[One Page Book] Clouds Sweeping Across the Sky

One of the stories in the Pili novella series, "Floating Clouds." Maybe the series will explore all kinds of styles and genres in the future, just as floating clouds can evoke so many different images... This story is told from Yiyeshu's perspective. No explicit content. Here are a few old sayings related to the theme. The most famous is probably Li Bai's line to a friend: "Floating clouds are like a wanderer's thoughts; the setting sun, like an old friend's affection." Then there is Du Fu's famous line: "Clouds in the sky are like white robes, changing in an instant into gray dogs." But what amazes me most is Zhuangzi's description: "The Son of Heaven's sword takes Yanzi's River and Stone City as its point, Mount Tai of Qi as its edge, Jin and Wei as its spine, Zhou and Song as its hilt, and Han and Wei as its guard. It is wrapped in the lands of the four barbarians and the four seasons, encircled by the Bohai Sea and girded by Changshan. It is forged by the Five Elements and judged by punishments and virtue. It opens with yin and yang and is wielded through the Spring and Autumn. It moves with autumn and winter. This sword strikes forward, and nothing can stand before it; raised, it reaches above all; lowered, it reaches below all; swung, it sweeps all around. Above, it cleaves the floating clouds; below, it severs the earth's foundations. When this sword is wielded, the feudal lords are brought to heel, and all under heaven submits." Thus, in the generations after the flourishing Tang dynasty, a dazzling talent like Li Bai could write: "The Qin king swept the Six States, what a mighty, fearsome sight! He swung his sword to cleave the clouds, and the lords all came from the west." Theme: Amidst flying clouds, remain at ease