Ya She

Chapter 71 Jade Forbidden Steps

【one】

Lu Zigang had just brewed a pot of Tieguanyin tea and poured himself a cup. Before he could even take a sip, he heard footsteps coming from inside the Silent House. He quickly rinsed the three clean teacups on the tea tray next to him with boiling water to warm them, and then skillfully poured the tea into the cups.

Tsk, perfect, there are four of them. He chose a set of pastel-colored seasonal flower cups. The spring peaches, summer lotuses, autumn chrysanthemums, and winter plums on these cups are all lifelike. The summer lotus cup he picked first is especially beautiful... Wait, why is one person missing?

Lu Zigang's inner monologue came to an abrupt halt as he watched his boss calmly emerge from behind the mica screen, followed by his son, Xiao Tangyuan, whose leather shoes stomped loudly, his little face showing an angry yet hesitant expression.

And then...and then there's nobody there! Where's the doctor?

The shopkeeper sat at the counter, picked up a famille rose plum blossom cup, took a sip, and glanced at Tang Yuan, who was angrily climbing onto a huanghuali official's hat chair. He said calmly, "Don't worry, he won't be in danger. Keeping him in the Cloud Elephant Tomb is the best way to protect him."

Tang Yuan was furious. He poured out all the words he had been holding back: "How could Uncle not be in danger? If Cloud Elephant Tomb wasn't dangerous, why would that scoundrel Uncle have tricked your friend into going there, Senior Brother? One wasn't enough, he had to drag another one down with him? Senior Brother, if you don't dare go to Cloud Elephant Tomb with Uncle, I'll go!"

The boss didn't want to go into too much detail, but seeing Tang Yuan's anxious state, he had no choice but to tell him the truth: "Your uncle is the key to unlocking all the treasure vaults. Yunxiang Tomb is, in a sense, also a treasure vault. He can come and go freely, so there is naturally no danger for him."

"Huh?" Tang Yuan, who had already jumped off the chair to leave, froze, dumbfounded. No one had told him that the doctor was actually so amazing! Was this the same doctor who believed in science and reason?
The shopkeeper took another sip of tea from his plum blossom cup and said slowly, "Moreover, since that person sent the infant into the Cloud Elephant Tomb, he will definitely not go there. So, relatively speaking, the Cloud Elephant Tomb is now the safest place."

Tang Yuan scratched his head, and surprisingly had to admit that what his senior brother said seemed to make some sense. He climbed back onto the rosewood official's hat chair, grabbed the nearest pink peach-shaped teacup, and downed the tea, which was no longer so hot.

Seeing that the atmosphere had eased somewhat, Lu Zigang quickly picked up the purple clay teapot and poured him a cup of tea. He couldn't get a word in edgewise about what had happened; he could only do his job of providing support.

The shopkeeper ran his fingertips along the plum blossom design on the teacup and said softly, "So, we need to resolve this matter during the time when he is absolutely safe."

"Solve it? How do you solve it?" Tang Yuan pouted, feeling that his senior brother made it sound so easy.

"Does that person have to play chess with me just because he wants to?" the shopkeeper said calmly. "I'm only playing this game to rescue my master."

"Then, wouldn't it be better to just rescue Master? Senior Brother is brilliant!" Tang Yuan continued, his mood brightening. He downed his tea in one gulp. "Another cup, please!"

The shopkeeper slowly finished his remaining tea, calculating in his mind. He only needed to rescue his master before the doctor and the infant emerged from the Cloud Elephant Tomb.

The Cloud Elephant Tomb is so big, they probably won't meet, and they won't come out so quickly... The boss looked at the lonely chrysanthemum cup placed on the tea tray and thought silently.

【two】

Ying stood in the shade where the sunlight couldn't reach, clutching the hem of her clothes, timidly staring at the young masters from various families leaving one after another in the square outside Banbu Hall.

Banbutang was the martial arts training hall in the Qin Palace in Xianyang, used by the princes of Qin and the sons of generals and ministers to practice martial arts. This place was so dazzling that Ying worried she might be expelled at any time, and could only try to minimize her presence.

Ying knew he was the nephew of the current King of Qin, and that his father, Cheng Jiao, was the king's only surviving younger brother, who had once been a contender for the throne. But Ying also knew that in the year he was born, his father, Cheng Jiao, had betrayed Qin and surrendered to Zhao.
They didn't take him away while he was still an infant. No one was willing to take care of him, and his mother, fearing being implicated, abandoned him and ran away. "A person is first born as an infant," so the attending nanny casually named him "Infant."

Such a contemptible name subtly hints at his awkward position in the Qin state. Despite possessing noble lineage, he existed in the palace almost like an invisible man.

Perhaps it was because the King of Qin showed leniency, or perhaps the King of Qin simply forgot about him, that he has been allowed to live on in this world until now. Ying tried his best to hide behind the pillar; his movements were slightly exaggerated, and the tinkling of his waist ornaments rang out crisply.

This made him stop immediately and slow down.

Ironically, although he was often hungry and cold in the palace, he still had the necessary clothing. However, as he grew taller, his clothes became increasingly ill-fitting and would occasionally need patches due to wear and tear. The jade pendant at his waist, on the other hand, was durable and he had worn it since childhood.

"The emperor wears white jade with a black ribbon, dukes and marquises wear mountain black jade with a vermilion ribbon, and high officials wear water blue jade with a pure white ribbon..." Although he did not have the title of duke or marquis, he was still given a set of mountain black jade pendants when he was ten years old. The vermilion red silk thread passed through the black jade pendants, which was very beautiful.

A gentleman always wears jade; without reason, a gentleman never leaves his jade behind. People of high status traditionally wear jade at their waist, so that it makes a clear, melodious tinkling sound as they walk, with a pleasant rhythm and appropriate weight. The more noble the person, the more deliberate and steady their steps, revealing their dignity and bearing. Walking quickly and making chaotic noises is considered impolite.

However, the nanny who was taking care of him told the infant that this jade pendant also had a common name, called the Jade Forbidden Step.

What is forbidden stepping? It means not stepping into places where one shouldn't be, and not letting it make a sound. So Ying always used the sound of the jade forbidden stepping to remind herself to keep quiet in all things.

The clear voices of conversation drifted closer, and Ying recognized the humble yet assertive voice. She couldn't help but peek out from behind the pillar to look.

The owner of the voice was a young man wearing a green robe.

Though called a boy, he was only slightly taller than a child with drooping hair and yellow lips, looking more like eight or nine years old. This boy, not yet of marriageable age, was dressed in a magnificent official's robe, like a child who had stolen an adult's clothes. Yet, his childish face radiated confidence and pride, shining brightly in the sunlight.

Ying bit her lower lip enviously. This green-robed boy certainly had reason to be proud. At only twelve years old, he had gone on a solo mission to the State of Zhao, allowing the State of Qin to acquire the land of Hejian without firing a single shot. He was now the Grand Minister of Qin and also the tutor of the eldest prince, Fusu.

Such a young man is destined to stand in the spotlight, unlike him, who can only rot in a dark corner.

Suddenly, the green-robed youth seemed to sense something and turned to look in a certain direction. "High Minister?" The eldest son, Fusu, walking beside him, stopped and followed his gaze, noticing that...

The corridor was deserted.

"It's nothing, perhaps I was just overthinking it." The green-robed youth pondered for a moment, then decided not to mention the tinkling of jade pendants he had just heard, and turned to continue walking.

Behind that pillar, Ying held her breath, clutching the hem of her clothes tightly. After a long while, she noticed the footsteps outside fading into the distance before slowly exhaling.

The young masters from various families who had been attending classes at Banbu Hall dispersed one by one, and the sun gradually began to set in the west. Yingcai emerged from behind the pillar where he had been hiding and walked along the palace wall and through the path toward his residence, Luming Residence.

It's not fair to blame him for being so cautious; those young masters were prone to making fun of him when they were in a bad mood. Having no one to rely on in the palace and nowhere to turn for help, he had encountered this countless times since childhood, and could only silently endure it.

The winter sun shone weakly, and Ying wrapped her thin, dark purple robe tighter around herself, quickening her pace to try and get back to Deer Cry Residence before nightfall.

He controlled his steps with a certain rhythm, and the sound of the jade pendant at his waist didn't travel far, only echoing crisply in his ears. Sometimes Ying thought, wouldn't it be more convenient not to wear this jade pendant when going out? But before the old nanny who served him died, she repeatedly told him not to take off the jade pendant, so that he could live longer in the palace.

Although he didn't quite understand the reasoning, he still followed his nanny's instructions, hanging the jade pendant on his waist every day and never taking it off. Finally, before the last ray of sunlight disappeared on the horizon, Ying returned to Deer Cry Residence. He pushed open the door of his small room...
Standing before his own door, he couldn't help but glance at the tightly closed door next door. The young high-ranking official hadn't returned yet. That's right, the young high-ranking official actually lived next door—a fact that would make Ying laugh in his dreams.

Although the high-ranking official might not even know who he was, and Ying didn't have the courage to greet him, the mere thought that such a powerful young high-ranking official was only a wall away from him made Ying unable to resist rolling around on the couch with joy.

Every morning at 5:15 AM and every night at 7:45 PM, the sound of reading would rise from next door. Although Ying only understood a little, and sometimes didn't understand what the reader was reciting at all, waking up and falling asleep to the sound of reading brought Ying immense happiness.

If only I could one day speak a single word to this young high-ranking official. Ying laughed inwardly at her own wishful thinking.

He pushed open the door; the dark room was as cold as an icebox. By the faint moonlight, he saw servants delivering [something] on the table.

Dinner was served. There was only a thin layer of oil left in the lamp in the room, and Ying carefully did not light it. She simply wiped her hands, sat down at the table, and began to chew slowly in the dark.

There were no lights on next door, indicating that the high-ranking official hadn't returned yet; he was probably accompanying the eldest son, Fusu. Ying ate quickly; today's meal was better than usual, with an extra dish of strongly flavored pickled mutton.

Although it was completely cold and the portion was pitifully small, it still made Ying contentedly spread out on the table. When will I be able to eat whatever I want...?

Just then, the door next door opened, indicating that the young high-ranking official had returned.

The infant lay quietly in the darkness, waiting for the sounds of flint, robes, and bamboo slips that should have come from next door in turn. The young high-ranking official liked to read while he ate...

"Thump!" The sound of a heavy object falling to the ground rang out.

Just as the infant began to wonder if the young high-ranking official had lost his footing and fallen, he heard the sounds of things being smashed and broken coming from next door.

The person next door is definitely not a young high-ranking official.

Ying recalled that this afternoon, the young high-ranking official had had a quarrel with the young master of the Wang family, and it seemed that the other party had come for revenge. Their rooms were the two most secluded rooms in Deer Cry Residence; even if they made a lot of noise, no one would hear them, which was why the other party was so emboldened. How could this be!

The infant angrily stood up, but immediately froze in place.

Although the tinkling of her jade pendants was not loud, it sounded like thunder in the infant's ears.

What is a forbidden zone? It means a place where you shouldn't be, so don't step in it or let it make a sound.

【Three】

"So, '禁步' means these two characters. I thought it referred to Jin Bu, the cloth of the Jin Dynasty!" the doctor exclaimed, stroking his chin in surprise. He walked for an unknown amount of time in the mist, until he discovered that a movie was playing around him again. And on the edge of the illusion, he saw Jin Bu dressed in a purple robe.

Although Jin Bu's long hair obscured his face, making it impossible to see his expression, based on his previous experience with Tang Jun's illusions, this illusion should be playing out his past experiences.

Oh no, he shouldn't be called Jin Bu anymore, he should be called Jin Bu.

The long-haired youth ignored the doctor's words and continued to stare blankly at the illusion.

The doctor shrugged and continued looking at the illusion. He assumed the owner of this forbidden area wouldn't concern himself with the neighbor's affairs, but he was wrong. The purple-robed youth stood frozen in place, struggled for a moment, then rushed out to confront the neighbor. Just then, the perpetrator strode out of the house, bumping into him face-to-face.

The purple-robed youth grabbed the other's arm in righteous indignation, but unfortunately, he was too thin and was easily pushed to the ground. He didn't even get a clear look at the other's face before the other escaped.

The doctor frowned; the fall was quite hard, and even watching it made him feel pain. The purple-robed youth lay on the ground for a long time before recovering, slowly pushing himself up with his arms. A piece of broken jade lay on the ground.

So that's how the jade barrier broke.

So Jinbu's voice should have been pleasant to hear, but strangely, a few syllables were always out of place, making it sound very strange. Was it because a piece of jade was broken in it?

After considering Tang Jun's story, the doctor felt he had discovered the truth. He watched as the purple-robed youth picked up the broken jade, limped back to his room, and in the darkness, unfastened the jade pendant from his waist and solemnly placed it into a small brocade box.

"Uh... I don't think he did it on purpose, don't take it too seriously..." the doctor awkwardly tried to comfort him. This is completely different from the general who smashed the cup earlier! Besides, this young man in purple robes was just trying to help someone in need, but he didn't consider his small frame and didn't act within his capabilities.

The smarter thing to do would be to run out and find someone else to help. "Don't even think about it, no one will come to help," Jin Bu said calmly.

The doctor covered his mouth, as if he hadn't voiced his thoughts. How did Jinbu know this? The doctor didn't press him further and could only continue to examine Jinbu slowly.

In the illusion, the purple-robed youth didn't intend to curry favor with the young high-ranking official. Instead, he returned to his room and quietly massaged his legs. A short while later, the young high-ranking official returned, found the room in disarray, and turned to knock on the purple-robed youth's door.

Previously, when they were outside the Half-Step Hall, the illusion could only present a half-blurred image because of the distance, so the doctor could only see the young magistrate's appearance clearly at this time.

Why does this boy look so familiar?

The doctor watched as the young high-ranking official and the purple-robed youth stayed together for one night, which then turned into two nights. The young high-ranking official taught the purple-robed youth to read and write, and the two became friends.

It was through their conversation that the doctor learned the name of the boy in the purple robe.

This...this purple-robed youth, is he called Ying? Isn't he the friend the boss is looking for? This young high-ranking official...this older version of him, isn't he the boss?
Wasn't the infant in this illusion's tone and intonation as strange as Jinbu's at the beginning? "My maidservant died early, and I had no one to talk to since childhood, so my voice is different from ordinary people. It was only after I met Aro..."

"It was only gradually that I changed." The voice that rang out at this moment was no different from that of an ordinary person.

The doctor stared in shock at the purple-robed youth beside him, who raised his face, his long hair falling back to reveal a face that bore a striking resemblance to the purple-robed youth in the illusion.

This...this person is actually an infant!
No… that’s not the point. What’s even more terrifying is that this person actually knows what he’s thinking… This is illogical! Ying smiled slightly. His greatest skill was reading people’s minds. This was a skill he had honed over many years in the palace.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to live this long. Moreover, the expression on the face of a person wearing this strange thing on their nose is impossible to hide; you can see right through them at a glance.

"Are you a human or an antique?" The doctor felt his mind was a bit muddled and needed to clear his head. "Of course I'm a human..." Ying sighed deeply, pressed his slightly aching temples, and tried to gather his thoughts. Zhao Gao was indeed up to no good; he had long been mentally prepared that Yunxiang Tomb was not a pleasant place to deal with, but...

He recalled that he had been thrown into chaos the moment he entered the Cloud Elephant Tomb.

Perhaps it was the restriction imposed on humans by the Cloud Elephant Tomb that made him forget his identity.

Upon hearing Ying's deduction, the doctor exclaimed in surprise, "Huh? This Cloud Elephant Tomb is unpredictable! We agreed beforehand that they were all illusions of objects, but it can even project illusions of people?"

"No, this illusion must be the obsession of the jade restraint bracelet on my body." Ying lowered his head, stroking the jade restraint bracelet at his waist. He had thought this jade restraint bracelet was imprisoning him, but it was precisely protecting him. Otherwise, he wouldn't have...

The method reminded him of his identity.

It turns out that his jade pendant had been at the Cloud Elephant Tomb all along, waiting for his arrival.
The infant gently stroked the jade piece of the jade barrier. It didn't matter; he would definitely take it with him when he got out.

The broken jade pieces on the jade pendant were repaired by someone using silver, forming a charming vine-like design. This youthful impulsiveness led him to smash the jade pendant. Although he never wore it again afterward, his heart...
There was always a string of rules hanging over him, constantly reminding him: there are things you should do and things you shouldn't do.

Even after growing up and spending his days by A Luo's side, constantly dealing with political and military affairs, he always maintained his proper status, remembering that he was merely a carefree young master. He spent his days indulging in food, drink, and merrymaking, feigning madness, never overstepping the bounds. But…did Zhao Gao's subtle tone and change in expression earlier have some deeper meaning?

"Oh...it seems not all objects can transform into human form..." The doctor began to fill in the gaps in his mental deductions. Wait, now's not the time for this! The doctor quickly got down to business: "Your name is Ying? I came here specifically to find you!"

The infant stared in surprise, his eyes wide. He had no idea that this young man had come for him. "You know Aro?"

"Look, Aro? The boss's name is Aro?" the doctor asked in surprise.

"..." Ying felt like he was talking to a brick wall. He scrutinized the strangely dressed young man in front of him. "You're also strange. How can you remain conscious inside the Cloud Elephant Tomb?"

"Well, maybe it's because I don't have anything I care about? This place is, after all, a graveyard for antiques, and I don't have any antiques on me, so how could I possibly get lost? The thing I can't live without is probably my phone..." The doctor smiled easily, subconsciously reaching for his phone to check, but his fingers touched a piece of brocade in his pocket.

Huh? What's this? The doctor took out the brocade cloth, tilted his head and recalled that this seemed to be something that Lu Zigang had given him, and that he had said it originally belonged to him.

The object, wrapped in brocade, was only the size of a toddler's palm. He tossed it in his hand; it was quite heavy. Curious, the doctor lifted the brocade, and a gold-inlaid white jade longevity lock quietly appeared before his eyes.

The infant watched helplessly as the surrounding mist surged in instantly, enveloping the doctor's entire body, and he vanished before his eyes in the blink of an eye.

Ying raised an eyebrow helplessly.

As a person... you really can't be too stubborn...

【Four】

After seeing off the boss and Tang Yuan, who had left with Zhang Jiao's golden scarf, Lu Zigang looked outside and realized it was getting late. He was glad that he had just given Tang Yuan a few small cakes, otherwise the child would have gone hungry.

Lu Zigang had no idea what they were busy with all day, running around in such a hurry and so mysteriously. He only had a vague understanding of the information he heard and could only guess that it was related to some mysterious person.

Lu Zigang looked out through the half-open window and saw that the number of pedestrians coming and going on the commercial street was beginning to increase, and they were all heading out at dusk.
Class time.

Today was such a long day... The doctor barged in as soon as I opened the shop this morning, and he almost got fired by the boss. Then, the doctor dragged his suitcase and brought Tang Yuan to stay at the shop. I thought we could have a meal together tonight, but now it looks like that's definitely not going to happen.

Lu Zigang casually opened his phone, ordered a teriyaki chicken leg rice delivery, glanced at the time, and opened a live streaming app. He wasn't actually a big fan of live streams, but today's streamer was a rising internet celebrity, a history content creator. The earliest source of this interest was a post a classmate shared on WeChat Moments, titled "The Real Early Tang Dynasty." The author of the post...

Unlike WeChat public account editors who are skilled at using various images and emojis, they only have dry text.

But it still caught Lu Zigang's eye.

This post recounts a day in the life of a middle-class family in Chang'an during the early Tang Dynasty. While seemingly a diary entry, the details of their food, clothing, language, customs, and even the slightly related political events presented in the background all correspond to real history. In just three or four thousand words, it vividly portrays the early Tang Dynasty as a time of rebuilding after devastation and the beginnings of a golden age, making the reader feel as if they were experiencing it firsthand.

To be fair, this post has a high reading threshold. Ordinary people may just find it entertaining, while only those who study history will know how important these details are.

The author's language is simple and archaic, seamlessly blending vernacular and classical Chinese to create a unique style that, while seemingly strange, leaves a lingering and delightful impression.

Lu Zigang glanced at the author of the post; his name was Wang Zi'an. "Wow, Wang Zi'an?" That name sounded somewhat familiar.

Not long after, Lu Zigang was browsing a video website when he saw a video recommended on the homepage featuring a content creator named Wang Zian. Lu Zigang couldn't resist clicking on it.

This video is a critique of a currently airing historical drama. Lu Zigang hasn't watched the drama, but he still finds the critique video quite enjoyable.

The content creator didn't criticize the plot of the period drama, but instead nitpicked everything from costumes, architecture, and furnishings to terms of address, etiquette, and customs. Their sharp criticism attracted fans of the drama's stars, leading to a heated debate in the comments section. Some accused them of being unreasonable, but others gradually pointed out that some of the issues the content creator pointed out were valid.

Wang Zian's voice may have been altered; the intonation and tone were somewhat strange.

At first, I wasn't used to it, but after listening to it for a while, I found it had a wonderful charm.

This popular historical drama is set in the early Tang Dynasty, an era Lu Zigang didn't have much knowledge of. Out of curiosity, he forwarded the video of his critique to a classmate who specialized in Tang Dynasty history, asking for his opinion, and then forgot about it afterwards.

A few days later, his old classmate sent him a long, emotional voice message, saying he had shown the video to his advisor. The advisor was immediately amazed and instructed him to contact Wang Zi'an, invite him to the university for a symposium, and so on. It's said that several historical issues were subsequently resolved. Some scholars have expressed disagreement, but controversy is a good thing, and the data is currently being compared with a vast amount of historical and archaeological material.

Lu Zigang was quite surprised when he heard about this. The internet is truly full of hidden talents, and the power of netizens should not be underestimated! From then on, he followed this Wang Zian and would occasionally watch the videos he made, giving him coins, likes, and reposts.

Recently, at everyone's request, Wang Zi'an has also started live streaming, broadcasting for two hours every night. Lu Zigang watched it a few times and found it very entertaining, so he would click on his channel to watch the live stream whenever he had free time.

A young man in his early twenties appeared on the phone screen. Even without beauty filters, his skin was still fair and his features were handsome. His bright and expressive eyes were unforgettable, and his smile was especially radiant, making people want to smile along with him.

Oh right, I forgot to mention, Wang Zi'an has recently become incredibly popular, partly because of his handsome appearance. The comments section was flooded with messages, and virtual gifts flashed across the screen.

Superficial women… Lu Zigang silently rolled his eyes. He wasn't watching this kid's live stream for his looks.

After watching the kid's live stream, Lu Zigang realized that this Prince An was extremely familiar with the customs and culture before the Tang Dynasty and was also good at discussing various historical events of that period. Of course, Lu Zigang was more inclined to believe that the little stories he sometimes told, such as Li Shimin's true brotherhood, the truth behind the Xuanwu Gate Incident, and the woman Emperor Taizong loved most, were just historical fan fiction he made up.

It's quite interesting to listen to anyway!

However, Lu Zigang also noticed that Prince An was not very clear about what happened after Emperor Gaozong of Tang, and even refused to acknowledge that Wu Zetian had ever been an empress. This was especially evident after the live broadcast, which revealed that this was not just a lack of familiarity, but a complete lack of basic common sense.

This became the reason for his haters to attack him. Their logic was: He must be talking nonsense! He doesn't even know about Wu Zetian! He must be a male chauvinist!
Wang Zi'an's fans, however, felt this was perfectly normal, and that the leader must have been joking with them. It seems the historical gossip segment is over; it's time for the regular stuff.

However, this streamer has been led by the nose by the audience, offering less and less substantial content each day, while the length of the programs designed to entertain viewers is getting longer and longer. Lu Zigang curled his lip, knowing that this was also determined by the market. After all, viewers tend to tip more for keeping the programs going, and talking about substantial historical information, or even gossip, would leave many people uninterested or even unable to understand it…

"Dear friends, please don't make up the poems you compose! Even if you make them up well, I can't remember the next line!" That's right, reciting poems is a regular part of Wang Zi'an's daily live stream.

The audience would provide the first line in the live chat, and he would recite the second line.

It's said that this signature segment originated by chance. Wang Zi'an is incredibly fast at reciting poems; if a viewer types in the first line, he can recite the second line immediately, no matter how obscure the poem is. His detractors once accused him of using a poetry-reciting app to cheat, but during a live stream, he blindfolded himself and had a friend read the first line from the viewer. He then quickly recited the second line, repeating this challenge for half an hour, leaving everyone in awe.

However, many people raised objections in the live chat, so reciting poems became a daily part of the live stream. Wang Zian was still incredibly impressive today.

"The setting sun stretches far into the sky, the water is clear and the cold waves flow." "The martyr struck the jade pot, his heroic heart lamenting his twilight years." "Enter the gate of my longing, and you will know the bitterness of my longing." "Since ancient times, love has only brought regret, and good dreams are always the easiest to wake from." "Fallen flowers, a person stands alone, light rain, swallows fly in pairs." "I once parted with a beauty on the bridge, and I have not heard from her since."

……

At some point, the obscure verses that were originally intended to embarrass Wang Zian turned into a series of love poems.

Wang Zian's captivating eyes were fixed on the camera as he slowly recited love poems, making it utterly irresistible. The live chat erupted in screams, and virtual gifts blossomed one after another.

Lu Zigang's lips twitched a few times. He leaned his phone against the pile of books, using the live stream as background noise, and turned around to wash his teacup.

"Suddenly I see the green of willows by the roadside, and I regret urging my husband to seek fame and fortune." "I urge you to drink another cup of wine, for beyond Yangguan there will be no old friends." "The water of Peach Blossom Pool is a thousand feet deep, but it cannot compare to the affection Wang Lun showed me."

……

After a while, the love poem turned into verses about brotherhood. Lu Zigang washed the teacups one by one and placed them on the tea tray. He didn't need to look back at the comments; he knew they were probably flooding the screen right now.

"True friends are never far apart; even thousands of miles away, we are still neighbors." "A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near..."

Wang Zian paused abruptly when he read this line.

"Though separated by vast distances, we are as close as neighbors!" Lu Zigang turned around in confusion. Wasn't this Wang Bo's "Farewell to Du Shaofu on His Appointment to Shu Prefecture"? He couldn't even recite such a simple poem? Was his internet connection lagging?
However, Lu Zigang suddenly remembered why the name Wang Zi'an sounded familiar—Wang Bo's courtesy name was Zi'an! Haha, it's just a coincidence...

Even the live chat stopped for a few seconds. Viewers started typing, thinking that the live streaming platform's server was malfunctioning and everyone was experiencing lag.

At that moment, the sound of a door opening and closing could be heard on the screen. Viewers who frequently watched Wang Zi'an's live streams knew that it was his roommate coming home from get off work.

This friend, Wang Li, whom Wang Zi'an introduced before, has never appeared on camera. He only occasionally shows his long, slender hands or muscular physique. He was also there to help Wang Zi'an recite poems blindfolded. Apparently, Wang Li works as a teacher at a martial arts school. According to Wang Zi'an, Wang Li initially supported him financially, but now that he's a streamer and earning money, they can finally improve their meals.

Some viewers had speculated about their relationship, but Lu Zigang thought that since they both had the surname Wang, they must be cousins ​​or some other kind of relatives!

Wang Zian turned to look at Wang Li, seemingly concealing a complex expression on his face: "You're back. Is there a package? Is it the blind box I ordered?"

“No, it was mailed to me.” Wang Li’s voice carried a hint of doubt. “Huh? That’s strange. You old-fashioned person would shop online? What is this? Such a small box…” Prince

An became curious and glanced at the live stream time. When it was almost over, he quickly said goodbye to the viewers and turned off the live stream.

Lu Zigang didn't find anything strange about it; it's normal for live streams to drop at any time. He planned to switch channels to watch videos from other history content creators.

Just then, a knock sounded at the door of the Silent Shop.

It must be the takeout. Lu Zigang rubbed his rumbling stomach and, unable to wait for the delivery person to come in, went straight to open the door.

It turned out to be a deliveryman standing outside the door, who handed him a very small delivery box.

Huh? What's this? I just checked what he ordered today, and the earliest it can arrive is tomorrow.

The package was very light. Lu Zigang weighed it in his hand for a moment, then walked back into the shop. He casually picked up the ram-headed curved-handle short sword from the treasure cabinet and cut open the package. Inside was a brocade box.

A sense of unease welled up in Lu Zigang's heart. He remained silent for a long while before finally reaching out to open the brocade box. Inside, lying quietly, was a small, rectangular piece of white jade that looked very familiar. Lu Zigang suddenly remembered the photo Tang Yuan had sent him not long ago.

He picked up the chess piece and turned it over.

Sure enough, three large characters were written in cinnabar on the back, and the handwriting was very familiar: Lu Zigang.

【Five】

Wang Zian closed the live stream page, wiped his face, and composed himself.

He was skilled at writing fu (a type of Chinese prose-poem) and parallel prose, and many of his regulated poems and quatrains have been passed down through the ages. His poem "Farewell to Du Shaofu on His Appointment to Shu Prefecture" is known to everyone, even women and children. Therefore, no one had recited this poem during the previous live poetry recitation. So, it was understandable that he was caught off guard when he suddenly saw his own poem appear on the screen.

Luckily, Wang Li returned just in time to rescue him; otherwise, he wouldn't know how to smooth things over!
Back then, Wang Li, who was peacefully staying in Zhenlu Pavilion, suddenly went crazy and started frantically trying to persuade others to leave Xiyong Village with him. Aside from the perpetually sleeping poet Li Bai, almost everyone in the village was bothered by him, and of course, no one agreed.

Just kidding. If I wanted to go out, I would have gone out long ago, and I wouldn't have had to wait until today.

At first, Wang Zi'an did not agree to Wang Li's request, until the latter stood in front of him again and asked him if he wanted to know more beautiful poems.

The answer is definitely yes! The boy who came to the village last time didn't know many new poems, but that's exactly what sparked his passion for poetry.

In a moment of impulsiveness, before he could react, he found himself standing on a lake, in a wondrous new world.

Modern society is wonderful. It was difficult to survive at first because we didn't have ID cards or cell phones, but once we settled down and gradually came into contact with this future world, it was truly amazing!
Wang Zian is too busy to write poetry. Write poetry? What's the point of writing poetry! He'd rather scroll through Douyin (TikTok) for a while!
In the past, people wrote poetry because paper was expensive, and no one could memorize it all. With limited brain capacity, they had to use the fewest words to compose the most brilliant verses so that they could be sung by the masses and leave their mark on history.

Now? No need! Information overload is unbearable! Isn't it better to be a happy content creator?

Wang Zian is happily racing along on his path as a content creator, reading poetry in his spare time. With his photographic memory, he handles the daily routine of his live streams with ease.

Tsk, there are so many comments anyway, just scroll past the poems you don't know and pretend you didn't see them!

He knew Wang Li was looking for someone, but since the other party hadn't said, he tactfully didn't ask further. So many years have passed, and he's still searching? Is Wang Li serious?
Wang Zian glanced sympathetically at Wang Li, who was examining the package, and walked over curiously to ask, "Who sent this package?"

"The sender's name isn't written on it." Wang Li glanced at the express delivery slip; the sender's name field was blank.

"Huh? Let's open it and see!" Wang Zian was even more curious. Was it chocolate secretly sent by a girl who had a crush on Wang Li? Tsk, he knew about the Valentine's Day chocolate tradition. But it wasn't Valentine's Day yet... Wang Li scratched the tape with his fingernail, and the express delivery box was torn open, revealing a brocade box inside. Inside the brocade box lay a black rectangular jade piece.

"This is..." It's no wonder that Prince An didn't recognize it; Liubo was popular during the Qin and Han dynasties, and by the Tang dynasty, no one played it anymore.

"This is Liubo," Wang Li said calmly.

He reached out and flipped the black jade chess piece over. On the back, two large characters were written in cinnabar: Wang Li.

(End of this chapter)