Chapter 157 - Self-Awareness
Chapter 157 Self-Awareness
To put it more seriously, this was because the three of them looked for trouble and had actually messed up with a poetry genius. However, they were easily humiliated by his several words. In the future, no matter when and where, anyone who mentioned the allusion of the two sentences would inevitably mention the three who were regarded as a foot plate.
Of course, more people were shocked by Li Mu’s poetry talent.
“This boy, where does he come from? Considering such excellent poetry talent, why haven’t we known him before?”
“Is he a foreigner?”
“Tonight, perhaps we will witness the birth of a poetry legend.”
Some people started to talk about it.
With a gloomy face and evil eyes, Lin Qiushui clenched his teeth and stood on the spot. Finally, he made a decision and signal at that short scholar to come here. He then whispered to the scholar, “Quickly. You must tell the teacher. This matter concerns the centurial fame of our Hanshan Academy.”
The short scholar quickly left.
Liu Muyang, the chief disciple of Fengming Academy on one side, also reacted.
He also called a confidant classmate at the same time, whispering something.
Tonight, no matter what means would be taken, the situation must be reversed. Otherwise, once the news spread, he, the chief disciple, would be completely infamous, and Fengming Academy would also be affected. This was not a trivial matter. It would even affect his future career in the royal court.
The scholar of Fengming Academy also rushed away.
The arrogant scholar, Song Qingfei, was temperamental and standing motionlessly, and no one knew what he was thinking. But his eyes were resentful and his look gloomy. Obviously, he was not reconciled, and was planning.
Most people in the hall did not leave.
Because when they saw the behavior of the chief disciples of the two academies, they knew that this was not over yet.
If the arrogant young man had no background and connection, he would be in trouble tonight, serious trouble.
…
…
The young maid pushed open the door and led Li Mu into it.
In the room, there was a faint scent of orchids, which was very smelly and refreshing.
Li Mu looked around curiously.
In the quaint room, every piece of furniture in need was placed, all of which were made of exquisitely crafted light-colored wood. The carved patterns were vivid, but there were no obvious feminine features. The only feature was numerous books.
On the left and right sides of the wall stood bookshelves, which were full of books, and he could even smell a faint ink fragrance. Li Mu could use his keen eyes to see at a glance that these books were not just decoration, but were often read by people. Although they were well protected, the edges of the pages were worn out.
All of this showed that the owner of the room loved books and liked reading.
In addition to the many books, another feature in the room was numerous flowers.
It was a kind of lavender orchid. There were more than 10 pots of it, which were placed in different positions in the room. Most of them had already bloomed, whose leaves were slender and branches soft. As they were gently floating, people couldn’t help but admire them, and the faint scent of flowers in the room was emitted from the stamens of orchid, with a unique scent.
Other than that, there were no obvious women’s objects.
If he had not already known that this was the oiran’s room in the brothel, Li Mu would really think that he came to the study room of a noble literary recluse.
The little maid took Li Mu to pass through the room and came to another room that was connected.
Here it was a tea room, decorated elegantly and filled with an intoxicating tea flavor.
A girl, dressed in a chest skirt and quietly sitting behind the tea table, was making tea, whose movements were gentle, naturally and smoothly, having a unique sense of beauty. Her beautiful hair was like a cloud, and as dark as ink. As she sat on a rush cushion, her ankle-reaching hair, like a group of dark clouds, spread out layer by layer around her, forming a black circle.
Against the black hair, the girl’s skin was extremely white, which seemed to be glittering slightly. Her delicate oval face was small, like an innocent jade. Her nose was so exquisite and straight as if carved by a great artist, and her mouth was like a little cherry…
For a moment, Li Mu felt himself absent-minded for her.
How should he put it? Any of the five features of this girl was extremely exquisite, and when combined together, they did not offer a kind of threatening, flamboyant and cold feeling, but a kind and gentle one. People could not help but want to be close to her.
Not the threatening beauty.
It was gentle beauty.
In Li Mu’s mind rose two such sentences at once.
“Miss, Young Master has arrived,” the little maid said, sat very nicely on one side and began to boil water to help the girl make tea.
Li Mu knew that the girl behind the tea table was the ace of Wensheng Chamber, Master Hua Xiangrong.
“Young Master, please sit down. I take the tea for the sake of wine to toast Young Master. Thanks to Young Master today, in the Wensheng Chamber, making this Beauty Poem,” as Hua Xiangrong spoke, her voice was soft and nice, which, like the orchid in the wind, made people’s heart melt.
Li Mu smiled, sat down, took the teacup, took a sip, and then drank it.
When he took the cup, their fingers touched, so he felt a faint coldness from the girl’s fingertips, like a piece of ice.
After he finished tea, the atmosphere was a bit dull.
Li Mu did not have experience in this aspect and did not know what to say.
This was… There was a faint scent that was different from the orchid fragrance slowly coming here. Li Mu subconsciously inhaled and was shocked a bit. He immediately realized that this was the virgin scent of Hua Xiangrong, so he couldn’t help throbbing a bit.
Before time-traveling, he was a junior high school student from a rural area of an ordinary and small city. Was there any chance for him to face such a beautiful woman so close?
Especially, the ethos in Western Qin was open, so women wore the chest skirts which were low-necked and similar to the low-cut dresses on the earth. Thus, the white and clear groove between Hua Xiangrong’s chest was even close enough to touch, leading Li Mu, who initially pretended to be calm, to gradually become a bit unbearable and blushed.
He felt that facing such a beautiful woman was even more stressful than facing masters like Wei Chong.
“Young Master seems to be a bit ill at ease?” Hua Xiangrong spoke with a slight smile, looking picturesque.
Li Mu smiled and didn’t hide anything. He said, “This is the first time I came to the brothel.”
In Hua Xiangrong’s eyes, there was a hint of surprise, and it immediately turned into a sly smile. She said, “Young Master’s poetry talent is amazing. Tonight, you made the Beauty Poem which was excellent enough to be passed down for generations for me. I am grateful. I have nothing to repay you, but cook tea for Young Master. Please.”
Li Mu thought that the next sentence after “nothing to repay you” should be “but my body”. Why was it “cook tea for you”? This girl looked beautiful, but she did not handle things according to common sense.
He didn’t study how to taste tea, so he drank it all for once like a cow chewing a peony.
The little maid, called Xin’er, shook her head and looked at Li Mu. She found that although Young Master’s poem was amazing, in terms of etiquette and tea ceremony, he was ignorant, who had no legendary domineering demeanor of the scholars, but instead, like a dull goose, unromantic.
Hua Xiangrong didn’t have any contempt for him but felt that he was interesting and sincere. Then, she gently raised her elbow to pour another cup of tea for Li Mu, saying, “I don’t know the name of Young Master.”
Li Mu almost told her.
But he thought that this time, he just came to have a look and to broaden his vision instead of really wanting to do something. He just happened to meet this beautiful woman in front of him, so the chances of something happening between them later should be small. Thus, it was meaningless even if she knew his name.
So he smiled and said, “We who share the same misfortune sympathize each other whether we have met before… I am just a nameless man. Tonight, I coincidently wrote this poem, so I am fortunate to be able to see Master Hua. Since you and I are from different worlds, the name has no meaning. It’s nothing but a code,” Li Mu meant that he was from the earth, and within 20 years, he would go back. Hence, now that they were from two different worlds, they would not have too much intersection.
Hua Xiangrong was amazed since she didn’t expect such an answer.
The little maid, Xin’er, beside her raised her head and looked surprised as well with her small cute face.
Nevertheless, as she took a careful look at Li Mu’s clothing which was made of quite ordinary cloth, she found there was no valuable decoration on his clothes. It was estimated that he was not from a large family, let alone a noble family. Perhaps he was just a poor scholar passing by, so Xin’er felt that Li Mu answered like that because he thought he was born in a humble family. Today, he purely got lucky when he was able to go upstairs. In fact, he possessed no status and wealth that matched his talents. In this way, naturally, miss and he were from two different worlds.
This should be a kind of self-awareness.
Xin’er was a little sympathetic to Li Mu.
However, this little maid thought that Li Mu was so self-aware that it might be a good thing.
After all, although her miss had recently encountered some troubles and was forced to open the window, considering miss’ talents, look and fame, there must be numerous noble people and handsome talents chasing her. She had many choices, and it was impossible for her to be married to a poor scholar who had no power or influence just because of a piece of Beauty Poem. After all, poetry could not buy food. Even though this poor scholar’s one-year salary could not buy a box of rouge for her miss.
Actually, the little maid, Xin’er, was worried that after Li Mu came in, he might ask for some rude and excessive demands, which would cause embarrassment. Now, it could be avoided, since this poor scholar was quite self-aware.
“We who the same misforture sympathize each other …” Hua Xiangrong was enlightened and couldn’t help but carefully taste this poem.