The Whisper of the Northern Lights

Meng Xin Zhi and Zong Yi chatted as casually as possible.

This was the best way Meng Xin Zhi could think of to alleviate Nie Guangyi's embarrassment to the greatest extent.

When it came to preventing an emotional collapse from becoming embarrassing, the sisters had a legacy of family learning.

That was why when Zong Yi saw clearly that it was Nie Guangyi crying under the bridge, her first reaction was to cover her mouth and lower her voice.

Nie Guangyi was so absorbed in his crying that by the time he noticed, the two sisters were already at close quarters.

A myriad of explanations scrolled through his mind.

The wind blew sand into my eyes...

Tacky!

What are you two doing here…

Contrived!

I was just practicing the call of the axolotl…

Hypocritical!

Nie Guangyi also thought about turning around and running away.

The pride of the genius architect stopped his legs from sprinting away.

What's the big deal?

Just lie flat and give up, and it's all over, isn't it?

Isn't it just being the butt of the joke to two young girls?

What can they do about it?

To him, these two girls were nothing significant in his life.

They were not in the past, and they would not be in the future.

If it had not been for accompanying Xuan Shi on this trip and incidentally viewing this so-called "inferior imitation."

Ah, spit!

Why do "inferior imitations" now have to start being quoted?

Is it just because that family is called Aurora's Intention?

Who came up with that name?

Could it be any less creative?

Nie Guangyi always had the knack for fooling himself.

As long as he wasn't embarrassed, it was others who became embarrassed.

He thought of ten thousand possibilities, ten thousand explanations.

But he never expected to be treated with such unexpected gentleness by the sisters.

Nie Guangyi had made eye contact with Meng Xin Zhi.

Although it was brief, it was enough to confirm that he had been spotted.

Nie Guangyi's composure was a bit shaken.

All the reasons he had thought of for half a day were of no use.

Perhaps to spare him the embarrassment, once Meng Xin Zhi and Zong Yi realized it was Nie Guangyi, they turned around and began talking with their backs to him.

Nie Guangyi first felt surprised, then gradually became fascinated by their conversation, even forgetting his allergy to the classical.

Meng Xin Zhi continued to talk about the deeds of the great artist emperor.

"Did a throne just fall from the sky?" Zong Yi pondered, then said, "Song Huizong was quite fortunate in that regard."

"On this point, I have a different view," Meng Xin Zhi replied, "I don't think such a fate was in any way fortunate for Song Huizong, Zhao Ji."

"Sis, sis, tell me!"

Meng Xin Zhi yielded good-naturedly:

"In the first year of the twelfth century, AD 1100, Song Huizong's brother, Song Zhezong, died of illness."

"When his brother died, he was only twenty-five and childless."

"Song Huizong, who had shown great artistic talent from a young age, became the emperor in a daze."

"Song Huizong, Zhao Ji, was both a born artist and the worst ruler."

"Simply put, apart from being an emperor, he excelled at everything."

"How so?" Zong Yi needed enough reasons to be convinced.

"Let's not even talk about his skills in sports like cuju. The great artist emperor just needed to write casually, and he created the astounding 'Shoujin Style'."

Meng Xin Zhi gradually forgot about the man who was still crying behind them.

She and Zong Yi had had their backs turned for quite some time now.

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Nie Guangyi left quietly without making a sound.

Meng Xin Zhi began to discuss seriously the matter of Song Huizong with Zong Yi.

"Xiaoyi had just gone to the Shanghai Museum to see the "Shoujin Style Thousand Character Classic" not long ago, hadn't she?" Meng Xin Zhi asked, "Even by today's most critical standards, Shoujin Style would still dazzle anyone who sees it, right?"

"Indeed, it's dazzling!" Zong Yi agreed enthusiastically, "If it weren't for the museum's description, I would have thought it was written by a girl—so exquisitely delicate. An absolute feast for the eyes!"

Zong Yi exclaimed, "I wish I could write like that."

"Really?" Meng Xin Zhi, showing no sign of wanting to discourage, instead ruffled her head and added, "Then Sister will just have to wait to see Xiaoyi's calligraphy in the Shanghai Museum."

Zong Yi was thrilled, but then she felt that something wasn't quite right.

Even if she truly became a master in the realm of calligraphy, under what circumstances would her work end up in the Shanghai Museum for her sister to see?

Before long, Zong Yi's thirst for knowledge overcame the slight feeling of unease in her heart.

"Sister, sister, sister, the emperor of arts surely wasn't just skilled in calligraphy, right?"

"Of course not." Meng Xin Zhi replied, "Song Huizong casually painted and created 'Auspicious Cranes'."

Zong Yi searched her memory and said, "I don't think I've seen the painting you mentioned."

"It's a masterpiece that vividly brought to life 20 different cranes. 'Auspicious Cranes' pioneered a new approach."

"Similar to Da Vinci's technique of sfumato?" Zong Yi asked.

"Ah, Xiaoyi still remembers sfumato, huh?"

"My sister, when have I ever forgotten something you told me?" Zong Yi pressed, "Tell me, is it that kind of pioneering work?"

"Quite similar. Da Vinci created a style of painting, while Song Huizong created a perspective."

Meng Xin Zhi explained, "'Auspicious Cranes' depicts the cranes above the Xuande Building in the Imperial Capital, and through composition, Song Huizong brought the roof-top cranes down to a viewing angle that is almost eye-level for the observer. I haven't seen such composition and brushwork in any works before Song Huizong."

"An eye-level angle?" Zong Yi didn't understand.

"Yes." Meng Xin Zhi took out her phone, found a picture, and showed it to Zong Yi. "See? Even though all the cranes in this painting are in the sky, they give the viewer an almost bird's-eye view, a horizontal perspective. I haven't seen such framing or brushwork in any works before Song Huizong."

"Ah... I see..." Zong Yi felt she needed time to digest Meng Xin Zhi's words.

However, before she could do so, she was startled by a sudden voice.

"After all this talk, isn't it just about Zhao Ji's exceptional artistic achievement? Can that really make someone the emperor of arts through all ages?"

The voice itself wasn't unpleasant.

There was nothing strange about the statement itself.

What was odd was that it was the voice of a man with a magnetic quality.

The sisters instinctively looked back in unison.

Zong Yi's eyes widened, and she silently asked, [My sister, what do we do now?]

Meng Xin Zhi's demeanor, reminiscent of the graceful descent of dew on magnolia flowers or the scattering of chrysanthemum petals during an autumn meal, was fully evident at this moment.

"You're right." Meng Xin Zhi's voice was without a tremor, "As an emperor, if he was only skilled in calligraphy and painting, he indeed wouldn't merit being called the greatest of all time. Rather than his personal accomplishments, Song Huizong was more like the Medici family during the Renaissance. There's a saying in the art festivals of Europe that without the Medici, there would be no Renaissance."

"Song Huizong predates the Renaissance by several centuries, so it would be the Medici family following the example of Song Huizong."

Nie Guangyi, normally allergic to the classics, suddenly transformed into a stalwart defender of tradition.

"Hmm, that's what I think too." Meng Xin Zhi said, "Song Huizong initiated China's own Renaissance."

When explaining the concept of the emperor of arts through all ages to someone unfamiliar with Song Huizong, Meng Xin Zhi often used this comparison.

However, clearly, this comparison was something that Nie Guangyi, momentarily free from his allergic state, couldn't accept.

No sooner had Meng Xin Zhi spoken than she quickly corrected herself, "Song Huizong founded the greatest art academy in human history and nurtured a generation of artistic elite."

Zong Yi, hearing this, once again had her own opinion, "My sister, aren't you exaggerating a bit? The Song Dynasty was notoriously weak!"

"Don't kids watch short videos?"

The speaker was again Nie Guangyi.

This time, there wasn't much targeting, nor an unpleasant tone.

He simply didn't want to use any term from 'Aurora's Intention' to address the sisters in front of him.

"My name is Zong Yi, Yi as in 'artistic conception', I'm not a 'little kid'." Zong Yi was calling out the elephant in the room.

Nie Guangyi didn't respond.

He also felt he was in the wrong, but couldn't immediately correct himself.

After turning thirty, one tends to have one's habits.

Thirsty for knowledge, Zong Yi was the first to let go of her grievances, "What short video?"

"Just the kind you can find by randomly scrolling through, surveys asking, 'If you could time travel to any dynasty, when would you want to go back to?'." Nie Guangyi said.

"It must be the Qing Dynasty, there are so many handsome men! The Fourth Prince, the Fifth Prince, the Fourteenth Prince..."

Clearly influenced by too many time-travel dramas, Zong Yi had some misconceptions about the good looks of the Qing princes.

Nie Guangyi didn't dwell on this, but instead gave the answer, "The survey results pointed to the Song Dynasty. And the best period would be the one depicted in 'Riverside Scene at Qingming Festival'."

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