Chapter 224: Lonely Sandbank Chill (Part 1)

Warm breezes brought comfort, misty haze yielded to clear skies, and ponds were brimming with the colors of spring.

Spring was in full bloom, and Li Shishi, with her melodious voice, was playing the zither and singing on the lawn. The song followed the tune of "Yingtianchang." Her delicate fingers danced on the strings, her brows slightly furrowed, and her head bowed. Unlike typical performers who often smiled and looked at the audience, she was completely immersed in the lyrics and melody. Since Zhou Bangyan had just recited the lyrics, she was carefully savoring them, and this deep concentration lent her a detached, ethereal demeanor.

Zhou Bangyan also stood to one side of the crowd, listening to the melodious singing, but his gaze was not directed at Li Shishi. Instead, he looked towards the mountains nearby, seemingly lost in his own reverie.

He was quite pleased with the poem he had slowly composed earlier while chatting and laughing with everyone.

The lines included imagery such as: "…It was a moonless night in the hall, a deep and dark Cold Food Festival. Swallows among the beams, returning guests from former times. As if laughing at me, solitary behind closed doors… Scattered blossoms had fallen, and the scent of rue drifted from the neighboring courtyard, littering the ground in disarray…"

This was not a purely celebratory poem suited for the occasion. Zhou Bangyan was known for his evocative descriptions and often infused his poems with feelings of lament and sorrow. Earlier, the conversation had revolved around his time as an official in the capital, but he had since been dismissed. After discussing other topics and exchanging a few reflective remarks with others, his poetic inspiration had struck. He first wrote the initial two lines, and the rest gradually followed.

The poem depicted scenes from the Cold Food Festival. The lines, "It was a moonless night in the hall, a deep and dark Cold Food Festival," echoed Bai Juyi's poem "Cold Food Night," which stated, "A cold food night without moon or lamp, still standing before dark flowers late at night." Zhou Bangyan was adept at referencing earlier works and drawing emotional resonance from them, a distinctive feature of his poetry. After Li Shishi finished singing the first half, she slightly narrowed her eyes and began to sing the emotions of the second half of the poem, telling her story.

The lyrics continued: "…I long remember that time, when we met by chance, halting our carriages outside the city. And again, the Han palace passed on its candles, smoke drifting to the mansions of the five Marquises. Green duckweeds, confused paths. I forced myself to drink wine, tracing old footsteps. The city bridge was far away, the homes under the willows, still familiar."

The first half described present-day events, while the second half reminisced about the past, with the former setting the stage and the latter providing sublimation, creating a profound resonance. The lines, "And again, the Han palace passed on its candles, smoke drifting to the mansions of the five Marquises," were taken from Han Xu, a Tang Dynasty poet's "Cold Food Festival" poem: "No place in the spring city without flying blossoms, on Cold Food Day the east wind sweeps the imperial willows, at dusk the Han palace passes on wax candles, light smoke disperses into the homes of the five Marquises." This classical allusion was superbly used, making the entire poem truly a rare masterpiece.

Of course, if Ning Yi had been present, he might have chuckled a few times, and perhaps Pu Yangyi and others in the crowd were indeed smiling now. Earlier, Ning Yi had written the line, "There are thousands of kinds of people in the world; do not seek floating clouds," which was directed at Li Shishi. At this moment, he might have felt that writing lines praising Li Shishi would be somewhat sycophantic. So, to save face, he instead composed lines reminiscing about a former acquaintance. In essence, it conveyed: "I once had a girl who was like this or that…" implying that he was not someone utterly captivated by Li Shishi.

Regardless of these underlying intentions, only a few could discern such subtle thoughts. Ultimately, the poem was excellent. Once it was presented, it immediately overshadowed the works of everyone else. After Li Shishi finished singing, she savored the verses for a long time before finally lifting her fingers from the zither strings. Young women typically enjoyed works that recounted past romances. The others also applauded enthusiastically, their emotions stirred and unable to settle.

While Zhou Bangyan certainly had some minor underlying intentions when composing the poem, it was mostly a genuine expression of his feelings. After completing the second half, he genuinely recalled old friends and felt a faint sense of melancholy. When others praised him, he smiled and humbly demurred. Nevertheless, by that morning, his poem was undoubtedly the best work. Cao Guan had also composed a piece, but it fell short compared to "Yingtianchang." The title of "the capital's foremost literary talent" was well-deserved. Some jokingly tried to find Ning Yi's whereabouts, but naturally, he was nowhere to be found.

After a while, Zhou Bangyan found an opportune moment, opened his fan, and walked towards a nearby grove of trees. His mind was then occupied by past romances. Having temporarily gained the upper hand in the literary competition, he let his melancholic thoughts run wild, reaching a state akin to invincibility, wishing only for a worthy defeat. After walking for a bit, someone followed him from the side. "Brother Zhou is so deeply emotional," said a voice. "This little sister is truly moved." It was Li Shishi, her expression tinged with a slight sorrow.

Zhou Bangyan turned to look back. They had walked quite far, and the figures of the crowd were quickly disappearing through the gaps in the trees. "Shishi, shouldn't you be over there? It might not be appropriate to follow me like this."

"It's fine. Their competition just ended, and Shishi merely said she was coming to rest for a bit… Brother Zhou, 'the city bridge was far away, the homes under the willows, still familiar.' I wonder which young lady that refers to?"

"Haha, Shishi, you are so clever. You must know that when composing new poems, one sometimes has to feign sorrow or rely on imagination. How could I truly be 'still familiar' with a woman I've only met once?"

"In any case, Brother Zhou, your poem will likely claim the top prize at this literary gathering. It's just that it was unveiled too early; there's still half a day left, and others might find it hard to compete now."

"Shishi, you jest," Zhou Bangyan said, shaking his head with a smile, though a hint of pride shone in his eyes. He then added, "Hasn't that old friend of yours, the one 'still familiar,' not yet made his move? I wonder where he is now."

Li Shishi lowered her head slightly. "Little Brother Ning's poems are also good, but Brother Zhou's composition, both in its language and artistic conception, has reached an excellent level. Little Brother Ning's three poems are quite comparable to this one of yours. Moreover, Little Brother Ning has only written three poems in recent years. He must be the kind of person who enjoys refining his work, so it's unlikely he can produce a good poem at any moment."

These words placed Zhou Bangyan's poem on par with Ning Yi's three compositions. In truth, Zhou Bangyan knew that his "Yingtianchang" still had some disparity compared to those three. However, while Li Shishi’s words contained an element of flattery, she was also subtly acknowledging Ning Yi’s poetic talent, implying, "he might not be able to surpass you at this moment." Zhou Bangyan, hearing this, felt somewhat uneasy. He thought to himself, "I can effortlessly produce masterpieces, while he has only managed three in several years. Even if they are good, he can't compare to me now." The melancholic feeling he'd had earlier dissipated, replaced by a subtle desire for a contest. He thought that if he were to encounter Ning Liheng later, he would truly like to challenge him.

On the surface, he naturally maintained a smiling expression. He was also pleased that Shishi had managed to leave the others and come with him. They continued chatting as they walked deeper into the woods.

The grove was not very deep. As Zhou Bangyan and Li Shishi entered, Ning Yi was sitting on a rock, having asked Yunzhu, who was beside him, to take out a needle and thread to mend his clothes. They were bathed in sunlight, chatting idly.

Having spent so much time together, and being kindred spirits, they never lacked topics for conversation, be it daily life or trivial matters. They often had opportunities for private time, but Jin'er's disruptions were always quite deliberate. Now, they couldn't help but joke a bit about Jin'er's absence, saying she would probably come storming over to find them soon, and then remarking on the pleasant weather.

Yunzhu sat cross-legged beside him, sewing slowly, clearly savoring their time together. After chatting for a while, she asked, "You'll be leaving after the Lifu?"

Ning Yi had already told her that he and Su Tan'er would be traveling to Suzhou and Hangzhou. With the departure date approaching, Yunzhu naturally couldn't help but think about it. Ning Yi was silent for a moment, then nodded and said, "The exact departure date hasn't been set yet. It might be a little later."

Yunzhu smiled. "I just hope you come back soon." After a moment, she added, "If you don't come back, I might just follow you. Then, I'll open a shop in Hangzhou too."

"It won't take that long."

"Perhaps Miss Su will be pregnant, and with such a long journey, it might be inconvenient for her to return to Jiangning to await childbirth."

Yunzhu was more thoughtful, and when she brought up the possibility of Miss Su's pregnancy, Ning Yi pondered but didn't know how to respond. Yunzhu had a gentle disposition, and he understood that she had accepted her fate; he knew this. But discussing Su Tan'er in front of her always made Ning Yi feel dishonorable. Yunzhu looked at his expression, let out a soft giggle, and then her face flushed. "Otherwise, before you leave, why don't we... uh, that... uh..."

She spoke for a long time, but ultimately, her face only grew redder, unable to utter more words. Then she lowered her head, tied a knot, and bit off the thread. Ning Yi naturally knew what she was implying. "We'll have to find a way to avoid Jin'er. That girl sticks like glue. How can we get her out of the way for a long time...?"

Yunzhu naturally could not participate in Ning Yi's discussion of "how to get the guardian out of the way so I can 'eat' you." She subtly shifted her body, leaning her head and shoulder against Ning Yi. Since Ning Yi was sitting higher than her, he placed his hand on her other shoulder, then gently stroked her cheek. Her cheek was a little warm, and Yunzhu squinted her eyes contentedly.

"Actually... Jin'er really likes you..." Ning Yi sighed.

"Mm."

"Before I leave, if I'm gone for such a long time, and then someone else..."

Ning Yi spoke slowly, but before he finished, Yunzhu stirred her head slightly by his side, closing her eyes and softly saying, "Yunzhu is not a fickle woman. It might not be very honorable to say, but haven't I met enough men over the years? I only love you, and once I love, I won't change. Those things... it doesn't matter what happened before or after. Even if it's three or five years, I will still only love you. Liheng, I haven't thought about marrying into the Su family; just being accepted into the Ning family would be enough. Whether you marry me or not, if I bear your child in the future, he will still bear the Ning surname…"

She did not react intensely to Ning Yi's words. Her tone was calm and gentle, yet it carried her characteristic resilience. Ning Yi smiled, his fingers tracing her lips. She then chuckled, "It tickles."

"I'm sorry, I spoke wrongly."

"I'm not angry."

Yunzhu sat there, and after a moment, she chuckled again. "But you did really write a poem for Miss Li just now. I'm jealous…"

Her remark was, of course, a deliberate tease. Ning Yi chuckled, "Haha, they all said it was a terrible poem."

"I thought it was quite good, somewhat like those song lyrics you usually write… 'Outside the long pavilion, by the ancient road, green grass stretches to the horizon…'"

She hummed a few lines.

Their conversation was fragmented, not a rapid back-and-forth where one replied immediately after the other. The atmosphere was leisurely, and their words flowed naturally, spoken as thoughts occurred to them. While their earlier conversations had contained significant content, what followed was truly the tender talk between lovers. In a nearby thicket, two figures were quietly preparing to retreat. It was Zhou Bangyan and Li Shishi, who had inadvertently stumbled upon the scene. After listening for a while, they ultimately felt it was impolite.

Moreover, hearing him admit to having just written a "terrible poem," Li Shishi was somewhat bothered. After all, she was the capital's courtesan queen and a former acquaintance, yet he showed no respect by composing a "terrible poem" to merely go through the motions.

As they retreated a few steps, through the dappled shadows of the trees, they heard Ning Yi laugh wistfully, seemingly moved by the woman's words. After a moment, a few words drifted over. The voice was not loud, slow, as if he were thinking aloud: "A crescent moon… hanging on a sparse phoenix tree… Ah, the clepsydra ceases, people just settling down…"

Ah, these were lines of poetry.

They had never heard them before.