On Ninety Thousand Miles of Wind, the Peng Soared

Hearing Jiangzhuer's response, Wang Chong realized, "I ought to be more restrained." He immediately replied, "My mother is very strict with me. Fearing I might neglect my studies, she often points to something and sets it as a topic, making me write a piece suited to the occasion. That was why I showed off just now. I hope you won't take offense, Sister Jiangzhuer."

Su Luoyan had originally regarded Wang Chong as no more than an ordinary friend of the martial world. She had never imagined that polished, splendid verse could flow so readily from his mouth. She could not help casting another glance at Chu Qiuzi, thinking, This Purple-Green Jade Maiden is truly fortunate.

There are plenty of young heroes in the martial world with formidable martial arts, but men accomplished in both letters and arms are rare.

Chu Qiuzi had been slightly annoyed, but at Wang Chong's words, she could not resist a soft laugh. "When we first met, Young Master Wang composed poetry just like this, only with neither a complete beginning nor an end. It was most vexing."

She then recited the poetry Wang Chong had "copied" that day.

Wang Chong replied sheepishly, "My scholarly abilities are quite mediocre, so there are bound to be moments when my talent falls short. My mother usually gives me a sound beating with a bamboo rod, then sets me a time limit to write something else to complete it."

Su Luoyan, Chu Qiuzi, and Jiangzhuer all looked askance at him, their admiration for this "old madam" rising like a lofty mountain.

If an ordinary young man could compose such outstanding poetry, he ought at least to receive some encouragement, if not outright praise. Yet this old madam actually gave him a sound beating with a bamboo rod. The pieces were merely incomplete; they were still well written!

Curiosity stirred in Su Luoyan, and she asked, "May I ask how many times in your life the old madam has praised you, Young Master Wang? Surely it hasn't been not even once?"

Wang Chong thought for a moment, then answered, "From my earliest memories until now, my mother has said my writing was passable perhaps forty or fifty times."

Chu Qiuzi and Su Luoyan exchanged a glance, then spoke almost in unison. "Could you choose one piece to recite for us, Young Master Wang, and broaden our horizons?"

Jiangzhuer's eyes rolled, and she quietly slipped away.

While Wang Chong was still hesitating, the beautiful maid had already summoned servants to bring brushes, ink, paper, and an inkstone. Smiling, she said, "My young lady happened to buy a stick of antique ink that has weathered over a hundred years. It is only fitting that Young Master Wang leave us a treasure in ink."

Wang Chong had no fear of writing calligraphy. He had attended proper calligraphy and painting classes back in primary school, could write in eight scripts, and had even practiced hollow lettering and other ingenious little tricks. As for which poem to write... was that his problem? The question was which ancient poet he ought to plagiarize!

Wang Chong took the brush Jiangzhuer pressed into his hand, soaked it with rich ink, and casually wrote: "The sky met billowing clouds that merged with morning mist; the River of Stars seemed about to turn, a thousand sails dancing. As though my dreaming soul had returned to the Emperor's abode, I heard Heaven's voice asking earnestly where I would return. I answered that the road was long and lamented the waning day; studying poetry had brought me startling lines in vain. On ninety thousand miles of wind, the peng soared. Wind, do not cease; blow this tumbleweed boat away to the Three Mountains!"

For a little occasion like this, Yi'an Jushi alone was enough to crush every female lyricist in this world.

Well, she could crush ninety-nine percent of the male lyricists too.

At the sight of the calligraphy, its strokes like soaring dragons and dancing phoenixes yet rigorously composed, Su Luoyan first offered silent praise. Then she read the lyric and fell into a daze. She could not tell what she felt, but a trace of envy had already entered her gaze as she looked at Chu Qiuzi.

Seeing the lyric, Chu Qiuzi felt as though her heart had been struck by a heavy hammer, then secretly rejoiced. Young Master Wang is a treasure.

Jiangzhuer looked at the calligraphy, then read the lyric. She had always prided herself on being a maid of the Su household, different from servants elsewhere and naturally higher in standing. Yet now a sudden ache rose within her, and she sank into self-pity.

Wang Chong thought little of it, though he was extremely pleased with this piece of calligraphy. My Mi Fu script, with its brush tip striking out in eight directions, is better than it was when I was in school. Sure enough, superior martial arts have given me finer control over my body, wrists, and arm strength.

Su Luoyan said gently, "I really have spoiled my maid. How could she force a guest to write calligraphy and compose lyrics in front of everyone? I shall certainly punish her later and teach her some manners."

Wang Chong smiled. "Nothing of the sort. This old composition barely passes muster, but my everyday calligraphy never flows so freely. Without Sister Jiangzhuer joining in the fun, I could never have produced this piece. I hope Fairy Su will grant me this small favor and refrain from punishing Sister Jiangzhuer."

Naturally, Su Luoyan did not truly intend to punish her favorite maid. She took the opening and said, "Why aren't you thanking Young Master Wang for his generosity? And hurry up and take this calligraphy away to be mounted and carefully preserved."

In a soft voice, Jiangzhuer said to Wang Chong, "This little maid has overstepped. Please don't take offense, young master."

Wang Chong suddenly remembered a trending topic from before his transmigration about "France's number one maid." He had joined the commotion on social media at the time, posting, "She isn't happy with being called France's number one maid, and that really is offensive. Why not change it to France's number one little maid?"

"Mm, without the 'raised by'!"

A touch of teasing mischief suddenly rose in him, and he said, "What use is an apology made with nothing but an empty mouth and white teeth? Why not give me something as compensation, Sister Jiangzhuer?"

A little flustered, Jiangzhuer asked, "What would you have this little maid give you, young master?"

Wang Chong smiled. "As your punishment, Sister Jiangzhuer, prepare a set of paints for me. I have a fan leaf I want to paint, but traveling conditions have been rough, and I've put it off until now."

Jiangzhuer let out a small breath of relief and stole a glance at Su Luoyan. Only when she saw her young lady nod slightly did she flit away like a butterfly.

Su Luoyan led the two of them to the banquet. A little later, Jiangzhuer brought over a set of paints and painting brushes. Wang Chong took a brush, shook open his Folding Fan, and glanced at Chu Qiuzi. He sketched with an easy hand, and in mere moments, the graceful figure of Qingcheng's second senior sister sprang to life upon the fan.

Wang Chong deliberately left out her features, showing only a vague profile, but he painted her in the clothes she had worn on the day they first met. Anyone else would surely fail to recognize her, but every one of Qingcheng's beauties would certainly know their own second senior sister at a glance. Chu Qiuzi naturally recognized herself too, and her heart could not help surging once more, stirred by his teasing.

Su Luoyan glanced at it. Though she was not so familiar with Chu Qiuzi, she could still tell that it depicted this Qingcheng heroine. Young Master Wang's painting is astonishing, simply transcendent. He has not painted her features at all, yet he has rendered Chu Qiuzi's figure as though she were alive.

What a pity I met him too late...

Once Wang Chong finished painting, he set the fan on the table for the paints to dry in the shade and chatted casually with the two women. When Su Luoyan happened to ask and learned that he was heading to Chang'an, her heart stirred slightly. But after glancing at Chu Qiuzi, she said nothing about traveling together. Instead, she excused herself for a while. When she returned to the table, she said, "How can Young Master Wang travel the martial world without a maid at his side to do his mending?"

"I have a newly trained maid named Liuxian. She is clever and obedient, skilled in needlework and all manner of handicrafts. She has also learned a little martial arts, so she will not hold you back. Let me give her to you to serve at your side."

Wang Chong thought, Taking a page was one thing, but accepting a maid doesn't seem right, does it? He was just about to decline when Chu Qiuzi said, "I have already instructed a junior of our sect to follow Young Master Wang as his page. It is only that the Qingcheng Sect has no suitable female disciple. A maid Sister Su has trained herself must be of the finest character. With another person to accompany him, I would feel more at ease too."

...Wang Chong: I want an older one...