Gasp! She's a Time Traveler Using Modern Tech to Improve Ancient Life-Chapter 504 - 503: First Snow, Admiring Calligraphy

Chapter 504: Chapter 503: First Snow, Admiring Calligraphy

Entering January, it was truly the coldest month of winter now.

Although the entire era of the Great Tang was considered a warm period in the river of time, not all places experienced mild winters.

The snow that should fall, would still fall.

This year’s first snow arrived particularly late.

Lin Wanwan had just returned home from Red Face Smile when the snowflakes gracefully drifted down, falling on her cape and shoulders, quickly turning into drops of water.

Lin Wanwan couldn’t afford to admire the white snow, she hurriedly pressed the wrapping of silk containing precious calligraphy to her chest, jumped off the horse, tossed the reins to the gatekeeper and rushed into the gatehouse.

Then she immediately shook the snow off the silk fabric, fearing it would get wet.

"Go fetch an oil-paper umbrella."

The gatehouse already had oil-paper umbrellas prepared, and Hong Yan quickly stepped forward, took an umbrella and opened it, intending to shield Lin Wanwan.

Lin Wanwan snatched the umbrella from her hand, saying, "I’ll hold it myself, you go get another one."

With those words, she eagerly headed towards the main courtyard with the umbrella.

Lin Wanwan had just entered the courtyard when she saw young Qingyu leading Rongrong and Song Sulan, excitedly frolicking in the snow.

Upon seeing Lin Wanwan entering with the umbrella, little Qingyu sprinted over like a small rocket; Lin Wanwan pressed her down swiftly, saying, "Mother is holding a calligraphy piece, it can’t get wet."

Little Qingyu was entirely uninterested in calligraphy, she excitedly shouted, "Mother, Mother, it’s snowing!"

The little one’s eyes and heart were filled with joy for the snow; for someone from the Jiangnan region who seldom sees snow, it was indeed rare.

Lin Wanwan could well understand young Qingyu’s excitement; if she did not have Yu Shinan’s calligraphy piece hugging her chest, she too would throw away the umbrella to feel the flying snowflakes.

Snow in Jiangnan, even when it falls, usually mixes with rain, turning into water in the air before reaching the ground; it’s often unremarkable. Such pure drifting white snow, as seen today, was indeed rare.

But at this moment, what Lin Wanwan wanted most was to first properly store the national treasure.

"Dress little Qingyu with a cloak, don’t catch a chill."

"Got it."

Lin Wanwan instructed the servant briefly and then continued to walk inside holding the calligraphy piece.

When she entered the study, she tossed the silk down and once again carefully unfolded the calligraphy piece, smiling like an aunt, slowly appreciating it.

At this moment, the gatekeeper reported: "Xiao Mingfu has arrived."

Lin Wanwan lifted her head from the calligraphy piece and gazed out through the study’s window.

In the courtyard, Xiao Chong, dressed in a blue robe, held an oil-paper umbrella, striding rapidly from the snowfield. His stature was like that of a green pine, his eyebrows akin to distant mountains, clear and distinct. A northern wind blew over, snowflakes flew slantingly, mingling with the sound of garments fluttering, lending him an aura of profound mystery.

Lin Wanwan was momentarily entranced until Xiao Chong arrived at the corridor and handed the umbrella to the guards, making her regain her senses.

Such is the scene when admiring beauties in the snow.

"Cousin, it’s rare that you have time; have all the mountain bandits at Wildman Hill been captured?"

"Captured or executed, the rest are of little concern."

Following Xiao Chong was Dugu Di, the one speaking at the moment was him. Yet Lin Wanwan’s attention was all drawn by Xiao Chong, making her overlook him momentarily.

"Cousin sister, greetings."

"Lin Le’an, greetings."

"Two elder brothers, greetings."

After both sides exchanged greetings, Xiao Chong, glancing at the calligraphy spread on Lin Wanwan’s table, curiously asked, "Cousin sister, did you acquire a new piece of art from whose collection?"

Lin Wanwan was happy to share, smiling sweetly, "It’s a treasure from the hand of Yu Shinan, currently serving as Secretary of the Secretariat."

Today, Dugu Di, his eyes again bound with bands, naturally could not see it, while Xiao Chong walked alone to the desk to examine it carefully. After a short while, he praised, "What a splendid cursive script, the penmanship is round, gentle, and scattered, moving as if imbued with spirit; a fine piece. Yu Shinan’s script, never sloppy, is indeed as worthy as the world’s treasures."

"To appreciate calligraphy in the snow, Le’an is truly inclined." Dugu Di commented.

Lin Wanwan further discussed the calligraphy with the two of them, sharing the joy of appreciating a precious treasure together, feeling rather delighted.

When Hong Yan and other servants silently prepared the tea set, Lin Wanwan then noticed that both Xiao Chong and Dugu Di were extremely thinly dressed, not to mention the absence of padded silk robes or even cloaks.

"Two elder brothers, it’s already the coldest month of winter now, and the first snow has fallen today. Why are you dressed so thinly? Are you not afraid of the cold, choosing style over warmth?"

Upon hearing her words, Dugu Di couldn’t help but chuckle, and Xiao Chong smiled with arched brows and said, "We, who practice martial arts, do not fear the cold."

He glanced around the study, paused, and added, "Cousin sister, why in such cold weather do you not even light a charcoal basin?"

Ordinary young ladies would never lack curtains and stove basins come winter, yet here we are, Lin Wanwan’s place had open doors and windows, with no trace of charcoal basins.

Only when Xiao Chong brought it up did Lin Wanwan feel the cold, saying, "I just came back from outside; I generally don’t like lighting charcoal basins in the study; it’s dangerous with sparks. As for hanging curtains, wouldn’t it be impossible to admire the snowfall?"

Not only does she dislike curtains, but even window paper she thinks blocks the view; the window by the desk is fully open.

"But it is indeed cold here, two elder brothers, let’s go, let’s move to the greenhouse, it has a heated wall over there, very comfortable; tonight’s dinner will be there."

These two arrived at the hour of Shen, surely here to join for dinner; Lin Wanwan was accustomed to it.

"Alright, after you, cousin sister / Le’an."

Lin Wanwan carefully stored Yu Shinan’s calligraphy piece, placing it into a drawer of the specially crafted book cabinet made by craftsmen, then led them through the corridors towards the greenhouse.

Passing by the courtyard, she saw little Qingyu, cloaked, wearing a hat and gloves, still playing wildly.

Her two maids, of similar age, were dressed similarly, playing around her, along with a lynx and two small tabby cats jumping around nearby.

"Little Qingyu, stop playing, come quickly, follow mother to the greenhouse, don’t catch a cold."

Little Qingyu replied without lifting her head, "One more quarter of an hour of play, just a quarter of an hour!"

Young Qingyu, raised comfortably with abundant riches and clothing, had lost all memory of those years before the age of four when she shivered in threadbare clothes and empty stomach through the coldest months, suffering from frostbite all over her body.

The present young Qingyu was cheerful, bright, and adorable, just like modern children of her age, greedy for play.

In ancient times, snow days were a source of literary inspiration for nobles, while for the poor they were a worry, expressed as "alas, wearing only thin clothes, hoping for cheap charcoal and wishing for cold weather to continue."

This aspect is simply incomparable to a genuinely prosperous modern era.

Mao County experienced wind and flood disasters this year, though few people died thanks to Xiao Chong’s timely response, but it still affected the harvest and indirectly impacted market grain prices. By the coldest month, there were many households facing food shortages.

The noblewomen of the town, some compassionate upon sighting the snow, were already planning to provide porridge to the poor and brush their names as benefactors.