The weather gradually turned cold, and the Mid-Autumn Festival (1) was about to approach. The palace was always bustling at this period, and not to mention the Imperial Harem was preparing for a poetry appreciation banquet. At that time, the royal princes and daughters from official's families would gather together, admiring the moon and drinking wine, reciting poetry to express feelings.
When the round moon hung high in the sky, the happy gathering began under the broad sky.
The women from these families all dressed up gorgeously without discussion, the young maidens from distinguished families had always stayed in their boudoirs, with little opportunity to leave and meet outsiders, not to mention meeting with so many talented youths and relatives of the royal family, they naturally put in a lot of effort to display their beauty.
He Lang was made dazed by this, the smell of powder assailed his nose, it was so heavy that it made him dizzy, and he hurriedly drank a moth of tea to clear his head.
"Nice to look at? Which is the best?" Zhen Pu Yang smiled hypocritically and asked, looking at the women with a gaze that was different from a normal man's look of appreciation and admiration. Instead, his gaze was full of arrogance and malice, He Lang shook his head discretely, not knowing how to answer. At this time, the people on the banquet heckled, "Rumors say that Imperial Tutor He is endowed with great talent, why not have Daren (2) compose a poem, let us common people broaden our horizons?"
He Lang cupped his hands in respect, revealing a modest and unassuming attitude, "Such praise is too much, who doesn't know that Fu Daren is the real poet."
This back and forth, the Emperor also gave instructions, "Everyone has heard of Imperial Tutor He's literary grace, Imperial Tutor do not decline again, compose a poem to liven the atmosphere."
This great favor was difficult to refuse, He Lang had no more reason to continue evading, looking at the bright moon, suddenly giving rise to a melancholic mood.
He took a few steps in front of the table, inadvertently matching Zhen Pu Yang's gaze that was secretly focused on him, pausing for a moment. Normally speaking, this kind of scenario should be awkward, but it was not so – immediately after, they naturally looked at each other and smiled, their short look at each other held countless flowing emotions.
He Lang's heart was moved, and he started to move his brush smoothly on the large paper on the table. Once the poem was completed, there was thunderous applause. Only then did he feel relieved, returning back to his seat.
Following this, others were not willing to be outdone, going forward to display their talents, leaving scrolls of poetry. Taking advantage of the lively scene, Zhen Pu Yang secretly pulled his sleeves, the two of them slipping away together to the unoccupied riverside.
He did not say a single word, and He Lang even thought that he didn't like being used as the subject of a poem, but he whispered his praised, "Teacher's poems are excellent."
He Lang, having been praised, had eyes that looked particularly bright under the moonlight.
He often wrote poems on his own, it was just that he could only show them to the two personal servants in his Residence, Chunsheng and Luying, but they did not recognize literary phrases and could only say they were good. Being able to attain the affirmation of someone else, regardless, his heart was slightly sweet.
The Zhen Pu Yang who kept staring at the clear ripples of the riverside asked him: "Just, it is not known who the moonlit youth mentioned in Teacher's poem, who is so fortunate to have such a high standing in Teacher's eyes?"
He Lang glanced at him, feeling that His Highness did know, but purposely wanted him to say it himself.
Seeing He Lang's silence, Zhen Pu Yang laughed, voice light, but it was easy to hear the joy in his laugh.
He Lang's face was calm. He was an elder but was actually teased by His Highness.
He couldn't help but look at Zhen Pu Yang's face that looked towards the river, lamenting the passing of time. He had already been in this world for such a long time, his child had already grown up, and was about to become a youth.
He was almost going to be taller than himself, and his face was becoming more and more handsome, and the aura around his body was like uncut jade, attracting everybody's attention.
Just like tonight's round moon and clear wine, fragrant tea and lake's reflections, they were all similarly wonderful.
As He Lang fell into these indescribable thoughts, Zhen Pu Yang kept looking at the reflection on the lake, the reflection that belonged to him.
He was scared that when he looked at Teacher, he would be unable to bear the mix of numerous emotions, and therefore he did not dare to look at him directly.
Zhen Pu Yang thought, this may be the tense happiness that comes from admiring a person.
When Teacher asked him why he stared at the river surface without pause, his heart skipped a beat, and he could only answer that he was looking at the moon in the river.
But he did not give a complete answer – the river did not only have the moon, there was also the person in his heart.
(1) Mid-autumn festival is a day in the lunar calendar when there is a full moon, mooncake season...+
(2) Respectful address for those of a higher status
The weather gradually turned cold, and the Mid-Autumn Festival (1) was about to approach. The palace was always bustling at this period, and not to mention the Imperial Harem was preparing for a poetry appreciation banquet. At that time, the royal princes and daughters from official's families would gather together, admiring the moon and drinking wine, reciting poetry to express feelings.
When the round moon hung high in the sky, the happy gathering began under the broad sky.
The women from these families all dressed up gorgeously without discussion, the young maidens from distinguished families had always stayed in their boudoirs, with little opportunity to leave and meet outsiders, not to mention meeting with so many talented youths and relatives of the royal family, they naturally put in a lot of effort to display their beauty.
He Lang was made dazed by this, the smell of powder assailed his nose, it was so heavy that it made him dizzy, and he hurriedly drank a moth of tea to clear his head.
"Nice to look at? Which is the best?" Zhen Pu Yang smiled hypocritically and asked, looking at the women with a gaze that was different from a normal man's look of appreciation and admiration. Instead, his gaze was full of arrogance and malice, He Lang shook his head discretely, not knowing how to answer. At this time, the people on the banquet heckled, "Rumors say that Imperial Tutor He is endowed with great talent, why not have Daren (2) compose a poem, let us common people broaden our horizons?"
He Lang cupped his hands in respect, revealing a modest and unassuming attitude, "Such praise is too much, who doesn't know that Fu Daren is the real poet."
This back and forth, the Emperor also gave instructions, "Everyone has heard of Imperial Tutor He's literary grace, Imperial Tutor do not decline again, compose a poem to liven the atmosphere."
This great favor was difficult to refuse, He Lang had no more reason to continue evading, looking at the bright moon, suddenly giving rise to a melancholic mood.
He took a few steps in front of the table, inadvertently matching Zhen Pu Yang's gaze that was secretly focused on him, pausing for a moment. Normally speaking, this kind of scenario should be awkward, but it was not so – immediately after, they naturally looked at each other and smiled, their short look at each other held countless flowing emotions.
He Lang's heart was moved, and he started to move his brush smoothly on the large paper on the table. Once the poem was completed, there was thunderous applause. Only then did he feel relieved, returning back to his seat.
Following this, others were not willing to be outdone, going forward to display their talents, leaving scrolls of poetry. Taking advantage of the lively scene, Zhen Pu Yang secretly pulled his sleeves, the two of them slipping away together to the unoccupied riverside.
He did not say a single word, and He Lang even thought that he didn't like being used as the subject of a poem, but he whispered his praised, "Teacher's poems are excellent."
He Lang, having been praised, had eyes that looked particularly bright under the moonlight.
He often wrote poems on his own, it was just that he could only show them to the two personal servants in his Residence, Chunsheng and Luying, but they did not recognize literary phrases and could only say they were good. Being able to attain the affirmation of someone else, regardless, his heart was slightly sweet.
The Zhen Pu Yang who kept staring at the clear ripples of the riverside asked him: "Just, it is not known who the moonlit youth mentioned in Teacher's poem, who is so fortunate to have such a high standing in Teacher's eyes?"
He Lang glanced at him, feeling that His Highness did know, but purposely wanted him to say it himself.
Seeing He Lang's silence, Zhen Pu Yang laughed, voice light, but it was easy to hear the joy in his laugh.
He Lang's face was calm. He was an elder but was actually teased by His Highness.
He couldn't help but look at Zhen Pu Yang's face that looked towards the river, lamenting the passing of time. He had already been in this world for such a long time, his child had already grown up, and was about to become a youth.
He was almost going to be taller than himself, and his face was becoming more and more handsome, and the aura around his body was like uncut jade, attracting everybody's attention.
Just like tonight's round moon and clear wine, fragrant tea and lake's reflections, they were all similarly wonderful.
As He Lang fell into these indescribable thoughts, Zhen Pu Yang kept looking at the reflection on the lake, the reflection that belonged to him.
He was scared that when he looked at Teacher, he would be unable to bear the mix of numerous emotions, and therefore he did not dare to look at him directly.
Zhen Pu Yang thought, this may be the tense happiness that comes from admiring a person.
When Teacher asked him why he stared at the river surface without pause, his heart skipped a beat, and he could only answer that he was looking at the moon in the river.
But he did not give a complete answer – the river did not only have the moon, there was also the person in his heart.
(1) Mid-autumn festival is a day in the lunar calendar when there is a full moon, mooncake season...+
(2) Respectful address for those of a higher status
