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Tender Senior's Heartbroken Love
墨書 Inktalez
Beiyong academy originated from the school established by the Emperor of the Western Zhou Dynasty for the children of nobles, named for its shape resembling a jade bi with water on all sides. The noble children studied various skills necessary for a noble, such as etiquette, music and dance, reciting poetry, writing, archery, and horseback riding in the academy.
From the age of ten, noble children had to live in the city school, and at the age of fifteen, they continued their studies at the " Beiyong academy " outside the city, until leaving the academy after the coming-of-age ceremony at the age of twenty.
It was on the way from the city school to the " Beiyong academy " that Jia Xu met Guo Jia.
The court factions fight without making a sound, but they can influence the children of the aristocracy in subtle ways. Teenagers in their early teens are full of youthful vigor, so it's normal for them to have some friction over a few words. After all, it's just a conflict between children, and it's no big deal who wins or loses.
The person walking alongside is a very noisy young nobleman, accompanied by a group of followers who have been chattering non-stop since they got on the carriage. The young Jia Xu sighed quietly and moved away, avoiding any further contact with them.
Can you please not bother him, obviously he doesn't want to be disturbed. When the convoy was still some distance from Beiyong academy, it stopped for a rest. Jia Xu avoided the crowd and walked alone on the field ridge, the clear water in the wheat field reflecting Jia Xu's calm expression.
There is no doubt that Jia Xu is outstanding in the school. His name is always at the top of the test list. However, he is mature for his age and somewhat lacking in making friends. The enthusiastic teacher is always worried that he will be ostracized after going to Beiyong academy.
"Hey, are you Jia Xu?"
academyAlthough there is a unified student uniform, there is not much interference in the wearing of accessories. The person who just spoke is the young man who is dressed in gorgeous accessories and is chattering in the same carriage as Jia Xu.
Jia Xu nodded lightly and replied, "Indeed."
The young man first looked Jia Xu up and down, then showed a mocking expression, and with a sneer, raised his chin and said, "I have read your articles, and now seeing you in person, you are nothing special. The Master's concern is indeed unnecessary."
The people around followed the young master's words and flattered, but Jia Xu felt that it was all a bit noisy, so he discussed with the person arranging the carriage to make a change.
Jia Xu slowly exhaled and said, "The rest time is about to end, please make way."
"Do you know who is standing in front of you? This is the young master of the Chen family in Yingchuan!"
Looking at Jia Xu's unchanged expression, there are always people who can't help but want to see a different look on Jia Xu's beautiful face, such as losing composure, begging for mercy, or even kneeling and bowing, which would be satisfying.
Jia Xu was about to say something, but then heard a clear voice coming from not far away: "The Chen family of Yingchuan? What a grand spectacle!"
The young master was displeased and was about to reprimand whoever was so meddlesome, but when he saw the newcomer, his expression changed and he hurriedly went to greet the person.
The outer garment is a bright red, the ear ornaments are interwoven with gold and jade, and the golden armlet is like a coiled golden snake. The visitor is none other than Yingchuan the Guo——Guo Jia. He is the genius who skips class, doesn't listen to lectures, yet still dominates the top of the rankings. More importantly, the Guo and Yingchuan the Xun are close friends.
Surrounded by the crowd, Guo Jia nods slightly, acknowledging the people's respect. With his hands behind his back, he imitates the proud demeanor of the Chen family's son and raises his chin, saying, "What's all this commotion about? Tell me, I want to hear it too."
Looking at Guo Jia, Jia Xu inexplicably feels like laughing. Where did this young master come from to take charge?
When the atmosphere was tense, a gentle voice broke the silence: "Guo Jia, what are you up to again?"
The young master Chen and his party turned abruptly, looking at the newcomer as if they were saved from a desperate situation. Seeing their tearful eyes, Xun Yu was puzzled and couldn't help but suspect that Guo Jia had done something extreme to scare them like this.
Guo Jia's stern expression softened, then returned to his sickly appearance, chuckling, "Of course, I can't bear to see people suffer."
Xun Yu was born into the prominent the Xun in Yingchuan, but he did not possess the haughty demeanor of those noble young men. He nodded gently to everyone present. When he saw Jia Xu, he was slightly surprised for a moment, but then he realized what had happened. He nodded and affectionately called out "Wenhe, so it seems Guo Jia has finally done something good."
When Xun Yu called Jia Xu by that name, the young man from the Chen family felt completely finished. He quickly apologized and took his leave, not waiting for Xun Yu to try to stop him, which was quite rude.
After everyone had left, the surroundings suddenly became quiet. Xun Yu patted the shoulders of the two children and said, "Let's go, we'll talk as we walk."
Jia Xu listened as Guo Jia recounted how he was bullied and then miraculously turned the situation around, while Xun Yu smiled and nodded, telling Jia Xu that Guo Jia was just like that and meant no harm, and that they should take care of him.
"By the way, weren't you waiting for us at the academy gate? Why did you come early?" Guo Jia pulled a blade of grass from the roadside, walked unsteadily with his hands behind his back and the grass in his mouth, and spoke in a somewhat unclear manner.
"News came that there was a landslide on the mountain road, so I rushed here to check on you in case something happened," Xun Yu said as he adjusted Guo Jia's loose outer robe and patted his head, telling him to go back to the carriage.
Guo Jia snorted twice, dragging his feet slowly. But he turned and slipped into Jia Xu's carriage. After Jia Xu finished talking to Xun Yu, he got on the carriage and saw Guo Jia leaning lazily against the window, throwing a flirtatious glance at him.
Guo Jia didn't talk much, either pretending to sleep or staring blankly at the scenery outside the window. Later, Jia Xu recalled that Guo Jia seemed excessively quiet at the time, only to find out later that the grass he had chewed had made his tongue numb.
As the carriage stopped at the entrance of the academy, there was a small exclamation. When Jia Xu got off the carriage, a gust of wind blew, and white Magnolia petals fluttered down. He was momentarily stunned, and Guo Jia had somehow come close to him.
Guo Jia used a voice that was almost bewitching: "Legend has it that The Three Sisters of Lan Flower used their own brewed flowers to bewitch the guard, broke into the salt warehouse, returned salt to the sea, returned salt to the people, and saved the people from water and fire. In the end, they were turned into a flower tree by the Dragon King. Wenhe, have you ever carefully observed the petals of Magnolia? Long and thick, as white as jade. Only after the fragrance fades and the jade perishes, does it fade away, turning into dust, as if telling that it once had an unyielding spirit."
As Guo Jia spoke, the hot breath scattered in Jia Xu's ears, causing goosebumps on half of his body. There were too few opportunities for Jia Xu to interact with people like Guo Jia. Just a few words and he was at a loss, his ears burning. Without time to consider the legendary story Guo Jia told, he hurriedly pushed him away and walked into the crowd.
"Hey!" Guo Jia was pushed back a few steps, surprised at how a seemingly weak scholar could have such strength, and thought to himself, "Jia Xu, you're going the wrong way!"
So, the first meeting between Jia Xu and Guo Jia was not pleasant, carrying with it embarrassment, discomfort, and an inexplicable gap. Everything was striking at the sensitive heart of young Jia Xu, and this kind of impact turned into his motivation for studying for a long time, just to surpass Guo Jia in the first academic assessment at Beiyong academy, to surpass this person who was so unruly, annoying, and unpleasant at their first meeting.
In the past, the bright stars intersected, making the surroundings dim, but not long after, that bright star turned into a falling star, disappearing into the sky. As fate would have it, Jia Xu stood at the door of the lecture hall, locking eyes with Guo Jia leaning against the window. Guo Jia raised his hand and greeted, " Wenhe! Come sit with me!"
Jia Xu paused, stepped over Guo Jia, and walked to another spot. After putting down his books, he earnestly listened to the teachings of the master. However, after just a short while, a cry of surprise rang out. When Jia Xu turned to look, all he saw was a corner of clothing brushing past the window sill as Guo Jia fled amidst the master's angry shouts.
Before coming to Beiyong academy, Jia Xu had already read Guo Jia's strategic theories. His writing was powerful and majestic, displaying the demeanor of a master, and his strategies were unparalleled. Jia Xu had actually known Xun Yu earlier than Guo Jia did. Back in Liangzhou, when Xun Yu and the master were teaching outside, Jia Xu had exchanged ideas with Xun Yu on strategic theories. At that time, Jia Xu was impressed by Xun Yu's words, and Xun Yu was amazed by the talent in Liangzhou. On that day, Jia Xu asked Xun Yu about Guo Jia for the first time. Before that, Jia Xu had heard about Guo Jia's character, but had never seen it with his own eyes. He couldn't believe that the person who could write such strategic theories would be a reckless and debauched person.
Xun Yu fell silent for a while, seemingly unsure how to describe his younger brother, who had grown up with him. After a long time, he sighed and said, "Ah, Fengxiao, he is quite a difficult person."
At that time, Jia Xu did not understand what this meant, but today, after witnessing Guo Jia's actions, a sudden anger arose in his heart, an anger that even he had not noticed.
Xun Yu, the senior student, was often not at the academy, but instead traveled and lectured with their master. Before leaving, Xun Yu asked Jia Xu to take good care of Guo Jia, to avoid tarnishing the academic reputation of Beiyong academy. Jia Xu took this request seriously, and whenever Guo Jia skipped class, Jia Xu would always appear like a shadow, grabbing Guo Jia's wrist and dragging him back to the academy despite his struggles. Guo Jia's wrist often bore a bruise from being grabbed, but the next time he tried to skip, Jia Xu would still show no mercy. Despite having a compassionate face, Jia Xu acted like a fierce demon.
Once, Guo Jia stood at the window of the Song Tower, teasingly calling out to Jia Xu below, "Wenhe! Are you too scared to come up?" Jia Xu then rushed up and fiercely beat Guo Jia, knocking over countless porcelain vases and flowers. The singing girls tried to stop them, but no one dared to intervene, and it was only when Guo Jia begged for mercy that it ended. When Xun Yu, the senior student, returned and heard about this, he was so angry that he personally administered thirty strokes of the cane and made them kneel in front of their master at the academy for three hours. At that time, Jia Xu was like an untamed wild wolf, exuding an aura so sharp that it was difficult to approach him, yet he also seemed like a wounded trapped beast, roaring and driving away anyone who tried to get close.
Xiliang Trapped beast.
Guo Jia held a stick and slowly wrote these four characters in the sand, then threw the stick and leaned against Xun Yu's knees, raising his hands pitifully, saying, "Senior, you really went hard on me."
Xun Yu blew on the tea leaves in the cup and replied slowly, "No matter what, you never seem to learn. You treat everything as if it's of equal importance."
Guo Jia was dissatisfied and pressed Xun Yu down with some force, leaning in to ask seriously, "Did you place Jia Xu by my side just to prevent me from corrupting Beiyong's academic style?"
Xun Yu pushed Guo Jia back into a proper sitting position and asked in return, "What do you think?"
Guo Jia raised his chin at the four characters on the sand, remaining noncommittal. Xun Yu stood up and brushed away the characters on the sand, then looked at his brother leaning lazily on the soft couch and said, "No matter what, my arrangements can't escape your eyes. Since you know, why do you reject it so much?"
Guo Jia shook his head solemnly and said, "It's not that I'm rejecting him, it's that he's rejecting me. People from outside the borders have bad tempers."
Xun Yu frowned in disagreement and tapped Guo Jia's head with the fan in his hand, saying, "You shouldn't say that in front of Wenhe."
"Sigh..." Guo Jia let out a long sigh as he lay flat on the soft couch in the corridor, wanting to prop up his head to continue listening to Xun Yu, but grimacing in pain as he accidentally pressed on the injury in his palm.
Xun Yu pinched Guo Jia's hand and looked at it. The red mark on his fair palm had faded considerably. He patted his hand knowingly and said, "Go on, go talk to Wenhe, and maybe work on your bad temper."
Guo Jia grumbled as he got up and walked towards Jia Xu's courtyard. Before seeing Jia Xu, Guo Jia had a dream, the content of which was extremely vague and bore no resemblance to any of his previous dreams. He only remembered a pair of eyes as translucent as agate. When he saw Jia Xu by the field, a sudden thought popped into Guo Jia's mind: those were the eyes. So Guo Jia stood up for Jia Xu with a group of people, but Jia Xu did not appreciate his gesture, not even showing a hint of gratitude.
Jia Xu is a formidable and resilient person, traveling from afar beyond the borders to gain knowledge and strategy that rivals that of anyone from Beiyong academy. He has almost shattered everyone's crude impression of people from beyond the borders, which is not a bad thing, but certainly not a good thing either. The young gentlemen from within the borders, who look down on others, have been slapped hard by someone they have always looked down upon. Unable to find fault in his achievements, they make things difficult for him in other ways. So Jia Xu, who came from Liangzhou, became a living target. His blunt speech, outstanding achievements, and different background from the noble families under the emperor's feet, along with his different accent and handsome face, made the young men cruelly and mercilessly target Jia Xu.
Guo Jia quietly landed in the courtyard after climbing down from the wall. Jia Xu does not like to talk to many people, and after evening studies, he is always alone in his courtyard, reciting quietly. Whenever Guo Jia passed by the courtyard, he could always hear Jia Xu constantly correcting his pronunciation. But today, there was nothing in the courtyard, no official language practice, no bright candlelight. It was quiet, like a dead tomb.
Guo Jia pushed open the door and looked around. Just as he was thinking about whether to enter the inner room, he heard a low, soft sob, so light that Guo Jia thought he was hallucinating. He pushed open the door and, illuminated by the moonlight, saw Jia Xu huddled at the foot of the bed - his head buried in his knees, his beautiful long hair covering his body. Guo Jia bent down, reached out, and gently pushed Jia Xu's back, asking, "What are you crying about, Wenhe?"
Jia Xu slapped Guo Jia's hand away, leaving a red mark on the back of Guo Jia's hand. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Guo Jia pushed against Jia Xu and complained, "Look at what you've done to me, Wenhe!"
With tears in his eyes, Jia Xu angrily pushed Guo Jia away and told him to leave. Despite his pale and weak appearance, Guo Jia firmly held Jia Xu's hand and said, "Come, I'll take you to a place that will make you happy." Jia Xu struggled to break free from Guo Jia's surprisingly strong grip.
Guo Jia grabbed Jia Xu's hand and ran outside, passing through the dim academy, crossing intersecting palace paths, gradually turning into mountain paths. Unnamed green grass brushed against their clothes, Guo Jia held on tightly, as if afraid Jia Xu would break free. His chest heaved, his face flushed from the hurried pace.
Jia Xu was dragged like this until they arrived at a desolate water area, where reeds swayed with the breeze, concealing distant emerging lotus leaves. Jia Xu asked, "Why did you bring me here?"
Guo Jia breathed evenly, leaning against Jia Xu, saying to wait a little longer. The surrounding sounds of insects, birds, swimming fish, the rustling of the wind through the reeds, and Guo Jia's panting mixed together. After about half an incense stick's time, a faint light appeared, first a little, then in patches. Bright fireflies on the ground formed a galaxy, leaving Jia Xu standing there, staring in a daze.
Guo Jia stood aside and looked at the glowing fireflies, slowly saying, "Don't worry about the temper of some people in the academy. They are all pampered young masters. We, Wenhe, don't need to bother with those people..."
Having walked all the way, Jia Xu had already become much more sober. Using force against Guo Jia was nothing but a personal turn in the contradictions of the environment. Guo Jia should not have suffered this. Now, after hearing these words, an overwhelming sense of guilt almost engulfed him.
Not hearing Jia Xu's voice, Guo Jia turned his head in confusion, only to see a glistening teardrop falling in the moonlight, landing on the damp soil by the riverbank, but deeply hitting Guo Jia's heart.
Guo Jia Some things are hard to understand. We came to see the beautiful scenery, but how did we end up making someone cry? Sigh, not being able to comfort someone properly is a big problem.
Having said that, the next day, those young masters who targeted Jia Xu were pinned down in a small alley and beaten up badly. Guo Jia leaned against the wall, smiling as he watched the people begging for mercy on the ground. He was about to say something when he heard Jia Xu's voice coming from the alley entrance. Guo Jia quickly composed himself and turned around, leaning on Jia Xu as if he had no bones, and said, "Why did Wenhe come?"
Jia Xu looked at Guo Jia with his always smiling and affectionate eyes, and said seriously, "Senior asked me to take care of you."
Guo Jia leaned in, his nose touching Jia Xu's, stared for a while, then stepped back and snorted, "Today I promised Miss Linn to compose a song for song tower, I'll be back later."
Jia Xu glanced at Guo Jia and coldly chuckled, "Today is a day of rest, I will go with you."
Guo Jia nodded knowingly, took Jia Xu by the hand, and started walking out. As they walked, he mentioned how the incident last time had frightened the girls in the building. Jia Xu listened absentmindedly and glanced back at the dim alley. Someone limped out from the alley, giving Jia Xu a cold look before walking away gritting their teeth.
The best song tower was located at the foot of Beiyong Mountain, and it was Guo Jia's favorite place. Even before they approached, they could hear the lingering sound of pipa music. The peach-colored gauze fluttered in the spring breeze, and a mother adorned with jewels half leaned on the doorpost, beckoning guests. Spotting Guo Jia from a distance, she waved her fan and affectionately called out, "Young Master Fengxiao~" Upon seeing Jia Xu behind Guo Jia, she seemed to remember his actions from last time and her expression changed. However, following the principle of treating all guests as business opportunities, she still greeted them with a smile.
I don't know from which sleeve Guo Jia pulled out the fan, gently blocking his mother back, and smilingly said, "Come and find Miss Linn to compose a song, let Miss Linn take a break."
"Oh, Miss Linn is our signature here, there's no way around it. The old room upstairs, I'll let Miss Linn go find you."
Guo Jia led Jia Xu upstairs, and his ears were sore from the various laughter and music on the first floor. When they entered the room, it suddenly became quiet. Guo Jia sat down and poured himself a cup of tea, then thought for a moment, poured a cup for Jia Xu, and just as they sat down, a gentle knock on the door was heard.
A plain-colored garment swayed out from behind the screen. The visitor had skin as fair as snow, and her eyes were like clear springs. She exuded an elegant and noble air, which sharply contrasted with the lively atmosphere of the Song Tower. When she spoke, her voice was melodious and pleasant. Lin Niang smiled and greeted the two before sitting down gracefully with her pipa in hand.
With a delicate flick of her fingers, the strings of the pipa resonated with a resounding and majestic sound. Guo Jia tapped the table with his fingertips, his brow furrowing and relaxing in turns. At times, he would pick up the bamboo chopsticks and sway them to the rhythm. When Lin Niang stopped, she blinked her bright eyes and asked, "Master Guo, what do you think?"
Guo Jia nodded and replied, "It's good, but lacks a bit of charm."
Miss Linn did not get angry, nodded in agreement, and said, "There is a dancer from the Western Regions who will perform tonight, but there are some issues with the music. That's why I asked Master Guo to make some changes."
Guo Jia promptly started to revise the music. After each revision, Miss Linn would play it on the piano. However, after four or five revisions, it still seemed lacking. As the sky gradually darkened, Guo Jia furrowed his brow, feeling the urge to smoke, but Jia Xu was still present, so he hesitated.
Thinking of Jia Xu, Guo Jia had a sudden idea and turned to look at Jia Xu, who was sitting by the window reading a book, and said, "I remember Wenhe also came from beyond the borders. Perhaps he could offer some guidance?"
Jia Xu closed the book and hesitated, saying, "Liangzhou is quite a distance from Dunhuang, so the musical scale might be different..."
Hearing that Jia Xu was not unwilling to help, Guo Jia eagerly pulled Jia Xu up and had Miss Linn play the entire piece for Jia Xu. After making a few adjustments to the rhythm and tone, the whole piece took on a different flavor. Guo Jia applauded enthusiastically and praised Jia Xu, saying, "Wenhe truly has a magical touch, turning decay into wonder."
This made Jia Xu blush and push Guo Jia away, but Guo Jia persisted like a piece of sticky candy, becoming more enthusiastic the more he was pushed away.
Miss Linn took the pipa and walked away, her steps light and brisk, showing no signs of fatigue from playing the qin all afternoon. She led the sisters of Yuefu to familiarize themselves with the newly revised music scores.
Jia Xu watched Guo Jia lying on the couch, delicately peeling grapes. The sweet juice flowed down his fingertips, causing him to furrow his brows and remind, "We need to return before curfew at the academy."
Guo Jia widened his eyes in surprise, swallowing the juicy grape and retorting, "Isn't Wenhe planning to stay and watch the performance? I've reserved the best seats with my mother, and Wenhe also contributed to this.
Jia Xu's brows furrowed even deeper, his rational mind telling him it was time to go back and not to violate the academy's rules as a newcomer. But seeing Guo Jia acting so nonchalant, and besides, he really wanted to see how the dance from outside the pass blended with the music from within.
As he was still debating, there was a knock on the door. A girl who looked no more than eight or nine years old, with her hair styled in double buns, poked her head out and cheerfully called to Guo Jia, "Mother asked me to invite the two young gentlemen to watch the dance!"
"Oh, it's Little sparrow!" Guo Jia picked up a piece of candy wrapped in paper and tossed it over.
The girl known as Little sparrow skillfully caught the thrown candy, made a face at Guo Jia, and ran off, shouting as she left, "If you don't come soon, your spot will be taken by some other wealthy gentleman!"
Guo Jia took Jia Xu's hand and pushed open the door of the compartment, standing on the third floor looking towards the central stage. It was indeed packed with people who had come for the fame of Miss Linn and the dancers from the Western Regions. It was more relaxing to stand upstairs than to go down and be crowded.
The sound of the big drum was like distant thunder, making the heart race, and then the square gong crisply swept away the gloom. The pipa's four strings rang out, and the sound of the ruan was soft and haunting. The dancers stepped onto the stage, their three-colored ribbons swirling around their wrists with the movements, scattering in the wind that passed through the hall, and their golden ornaments jingled like clear bells with each step.
Then the joyful music suddenly changed, the clear lingering sound and the unceasing square sound awakened the hearts of all those who were immersed, and Lady Hu, with a red silk in hand, leaped down from the second floor, landing steadily on the lotus platform in the middle of the stage like a fairy descending from the sky, every smile and frown captivating. The other dancers quietly retreated, leaving her alone to dance gracefully on the lotus platform.
The golden arm bangles clasped on Lady Hu's soft and delicate arms flashed with each step, the candlelight reflecting on the enraptured faces of the guests. The solemn and magnificent jewelry on her body played a unique melody along with her dance movements, and the nine-colored ribbons hanging from the arm bangles swirled like a colorful breeze.
Her delicate fingers touched Miss Linn's shoulders, plucking out a few unique notes on the pipa strings, perfectly complementing the missing parts in the musician's performance. Her supple waist hung low, the ribbons gently brushing the faces of the nearest audience, and her feet spun to the urgent drumbeats, showcasing a dance unique to the desert for the southern aristocrats.
At the end of the dance, the bidding almost overturned the top of the song tower, and the praise was endless. Guo Jia also laughed and threw flowers onto the stage with others. When they were almost done, he pulled Jia Xu downstairs. Jia Xu staggered and asked, "Where are we going?" Guo Jia first looked at Jia Xu in confusion, then joked, "Of course, we're going back to the academy. Or has Wenhe been enchanted by Lady Hu and wants to stay to spend the night together?"
The hot air that came over made Jia Xu almost uncontrollably blush, and he angrily punched Guo Jia. Putting aside the revelry and extravagance, the strong spring night wind brought a hint of coolness, dispersing the lingering scent of powder. Jia Xu looked down at Guo Jia holding his wrist, with his pale and blue knuckles.
"Curfew at the academy, how do we get back?" Jia Xu calmly asked, breaking free from Guo Jia's grip.
Guo Jia casually picked up a roadside grass and waved it around, imitating Lady Hu's earlier movements, "We'll climb over the wall." The grass tip brushed against Jia Xu's chin before being released.
Standing by the wall, Jia Xu looked at the high wall of the academy with some speechlessness. He had only been at the academy for a short time and had already broken countless academy rules. Guo Jia lightly stepped on the blue bricks at the base of the wall and effortlessly climbed onto the wall, reaching out a hand to Jia Xu below. But Jia Xu just adjusted his robe, brushed off Guo Jia's hand, and then pushed off the wall to flip over it, provocatively raising his eyebrows at Guo Jia who was still on the wall. Guo Jia wasn't angry either. He jumped down from the wall, pulled Jia Xu, and stealthily avoided the patrolling senior students, slipping back to their own courtyard.
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