Free Web NovelYunzhou City's night tonight was exceptionally unlike a night; the myriad lights of households blended into a neon glow against the night sky, and the clouds seemed to be the color of intoxication.
Before going out, Li Mo went to see Murong Xiao.
Well, he was still stiff.
He was placed in the backyard, like a Buddha statue.
"Brother Murong, Happy Autumn Evening Festival! Don't say your buddy forgot about you."
Xiao Li was very loyal.
He placed a plate in front of Murong Xiao, and on the plate were mooncakes stacked into a pagoda shape.
Not only was he loyal, but Li Mo was also very thoughtful.
The restaurant was by the lake, and there were many mosquitoes, so he lit three mosquito coils, found an incense burner to put them in, and placed them all in front of Murong Xiao.
Murong Xiao: "....."
Emmmm.
Suddenly, he looked solemn and dignified.
"It's a pity you can't go out to play today. In that case, please bless me with smooth sailing in everything from the restaurant."
Li Mo earnestly put his palms together and bowed.
Many common people would perform rituals of respect today; those near mountains would worship the mountain gods, and those near water would worship the water gods.
He didn't have much faith, but he was quite big on ritual.
Leaving the restaurant, he saw the Young Miss by the lake. She was gazing blankly at the bustling street, and the clamor that assailed her seemed to bypass her, clearly illustrating what it meant to be aloof from the Mortal World. frёewebnoѵel.ƈo๓
When a certain young man entered her sight, her eyes finally held the smoke and fire of the Mortal World.
"Where do you want to go first?" Li Mo asked.
"Zhuangyuan Building."
Ying Bing tied up her hair.
While eating earlier, she had heard the lively atmosphere of Zhuangyuan Building. The market there was the best in Yunzhou City, and there were especially many stalls selling various small trinkets. One could reach it by following Yulong Street.
She still hadn't thought of what to give Li Mo.
And she didn't know what to do on a date.
But it didn't matter; she could go and 'see how the pig runs'.
"Okay."
The two walked into the street, and the prosperous Mortal World rushed towards them.
Ying Bing observed the street carefully for the first time, her gaze sweeping over the various small trinkets.
Li Mo didn't pay much attention to the myriad sights of Yulong Street; after all, he was quite familiar with the stall owners...
His peripheral vision lingered on Ying Bing. After dinner, she had changed into a shorter dress, revealing her fair, slender calves. Her dark hair was tied with a red string, and her beautiful face glowed with every glance, making people lose interest in the bright moon in the sky.
She was pure and aloof, and standing beside her felt quite stressful.
However, Li Mo's mind suddenly brought up the scene of her first time cooking, when she looked like a calico cat.
Noticing that the gaze beside her suddenly held a smile, Ying Bing remembered that she had seen many men and women earlier, all talking and laughing.
".....The moon tonight is very beautiful," Ying Bing said.
"Indeed," Li Mo's gaze remained fixed.
"......"
Ying Bing suddenly didn't know what to say.
You said that so definitively without even looking at me.
The two fell silent.
No one spoke again, but walking under the fiery trees and silver flowers, Ying Bing's heart felt unexpectedly peaceful.
Not saying anything seemed quite comfortable too.
This was probably also letting nature take its course.
Speak when you want to, be silent when you don't, and not feel awkward even if you say nothing.
Before long.
They arrived at Zhuangyuan Building, where it was even livelier.
This building was eight stories high, standing out among the pavilions. The crowd surrounding it was three layers deep inside and three layers out, with a cacophony of human voices like rain.
"What are they doing?"
Li Mo glanced over but saw a few familiar figures.
It was none other than the Hengyun Three Heroes, who had visited him earlier today.
Among them, Wu Chushu was not alone but accompanied by a female companion, elegantly dressed, who seemed to be the Young Miss of a prominent family.
At this moment, he was confidently saying something, as if everything was under his control.
Bai Jinghong and Cao Mu, standing nearby, cast death glares at him.
Damn it, no wonder this guy was so kind today to invite them out to the lantern festival.
He had a date with a female companion!
That was too dishonorable.
"What are you talking about?"
Li Mo abruptly spoke.
"....."
Wu Chushu's smile instantly vanished.
He recalled an unpleasant memory.
The smile didn't disappear but transferred to Bai Jinghong's and Cao Mu's faces.
"Uh, I brought Miss She out to visit the Zhuangyuan Building poetry gathering."
Wu Chushu cleared his throat and then said to the woman beside him:
"This is...."
"Wang Qi Dou Hun!" Miss She answered quickly.
Li Mo: "......"
So, can the Qianlong Ranking's commentary be changed for money?
Take some benefits from him, even if it's just a little.
He changed the subject and asked:
"What is a poetry gathering?" free𝑤ebnovel.com
Wu Chushu intentionally wanted to show off his extensive knowledge in front of the beauty.
So he began to explain.
Li Mo generally understood.
Legend has it that there was once a Senior swordsman in Yunzhou City who was not only exceptionally skilled in swordsmanship but also remarkably talented in literature. He became the top scholar in a single imperial examination but, due to getting drunk at the jinshi banquet, he composed a poem criticizing current affairs, which angered the former emperor, and he was stripped of his top scholar title.
So he simply resigned from his official post and returned to Yunzhou City to build this Zhuangyuan Building.
"Every year during the lantern festival, there's a poetry gathering here. Prizes are given out if you can match the theme."
"This year's prize is a jade hairpin, and the quality is quite good."
As Wu Chushu spoke, his smile returned to his face.
As someone who loved to show off, his literary talent was not bad (in his own opinion).
Zhuangyuan Building was a location he had specifically chosen...
"Brother Chushu, I want the prize from the poetry gathering."
Miss She said softly, cooing.
Bai Jinghong and Cao Mu shivered with anger, their fists clenched. What words, what words were these!
"By the way, Li Shaoxia, why did you come out alone?"
"Could it be....."
Seeing Li Mo alone, the two felt much relieved.
At least someone was there to help share the 'firepower'.
But soon, Ying Bing appeared, holding a lantern. She wasn't just visiting the lantern festival; she was practically a fairy inspecting the Mortal World.
Perhaps because the crowd was a bit dense, she stood especially close to Li Mo.
Bai Jinghong: "...."
Cao Mu: "....."
The two exchanged glances. They should have known to rot in Sword City; why did they bother joining the fun?
"Ice Cube."
Li Mo suddenly spoke, then reached out and brushed a strand of dark hair from her lips. The skin he touched felt like silk and warm jade.
"Hmm?"
"Your hair seems to come loose often."
"It's tied with a string, so it tends to loosen easily."
Ying Bing was momentarily lost in thought, and then she nodded.
She was distracted not only by the Mortal World before her but also by memories of the past.
At this very moment in her previous life, what was she doing?
Perhaps she was standing atop the high Gui Palace, watching the tides of the Mortal World ebb and flow.
She fully understood the chill of being at a high place.
Yet, to maintain a clear and detached mind, she had never set foot in the Mortal World.
"Then... how about I give you a hairpin for the Autumn Evening Festival?"
Li Mo's voice sounded beside her ear.
Ying Bing lowered her eyes, looking at the young man who had brought her into the Mortal World. Suddenly, her lips curved slightly, and this smile gave tangible form to the moon's softness.
The people around them were instantly dumbfounded.
Even the cooing and charming Miss She stared blankly.
"Okay."
"....."
Instead, Xiao Li was stunned.
He had just been racking his brains, thinking about which Senior's poem to plagiarize to show off.
Seeing that smile, he suddenly didn't need to think anymore.
A poem, whose content he remembered but not the author's name, came to mind.
