Chapter 36 Conflict Does Lord Pei not like it?
The servant in blue wrote down all the orders, thinking to himself, "It's a good thing that Chongwen Academy is built on Qiyun Mountain. Otherwise, this distinguished guest has asked for several other kinds of ink, and we wouldn't have been able to find them in such a short time."
As he pondered how to explain things to the steward later, he hadn't walked far when he saw a young lady in the peach grove. She had fair skin and red lips, and her eyes sparkled. If it weren't for the bright and clear sky, he would have thought she was some peach tree that had come to life.
Calming himself, the servant bowed according to custom and said, "Greetings, Miss. A banquet is being held at Shushi Residence today, starting at noon. All the utensils, such as writing brushes, inkstones, zithers, and chessboards, have been prepared. Miss, please come and enjoy them."
Meng Lingyao nodded, and the servant quickly left.
Pei Xu took a few steps in this direction, "Miss Meng."
"Lord Pei," Meng Lingyao narrowed her eyes and smiled, "Why didn't you go to the Floating Wine Cups ceremony today?"
Pei Xu's eyebrows twitched slightly. "Why should I go?"
Meng Lingyao: "Does it mean you don't like it?"
Pei Xu remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement. He had always disliked noisy occasions and was even less willing to show off his talents in front of a crowd.
"Oh?" Meng Lingyao persisted, saying coolly, "Could it be that the one who wrote 'Cherishing the Remaining Spring' by the winding stream last year was your twin brother?"
A year later, on a similar occasion, she brought it up again, still feeling a bit angry. The painting she had spent most of the day on, "Spring Mountains in Mist and Rain," which no one paid any attention to, is still rolled up in her study and has not yet been framed.
“I have no brother who looks like me,” Pei Xu replied, then fell into deep thought. After a long while, he slowly spoke, “Last year… I was asked to do this.”
“The poem ‘Cherishing the Remaining Spring’ was written by my grandfather, who intended to share it with his fellow writers. However, he fell slightly ill a few days before his departure and asked me to recite it on his behalf.”
Old Master Pei loved to show off his whole life. He was naturally refined and fond of fame. Whenever he wrote a masterpiece, he had to spread it far and wide before he would be satisfied. Last spring, he was in high spirits and wrote a poem called "Cherishing the Remaining Spring." He thought it was a masterpiece of his time and was very proud of it. He originally planned to recite it himself on the Shangsi Festival, but an accident happened. He could only repeatedly instruct his grandson to make sure that the entire mountain, even the sparrows that passed by, knew about his poem.
"I already made that clear to everyone present at the time." He paused, then added, "Miss Meng may not be at the table."
They've even come up with a reason.
Meng Lingyao's expression froze, her ears burning slightly. She truly didn't know the details. Pei Xu hadn't even finished reciting his poem when she stormed off with the painting in her arms. Afterwards, whenever anyone mentioned that day, she would avoid it if possible, never bothering to inquire about the details.
"So that's how it is."
She lowered her eyelashes and brushed the fallen petals off her shoulders with her left and right hands, as if she were very busy. "I was indeed not there at the time. I only heard that Lord Pei wrote an excellent poem, which was actually written by the old master."
“There’s one more.” Pei Xu suddenly said.
"Um?"
He reached out and picked up a petal that had slipped through the net from Meng Lingyao's shoulder; the delicate pink petal landed on his fingertips.
Instead of casually brushing it off, he calmly caught the flower petal in his palm.
Meng Lingyao came to her senses and said, "Thank you, Lord Pei."
She took the opportunity to turn around and said, "It's getting late, I'm going to visit Shushi Residence."
Pei Xu silently followed, always maintaining a distance of three steps. The path wound its way through the blossoms, their figures appearing and disappearing among the flowers, as if they were walking through a painting.
The Shushi Residence was already packed with guests. Young men and women gathered in twos and threes under the corridor, playing the zither, playing chess, reciting poems and painting, creating a scene of refined elegance.
Meng Lingyao spotted the writing desk in the east wing at a glance and walked straight over. On the desk were various writing implements, the inkstone was filled with clear water, and the brushes were arranged in brush holders according to their thickness.
"Lingyao." A familiar voice came. Meng Lingyao turned around and saw Xie Chengyu sitting on a rosewood chair, playing with an inkstone in his hand, smiling at her. "I knew I would run into you here. This is called waiting for the rabbit to come to the tree stump."
"You're a little late today." Xie Chengyu stood up to greet him, his gaze sweeping over Pei Xu, who was a few steps behind, and his smile deepened. "Did you perhaps encounter some beautiful scenery on the way and stop to admire it?"
Meng Lingyao casually replied, "The mountain path is slippery, so we'll walk slowly." She then stepped forward to examine the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on the table. "How are the preparations for today?"
"I've already picked them all out for you." Xie Chengyu held up the ink stick in his hand like a treasure. "This time you've prepared everything very well. In previous years, we mostly used Jiang ink and Yi ink, but just now someone even brought Hui ink and Rui ink. Look, I specially picked out the Hui ink that you usually use."
She curtsied and drawled, "I hope that I will have the honor of grinding ink for Miss Meng again today. The painting you painted for me a few days ago was excellent."
Judging from her expression alone, Meng Lingyao knew that the painting must have satisfied General Xie.
So he smiled and said, "I agree."
Lunch was served at the Linshui Pavilion. Elegant gatherings are never bound by seating arrangements; everyone could simply sit with familiar friends. As Meng Lingyao and Xie Chengyu stepped into the dining hall, Zhou Xiwen approached from another direction, curtsying gracefully. "Lingyao, may I sit with you?"
Before she could finish speaking, Xie Chengyu interjected, "That won't do. Yaoyao and I have always been together. Miss Zhou, you absolutely cannot interfere."
“Chengyu is with Lingyao every year,” Zhou Xiwen frowned slightly and said sadly, “Can’t I even give way this year?”
"No." Xie Chengyu's smile remained unchanged, but his words were anything but polite. "Once is never enough. Miss Zhou, I'm afraid I cannot comply."
The two argued fiercely, neither willing to give in. Meng Lingyao sighed, "Why argue? There's a long table under that crabapple tree; three people can sit together."
Xie Chengyu and Zhou Xiwen exchanged a glance, then simultaneously strode towards the crabapple tree. Pink crabapple petals drifted down from time to time, like a celestial maiden scattering flowers. Meng Lingyao sat in the center, with her two friends flanking her on either side.
Xie Chengyu served the dishes with great enthusiasm, "Please try this sweet and sour perch, it's cooked according to the Jiangnan style."
Not to be outdone, Zhou Xiwen poured himself a cup of osmanthus wine, saying, "This wine is mild and sweet, most suitable for young ladies to drink."
The two took turns serving food and pouring wine, taking meticulous care of Meng Lingyao. She enjoyed the treatment of being the center of attention, feeling somewhat helpless, but the smile in her eyes never faded.
Not far away, Zhao Ruxuan watched coldly, feeling inexplicably bitter. Miss Li beside her whispered, "Meng Lingyao is so lucky, both Miss Xie and Miss Zhou are so fond of her."
"Hmph." Zhao Ruxuan curled her lips. "It's just that they haven't seen Meng Lingyao's true colors yet. In time, they will naturally see her true character."
Miss Li quickly chimed in, “That’s right. Miss Zhou’s father and brother’s imprisonment has probably clouded her judgment, making her so blind in front of her. With such poor judgment of character, even if she inherits the Zhou family’s vast fortune in the future, she will probably squander it all.”
Zhao Ruxuan's mood improved slightly upon hearing this, but her gaze unconsciously drifted to Lin Yunshu at another table, and her brows furrowed again. Lin Yunshu was wearing a lake-green silk dress today, sitting alone under the crape myrtle flowers, her expression serene.
They hadn't spoken for some time. Even though she had been surrounded by other noble ladies since the news of her engagement to the Third Prince spread, in her heart, none of them could compare to Lin Yunshu.
She had thought that after her brother returned to the capital, Lin Yunshu would become close to her again—after all, she had always admired her brother. But now it seemed that Lin Yunshu didn't even care about her brother anymore.
"What a fickle woman," Zhao Ruxuan thought to herself, annoyed.
"Ruxuan, I heard that this gathering is quite grand. Not only have many elders from families in the capital come, but General Xie has also come." Another young lady leaned closer and whispered, "He has a distinguished military record and was once the tutor of two princes."
"Your information network is quite impressive." Zhao Ruxuan nodded demurely. "General Xie did indeed come today and is currently lecturing at Chongwen Academy. His Highness has been very busy with official duties lately and will visit later."
The young lady said enviously, "His Highness the Third Prince even discusses such matters with my sister; he truly has deep affection for her."
Zhao Ruxuan smiled slightly, but did not reply, only taking a small sip of tea.
A few steps away, Lin Wanqing listened with her eyes lowered, her fingertips lightly tracing the rim of her teacup. She knew more than others—today, not only the Third Prince had come, but also that other person.
After the meal, Meng Lingyao returned to her painting table at Shushi Residence and began to refine her brushes and colors. She was well-prepared, and today her inspiration flowed freely, making her brushstrokes seem divinely guided. Before long, a painting titled "Peach Blossom Creek in Spring Dawn" was completed.
The peach blossoms in the painting are as bright as fire, the stream in the foreground flows gurglingly into the depths of the forest, the distant mountains are like dark eyebrows, and the nearby water is shrouded in mist.
A number of young gentlemen and ladies gradually gathered around, exclaiming in admiration, "Miss Meng's painting is truly exquisite!"
"The fragrance of the peach blossoms is so strong that you can almost smell it."
"The distant mountains are ethereal, and the nearby waters are lively; it's truly a masterpiece!"
Praises poured in. Zhao Ruxuan glanced at it from afar, thinking disdainfully, "Nothing special." Just as she was about to turn around, she saw her elder brother, Zhao Xu, already drawn to the painting table like a moth to a flame.
She hurriedly stepped forward to stop him, grabbing Zhao Xu's sleeve. "Second Brother, did you try the lotus flower pastry from the dining hall just now? It's said that the chef is from Jiangnan and is best at making pastries."
Zhao Xu was puzzled. "I don't like sweets."
"Well... there are a few new pots of orchids on the corridor over there. They're a rare variety. Why don't we go take a look?" Zhao Ruxuan had a sudden inspiration. As long as she could stop her brother from going to join in the fun, that would be fine.
Zhao Xu frowned, "Ru Xuan, what's wrong with you today..."
Before he could finish speaking, a tall figure stepped out from the crowd. Pei Xu walked to the painting, examined it carefully for a moment, and then looked up to ask, "Miss Meng, this painting has a profound artistic conception. Would you be willing to part with it?"
Everyone was astonished.
Meng Lingyao also feigned surprise and asked in confusion, "Why did Lord Pei suddenly request a painting?"
Pei Xu remained calm. “Her Highness the Princess has been away from the capital recently. She wrote to us the other day, saying that she was very sorry to have missed the spring scenery of Qiyun. This painting is exquisite in its brushwork, and Her Highness has always praised Miss’s painting skills. If we can obtain this painting, we can present it to Her Highness when she returns to the capital. I think it will be of some comfort to her.”
He pointed to several details in the painting and commented on them one by one. His words praised the painting skills and subtly elevated Meng Lingyao's status. He also used the name of the Princess to make the matter seem reasonable.
The young men and women around were filled with envy. To receive such praise from Pei Xu and have the Princess's endorsement, Meng Lingyao was truly the center of attention today. Countless envious and jealous glances converged upon her.
Meng Lingyao enjoyed the feeling of being the center of attention, and her gaze towards Pei Xu was gentler than ever before.
Indeed, she knew it; with Pei Shaoqing's abilities, he would surely handle this matter perfectly. Therefore, she would forgive him for deliberately withholding her unfinished painting a few days ago.
Meng Lingyao gently stroked the hair ornament in her hair with her fingers, pretending to ponder for a moment, and then...
"Since it's for Her Highness the Princess..." she was about to agree when a clear, melodious voice suddenly rang out—
"Lord Pei's desire for the painting is indeed sincere, but I have also long admired this painting."
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