#56 - Wait until he comes to see me

"Miss, there's a letter for you, sent from the State of Wu."

Just as Zhu Cici was meticulously embroidering, stitch by stitch, a maid walked in.

Hearing that the letter was from the State of Wu, Zhu Cici's eyes lit up.

The girl put down the embroidery in her hands, her legs moving quickly under her skirt, as she hurried over: "Quick, give it to me, give it to me."

Zhu Cici opened the package, inside was a letter and a small Jianzi (a traditional Chinese shuttlecock).

The snow-white goose feathers on the Jianzi were beautiful and clean, like white snow.

Opening the envelope, there were two pieces of white paper inside.

Zhu Cici first pulled out one of the white papers, and upon opening it, she saw some words that Xu Ming had said to her.

In the letter, Zhu Cici learned that Xu Ming was about to join the army, and that she didn't need to send him birthday gifts anymore, because Xu Ming wouldn't be able to receive them in the army.

As for the small Jianzi, it was made by Xu Ming himself, a bit rough, and he hoped Zhu Cici wouldn't mind.

Zhu Cici then unfolded the other letter, which contained a poem.

"I was born without knowing longing,

Only after knowing longing,

Am I afflicted by longing.

My body is like floating clouds,

My heart is like flying catkins,

My breath is like drifting silk,

Only a wisp of lingering fragrance remains here,

Hoping for the beautiful lady, where has she gone?

When does the symptom of longing arrive, when is it?

When the lamp is half dim, when the moon is half bright."

As she read, a blush crept across the girl's cheeks, her small hands couldn't help but clench the letter tightly, her long eyelashes fluttering gently, reflecting the morning sunlight, a combination of elegance, poise, and the unique shyness of a young girl, naturally blending on the little girl.

Having been born, I did not know longing; only after knowing longing, was I afflicted by longing.

My body is like floating clouds, my heart is like flying catkins, my breath is like drifting silk, only a wisp of lingering fragrance remains here, but where has my beloved gone?

When does the symptom of longing arrive, when is it most intense?

It is when the lamplight is half dim, when the moon is half bright.

This poem was simple and easy to understand, how could Zhu Cici not understand its meaning?

"I didn't expect that Xu Ming would miss me so much?" Zhu Cici's eyes were dazed, the more she looked at this poem, the more she liked it.

"Miss, what are you looking at? Can I take a look?" The maid Xiao Qiao blinked her eyes expectantly.

"No."

Zhu Cici turned her body, carefully put away the poem and letter, then held the white-feathered Jianzi in her palm, gently fiddling with it, filled with joy.

Xu Ming said that this Jianzi was a bit rough, but in Zhu Cici's eyes, it was extremely exquisite.

"Miss is so stingy." Xiao Qiao pouted her small mouth, "Clearly, it was this servant who risked being punished by the master and madam to help you deliver your package."

"Won't give it." Zhu Cici's eyes curved, the elegant girl carried a bit of playfulness, "Anyway, I just won't give it."

"Miss, Miss~~~" Xiao Qiao, who was seven years older than Zhu Cici, kept begging, "The talented young master Xu must have written a poem for you, please let me see it, this servant really wants to see it."

The State of Qi valued literature, and once a good poem or good lyric appeared, it would spread throughout the State of Qi.

Xu Ming was very famous in the State of Wu, but what Xu Ming didn't know was that in the State of Qi, his line given to Zhu Cici, "The hardest thing to keep in this world is rosy cheeks in the mirror, flowers leaving the tree" (最是人间留不住，朱颜辞镜花辞树), caused many Qi women to be sad in spring and autumn.

Many people were looking forward to Xu Ming's new works, but recently Xu Ming had not written a single poem.

"Well, alright then... I'll... I'll let you see it."

Zhu Cici's cheeks were slightly red, and she pushed the poem on the table forward a little.

For the girl, Xiao Qiao had grown up with her since she was little, and Zhu Cici trusted her immensely, so there was nothing wrong with letting her take a look.

Not to mention that Xiao Qiao also knew that she and Xu Ming corresponded, she just hadn't told her about the engagement.

Moreover, if anything happened in the future, Xiao Qiao would definitely help her.

Just like this time helping her deliver the letter.

"Great!" Xiao Qiao happily stepped forward, opening the piece of white paper with the poem written on it.

As she looked, Xiao Qiao's mouth was already shaped like an "O".

After reading it, Xiao Qiao's face was also flushed.

"This, this, this talented young master Xu Ming is only nine years old, how can he be so mature!"

Xiao Qiao's heart was very surprised, doubting whether this was really written by a nine-year-old child?

But after thinking about it carefully, geniuses are precocious, not to mention that Xu Ming's lyric written at the age of eight was very precocious, so this "I was born without knowing longing, only after knowing longing, am I afflicted by longing" was also somewhat normal.

Compared to that "Rosy cheeks in the mirror, flowers leaving the tree", the literary quality of this poem was definitely lower, but the expression of emotion was not inferior at all.

"Alright, alright, stop looking..."

Zhu Cici originally felt that it was nothing to show her the poem.

But looking at her staring intently, it was really too embarrassing!

"Miss, will I be able to read the talented young master Xu Ming's poems every birthday in the future?"

If that "Butterfly Loves Flowers · Given to Zhu Cici" (蝶恋花·赠朱辞辞) (the name added to this lyric by the world after Zhu Cici left) made Xiao Qiao feel a great fondness for Xu Ming.

Then this "Longing" had already completely turned Xiao Qiao into a fangirl.

Moreover, Miss and Xu Ming are such a good couple to ship!

The two met when they were young, fell in love at first sight, a talented man and a beautiful woman.

Later, because they lived in two places, they could only meet by letter, exchanging gifts on their birthdays.

Such pure feelings, if after growing up, Young Master Xu Ming achieves success and fame, and welcomes Miss with a grand wedding...

Just thinking about it slightly, Xiao Qiao wanted to twist into a pretzel.

The only trouble was that Miss was born with a literary talent, how could the State of Qi be willing to marry Miss to the State of Wu...

"Will Miss elope with the talented young master Xu Ming then?"

Thinking about it, Xiao Qiao's mind was already filled with a bunch of bloody plots written by novelists.

"If it really comes to that time, I will definitely help Miss elope!" Xiao Qiao clenched her fists, silently making up her mind.

"I probably won't receive them on future birthdays." Zhu Cici shook her head.

"Why?" Xiao Qiao felt like her sky was falling!

"Because Xu Ming said he was going to join the army." Zhu Cici sighed softly, "The strictness of the State of Wu's army management, the hardship of training, where would he have time to write poetry? I only hope he is safe and sound."

"Then the gift you prepared for Xu Ming..."

Xiao Qiao looked at the embroidery on the table.

Xiao Qiao knew that Miss had been learning needlework these days just to make a beautiful dress for Xu Ming when the time came.

"I will still prepare it."

Zhu Cici's eyes curved.

"Every year's birthday gift, I will make it for him.

When he comes to see me, I will give them all to him."