Chapter 814 - 0814: Receiving Letters and Storing Books 1
As soon as she’d sent off her items, Feng Qingxue immediately received a letter and parcels from others.
It was from Lou Shaonong and Lin Yufen, sending over some local specialty goods from their hometown and the Capital, the rest were all books—mostly literary classics, with a small portion of primer texts, all thread-bound. Some were engraved editions; others, hand-copied, and they all had been around for years.
While none were sole copies, some could certainly be called treasures, especially after what a cultural catastrophe had wrought.
Feng Qingxue treasured them like jewels and, taking advantage of her son’s deep sleep, stored the books in her space, leaving only two or three primers like the Three Character Classic and Hundred Family Surnames in the outer room.
Counting the time, there was less than a year left until that cultural calamity lasting ten years would commence. Feng Qingxue specifically hinted at Lou Shaonong and Lin Yufen in the letter sent by Cui Shaoyuan to hide their valuables as a precaution.
After all, Feng Qingxue remembered clearly, in the records about Lou Shaonong and Lin Yufen, one entry was all the books and paintings—their priceless cultural treasures—that they had collected, were burnt to ashes right before their eyes, in their own courtyard. They truly went up in flames, with no one taking advantage in chaos, including many unique genuine works.
The letter was addressed to Lin Yufen; being both women, it was easier for them to communicate. Writing to Lou Shaonong would have seemed improper.
After thanking Cui Shaoyuan for delivering the letter, Lin Yufen opened it and, after reading, handed it to Lou Shaonong, "Old Lou, while it’s not obvious, I’ve deciphered Qingxue’s intention, what do you think?"
Feng Qingxue had written in a very cryptic way, merely asking if the books stored in the house were safe considering the dense rainstorms of summer. The next sentence was, "One commonly hears that the sixth day of the sixth month is the Festival for Air-Drying Books; what if a storm hits during that time?"