novelzi Chapter 76 You tell me, wouldn't this be considered the earliest haute couture?
Chapter 76 You tell me, wouldn't this be considered the earliest haute couture?
Strolling into the Han Dynasty exhibition hall!
The jade burial suit lay quietly under the lamplight, radiating a warm and mysterious luster.
Ye Fan stood there for a long time, his gaze focused:
"If gold and jade are placed in the nine orifices, the dead will be immortalized... The ancients believed that jade could communicate with spirits and protect the body from decay. These gold-threaded jade pieces represent the painstaking efforts of countless skilled craftsmen, all in pursuit of a vague and elusive dream of immortality."
His tone carried a hint of emotion, then he turned to Liu Ruyan, a slight smile playing on his lips:
"However, setting aside the obsession with immortality, just looking at the craftsmanship alone—the jade pieces are cut and polished so evenly and smoothly, the gold threads are woven so finely and neatly—this pursuit of perfection is itself worthy of awe. Wouldn't you say this is the earliest example of haute couture?"
"Even now, which luxury brand can produce this level of quality? It's worth countless small fortunes! The designers of LV and GUCCI would be kneeling before them, calling them their ancestors!"
He stroked his chin and muttered:
"What a pity I can't try them on, otherwise I really wanted to see how they would look on me..."
Liu Ruyan looked at the jade robe, then at Ye Fan's serious profile, and nodded:
"Yes, it's both a pursuit and a hope. They treat the dead as if they were alive; their imagination of the other world is all sewn into this jade piece. Honey, you know quite a lot."
Her eyes held an appreciative smile.
"Thank goodness, haha!"
Ye Fan proudly raised his chin.
.........
Step into the Tang Dynasty exhibition hall!
A large number of tourists gathered in front of the colorful and plump Tang tri-colored camel figurines.
"Look at that camel!"
Ye Fan pointed to its proudly held head and robust physique:
"Head held high, carrying a heavy load. This is an epitome of the grandeur of the Tang Dynasty and a testament to the Silk Road."
"Imagine a merchant from the Central Plains leading a camel laden with spices, gems, and glassware, traversing deserts and Gobi, the tinkling of camel bells echoing all the way to Chang'an... How prosperous and open Chang'an must have been then."
His eyes held a longing.
Liu Ruyan was drawn to his description:
"Yes, I can almost hear the camel bells. Honey, do you think the smiles on these Central Asian terracotta warriors are because we're almost at Chang'an?"
Ye Fan smiled and said:
"Perhaps, or perhaps they're thinking, once we get to Chang'an, should we first go to the West Market for a glass of Western Region wine? And then find a foreign woman to dance for us?"
He deliberately made a sarcastic remark.
Liu Ruyan rolled her eyes at him:
"It's indecent! But... these colors are really beautiful, still so vibrant after a thousand years."
"Yes! This is the wisdom of our ancestors!"
Ye Fan nodded:
"The flowing and blending of the three colors of the glaze is a vivid testament to the confidence and inclusiveness of the Tang Dynasty."
.........
We arrived at the replica of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival".
Crowds thronged to the animated version of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival".
Ye Fan protected Liu Ruyan and found a relatively good angle.
The two quietly watched the bustling crowds on the Rainbow Bridge, the busy boats on the Bian River, and the rows of shops.
Look at this!
Ye Fan pointed to a spot in a low voice:
"Is there a minor dispute here at Rainbow Bridge? People are trying to break it up, and there are onlookers both on and under the bridge. A thousand years have passed, but the lively atmosphere of everyday life in the city doesn't seem to have changed much."
Liu Ruyan looked at it carefully:
"Really! And that restaurant, the guests by the window on the second floor, it's like they're looking at the scenery? This painter is incredibly meticulous."
"Um!"
Ye Fan replied:
"Zhang Zeduan captured the very breath of Bianliang in his paintings. Scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants—all walks of life. This is a slice of history that words cannot replace."
He watched intently, and after a while, he said in a slightly mischievous whisper:
"You naughty auntie, do you think those two blurry little dots under the shade of the trees by the river are secretly having a date?"
Liu Ruyan smiled and nudged him:
"You have a sharp eye! But... that's possible. What era didn't have its share of romance and poetry?"
The two looked at each other and smiled.
Within the weighty tapestry of history, we can capture a touch of timeless human charm.
After walking around for most of the day, my legs were sore and my stomach was growling.
Ye Fan waved his hand:
"Come on! Director Ye will take you through the hutongs and let's eat some local food! We've already had roast duck, let's try something different today!"
After winding through several alleys, we found a popular Beijing-style restaurant.
The storefront wasn't large, but inside it was steamy and bustling with noise.
The restaurants tucked away in the narrow alleyways are full of the lively, down-to-earth atmosphere of Beijing.
I ordered two bowls of rich and flavorful fried noodles with soybean paste, a serving of crispy and tender tripe, and two bottles of Beibingyang soda.
A short while later!
Two large bowls of noodles were served, the dark brown soy sauce glistening and tempting, and the colorful toppings piled up like a small mountain of harvest.
Ye Fan grabbed his chopsticks and slurped down a large mouthful, his cheeks bulging, as he mumbled a praise:
"Mmm! Absolutely amazing! This sauce is so fragrant it permeates to the bone! It blows away all the fancy hotels! It has soul!"
He picked up another piece of snow-white, crisp tripe with his chopsticks, rolled it a few times in the thick, fragrant sesame sauce bowl dotted with chili oil, stuffed it into his mouth, squinted his eyes in satisfaction, and let out a soul-stirring sigh:
"Aww~ This is what life is all about! It's so comfortable it's bubbly!"
Liu Ruyan imitated him, clumsily mixing the noodles, the rich aroma of the sauce filling her nostrils.
I cautiously took a bite, and my eyes widened instantly:
"Mmm! It's so delicious! The sauce is so fragrant and rich, and the noodles are incredibly chewy!"
She instantly forgot all about her image as a beautiful young woman and, imitating Ye Fan, began to eat heartily.
They ate until their noses were sweating and they didn't even care that there was sauce on their lips.
Ye Fan picked up a piece of tripe for her:
"Try this, dip it in sesame paste and chili oil, it's the authentic taste of old Beijing. After a long day, this is the most comforting thing to eat."
The two ate while reminiscing about what they had seen and heard during the day.
The conversation ranged from the grandeur of the Da Fang Ding to the everyday life of Bianliang, occasionally interspersed with Ye Fan's playful estimation of how much a certain artifact would be worth in modern times (which was interrupted by Liu Ruyan with a laugh), creating a relaxed and warm atmosphere.
The hustle and bustle of the hutongs and the aroma of food are the most reassuring place to settle down after the sedimentation of history.
They ate and drank their fill.
Patting their round little bellies, the two strolled leisurely back to the hotel.
As night falls in the capital, the city lights begin to twinkle, traffic flows like a river, and neon lights shimmer.
Inside the elevator, Liu Ruyan clung lazily to Ye Fan, listlessly rubbing her calves.
"Honey... I can't take it anymore... I feel like my legs have completely betrayed me, they won't obey me... Can you carry me upstairs?"
Ye Fan casually put his arm around her waist, his fingers restlessly massaging the sore muscles on her side, and said with a mischievous smile:
"Is that all? I was thinking of taking you to Houhai to enjoy the evening breeze and listen to some music, to create a romantic atmosphere!"
Liu Ruyan gave a comfortable hum, resting her head on his shoulder, her voice filled with deep weariness:
"Maybe next time... Right now I just want to be a mattress... a permanent one..."
"Okay, I'll definitely take you to the bar street next time, order a drink, listen to folk music, and the room will be filled with romance."
Ye Fan leaned close to her ear, his warm breath brushing against her earlobe, his voice low and captivatingly magnetic:
"But tonight... those three carefully selected sets of 'combat supplies'... could we... put the performance testing on the agenda, hmm?"
Liu Ruyan blushed instantly and nudged him with her elbow:
"Don't even think about it! Ceasefire! I have a flight to catch tomorrow! If you mention 'battle uniform' again, I'll get angry!"
Ye Fan laughed heartily and didn't insist:
"Alright! As 'Bad Auntie's' decree! Ceasefire tonight!"
Back in her room, Liu Ruyan collapsed onto the sofa, unwilling to move.
Ye Fan then began packing his luggage.
They carefully put away the vacuum-packed roast duck and the Palace Museum trinkets that Liu Ruyan had bought.