Chapter 392: Kirin Lantern
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Chu Xujin shook his head and said, “I just feel like I’m not good at anything…” He felt discouraged.
Ge Lihua put down the lantern in her hand and picked up a bamboo strip again. After hesitating for a moment, she asked, “Do you want to learn? Shall I teach you?”
“Yes, of course.” Chu Xujin was surprised, never expecting such a good thing. She immediately moved a chair next to Ge Lihua, picked up a bamboo stick, and started to learn seriously, with great dedication.
After about ten minutes, everyone stopped to watch Chu Qingzhi as she made the lantern. Their eyes were filled with astonishment, admiration, and disbelief…
Chu Qingzhi was currently crafting a kirin lantern.
The kirin’s body resembled that of a musk deer, with dragon scales, a sheep’s head, a round horn on top, wolf-like hooves, a tail resembling that of a dragon, and colorful fur. It stood at a height of approximately two meters.
Chu Qingzhi was in the process of crafting the kirin’s body, and she planned to make a two-meter-tall kirin to give to Tang Jinghong.
Everyone watched as Chu Qingzhi’s fingers moved rapidly, and with each motion, a new part of the kirin took shape. As they watched, a massive body gradually formed.
Wu Yaqing’s eyes were filled with curiosity as she asked, “Qingzhi, what are you making? This lantern is so big; it looks like a fierce beast, like a tiger or something.”
Chu Qingzhi continued working with her hands and replied, “It’s a kirin.”
Everyone immediately widened their eyes…
Wu Yaqing was shocked. “Qingzhi, the kirin is only a creature from legends. Do you know what it really looks like?”
She had seen it before. Her own Golden Feather Phoenix had once had a confrontation with a kirin, although they had ended up evenly matched. Chu Qingzhi replied, “No one knows exactly what it looks like.”
Chu Junbao and several children from the village rushed to Chu Qingzhi’s house as usual. As they entered the courtyard, their eyes were immediately drawn to the enormous object in the yard. “Wow, Sister Qingzhi, the lantern you made is huge.”
Chu Qingyan started showing off. “Junbao, it was made by my fifth sister. Impressive, right?”
Chu Junbao nodded honestly, his eyes wide open. “Impressive, very impressive. Even the grandpa who specializes in making lanterns for the village can’t make one as impressive as Sister Qingzhi.”
Chu Qingyan gave Chu Junbao an approving look. “Well said.”
She walked over and boasted to all the children, “Each of you, say something nice about my fifth sister, and 1’11 give you a piece of mooncake.”
Chu Junbao was the first to speak loudly, “Sister Qingzhi is beautiful and capable, the most beautiful flower in our village.”
Chu Qingzhi was speechless.
How cliche!
The second child said, “Sister Qingzhi is kind and lovely, and she’s the best at healing and saving people.”
Chu Qingzhi was speechless.
It quite rhymed!
The eighth child, a five-year-old little guy, stuttered after everyone had finished their compliments, “Sister Qingzhi is the most… able to fly, very beautiful.”
Chu Qingzhi smiled; the child was quite cute.
Chu Qingyan kept her promise and immediately ran back home to get two mooncakes, cutting each one into four pieces, one for each child.
“Thank you.”
“Delicious.”
The children enjoyed their mooncakes while standing in line to watch Chu Qingzhi make the lantern.
“Master…”
“Master…”
Yuan Hongjun and Bao Linjiang arrived with valuable gifts. They quickly entered the house to place their gifts and then came out to observe in the courtyard.
Yuan Hongjun handed a bamboo strip to Chu Qingzhi and asked, “Master, what are you making?”
Chu Xuyuan helped Chu Qingzhi answer, “A kirin.”
“A kirin?” Yuan Hongjun was surprised. “Isn’t that something from legends?” He looked at Chu Qingzhi and asked, “Master, do you know what it looks like?”
“Just imagine.” Chu Qingzhi replied casually.
Yuan Hongjun admired her. “Master, you’re amazing.”
Chu Qingzhi smiled. Her Golden Feather Phoenix had always been unhappy about her tie with the Kirin in the past. She would use this opportunity to avenge her mount.
The kirin liked tranquility and was secretive; it disliked being seen by others.
Now she had crafted it for everyone to see. If the kirin knew, it would surely be very angry.
The new house was by the roadside. The passersby became curious upon seeing the crowd gathered around. They too walked in to watch, intrigued by Chu Qingzhi’s rare craftsmanship. The villagers soon formed a tight circle around Chu Qingzhi.
Eventually, even the village elder was drawn over. Leaning on his cane and accompanied by his grandson, he entered the yard and asked, “What are you all doing?”
At the sound of the village elder’s voice, everyone promptly cleared a path for him…
The village elder, still using his cane, walked up to Chu Qingzhi. He paused, wiped his eyes in disbelief, and wondered what he was seeing.
By this time, Chu Qingzhi had almost finished crafting the kirin, having completed its body, hooves, head, and was now working on the horns.
Seeing the village elder arrive, Chu Rong quickly offered his seat, saying, “Elder, please sit here.”
The village elder nodded at Chu Rong, sat down, and watched intently with his hands resting on his cane, his amazement growing by the second.
Everyone stopped their lantern-making to watch Chu Qingzhi.
Time slowly passed…
Chu Qingzhi completed the kirin’s body, head, horns, tail, and hooves, and then began the painstaking task of pasting paper. This was a major undertaking.
She used white paper, and after pasting, she colored it. The kirin’s body was multicolored, and incorrect coloring could easily make it look dirty. This was a true test of skill.
But for Chu Qingzhi, it was all quite simple.
With the colors applied, the kirin’s appearance became even more vivid, drawing gasps of admiration from everyone.
Next, she added dragon scales.
She layered several sheets of paper, cut them, and quickly created dragon scales. Chu Qingzhi’s sister, Chu Qingyue, a skilled tailor, took over the task of cutting the scales, finishing them swiftly and expertly.
Under the amazed gazes of the onlookers, the kirin slowly came to life…
“Is this a kirin?”
“If the legendary kirin looks like this, it’s truly majestic.”
“Qingzhi’s craftsmanship is unparalleled. Look at this kirin, it’s as if it’s alive, so lifelike.”
The crowd showered Chu Qingzhi with endless praise. The kirin was truly magnificent and from a distance, looked like a colorful kirin descending to earth.
The village elder clapped his hands in approval, exclaiming, “Excellent, truly excellent.”
“Fantastic!!!” echoed the crowd, clapping. They had never seen such a magnificent and imposing lantern. It was beautiful!
Chu Qingzhi’s grandfather puffed out his chest with pride. This was his granddaughter’s creation, something no one else could replicate.
Two carriages, one following the other, entered Chu Village and stopped at Chu Qingzhi’s house.
The people in the carriages were stunned by the crowd.. What major event had occurred?
R𝑒ad latest chapt𝒆rs at freew𝒆(b)novel.c(o)m Only