Companions All Along (Book Review Collection) Thin Ice at First - Ode to Frost Same People Alternate Story BY Watermark

  "Miss! Miss!" It was a distant voice, seemingly Moon's, that woke me up.

  "Miss!" The figure behind her approached, stepping on the dry reeds, making a soft crunching sound. Moon's footsteps were light and gentle. She was young and slender, and just this rustling of the grass was already so soft and warm, it was intoxicating to listen to. Who knows what she would be like if she grew up, how charming and captivating she would be.

  When did it get dark?

  It's been some time since the end of autumn and the beginning of winter. The Bianliang River, located in the Central Plains, will not freeze over so early, but at night, a thin layer of ice will form on its surface, with water and ice mixed together, flowing eastward.

  According to Zizhan, this water will merge into the Ling River and flow east for a thousand miles before finally emptying into the Bohai Sea.

  The vast ocean. That is a boundless and majestic expanse of misty clouds.

  Unfortunately, I'm afraid it's going to be a lifelong regret and we'll never have the chance to meet again.

  Ji Xiang, you once said that you would take me to the sea, to watch the vast waves and the starry river. Do you still remember?

  Fool! You clearly have fewer people with you, yet you still insist on taking the lead.

  That dense Qin family boat net on the river, also can't find your trace.

  Ji Xiang, have you boarded a light boat, with cloud sails spanning a thousand miles, and sung your way into the sea, exhausting all elegance?

  A velvet cloak with a fox-fur collar was thrown over her. The soft voice of the moon also echoed: "Miss, it's getting late, this night is cool, the riverbank people are sparse, and there are many unstable ones. What if you're seen by bad people... If you don't go back, Bi Niang will urge again..."

  "Mm, I'm leaving." I tightened the thick woolen cloak on my back. The tips of my fingers transmitted a soft warmth, the long snow-colored fluff, lightly adhering to the chilly skin, as if caressing - like his hand, holding the brush and splashing ink, trembling wrist plucking strings, without losing strength, yet with endless tenderness.

  This fur trim is the snow fox from Beiyuan, very precious, and it's worth a thousand gold to get it. I had to find a real hunter in the north to get it. It's funny that Yudie sisters from Linfang Street saw this cloak and stared at it for a while, forgetting to move their eyes. They didn't dare to come over and ask because of their noble status, but their eyes were full of envy. In just a few days, they deliberately walked in front of me with a smile, wearing a fox fur cloud-patterned cape, which was also made of long-haired fox fur. The material was even more luxurious than my trimmed cloak.

  I couldn't help but smile. How could I not know that the one who would use snow fox fur is none other than the wealthy and extraordinary Mr. Huaigong? But wealth is just wealth, how can she understand that even a small piece of fox skin used for trimming is the most delicate and precious, more expensive than the whole piece of fox skin left over?

  Alas, we are all infatuated people. Ji Xuan's clever tongue and ability to manipulate others with ease, even keeping the women in his household harmonious, let alone the jealousy of courtesan girls?

  As she stood up, a phoenix tree leaf suddenly floated down with the hem of her skirt. It had already withered and lost its moisture. The original golden yellow color had also turned into a dark yellow.

  The leaves are very large, and even the evening wind cannot move them. Some of them fall heavily, spinning half a turn before landing at my feet.

  "Oh no, miss, one is missing!" Before I could even react, Yue'er quickly bent down to pick it up and handed it back to me, "Miss, these are the last few pieces of phoenix tree leaves. The phoenix trees by the Huai'an Street have all shed their leaves."

  "Uh. Tomorrow, you don't have to come." I took the dry leaves from her hand and squatted down again, gently placing them by the river and letting them float on the water, then picked up a withered branch at my feet and pushed them further in.

  The river water is icy and bone-chilling.

  The shore has some rocky projections, and the water is still quite deep. There are some floating ice fragments on the surface. In the distance, the lights reflect off the water, and I vaguely see a strip of leaves flowing with the current, all the way east.

  "It's so cold, miss. Let's go back." Yue'er crouched beside me, pouting and muttering to herself, "Qin Gongzi clearly fell down because he was trying to help that songstress Dan Xue, but she hasn't even come to pay her respects. Instead, it's you, miss, who has been coming here every day for seven or eight months without fail... those wutong leaves have accumulated from summer to autumn, and now they're all gone..."

  "Alright, Moon, you've been saying this for so many times, even the dry leaves have all fallen off. In two more days, the river will be frozen and we won't come again this winter."

  "I'm the one who's being wronged, but Miss is as calm as usual!" Yue'er pouted, looking dissatisfied.

  She smiled again, and couldn't help but turn sideways to touch her double buns, "'The color of autumn is like frost and mist, yet she furrows her eyebrows and combs her black hair, a scoop of water and moonlight, half a tune on the seven strings, heart like a raging fire......' Moon, have you forgotten whose name was given by whom? Qi Xuan's temperament is the most loving and cherishing. If it were me, what would be different?"

  "Miss......" Yue'er fell silent, turned her head to look at the river water, "Su Gongzi said this river leads all the way to the sea, will Qin Gongzi go to the East Sea Dragon Palace?"

  "He," I raised my head. The stars at the edge of the sky twinkled, reflecting the distant lights, and shone on the water, vague and indistinct. "Perhaps he went to that vast starry expanse, who knows."

  "Hmph!" Yue'er suddenly burst out laughing, "Miss, you say if Qin Gongzi were to meet the princess of the Dragon Palace, plus the celestial maiden from heaven, let's see how he'd still be so free and easy."

  "Little girl, don't talk nonsense!" Thinking of Ji Xuan's absurd behavior among the Dragon Girl's entourage, I couldn't help but cover my mouth and laugh.

  It's all just a show.

  Even in the heavenly palace, he can still frolic among a hundred flowers without being tainted by a single petal.

  Isn't it actually, fundamentally, a false pretense, right? Ji Xuan.

  In the fourth year of Jiayou, that dashing young man who suddenly burst into the Xiangge, with drunken eyes, recited "beautiful wine is just right" while being unrestrained and dissolute.

  Why is everything withered and fallen, yet the sound of the zither is still so stirring?

  In years gone by, that elegant and refined man, under the shade of a flower tree, sang and danced with his sword, everything was smooth and enjoyable.

  Why is it that the sky and earth are boundless, yet when I draw my bow, it's gloomy?

  Not reconciled, is it? Ji Xuan.

  Those things in the government office, with my identity, are best avoided.

  But still clear.

  Every time the wind blows and the situation is turbulent, you will linger for a long time, drinking to your heart's content, just hoping to get drunk in a fragrant boudoir and forget the gentle hometown.

  It's as if I had to exhaust all my energy and abandon all my worries in order to fall asleep.

  It's lonely, isn't it? Ji Xuan.

  Although his wife is gentle and beautiful, and his concubine is charming and elegant, he still flirts with other women and has affairs.

  No one understands my worries.

  Wanting to forget, yet unable to forget.

  Want to escape but can't escape.

  Want to change? But how can it be changed.

  It's fate. Can't be avoided.

  You're welcome, I'm fine too.

  Wutong, Wutong.

  The phoenix perches on the tree, Xiao Mountain is a zither, the clear xiao harmonizes with it, and rides a dragon to leave.

  Ji Xiang, you often gave away wutong leaves and wrote poems on them. Have you ever imitated Xiao Shi's playing with jade?

  But I——

  I am this water lily of fate, floating on the surface of life.

  I, this unclean body's courtesan of wind and moon.

  How can you enter the hall and room, and how can you ruin your reputation and burden your protection?

  Ji Xuan, although self-willed and carefree, delights in roaming amidst the fragrance of a myriad flowers.

  Although acting arbitrarily and recklessly, following one's heart and indulging in pleasure.

  But I know your intention is like the phoenix tree.

  I know you cherish and miss me.

  I know you're feeling lonely and isolated.

  Return with wutong.

  You're right.

  The river flows eastward. Please send me your thoughts.

  "Miss, we've thrown so many tung leaves, can Master Qin receive them?" Moon's voice awakened me once again. Infatuation, when did it become this easy?

  "Ah, it's fine. He just received so much, he shouldn't blame us for not burning some money to give him as a gift." I smiled and stood up.

  "Yue'er hastily brought it over: 'Hmph! The Qin family's hundred-day memorial service has long since spent all that money, and they're worried about not having enough to send their thoughts with the wind and rain.'"

  Haha, Ji Xuan, even Tong Yue has learned how to tease you now.

  She didn't know, however, that she had obtained the Void Leaf

  Alone I stand.

  The carriage had long since stopped in the distance. The driver was quietly waiting on the front seat. The two sorrel horses were already getting impatient, swaying back and forth, shaking their tails, and occasionally lifting a forefoot.

  Set foot on the carriage, lift the curtain and start the journey.

  The wheels creaked softly, the bells tied to the horse's neck rang out in rhythm with the hooves, and the driver occasionally gave a low shout.

  Ding dong, ding dong...

  Toward the glorious splendor of Bianliang, where lanterns shine brightly.

  Towards the warm, fragrant and soft jade-like wind and moon building——

  My residence

  My tomb.

  Tonight, again, cups and chopsticks are intertwined, and the lights are sleepless.

  Far away... Far away...

  Goodbye! Ji Xuan.

  Whether it's the Milky Way or the vast ocean

  Even if it's the Yellow Spring Road, the River of Forgetfulness, the Bridge of Broken Souls, or Meng Po's Broth.

  You still have that elegant and refined demeanor, with endless gentle feelings.

  I hope your quiet heart will eventually be compensated.

  Eternal liberation from these shackles.

  By the Bian River, on a winter's day with cool breeze, thin ice has just formed.

  The dark water of the east flows quietly, without light or sound. A few leaves of the phoenix tree float on the ice, drifting with the current to the east, tumbling and sinking several times, rolling into the whirlpool, disappearing into the blackness... never to be seen again.

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  Note 1: Bianliang River, located in Kaifeng, is situated in the central part of Henan Province and has a tributary that flows into the Yellow River.

  Note 2: The Yellow River was also known as the Spirit River in ancient times (although it was sometimes directly referred to as the Yellow River, Spirit River sounds better...).

  Note 3: The ancient Yellow River estuary was known as the Bohai Sea, now it is the Gulf of Bohai.

  Note 4: Su Shi, courtesy name Zizhan, alias Dongpo Jushi. Qin Muo, courtesy name Jixiao, alias Huai Xu Jushi. I feel that the poem should address them by their courtesy names rather than aliases... actually, I'm not sure...