"Okay." I was really pushed to my limit by him, so I had no choice but to give him a perfunctory answer to get through this.
He smiled contentedly: "She's truly my good wife!"
I jumped, quickly wiping the goosebumps off my arm, and said, "Don't call me that."
"Then, Jiang Mo?"
"Jiang Mo!" I gasped, and said urgently, "I... can I not use the surname Jiang for now?"
"No, Jiang family."
Zombies! I was so scared that I got goosebumps all over and pleaded, "I, I don't want to."
He grinned and said, "Then, my wife!"
I weighed the options in my mind: ginger, zombie, wife. The latter, though a bit cheesy, was still warm and suitable. I had to choose the best of a bad bunch and go for it.
I was called "wife" the whole way, and by the time we reached the Qinhuai River, I was completely numb, without batting an eye. I experienced again the feeling I had when I chased after Yunzhou calling him "brother." His reluctance was so obvious then, but I took it as him not wanting to be related to me or get close, never realizing the deeper implications. I'm so foolish...
I've called him "brother" for years, but how could he know that I don't truly consider him a brother? Misunderstandings arise bit by bit, and my attempts to test him seem plausible but ultimately unsuccessful. Missing out isn't something that happens overnight; it happens gradually over time.
The riverside scenery is picturesque, teeming with tourists, a hundred times more bustling than a market. For Nanjing, the Qinhuai River is like a delicate flower adorning a woman's brow—charming and graceful, the finishing touch. The river flows on, its beauty enduring. I had long heard that the Qinhuai River is most vibrant during three major seasons each year: the Lantern Festival, the Dragon Boat Festival, and the Mid-Autumn Festival poetry gathering.
Jiang Chen pointed outside the sedan chair and said to me, "Xiao Mo, look, that's the Magpie Bridge, and that's the Star-Picking Platform."
I followed his finger and saw a magnificent and exquisite jade bridge spanning the river, leading directly to the other side. Willows swayed gently along the riverbank, their smoke rising thickly. Diagonally opposite the Magpie Bridge, a high platform stood majestically over the river, exuding an imposing aura. On the platform, pavilions resembled celestial palaces, their eaves delicate and precipitous, with the image of the nine sons of the dragon coiled atop them, their presence imposing and awe-inspiring.
Unfortunately, hundreds of armed guards stood imposingly by the bridge, their swords flashing and clashing, which clashed with the romantic atmosphere.
When the sedan chair reached the bridge, several guards stopped it.
Lady Qi alighted from her sedan chair and handed over a bronze token. The guards examined it carefully and then lifted the curtains of each sedan chair to check the interior before allowing her to proceed.
The four of us slowly stepped onto the stone bridge. I asked curiously, "What, is this dragon boat race just open to anyone who wants to watch?"
Jiang Chen said in a low voice, "No, that's not it. The people are all welcome to watch the dragon boat race, but the Emperor also wants to share the joy with the people, so he set up a checkpoint on the Magpie Bridge to keep ordinary people and other unrelated individuals off this side of the bridge. The Emperor only issued a bronze token to the princes in the capital, the ministers of the six ministries, and the top officials of the first and second secretaries, allowing them to bring their families to the Star-Picking Tower to watch the dragon boat race with the Emperor. Mother is carrying a bronze token given to her by her uncle. Her uncle has been with the Emperor these past few days, and you will see him later."
I was startled and stared wide-eyed: "You mean, I can actually see the Emperor today?"
Jiang Chen nodded: "Yeah, but with several barriers in between, all we can see is a blurry yellow shadow." After saying that, he leaned close to my ear and chuckled: "Besides, what's there to see? It snores at night, has eye boogers in the morning, and spends every day in the outhouse."
My face turned red. I was the one who said those things to him, and now he's using them against me.
He walked beside me, one hand behind his back, the other pointing to the Zhaixing Tower across the bridge: "This Zhaixing Tower was built in the year the Emperor ascended the throne. I heard that the Imperial Observatory observed the unusual phenomenon of the Emperor's star here and even found a meteorite with the inscription: 'Auspicious stars and celebratory clouds appear, a wise and enlightened ruler emerges.' So the Emperor liked this place very much and often came here to watch the lanterns on the river during the Lantern Festival."
I smiled noncommittally. The current emperor seized the throne from his nephew and was afraid that people would say he had usurped the throne, so he deliberately portrayed himself as the true Son of Heaven, and auspicious omens would appear from time to time throughout the country.
Walking on the Magpie Bridge, a gentle breeze stirs, causing clothes to flutter. Below the bridge, the Qinhuai River glistens like a ribbon, its current flowing gently, with several dragon boats moored on the other side.
Walking into the middle of the bridge, a vermilion wooden pillar is tied to the bridge railing, with an embroidered ball hanging from its top. A gentle breeze blows, making the embroidered ball flutter and float, surrounded by colorful ribbons, which is very beautiful.
Shao Rong asked, "Auntie, what is that?"
Lady Qi said in a low voice, "This is the Exquisite Pearl. Whoever picks this Exquisite Pearl later will be the champion of the dragon boat race."
"Isn't the dragon boat race under the bridge?"
Lady Qi said, "In this dragon boat race, the fastest rower is not necessarily the winner. Once under the bridge, someone on the dragon boat must shoot down the exquisite pearl with an arrow and catch it in their hand to be the victor. Therefore, there are many hidden masters on these dragon boats. The dragon boat race is just the prelude; the main event, the dragon pearl snatching, is extremely exciting!"
I looked up at the exquisite pearl. The river breeze was constant, and the pearl, hanging high up, kept swaying and fluttering. It was already extremely difficult to shoot it down with an arrow, and when it fell, everyone below the bridge could try to grab it, making it even harder to get their hands on. One wrong move and it would fall into the river.
So I couldn't help but sigh, "His Majesty really knows how to have fun. Isn't he just teasing people?"
Jiang Chen suppressed a laugh and looked around: "Shh, be careful what you say later. If you have any thoughts, we can talk about them at home."
After descending the last few steps of the Magpie Bridge and walking along the green stone path for a while, we arrived at the Star-Picking Tower. Here, security was even tighter, with guards every three steps, and soldiers fully armed with real swords and guns.
I suddenly felt a bit bored. Accompanying the emperor was really not as enjoyable as being squeezed together with the common people by the river.
After verifying the bronze plaque, we stepped up the stairs and slowly ascended to the high platform pavilion. The atmosphere became even more tense and reserved, and there was no sound.
The building was spacious and grand, divided into sections by carved and painted screens. Lady Qi led us to a section on the west side of the building. Through the thin gauze on the screen, we could vaguely see that people were already sitting next door, and we could hear them whispering.
Shao Rong asked softly, "Auntie, when does it start?"
"The ceremony will begin when the Emperor arrives from Xuanwu Gate, ascends the Zhaixing Tower, and personally rings the bronze bell."
I quietly looked across the street. The Star-Picking Tower was indeed an excellent spot for viewing the scenery. With the sun half-slanted across the sky, the scenery of the Qinhuai River was unobstructed. The Exquisite Pearl was right in front of the Star-Picking Tower, so I could clearly see how to snatch the pearl.
Suddenly, I saw someone walking towards me from the opposite side of the bridge.
I glanced at him unintentionally, but once my eyes fell on him, I couldn't look away!
He descended the steps with composure and grace, his bearing radiant and noble. A gentle breeze stirred his sleeves, the morning light shone brightly, and his figure, as swift as a soaring swan, astonished the seamless blend of water and sky, and deeply moved my very soul.
In an instant, several wisps of blue clouds seemed to rise slowly from the jade bridge, their smoke and mist blurring my vision. I unconsciously stood up, almost wanting to go forward and see them more clearly.
Is this scene real? An illusion? A dream? Or waking up?
I can barely breathe...
The man who snatched the pearl asks for a marriage.
Every step he took felt like it was treading on my heart. With each step, my heart pounded wildly, like a torrent rushing forth, leaping out of a gorge. The raging waves were insufficient to describe the turmoil within me. In my shock, everything around me seemed still as stagnant water, empty and boundless, except for that figure, drawing ever closer, until it was right before my eyes.