Chapter Eighty-Two: Spring Couplets +
“Actually, Auntie Wang Er had met my parents before. She said that at first glance, my father and I looked very similar, but she didn’t dare to recognize me at first… It wasn’t until we got closer that she felt we looked more and more alike.”
While Gu Yu and Gu Qingheng were still bewildered, wondering how Auntie Wang Er was so perceptive, Mengyao Gu didn’t tease them further. She explained the reason why her disguise as a man was seen through.
Although Mengyao Gu didn’t want to mention her father at the moment, many people had commented on her resemblance to Gu Qing after she started her novel… Mengyao Gu herself didn’t feel she looked alike at all, but she couldn’t help it when people she met praised her, and eventually, she herself became confused.
If she really looked like her father, wouldn’t she turn into a man?!
Young Mengyao Gu, upset at the thought of becoming a man, was visibly unhappy for several days. Her mother saw her and, after inquiring about the reason, couldn’t stop laughing.
Thinking that Yao Yao wasn’t old yet, she had quite a lot of thoughts.
Afterwards, Mengyao Gu’s mother quickly explained that some people said Mengyao Gu resembled Gu Qing, and sometimes it was just politeness.
Of course, besides the reason that the two were indeed similar, there was also an inexplicable feeling that didn’t solely refer to appearance.
Recalling it now, Mengyao Gu guessed that her mother’s intention back then should have been about their temperament!
“Mengyao, after we finish moving these things, let’s think about what couplets Qingheng should write! It’d be good to send them to Auntie Wang Er’s house as soon as possible, so she doesn’t anxiously wait at home.”
Suddenly mentioning Gu Qing, Gu Yu, after seeing his little wife’s somewhat bitter smile, immediately changed the subject. While speaking, he accurately caught his younger brother-in-law who was about to slip away.
Gu Qingheng still had to do hard labor later, so he couldn’t let him off the hook just like that.
“Brother-in-law, you need to practice your calligraphy too! Otherwise, when it’s time for the imperial examinations and your answers are good, but your handwriting is incredibly ugly, it will shatter people’s illusions.”
“What illusions are there to shatter?”
After being caught, Gu Qingheng unwillingly wanted to drag Gu Yu down with him.
He couldn’t suffer alone; his brother-in-law had to suffer with him!
When Gu Yu heard Gu Qingheng’s words, he couldn’t help but chuckle and then asked, wanting to hear how exactly it would shatter illusions.
This younger brother-in-law was truly mischievous!
“Think about it! Someone who can write astonishing works, paired with incredibly ugly handwriting, this kind of strong contrast will definitely be shocking! As the saying goes, ‘See the handwriting, see the person’…”
However, when Gu Qingheng stated his reason, Gu Yu inwardly cried out, “Oh no!”
Then, glancing at Mengyao Gu, he saw her serious expression of utter agreement. Gu Yu immediately knew something was wrong.
After arriving in ancient times, Gu Yu adapted to various things very quickly, but when it came to writing, he was extremely frustrated.
In modern times, writing uses carbon pens; who would use a brush to write?
Only those who study calligraphy practice with brushes every day… but Gu Yu had never even touched one.
After transmigrating to ancient times, Gu Yu once entered his younger brother-in-law’s room and tried writing with a brush. Either the ink from the brush would blacken the paper, or he wrote too quickly and it turned into wild cursive, looking like a doctor’s diagnosis, and he couldn’t recognize what he had written at all.
And practicing was too troublesome; one had to tie a stone to their wrist to train their wrist strength…
Therefore, Gu Yu, to avoid practicing writing, delegated all handwriting tasks to his younger brother-in-law, while he rested.
But now, seeing Mengyao Gu’s agreeing expression, it was likely that she had been persuaded by Gu Qingheng’s words.
After all, for the imperial examinations, one still had to write, not just talk.
“Qingheng is right! Ah Yu, your handwriting also needs some practice. Otherwise, if something unexpected happens at the exam venue, it won’t be good…”
“This… next time, I’ll go to town and buy a calligraphy copybook. Even if I want to practice now, I can’t do anything without supplies.”
“Brother-in-law, I have them! I have over a dozen copybooks in my room! I’ll split them with you.”
“…”
“These copybooks were all bought for me by you before. It seems Brother-in-law had foresight. I’m truly impressed.”
After Mengyao Gu subtly indicated her desire for Gu Yu to practice writing, Gu Qingheng immediately became smug. The words that came out of his mouth made Gu Yu feel a desire to punch his younger brother-in-law.
How could he not remember buying copybooks for Gu Qingheng…
However, upon closer thought, Gu Yu had indeed bought quite a lot of books from the bookstore.
At that time, he directly asked the bookstore owner to select some books. Gu Yu didn’t look closely, just briefly confirmed they were the books Gu Qingheng needed, paid directly, and went home.
If he had known this would happen, Gu Yu would have looked carefully and picked out the copybooks.
Thus, after Gu Qingheng cleverly schemed and pulled Gu Yu into the pit, Gu Yu would also have to suffer practicing calligraphy.
“Hmm… regarding couplets, what should we write?”
“Qingheng, you think about it. I don’t know either.”
After placing the red paper neatly on the table, the brush and inkstone were ready, and even the ink was ground, just waiting to be used.
However, what to write stumped Mengyao Gu and her younger brother. Gu Yu stood by with a smile, watching what couplets the siblings would eventually come up with.
“The old departs, the new arrives. Fortune and prosperity enter the door, wealth and joy fill the household?”
“Too pedantic, no!”
“Happy New Year, may everything go well.”
“Too simple, no!”
“…Sister! What kind of couplets do you want, just say it, and I’ll write it, okay!”
After Gu Qingheng proposed several ideas that were all rejected, he sighed helplessly and asked his sister to think of one herself, so that she wouldn’t always say ‘no’ and waste time.
However, when Mengyao Gu heard Gu Qingheng’s words, her face showed confusion, clearly not knowing what to write.
Then, adhering to the principle of seeking help from Ah Yu when in difficulty, Mengyao Gu immediately cast a plea for help towards Gu Yu, wanting him to help.
Ah Yu is so capable, he must be able to think of good couplets!
“Let’s write this! Upper couplet: [May all journeys be smooth and auspicious stars arrive], Lower couplet: [May all things go as wished and fortune come to your door], Horizontal scroll: [May wealth flow endlessly].”
“Brother-in-law, this is good. I’ll write it now!”
“Ah Yu is indeed the best!”
When Gu Yu received his little wife’s pleading gaze, he immediately and unhesitatingly spoke out the spring couplets, to prevent Mengyao Gu and her brother from continuing to be troubled and not knowing what to write.
Gu Yu had seen many couplets in modern times, so saying a few was not a problem at all, very simple.
However, what Gu Yu found simple made Mengyao Gu and her brother’s eyes light up, and they showed expressions of admiration, making Gu Yu curious… what did they write for spring couplets in Linfeng Kingdom?
In fact, Mengyao Gu and her brother had little experience in this area. After struggling to come up with a couplet for a long time, Gu Yu directly spoke it out, naturally earning the siblings’ admiration.
“As for Auntie Wang Er’s family’s spring couplets, her son Shuanz just recovered from his illness, so let’s wish for good health! Upper couplet: [Heaven and Earth in harmony, household gains wealth], Lower couplet: [Peace and prosperity, people gain blessings], Horizontal scroll: [Safe and sound all year round].”
Then, striking while the iron was hot, Gu Yu also thought of the spring couplets for Auntie Wang Er’s family, letting Gu Qingheng write a few large characters on the red paper with his brush.
Although Gu Qingheng was still young, his handwriting had already begun to take shape. If he practiced diligently for a few more years, he might be able to write astonishingly good calligraphy.
As for Gu Yu’s writing, as long as it was recognizable, it was fine.
No need for too much…
After the spring couplets were written and the ink dried, Mengyao Gu directly took the couplets to Auntie Wang Er’s house. Gu Yu, at this time, followed Gu Qingheng into the room.
Reaching out to take the copybook and brush and ink hesitantly handed over by Gu Qingheng, Gu Yu gave him a speechless glare before taking the items back to the main room. He set up a table and began to practice diligently.
Since he had promised his little wife, Gu Yu would naturally not disappoint her.
Practicing calligraphy was just a trivial matter!
There was nothing that could stump Gu Yu…
While the Gu family was lively, Shun Yang, who had returned home shamefully from the poetry gathering, went to his room without a word. He picked up a copybook and began to imitate it, trying to calm himself down.
As things stood, no amount of anger would be helpful.
He still needed to think of ways to improve his image in Director Qingshan’s eyes, so as not to delay his studies at Qingshan Academy.
When Shun Yang first went to study in town, he heard about the great reputation of Qingshan Academy from his classmates. From then on, Shun Yang’s goal was to enter Qingshan Academy, and he studied diligently every day.
Fortunately, his hard work paid off, and Shun Yang successfully passed the Tong Sheng examination, obtaining the qualification to enter Qingshan Academy.
As long as he passed a test afterwards, he would successfully become a student at the academy.
Shun Yang was very confident in his abilities. After all, if he wasn’t capable, the Magistrate wouldn’t have specifically invited him to participate in the poetry gathering… This should have been a poetry gathering where he would shine, but Gu Yu had ruined it.
Truly…
Thinking this, Shun Yang clenched the brush handle tightly, making a ‘crunch’ sound. The angry expression on his face could not be calmed.
Gu Yu! Gu Yu! Gu Yu!
This Gu Yu was definitely born to be his nemesis. Why did everything that had any connection with him turn out for the worse?
Just like now, after he was sent home shamefully, Gu Yu was still at the poetry gathering, looking smug.
Unfair!
Completely unfair!
When Shun Yang thought of Gu Yu’s smug smile, he forcefully stabbed the brush into the copybook, smearing the entire page into a pitch-black mess. Only then did Shun Yang release the brush.
Since Gu Yu was naturally incompatible with him, then all he had to do was push Gu Yu into the abyss.
He didn’t believe that someone who had fallen to the bottom of a cliff could compete with him, who would stand in the clouds in the future!
