Chapter 39

"Liáng Zhù, transforming into butterflies? What a strange name, tell me, tell me quickly..."

Clearly intrigued, Shuixue urged Tanggu to speak faster. Tanggu smiled slightly and, without any pretense, began to recount the story succinctly.

"Once upon a time... there was a woman named Zhu Yingtai, whose nickname was 'Jiuniang.' She was born into a wealthy family, had no brothers, and was both beautiful and talented. Her parents wanted to find her a husband, but she declined, saying that a daughter should go out to study and seek a true virtuous scholar. So, she disguised herself as a man, calling herself 'Jiuguan,' and wandered the world..."

The moonlight was like water, the silver glow cold and clear. Under the night sky, a man and a woman sat side by side, and Tanggu began to tell the story. From the beggar father's teachings, the grass bridge oath, to studying together, resisting the arranged marriage, and finally the climax where they both transformed into butterflies, the story of Liang and Zhu unfolded.

Tanggu used this beautiful, tragic, and touching love story from another world, which had been passed down for a thousand years, to deeply touch Shuixue's heart.

This story was even more captivating than the three stories he had told at "Fulanjiao" before—The Peony Pavilion, The West Chamber, and The Legend of the White Snake. It was more widely known and had a greater impact.

Tears had already streamed down Shuixue's cheeks, wetting her white veil.

She listened quietly, looking at Tanggu, and murmured, "Silent before you, I share a cup of water with you, the clear water carries deep affection, flowing from the depths of my heart. Whether it's fate or destiny, don't speak of the butterfly dream, I will give you this life and the past, flying together through countless lifetimes..."

Tanggu had only intended to comfort Shuixue, but he had underestimated the power of these stories from that time and space.

Even in that time and space, this story was a timeless masterpiece, passed down for a thousand years. How much more so in this time and space?

Shuixue, who had never heard these stories before, found them perfectly suited to her current situation. How could she not feel deeply moved?

He spoke for nearly an hour, and Shuixue listened for nearly an hour. Even after the story ended, she remained lost in the tragic ending of Liang and Zhu transforming into butterflies.

Tanggu didn't know how to comfort her. He was a bit puzzled—was it really that impactful just because of a story? In the end, he could only try to change the subject: "Unfortunately, I'm not very good at music and can't play the Liang and Zhu melody for you. Otherwise, I could have played it for you."

After a long while, Shuixue finally stopped crying. She turned away, quietly wiping her eyes, which were a bit red. She stood up and bowed solemnly to Tanggu: "No need, just hearing this story is enough to make this life worthwhile."

After a long pause, she murmured, "Big Brother Tang, thank you for your efforts. Perhaps, I know what I should do now."

"Ah?"

Tanggu opened his mouth slightly, not knowing what to say... Even he didn't know what he would do if he were in Shuixue's position. She understood just by listening to a story?

Changing the topic, Tanggu smiled and said, "Actually, the stories from my hometown are not all tragedies. There are also comedies. Someone compiled ten great love stories. Let me think of a more圆满 (satisfying) one to tell you!"

Shuixue's eyes immediately brightened, and she stared at him intently, surprised and delighted. "There are more? Big Brother Tang, really? I want to hear!"

"Um."

Tanggu furrowed his brow, thinking carefully.

In the other time and space, there were indeed ten great love stories. The story of Liang and Zhu transforming into butterflies was just one of them. Others included the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl, The Peacock Flies Southeast, The Phoenix Seeks the Phoenix, The Heavenly Match, Chang'e Flies to the Moon, and Meng Jiangnu Weeps at the Great Wall, among others.

But... comedies...

Tanggu frowned. These stories all had elements of tragedy, and it was hard to find a purely comedic one.

However, if he had to find a story with a more satisfying ending than Liang and Zhu transforming into butterflies, it might help soothe her sadness.

Finally, he slowly began, "Let me tell you the story of the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl... It is said that long ago, there was a cowherd who lived with his old ox..."

"Finally, the Cowherd and his children lived in the sky, separated by the Milky Way, looking at the Weaver Girl from afar. Every year on the seventh day of the seventh month, we can see the heads of the magpies suddenly become bald as countless magpies fly to form a bridge for them..."

"On the Magpie Bridge, the Cowherd and the Weaver Girl reunite! The Weaver Girl and the Cowherd look at each other with deep affection, hugging their children, with countless words to say and endless emotions to express."

"Every year on this day, the seventh day of the seventh month, we call it the 'Qixi Festival' or the 'Begging for Skills Festival.' It is said that if people listen quietly under the grapevine on this night, they can faintly hear the music of the immortals and the deep conversation between the Weaver Girl and the Cowherd."

"Later, every year on the seventh day of the seventh month, young girls would come to the flowers and moonlight, looking up at the sky to find the Cowherd and Weaver Girl stars on either side of the Milky Way, hoping to see their annual reunion. They pray to the heavens to be as skillful as the Weaver Girl and to have a beautiful marriage like the Cowherd and Weaver Girl."

Time passed minute by minute, and the stars in the sky seemed to shine brighter. Tanggu spoke slowly, and Shuixue listened quietly. However, beautiful moments are always fleeting. Soon, the sky began to brighten, and Tanggu's story came to an end.

He stood up, stretched, and looked at the bottle of moon dew that was almost full, smiling. "Miss Shui, the moon dew is collected. You should go back now."

Shuixue was finally snapped out of the beautiful stories by his words. She looked up, glanced at the sky, and felt a bit reluctant.

"Big Brother Tang, you said that the next time I come, you will make me a more beautiful lantern. Is that true?"

Tanggu nodded and said, "Of course, when have I ever lied to you?"

Shuixue's eyes sparkled with anticipation. "Great, I will definitely come again."

She walked over to the tripod, took down the silver bottle, removed the jade bead, put it in her pocket, and then sealed the bottle. She slowly walked down the mountain.

After a few steps, she suddenly turned around, looked at Tanggu, and smiled. "Big Brother Tang, the next time I come, I hope not only to see your new lantern but also to hear the other eight stories you have."

"Ah..."

Tanggu was almost dumbfounded. He hadn't expected that his attempt to cheer her up would lead to an endless series of stories... However, looking at Shuixue's expectant eyes, he couldn't bear to refuse.

Reluctantly, Tanggu nodded. "Alright, I will."

"Um."

Shuixue smiled, showing a bit of her playful and mischievous side for the first time. She took the moon dew she had collected all night and slowly walked down the mountain, gradually disappearing from sight.

Tanggu stood on the mountain, watching her go, not turning back. The little weasel in his arms was already fast asleep.

...

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

As she had said, Shuixue came to the Moon Blade Peak every night during this half month to collect moon dew, and Tanggu would tell her various stories.

At first, Tanggu told the stories very quickly, but gradually, he realized that at this pace, he would run out of stories in just a few days. So, he began to slow down intentionally.

Sometimes, he told one story a day, sometimes three, and sometimes a single story took three days and three nights to finish.

One after another, the stories that had been passed down for a thousand years in the other time and space flowed from Tanggu's mouth. His only audience was Shuixue, the little weasel in his arms, and the pigeon in the room.

The mountains, rivers, and plants rustled, the insects chirped, the birds sang, the sun rose, and the moon set... Time passed slowly and meaningfully.

During this half month, Tanggu's cultivation and beast taming skills grew, but the revenge of "Silver Sword" Du Zhongjing, which he had been waiting for, never came.

The beautiful lantern he had promised to make for Shuixue, which he had no time to go down the mountain to buy materials for, was also delayed. Finally, after Shuixue's continuous urging for fifteen days, he decided to go down the mountain the next time to buy the materials.

He also promised that by the next evening, he would show Shuixue a lantern that was more beautiful, more dazzling, and more meaningful than a lantern wheel.

ps: First update.

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