Chương 55: Chapter 55: When He Comes to See Me.
"Miss, a letter has arrived for you—from Wu Kingdom."
As Zhu Cici continued carefully stitching her embroidery, a maid walked into the courtyard.
The moment Zhu Cici heard the letter was from Wu Kingdom, her eyes lit up with excitement.
She put down the embroidery in her hands, her skirt swaying as her legs moved swiftly. She hurried over and exclaimed, "Quick, give it to me!"
Zhu Cici opened the package to find a letter and a small shuttlecock.
The shuttlecock's snow-white goose feathers were clean and pristine, as pure as fresh snow.
Opening the envelope, she pulled out two sheets of paper.
She unfolded the first page and saw it was a letter from Xu Ming.
In the letter, Xu Ming explained that he was about to join the military and wouldn't be able to receive birthday gifts anymore because mail wouldn't reach him while he was in the army.
As for the small shuttlecock, Xu Ming mentioned it was handmade by him. Though it might be a bit rough, he hoped Zhu Cici wouldn't mind.
Zhu Cici then unfolded the second sheet, which turned out to be a poem:
"In life, I knew nothing of longing.
Only when I learned it, did it torment me so.
My body like a drifting cloud,
My heart like floating dandelions,
My breath faint as thread.
A wisp of lingering fragrance remains,
Yearning for the graceful beauty beyond my reach.
When does longing strike most deeply?
When the lamps are half-dim, and the moon half-bright."
As she read, a blush crept across Zhu Cici's cheeks. Her slender fingers gently tightened around the letter, and her long lashes fluttered lightly in the morning sun. The elegant dignity of a young lady, combined with the innocent shyness of a girl her age, radiated naturally from her.
"In life, I knew nothing of longing.
Only when I learned it, did it torment me so.
My body like a drifting cloud,
My heart like floating dandelions,
My breath faint as thread.
A wisp of lingering fragrance remains,
Yearning for the graceful beauty beyond my reach.
When does longing strike most deeply?
When the lamps are half-dim, and the moon half-bright."
The poem was simple yet profound, and Zhu Cici instantly understood its meaning.
"I never thought... Xu Ming already misses me this much?" Zhu Cici murmured, her gaze unfocused. The more she read the poem, the more fondness she felt for it.
"Miss, what are you reading? Can I take a look?" The maid, Xiaoqiao, blinked expectantly.
"No."
Zhu Cici turned around and carefully folded the poem and letter, storing them away with care. She then picked up the white-feathered shuttlecock, holding it in her palm and gently toying with it, her expression brimming with joy.
Xu Ming had mentioned the shuttlecock was roughly made, but in Zhu Cici's eyes, it was exquisitely crafted.
"Miss, you're so stingy," Xiaoqiao pouted. "I was the one who risked getting scolded by the master and madam to deliver your package, and now you won't even let me see."
"Not happening." Zhu Cici's eyes curved into crescents, her elegant demeanor mixed with a playful tone. "I'm just not giving it to you, no matter what."
"Miss, please~~~" Xiaoqiao, who was seven years older than Zhu Cici, pleaded relentlessly. "Young Master Xu must've written you a poem! Let me see it—I really want to read it!"
The Kingdom of Qi highly valued literature, and whenever a remarkable poem or piece of prose emerged, it would spread widely throughout the country.
While Xu Ming was already well-known in Wu Kingdom, what he didn't know was that in Qi, his line "The mortal world cannot keep them; beauty fades from mirrors, flowers leave their trees" had left countless women sighing with melancholy.
Many in Qi were eagerly awaiting Xu Ming's next work, but he hadn't written anything new recently.
"Fine... fine, you can have a look," Zhu Cici said, her cheeks slightly red. She pushed the poem on the desk forward a little.
Though Zhu Cici was shy, Xiaoqiao had been with her since childhood. Zhu Cici trusted her completely, so letting her read the poem didn't feel like a big deal.
Not to mention, Xiaoqiao already knew about the correspondence between Zhu Cici and Xu Ming. The only thing Zhu Cici hadn't shared with her was the childhood marriage agreement.
Besides, if anything came up in the future, Xiaoqiao would surely help her—just like she did this time by delivering the letter.
"Wonderful!" Xiaoqiao gleefully stepped forward and unfolded the sheet of paper with the poem.
As she read, her mouth formed a perfect "O."
By the time she finished, Xiaoqiao's face was also flushed red.
"Th-this… Young Master Xu Ming is only nine years old! How can he write something so… mature?"
Xiaoqiao was astonished, questioning whether a nine-year-old boy could truly write such a poem.
But after thinking for a moment, she realized that geniuses always matured early. Moreover, Xu Ming's eight-year-old work was already brimming with sophistication. In that sense, this poem, "In life, I knew nothing of longing; only when I learned it, did it torment me so," seemed perfectly in line with his nature.
Compared to his previous masterpiece, "Beauty fades from mirrors; flowers leave their trees," this poem might be less refined in terms of literary sophistication, but its emotional depth was just as powerful.
"Alright, alright, stop reading now," Zhu Cici finally said, feeling increasingly embarrassed as Xiaoqiao's captivated gaze lingered on the poem.
"But, Miss, does this mean I'll get to read Young Master Xu Ming's poems every year on your birthday?" Xiaoqiao asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation.
If Xu Ming's "Butterfly Loves Flowers" (the title that people later gave his earlier poem) had already won Xiaoqiao's admiration, this poem, "Longing," had turned her into a full-fledged fangirl.
What's more, she couldn't get enough of the story between Xu Ming and Zhu Cici. A talented young boy and a beautiful young girl, meeting as children and falling for each other at first sight—what a perfect match!
Now separated by distance, they could only connect through letters and exchange gifts on their birthdays.
Such a pure and heartfelt romance. Just imagining the scene of Xu Ming growing up to achieve fame and fortune, coming to Qi State with a grand procession to marry Zhu Cici in a ten-mile red bridal carriage… Xiaoqiao was already melting at the thought.
The only problem was Zhu Cici's special status as someone born with literary talent, which made her a national treasure of Qi Kingdom. Would Qi Kingdom ever agree to let her marry into Wu Kingdom?
"What if… Miss elopes with Young Master Xu Ming someday?"
As Xiaoqiao's imagination ran wild, she had already started constructing a dramatic storyline straight out of a romance novel.
"If that day ever comes, I'll definitely help Miss elope!" Xiaoqiao clenched her fists, secretly vowing to stand by Zhu Cici no matter what.
"Unfortunately, I won't be receiving any more poems in the future," Zhu Cici said, shaking her head.
"Why not?" Xiaoqiao looked as if her world was crumbling.
"Because Xu Ming said he's going to join the military," Zhu Cici explained with a soft sigh. "The Wu Kingdom military is known for its strict discipline and grueling training. Where would he find the time to write poems? I only hope he remains safe and sound."
"What about the gift you've been preparing for him?" Xiaoqiao asked, glancing at the embroidery on the table.
She knew all too well that Zhu Cici had been practicing needlework lately just so she could make a fine piece of clothing for Xu Ming.
"I'll still prepare it," Zhu Cici replied, her eyes curving into a smile.
"Every year, I'll make him a birthday gift.
And when he comes to see me one day… I'll give them all to him at once."
Tình trạng nguồn điện hàng tuần
-- Xếp hạng
Quyền lực 
-- Đá
Quyền lực