Chapter 70

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Protagonist:

Shaowei

Liu Qi

Shaowei came walking over clutching a broom, her eyes automatically locking onto that single strand of silver-white at the crown of the other's head.

Just as she was raring to go, Jiang Fu took the initiative to speak: "Master is in an exceptionally good mood today, so I'll allow you to pull it out."

Shaowei was half-believing, half-doubting, always feeling she was calculating something.

Sure enough, Jiang Fu raised a condition: "But you must promise Master one thing."

Shaowei said in a tone that sounded not too enthusiastic: "Speak, let me hear it."

Jiang Fu shook the peach wood comb in her hand: "Let Master help you comb your hair once."

This had been Jiang Fu's wish for a very long time, so long it could be called ancient, yet it had never been fulfilled.

Shaowei weighed the two options, reluctantly letting out an "Mhm." Although she disliked having her hair combed by others, she really wanted to pluck out that eyesore of a white hair too much.

Jiang Fu immediately cooperated by leaning down, one hand still pressing at the root of that white hair: "You'd better be gentle. With your strength, if you're not careful, I'm afraid you'll lift off Master's skullcap..."

Shaowei ignored her. With a flurry of movements from both hands, she pinched that white hair like a monkey picking lice, and yanked outward. She felt she hadn't even exerted much force when the white hair slipped free from Jiang Fu's grasp. Jiang Fu squeezed her eyes and cried "Ow": "Didn't I tell you to be gentle, gentle!"

Shaowei raised one eyebrow, looking at the strand of hair in her hand, always feeling something wasn't quite right. Her eyes darted, and she asked suspiciously: "... Did you comb it out yourself, then hide it back, and deliberately bring it out to bargain with me?"

Jiang Fu instead wore a look of utter disbelief: "You little brat, you can't go spouting blood! Pull it out and then turn your face denying responsibility!"

Shaowei felt stifled in her chest, but the hair was pinched in her hand, so she had to admit defeat. She turned around, presenting the back of her head to Jiang Fu, and said in a muffled voice: "Comb it then!"

But she heard the voice behind her laughing: "Not combing today. Must pick an auspicious day to comb."

Having said that, Jiang Fu returned to her room in high spirits, walking leisurely.

Shaowei clicked her tongue, pinched the white hair and stared at it before her eyes, then puffed her cheeks and blew hard, out of sight, out of mind.

That silver hair was blown into midair by Shaowei in one breath, drifting and floating in the morning light, like a wisp of fine moonlight, silently falling into the mortal dust.

Sun set, moon rose. By the time summer arrived, the countryside moonlight was bright as a mirror, tree shadows swaying gracefully within it. The world at night seemed like another white day stored in a mirror box by an immortal.

Summer arrived, and Jiang Fu's birthday arrived as well.

This was her twenty-ninth birthday. Shaowei didn't come empty-handed; she gave her a longevity knot.

This longevity knot was very difficult to braid, shaped like a seal-script 'longevity' character. Shaowei studied for a month or two last year before braiding this satisfactory one.

And the reason the dog hole could hide the leftover flatbreads this time was because Shaowei felt she truly couldn't produce anything else to give. Everything she had was given by Jiang Fu; only the red string used for braiding knots was obtained by her picking fruit to exchange.

Shaowei was too embarrassed to hand it directly to Jiang Fu, so she took advantage of Jiang Fu not yet being awake, secretly sneaked into her room, placed the longevity knot on the small table where Jiang Fu did her hair, and held her breath to carefully arrange its shape, then pressed it with her palm to ensure it was neat and proper.

Seeing that shadow flash out, hooking two fingers on the door frame to quietly close the door, Jiang Fu inside the bed curtains pursed her lips and smiled.

Shaowei sat in meditation as usual, swept the floor, but kept her ears pricked the whole time, listening for movement in Jiang Fu's room.

Finally she waited until Jiang Fu got up to wash and dress. Shaowei "passed by" her door, and saw her just picking up a pill pellet and swallowing it.

Shaowei "passed by" a second time, and finally saw her pick up that longevity knot.

Not long after, Jiang Fu came out holding the knot: "Wonder who braided this?"

"Me." Shaowei straightened her waist and back as naturally as possible: "What, doesn't it look good?"

"It looks good all right." Jiang Fu's expression was somewhat worried: "It's just a pity wearing it on the body really makes one look old. You give me this, where do I still look like I'm celebrating a birthday? It's like a centenarian celebrating longevity."

Shaowei pursed her lips, not arguing with the birthday star: "What's wrong with being a centenarian."

Hearing these words, Zhan Zhan automatically triggered her birthday blessing vocabulary reserve, flew circling around Jiang Fu, saying: "Fortune like the East Sea, longevity boundless!"

Jiang Fu complained verbally, but her demeanor was also delighted. She tied the longevity knot onto the jade pendant at her waist, nodding in praise: "Actually quite becoming, two parts fitting."

Jiang Fu, who usually didn't like noise and bustle, now in a very good mood, egged Shaowei on: "Since I'm being forced to celebrate my birthday, go call Shan Gu and the others over. This year we'll have a proper lively time."

Hearing this, Shaowei shot out the door like a gust of wind, going to call friends and companions.

The sudden gathering was always a surprise. The atmosphere at the banquet was extremely joyful, only the young people came empty-handed without preparing gifts, and were more or less a bit embarrassed.

To make up for it, Qing Wu summoned her courage, cleared her throat, and sang a poem she had just learned: "Life not reaching a hundred, constantly harboring thousand-year worries. Day short, bitter night long, why not hold candles and roam? Enjoyment must be timely, how can one wait for the future..."

These words perfectly suited Jiang Fu's temperament and aspirations. Qing Wu's voice was melodious and moving, and with Ji Jin accompanying on the side, though he had no instrument at hand, merely using a pair of chopsticks to strike bowls, plates, and ceramic vessels, it was actually skillful and clever, possessing a distinct clear and spiritual charm.

Watching that truly "one sings, one harmonizes" pair of siblings, Shan Gu, besides being astonished, only felt backstabbed — on the road here, Ji Jin and Qing Wu had clearly acted very anxious, and he had followed along feeling anxious too, but felt everyone empty-handed, sharing the difficulty together wasn't bad either.

But how in a blink of an eye did these two pull such a high-end trick?

The poem was good, the music was good, yet it made Shan Gu feel like he was sitting on pins and needles.

Shan Gu racked his brains, suddenly stood up, ran to the courtyard to fetch a long staff, and presented a majestic and imposing staff technique. This beautiful, solid skill also drew cheers from the whole hall.

When the banquet ended, Shan Gu helped Mo Li clean up bowls and chopsticks, while Ji Jin came to the courtyard, a touch of gloom finally appearing between his brows.

Qing Wu sighed: "Ever since receiving the letter from Chenliu Commandery... it's been like this every day."

Just didn't want to spoil the mood at the banquet, so didn't reveal it.

Seeing the inquiry in Shaowei's eyes, Ji Jin spilled his worries.

That letter from Chenliu Commandery Qing Wu spoke of came from Ji Jin's teacher, who was a friend of Ji Jin's late father.

This teacher had some reputation locally, had once compiled a county gazette in the county office, so was quite knowledgeable about the path to fame —

In the past two years, Ji Jin had occasional correspondence with him. He had read Ji Jin's writings, was extremely surprised and delighted at the growth of Ji Jin's learning, and tailor-made a pre-fabricated blue-sky road for Ji Jin. He proposed waiting until Ji Jin turns twenty and caps, then set about hyping a reputation — either the filial fame of cutting flesh and bleeding to save a parent, or the talent fame of an immortal entering a dream to impart wisdom... In short, fabricate some deeds then, have Chenliu prefecture and county publicize them, and with genuine talent and learning on hand, one can be recommended as a Filial and Incorrupt to enter officialdom.

In the current era, such hype is not uncommon. Ji Jin felt ashamed, but his father was gone, he had no background to rely on, good wine also fears a deep alley, it really wasn't the time to feign loftiness, so he said everything would follow the teacher's arrangements.

He is seventeen this year, still three years from capping, but one letter from his teacher disturbed Ji Jin's state of mind and resolve.