Chapter 48 Dampness "If one day you can no longer paint,..."

Wang Xu, who was guarding outside the hall, looked up at the sky and couldn't help but frown.

"What a shame, such a wonderful banquet has been abruptly interrupted."

Before long, the emperor called out, and Wang Xu immediately entered the hall.

The Emperor said, "Since Shiyu has returned, Wang Xu should have someone escort him to Xinyang Palace to pay respects to the Empress."

"yes"

After leaving Dongming Hall, I was led by an eunuch along the palace road to Xinyang Palace.

Returning to familiar places often brings a sense of melancholy.

He remembered that further ahead was Yanqing Palace, and beside the south wall of that palace was an exceptionally beautiful apricot tree. Just then, a branch of apricot blossoms, blooming brilliantly, peeked out from the palace wall. Jiang Shiyu couldn't help but stop, first looking up at the flower, then turning back to look at the palace path.

He had walked back and forth along this long palace path many times.

I walked by, ran by, and paused.

When His Majesty first ascended the throne, he walked from here to Xinyang Palace to congratulate his sister on her coronation as Empress.

When he was young, he went to the palace to study with his companions. He would walk around and recite his lessons, and apricot blossoms would fall onto the pages of his books.

Later, he would always pretend to bump into people by chance and walk side by side with them.

A few years later, he escorted the coffin back to the capital, and once again lingered there with the imperial decree of marriage bestowed upon him, but the flowers had not bloomed. Now the flowers have bloomed, as radiant as ever, just as he remembered.

The flowers bloom the same every year, but the people are different year after year.

"Is that Lanfang Pavilion up ahead?" Jiang Shiyu asked the eunuch beside him.

The eunuch replied, "Yes, does Your Excellency wish to see the koi?"

At the end of the palace road was a pond, where many fat koi carp were raised. I used to joke with people that I would catch the fish in the pond to eat.

No need.

Passing through the palace road connecting to Xinyang Palace, a colorful sedan chair slowly approached ahead. The woman on the chair had her hair in high buns and wore a palace dress, her beauty radiant.

The eunuch knelt and bowed first, saying, "Greetings, Your Highness, Consort Hui."

Jiang Shiyu lowered his head, cupped his hands in respect, and said, "Your subject Jiang Shiyu pays his respects to the two Your Highnesses."

"No need for formalities," Consort Xue said politely, raising her hand slightly. "Lord Jiang has not returned to the capital for many years. I imagine you have aged considerably in the harsh and windy conditions of the Western Frontier."

Jiang Shiyu smiled and said, "It's normal for people to be like this. Seeing that everything is peaceful and tranquil along the way, it's all worth it. His Majesty cherishes the two empresses, and after many years, time has not been kind to them; they are still as beautiful as ever. Heaven is truly unfair."

Consort Xue smiled and touched her temple: "Is that so? That's good."

Consort Hui smiled and said, "No wonder His Majesty values ​​Lord Jiang. It is because of ministers like you that we enjoy peaceful and prosperous days."

Jiang Shiyu: "This is the duty of a subject. Your Highness, Consort Hui, you flatter me."

Consort Xue spoke up, asking the eunuch, "Are we going to see His Majesty?"

The eunuch replied, "I just came from His Majesty's place and am here to take Lord Jiang to Xinyang Palace."

Consort Xue said, "We should go and see her."

She didn't say anything more, and the entourage continued forward.

Yunyu, who was walking on one side, frowned slightly and looked up at the person sitting in the sedan chair.

Consort Xue simply looked ahead and said softly.

"Yunyu, keep moving forward, don't look back."

As the procession receded into the distance, a sudden gust of wind arose, and dense clouds rolled in amidst thunderous roars.

The eunuch steadied himself by covering his hat and said, "My lord, it looks like it's going to rain. Let's hurry to Xinyang Palace."

Jiang Shiyu reached out and brushed the fallen petals from his shoulder. He said, "Let's go."

The wipers slammed down, the world was a blur of light, and two people ran towards the end of the rain-soaked path.

Jiang Ce had just finished seeing Jiang Yao off and was about to go find Xiao Huaiting and the others when the rain started pelting down as soon as he passed the passageway in front of the Hanlin Painting Academy. The rain stung painfully.

In just a moment, he subconsciously crossed the passageway, passed the Hanlin Painting Academy, and ran to Fangchun Pavilion.

In the courtyard, there was a cluster of viburnum in full bloom, lush and green in spring, adorned with white petals and golden stamens. When the rain fell heavily, it scattered white petals all over the ground, mixing with the soil, but it still couldn't hide the subtle fragrance; on the contrary, it made the flowers even fresher and more beautiful.

Jiang Ce was so captivated by the spring scenery that he stopped in his tracks. The rain soaked his clothes, and he even forgot about the dampness on his face.

The eunuch hurriedly reminded him, "My lord, please go inside and take shelter from the rain!"

Jiang Ce hurriedly pushed open the door and entered. The person painting inside was looking up.

Xue Chan saw Jiang Ce standing at the door, covered in rain, and they looked at each other from a distance.

He stood by the door, avoiding Xue Chan's gaze: "The rain suddenly started, and I was passing by Fangchun Pavilion, so I came in to take shelter from the rain."

Xue Chan listened to the pattering rain, realizing it wouldn't stop anytime soon.

"please"

Jiang Ce did not enter the door immediately. He carefully patted the rain off his body and tidied his appearance before stepping inside.

The painting was laid out on the desk, and from a distance, only a patch of fresh green and yellow could be seen.

Once inside the museum, we moved closer.

Jiang Ce then noticed that she had changed her clothes for some reason; she wore a narrow-sleeved, crab-shell blue blouse and a silver-white skirt. In her simple hair bun, there was only a thin jade butterfly, facing a newly picked peony flower.

It is pure white, and the flowers are in full bloom.

He thought it was probably picked from the cluster of flowers outside Fangchun Pavilion.

Her face was unadorned, pale, and as listless as the fallen hibiscus flowers outside the building.

Jiang Ce wanted to ask her if she was in a bad mood, what was troubling her, and whether she would like to tell him.

But the words that came out were: "What are you drawing? Is it a topic set by His Majesty?"

Xue Chan shook her head: "No, it's a painting I started at home a long time ago, and it's still not finished, so I'm continuing to paint it."

"Would the second young master like to see it?"

Jiang Ce did not refuse and walked to the side of the desk to look at the painting. The scroll was very long, a meticulous painting of a hundred butterflies in spring, and it was almost finished.

Jiang Ce asked her, "How long did it take you to draw?"

Xue Chan raised her face and smiled faintly: "Thirteen months."

Jiang Ce then pressed further, "You've been drawing the whole time, without ever stopping?"

Xue Chan said, "Mm."

Jiang Ce pursed his lips, unsure of what to say. Should he ask her why she could be so focused? Or should he ask her if she liked it that much?

But he couldn't get any information out of them, so he went around the screen and sat down by the window.

The rain outside the window gradually intensified, fine and long like needles, dense like silver bamboo, making the interior of the building even darker.

The palace servants lit several ever-burning lamps and palace lanterns, and a landscape painting screen was set up inside the hall, thus dividing the hall into two worlds.

Xue Chan stopped looking at him. After Yun Sheng lit the lamp and placed it on the table, she picked up her brush again and started painting.

The two remained silent, with only the patter of rain. The palace servants moved about in the pavilion with a light touch, without making a sound.

With nothing to do, he could only prop his face up with one hand on the armrest of the chair, while idly stroking the crimson sash on his robe with the other.

Seeing him sitting in the chair, staring blankly into space, the palace maid walked quietly to his side and leaned down to ask, "This rain isn't going to stop anytime soon. If you're feeling leisurely, would you like to take some paintings and scrolls from the collection to admire?"

Jiang Ce pondered for a moment and said, "Then just pick a few books."

The palace servants took books from the bookshelves in the library, and he flipped through them page by page. He continued drawing without stopping until he had finished two books and opened a new one.

Jiang Ce paused turning the pages of his book, but he couldn't help but look up at Xue Chan behind the painted screen.

Behind the bottle was a screen, which vaguely reflected Xue Chan. The brushes in her hands moved back and forth, shifting slightly as she applied ink and color.

Thirteen months—could he have done that?

If it were him, he might be far from being able to reach that level.

"Don't you get tired and bored after drawing for so long?"

He spoke suddenly, and Xue Chan did not look up. She just continued drawing and said, "I am a human being, so naturally I will feel exhausted and overwhelmed."

"Then why not stop?"

"Because I don't want to stop."

Jiang Ce asked again, "You really like drawing that much?"

"Yes, I like it, I like it very much." Xue Chan answered softly, without looking up, but still seriously. "As long as I live in this world, as long as I can still pick up a paintbrush, I will keep painting until the end of my life, until I die."

Her resolute statement aroused Jiang Ce's curiosity and doubt.

After a moment's thought, he continued, "Is there really nothing, no one, that can shake your resolve?"

No, and there won't be.

“If…” Jiang Ce’s expression shifted slightly. He clutched the hem of his robe, thought for a moment, and then asked another question, “What if family and friends are obstacles for you?”

He longed to know Xue Chan's answer, and for a moment, he held his breath in anticipation.

But the other party's reply came almost without hesitation or thought, coming straight from behind the painted screen.

"give up"

The silk used for the painted screen was light and soft, and the landscape painted on it resembled green mountains after a misty rain, with mountains and water shrouded in mist and haze.

Even in such a serene and ethereal landscape, her sharp and piercing words could not be erased; they simply flew swiftly through the painted screen and pierced straight into the heart.

"I really don't know whether to say you're heartless or resolute."

Upon hearing this, Xue Chan chuckled softly, her voice becoming even lighter.

"If it's a close relative, a dearest friend, or a lover, if there's genuine affection, how could it become an obstacle?"

The answer, tinged with a genuine smile, instantly dispelled much of the somber atmosphere in the hall, making it feel refreshing.

Jiang Ce felt a sense of relief, as if a long-blocked ditch had been suddenly cleared. The silt and weeds had been washed away, and clear water began to flow slowly.

He said a lot of things and asked a lot of questions, but they didn't make any sense.

Although Xue Chan remained calm, she answered all questions patiently.

Their back-and-forth questioning was like ripples spreading across the spring river as raindrops fell on the green water.

Self-centered, it spreads outwards, pushing further and further away.

They meet, merge, and then disperse, becoming new ripples. The cycle repeats endlessly, life goes on and on.

"Have you never thought about doing anything else?"

"I've been holding a paintbrush since I can remember. I've never done anything else, nor do I want to."

"What would you do if one day you couldn't paint anymore?"

"I don't know, I've never thought about that day."

After she said that, Jiang Ce didn't know whether he should continue asking, or it seemed like there was no need to ask any further.

Then the museum fell silent again.

A moment later, Xue Chan's voice rang out from behind the screen.

"If that day ever comes..." Jiang Ce looked up at her, but Xue Chan was still looking at the painting, only her soft voice drifting over like rain and mist.

"So I guess that means my life has come to an end."

Outside, a fierce storm raged. Even through the doors and windows, the sound of the wind and rain pounding against the windowpanes could be heard. It seemed as if the wind and rain were about to break through the delicate paper windowpanes and stir up a raging storm in his heart.

After she finished speaking, there was a moment of silence before Jiang Ce heard her speak again.

"I was born for painting, and I will die for painting."

She was born to paint, or at least Xue Chan herself always believed that.

Xue Chan: "After saying all this, what exactly are you trying to say? What do you really want?"

Jiang Ce shook his head in confusion: "I... don't know either."

He didn't ask any more questions, and Xue Chan didn't answer either.

The hall fell silent. Even the footsteps of the palace servants were barely audible. All that could be heard was the sound of the evening rain tapping on the windowpanes, the flickering of candle wicks, and the soft rustling of ink on paper.

Jiang Ce pushed the window open halfway, and the swaying raindrops reflected only a few white and green spots, scattering fallen petals on the ground.

The rain intensified, and the sky at dusk was a grayish-blue, tinged with a few streaks of dark blue. You could even smell the scent of raindrops splashing on the soil and the grass and trees.

The originally fine weather was caught off guard by this sudden rain. The thick clouds gradually lowered, becoming dark and oppressive, and the refreshing rain suddenly turned heavy and sticky.

The dampness of the rain was carried in by the wind through the small window, splashing all over my face.

Jiang Ce exhaled, feeling a bit damp all over.

It's so humid, it's making everyone's hearts shriveled.

Jiang Ce thought: If it's too damp, the paper will become soft and the ink will smudge, making it difficult to paint.

So he gently closed the window.