Postscript No.1: The initial construction of the school palace
Chonghua's first school palace, which was built in Linyi, was called Wangshu palace.
The layout of the school palace was very promising. All day long, flowers and butterflies were flying, winding around the corridors, and everywhere, one could see the lazy curtains fluttering gently. Looking down from a high place, the school palace in the half green hills seemed to be placed in a cloud of smoke, and was is like a dream floating out of a pipe.
Murong Lian, the leader of the imperial school palace, was very moody. When he was building the school palace, he liked to run there when he was free, pointing out this and that.
"Build it a lit smaller for me! What are you doing making it so big? I don't believe that I have so many people who like refining. Yes, yes, listen to me. Narrow the music platform and expand the enchantment platform."
The foreman even panicked. "Wangshu Jun, there is a hill beside the enchantment platform which can't be expanded any more."
"What are you afraid of? Blow it up."
"... There is a hill next to that hill."
"Blow it up again!"
"Next to the hill is a small village."
"And then - oh no, this can't be blown up." With a pipe in his mouth, Murong Lian impatiently pulled over the drawing and pretended to read it. Finally, he said, "OK, that's it. The enchantment platform is so big for the time being, OK."
Foreman: "…"
Can you understand the drawing when you take it upside down???
Mo Xi was very contemptuous of Murong Lian's move.
When he entered the school for the first time, he thought that he would immediately see the bright future of open classes for students, and immediately feel the responsibility and comfort in the face of those eyes of seeking knowledge.
Who knew what was to follow was Murong Lian standing on the top of the mountain to see the craftsmen who had done a day's work, but also had to listen to Murong Lian put forth a lot of fantastic requirements.
"The building of the main hall of the palace was unique. It couldn't be the same as the Imperial Palace at all. Even the style of bricks and tiles couldn't be repeated."
"The garden should be chic, big, and winding, so that the students of the school can have love. Yes, yes, young people should do this. Remember to have a variety of paulownia flowers. They're beautiful."
"Remember to reserve a place for hanging the curtain, and I want you to build a wind and rain corridor connecting the nine halls. Reason? No reason. I don't like the sun."
Gu Mang was also speechless.
"Have you ever counted the money? Is that enough?"
"What are you afraid of?" Murong Lian said. "Not enough to ask Mengze. He would like me to be more extravagant and wasteful, so as to make him wise and simple. Believe me. I won't be a king, but I can't be better at being a king under a king to let them rest assured."
After that, he took another puff of life like a dream, but before he took a second puff, Gu Mang took the pipe away.
Gu Mang put the pipe behind his back, smiling at him. "It's said ten puffs a day.
You've reached today's limit and can't smoke again."
Murong Lian: "…"
"Mo Xi, bring the preserved fruit."
Mo Xi took a look at Murong Lian, who was suffering and tangled. He took a bag of preserved fruit from the spatial bag. It was sent by Jiang Fuli. It had the effect of suppressing the addiction of life like a dream. He delivered the preserved fruit to Gu Mang. Gu Mang smiled. Without saying a word, he puts the preserved fruit on Murong Lian's head.
Murong Lian said angrily, "This is also too bad to eat!"
"It's good for longevity," Gu Mang said to him with a smile, "Palace master, you should take care of yourself."
Murong Lian said, "Go away!"
The school palace was built day by day, like a dream for the three of them.
For Murong Lian, this school had finally realized his childhood dream of making decisions by himself. Here, everyone's preferences could be respected and a path they wanted to take could be chosen.
For Mo Xi, from then on, he and Gu Mang could have a new identity, a common home, and the future they once dreamed of together when they were fighting for each other.
For Gu Mang, Wangshu academy may mean more.
A long time ago, when he was still very young, he and Mo Xi walked on the long embankment at dusk. He broke down a dogtail grass and brushed through the flower fields in the wild suburbs. At that time, he quietly accepted the young Mo Xi's kindness to him with a trace of humble extravagance. The delusion that maybe in the future, they wouldn't eventually be able to maintain such a great disparity in status.
A long time ago, he and Lu Zhanxing had been sitting by the campfire laughing and drinking a pot of horse milk wine, chatting with people from all walks of life. He hoped that the spark could start a prairie fire and burn the grass and thorns in the world.
A long time ago, when he was a little slave of Wangshu Fu, he had a burning dream, hoping that one day everyone could get justice regardless of their origin.
He had hoped that every drop of heroic blood could be respected and the seeds of every flower could sprout.
Now, at last, they had this fertile land.
Postscript 2: The night drink in the starry sky
In the second year after Mo Xi and Gu Mang became anonymous, Wangshu Academy was finally completed.
On that day, Gu Mang was drinking under the night sky. Suddenly, he heard the sound of rustling hunting clothes. The familiar low voice said behind him:
"It's late at night. Why are you sitting here?"
Gu Mang turned back and saw Mo Xi jumping like a paper kite use qinggong to step on the black roof tiles.
This was the highest building in Wangshu school palace, which was called the moon tower. Gu Mang liked to sit here when he was free. In the past two years, they watched the school palace rise like a beauty in makeup. It gradually developed a fine look and exquisite details, which gradually looked like the appearance on the drawings, and their hearts became more and more peaceful.
Linyi was far away from the imperial capital. Although there were disputes among the royal families from afar, when it was handed to them, it was as light as the moon on the window and the wind blowing into the ear.
The smell of the bloodbath could still be smelled, but it had nothing to do with them.
The matter of the imperial capital was like a dream across the curtain. On the other side of the dream was the royal power and wealth, and the other end of the dream was the daily necessities of a family.
Gu Mang sat on the tile with a pot of hot pear blossom white beside him. Seeing Mo Xi, he poured one for him with a smile and said, "The school hall will be officially opened the day after tomorrow. I wonder what kind of lively scene it will be at that time. Hey, I'm looking forward to it."
Mo Xi walked to him and put the cold clothes on his shoulder and sat down beside him.
He and Gu Mang looked down at the magnificent Wangshu school palace. Gu Mang held his cheek and said, "Actually, I sat here and looked down several times, but I still feel funny. I'm afraid Mengze will hate him because he has spent enough money on his work. It's said that Mengze, in order to set an example for himself, has cut down on the cost of the Imperial Palace, so that he can no longer use better incense. However, Lian Di --"
"But he even wanted the floor tiles of the school palace to be gold."
Gu Mang laughed. "It's not so exaggerated, but..." He stopped. Two rows of soft long eyelashes trembled gently. In the bright moonlight gently watching Mo Xi, he said, "You finally learned to joke."
Mo Xi was embarrassed by him, but he was very excited, so he bent down to kiss him, and quickly turned his face away, looking at the tower under the back, the sky, the balcony waterside.
That serious appearance, as if he was not kissing Gu Mang just now.
It's just that his white face was a little red. His face was always thin.
Gu Mang looked at him and sighed. No matter how many years and things he had gone through, his Mo Shidi was always so stuffy and lovely, as if he had sweet honey in his heart. But he kept it from being known and didn't want to be seen more.
No matter how long it took, he could always see the profile of the handsome boy of Chonghua Academy. He was sitting under a tree, nibbling at the rice dumplings politely. The hot sweat after training was permeated closely behind his neck. The breeze was blowing his broken bangs. He looked back, and his eyes were pure like the morning light.
Gu Mang looked at him more and more fondly, stretched his waist, and said, "Mo Xi."
"Yes?"
"I want to count the stars."
This was not the first time such a dialogue had happened in these two years. Mo Xi raised his hand and rubbed his head and said, "Lie down."
Gu Mang was lying on the roof of the tower, the back of his head resting on Mo
Xi's legs. Looking up at the stars all over the sky, the galaxy was brilliant. Gu Mang stretched out his hand and felt the night wind flowing through his fingers
like a ribbon. He counted the brilliant night stars. "One, two, three..."
It was said that after the death of a heroic soul, there would be another star in the sky.
He was counting the seventy thousand that belonged to him. And to this day, he still remembered their names.
Mo Xi quietly accompanied him, listening to his warm voice, and pointed out the numbers that were not just numbers. Where in the world or would these heroes reincarnate, those brothers who once walked with them. Lu Zhanxing… Maybe one day he would come back to them.
Maybe he would become a new disciple of Wangshu Academy in one year, from the dark past to today's good time.
In the middle of the night, the night was cold, and the pear flower white brought by Gu Mang was almost drunk. Gu Mang is dizzy and gradually became sleepy.
Mo Xi looked down at his sleeping face. Up to now, Gu Mang was no longer frowning when he was asleep, and there was no trace of fear any more. He just murmured. Obviously, he still remembered to count the stars in his dream.
"Count them later," Mo Xi gently said to him, "I will prepare some tools opened by the school tomorrow. I will take you back."
Gu Mang answered vaguely, but he said vaguely, "Biaoge… Zhanxing..."
Mo Xi's eyes were slightly mourned and then were covered with endless tenderness. He cleaned up the white wine jar for Gu Mang, looked up at the twinkling stars in the sky, and said, "They will look at you, and they will come back to you."
Soon, more than a thousand students will enter the school and go back and forth year after year. Maybe among them, there were reincarnated old friends, fellow officers and brothers who won't give up?
This time, no matter what kind of origin, whether noble or poor, they can get fair treatment and patient teaching.
Your blood and tears are in the past.
Will you come back?
Will you see…
As the night deepened, Gu Mang fell asleep. Mo Xi couldn't bear to disturb him.
So he got up and picked him up carefully. The night wind was blowing his robes. He jumped down the pagoda with his flying skill. The person in his arms felt the movement and stillness. He leaned into Mo Xi's warm arms and settled down.
Between heaven and earth, he turned into a small shadow and took him home.
Postscript No.3: Record of the founding ceremony
The day before the official opening of the school palace, Murong Lian, Mo Xi and
Gu Mang got together to discuss a matter seriously——
Their names.
Murong Lian, needless to say, was the master of Wangshu palace. The key was Mo Xi and Gu Mang.
Naturally, it these two would not show their former identities in front of others. Fortunately, it not difficult for Mo Xi and Gu Mang to disguise themselves, but what to call them was a questionable point.
After discussion, Murong Lian unilaterally decided that after becoming the school elder, Mo Xi would be called Yao Ling Dong Jun, and Gu Mang would be called Elder Qingguang.34
Gu Mang was very satisfied with his life, and he was also very satisfied with this elegant name.
The only one who wasn't satisfied was Mo Xi.
"Why did he call him Qingguang?" Mo Xi squinted his eyes, arms in his hands, looking at Murong Lian. "Qingguang, Wangshu, what do you mean?"
Murong Lian said with a sneer, "What else should he be called? Find another name for him then, Xihe? Elder Chiwu?"35
Gu Mang shook his head again and again. "It's too unpleasant to hear. I'll vote
for it."
Mo Xi suddenly opened his eyes to Gu Mang's incredible betrayal."Gu Mang, you --!"
Murong Lian was very satisfied and reached out to take Gu Mang's shoulder. "Ah, he is my Didi. If you don't name him after me, will he follow you?"
Gu Mang was very pertinent. "It's not that. I just feel that Qingguang is better than Chiwu."
He was so angry that he went back to read the classics and tried to find a more elegant nickname. However, no matter how he translated it, Wangshu's was better than his, so he had to give up.
On the morning of the second day, the sky was bright. It was clear and light.
In the majestic and solemn bell, Wangshu academy slowly opened the heavy gate carved with the sun, moon and stars. Murong Lian stood on the greeting platform painted red and gold, wearing elegant clothes of royal blue, overlooking the young students who entered the school successively. Beside him, Mo Xi and Gu Mang stood side by side, and the fresh morning breeze was blowing on their faces. They were like the elders who had taught them cultivation in the imperial palace before, and they welcomed those new lives and brilliant stars.
"What a small person." Gu Mang bent his eyes and began to laugh. The youngest of them was only seven or eight years old. Many of them came from poor families, wearing patched linen clothes. They came in uneasily and anxiously. The little animals who had just entered the forest looked at everything here curiously and expectantly.
They were like small carp from all over the world, converging in this hard won golden pool.
There was no strict hierarchy and rules. There were many children, and they are young. Walking, there were some lovely and funny things. One person stepped on another's shoes, and the other person was too nervous to find that he continued to walk forward barefoot.
There was a young disciple walking. Ogling left and right for a while, his face became more and more panicked and suddenly cried. Everyone went to see him. "Wow! Gege! Gege, where are you? I can't find you!"
"Song Xiong, you have forgotten your brother..."
In a group of laughter, the elder brother's face turned red, embarrassed to return to find the young brother standing in the same place, crying loudly.
Mo Xi saw a child chasing another child in the crowd, and roared, "Nangong!
Nangong! Wait for me!" He ran so fast that he fell over.
Mo Xi: "…"
Gu Mang chuckled and turned to look at his lover and elder brother. The two faces were not as relaxed as he was. Obviously, he doubted whether such a mixture of good and bad people could really succeed in opening the forum. Looking at their stiff expressions, Gu Mang couldn't help laughing more freely.
Ha ha!
"The road is blocked and long, the road is blocked and long."
Murong Lian brushed his sleeve and gritted his teeth and said, "You will be in charge of the commandments in the future. This is a group of idiots."
"I'll take care of it!" Gu Mang didn't care. He raised his hand with a positive smile.
Mo Xi glanced at him and said, "Forget it, I'll just take care of it. It will be even more difficult for these disciples to clean up after a year."
Gu Mang: "…."
Among the whispers, the rising sun was rising slowly in the east, shining on the golden tiles of Wangshu school palace. Everything could be seen. The three of them watched as more and more disciples came downstairs. Led by the leading practitioners, they went to the school yard with yin and yang totems on them, ready to wait for a new beginning of their lives there.
The bell of the turret rang eighteen times, each of which represented six elements, six arts, and six virtues.
At the end of the last sound, Murong Lian snorted. He was dazzling with his blue clothes and swept away with his qinggong skills. He leaped over the roof terrace and landed in front of the school hall in front, causing sighs of admiration.
Mo Xi: "…"
Gu Mang shook his head helplessly and said with a smile, "It's still Murong Lian that hasn't changed."
Mo Xi said to him, "Let's go, too."
"Good."
The two people looked at each other, hand in hand under their broad sleeves. Step by step, they walked down the long steps to their future in the dazzling dawn.
In Gu Mang's clothes was the reversal stone pendant. The stone's luster ha faded. It had completed its mission. It no longer had any effect to reverse anything.
But it was the keepsake of their experience of life and death, witnessing the end, and the happiness that finally belonged to them.
As soon as the morning light shined, the black crystal emitted a glistening radiance, shining brightly on his clothes.
It was dark and bright.
It was like Gu Mang's black eyes which had finally recovered their original appearance.
They had experienced the deepest darkness, and now——
They were the brightest light in the world.
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That's it for the main story! I will also be doing the AU extras, but at a slower pace. Thanks to everyone who has chatted and cried with me about this novel. If you haven't already, please buy the original for yourself to support the author. Please also read real translations when they come out. Their hard work keeps the danmei fandoms going!