Chapter 18
Qi Lian Festival (Part 3)
Murong Shu Qing was looking towards Tang Xiao Xiao who stretched her neck just like a tortoise, she slapped her head laughingly. The legend about this green lotus had only selected one couple for the past 30 years, whether or not it was true, there was no way to check it either. If the two people were really together sincerely towards each other, there was simply no need to have any intermediary. They could just be with each other until they were old, conversely (if they were not sincere with each other), even if they plucked more green lotus, it would be useless either.
“Are the two of you looking for this (number)?”
Xuanyuan Yi took out and shook the wooden tablet, it was shockingly written ____ 278 on it.
“Ah! It is you!” Tang Xiao Xiao picked up both of the wooden tablets, looking at them carefully, it was really a pair. Happily, she returned the wooden tablets back on their hands, then she pulled Murong Shu Qing to walk towards the lakeside.
Murong Shu Qing looked at the wooden tablet that was on her own hand, then she looked at Xuanyuan Yi, she caressed her forehead while grumbling, heavens, it was really a pair, how could there be this coincidental matter like this.
“Let’s go!” Xuanyuan Yi already arrived by the lakeside also, supported Murong Shu Qing’s arms, they both went on the boat.
“You two must get the green lotus oh!” Tang Xiao Xiao who was on the ashore, excitingly shouted and jumped up, just liked if she wanted to pluck the lotus on her own.
Let it be, just plucked it, ok, she had not been roaming at the Lian Xin lake anyway. Anyway, whether or not that green lotus really existed, nobody really knew it! Thinking about this, Murong Shu Qing no longer resisted either, and sat properly on the other corner of the boat. And Xuanyuan Yi was paddling the boat towards the Lian Xin lake speedily.
The boat was not big, it could only hold two people to sit opposite each other, thus, the boat was extremely agile, and it could go through among the lotus leaves easily. At the beginning of time, there were several boats next to them, but soon, every boat was scattering out, and they were occupied with looking for the green lotus legend that could bring about a romance and happiness.
Looking at the unknown time, Murong Shu Qing already put down the boat’s paddle, leaned against the boat, and was leisurely stroking the water surface, with her eyes closed. Xuanyuan Yi also put down the boat’s paddle, used his hands to soak in the water just like Murong Shu Qing. The refreshing lake water was faintly flowing on his hands, as if it was provoking his heartstrings softly.
“It seems that you do not plan on looking for it!” Murong Shu Qing opened her eyes slowly, the sunshine in the afternoon was really somewhat dazzling. Pulling a lotus leaf that was next to her and put it on her head to shelter her from the scorching sun, then she lazily answered: “If the legend is fake, and there is no green lotus whatsoever, what is the point of looking at it busily, how can I miss the beautiful scenery of the lotus pond on this day. If it is real, we just do not need to look for it even more, everything has its predestined affinity, insisting on it, is also useless.”
She could really make herself to be able to be cozy at any time and anywhere, Xuanyuan Yi picked up a bigger lotus leaf that was by his side, and stuffed it on her hand: “In three days, I will return to the capital.”
Taking the lotus leaf, Murong Shu Qing smilingly said: “Have a pleasant journey!”
“This is the sentence that you want to say to me!”
Murong Shu Qing pushed the lotus leaf with her hand, while she was romping the la
ke water, she did not care with Xuanyuan Yi’s gloomy face, she smiled lightly: “So ~~ what do you want me to say?”
“I will return to the capital to prepare to marry you in three months.”
Murong Shu Qing raised her eyebrows: “I remember that we have already cancelled our wedding.”
“I do not agree.”
“Please allow me to remind you, it was you, personally, who came and cancelled the wedding.”
“Damn it!” Xuanyuan Yi’s palm hit the top of the boat, his fists were held violently, the boat was rocking fiercely for several times. Murong Shu Qing grabbed the boat paddle with one hand, while she supported the boat tightly, with great difficulty, the boat calmed down slowly. She absolutely believed that Xuanyuan Yi’s palm could chop this boat into two, but she did not want to swim back either.
Releasing his clenched fists, Xuanyuan Yi kept his rage under control, and said unyieldingly: “Even if the wedding is cancelled, you can only be mine, I will go to the Murong’s family to ask your parents for your hands again, at that time, you will be married to me.”
Murong Shu Qing put down the lotus leaf that was on her hand, then she sat up slowly: “You think that I will agree!”
“It is beyond your control!”
Murong Shu Qing who always had a smile on her face, did not have any smiling expression anymore, her bright eyes looked straight at Xuanyuan Yi, her voice was not urgent nor slow just like before, but it made people to feel the oppressive feeling, at last: “Xuanyuan Gongzi, are you really sure that you can force the current me to marry you like this?!”
He _____ was not sure, if three years ago, he did not want to marry her, but now, he knew that he wanted her. After observing her for the past half a month, he also knew that he could not just force the current Murong Shu Qing as he wished. She was intelligent, brilliant, firm and courageous. And he, Xuanyuan Yi, did not want to force any woman even more: “Why do you not want to marry me that much?!”
Murong Shu Qing shook her head: “You are the kind of man who is easy to move a woman’s heart.”
“In that case, is your heart moved?”
Was her heart moved? Murong Shu Qing asked (this question) on her own, this tall, elegant, cruel, untamed, insolent from time to time, introverted, steady’s man, she could not deny it, her heart was moved. But being tempted and wanting to get married with him, were two different things.
“I can give you endless doting, noble status, and a life that you do not need to worry about anything, everything that a woman is dreaming and seeking.” He did not understand, any woman wanted a status, he could dote on her, what was more that she was dissatisfied?!
Woman did not only need this loving and favoring, but she also wanted to assist in each other’s true love. She did not need any noble status either, but she rather wanted to be his only wife, but he would not understand it.
“You can not give me what I want, what you can give me, I do not value them, you and I, have already missed our opportunity.”
“You ~~, good, what do you want after all?”
She wanted freedom, she wanted equality, she wanted to be the only one (woman for him), you could give me these! The two people’s ideology were too much different, their actual educations were completely different also, there was no point in saying so many things. Caressing the purple bracelet that was on her wrist, Murong Shu Qing did not give him any reply, she picked up and put down the lotus leaf that was used to obstruct her from the sunshine, since the sun was no longer too glaring, and also to obstruct from Xuanyuan Yi’s oppressing line of sight.
Moving her face to the other direction, suddenly, Murong Shu Qing’s eyes showed a flash of bright, and she narrowed her eyes, not too far away, was _____ “Green lotus?!”
Hearing Murong Shu Qing’s words, Xuanyuan Yi followed to look at her gaze, one greenish-blue lotus flower appeared in front of his eyes shockingly. Comparing to the blossom pink lotuses that were on the side, it appeared to blend with the dark green lotus leaf, but the delicate lotuses that filled the pond, were unable to shine upon (the green lotus). They were not as elegant and tranquil as the green lotus, the pond was filled with the dark leaves, but the brilliant glow was unable to resist it, and they were not as tall and proud like it either.
Xuanyuan Yi extended his hand, and just about to pick it.
“Wait a minute!” Murong Shu Qing pulled the sleeve of his garment, and she took the lotus leaf that was on her hand, and stuffed it into his hand. Then she fiddled with the lake water, and used the lake water to be near the green lotus. The sunshine shined down upon it, and it looked to be even more greenish-blue and brilliant in the eyes.
Murong Shu Qing caressed the lotus petals lightly and affectionally, she muttered quietly, and was reluctant and scared to startle this rare object: “Its original life is in the center of the pond, carefree, and happy, if you pluck it, you will destroy its ingenuousness, break its magnificent, it will be better to let it continues to linger in this world.”
“Freedom to linger in this world?! Is this what you want? Why do you want to stand out from the masses (to be different)?” Her ink black hair was among the green lotus lake, the wave shined down upon it, it was similar like another green lotus, and would go with the wind at any time, it made people unable to control it.
Lightly patting the water with her hand, Murong Shu Qing picked up the boat paddle and said: “The time is late, we should return, ok!” Her speaking voice had not left yet, she only felt that Xuanyuan Yi crossed over her. A shadow flashed through before her eyes, the green lotus was already on his hand.
“You!” Looking at Xuanyuan Yi whose one hand was holding the green lotus, and his other hand that was already caressing her cheek, Murong Shu Qing was unexpectedly speechless for a period of time!
Removing his hand from Murong Shu Qing’s face, Xuanyuan Yi suddenly moved his body to take an unfair advantage of her, and faced the tip of her nose: “I want this green lotus!”
His overbearing and hot lips were almost stuck on her, spreading her palm that was already sweating and felt warm, Murong Shu Qing did not dare to move, but her heart as if it was about to jump out wildly. Their eyes were facing each other, his eyes were very beautiful, firm and strong, deep and faintly blue, they could easily capture any person.
Murong Shu Qing wanted to retreat, but the power that came from her waist did not let her to move a single step. After a long time, Xuanyuan Yi finally let go off his hand, retreated, and he put the green lotus inside his spacious sleeve, then he picked up the boat paddle and went back to the shore.
For the whole journey, Xuanyuan Yi always turned his back from Murong Shu Qing, nobody was saying anything anymore.
Once there were on the shore, Tang Xiao Xiao who had been waiting on the side, came up immediately, she asked impatiently: “Qing Qing, did you find it?”
Murong Shu Qing smilingly shook her head, Xuanyuan Yi who was on the side, did not say anything, then everyone departed from the Lian Xin lake. Although Pei Che could see that something was wrong, but looking at Murong Shu Qing who was calm and with a relaxed appearance, he could not ask anything either. And looking at Xuanyuan Yi’s complexion a moment ago, he was still a little clever not to try to provoke him.
Murong Shu Qing and her group were the first one to return, along with the sunset from the west, one after another, all of the people returned, but no one found the legend of the green lotus. Tang Xiao Xiao was disappointed, she doubted whether or not the green lotus even existed, and just wanted Shen Xiao Yun to accompany her to look for it tomorrow.
Smiling to get rid of these willful enemies, Murong Shu Qing and Huo Zi Qi’s party bid their farewell after, and she returned to the Murong’s family.
Back to Sui Yuan, it was already the beginning of moonlight, tonight was the fifteenth of the month, the moonlight was very bright. It went through the thickness of the bamboo leaves and dropped on the mottled bamboo shadow. Murong Shu Qing had not returned back to the bamboo room, and was still sitting on the rock bench in the bamboo forest, quietly listening to the rustling sound from the bamboo forest. The cicadas’ chirping transcended on the quiet forest, the birdsongs were even more peaceful on the mountain. The tranquil night could always make her heart feel peaceful.
“Miss, Xuanyuan Yi Gongzi makes me bring this.” Lu Yi was carrying a half-size box type jade engraving and walked to the front of Murong Shu Qing, and she lightly put it on the table.
Looking one glance at that white jade box, Murong Shu Qing waved her hand, and said to Lu Yi: “En, today is a tiring day, you go to rest early also, ok!”
After she left for a good while, Murong Shu Qing lightly caressed the top of the small jade box, a slight cold feeling wrapped around her fingertips. Through the moonlight, Murong Shu Qing examined it carefully, this box was manufactured using a complete block of cold jade. The front side was engraved with a whole blooming lotus and the details carving of the box was a lotus leaf. Opening the small jade box, she could faintly smell the sweet scent that was wafting though the air pensively. It was that green lotus that was plucked this afternoon, the moonlight shrouded down on it, and it revealed the same amorous feelings again. No more scorching sun that was shining down on the greenish-blue color, but it was as if it was an ink painting, the thick and mild like appearances revealed its magnificent, and the white jade reflected on it, and it was completely flowing brightly. It had already departed for half a day from the water, but it did not show any mark of being withered, it was still moist and elegant like luster of gems, as if it was still blossoming from the water.
It really had the isolated beauty from this era, but what should she do about it! Xuanyuan Yi, what should she do about him! Lightly sighing, she closed the small jade box, Murong Shu Qing walked alone towards the depths of the bamboo forest.