The contents of the restored Buddhist Shrine surged with vigorous life force.
Centered on those two instruments, all the collectibles sprang into action:
The bamboo flute and bamboo xiao circled once above the workbench, moving without wind as they produced beautiful music—they even formed high and low parts, beginning an ensemble performance;
The Four Treasures of the Study spread themselves out. Though they did not go looking for water or pour any into the inkstone, the ink stick still pretended to grind itself twice above the inkstone. Then the brush dipped into imaginary ink and painted nonexistent images across the paper;
That set of embroidery needles flew up and down even more wildly, embroidering flowers in midair. Shen Le silently shuddered, feeling that if he reached his hand over right now, he would inevitably end up becoming whoever it was beneath Nanny Rong's needles...
Before long, the women's garments inside the Buddhist Shrine also unfurled one set after another. As though someone had put them on, they flicked their sleeves, straightened their skirts, and tidied their appearance.
Every movement and posture was elegant and light, every gesture brimming with rhythm. Shen Le listened closely.
Their movements clearly matched the beat played by the xiao and flute—
Amid the music, Myriad Strands of Black Hair poured out from the Buddhist Shrine, coiling across the floor for quite some time. Their tips lifted slightly, as though searching for and confirming something.
A moment later, they split apart strand by strand and each slithered up to the top of a different women's garment. The garments rolled up their sleeves, raised their hands, wound up the black hair, and used silver hairpins, silver flat hairpins, and the like to secure their coiffures.
Then they moved forward with delicate, graceful steps. Rather than rushing to