Chapter 153 Isn't that poison incurable?
"Five thousand taels for Mr. You'an's authentic work? Could it be that Young Master Shen has been swindled?"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiuyuan couldn't help but take the calligraphy and examine it closely. The more he looked at it, the more his brows furrowed: "This calligraphy does look authentic, but it doesn't feel quite like Mr. You'an's usual style. Mr. You'an's most outstanding piece of calligraphy fully expresses the lofty spirit of youth, but this one really doesn't seem to be his style... and there's no seal either."
"Oh dear, brother, be careful not to break it!" Zhao Xiyue immediately took the calligraphy from her brother's hand, holding it preciously in her hands, and then glared at Zhao Xiuyuan: "Brother, have you forgotten? I have been copying his calligraphy since I was a child, how could I not recognize his calligraphy? Brother, don't underestimate it, this must be his original work. Whether it has a seal or not, it is his."
As Zhao Xiyue spoke, her expression held a hint of mad longing. Her fingertips gently caressed the calligraphy and painting, and suddenly her eyes reddened, tears streaming down her face.
Yet, fearing that the tears would soak the canvas, she carefully wiped them away.
She choked back tears as she said, “Brother, Mr. You’an’s calligraphy used to be unrestrained, spirited, or filled with boundless anger, but it was always forward-looking, flowing smoothly and without hesitation. But now, there are pauses and hesitations in his calligraphy, and it is full of a desolate and bleak feeling.”
As she spoke, she sniffed, "I wonder where he is suffering, and what kind of torment he is enduring."
Zhao Xiuyuan couldn't help but shake his head and chuckle: "Silly girl, everyone admires Mr. You'an. One of his paintings is worth a thousand gold pieces. Even an ordinary official's family might not earn that much in several years. If it were a poor family, they might never see so much silver in their entire life."
He only needs to sell a couple of paintings and calligraphies, and that's enough to live on for most of his life. How could he possibly suffer?
Upon hearing this, Zhao Xiyue pouted and said, "Brother doesn't understand anything at all. If he hadn't suffered, why wouldn't the teacher use his usual gold-coated paper and Xuancheng Hui ink when writing?"
The thick, heavy, and durable gold-flecked paper, and the Huizhou ink, once applied, flowed like lacquer and remained unchanged for a long time. These were the paper the master had always favored. But now, he used this lowest grade of paper and ink. The paper was rough and uneven, and the ink had an unpleasant smell; even the servants disliked using it!
As he said this, he sighed again: "Sir loves to stamp his seals; sometimes he'll have three or five seals on a single piece of calligraphy or painting. But this one doesn't have a single seal. Sir must have suffered greatly!"
Zhao Xiuyuan was taken aback upon hearing this: "I had no idea you knew Mr. You'an so well."
Zhao Xiyue tilted her head back, a smile playing on her lips: "If it weren't for you, sir, I wouldn't be who I am today. If you are in trouble, I will do everything in my power to help you. To die for someone who understands you is what I mean."
As she said this, she immediately instructed the servant beside her, "Cuizhu, quickly prepare pen and ink. I need to write to Shen Jiayou immediately, asking him to find the teacher's whereabouts and, if necessary, to lend a helping hand."
"You like him that much? You don't even care that you're not feeling well?" Zhao Xiuyuan shook his head and chuckled. "Aren't you afraid that you'll find out that the person you've found is a disheveled old man?"
“Brother, you’re so annoying! No way! The gentleman must be a handsome young man! But no matter what he looks like, I won’t mind! Even if he’s a slovenly old man, I’ll still help him.”
“The former master was like the bright moon in the sky, and Xiyue dared not touch him in the slightest. Now, he must need me the most, and Xiyue will certainly not turn a blind eye to him.”
As he spoke, his eyes still gleamed with excitement as he sat at his desk writing.
Zhao Xiuyuan looked at her with gentle eyes, letting her do her thing without saying a word.
Just then, his personal guard rushed in, his face cold, and said, "Young master, you have urgent news."
Zhao Xiuyuan looked over: "What's wrong?"
The guard glanced at the people still kneeling outside beside him, his expression speaking volumes.
Zhao Xiuyuan seemed to realize that the man was still kneeling, so he waved his hand and said, "You should hurry down and go to the accounting office to get a hundred taels of silver so you can recover from your injuries."
"yes."
The man responded and left in the blink of an eye.
The guard then stepped forward and said in a low voice, "Young Master, the Emperor has awakened!"
"What did you say!" Zhao Xiuyuan, who had been somewhat relaxed, suddenly stood up upon hearing this: "When did this happen?"
The guard shook his head: "The exact time is unknown; the news was just received. I only heard that the Emperor seems to still be unwell, and just now he summoned all the ministers to the palace. He did not summon the Regent."
Upon hearing the last part, Zhao Xiuyuan's pupils constricted: "Has the Regent's Palace made any moves?"
The guard shook his head: "The Regent's Palace is as usual, and there has been no news from the Regent."
Zhao Xiuyuan's brows were still furrowed: "How could he have suddenly woken up?"
"Brother, isn't that poison incurable? How could this be?" Zhao Xiyue stopped writing and looked at her brother.
Zhao Xiuyuan's expression suddenly turned stern: "Shut up! How dare you say such things out loud?"
Zhao Xiyue pouted, "But there's no one else around. I'm just worried about my brother. Could it be that Doctor Que really got the antidote?"
Zhao Xiuyuan frowned: "Probably not. If he had an antidote, why would he have dragged it out for two years?"
He pondered for a moment and said, "There are precedents of people who have been poisoned by the Five Poisons Powder waking up, but that was..."
"A final burst of energy before death!" Excitement flashed in Zhao Xiyue's eyes.
Zhao Xiuyuan glared at him: "You have no tact!"
Zhao Xiyue pouted: "Fine, I won't say anything more."
Zhao Xiuyuan stared at his sister, his eyes deep: "It seems there are some things that need to be done as soon as possible."
...
Xuan Ting knew he was dead.
The moment he was shot, he was in so much pain he could hardly breathe. Waves of dizziness washed over him, but he became increasingly clear-headed, his mind filled with a jumble of thoughts.
Despite his efforts to survive, he never saw Andehai come to pick him up.
He regretted it. He should have stayed inside the house that day. If he hadn't looked out the door, he might not have been shot and wouldn't have died.
If you die, does that mean you have nothing left?
He would never see his father, who didn't love him, again; he would never see his ancestor, who held him and told him stories; and he would never see An Dehai again.
I wonder if An Dehai's injuries have healed yet, but even if they have, if I die, he will probably still be executed, right?
Xuan Ting thought to himself, he hadn't even recognized the mad and eccentric Imperial Preceptor yet; the jade pendant was still inside his underpants, not yet given to him.
And what about Aunt Nuan and the others? Won't the Ancestor be furious if they die? Will she execute them all?
I really want to eat Aunt Nuan's sweet and sour pork. It's so delicious! He didn't get enough last time, and then it was gone.
And that Li Xiaoer, I've always wanted to beat him up, but I haven't had a chance yet.
I wonder if Xiao Baozhu still resents me for not helping her.
It was his first time farming, and Aunt Nuan said that by autumn, he would be able to eat the grains he had grown himself. It seems he won't be able to eat them.
Aunt He Nuan picked some green apricots to make wine; I wonder what it will taste like.
Big Black finally stopped biting him and started wagging its tail when it saw him. He had promised Big Black that he would hide a piece of sweet and sour pork for it next time he ate it. Now that he had broken his promise, he hoped Big Black wouldn't be angry with him.
(End of this chapter)
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