Chapter 28 The Birds Sing in Harmony "What if Jiang Bozhou doesn't like you?"...

On February 20th, the spring rain that had lasted for several days stopped.

Xue Chan and Yun Sheng went to Fangchun Pavilion. At that time, the sky was just beginning to lighten, and the air was still filled with the moisture from the previous night.

She arrived very early, but there were already several palace servants outside the west pavilion of Fangchun Pavilion. They greeted her with smiles.

"Please, Miss Xue."

Xue Chan recognized her at a glance; it was Qingluan, Yu Lang's maid.

She stepped through the door while wondering what Yu Lang was here for.

Yu Lang was sitting in a chair, letting Xue Qing lower her head and hold the painting for her with some trepidation.

"You're here?"

"I wonder what brings Your Highness here?"

Yu Lang glanced at her, still sitting lazily: "I heard that the West Pavilion has acquired new calligraphy and paintings, so I came to take a look, is that not allowed?"

Looking at the painting?

Xue Chan glanced at the barely bright sky outside the window: "So early, Your Highness is truly a diligent person."

Hearing this praise, Yu Lang snorted lightly: "Of course, I'm not as lazy as you."

Xue Chan stood in front of her, not refuting her, but just smiled: "Most of the famous paintings and rare ancient books in the collection are on the second floor, while most of the works here are mine."

She pointed lightly to the painting that Yu Lang was admiring.

"For example, the one Your Highness is holding."

"Your Highness, have you come to see me?" She tilted her head slightly and asked with a smile.

Yu Lang retorted without any politeness, "Stop trying to flatter yourself. Who do you think you are?"

Xue Chan didn't care about any of that. She smiled and felt that the princess had come to see her for more than just to look at the paintings.

"Really?"

Yu Lang wanted to refute, but Xue Chan was right; she had come to Fangchun Pavilion to ambush people.

"I've heard that Miss Xue's painting skills are outstanding. May I come and see if it's genuine?"

"If Your Highness wishes to test me, you may simply go to the Funing Palace or summon me there. Why condescend to come all this way?"

Yu Lang pursed her lips. Who told Xue Chan to stay in Fangchun Pavilion all day long? She couldn't very well come over and interrupt her painting.

But she couldn't very well tell Xue Chan that she had come specifically to wait for her; that would be beneath her dignity.

"Fine, since you're here, paint me a picture and let me see it."

Yu Lang rolled up a painting, threw it into the jar, and vacated the painting table to sit to one side.

"How about we use springtime as the theme?"

"good"

Xue Chan nodded and sat down at the painting table.

Snow-blue paper is laid out, and clouds rise to grind ink.

Yu Lang propped his chin up and looked at her. Xue Chan picked up her brush and mixed colors, her expression serious, her eyes and mind only on the brush in her hand and the painting under her brush.

Bright spring sunlight streamed in through the windows, gradually illuminating the interior of the hall.

Wisps of smoke rose from the incense burner on the painting table, their shimmering light drifting gently.

I don't know how much time passed, whether it was a cup of tea, several cups of tea, or even longer. The hall was quiet and peaceful, with only the sound of a pen gliding across paper, the smoke rising from the incense burner, and the chirping of birds outside the window.

Yulang had never been so patient before; he felt no boredom, only peace.

She rested her chin on her hand, somewhat lost in thought, and realized that the person in front of her wasn't so unlikable after all.

"Your Highness?"

Xue Chan spoke softly, and Zhao Yulang snapped out of his daze to find her smiling faintly at him.

The peach blossoms are bright and beautiful, and the willows are deep red. Swallows fly or perch, their movements playful and lively.

Yu Lang touched the edge of the chair and said indifferently, "It's alright."

"I am still young and my writing skills are still immature. It would be my honor to receive a 'not bad' from Your Highness."

Yu Lang frowned. Xue Chan was praising her for her good eye for paintings? Oh well, let's just take it as a compliment.

Xue Chan continued painting, and Yu Lang sat beside her watching her paint for a long time.

Yu Lang gently moved his chair, picked up a pen, and sat down next to Xue Chan, drawing two birds as she did.

After finishing the last stroke, she nodded in satisfaction and then silently moved closer to look at Xue Chan's painting.

Xue Chan's birds were round and plump, their feathers almost downy, and they nestled together, looking adorable. Looking down at her own bird, the difference was immense, like the difference between a rough stone and a precious gem.

She slammed the pen on the table with a "bang," startling Xueqing, who shrank back and lowered her head, not daring to speak.

Yu Lang's face darkened. He crumpled the paper into a ball and threw it away forcefully, saying in a low voice, "Why can you draw so well?"

Xue Chan continued writing, her expression calm. "It's innate; you can paint as soon as you pick up a brush."

That's so unhumble, it's really annoying!

Yu Lang closed his eyes, suppressing the urge to argue with her, and took a long, deep breath.

Xue Chan turned her head and saw the moth on her head trembling with her breath, and lowered her head to hide her laughter.

She said, "Does Your Highness not have anything you are good at?"

Yu Lang immediately opened his eyes, a smile playing on his lips and a raised eyebrow.

"This princess is exceptionally intelligent and skilled in many things. Even the Grand Tutor has praised me for my knowledge of poetry, literature, etiquette, and music. As for riding and archery, even Jiang Bozhou might not be able to match me."

His words were brimming with pride and confidence, and his handsome features shone even brighter.

Xue Chan laughed and said, "Your Highness is as brilliant as gold and jade, and knows many things. But I only know how to paint. I can neither ride a horse nor shoot an arrow, and my needlework and music are terrible."

Yu Lang sat up straight, his proud demeanor subtly concealing his posture.

"real?"

Xue Chan nodded: "Of course."

Her voice softened: "Don't think that just because you say that, I'll like you."

Xue Chan smiled and said, "If you don't like it, you don't like it. Why force yourself? It's not a big deal."

It's alright, how could this be alright?

She frowned: "What if Jiang Bozhou doesn't like you?"

Xue Chan smiled, her brush still in her hand, as she sketched a new green branch and leaves.

"If he doesn't like me, he doesn't like me. What does it matter whether he likes me or not? Whether he doesn't like me or likes me, will I become an immortal or go to hell?"

Yu Lang's heart skipped a beat, and he sat in the chair, stunned. The sunlight stung his eyes, and his scattered thoughts quickly came together.

She brushed it off lightly and changed the subject: "In this life, it's rare to be able to persist in something for so many years. You have excellent talent, and given time, you may very well achieve lasting fame."

Xue Chan smiled and asked her, "Is Your Highness trying to comfort me?"

Yu Lang stood up. She was naturally tall and usually looked down at others. Now, she lowered her head to look Xue Chan in the eye and spoke calmly.

"I am urging you on."

Xue Chan: "Your Highness's words will be kept in mind. I will study them every day from now on and live up to your expectations."

Looking at her seemingly gentle and approachable smile, Yu Lang softened for a moment, then suddenly snapped back to reality.

"Xue Chan, how dare you lie to me!"

Her anger made everyone tense. Not because of her, but because of Xue Chan.

Xue Chan, however, stared blankly ahead, asking, "What makes Your Highness say such a thing?"

Yu Lang crossed his arms and snorted coldly: "Your Cuju skills are excellent, even better than Jiang Bozhou's. You are incredibly audacious to lie to me."

Xue Chan bowed to her helplessly and patiently explained, "Your Highness, my skills were taught by my mother. Rather than saying I'm good, it's more accurate to say my mother is good at it. And she's only good at a few skills."

Yu Lang stared at her with a suspicious look: "I don't believe it. Your mother must have taught you more than just these few moves."

Xue Chan looked at her, her smile fading slightly, her expression already showing sadness, yet she still carefully explained.

"I'm not lying to Your Highness, I did want to learn, but before I could, she was gone..."

Upon hearing this, Yulang suddenly remembered that her mother had personally taught her horsemanship and archery. Even though her mother had gradually stopped riding and shooting as she grew up.

Before her mother passed away, she was still telling her, "Next autumn hunt, your mother and your sister Lanbi will accompany you."

Neither she nor Consort Xue lived to see the following year, and the autumn hunt of the second year was also cancelled due to the national mourning.

Seeing that Yu Lang had frozen for a moment, Xue Chan's eyes immediately reddened. She assumed that she had made her cry and quickly apologized.

"Your Highness..."

"Don't speak, turn around!" Yu Lang scolded her.

Xue Chan did as she was told, standing with her back turned. After a while, she heard several long breaths.

Yu Lang walked up to her with his arms crossed. Because of the backlight, Xue Chan couldn't see her expression.

"Whether what you're saying is true or false, I want to learn those skills."

Yu Lang was furious when she thought about how Jiang Ce had taken the prize from her in a football match a few years ago, and she was determined to beat him badly!

So that's what all that went through.

Xue Chan found it somewhat amusing, a hint of helplessness appearing in her eyes, yet her smile remained gentle.

"How could I refuse Your Highness's invitation? But the sun is so strong today, let's wait until after noon to go out, so as not to harm Your Highness's health."

She spoke earnestly, so Yu Lang replied, "Alright."

A short while later, the palace servants of Funing Palace asked Xue Chan to go back for lunch. Yu Lang, thinking that he hadn't seen Consort Xue for a long time, simply went back with her.

After noon, Xue Chan played Cuju (ancient Chinese football) with her.

Yu Lang, unusually, didn't throw a tantrum, while Xue Chan was trying to figure out how to make her happy.

By the time they had finished teaching, it was already evening, and the two strolled along the Fuguang Pond, enjoying the breeze.

Perhaps feeling that he could give Jiang Ce a hard time, Yu Lang felt relieved and even asked Xue Chan.

"I heard it's your birthday in two days. What do you like? What do you want? Famous calligraphy and paintings, rare ancient books?"

Xue Chan thought for a moment and said seriously, "I like gold, silver, pearls and jade."

"What?"

Yu Lang thought he had misheard, and looked up abruptly, his eyes wide with astonishment.

Xue Chan looked at her and repeated it again with a serious expression.

“Your Highness, I said I like gold, silver, pearls and jade.”

Yu Lang glanced at Xue Chan from head to toe. Xue Chan opened and closed her mouth, but couldn't say anything for a long time. Finally, she frowned and pursed her lips.

"..."

After a long while, she looked up at Xue Chan, her disdain undisguised.

"Although the Xue family is not as wealthy as other families, they can still be considered a family of scholars and gentlemen. Your father is also known as a great man, and the Imperial Concubine is well-read. How can you be so vulgar?"

Xue Chan blinked and asked in return, "Is liking gold, silver, pearls, and jade vulgar?"

Her eyes were full of frankness and sincerity, so frankness that it surprised Yu Lang. After thinking about it carefully, he said again.

"That's not quite right..."

Xue Chan laughed: "I was born into this mortal world, grew up with mortal things, and am a mortal with a mortal body, a mortal mind, and a mortal person. Isn't it normal for me to like mortal things?"

Yu Lang was speechless for a long time before finally saying, "This is just sophistry. You speak so confidently and shamelessly."

Xue Chan smiled again, her eyes sparkling.

“I neither steal nor rob, nor do I harm or take anyone’s life or money, so of course I have a clear conscience. Your Highness asked me this question because you wanted to hear the truth, and I answered the truth. What shame is there in answering?”

Yu Lang felt that she had a lot of fallacies, and for a moment he couldn't say anything to criticize or condemn her, so he simply left with his people.

"Gone"

"Respectfully seeing off Your Highness"

As soon as she left, Xue Chan shook her head with a smile.

"They're quite easy to appease."

Yu Lang was still a little dazed even after walking a distance, but he was in a good mood.

Qingluan couldn't help but smile and ask her, "Your Highness seems to be having a great time?"

"It's alright, but I don't think it's that annoying."

"Is Your Highness intending to reconcile with Miss Xue?"

"It would be beneath my dignity to argue with her; it's just that I have a very broad mind."

Yu Lang, looking languid, instructed, "Go back and have someone bring out all sorts of gold, jade, agate, glass, and pearls. Remember to pick the best, the most valuable, and the rarest. Considering she taught me her skills, I'll reluctantly grant her a birthday greeting."

"Yes," Yu Luan nodded, "I imagine Miss Xue will be very happy to receive His Highness's birthday gift."

She's happy, and she has every reason to be happy.

Yu Lang paused, then suddenly turned around.

Could it be that I've been fooled by this brat's few words?

She was furious.

That cunning and shrewish girl!