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墨書 Inktalez
Sighing over the lack of fate, on this night, the distant flavors of the world linger.
In my heart, beautiful dreams are but flying flowers in a dream.
In my solitude, both sorrow and joy pluck at the strings of the pipa.
You may forget, in the south of the Yangtze and the north of the Great Wall, green grass and dust swirl.
Spring light sways the reeds. Remembering the waves, a solitary shadow flickers.
As the boat glides through the water, I fear this farewell will be forever.
A dream-like life is all entrusted to the floating shadows of lanterns.
Still, I will walk to the bamboo grove by the green cottage, where bitterness and joy are like tea.
Liu Mengyuan returned to Jinling with Lin Ning and Hu Xueyan, burdened with endless sorrow and loneliness. Upon hearing about Liu Huazhong and Liu Hongyuan's tragic fate, Lin Enzhe and Miao Shuyan were unable to calm their emotions for a long time. Miao Shuyan looked at Liu Mengyuan, once plump and beautiful, now gaunt from losing two loved ones overnight, tortured by harsh reality. She embraced Liu Mengyuan tightly and said sorrowfully, "My dear child, I have only one daughter who has married far away to White Jade Mount; I do not know when I will see her again. From now on, you shall be my daughter. Consider this your home and stay here with peace of mind!" Liu Mengyuan burst into tears, releasing all her pent-up grief and sorrow in that moment. Miao Shuyan comforted her softly until Liu Mengyuan finally calmed down and nodded slowly.
Lin Ning joyfully exclaimed, "That's wonderful! From now on, I have another little sister! I will be second Brother, and you will be Si Mei; we are family now—this is truly a cause for celebration!" Liu Mengyuan immediately began calling Lin Enzhe and Miao Shuyan "Father" and "Mother," and referred to Lin Ning as second Brother. Since Lin Xiu married White Jade Peak, Emerald Bamboo Pavilion had been uninhabited; Lin Enzhe and his wife arranged for Liu Mengyuan to live there.
Fearing that Lin Cheng might see Lin Ning and Hu Xueyan and be affected, they only stayed at Enze Gang for one night before hastily returning to Yunshan Island. Liu Mengyuan stood by the sea watching them depart by boat. Lin Ning gazed at her solitary figure with a pang of sadness in his heart:
The thin silk wafts fragrance around her jade wrist. Her delicate hair frames a disheveled brow.
Meeting again is like a day of falling flowers; dark clouds of sorrow linger on distant shores.
Wishing upon clouds and waters beneath green mountains and flowers brings no exchange for my longing.
Dreams have always been cold as strings; they teach spring breezes to return slowly.
Lin Ning and Hu Xueyan reminisced about their experiences over the past two months in the western regions—the joys and sorrows of life—and couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by emotions. They felt as if they had lived through another lifetime. Both realized they should cherish the present moment and each other even more.
Upon returning to Yunshan Island, they found it particularly desolate without Lin Xiu's presence. Memories of her voice and laughter brought another wave of sadness.
The azure clouds drift lightly; small pines entwine around them.
Sitting here watching worldly affairs unfold is like a fleeting moment of clarity amidst confusion.
Only ordinary matters cannot be overlooked; clothing brushed against dust stirs up songbirds' cries.
Tonight's bright moon passes over Jiang Pavilion; the curved bridge gives rise to sighs of solitude.
On these purple paths through red dust, few people walk from now on.
Even if there are lingering feelings unfulfilled, let my resentment be heard by the plain strings.
Lin Ning sighed, "From now on, we can no longer compose poetry or enjoy ourselves together with Xiu'er." Hu Xueyan was naturally sentimental; upon hearing Lin Ning's words, she fell deeper into sadness: "Yes, from now on it will just be us two, Aunt Yun, and my father relying on each other on this island." At that moment, Qin Lan suddenly appeared before them, playfully scolding, "Miss, how could you forget me?" Hu Xueyan laughed and replied, "Indeed! Besides my father and Aunt Yun, you are my closest companion." Hu Xueyan took Qin Lan's hand and said, "We have been apart for more than two months; let me tell you everything I've seen and heard during this time." Hearing this made Qin Lan so happy she danced around like a child. Watching their retreating figures made Lin Ning suddenly miss his mother-in-law deeply.
That night, Lin Ning arrived early at the Fallen Icicle Cave, only to find that his grandmother had come even earlier. Having not seen her for many days, he felt a mix of joy and sorrow in his heart, and tears streamed down his face. His grandmother smiled and said, "Silly child, you should be happy to see your grandmother. Why are you crying?" Lin Ning seemed to be asking his grandmother, but also questioning himself: "Why has everyone around me left one by one? Xiu'er has married far away in the Western Regions, and my elder brother looks at me as if I were an enemy. Just thinking about this pains my heart like a knife." His grandmother replied, "The most ungraspable thing in this world is mutual affection. A pair of lovers must meet at the right time and place; otherwise, everything is in vain. Even with a thousand tender feelings and myriad charms, they may only brush past each other. Lin Cheng's love for Xueing is like a moth flying into the flame—brilliant yet tragic. Life is but a dream; amidst the clouds and the changing seasons, right and wrong, love and hate cannot withstand the silent passage of time. Those who abandon each other are merely clinging to an obsession. People fall into the worldly dream without reason, entangled in countless troubles. Wasn't I also someone who once knew love but received no reply, lamenting how time flows like water?" After hearing his grandmother's words, Lin Ning's heart stirred. He did not know what kind of emotional world his grandmother had experienced when she was young. Although she wore a veil, he could still imagine her expression filled with sorrow and helplessness. He asked curiously, "Grandmother, were you also...?" His grandmother said sadly, "In my youth, I was also someone with deep feelings; unfortunately... let's not talk about it—speaking of it only brings tears. The world is ever-changing; only by cherishing the present can we avoid wasting our youth. If you give me a jade hairpin, I will braid my hair for you. After washing away the dust of the world, from now on, at dusk or at dawn, we shall never part." Now that Xueing has deep feelings for you and you too have strong affections for her, you must cherish each other even more. Only then will it not be an empty promise!" Lin Ning respectfully replied, "What you say is true; I will remember it in my heart."
Lin Ning stepped out of the Fallen Icicle Cave into the deep night and arrived at Xueyue Pavilion in front of Qingdai Building in Yihua Garden. A gentle breeze swept through Xueyue Pavilion, filling the air with a strong floral fragrance that intoxicated his senses. The wind carried a subtle fragrance as he realized that the magnolias were blooming. Gazing at Qingdai Building before him stirred up waves of emotion within Lin Ning. He waited in Xueyue Pavilion until dawn broke slightly in the sky. A faint red glow illuminated the shadows of trees and flowers above as magpies and sparrows flitted about, chirping incessantly—a dreamlike scene that was breathtakingly beautiful. Lin Ning hurried back to Book Immortal Pavilion to fetch some writing materials before quickly returning to Xueyue Pavilion where he wrote a poem titled "One Cut of Plum":
In the morning alone in Yihua Garden,
Clouds and waters mingle with flowers and birds,
When do all the birds sing?
As dawn breaks slightly, all birds sing together!
Orioles sing while swallows dance,
A joyful song echoes everywhere.
At this moment, sound surpasses silence!
It inspires poetic sentiments and flows into artistic imagery!
Next to this poem, Lin Ning painted an ink wash landscape. The spiritual depiction of his state of mind was the fundamental reason for creating landscape paintings; they best reflect the artist's emotions. At this moment, Lin Ning's feelings were like a calm lake disturbed by flying birds, creating ripples upon ripples. He wrote on another piece of rice paper: "At the end of prosperity, may I build a wooden cottage on Yunshan Island far from worldly noise? Pave a stone path where we can enjoy morning bells and evening drums together in peace?" Lin Ning tied this piece of rice paper to a branch and noticed that Hu Xueyan's window was open; he tossed the branch into Qingdai Building. The branch carrying Lin Ning's heartfelt words gently landed on Hu Xueyan's dressing table. Hearing a sound from her bed, Hu Xueyan got up startled and carefully opened the rice paper on her dressing table; Lin Ning's affectionate and elegant handwriting caught her eye. To her, each word was precious and every sentence resonated beautifully.
Hu Xueyan picked up a brush from her nearby desk and wrote two lines beneath Lin Ning's words: "If I grow old with white hair and fading beauty, will you still hold my hands gently with boundless tenderness?" She re-tied the rice paper to the branch and threw it back out of the window with force. Lin Ning leaped up and firmly grasped the branch. Seeing Hu Xueyan's loving reply filled him with joy and emotion. He approached her window and took out a translucent jade bracelet that was smooth and warm to touch saying: "I searched through all the antique shops in Jinling to find this treasure; now I give it to you as a gift. While treasures have value, affection is priceless; no matter how beautiful a bracelet may be, it pales in comparison to you." Lin Ning placed the white jade bracelet on Hu Xueyan’s delicate wrist which looked as smooth as spring onion white jade itself. After thinking for a moment, Hu Xueyan took off a Jade Guanyin pendant from around her neck and placed it into Lin Ning's hand saying softly: "I have worn this Jade Guanyin since childhood; it is made from top-quality jadeite—worn in winter it feels warm; worn in summer it feels cool."
Seeing that this Jade Guanyin was even more exquisite than his white jade bracelet—its color was emerald green like fine nectar—Lin Ning felt warmth spreading through his palm instantly throughout his body as he carefully wore it around his neck. They exchanged tokens of affection and regarded each other as their closest companions from then on! Lin Ning admired Hu Xueyan’s beauty—her eyes enchanting like silk! With countless charms and grace! In his heart he silently thanked heaven for not being unkind to him by allowing him to meet such a gentle-hearted girl who understood him so well. Hu Xueyan felt immense joy at having such an outstanding young hero as her lifelong partner.
Both silently prayed for time to remain peaceful—to converse together; for time to flow gently together; for prosperity to fade together as they grow old side by side.
As winter turned to spring another year passed swiftly by; one day Cong Jiang and Cong Rong suddenly arrived at Yunshan Island. Cong Jiang had spent over three years searching in Borderlands for his wife Wen Hui along with Yuan Qingtian’s daughter Shen Chen but found nothing—he had not uncovered any news about them at all. After returning to Sun Moon Gang, Cong Rong sensed her father's longing for Lin Ning through their conversations; plus he hadn’t seen Lin Ning for over three years either—he missed him dearly too—so father and daughter decided to visit Yunshan Island together.
Upon seeing them both arrive filled with joy, Lin Ning along with Hu Xueyan took them on a tour around Yunshan Island. Cong Rong saw Hu Xueyan’s beauty akin to that of an immortal descending from heaven; she was stunningly ethereal! He couldn’t help but think: "Only this fairy-like sister deserves my brother who is as noble as jade!" He felt content just being able to care for him throughout life without needing anything more from him.
After staying on Yunshan Island for several days Cong Jiang left while Cong Rong chose to remain on the island. Since Lin Xiu—their source of joy—had left Yunshan Island both Lin Ning and Hu Xueyan felt something missing in their hearts until suddenly this beautiful younger sister appeared bringing them immense happiness.
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