Zhao Zhi nodded and got into the carriage with Cui Shenghe, heading towards Lingyang.
Lingyang was the capital of the Great Sheng Dynasty, so it was naturally much more bustling than other cities.
The carriage slowly drove down the long street.
Zhao Zhi lifted the curtain and looked outside. The crowd was bustling and thronging, their sleeves fluttering in the rain.
As she passed a portrait shop, a smile curved her lips, and a plan suddenly came to her mind.
"Cui Jiu, stop for a moment, come here." Zhao Zhi instructed Cui Jiu without any hesitation.
Cui Jiu poked his head in, "What are your orders, Miss Zhizhi?"
Zhao Zhi pointed to the painter and gestured for Cui Jiu to borrow his brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Cui Jiu looked at his young master, who nodded. He jumped off his horse, gave the painter a tael of silver, and then took the things Zhao Zhi had asked for onto the carriage.
"Brother, turn around," Zhao Zhi said shyly, thinking about what she was going to draw later.
Cui Shenghe obediently turned around and sat with his back to Zhao Zhi, only hearing the "rustling" sound of painting. Before long, Zhao Zhi's painting was completed.
She then summoned Cui Jiu and instructed him to have the painting copied by a painter one hundred times. He was to pay a deposit of fifty taels of silver, and someone would be sent to collect it in three days.
"Wait." Cui Shenghe suddenly snatched the painting that Zhao Zhi had given to Cui Jiu. The content of the painting was shocking and even made him blush.
He instructed Cui Jiu, "Return the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to the person first."
After Cui Jiu left, Cui Shenghe looked at Zhao Zhi meaningfully. For some reason, seeing this lifelike painting felt like a thorn was stuck in his heart.
"The scenes and people in this painting, have you experienced them?" he asked in a trembling voice.
"It was them who drugged me. I... I did this just to get revenge." Zhao Zhi blushed as she recalled the scene, feeling both angry and resentful.
In the portrait, Zhao Zhi gave Liu Yun some face, only drawing her back and profile, and the monk was also only drawn in profile.
“Alright.” Cui Shenghe put the painting away. “I’ll find someone to handle this matter, so you don’t need to worry about it.” He explained, “After all, you’re a young woman. If people find out that you did it, it will ruin your reputation.”
Zhao Zhi, thinking of her lost virginity, suddenly said with aggrieved emotion, "Is a woman's chastity more important than her life?"
"A woman's chastity is never hidden beneath her skirt. Just, don't overthink it."
Cui Shenghe observed Zhao Zhi's expression and guessed that something must have happened to her, but she was too shy to say it, so he changed the subject, "Zhizhi, where is your home? I'll take you home."
"Liujiang Street, Zhao Mansion."
Cui Shenghe's expression froze. The Great Sheng Dynasty stipulated that only those who had been granted the title of prince or duke were qualified to build their own residences.
The only Zhao residence in the entire Great Sheng Dynasty was the mansion of the Grand Secretary Zhao Shouzhen.
“Your father is Grand Secretary Zhao Shouzhen,” he said in a deep voice.
"Yes." Zhao Zhi didn't notice the other person's emotional change; she was immersed in the joy of seeing her mother soon.
“My mother is a very kind person, you will definitely like her. My father is a bit strict, but he is rarely at home. You don’t need to be afraid.”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com