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墨書 Inktalez
The shadow was faint, the lines blurred; it resembled a ghost, indicative of a short-lived fate.
However, Wang Fu's shadow was the opposite: it was deep and the lines were clear, indistinguishable from that of a common person. Xing Ruyi observed several times but still couldn't discern anything unusual. Wang Fu spoke with conviction, suggesting he wasn't lying, so she had no choice but to patiently inquire further.
Wang Fu stared at his shadow for a moment before replying, "The matter began seven days ago."
"Seven days ago?" Xing Ruyi instinctively repeated.
Seven was just an ordinary number, but in folklore, it often related to many mysterious events. Therefore, whenever the number "seven" was mentioned, it would evoke a sense of unease.
"Yes, seven days ago. I remember it clearly. That night, I was busy until late and when I returned to my room to rest, I inadvertently glanced at the shadow on the floor. Normally, I wouldn't pay attention to such things, but that night for some reason, I looked down and found it strange. I felt that the shadow didn't look like me."
"The shadow didn't look like you?" Xing Ruyi asked as she lowered her head to look at her own shadow.
Shadows were all dark; aside from differences in height and build, clothing and hairstyles varied little. A shadow had been with its owner since birth, yet few paid attention to whether their shadow resembled them. Xing Ruyi observed her own shadow; its hairstyle, height, and even unintentional movements were faithfully mirrored. Wang Fu's shadow under the sunlight was the same.
"At first glance, your shadow seems quite similar to you."
"That's why I found it strange!" Wang Fu stepped into the shade; he didn't want to see his own shadow. "That night felt odd. I stared at the shadow on the ground; although it moved in sync with me, its head appeared much larger than mine."
Wang Fu gestured towards Xing Ruyi: "The head of that shadow was enormous, with messy hair. But Ruyi, you see, I usually manage my hair quite well; it's not as meticulous as a wealthy person's but it's neat and tidy. Yet that shadow's hair looked like a broom used for sweeping—strange in every way.
Initially, I thought little of it and assumed it was due to the candlelight. As for the hair being messy, perhaps I was too tired to notice. But the hands and feet of that shadow were different from mine too. Ruyi, look at your own shadow; although its hands and feet aren't as distinct as your real ones, you can still tell they are human hands. But that night’s shadow had fingers like bird claws—long and curved at the tips—making one feel uneasy just looking at them.
The more I looked, the more anxious I became, so I called my wife over to take a look. She also felt that my shadow didn’t resemble me at all; instead, it looked like one of those evil spirits painted on temple walls. I initially thought it was just a coincidence, but from then on every night my shadow would take on that monstrous appearance. Even my wife got frightened and fell ill; I've been restless and unable to rest properly since then. I've thought long and hard about whether I've offended any deities along the way. Today, I simply couldn't bear it anymore and sought out Shengzi; after all, he is a constable who has seen much and might provide me with an answer."
"Clearly, Shengzi couldn't give you that answer. As for me, it's difficult to make any judgments based solely on what you've told me about these strange changes you're experiencing. How about this: I still have some matters to attend to and your shadow appears normal now. Leave me your address and I'll come by tonight to take a look."
"In that case, thank you very much, Ruyi. My home is somewhat hard to find, but everyone knows Ruyi's Rouge shop. Don't worry; later on this evening I'll have my son wait outside the shop to guide you there."
"That works; let's meet later!" Xing Ruyi said as she lowered her head slightly—a gesture of agreement and farewell.
After sending Wang Fu off, Xing Ruyi let out a sigh of relief and adjusted her mindset before heading towards the brocade shop.
While other girls had family members helping them prepare for marriage, Xing Ruyi was alone and had to rely entirely on herself. Fortunately, she was marrying Ruyi's Husband—the one she had personally chosen—and she didn't have any particular demands regarding the wedding ceremony except for wanting her Bridal Gown to be perfect.
The design of the Bridal Gown was drawn by Xing Ruyi long ago; it is an improved version of the Tang suit, combining the elegance of Golden Tang Dynasty attire with the convenience of later clothing styles. Originally, Xing Ruyi was worried that the embroiderers might not understand her sketches, but to her surprise, things progressed even more smoothly than she had anticipated.
To become the top tailoring shop in the capital, the embroiderers at Jinxiu Fang were not only skilled but also exceptionally intelligent. At first glance, Xing Ruyi's sketches left them somewhat puzzled, but after she explained them, their confusion turned into astonishment. The color combinations, accessories, cuts, and embroidery techniques were all novel and unlike anything they had seen or heard before. The embroiderers were almost certain that once this Bridal Gown was worn by Xing Ruyi on her wedding day, it would undoubtedly become a major topic of conversation in Luoyang City, and its style would surely set off another wave of fashion for women's clothing in the Golden Tang Dynasty.
Jinxiu Fang had taken on many custom orders, but such a fresh and exciting design was a first for them. The embroiderers were not only intrigued but also eager to get started on completing this Bridal Gown.
Thanks to the open-mindedness of the shop owner and Xing Ruyi's charm, the production of this Bridal Gown was put on Jinxiu Fang's agenda that very afternoon. The shop owner even assigned two of the best embroiderers to take on the main work. The fabric was personally chosen by Xing Ruyi; although it was all red, different materials were selected for the gown's body, collar, and sleeves—some vibrant in color and others heavy in texture—with intricate patterns that were carefully distinguished. As for accessories, Xing Ruyi was less concerned because anything produced by Jinxiu Fang would undoubtedly be of high quality.
In addition to her own and the fox's outfits, Xing Ruyi also customized a set of clothes for Yin Yuan, Chang Tai, Si Niang, Lingling, Shengzi, Deer Lady, Li Mao, and others. Although these were just sketches, they followed the same pattern as the Bridal Gown—retaining features of Golden Tang Dynasty clothing while incorporating characteristics of later improved Tang suits—making the embroiderers visibly excited.
Due to bargaining needs, Xing Ruyi ultimately relinquished the custom rights for this outfit, allowing Jinxiu Fang to mass-produce these garments six months after her wedding. As for new clothing designs, she could create them but would need to negotiate separately regarding that aspect.
"The business dealings with Manager Xing are indeed never a loss!" remarked the steward of Jinxiu Fang as he saw Xing Ruyi out.
"Jinxiu Fang isn't at a loss either; just a few sketches have turned me into your exclusive designer while I only receive a small share. If you ask me, your shop owner is quite shrewd," she replied.
"Designer? Manager Xing always comes up with these fresh terms. Is 'designer' just another name for an embroiderer?"
"Not quite! Strictly speaking, a designer is someone who only draws designs," Xing Ruyi said playfully while mimicking drawing motions.
The steward nodded knowingly and shook his head with a smile: "In that case, I won't keep Designer Xing any longer!"
Xing Ruyi rubbed her ears. "That sounds a bit awkward; you should still call me Manager Xing or Fox Demon."
The steward bowed slightly with a smile: "Ruyi, take care; I won't see you off!"
Xing Ruyi returned the gesture and turned around to stretch her body. She hadn't felt stiff during their discussion but now realized her limbs were somewhat rigid. If it weren't for her own lifelong affair at stake, she wouldn't want to exert herself so much. It seemed true what she had heard before—getting married was indeed exhausting.
However, since it took so long for the fox to finally relent, if she didn't seize this opportunity to get married soon, who knew how long she'd have to wait next time? With the wedding dress settled, she still needed to prepare some jewelry and other items like a phoenix crown. She wondered if Qingqiu had its own customs. Although her wedding wasn't being held in Qingqiu, it would be wise to inquire about traditions; she didn't mind herself but feared that the fox might be ridiculed later.
Lost in thought, she unknowingly wandered off course until she heard someone call out: "Miss!" She hurriedly stopped in her tracks. Looking up, she saw a dark face standing by a low wall in the evening light—it was somewhat unexpected.
"Excuse me, are you Rouge from Ruyi?"
"Who are you?"
"I was instructed by my father to wait here for you, Miss. My father's name is Wang Fu."
"Oh, so you are Young Master Wang!"
"Not at all! I am just a common person, not worthy of being called Young Master. You can just call me Wang San; I am the third in my family. Everyone usually calls me that. As for my given name, it is hardly remembered."
"What is your given name then?"
"Wang Zhuangyuan!" Wang San scratched his head shyly. "When I was born, my father was determined to have me become a top scholar and hold a high official position in the future. Between the names Wang Zhuangyuan and Wang Da Guan, he chose the one he thought was more modest. Who would have thought that I would be so foolish? After two or three years in private school, I still couldn't recognize many characters. Even now, I still do some rough work. If anyone calls me by that name, I wouldn't have the face to respond. Just call me Wang San."
"You are called Wang San and are the third in your family; does that mean you have an older brother and Wang Er above you?"
"I originally had an older brother who passed away at the age of seven. I also had an older sister who married off a few years ago." When Wang San mentioned his brother and sister, his expression changed slightly. Xing Ruyi wanted to ask a couple more questions but noticed Wang San seemed to want to avoid the topic, so she refrained from asking further.
The Wang family lived in a narrow alley; if it weren't for someone guiding her, it would indeed be hard to find. In front of the Wang family's house stood a tree stump that looked like it had been cut down many years ago. From the patterns on the stump, it could be determined that it was likely a Black Locust.
"With locust trees planted in front of the door, vengeful spirits come naturally! The tree at your home has been cut down quite appropriately!"
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