Untouchable Lovers

Chapter 111: Chapter 103: Can Purify the Heart_2

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“Look at that secluded spot by the Qi River, where the green bamboos are luxuriant. A gentleman of virtue, as if carved and polished, as if cut and ground…” Wang Yizhi felt a sense of familiarity with the singing, and after careful thought, realized that the voice belonged to Rong Zhi, whom he had met once before. Now, as Rong Zhi sang with his zither, his tone seemed carefree, yet as if it might break through the air at any moment.

“…Look at that Qi River’s quiet spot, where the green bamboos are like a mat. A gentleman of integrity, like gold and tin, like jade and a jade disc…” After singing the lines several times, the sound of the zither suddenly dropped, becoming almost a solo by Rong Zhi. His voice soared higher and higher within the bamboo grove, as if riding the wind and ascending into the clouds, layer upon layer. Then, just as it reached its peak, the voice faded abruptly, while the zither’s strings sang once more, fainter and fainter, until all was silent, as if an immortal had leisurely rested in the bamboo forest, and after a long cry, had floated away again.

As the music ceased, everyone slowly came back to reality. However, no sooner had they regained their senses than they discovered an extraordinary fragrance permeating the air. It was neither the scent of flowers nor the familiar spices used for incense. The aroma was clean, with a slight astringency, yet so refreshing that it blended seamlessly with the natural fragrance of the bamboo leaves, without a hint of dissonance.

Unable to contain his curiosity, Wang Xiang asked, “What is this aroma?”

Huan Yuan, who was leisurely approaching Jiran, heard the question and continued his unhurried pace, responding, “This is the fragrance of tea.”

“Tea?” Everyone was astonished, including Wang Yizhi, who couldn’t help but be surprised, “How can tea be so fragrant?”

At that time, people almost always boiled leaves to make tea, also adding sesame seeds, salt, melon seeds, and peach kernels—various mix-ins. Chu Yu almost spat out the first cup of tea she had tried at this place. Later, she came to understand that tea from this era was very different from that of later times. Through certain opportunities, she conceived this idea.

Having Huan Yuan, a poet, was certainly good, but to gain more fame, there was nothing better than promoting a culture and truly establishing an irreplaceable stature for oneself. Tea and alcohol at the time were still in the primitive stage, with much room for improvement. Trying out genuine tea or distilled spirits was an option, but Chu Yu was not fond of alcohol, and adding a group of drunkards was not beneficial to her—thus she chose tea as her weapon, using this gathering to promote the tea culture she knew.

Whether it was the tranquil bamboo forest, the guiding scholars, the monks brewing tea, or the combination of zither playing and singing, with the accumulation of more than ten centuries of aesthetic appreciation and combining current popular concepts, Chu Yu took elegance to the extreme and performed a show to perfection.

In the end, the tea was brewed for everyone by Huan Yuan and Jiran. In the delicate porcelain tea cups, the green tea was crystal-clear, a stark contrast to the murky teas of the time. Floating in the tea were a few fine leaves, charming and delightful.

Wang Yizhi picked up a cup of tea, took a small sip, and found the tea light in flavor, with a hint of astringency. As it swirled in the mouth, it turned into an aroma that lingered and twirled, cooling, even though the tea was hot. Upon swallowing, it left behind a clear and distant sense of refreshment, dispelling the heat.

Wang Yizhi, with his eyes half-closed, let out a gentle sigh, and turned to Huan Yuan, “This was Brother Zichu’s doing, wasn’t it? Wang Yizhi thought he had been drinking tea for over twenty years, but now it seems like this is the first time I’ve truly tasted tea.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on ɴονǤօ.сօ

To the side, Wang Xiang was astonished. With such high praise from Wang Yizhi, this “Yu Zichu” who had yet to appear would become famous throughout Jiankang by the next day. Driven by curiosity, he too could not resist taking a sip like Wang Yizhi; at first, he thought little of it, but after a moment, he too was stunned.

As the lid of the tea cup was set aside, Wang Yizhi seemed preoccupied with other thoughts, not immersing himself in the fragrance of tea like the rest. He casually lifted the lid to cover the cup, but upon lifting it, he noticed five words written in smooth, graceful script on the underside, circling around the center. The spacing between the two neighboring words was almost identical, and the five words were: can, be, cleanse, mind, also.

Wang Yizhi read softly, “Can be cleanse mind also?” ‘Can be cleanse mind’—these five words inscribed on the underside of the tea cup lid couldn’t be more apt.

Others nearby also noticed the words on the lid, read them aloud, “Cleanse mind also can be.”

Another person continued, “Also can be cleanse mind.”

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Three distinct readings sparked everyone’s interest, and it wasn’t until after re-examining them that they realized, following a certain fixed direction, no matter which character you started with, they all formed a complete sentence with similar meaning.

Even though Wang Yizhi’s eyes still held a hint of worry, he couldn’t help but smile appreciatively at the ingenuity.

Next, Chu Yu never showed up, but it was Wang Yizhi and Jiran who engaged in conversation with the guests. These two were graceful and had an extraordinary presence, one with remarkable literary grace well-versed in classics and history, the other deeply knowledgeable in Buddhism and had also dabbled in Confucian philosophy. After several deep discussions, they left everyone at the gathering full of admiration.

It wasn’t until the sun began to set in the west that the guests started to leave reluctantly. Although Chu Yu had not appeared at all, the name Yu Zichu had taken root in everyone’s hearts henceforth.

Wang Xiang was very curious to see what Yu Zichu looked like and couldn’t help but ask Huan Yuan before leaving, “May I ask, where is our host Yu Zichu exactly?”

Before Huan Yuan could answer, a nearby scholar laughed, “Wang Xiang, have you become too worldly? We came here in high spirits and leave contented. Whether we see Brother Zichu or not, what does it matter?” Then came a round of hearty laughter, leaving Wang Xiang with a flushed face, no longer daring to bring up meeting Chu Yu.

Almost all the guests had left, except for one exception—Wang Yizhi. He was the last to leave, and after everyone else had departed, he stood by the door, turned around and asked Huan Yuan, “Where is Rong Zhi?”

During the earlier performance of music and singing, perhaps others did not notice, but he could tell that Rong Zhi’s last segment of singing, the last vowel sound, was not deliberately cut off, but seemed as if something had forcefully interrupted it, the breath cut short involuntarily, and the music was not prearranged but played in response to the situation.

What happened to Rong Zhi?

Wang Yizhi had been patient until now to finally ask.

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It’s so hard to find the right music and songs online, I searched on Baidu for more than an hour and couldn’t find anything to match the scene, so I had no choice but to use Poetry as a placeholder.

Today’s chapter is a bit lengthy. I took longer writing it and posted it late… After playing with elegance for two chapters, I’ve reached my limit. This is the best I can write… After today, “Yu Zichu” has established his position in the circle of the eminent. It’s time to start acting freely.

Here’s a recommendation for a new book for the July pk:

The new work of Ai Dazhuishui De Chong: “Accidentally Running into a God”, book number: 1024237

I, Ling Yujin, have returned!

http://www.qidian.com/book/1024237.aspx