Cuando el amor se acerca, es como la nieve

Capítulo 49

I asked in surprise, "Is this the Jade Dust Grotto?"

Shang Shaochang laughed and said, "That's right, didn't you see that there's snow all around?"

I said, "But there's nothing there except snow."

Shang Shao pointed ahead and said, "Aren't there still plum blossoms over there?"

I let out a soft exclamation and jogged to the spot Shang Shaozhang had pointed to. The place where we stood was where Shang Shaozhang had led me to leap into a sunlit cave. Inside, there was a small crack, just wide enough for one person to pass through. Passing through the crack, a vast expanse of world stretched before us. We had reached the back of the cliff, a place also filled with ice and snow, not a speck of earth visible. In this frigid place, even birds were scarce, yet hundreds of plum trees grew silently in the snow. A gentle mountain breeze stirred, raising snow dust and countless petals that drifted gently down, mingling with the snowflakes. The air was filled with the unique, cool fragrance of plum blossoms, refreshing and invigorating. Suddenly, I felt isolated from the world, as if I were in a celestial realm.

I ran to the plum tree and gently picked up a petal to examine it closely. I couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "These... these hundreds of plum trees are all of the famous 'Green Calyx' variety!"

The flower in my hand has snow-white petals, but the center of the petals reveals a hint of tender green. It is clearly the extremely rare "Green Calyx" variety of plum blossom! Not to mention that such a flower tree is priceless, it is as difficult as climbing to heaven for ordinary people to even see it. Yet, in this uninhabited snow-capped mountain, there are hundreds of them growing. How can one not be astonished!

Shang Shaochang remained calm and said, "Of course, the plum blossoms of the Three Wonders of Plum Valley are the best."

(This chapter is complete. Please wait for the next chapter, Chapter Twenty-Five: My First Visit to Baishuibin.)

I apologize, but due to work and study reasons, I only access the internet in the office for updates.

Chapter Twenty-Five: I Once Walked Alone Along the White Waterfront

I looked around and saw a plum blossom grove, its branches sculpted from ice and snow. Among the dense branches, there wasn't a single person in sight. I wondered where the legendary Three Wonders of Plum Valley were. I turned to look at Shang Shaochang, my eyes filled with doubt.

Shang Shaozhang chuckled softly, then suddenly took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "Old man Feng, come out and greet the guests!"

I was standing right next to Shang Shaochang, and I didn't think he was shouting or yelling, but when I heard him exhale, it was like a clap of thunder in a clear spring sky! Instantly, the plum branches in front moved without any wind, and the petals scattered all over the ground, making the cool fragrance in the air even more intoxicating.

As soon as Shang Shaochang finished speaking, a voice suddenly rang out from inside the plum grove:

"Young Master Shang, how have you been?" The voice was gentle and pleasant, yet it didn't sound old at all. This person spoke from deep within the plum grove, and although he wasn't as domineering as Young Master Shang, his voice was as clear and distinct as if it were right next to his ear. Young Master Shang called him "Old Man Feng," but he didn't seem to get angry at all; his tone was soft and elegant, showing great poise.

Shang Shaochang smiled and said, "I'm fine, I've brought you a nice gift this time."

The voice was surprised and said, "Brother Shang has come from afar, and I am already overjoyed. There is no need for a gift. How could I possibly accept it?"

Shang Shaozhang said, "It's alright, it's alright. This time I've brought you a disciple to continue the lineage of your 'Ju Xue' and ensure that there's no one to carry on the tradition." He added, "If it's convenient, you can also pass on your remaining skills to her."

This time, the people in the plum grove lost their temper and snapped, "Nonsense!" Their voices were stern, and the surrounding air seemed to grow colder. Shang Shaochang, however, remained unperturbed and said seriously, "If you don't agree this time, you may regret it for the rest of your life! Right now, the only weapons that can rival my Autumn Water Sword, besides 'Returning Wind,' are your 'Ju Xue.' Do you really want this famous weapon to accompany you to your grave?"

The man from the plum grove remained silent for a long time, until he finally spoke slowly: "Indeed, if there is anyone who can counter your Autumn Water Blade, it is only my 'Ju Xue'." He paused, then added: "If I were to truly bestow Ju Xue upon someone close to you, wouldn't you be afraid that he would use Ju Xue against your blade?"

Shang Shaochang chuckled softly, turned to look at me, and his voice unconsciously softened: "She... would never point her sword at me."

The man from Plum Valley slowly said, "Alright, then let me test you to see the truth. How can I choose my disciple based on your opinion alone?"

Shang Shaozhang laughed and said, "That's right, we should test him. But I bet he's the best successor I've found for you."

The man in Plum Valley laughed heartily: "Is that really so?" His laughter was quite cheerful, but suddenly his voice turned serious, and he said: "Very well! Then please let that young lady listen to the music, and then we can make a decision."

I stood silently to the side, listening to Shang Shaochang and Mei Gu Sanjue's back-and-forth conversation. It wasn't until Mei Gu Sanjue said "this young lady" that I was taken aback and exclaimed, "How does he know I'm a woman?"

Shang Shaochang said mischievously, "Do you think these plum blossoms are planted here just for decoration? Since the Three Wonders of Plum Valley are named after plum blossoms, they must also include plum blossoms. Planting these plum blossoms here is actually an extremely powerful formation. If an ordinary person who does not know how to set up a formation enters, they would probably never be able to get out in their lifetime. But this old man Feng walks on it as if it were flat ground. Perhaps while we were talking, he had already come out of the formation to secretly look at you."

The man from Plum Valley said, "You're talking nonsense! Why would I secretly watch people? When I look at people, it's perfectly aboveboard." Then he changed the subject and said, "It's just that none of you noticed."

Upon hearing this, Shang Shaozhang and I could only exchange a wry smile. Then we heard the man from Plum Valley say, "This piece is one I recently composed. For the first question, please guess the name of this piece, young lady."

Shang Shaozhang exclaimed in surprise, "How can others know the name of your new composition? This is too unfair!"

The man from Plum Valley sneered, "There are already many injustices in the world." Then he said no more.

In the cold, fragrant plum grove, the faint sound of a zither suddenly drifted out. The music flowed gently, growing louder as it approached. The zither's tone was exceptionally clear and melodious, possessing a quality akin to the striking of metal or stone. This mountain valley was rarely visited, even by birds. The person in this plum valley was tuning their zither, accompanied by the gentle breeze and the delicate fragrance of plum blossoms. If the music was of high quality, it sounded exceptionally good, especially considering the player's exquisite skill! I had only heard Qin Louyue's pipa playing during the Spring Festival celebrations on the Qinhuai River, a performance that was unparalleled, almost reaching the pinnacle. But hearing this piece, one of the three wonders of the plum valley, was worlds apart! The music subtly conveyed a sense of lofty solitude, a reclusive and otherworldly spirit. Before my eyes, a picture appeared: green plum blossoms defying the snow and frost amidst the cold wind and white snow! The melody looped and lingered, each repetition evoking a sense of purity and elegance. As if understanding the music, the green calyxes before me swayed gently in the wind, their petals dancing in the breeze. Unconsciously, my hair and clothes were adorned with the fragrant, snow-white petals.

Three Variations on Plum Blossom! This is a famous piece of music that has been passed down through the ages: Three Variations on Plum Blossom!

I stood there, stunned, listening to the melodious music drifting towards me, utterly astonished! In my youth, I had heard this guqin piece on a tape recorder, especially the few chimes of the chime bells, which were ethereal and unforgettable. For the next ten years or so, I would listen to this heavenly music several times a week. But I never dreamed that, eight hundred years later, in the Song Dynasty, I would hear this timeless masterpiece again, played by the three masters of Meigu! Although I don't understand music, I've listened to this piece for over ten years, and I can practically hum it with my eyes closed. The music was melodious and graceful, cleansing the soul; its exquisite elegance surpasses even the most advanced modern recording technology! Especially the overtones, so smooth and unobstructed, truly a stroke of genius. And here, outside the icy cliffs, amidst the plum grove, hearing this celestial music, I truly lost all sense of place.

I removed the jade hairpin that bound my hair, and my waist-length hair cascaded down my shoulders. Holding the hairpin lightly in my hand, I gently tapped it against the icy cliff. The clear sound of the jade striking the solid ice carried with the melody, yet lingered softly at the gentlest points of the music. The jade's sound intertwined with the melody, accompanied by the gentle mountain breeze, the drifting white clouds, the melody falling softly, and the jade's gentle tapping. At that moment, I truly felt like a celestial being in the mortal world!

In a daze, my body and soul were completely immersed in this exquisite music. Then the melody shifted, lingering subtly between emotion and indifference. Holding the jade hairpin, I found myself singing aloud:

"I once walked alone by the Baishui River, where the first plum blossoms and the lingering snow were both enchanting."

The jade-like branches resemble skin coated with cream, their fragrance already detectable by the night.

Let us carry wine and invite friends to stroll under the trees, where we can get drunk together among the flowers and forget our worries.

Why bother with a blanket to hide the cold? Just breathe on the red inkstone and apply it to your lips.

Crimson petals flutter in the wind as they begin to fall, jade stamens lean against the railing, half-sending forth their fragrance.

The gentle tapping of the golden bell carries the melody far and wide, while the soft strumming of the xylophone produces a resounding melody.

The frost-covered petals feel no cold, and one can smile or frown at people with grace.

The song harmonizes with the green ants' voices and the moon's murmur; by day, one hears the green words, and by night, the zither's melody.

I have stayed here since the beginning of this year, and it has been springtime since I last saw Brother Mei.

The winding path leads deep into the cold cliff, where slender branches gently part in the snow.

An old sparrow carries a bud in its beak and sings high in the tree; a new bud half-opens in the light clouds.

His songs are unparalleled and independent, transcending the mundane and remaining aloof from the crowd.

Clad in ice and snow, clear and cold; nourished by morning dew, diligent and attentive.

To truly understand this, one must indulge in wine; only after witnessing the profusion of flowers can one find contentment.

As the melody fades and the sound grows fainter, the more bewildered one becomes, the more sorrowful the wind seems.