Chapter 104: Empty Dreams of the Past

When Wang Yang was led to Xie Xinghan, Xie Xinghan was sitting under the tree reading a book as if nothing had happened, her hair hanging behind her, gently held by a clove-colored silk ribbon, wearing a lotus-root narrow shirt and snow-white small socks, her willow eyebrows had just been lightly drawn with expensive stone black from the Southern Capital in an imperceptible way, giving people a feeling of being lazy and soft.

Wang Yang had never seen such a "homey" Xie Xinghan and was stunned.

"Young Master Wang is here, please sit." Xie Xinghan seemed to have just discovered Wang Yang, her slender hand stretched out, letting him sit properly.

"Oh, good, good." Wang Yang reacted, nodded in thanks, showing a bit of stupidity.

Seeing Wang Yang's reaction, Xie Xinghan's star-like eyes brightened slightly.

"Young Master, please take off your shoes." Xiao Ning bent down to help Wang Yang take off his shoes.

"No need, I'll do it myself."

Wang Yang felt a bit uncomfortable, perhaps because it was the first time he saw Xie Xinghan in such a relaxed state, or perhaps because taking off his shoes and sitting on the satin mat together felt a bit intimate?

Anyway, until he sat opposite Xie Xinghan, he still hadn't walked out of the discomfort. He didn't know why, he just felt that the atmosphere today was a bit wrong, but he couldn't tell where it was wrong.

"Young Master, drink tea."

Xiao Ning originally wanted to pour tea for Wang Yang, but seeing her lady holding the single-handled pot and pouring tea, she retreated to the side.

This tea was seasoned with ginger and dates, which Wang Yang wasn't used to drinking. Xie Xinghan knew the autumn with one leaf and said: "It seems the Young Master likes clear tea, I will cook a new pot for the Young Master."

"No need, no need, this can also be drunk." Wang Yang took another sip.

Seeing that Wang Yang didn't have his usual spirit, Xie Xinghan secretly laughed in her heart, held the tray with her slender hands, presented it to Wang Yang, lowered her head slightly, and said softly: "Young Master, please eat cherries."

Her wrists were like snow, the beauty was unparalleled; her posture was obedient, as if she were a little maid.

Xiao Ning's eyes had opened to the maximum!!!!!

Wang Yang sweated: "Xie Xie Niangzi... what is this for..."

Xie Xinghan blinked: "Xinghan is being better to the Young Master, why, is the Young Master ashamed?"

Ashamed my head!

Wang Yang only felt inexplicable: "What am I ashamed of?"

"Oh, I thought the Young Master felt indebted to me and felt guilty in his heart."

"Ah? What did I owe?"

Xie Xinghan recited leisurely: "Roaming the rivers and lakes with wine..."

Wang Yang looked innocent: "I invited you to dinner last time!"

"Eating is because you thanked me for helping to transport grain." Xie Xinghan said seriously.

Wang Yang was a bit confused: "Then... then I'll invite you again?"

Xie Xinghan lowered her head softly and charmingly, and said aggrievedly:

"Xinghan dare not trouble the Young Master. However, the Young Master has a new residence, and Xinghan has not been there yet. As for the gift Xinghan sent, the Young Master has not replied..."

Xie Xinghan said, lowered her head again, her moth eyebrows turned, and her voice was so aggrieved and obedient that it made people feel pity: "Young Master... please eat cherries!"

Wang Yang: ∑(っ°Д°;)っ

Didn't see it!

Actually a drama queen!!

Wang Yang only felt dizzy, and hurriedly said: "Okay, okay, I'll cook another day and sincerely invite Xie Xie Niangzi to have dinner at my house, just ask the lady to recover quickly!"

"Are you sure?"

"Sure, definitely, and certainly."

Xie Xinghan straightened her waist and returned to her usual clear, noble, dignified, and ice-snow-smart appearance, and her voice was normal, asking leisurely: "What help does Young Master Wang want me to do this time?"

Seeing Xie Xinghan's star-like eyes like torches, Wang Yang suddenly felt a bit guilty: "Uh... I am asking Xie Xie Niangzi to point out my clumsy work *Flaws in the Ancient and Modern Texts of the Minister*."

"That's not right. The Young Master's knowledge is unique. On the day of the academic discussion, one person and one fan suppressed the whole audience, shaking Jingzhou. What can I, a little woman, point out? Besides, I have always been the Young Master's defeated opponent and am not taken seriously by the Young Master. Where would you think of me when you write a book? It's only when you encounter trouble that you take the initiative to find me. The Young Master's note is well written, but I'm afraid the most appropriate one is 'I wait for tomorrow, everything will be wasted.' Tell me, what on earth is going to be wasted?"

Wang Yang was exposed by Xie Xinghan, feeling a bit embarrassed. However, thinking about it, it was true. He only took the initiative to find Xie Xinghan when he needed help.

"Speaking of which... I really have two things to ask the lady for help. Does the lady know the Jingzhou Sima?"

Sima is ranked after Changshi, in charge of military affairs, equivalent to a deputy commander of the military region.

Wang Yang remembered that when he was trying to delay the Strong Man's transfer order, he had asked Liu Zhao whether Xie Xinghan could have a way. Liu Zhao said that it was inconvenient for Xie Xinghan to come forward, and the reason was "not to the point of looking for the Jingzhou Sima for the transfer of a soldier."

In this way, Xie Xinghan should know this deputy commander.

Sure enough, Xie Xinghan said: "Xi Gongmu? Xi family of Anding. I saw him once when I first arrived in Jingzhou. When my grandfather was the Minister of Personnel, Xi Gongmu came to ask for an official position, and my grandfather sent him to work in the Treasury Department of the Minister Province, which is barely considered to have some origin with my family."

Wang Yang's spirit was lifted. It's easy to handle if you can talk!

It is indeed a noble family! This foundation is indeed okay.

"He has a small official under his jurisdiction, named Jiao Zheng, who is an external military advisor. I want to ask him to let Jiao Zheng write a resume, saying it is for preparation for the assessment."

"Assessment? You mean the year-end assessment?"

Wang Yang was overjoyed: "There really is one! Yes, it is the year-end assessment!"

Xie Xinghan was confused: "The assessment starts in November, and there is no such thing as writing a resume yourself."

"It doesn't matter, just tell him that, let him write it himself, the more detailed the better. Include his duties before being an external military advisor, including merits and demerits, and the reasons for the transfer, all written clearly."

"You want to investigate him? No, to investigate him, you should go to the provincial department to adjust the documents, or directly check the register of the Ministry of Personnel. How can you let him write it himself?"

Wang Yang didn't answer, and continued: "You help me find a few people, they must be strangers, preferably with a capital accent, you let them do this..."

Wang Yang told Xie Xinghan in detail, and Xie Xinghan became more and more suspicious as she listened, her two curved eyebrows slightly frowned: "Does this Jiao have a grudge against you? What on earth do you want to do?!"

"I beg the lady, it is best to handle these two things today, especially the order for Jiao Zheng to write his resume, which must be conveyed to him before tomorrow night."

A light of displeasure flashed in Xie Xinghan's eyes: "You don't tell me anything and still let me help. Besides, why should I help you?!"

"I don't tell you for your own good, to avoid you being involved in some things. As for why you help me..." Wang Yang bowed solemnly: "Wang Yang is not a person who doesn't repay kindness. If Xie Xie Niangzi has anything to use me in the future, just speak up!" 【

Xiao Ning thought to herself, what a big mouth. My mistress is the daughter of the Secretariat Director, and all three of her brothers, except for the eldest young master, have smooth official careers. What could there possibly be that requires your help...

Xie Xinghan, however, looked very interested. Her black-and-white eyes blinked, a mix of playfulness and three parts solemnity: "You said that? Does it count?"

"Of course it counts!"

Xie Xinghan said readily: "Good, I will help you! But there is no need to wait for the future; I have a use for you today."

Wang Yang bowed and cupped his hands in a playful manner: "Please, Xie Xie Niangzi, give your orders!"

"One moment you swear you cannot write poetry, and the next you can spout a few lines. To this day, I still don't know how good your poetry-making skills really are. How about this: take the current scene as your theme and compose a poem for me to hear."

Wang Yang hesitated: "The current scene..."

"What is wrong? My garden is elegant, the birdsong is melodious, the scenery is beautiful, and the flowers and trees are colorful. Is it not suitable for writing poetry? Compose a good one. If it is done well, I will invite you to the Fuzhou Elegant Gathering in the capital..."

Wang Yang did not know what the Fuzhou Elegant Gathering was, nor did he care to ask which characters were used. He thought to himself, Jiankang is fine as it is. Although the capital is full of good food and fun, I dare not go. I will just make up a few lines to fool her. Thinking of this, he casually composed one:

"Willows tease the hidden fragrance, chasing the white-clad one; in the depths of the small garden, bird cries are heard. Youth always loves beautiful scenery; the spirit and grace prefer to seek a quiet perch. Often I think of the evening glow before the flowers; in vain, I dream of the past, hazy and dim. Transmigration is useless for anyone; I open my eyes and I am completely dumbfounded."

The more Xie Xinghan listened, the more wrong it felt. She could not help but laugh: "What kind of vulgar poem is this!! What dialect are you using?? And what is this about 'dreaming of the past'? How old are you? You are even pretending to be old and sophisticated..."

Wang Yang looked at the white clouds in the distance and sighed faintly: "Too young, too simple..."

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Note: ① Stone ink (eyebrow ink) was the eyebrow ink used by ancient women. At that time, the stone ink produced in Nandu (i. e., Shixing Commandery; it was customary in ancient writing to use the ancient name) was the most famous. Therefore, the "Preface to Yutai Xinyong" says: "The stone ink of Nandu is best for drawing moth-eyebrows. The rouge of the northern lands is best for the two dimples." This local specialty remained unchanged until the Ming Dynasty. Tian Yiheng's "Liuqing Rizha" says: "Today, stone ink is produced in the streams of Shixing County, Guangdong. Women take it to draw their eyebrows, calling it 'eyebrow-drawing stone'."

② When Wang Yang first transmigrated, the unfamiliar Jing-Chu world felt psychologically distant to him. He tried every means to integrate into the ancient times, racking his brains to solve various problems such as identity, food, clothing, housing, and social interaction. However, at the end of this chapter, his poem and his sentiments show that Xiao Wang's mentality had already changed imperceptibly; the modern society now feels like a hazy past to him.

Now, the Chu sky is no longer distant, and Wang Yang has also been drawn, openly or secretly, into several undercurrents and major trends of the time. Some have already surfaced, while others are still lurking deep. But no matter what, Wang Yang can no longer stand aside as a bystander.

Thus, the first volume, "Chu Sky Afar," concludes here. Tomorrow, I will start updating the second volume—"Jingzhou Chaos." (Actually, I originally thought that since it involves both textual research and metaphysical discourse, there wouldn't be many people who like to read it; after all, the annotations alone are quite discouraging. But without annotations, many issues cannot be explained clearly... I had planned to take a break before starting the second volume, mainly because my writing time is really too little, and stopping for two months would allow me to save up more drafts. But seeing everyone's praise and gifts, I feel embarrassed to take a break...)

Each volume has a preface, but the system does not support setting them. The preface for "Chu Sky Afar" is two lines of verse by Sa Dula: "The luxury of the six dynasties, spring has departed, and there is no more news. Vainly I sigh, looking at the mountains and rivers; they are no longer what they were in the past."

The preface for "Jingzhou Chaos" is a line of poetry by Yu Xin: "I hear of the naval battle, but this year the siege remains unbroken."

Yes.

Volume One, "Chu Sky Afar," finished.