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The sun had set, leaving only a light ochre and pale green outside the eaves of the temple, and the sky was dotted with stars. Liu Rushi stood under the bathroom, looking at the late autumn sky, a faint sadness filling her heart.
"The silver candlelight shines coldly on the painting screen in autumn, and the light silk fan flutters against the fireflies. The sky steps are as cool as water at night, and I sit and watch the Altair and Vega stars."
She sighed and thought that she would have to live like this from now on. The courtyard of this palace is so deep that you can never get out.
Although she was involved in prostitution before, she was dashing and free-spirited, and as free and easy as men. However, after experiencing the destruction of her country and the loss of her family, and the changes in her life, she has changed a lot.
Qian Qianyi's surrender to the Qing Dynasty out of shame overturned all her previous understandings. She really could not understand how a talented person who regarded himself as a gentleman and was respected as a leader in the literary world could say something like "my scalp is itchy".
She was not very sad about the Qian family being raided, and she even took matters of life and death lightly. But for some reason, after Qin Mu asked her to leave the bathroom, she felt an inexplicable sense of desolation in her heart.
Even when she had fallen into prostitution, she had still been much sought after and flattered. This was the first time that someone had been so indifferent to her.
In addition to the sound of water in the bathroom, Qin Mu's occasional humming could be heard: The orchid is swaying, and its fragrance is wafting. Many incense sticks to it, and its fragrance is faint. If you don't pick it and wear it, what harm will it do to the orchid? Days and years, I travel to all directions. King Wen dreamed of a bear, and the Wei River was vast. Pick it and wear it, and its fragrance is bright and clear. Snow and frost are lush, and the flowers bud in winter. A gentleman's loyalty will bring prosperity to his descendants... ... ..
From Qin Mu's humming, one could sense that he was enjoying the hot water and was a little self-forgetful. This made it difficult for Liu Rushi to connect him with the serious look in the study.
After Qin Mu finished bathing, she went in to help him dress. Qin Mu's skin was not as fair as that of a pampered young man, but slightly wheat-colored. Liu Rushi also noticed that there were calluses between his right thumb and index finger, which should be caused by frequent use of knives and swords.
Qin Mu raised his hand and asked her to tie the leather belt. He brushed her wet hair back and suddenly said, "Your poem is good. I've read it."
Liu Rushi was stunned and didn't know why he suddenly said that.
Qin Mu then recited softly: "Green grass on the west side of the river, a pavilion on the water, with smoke and moon, and the sky is dark again. The lotus is broken and the golden waves are cold, the willows are deep and blue beyond the sky. Who is chanting the fallen leaves in the night, and the spring river is full of stars. I pity the wars everywhere. I whistle in the Wuxin Pavilion by myself."
"My humble work may have offended the King of Qin. I hope the King of Qin will forgive me."
Qin Mu smiled faintly and said, "Especially the last two sentences, they are quite heroic, much better than those young men on the Qinhuai River who wore loose clothes but never regretted it and became haggard for their love."
Qin Mu walked away after he finished speaking. Liu Rushi looked at his back and couldn't help but smile. She thought to herself, "You have written a poem like "I want to cross Huanhua Creek, but my distant dream is so light and powerless."
On the dressing room of Dong Xiaowan, a crescent moon hung outside the window. The night wind was as cool as water, and it penetrated into the carved windows.
There is a thread-bound bookcase on the left wall, and a sandalwood desk under the window. On the desk are pen holders, pen washers, pen holders, pen racks, water pots, ink beds, ink pad boxes, paperweights, etc.
Dong Xiaowan was good at calligraphy and painting, and she was calm and quiet, so she usually read books or copied calligraphy in the garden. She liked the Cao'e Stele by Cai Yong, and copied thousands of characters every day without missing a single word.
The bean green glaze and colored plum and bamboo pattern pen holder on the desk is made in the shape of a bamboo, with plum blossoms on the outside, and a bright luster. There is an inscription on it: The moon shines on flawless jade, and the wind cannot tune the zither.
Qin Mu liked it, picked it up and admired it carefully, and said, "Wan'er, when did you change the pen holder? Well, this one is good."
"If the King of Qin likes it, you can take it and use it." Dong Xiaowan said with a gentle smile.
She was wearing a blue top with narrow sleeves and a moon-white and green onion-colored fairy skirt. Her skin was as white as cream and her gaze was full of affection, like a fairy on a mountain of jade.
Qin Mu put his arm around her shoulders and said, "All under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people in the land are his subjects. What's yours is mine, and what's mine is still mine. Do I need to take it away?"
Seeing that what he said was interesting, Dong Xiaowan smiled gently and said, "This is what Qiao'er bought for me yesterday. I originally had a black lacquer pen holder with orchid carvings. Since the King of Qin likes this, you may as well take it and use it."
"Qiao'er? That girl...would buy this?"
"Well, they said they bought it for one tael of silver. I can't believe it."
"One tael of silver can buy this? Could this girl have taken Ye Han and the others to rob it?"
"King Qin, look at what you said."
"She has a criminal record. She has snatched my pancakes before."
Dong Xiaowan couldn't help laughing at his amusement, and said with a smile: "Qiao'er is kind-hearted and wouldn't take advantage of others. I'm afraid the merchant recognized her and deliberately lowered the price, so Qiao'er bought it without knowing the truth."
"You really think she's a child who knows nothing. Let me tell you, you didn't even know when she sold you out. This girl is very cunning..."
Dong Xiaowan casually picked up a piece of rose pastry from the table and stuffed it into his mouth to block his "attack" on Qiao. Qin Mu chewed it twice and hummed repeatedly: "Hmm... .. Hmm, delicious, did you make this?"
Dong Xiaowan nodded with a smile, and seeing that he liked it, she picked up another one. This dessert was made in the shape of a rose bud about to bloom, with minced lamb, garlic and mushrooms as the filling, and a layer of dough wrapped in egg yolk and fried until golden. It was not only crispy and delicious, but also beautiful in shape, looking like a rose bud about to bloom.
Among the three women in the backyard, Dong Xiaowan is the best cook. The snacks she makes are colorful, fragrant and delicious. They are made into various flowers, birds, insects and fish, which are lifelike and full of interest.
Qin Mu did not hesitate to praise her: "You are as graceful as water, as pure as a rose, and full of tenderness. Take a sip and I will remember you for three lifetimes..."
Dong Xiaowan was angry and happy, and stuffed another dessert into his mouth to stop his nonsense again. She glanced at Liu Rushi who was waiting beside her with some embarrassment, but her heart was as sweet as drinking honey.
This time, Liu Rushi was very aware of being a maid. She made a cup of tea for Qin Mu and Dong Xiaowan respectively, then stepped aside and served them quietly.
Dong Xiaowan felt a little guilty, but this was the palace after all, and she had to abide by some rules. All she could do was to ask Liu Ruyao to be her maid so that she could take care of her. In front of others, she didn't even dare to call her sister.
The only way to change Liu Rushi's status as a maid is to please Qin Mu and get his favor... ... ... Dong Xiaowan thought of this and glanced at Qin Mu leisurely, only to see that he was sipping tea, as if he didn't notice the charming Liu Rushi.
Thinking about it carefully, Qin Mu is a man with strong sexual desire, and she often needs to be with Li Xiangjun to satisfy him. But he is not only physically strong, but also mentally strong, with self-control that ordinary people can't match. He is definitely not the kind of man who can't move away when seeing a beautiful woman. It seems that Liu Rushi's matter can only be done slowly.
Qin Mu drank a few sips of tea, hugged her from behind, and the two of them painted a picture of orchids and bamboos together. The moonlight outside the window was like frost, the autumn insects were silent, the small building was filled with fragrance, and the beauty in his arms was like jade, with a faint fragrance.
Qin Mu's painting skills were average, and he only depicted the shapes of the green bamboos. However, Dong Xiaowan's painting of the orchid under the bamboos captured both its form and spirit.
She did not despise Qin Mu's thoughts. On the contrary, she enjoyed the feeling of being hugged and pampered by him. It didn't matter what the painting looked like. What was important was the interest and warmth.
Qin Mu is usually busy and seldom has the leisure to enjoy such entertainment, so this heartwarming scene makes Dong Xiaowan feel it is even more precious and her heart melts.
After finishing the painting, she put down her brush, raised her head and leaned on his shoulder, gently rubbing his cheek with her fragrant lips, and said happily, "King Qin, the painting is done, you come and write the inscription."
Qin Mu pecked her cheeks lightly, thought for a moment, picked up his brush and dipped it in ink, and wrote a five-character poem on the left side of the painting: The light is slanted by the weeping dew, and the shadow is slanted by the wind. How can ordinary people understand this? Looking at leaves is better than looking at flowers.
After finishing the question, Qin Mu laughed and said, "Although I am a vulgar man, I must present myself as elegant, lest others say that the whole country of Qin is vulgar. Ahem... well, this can also be regarded as winning glory for the country."
"Puchi!" Dong Xiaowan laughed and fell into his arms. Her graceful body was as soft as spring water, soft as if boneless. "Looking at leaves is better than looking at flowers. Just based on this sentence, who dares to say that the King of Qin is a vulgar person?"
A ray of moonlight shines obliquely on her fragrant face, which is as beautiful as a dream, and the attachment contained in her bright eyes brings people infinite warmth.
Qin Mu couldn't help himself, he hugged her tighter and kissed her soft lips deeply... ... ... ...
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ps: When I woke up in the morning, I found that I was still a few votes short of making it into the top ten. I was so heartbroken!
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.(To be continued..)
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