vstars Chapter 403 Strength and Ambition
Chapter 403 Strength and Ambition
Whales leaping under the moon; the moonlight in Chang'an was indeed bone-chillingly cold.
Little Sizi leaned against the red wall of the Yeting Palace, her tongue pressed against the last piece of osmanthus candy, the sweetness melting slowly in her mouth, intertwining with the cool moonlight to create a strange taste. She tiptoed, her fingers stretching forward desperately, trying to reach the early plum blossom that peeked over the wall. Several buds on the plum branch looked like jade carvings in the moonlight.
Just a little bit more, just a little bit more.
Undeterred, she tiptoed a little higher, her embroidered shoes trembling slightly on the slippery tiles. Suddenly, her foot slipped, and she stumbled forward—
Instead of the expected pain, she fell into a strange light. The light was neither like candlelight nor moonlight, but more like a river formed from the shattered stars in the sky. She felt herself enveloped by warm water, and heard strange music she had never heard before, neither like a sheng nor a xiao.
When I opened my eyes again, everything had changed drastically.
A deafening clamor gripped her first. It wasn't the bustling activity of Chang'an's streets, but a sharp, chaotic roar, interspersed with piercing sounds. She lay on a cold, hard surface, looking up at countless skyscrapers piercing the sky, their windows shining brighter than the lanterns of the Lantern Festival. A light rain was falling, but unlike the gentle rain of Chang'an, it carried an indescribable astringency.
"Little girl, are you lost?"
Suddenly, an umbrella was placed over her head, blocking the falling rain. Xiao Si looked up and saw a woman dressed in strange clothes looking down at her with concern in her eyes. The umbrella ribs were printed with a few small characters—"Jiang Lubai Studio".
She recognized the face.
She was the actress who played "Princess Yunshang" in the picture book "The Phoenix Cries in the Nine Heavens" that she had secretly seen in the inner palace. Xiao Sizi still remembers that she was holding a plate of osmanthus cakes and watching it so intently that she didn't even notice her father coming up behind her.
"You..." Xiao Sizi was interrupted by a sudden burst of blinding light from all around her. Many people were holding up glowing cubes and pointing them at her in amazement.
"The costumes in this production are amazing! The Hanfu are so exquisitely made!"
"The little girl's acting is quite good; look at that bewildered little eye."
"Is she an actor in some new movie? I've never seen her before."
Xiao Sizi hugged her arms helplessly. She was still wearing the moon-white blouse specially made by the Imperial Wardrobe, which was now soaked through and clung to her skin. Her bare feet touched the cold ground, and she heard the rushing sound of water not far away, like a huge river surging.
Jiang Lubai clearly noticed the growing crowd around her. She quickly took off her coat and wrapped it around Xiao Sizi, then smiled at the onlookers and said, "Thank you for your support. We're still filming, so please give us some space, okay?"
Without a word, she pulled Xiao Sizi along and quickly walked towards a black sedan parked by the roadside. The car door slid open automatically, and Xiao Sizi shrank back in fright, but Jiang Lubai gently pushed her into the car.
The carriage was unusually quiet, isolating it from the noise outside. Little Sizi curled up in the soft seat, watching the strange sights rushing past the window: metal boxes running on the road were much faster than horse-drawn carriages, yet no horses were seen pulling them; colorful pictures shimmered on the exterior walls of towering buildings; pedestrians held glowing thin panels in their hands, looking down as they walked.
"Which film crew are you from? Why are you standing here in the rain all alone in the middle of the night?" Jiang Lubai handed over a soft handkerchief. "Your clothes are soaked; you'll catch a cold."
Xiao Sizi took the silk handkerchief, which carried a faint scent of gardenias, different from the incense commonly used in the palace. She opened her mouth, unsure of where to begin: "I...I come from the palace."
Jiang Lubai nodded knowingly: "You're too immersed in the role, aren't you? I was like that when I first started out. I couldn't get out of the role for a long time after filming 'The Phoenix's Cry'." She shook her head with a smile, "Come home with me first and change into some dry clothes. I'll help you contact the production team tomorrow."
Xiao Sizi stopped explaining and silently gazed at the bizarre world outside the window. A short while later, the car stopped in front of a towering building. Jiang Lubai led her into a small space. After the door closed, Xiao Sizi felt a slight dizziness, as if the entire space was moving upwards.
When the door opened again, a spacious dwelling came into view. Soft carpets covered the floor, and the gleaming walls reflected the city lights outside the window. Little Sizi walked barefoot on the carpet, feeling its unreal softness.
"The bathroom is over there, go take a hot shower first." Jiang Lubai pointed to a frosted glass door. "I'll go find you some clean clothes."
Little Sizi timidly entered the bathroom, stunned by what she saw. The enormous white jade bathtub was even larger than the one in her palace, and the silver faucet gleamed with metallic luster. Curious, she turned on a knob, and hot water gushed out, creating a cloud of white steam.
That night, Xiao Sizi slept on the soft bed in the guest room. The mattress beneath her was so soft that she felt as if she were lying on a cloud. But she couldn't fall asleep for a long time. Through the huge glass window, she saw a bright moon in the night sky, which seemed to be the same moon as the one in Chang'an, yet it also seemed different.
The next morning, Xiaosi was awakened by the strange bird calls coming from outside her window—it was actually the car alarms downstairs. She sat up groggily and it took her a while to remember where she was.
Jiang Lubai was already up, standing in front of a glowing panel, frowning as she looked at something. Seeing Xiao Sizi come out, she quickly put the panel away and smiled, "Did you sleep well? I made coffee. Oh, you might prefer tea?" She walked to a silver cabinet, pulled it open, and wisps of steam rose from it. "Milk or soy milk?"
Little Sizi stared wide-eyed at the dazzling array of bottles and jars in the cupboard, along with all sorts of foods she had never seen before. What surprised her most was that the cupboard itself emitted light, like an exquisite Changxin Palace lantern.
"What kind of lamp is this? How can it keep food from spoiling?" She curiously reached out to touch the cool air inside the cabinet, and goosebumps immediately rose on her fingertips.
Jiang Lubai paused for a moment, then laughed out loud: "You're still not out of character? Okay, play with me for a while." She deliberately cooperated, saying, "This is an ancient artifact called 'Refrigerator,' which can chill everything and keep it fresh."
Xiao Sizi believed it to be true and treated the "ancient artifact" with great awe all day long, opening and closing it with utmost care, which Jiang Lubai found both amusing and adorable.
Jiang Lubai introduced Xiao Sizi as a distant cousin who was temporarily staying at her house because her parents were abroad. Although Xiao Sizi didn't quite understand what "going abroad" meant, she could guess that it was something like a long journey.
She quickly turned the apartment into her new Daming Palace.
She named the bathtub "Taiye Pond" and folded many paper boats to put in it, watching them float on the rippling water; the refrigerator light became her Changxin Palace Lantern, and every time she opened the door, its cold white light would illuminate the room with frost and snow; she loved the balcony the most because she could look west to Chang'an—although Jiang Lubai told her that it was now called "Jing'an Temple".
Under Jiang Lubai's guidance, Xiao Sizi began to secretly learn all the new and exciting things in this world.
The first time she wore VR equipment to play polo, she was so excited that she screamed repeatedly. She accidentally fell and her hair was disheveled, but she laughed and said, "It's softer than the carpet in my father's Linde Hall." The first time she ordered takeout, she stared at the pearls in the milk tea and was amazed. She was convinced that they were "pearls from the Western Regions". She carefully picked them out one by one and strung them into a bracelet to wear on her wrist.
Jiang Lubai found Xiao Sizi innocent and adorable, often laughing heartily at her. She taught Xiao Sizi how to use a mobile phone, go online, and explore this new world. Xiao Sizi learned very quickly; in just over a month, she was already proficient at ordering takeout, watching videos, and even began learning the Pinyin input method.
However, whenever the night was still and quiet, Xiao Sizi would climb alone to the rooftop of the 33rd floor, sit with her knees drawn up to her chest, and gaze at the city that never sleeps. The distant lights were like a galaxy scattered across the earth, much like the Lantern Festival in her memory. When the wind blew by, she seemed to hear the willow flute of Qujiang, and hear her father calling her, "Sizi, come home."
She wanted to go back, but she also craved the freedom she had here: she could walk at night without restrictions, laugh out loud, and point at Jiang Lubai on the big screen in the square and say, "That's my older sister."
One night, Jiang Lubai took Xiao Sizi to the celebration banquet for "The Creation of All Things". The banquet was filled with the clinking of glasses and the rustling of elegant clothes. Xiao Sizi sat quietly in a corner, sipping her juice, but her eyes were busy observing this unfamiliar yet glamorous occasion.
When veteran actress Lin Jing raised her glass in a toast, Jiang Lubai suddenly chuckled, "Sister, your toast is a bit off." Her voice wasn't loud, but it was enough for everyone at the table to hear, "In Tang Dynasty etiquette, the left hand should be placed on top of the right—"
As she spoke, she rose to correct the other person's posture, her fingernail accidentally tearing the other person's expensive silk sleeve. The sound of tearing silk was subtle yet clear, and the entire room fell silent. Jiang Lubai, however, was completely unaware, continuing to demonstrate the "correct Tang etiquette" with a self-satisfied smile on her face.
Xiao Sizi saw Lin Jing's smile freeze, and a cold glint flashed in her eyes, but she quickly returned to normal, even smiling as she said, "Lu Bai is truly knowledgeable, even knowing such details."
But the atmosphere had changed.
The following day, the trending topics exploded. Topics such as Jiang Lubai's emotional intelligence and the "Banquet Scene Video" quickly rose to prominence. Netizens dug up her past actions, including vying for center position, altering scripts, and using PR articles to discredit others. Xiao Sizi huddled on the sofa, scrolling through comments on her phone, her heart sinking with each reading.
She looked up at the dressing mirror—Jiang Lubai's tired face was reflected in the mirror. That round and cute face really resembled the princess supporting character in "The Phoenix's Cry in the Nine Heavens" who wouldn't survive more than ten episodes.
"So this is what happened to my sister..." she murmured to herself, recalling all the cosmetics Jiang Lubai smashed after returning from the banquet last night, and the twisted ambition in those red eyes.
Jiang Lubai understood the meaning behind her gaze and smiled self-deprecatingly: "In this industry, people who don't know how to play the game deserve to be trampled on." She picked up a jar of face cream and unconsciously fiddled with the cap. "I don't have any connections. I can only rely on myself."
After a long silence, Xiao Sizi said softly, "Sizi's elder brother once said that what eliminated you was never the foreign race or the market, but your own ambition that did not match your ability."
Jiang Lubai paused, then smiled wryly, "Your brother is right."
A few weeks later, filming wrapped up for "All Things Are Born". The crew sent over a specially customized costume - not a traditional Tang suit, but a "future Hanfu" sponsored by the Aerospace Center, woven with silver-white fibers and embroidered with quantum cloud patterns, as light as smoke.
“If you really want to go back, then go back wearing this.” Jiang Lubai stuffed the costume into Xiao Sizi’s arms, her voice carrying a bitter, reckless tone, “Let Chang’an see that even a supporting actor dares to dream of plucking the moon.”
Xiao Sizi stroked the soft yet resilient fabric, tears welling in her eyes. Over these days, she had gradually come to understand that she might never be able to return, but her heart, yearning for Chang'an, never ceased to beat.
One night, a supermoon hung high in the sky above Shanghai, so large it seemed about to fall. Xiao Sizi put on her silvery robe and went to the rooftop. Jiang Lubai followed behind her, her eyes filled with complex emotions.
“Sister, I thank you for letting me see clearly—ambition, like a bright moon hanging in the sky, will eventually fall and shatter into stardust.” Little Sizi performed a standard Tang Dynasty salute to Lu Bai, her movements elegant and fluid, as if she were not standing on a 33-story rooftop, but in the palace of the Tang Dynasty.
She took three steps back, then suddenly started running, leaping onto the railing as if she were leaping onto the top of Chang'an city wall.
With a leap, the portal opened again, the river wind rushed in, and a thousand layers of moonlight were stirred up.
Lu Bai gasped and reached out to grab it, but only managed to grasp a wisp of fabric torn from her sleeve by the wind—the silver thread turned into stardust at her fingertips and drifted away in the night breeze.
The following day, the top trending topic on Weibo was: "UFO spotted on the rooftop of Jiang Lubai's studio."
The accompanying image is a crescent-shaped streak of light, as if someone had cut a corner of the night sky and taken away a piece of osmanthus sugar from the Tang Dynasty.
Netizens are discussing it extensively. Some are convinced that it's a publicity stunt, others believe it's an optical phenomenon, and still others jokingly say it's Jiang Lubai's marketing campaign for her new drama.
Jiang Lubai, amidst the ridicule, gave an interview, then suddenly burst into tears of laughter at the camera:
She went back.
From then on, when I looked up, the moon cast two shadows—
A star illuminates my ravaged path.
A ray of cloud illuminates her freedom.
At the very moment the portal that cut through the night sky closed, the moonlight of Chang'an was permeating the same bright moon, flowing quietly across the window lattices of the side hall of the Taiji Palace.
The candlelight flickered, casting a warm yellow glow.
Little Sizi lay on the rosewood table, his fingertips dipped in honey, sketching a map of the Western Regions on Xuan paper. The honey was thick, and the lines he drew shimmered with an amber luster in the candlelight.
She was momentarily dazed; the honey on her fingertips carried a strange, sweet fragrance, much like the taste of a drink called "milk tea" that she had tasted in another time and space.
Zi An stood with his hands behind his back by the window, the moonlight spilling out like silver, making his tall figure appear even longer. He wore a dark purple casual robe, with cloud patterns embroidered in gold thread appearing and disappearing in the moonlight.
"Sizi, did you sneak out of the palace again today?" His voice was calm, revealing no emotion, yet he accurately caught her momentary lapse in concentration.
Little Si was startled and hurriedly sat up straight, instinctively hiding her hands behind her back. The unfamiliar sweet fragrance still seemed to linger at the tip of her nose. "I didn't sneak away!" She puffed out her cheeks, her eyes darting around, trying to dispel the dazzling, noisy images in her mind. "I went to the Honglu Temple to see the Fulin Kingdom's merchant caravan—brother, did you know they actually use glass bottles to store wine? And they said that Chang'an merchants' 'can't support their ambitions'!"
Zi'an turned around, tapping his jade thumb ring on the table with a crisp sound. He raised an eyebrow, clearly intrigued: "Tell me, how did they judge?"
Little Sizi immediately perked up, jumped off the folding chair, and, mimicking the accent of the Hu merchants, gestured wildly: "They say that Tang Dynasty merchants wanted to monopolize the Silk Road, yet they couldn't even handle a Persian Gulf hurricane." She lowered her voice, imitating perfectly, "'Reverse operations prove cultural superiority? What a joke! All you have in your minds is class hierarchy, thinking you can remain untainted by closing your doors?'"
Zi An suddenly stopped smiling, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. He walked to the table, looked at the honey map drawn by Xiao Sizi, and remained silent for a long time.
The hall was so quiet that the candlelight crackled. Little Sizi nervously clutched the gold thread of her embroidered skirt, her voice gradually lowering: "The Book of Documents says, 'Humility brings benefit'... Perhaps we should temporarily conceal our brilliance?"
"Wrong!" Zi An waved his sleeve, stirring up a cool breeze. "Ambition should be the fire that forges strength into a sword—if you can't be a grandson, you'll never be a grandpa. Bowing your head temporarily is so that you can trample them into oblivion in the future!"
Xiao Sizi's eyes suddenly lit up, like the brightest star in the night sky: "Just like when my brother endured the Turks for ten years?"
"More than that." Zi'an flicked her forehead with his finger, the force not strong, but it made her cry out and cover her head. "What eliminates you is never the alien race or the market, but your own ambition that doesn't match your ability. If your talent can't satisfy your appetite, then read ten thousand books; if your strength can't keep up with your ambition, then train for a thousand days!"
Little Sizi stared blankly at his elder brother, then suddenly jumped off the folding chair, ran barefoot to the window, and pointed to the Milky Way: "But if you climb to a new height, you'll find that some chapters can't be turned by mindset, but by ability?"
“Then focus on cultivating your ‘Tao’.” Zi An stood behind her, his voice deep and resonant, “until your silver chain can string together pearls from the Western Regions, and your Tang sword can cut through a hurricane in the Persian Gulf.”
A gentle night breeze stirred, lifting the gauze covers of the palace lanterns, causing the candlelight to flicker gracefully. Little Sizi suddenly turned and solemnly bowed deeply to Zi'an:
"Sizi understands! In this world, it's all about the big fish eating the small fish—"
She raised her face, smiled slyly, and shook out a delicate glass bottle from her sleeve, containing a deep red liquid:
"Either become a whale that swallows a ship, or..."
"Be the toughest bone that can choke a whale!"
Zi'an burst into loud laughter, a sound as resonant as a bell, startling the night birds roosting outside the palace. Moonlight soaked through their robes, gilding them with a silver edge.
Beyond the eaves of Taiji Palace, countless lights from the market streets fall like stars, flickering and stretching to the horizon—
That was the flourishing Tang Dynasty, powerful enough to support its ambitions.
Xiao Sizi gripped the glass bottle tightly, her gaze piercing through the palace walls to the unseen distance. Her tongue seemed to taste the sweet fragrance of that osmanthus candy again, mingled with the neon lights of the future world, creating a unique and eternal flavor.
The moonlight silently falls, illuminating the red walls and green tiles of Chang'an, and also the dazzling neon lights of Shanghai a thousand years later. Under the gaze of the two moons, two women each embark on their own destinies, carrying the ambitions and dreams of different eras.
And that osmanthus candy that traveled through time will eventually become the sweetest secret in the cracks of history.