.
Finally, Liu Ru Yan stopped before a door.
This door wasn’t impressive, hidden among many little brick courtyards, ordinary and inconspicuous. Pasted on the door was a crimson door god, the color having faded a little from getting hit by the rainwater a few days ago.
She lifted her hand, desiring to knock, but her hand stopped midway.
Liu Ru Yan thought to herself: ‘The once elegant and extravagant young master now live in such a shabby place?’
She remembered when she first met Shen Ting Yuan, Shen Ting Yuan had a timid and meek look. Aside from having a handsome face, he didn’t have any eye-catching traits. Compared to that ostentatious and arrogant tang brother of his, he was like a speck of dust.
Although he’d saved her once, Liu Ru Yan didn’t have this person taken to heart.
She’d fell in the water during the birthday banquet, so the servant girl led her to go change. When changing, she saw a painting scroll hanging on the wall, depicting a moonlit mountain and a clear creek. Although she doesn’t understand paintings, she nevertheless felt that this moonlit mountain painting was extremely full of spirit, quiet, secluded, and distant, as if not from the mortal world.
If able to go together hand in hand with one’s beloved, spending the rest of one’s life with the mountains, then it would certainly be a wonderful thing.
TN: All translations outside of Broken Jinsei are stolen and reposted without permission!
She leaned in for a look, seeing that there was an inscription on the painting scroll. The signature was Wenshan[1].
This was a rather good name.
Liu Ru Yan secretly memorized this name. After returning home, she asked her eldest brother, Liu Yu: “How are the paintings made by this ‘Wenshan’? How much are they worth?”
Liu Yu said: “Never heard of before.”
Liu Ru Yan: “I feel his paintings are quite good, didn’t expect that he’s an obscure one, even elder brother doesn’t know?”
Liu Yu said: “How could I know everything? If you’re interested, just go ask around for yourself.”
Liu Ru Yan said okay.
Liu Yu although was her eldest brother, he wasn’t strict with her, sometimes even rather indulgent. If not for her eldest brother educating her, how would she have known that in the poems, there was something as wonderful as ‘a pair for life’.
Liu Ru Yan wandered the marketplace, but she wasn’t able to find Wenshan’s masterpieces. She could only return in disappointment, sending her servants to keep an eye out. Unfortunately, in the marketplaces, there weren’t any works of Wenshan circulating around.
One time, she even ran into Shen Ting Yuan going to buy treasures of the study[2] with his servant boy. Shen Ting Yuan was a noble young master. He could’ve let his servants run the errand for him, but he nevertheless personally came to the store, carefully selecting on his own. When buying things, he didn’t buy the expensive ones, picking some cheap wares, even all painting supplies.
Liu Ru Yan was somewhat surprised, asking: “Why doesn’t Gentleman Shen buy that expensive ink?”
“Expensive, but not necessarily useful. When it comes to painting, it has always depended on the person. By having a calm state of mind, the painting will naturally be full of life. If one’s skill with the brush isn’t good, then even if spending thousands of gold, one still won’t be able to paint anything.” Shen Ting Yuan patiently answered.
After saying this, he even somewhat nervously turned away, seemingly very rarely talking to girls.
Liu Ru Yan nodded, thinking that this scholarly-looking bookworm was right———-If one doesn’t know how to draw, then no matter how expensive the paper and brush are, it’s still to no avail. Even if having the ink worth thousands of gold shoved into the claw of a chicken, you won’t see the chicken painting beautiful women.
“You also know how to paint, then let me ask you, do you know who is ‘Wenshan’?” Liu Ru Yan said, “I saw that painting before at your manor, feeling that it was very good, and want to buy one to hang in my room.”
Since unable to live in the mountains admiring the moon with one’s beloved, then at least let her hang a moon in her own room.
Shen Ting Yuan blanked for a moment, stammering in a low voice, “I…I also don’t know much. That painting was just obtained by chance. If Liu third miss wants it, I will order someone to send it to you…….”
When Liu Ru Yan heard, joy reflected in her brows, “Oh! Alright! You may look like a bookwork, but you’re quite sensible. If in the future, you see more of that Wenshan’s paintings, remember to call me. I’ll buy them.”
Amidst her joy, she actually had the word ‘bookworm’ said out loud.
Not long after she obtained that Moonlit Mountain and Clear Creek painting, she heard that there was someone selling Wenshan’s works in the marketplace, the asking price even cheap. Liu Ru Yan was very straightforward, sending someone to buy them all.
This Wenshan loved painting sceneries the most, his paintings full of the wilderness and nature. There was the sun setting over the eastern fence, the maple leaves turning red, snow over the cold river, and also the shepherd boy playing the flute. Looking at the paintings, Liu Ru Yan felt that Wenshan was a rather refined person, unlike those guys in the capital that just want to be high officials.
If obsessed with power, just thinking of wanting to climb high all day, then how could he making such paintings?
Just, unfortunately, it’s unknown if this Wenshan is dead or alive. If unlucky, then he perhaps has already been dead for several decades.
Thinking to here, Liu Ru Yan sighed.
Really a shame.
She asked her second brother Liu Wen, what kind of feeling was this was considered as. Liu Wen had the intention to pretend to be refined, waving his fan and slowly saying: “Do you know of ‘spiritual bond’? Without needing to know the appearance, one’s heart has already greatly admired for a long time. Just look at that Chen Wang dreaming of the goddess in the past[3]. He may not have necessarily seen the true appearance of the goddess before!”
When Liu Ru Yan heard, she instantly felt that Liu Wen was unreliable.
Peh, peh, peh, what analogy was this.
Liu Ru Yan’s paternal aunt was Noble Consort Liu. The noble consort wanted to match Liu Ru Yan with Lu Zi Xiang, so frequently invited Liu Ru Yan into the palace for a short stay. Liu Ru Yan has never wanted to become a prince’s consort, also not wanting to share her husband with others. Thus, every time entering the palace, she would always have a cold face.
But Lu Zi Xiang, this person, even if seeing her with a cold face, would still be gentle and caring, completely turning a blind eye to the thorns all over her. Liu Ru Yan felt with Lu Zi Xiang having this extraordinary endurance, he will certainly have great luck in the future.
One time, when she entered the palace, his Majesty had just happened to arrange a small banquet in the imperial garden.
She went together with Noble Consort Liu, and saw his Majesty holding a painting scroll and carefully examining it, with endless praises coming from his mouth. After praising, the Chu Emperor asked the palace servant by his side, “This ‘Wenshan’, whose pen name is it?”
Empress Shen was also present. Upon hearing this, Empress Shen said with a smile, “It’s Ting Yuan’s. He doesn’t often sign with this pen name. Only when gifting to someone he’s familiar with, will he use ‘Wenshan’. This painting was sent to this wife’s place, who knew that your Majesty would like it this much, actually intercepting it.”
When the Chu Emperor heard, he heartily laughed, “The Shen family young master’s painting is good, this emperor can’t even praise it? Alright, this emperor will return it to the empress.”
When Liu Ru Yan heard, her heart skipped a beat.
—–Shen, Shen Ting Yuan?
No wonder she would see that Wenshan painting at the Shen manor. It was clearly the Shen family young master finishing the painting and randomly hanging it in his own home. No wonder when she said to Shen Ting Yuan that she wanted to buy Wenshan’s paintings, several works immediately started circulating in the marketplace. It was the Shen family young master taking care of her.
This kind of honest person was actually much better than the second prince, who had that kind of superficial gentleness.
Perhaps because of the paintings, or perhaps because of the moonlit mountains, her feelings towards Shen Ting Yuan instantly grew heavier.
• • •
Circling around, her mind returned to the present.
Liu Ru Yan knocked on the Shen family’s little door. Inside, a servant woman came to answer the door. It was a servant by Shen first madam’s side. This servant had seen all kinds of storms, so also recognized Liu third miss, saying in astonishment, “M-miss Liu…..?”
Liu Ru Yan coldly said, “Let Shen Ting Yuan come out. I want to ask him, exactly why is he avoiding me?”
Shen Ting Yuan’s voice sounded from behind the servant woman, “Liu mama, why don’t you withdraw first. Let me handle it.”
Afterwards, Shen Ting Yuan’s figure appeared behind the door. He was wearing a plain attire, dressed no differently from an ordinary scholar. However, in Liu Ru Yan’s eyes, this attire suited him more. In the past, he although dressed fancily in brocade, it seemed as if those gold and jade weighed down his shoulders, to the extent where he always hung his head. Now that he has become impoverished, he actually held his head high and his chest out, his eyes also clear and bright.
“Liu third miss, you’re a daughter of a prominent noble family, while I’m now just a commoner. The difference between heaven and earth is hard to overcome.” Shen Ting Yuan suppressed the sigh in his heart and slowly said, “Liu third miss’s love, I can’t afford to bear, and don’t dare to bear.”
“What difference between heaven and earth is there?” Liu Ru Yan angrily said, “I have never liked wealth and glory, so what if you’ve become poor?”
“Ting Yuan knows Liu third miss isn’t someone trapped by the mundane world, but even if third miss is willing, the Liu family may not necessarily be willing.” Shen Ting Yuan ultimately couldn’t hold back his sigh, calmly saying, “Short pain is better than long pain. This is also for third miss’s sake.”
Liu Ru Yan wished to speak, but suddenly heard her second brother, Liu Wen’s voice sound behind her.
“Ru Yan, I was wondering, why you secretly came here. Turns out, it’s this son of a convicted official wanting to kidnap you!” Liu Wen shook his folded fan, ruthlessly glaring at Shen Ting Yuan, angrily saying, “Shen family guy, right now, you’re a fallen noble, yet still want to deceive my younger sister, truly simple-minded!”
Don’t know when Liu Wen started following her.
After saying this, he ordered the servants behind him to hold down Liu Ru Yan and shove her into the horse carriage. Liu Wen used the folding fan to point at Shen Ting Yuan, angrily threatening, “Don’t you dare have any crooked thoughts! The current you simply isn’t worthy of my younger sister!”
After saying this, he turned and left, also ignoring Liu Ru Yan shouting from the horse carriage.
[1] His pen name translates to ‘asking the mountain’.
[2] Refers brush, paper, ink, and ink stone.
[3] This phrase is a line from on of Li Bai’s poems about Chen Wang, which refers Chensi Wang, Cao Zhi, one of the sons of Cao Cao, from the three kingdoms period. Cao Zhi was an extremely talented poet, having left behind many renowned works. This line in Li Bai’s poem means that although Cao Zhi was extremely talented, he could only meet with his ideal ‘goddess’ in his dreams. It’s based on a story or legend of Cao Zhi, where Cao Zhi dreamt of a goddess, hinting that he may have invested his feelings in this goddess of his dreams, representing an idealized love. In context, it does sort of fit with Liu Ru Yan’s situation.
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