Liang Shanbo: The Poor Scholar-Emperor

Chapter 147 Guangling Snow

The following day was Liang Shanbo's day off.

For the past two weeks, he and Xiao Hu have been intensively training new recruits at the camp outside the city, and have not returned home for a single day.

Xie Xuan's military headquarters followed the custom of "one day off every five days," meaning that they would have a day off every five days.

However, given the tense situation at the time, the actual frequency of rest and leave for officers like Liang Shanbo and Xiao Hu will be reduced and will be flexibly adjusted according to the military situation.

Liang Shanbo finally had a day off, but tomorrow it would be Xiao Hu's turn to rest.

At dawn, Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai slowly awoke from their sleep, a slight chill seeping in through the window.

The two men put on their clothes, got up, and pushed open the south window.

A soft creak sounded from the window, and a small clump of snow fell from the windowsill, splashing onto the bluestone ground.

The yard was covered with a thick layer of snow, ankle-deep, spreading out flat across the yard.

The clump of green bamboo in the corner of the courtyard was covered with clumps of white fluff on its branches and leaves. The bamboo stalks were bent slightly by the weight of the snow, but they still showed their greenness. This greenness was tempered by the snow and was clear and cold.

It turns out that a heavy snowfall quietly began in the middle of the night last night.

The snow had not yet stopped. Snowflakes drifted down from the gray sky, falling silently onto the eaves, the courtyard walls, the well curb, and the clump of green bamboo bent low by the weight of the snow, adorning this military town on the frontier like a light ink landscape painting.

The whole world seemed unusually quiet.

Zhu Yingtai leaned against the window frame, gazing at the snow-covered courtyard outside, at the clump of green bamboo bent low by the weight of the snow, and at Liang Shanbo beside her, disheveled and sleepy-eyed. She couldn't help but smile.

She carried a childlike joy, as if the snowfall today was a gift from nature specially sent to Brother Liang on his day off.

Both she and Brother Liang loved snow.

On a day like this, with snowflakes falling, it's best to stay home and not go out.

Yinxin and Amian moved the charcoal brazier into the main room.

The charcoal fire glowed red-hot, occasionally crackling with sparks, its warmth dispelling the chill.

Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai sat facing each other in the hall.

Yu Xian, Yin Xin, and A Mian also gathered around, helping to add charcoal, serve tea, and peel fruit.

Several snacks were laid out in the hall: a plate of candied plums made by Sun Fangzhi herself, a plate of sesame sugar cakes freshly fried by Li Yue'e early in the morning, and a plate of osmanthus cakes bought from Guangling City.

Bathed in the warm glow of the charcoal fire, it evoked a sense of refined gathering around a fireplace.

Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai sat by the fire, snacking as they went. Liang Shanbo chatted about interesting things that happened in the army, while Zhu Yingtai talked about trivial matters at home.

Occasionally, they would fall silent, gazing quietly at the swirling snowflakes outside the door, enjoying this rare moment of tranquility and peace.

Li Yue'e was still in charge of cooking breakfast, and it was still the same old Shangyu home-style cooking method.

After finishing their hot breakfast, Liang and Zhu sat side by side under the south window of their bedroom, at a long desk, quietly reading by the light of the snow outside and the glow of the charcoal fire inside.

Snowflakes rustled outside the window, while inside, the pages of a book were turned softly.

The room was quiet, with only the faint crackling of the charcoal fire and the rustling of pages.

Occasionally, when Zhu Yingtai encountered a passage she didn't understand, she would lean over and whisper a few questions to Brother Liang. Liang Shanbo would then patiently explain, his voice gentle, as if he were teaching her or discussing something with her.

This scene evokes images of the young couple studying side-by-side at Wansong Academy, or the newlywed couple studying together in the pavilion of the Zhu Family Manor in Shangyu.

Yu Xian peeked out from outside the door and saw the young lady and Liang Lang sitting side by side at the desk, one holding a book and explaining, the other bowing his head and listening. She then quietly shrank back and tiptoed away, afraid of making any noise that might disturb the peace of the room.

In the afternoon, although the sky was still overcast and the clouds were still low, the snow had stopped.

Only a few scattered snowflakes were occasionally blown down from the eaves by the wind, swirling down.

Zhu Yingtai and Liang Shanbo woke up from their afternoon nap together.

She stretched and felt her whole body relax and feel refreshed.

It's rare for Brother Liang to be home today, and with this snow, she's been wanting to go out for a while.

She gazed at the pristine white snowscape outside the window, then turned to Liang Shanbo, smiling as she said, "Brother Liang, with such a beautiful snow scene, how can we stay cooped up at home all day?"

Knowing she was getting restless at home, Liang Shanbo chuckled and asked, "Want to go out?"

Zhu Yingtai nodded vigorously.

Liang Shanbo nodded: "Alright, let's go out for a stroll."

Immediately, Zhu Yingtai changed into men's clothing and redid her makeup.

She examined herself carefully in the bronze mirror, then added two touches of powder to her temples to make her facial features appear more defined.

She had mastered this method to perfection, and had not been recognized by others for nearly three years at Wansong Academy, thanks to her meticulousness and patience.

She then tied her hair up with a bamboo hairpin and hung a short knife at her waist.

She skillfully transformed herself into a handsome young man, appearing dashing and heroic.

The couple left the courtyard together, followed by Yin Xin and A Mian. Two servants carried bags filled with a lot of money.

The four of them walked through the soft, fresh snow in the alley towards the main street of Guangling City.

The snow crunched underfoot, and occasionally a clump of snow would slide off the wall, hitting the ground and kicking up a cloud of snow.

Most of the shops on the street were open.

Although Guangling is a military town, unlike the more peaceful county towns in Jiangnan, the people here are used to all kinds of harsh weather, and they can't stop doing business even on snowy days.

The shop assistants of several stores were busy clearing the snow in front of their shops. Some were sweeping with bamboo brooms, while others were shoveling it out with wooden shovels. The snow piles on the side of the street were already waist-high.

The men didn't seem to care much when they saw Liang and Zhu, the young "brothers" walking side by side.

Some sharp-eyed shopkeepers couldn't help but take a second look. These two "young men" were quite different. One was handsome and the other was dashing. They were also accompanied by two female soldiers. They must be from some military family.

The four of them entered a clothing store.

The shop was quite large, with a blue cloth sign hanging at the entrance, embroidered with the character "衣" (clothing).

The owner was an elderly tailor in his fifties, with gray hair and beard. Upon seeing a customer enter, he quickly put down his needlework and came to greet him.

Zhu Yingtai walked straight to a row of hanging light fur coats, reached out and touched them, and picked out a thick one for Liang Shanbo, which was perfect for winter.

She had Brother Liang try it on on the spot, examined him closely from all angles for a while, straightened his collar, patted the wrinkles on his shoulders, and finally nodded in satisfaction.

She then picked out a pair of waterproof leather boots for herself, with the soles densely stitched with hemp thread and the boot shaft lined with a thin layer of soft fur.

When she tried it on, she walked back and forth in the shop twice, then proudly lifted her foot and asked Brother Liang, "Does it fit?" She looked like a child who had just received a new toy.

Yin Xin paid the money, and the shopkeeper wrapped up the light fur coat and leather boots.

The group continued strolling along the main street.

We entered another bookstore.

The bookstore was small and dimly lit, with no sign at the entrance, only a wooden board hanging above the door with the words "Bookstore" written on it.

As the two entered the bookstore, the unique scent of ink and paper from old books wafted towards them, mixed with a faint smell of dust.

There was only one middle-aged scholar dozing in the shop. Startled by the footsteps, he rubbed his sleepy eyes and mumbled a greeting.

Liang and Zhu browsed through the bookshelf, most of which were old and yellowed.

Liang Shanbo found a copy of "Wei Liao Zi" in a dusty corner at the bottom of the bookshelf. Although the pages were yellowed, the characters were still clear and complete.

He held the scroll in his hand, carefully flipped through it, nodded in satisfaction, immediately brushed the dust off the scroll, and decided to buy it.

Zhu Yingtai found a book of supernatural tales among a pile of miscellaneous books on the upper bookshelf. It contained stories of ghosts, fox spirits, strange people and events.

She casually flipped through a few pages, smiled at Liang Shanbo, and said, "This book is quite interesting. I'll take it home and read it to pass the time."

The Eastern Jin Dynasty was the golden age of the flourishing of tales of the strange and supernatural. The popularity of Buddhism, Taoism, and the arts of immortality provided fertile ground for the creation of short stories that recorded supernatural tales.

It took a full hour to walk through the entire main street.

The main street wasn't actually very long, but the two of them deliberately strolled around slowly, browsing through various shops and carefully selecting some items.

The sky was gradually darkening.

Winter days are already short, and with the heavy clouds, it seemed like only afternoon before the sky turned as dark as dusk.

The number of pedestrians on the street gradually decreased, the vegetable vendors began to pack up their stalls, the peddlers carried their loads home, and a few playful children were still building snowmen on the street corner, their little hands frozen red, but they were laughing so hard they were doubled over.

Liang and Zhu bought hot ginger tea at a tea shop.

The tea shop was simple, consisting of a large earthenware pot with ginger tea bubbling inside. There were two wooden tables and a few low stools next to it, the tabletops mottled from years of tea stains.

When the old woman selling tea saw a customer arrive, she quickly scooped up some ginger tea and sprinkled some salt into the bowl.

People in Guangling insist on adding salt to their ginger tea, saying that it makes it more flavorful.

Liang and Zhu sat facing each other by the window, holding rough pottery teacups, sipping their tea and watching the passersby on the street outside.

There were peddlers carrying loads on their shoulders, the poles creaking under the weight; soldiers leading horses laden with bundles of arrows and hay, presumably delivering supplies to the camp outside the city; and women holding children, watching the snow, the children wrapped in thick cotton-padded coats.

On a freezing cold day, the steaming ginger tea in front of me, the spicy ginger flavor mixed with a hint of saltiness spreads on the tip of my tongue, warms me all the way down my throat to my stomach, and makes me feel warm all over.

Zhu Yingtai looked at the hurried pedestrians on the street, then glanced at Brother Liang sitting opposite her, and the corners of her lips involuntarily curved up, like the warmth of ginger tea in winter, warming her heart.

It was already evening when I got home. The sky was getting darker and the wind was picking up.

Li Yue'e had already prepared a table of hot food.

A bowl of stewed mutton, the meat is stewed until tender and flavorful, rich but not greasy; a dish of stir-fried sunflower with garlic, the leaves are green and the aroma of garlic is irresistible.

A dish of pickled radish shreds, tangy and crisp, refreshing and appetizing; and steaming hot wild rice, the grains glistening and plump, rising with white steam.

The dishes weren't lavish, but each one had the comforting, homely flavors of winter, carefully prepared by Li Yue'e and the two female soldiers who assisted her.

After Liang and Zhu finished their meal, they chatted for a long time by the charcoal fire.

Zhu Yingtai recounted the story of a fox spirit repaying a debt of gratitude from the bookstore she had bought earlier. The story involved the fox spirit transforming into a woman and marrying a scholar, secretly using her magic to help him escape poverty. Although the Taoist priest eventually discovered her true identity, their genuine love moved heaven and earth, ultimately leading to a happy ending.

Liang Shanbo asked with a smile, "Why do you like this story so much?"

She thought for a moment, then smiled and said, "Perhaps it's because she admires the fox demon's courage to love and hate fiercely, and her willingness to defy fate."

As night deepened, the charcoal in the brazier burned through another round, and Yin Xin added a few more pieces of new charcoal, reigniting the bright red flames.

After washing up and taking a bath, Liang and Zhu washed away the dust and chill they had picked up from their day of strolling in the snow, and felt warm all over.

Snow began to fall outside the window again, silently settling on Guangling, a military town that was gradually falling asleep.

Zhu Yingtai pushed open the window and stood side by side with Liang Shanbo at the window, admiring the falling snow in the night.

After the window was closed again, the two undressed and lay down in bed embracing each other.

Zhu Yingtai nestled in Liang Shanbo's arms, pressing her cheek against his warm chest.

His heartbeat was soft, each beat traveling through his chest to her ears.

She really liked that sound; it made her feel at ease.

However, after a long silence, she sighed softly, her tone carrying a hint of longing and reluctance: "Brother Liang, you'll be going to the camp to train the troops again tomorrow. I wonder when your next day off will be."

Her fingers unconsciously traced light circles on his chest.

This action was an old habit she had developed when she was at Wansong Academy. Whenever she had something on her mind or something to feel, she would unconsciously draw something on the table or her lap with her finger. Sometimes it was words, sometimes circles, and sometimes just some meaningless traces.

Since her marriage to Liang, she often secretly traced the number 0 on his chest with her finger in bed at night.

She continued, "I woke up while you were still asleep during your afternoon nap today."

I suddenly remembered the time we spent at the Wansong Academy in Qiantang. Back then, we had a five-day weekend, which was almost always the same. On our days off, we would go to Qiantang City to bathe, stroll around the streets, and travel to various places together.

Looking back on those days now, they were so simple, yet so fulfilling, never disappointing, and never changing.

Now that you're in the army, the five-day rest period is no longer fixed. The first rest period was actually half a month later, and you only got one day of leisure after half a month.

Today, we warmed ourselves by the fire, ate fruit and snacks, read books together, went shopping in the snow, and even had ginger tea together at a teahouse on the street.

I truly enjoyed this day, and I didn't want any of it to pass.

She raised her eyes, gazing at his face in the candlelight, and said tenderly, "I hope we can have many more days like this in the future."

Liang Shanbo smiled and said gently, "Although the five-day weekend in the military is not fixed, days like today will certainly be frequent in the future. The next day off will most likely be in five days. Besides, unless there are special circumstances, I can go home every evening."

After saying that, he tightened his arm around her, lowered his head, and kissed her lips.

Zhu Yingtai hummed in agreement, then suddenly rolled over and lay on top of him.

Outside the window, snow falls silently; inside, warmth and tenderness fill the air.