Upon hearing the words "Thunderbolt Hall," Mo Xi immediately guessed that the other party had used gunpowder to try and hunt the white-tailed eagle. He thought to himself, "This girl is quite domineering. She says she likes it, yet she's willing to injure it with gunpowder just to get her hands on it." He then politely bowed to Ouyang Jin and addressed her as "Miss Ouyang."
Ouyang Jin glanced at Mo Xi and saw that her features were plain and unremarkable, she was wearing a light blue cotton coat, with no jewelry around her waist or neck, only a simple jade hairpin, and no earrings. He was relieved. Ignoring Mo Xi, he said to Tang Huan, "Brother Tang, you recognize her, that's great. Tell her to give me that eagle."
Just then, Tang De caught up with her and said respectfully to Ouyang Jin, "Miss Ouyang was having tea in the flower hall and instructed this old servant to go find the sect leader, but she disappeared as soon as she turned around, leaving this old servant to search for her for quite a while."
Ouyang Jin brushed the fine snow off his shoulder impatiently and said dismissively, "You, the steward, only asked me to let you know that Brother Tang had arrived, but you didn't come back for a long time. I waited for ages before I came out to look for you myself. And you're blaming me first."
Tang De noticed that Mo Xi was also present, and his heart skipped a beat. He knew something was wrong, but he didn't argue. He just said, "This old servant wouldn't dare." After saying that, he just stood aside with his head down, waiting for Tang Huan's instructions.
Just then, another woman approached slowly, holding a blue silk oil-paper umbrella. She wore a blue satin cloak embroidered with colorful crabapple blossoms, a silver hairpin adorned with butterflies and flowers, a moon-white satin jacket, and a plain white silk skirt. A five-petaled red plum blossom was painted between her brows, and her phoenix eyes were filled with tender emotion. Standing in the snow, she was as elegant as a pear tree amidst a flurry of snowflakes. Upon closer inspection, her appearance bore a striking resemblance to Ouyang Jin.
She smiled before speaking, her smile containing a touch of just the right amount of charm, and her voice was like raindrops in March, soft and bright with a hint of alluring warmth: "My sister has been rude, please forgive her, Sect Leader Tang." The umbrella handle turned slightly and then said to Mo Xi, "Please forgive me, Miss Mu."
Mo Xi said softly, "It's alright." In her heart, she thought: What a pair of beautiful twin sisters, each with their own unique charm!
Tang Huan said to Tang De, "Master De, please take the two young ladies to the flower hall for tea first. I will be there shortly."
Although Ouyang Jin was unwilling, she moved her lips but ultimately said nothing and followed Tang De away.
Tang Huan said apologetically to Mo Xi, "Although the Tang Clan and the Thunderbolt Hall have business dealings, I was unaware that those two young ladies would be visiting today, so I had to go and entertain them. I apologize for spoiling their enjoyment." He regretted his words as soon as they left his mouth. They sounded reasonable, but were undeniably too formal and polite. Thinking of this, he felt a surge of anxiety, unsure how to make amends.
Mo Xi smiled slightly and said, "Sect Leader Tang, you're too kind. Please make yourself at home."
When Tang Huan heard her address her that way, she felt a lump in her throat. She wanted to say something, but didn't know how to put it. After hesitating for a long time, she finally left first.
Seeing him walk away, Mo Xi whistled, summoning the eagle down. Once it landed at her feet, she squatted down and examined it carefully again, making sure there was nothing wrong. Then she instructed, "Be a good boy and play by yourself these next few days. Don't come looking for me, and don't let anyone see you. Otherwise, you'll be blown up and used as a snack. Understand?" The eagle nuzzled Mo Xi's hand affectionately with its neck, though it was unclear whether it understood.
Mo Xi whistled, signaling it to fly away. The eagle circled Mo Xi low twice before soaring into the sky. Watching its form grow smaller and smaller, Mo Xi thought: The Little Prince tamed a rose, watering, fertilizing, and weeding it daily. To him, this rose was unlike any other rose in the world. I originally thought I wasn't the Little Prince. Even if I were the only person in the world, I wouldn't tame a rose. Simply because I know that once tamed, it's for a lifetime, and a lifetime is far too long. Someone like me, who doesn't know what tomorrow holds, how could I entrust my life to someone? However, since you are now my rose, I will absolutely not allow anyone to bully you.
A note from the author: The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry (France).
Cat really likes this sad but not tragic adult fairy tale book.
It's past midnight. Yay!
"Fallen plum blossoms lie scattered like snow on the steps; I brush them off, yet I am still covered in them." — Li Yu, "Qing Ping Le"
Left hand Right hand
( ) Qinghui Pavilion.
Tang De stood with his head bowed, waiting for Tang Huan's instructions. However, the Fourth Young Master was clearly not focused on the report on the acquisition of medicinal herbs from various regions; rather, he was unusually distracted. The report was only two pages long, but Tang Huan had spent a full incense stick's time reading it and had not yet given his approval.
Tang De chuckled inwardly, but having watched this young master grow up, he couldn't bear to see him suffer so much, and couldn't help but cough lightly. Seeing that Tang Huan had come to his senses, to avoid embarrassing him, he said, "The accommodations for the two Miss Ouyangs have been arranged..." Tang De hesitated for a moment, then added, "But now that Miss Mu has finally arrived, this..."
Tang Huan frowned, tapping the white jade double-headed dragon-tiger paperweight on the table with her index finger, and said decisively, "It's not advisable to offend the Thunderbolt Hall for now. Be careful not to let the two Miss Ouyangs offend her. There's no need to invite her to the welcoming banquet tonight; let Green Cloud accompany her."
Just as Tang De was about to accept the order and leave, Tang Huan said again, "Please wait a moment, Master De. Let's ask Miss Mu to come along."
Although Tang De didn't understand why Tang Huan had changed his mind at the last minute, he knew that no one could make such a decision for him, so he nodded and left.
After Tang De left, Tang Huan stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the setting sun and fine snow outside, remaining motionless for a long time.
When Mo Xi accompanied Lü Yun to the banquet, the Ouyang sisters had already arrived. Ouyang Jin had changed into a light pink long dress with ruffled cuffs and a skirt that resembled overlapping lotus petals, making her look as delicate as a flower bud. Her elder sister, on the other hand, hadn't changed her clothes, but wore two lustrous jade bracelets on her left wrist, which jingled with every movement, making her skin appear even more radiant.
The banquet seating arrangement was quite interesting. Instead of the round table that had been set up a few days earlier when the Immortal Elder was still there, each person had a small table and a couch. Tang Huan naturally sat in the center, with the Ouyang sisters, as the main guests, on either side. Ouyang Jin was on the right, and Ouyang Hui was on the left.
Ouyang Jin said, "Brother Tang, why don't you let Sister Hui sit next to me? It'll be easier for us sisters to talk."
Ouyang Hui laughed and said, "I'm afraid you won't have time to talk to me for a while." Then she said to Tang Huan, "Sect Leader Tang's arrangement is very good, there's no need to change it."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Jin lowered his head, tightened his belt, and remained silent for a moment.
As soon as Mo Xi sat down, Mu Fengting, who was supposed to sit at the table next to Ouyang Jin, suddenly walked to Mo Xi's side and said with a smile to Lü Yun, "I would like to trouble this young lady to move my seat over here. Miss Mu's hand injury has not yet healed, and I am really worried about her. I need to keep an eye on her."
Green Cloud couldn't help but look at Tang Huan, only to see that Ouyang Jin was talking to him and didn't seem to be paying attention to what was happening here. Seeing that Mo Xi didn't object, Green Cloud sighed and had no choice but to do as he was told.
After the meal began, the dishes were served one after another. Everyone else's dishes were the same, except for Mo Xi's. The tableware was the same, but the dishes themselves were still mainly light and simple. For example, on this light-colored porcelain plate with flowers and birds, while everyone else had honey-glazed pigeon, Mo Xi had a steamed mandarin fish.
Mu Fengting sat to Mo Xi's left. Before she could even make a move, he moved the entire plate in front of him, took out his ever-present jeweled dagger, and poured the wine from the table over the blade before beginning to work. Mo Xi watched as he quickly removed the entire fish bone and pulled it out, leaving the remaining fish meat seemingly untouched, still resembling a whole fish. She couldn't help but admire him greatly.
Mu Fengting smiled and placed the plate back in front of her, saying, "If you can still find fish bones, I'll let you do whatever you want with me."
Mo Xi laughed and said, "It's a deal. If you find a fish bone in your food, you'll be punished with your best dish."
Full of hope, Mu Fengting asked, "Is it cooking?"
Mo Xi shook her head and said, "Tell a story." She thought to herself: Luckily, this guy didn't think of his job and had the idea of interviewing her again.
Mu Fengting shrugged, feigning defeat, and said, "I thought you were still thinking about my cooking." He paused, then his eyes lit up again, and he said, "I know what story you want to hear. Is it about Tang Yi's parents?"
Mo Xi chuckled and said, "Hmm. Smart."
The two were chatting happily when suddenly there was a loud slap, followed by Ouyang Jin's delicate cry: "Brother Tang, your hand!" Seeing her tearful eyes and her grief-stricken expression, anyone who didn't know better would have thought that Tang Huan had a terminal illness.
For some reason, the small blue-and-white porcelain cup in Tang Huan's hand suddenly shattered, cutting his hand as well, and a string of blood slowly seeped from his palm. Seeing this, Green Cloud couldn't help but exclaim softly, "Fourth Young Master!"
Tang Huan stood up and said calmly, "Excuse me for a moment, everyone please make yourselves at home." Green Cloud, worried about him, followed him.
As Ouyang Jin was about to get up and follow, Tang De said warmly, "Miss Ouyang is an honored guest, please have some more. The sect leader instructed us this morning to treat her well."
Having no other choice, Ouyang Jin had to patiently sit down.
However, Tang Huan left and never returned, causing Ouyang Jin to lose interest. He ate only a little and hoped the meal would end soon so he could go see him. It would be impolite for the guests to continue eating heartily while the host was away. Therefore, the others also finished their meals hastily.
As the party ended, Ouyang Hui stared thoughtfully at Mo Xi's departing figure.
Mu Fengting's residence was at Yunxia Terrace, yet he still took a long detour to escort Mo Xi back to Chongyao Terrace.
Mo Xi sighed regretfully, "I really didn't get to eat a single fish bone just now. It seems I won't be able to hear this story."