Chapter 59 Chapter 59 Painting (Part 1)
Until Zhang Jingxuan left in a carriage, Xue Yuanyin returned to the yard, still thinking about what he had just said.
Bring your brush, ink, paper, and inkstone to Zhuyue Palace tomorrow. What are you going there for? Why should you bring your brush, ink, paper, and inkstone?
He only asked her to keep the appointment, but did not ask her why she did not keep the appointment last time.
Did he guess she was locked up, or did he think it was too unimportant to ask?
Why did he think she would definitely keep the appointment?
Xue Yuanyin took off his cloak and collapsed on the bed, rubbing his sore lower abdomen and thighs while thinking about what Zhang Jingxuan meant.
Thinking of what he had just done to her in the carriage, Xue Yuanyin's cheeks flushed again. She never knew how he knew so much and how he could even have such a way to please a woman in the midst of romantic affairs.
Although he seemed to miss the mark at first, his tongue eventually found the right spot, moving slowly and then quickly, without sparing any effort. Xue Yuanyin recalled the sensation of reaching that peak, a sensation like a fiery, swift display of fireworks. His entire body tensed and trembled, ignoring all command and responding continuously.
Only after his lips and tongue withdrew did she realize how numb and sore she felt from her lower abdomen to her thighs, as if the dizzying pleasure had to spread to the surrounding parts before it would stop.
So much so that, when Xue Yuanyin recalled the incident now, she actually felt a faint desire for more. She couldn't help but think, if she could really sleep with him, she didn't know what kind of happiness it would be...
Unable to think any further, Xue Yuanyin tried to stop thinking and called for Fuzhu to prepare water.
After Fuzhu left, she closed the door, took off her collar, looked at herself in the mirror, and saw a red spot on her collarbone, which was obviously a kiss mark.
Xue Yuanyin felt a little embarrassed and annoyed. Zhang Jingxuan had really gone too far this time. He was so bold as to leave marks on her body. Fortunately, she usually didn't let servants help her bathe, otherwise wouldn't others see it?
She took off her clothes, stripped herself off bit by bit, and pulled off her tight panties. Suddenly, she caught a glimpse of something, and she was struck by lightning, her eyes fixed on it for a long time.
That water stain... Oh my god, these tight white panties are actually half wet!!!
Although Xue Yuanyin couldn't tell what it was exactly, she had a vague idea of where it came from. She rolled up the panties as if they were burning hot and hurriedly stuffed them into the pile of dirty clothes on the ground. Still not feeling it was enough, she messed them up a little more until she couldn't tell which was which. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief as if she had tried to cover up her mistake.
This is too embarrassing...
Xue Yuanyin bit her lips, soaked herself in the bathtub, curled up her toes, covered her face with her palms, and used the water to cool herself down.
At the time, I was so caught up in my emotions that I didn't think anything of it. Now that I've calmed down, I feel incredibly ashamed. She'd only been served once, and yet she'd ended up like this...
Xue Yuanyin didn't want to think about it anymore, and tried her best to divert her attention and think about the meaning of that sentence.
Zhang Jingxuan asked her to bring pen, ink, paper, and inkstone to the appointment? What was the point of bringing these?
Could it be... painting?
Xue Yuanyin was rubbing soapberries on herself when a possibility suddenly emerged in her mind. Her heart skipped a beat and the soapberries in her hand fell into the bathtub with a clang, splashing water and almost knocking over another spare bathtub next to her.
Did he agree to paint her nude?
This guess made Xue Yuan suddenly excited, and the anticipation and nervousness almost exploded in her mind immediately. She took a quick shower, wiped her body clean and wrapped herself in pajamas. She restrained her excitement and walked barefoot between the east and west rooms, rummaging through the boxes and cabinets to find the best calligraphy and paper.
If her guess was true, then she would accept it even if Xue Chang found out and beat her again this time!
She must draw Zhang Jingxuan's beautiful and strong body in its entirety and copy it onto paper!
It was already dark outside the window. Many Kongming lanterns slowly rose in the night, illuminating a corner of the night sky. Xue Yuanyin thought of Zhang Jingxuan's rather strange behavior tonight and became more certain of her guess.
He must have felt guilty! He felt that it was because of him that she was whipped on the back and slapped in the face, so he used his clumsy lips and tongue to serve her and promised to paint her.
As for him coming to kiss her so often?
Xue Yuanyin figured it out. Zhang Jingxuan didn't even ask whether she was locked up or not, so he probably didn't care much about her condition.
He must have found out that she was close to Liu Minyan, and it was just the possessiveness in men's nature that was taking over.
It was just a kiss. He had kissed her in Xiaocang Valley before, and he had never shown any affection for her.
Xue Yuanyin didn't want to think about Zhang Jingxuan's thoughts all day long.
Just treat him as a physical companion, a tool for sexual gratification, and stop making yourself sad, depressed, and uneasy.
She put the finest writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone into the box, tidied them up, and lay down on the bed in a good mood.
If he really agreed to be her nude model, then she didn't know when the next such golden opportunity would come.
In this case, considering the price he paid, she would make careful plans, quietly leave the house tomorrow, and go to Zhuyue Palace to find out what was going on.
-
It was already the end of the night when Zhang Jingxuan returned to the Zhang Mansion.
Everyone in the mansion was asleep, and the place was quiet, with only a few guards and servants on duty. He walked back to Zhanyun Courtyard, and Huaizhou prepared some water for him before retreating.
He entered the clean room, took off his clothes, glanced down, and then looked away.
The young master had just woken up in her arms, looking very energetic, but now he had fallen back down and curled up into a ball.
It seems that he also likes staying up late and fell asleep just as he was about to fall asleep.
After taking a shower and changing clothes, Zhang Jingxuan walked out and looked at the clepsydra. It was almost midnight.
He rarely slept this late in his life, and even when he did, it was usually due to work. But today he wasn't sleepy at all, and even felt unusually clear-headed.
He tied up his slightly damp hair, put on his cloak, and walked out in the moonlight.
The winter scene is bleak. Even the silver moon shining on the blue bricks is faint and cool, with an air of withering and decadence, and looks lifeless.
Zhang Jingxuan stepped out of the corridor, walked past the pavilions and waterside terraces, and finally stopped in front of the Zhang Mansion Ancestral Hall. He glanced at the solemn plaque above, then retracted his gaze and stepped lightly into the hall.
The scent of agarwood always lingered in the Zhang Mansion's ancestral hall. He usually didn't like this smell, as it was too heavy and thick, so he often asked Huaizhou to fumigate his clothes with pine wood scent.
But now, smelling the lingering agarwood fragrance that made him concentrate made him feel restless and unable to calm down.
Before making the agreement tonight, Zhang Jingxuan had never imagined that one day he would agree to such a ridiculous condition - to be her naked model and have her describe him inch by inch.
He knew clearly that he was gradually deviating from his original intention, and was happy to watch himself go further and further down the road of no return.
After a while, Zhang Jingxuan took out a small golden Buddha with squinting eyes and a compassionate smile.
There was a small golden niche in the center of the altar, but he wondered if it could bear the weight of the golden Buddha. He seemed unaware and gently placed the small golden Buddha in the concave frame of the original small golden niche.
At that moment, a bell began to toll in the distance from the Imperial Palace, signaling the arrival of the Winter Solstice. The bell's sound was deep and distant, echoing again and again throughout the Imperial City.
There were dark lines and unevenness inside the small golden niche. The small golden Buddha was placed on it, but it was not placed securely, and the niche collapsed from the high altar along with it.
Just like the unexpected emotion, Zhang Jingxuan never thought that the golden shrine would not be able to bear the weight of the golden Buddha.
Under his silent gaze, it fell heavily downwards, and at the same time as the sound of the Magnolia Bell rang out, it shattered like a predetermined fate.
-
The next day was the winter solstice, and there was a light snow in the latter half of the night.
Xue Yuanyin slept late yesterday and it was already noon when he woke up. He put on his cloak and saw a layer of white frost hanging on the eaves outside the window.
The servants were sweeping the ground outside the yard, sweeping away the snow and leaving a clean path.
Having missed breakfast, Xue Yuanyin ate a plate of dumplings for lunch. Seeing the garlic dish, she didn't eat it and asked the maid to take it away.
There were no elders in the Xue Mansion who needed to be paid respects, so Xue Yuanyin lay leisurely on the couch, with Fuzhu helping her apply medicine on her cheeks whose redness and swelling were almost gone.
She was originally thinking about how to sneak out without telling the doorman, but Xue Chang came back at noon, called her to the front yard, closed the door, and gave her some detailed instructions. He also left her a map of the imperial city and said in a deep voice:
"This plan determines the success or failure of tonight. Read it carefully, memorize the route, and burn it immediately after reading it."
Xue Yuanyin was in a good mood. After receiving the map, she asked him what he had been busy with recently. The answer she got was that there was some unrest on the Western Qiang border, which coincided with the Winter Sacrifice Ceremony. It was quite overwhelming to deal with both at the same time.
Xue Yuanyin didn't ask any further questions, just said "oh".
As soon as Xue Chang left, Xue Yuanyin opened the map and looked at it. After reading it, he held the map for a while and then burned it with an expressionless face.
She went back to her room to take a nap. When she got up lazily, she looked at the clepsydra and found that it was already past 11:00 PM.
The sun came out from the clouds, melting some of the snow on the ground, giving it a bright and shiny glow.
Xue Yuanyin opened the window and admired the snow scene for a while, then told Fuzhu to prepare water. Fuzhu was a little surprised that she was taking a bath at this hour, but she didn't ask any more questions and turned around to prepare it.
Xue Yuanyin closed the window, turned back into the house, opened the wooden cupboard, and picked out clothes to wear for her appointment in the evening.
After all, it was a private invitation that could be considered quite formal. She was going to paint her first masterpiece and didn't want to dress too poorly.
After choosing for a long time, she finally picked out an oleander pink jacket and skirt, which she paired with green jewelry. The pink and green colors complemented each other, and she added a sachet of perfume, which made her look pretty and charming.
After bathing, she wrung out her hair, put on her clothes, and asked Fuzhu to tie her hair.
Fuzhu asked, "Miss, are you going to sneak out in the evening?"
Xue Yuanyin's smile faded a little, but it was gone in an instant. She shook her head and said calmly:
"Xue Chang came by at noon today and allowed me to leave the house in the evening."
Fuzhu was surprised and asked, "Why so sudden? Didn't they prohibit you from participating in the winter sacrifice?"
"It's not that I was asked to go to the winter sacrifice, but His Royal Highness Prince Yu gave me another errand tonight."
Xue Yuanyin didn't want to say more and changed the subject: "Help me check if your hair is done properly?"
Fuzhu's attention was diverted, and she continued to tie her hair.
After getting dressed, Xue Yuanyin stood in front of the diamond-shaped mirror and looked at herself. The person in the mirror looked like a lotus flower in full bloom, or a spring peach blossoming in the snow, fresh and beautiful.
She rarely wore pink, whether as a child or as an adult, as she felt it was too cute. But today was the winter solstice, and the capital was quite lively. If she didn't dress more formally, she would inevitably disappoint the atmosphere.
Xue Yuanyin turned the hem of her skirt and was secretly satisfied that this dress would not make her look inferior.
After having a quick dinner to fill her stomach, she looked at the time. It was already the end of the afternoon and it was time for her to set off.
The winter sacrifice was about to begin, and people on the streets and alleys rushed to the Temple of Heaven in the south of the city, hoping to grab a good seat at the steps of the Temple of Heaven.
It has been many years since there has been such a grand ceremony, which allows the common people at the bottom to benefit from it and share in the grace of the emperor.
Just as Zhang Jingxuan expected, the gatekeeper of the Xue Mansion was indeed a little lax, but Xue Yuanyin had just lifted the ban at noon, so she didn't need to sneak out and could go through the main gate.
She checked her bag and found a box containing the writing brush, ink, paper and inkstone she had carefully selected last night.
After gazing at it for a moment, she added a pair of wrist guards, knee pads and a breastplate, and also put in the sheathed short blade left by Xue Chang.
The short blade is extremely sharp and is Xue Chang's treasure. He was willing to lend it to her at such an important moment tonight.
After making sure everything was packed, Xue Yuanyin put on his bag and walked towards the door.
Unexpectedly, the concierge stopped her, looked at the clepsydra, and said:
"My lady, the Marquis said that he would not let you out until the Winter Sacrifice Ceremony was mostly over, at the end of the Xu hour. It's only the end of the Shen hour now, and you're two hours early."
Xue Yuanyin had already made a statement. She took out the short blade left by Xue Chang and said:
"I have my father's keepsake in my hand, so I'm leaving early in case anything unexpected happens. Tonight is a crucial moment for Your Highness Prince Yu. If anything goes wrong, can you afford it?!"
The doorman saw the short blade and realized it was indeed the weapon that the Marquis had used on the battlefields and it was never unsheathed except in emergencies.
The concierge looked ashamed, made way for her, and said with a smile:
"Miss, I was confused! Please go quickly and don't delay His Royal Highness Prince Yu's important matter."
Xue Yuanyin nodded and walked out of the Xue Mansion.
I haven't left the house for a long time. I saw the streets of the capital decorated with lights and colorful lanterns, with a strong atmosphere of welcoming the worship of gods, and the air of freedom was everywhere.
Xue Yuanyin first walked along the route that Xue Chang had told her at noon. Halfway through, she turned lightly onto a small path and headed towards Zhuyue Palace.
Dusk comes early in winter. By the time of You, the sky has darkened slightly. The entire Zhuyue Palace is shrouded in the half-light and half-dark sky. It is cold and majestic, with carved beams and gilded eaves, and is magnificent.
Xue Yuanyin stood in front of the main entrance of the Zhuyue Palace. She was stunned by the overwhelming momentum for a few seconds. Then she looked carefully and saw that the red door of the hall was ajar. Dim light and shadows leaked out from the gap, and wisps of warm air from the floor were blowing out.
Xue Yuanyin felt a surge of excitement and uneasiness, her heart pounding so hard it almost burst her eardrums.
After calming herself down a bit and waiting for the vague feeling of unreality to subside, she climbed the stairs and pushed the door open.
The main hall of Zhuyue Palace is filled with neatly arranged bookshelves, covering a large area, and at first glance it looks like a small training ground.
All kinds of books, classics or fragments that are no longer available on the market can be found here, which shows the richness of the collection.
There was a window on the side, so it wasn't dark, but the gauze palace lanterns on the carved pillars along the wall inside the hall were still lit.
She didn't see Zhang Jingxuan, so she followed the light and walked into the side hall.
Opening the door of the side hall, there is a spacious study with a desk on the inside, several horizontal rows of bookshelves, and a vertical antique shelf placed in front of the wall, on which are placed some rare toys.
There is a scroll hanging on the wall behind the antique cabinet, with the words "Virtue is thick and light is flowing" written on it.
The side hall is connected to the auxiliary hall and is separated by a six-sided sandalwood screen. Inside is a typical bedroom, but the bed is neat and tidy, and the desk is clean, and it does not look like it is lived in permanently.
Xue Yuanyin suddenly heard a faint sound of water coming from behind the door in front of her.
She paused, her heart skipping a beat.
Is Zhang Jingxuan... taking a shower?
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The author has something to say: I have to tell you with a heavy heart that I will be taking a day off tomorrow, Sunday. I was too busy on the weekend and I really can't finish writing...
Come back on Monday, everyone. I'll definitely write a good chapter! I'll give you all a bonus in this chapter! Love you all! [Please]
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