Chapter Thirty-Seven: Inside and Outside the Palace Walls
As autumn deepens, a thin layer of frost gathers on the glazed tiles of the Forbidden City. Stepping on the golden bricks of the imperial road, a chill creeps up from the soles of my boots, carrying the unique tranquility of the deep palace.
Su Moqing's days in the palace gradually became routine: in the early morning, she would go to the Imperial Concubine's bedchamber to sketch the newly arranged autumn flowers on the table. The Imperial Concubine would occasionally pick up her teacup and point out a few words, not saying much, but always able to understand the artistic conception of the painting; in the afternoon, she would go to various palaces, either to paint portraits for the ladies or to fulfill her promise of auspicious "Longevity and Fortune" paintings. The palace servants were all respectful to her because she was favored by the Imperial Concubine; in the evening, she would return to the small courtyard on the east side of Changchun Palace, and study painting by the light of a lamp. She was very comfortable using the set of Huzhou brushes that the Imperial Concubine had given her, and the ink flowing from the tip of the brush became more and more lively. The flowers and birds under her brushes gradually took on the gentle and refined style of Jiangnan.
That afternoon, Su Moqing was painting a picture of chrysanthemums by the window. Several ink chrysanthemums on the Xuan paper were about to bloom. Just as the brush touched the paper, the curtain was gently lifted.
Xiuzhu walked in carrying a small brocade box, a cheerful smile on her face.
"Miss, take a rest." Xiuzhu placed the brocade box on the table, opened it, and inside were small pieces of osmanthus sugar. The golden sugar pieces were still covered with tiny osmanthus blossoms, and the sweet fragrance filled the room. "This is a new product made by the Imperial Kitchen. It uses the first batch of osmanthus blossoms this year. I specially asked for some for you, Miss. Please try it."
Su Moqing put down her pen, picked up a piece and put it in her mouth. The familiar sweet fragrance melted on her tongue, and in a daze, she felt as if she had returned to the Shen Mansion in Yangzhou. Every autumn, Rong Momo would make candy from the osmanthus flowers in the courtyard and put it in a white porcelain jar. When she and Shen Rulan were reading, they would pick up two pieces and put them in their mouths. The sweet fragrance could last for an afternoon.
"Are you homesick, young lady?" Xiuzhu asked softly, noticing her dazed expression. Having spent a long time with her, she had long understood Su Moqing's personality and knew that this seemingly quiet girl harbored a deep longing for Jiangnan.
Su Moqing snapped out of her reverie, smiled at Xiuzhu, and changed the subject noncommittally: "The palace is quite quiet today, is there anything new happening?"
Xiuzhu leaned closer, her voice low and mysterious: "Don't you know, young lady? I heard that after the Winter Solstice Heaven Worship Ceremony, the Emperor will hold a banquet at Changyin Pavilion to entertain meritorious officials! All the palaces are busy arranging programs, hoping to please the Emperor at the banquet."
"A banquet for meritorious officials..." Su Moqing's heart skipped a beat, and her fingers gripping the paintbrush tightened slightly. Over the years, the Shen family had paid salt taxes and handled procurement for the court without the slightest mistake. Wouldn't they be considered "meritorious officials"? If Shen Rulan could come to the capital for the banquet, would they be able to meet her? Once this thought popped into her head, it grew wildly like weeds and could no longer be suppressed.
That evening, after much deliberation, Su Moqing finally mustered the courage to request an audience with the Imperial Concubine.
At this moment, the main hall of Changchun Palace was brightly lit by candlelight. The Imperial Concubine leaned against her throne, which was covered with a white fox fur, and flipped through a book of poems. Upon hearing that Su Moqing was requesting an audience, she raised an eyebrow slightly and gestured for a palace servant to bring him in.
"This commoner, Su Moqing, pays her respects to Your Highness, the Noble Consort." Su Moqing knelt in the hall, her voice respectful and steady.
"Rise." The Imperial Concubine put down her poetry collection, her gaze falling on her with a hint of inquiry. "Having come to see me at this hour, is there something you need?"
Su Moqing stood up, bowed her head, and replied, "Your Majesty, I have heard that after the Winter Solstice ceremony, His Majesty will host a banquet for meritorious officials at Changyin Pavilion. I would like to humbly request to paint a 'Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains' on the spot at the banquet to showcase the peaceful and prosperous scene under His Majesty's rule and to add to the festivities of the banquet."
"Oh? You want to paint in front of the Emperor?" A hint of surprise flashed in the Consort's eyes, then she looked her over with interest. "Tell me, what makes you so confident? In such an occasion, you can't afford to make the slightest mistake. The slightest carelessness would be a grave offense of disrespect."
“I understand.” Su Moqing raised her head, her gaze firm. “I have been practicing painting for more than ten years and have great confidence in my ability to paint landscapes. I would also like to take this opportunity to show His Majesty and the other officials the skills of the Yangzhou School of painting and to bring honor to painters from Jiangnan.”
The Imperial Concubine gazed at her for a long time, then suddenly chuckled softly, her tone carrying a hint of understanding: "You little rascal, you're quite the smooth talker. But what you're really up to won't escape my notice. You're probably trying to use this opportunity to get a feel for the people attending the banquet, aren't you?"
Su Moqing's heart skipped a beat, and a faint blush rose to her face. She dared not hide it and said softly, "Your Majesty, I... truly long to see my old friend again."
"Fine." The Imperial Concubine waved her hand, her tone tinged with indulgence. "Granted. I want to see what kind of magnificent landscape you, a girl from Jiangnan, can paint."
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" Su Moqing was overjoyed and immediately knelt down to express her gratitude.
The news spread throughout the palace, causing an uproar.
For a folk painter to receive such a favor and be allowed to paint in front of the emperor in public was both an immense honor and a tremendous risk. Some envied her, some were jealous, and many more were waiting to see her humiliated—after all, wielding a brush before a full court of officials was not something an ordinary painter could do.
Meanwhile, a thousand miles away in Yangzhou, a gold-embossed invitation was delivered to Shen Rulan's residence.
"Young Master! It's an invitation from the capital! The Emperor is hosting a Winter Solstice banquet for meritorious officials!" Shen Fu held the invitation, his voice trembling with excitement. "This is an immense honor! To be able to go to the capital to meet the Emperor will greatly enhance the prestige of our Shen family!"
Shen Rulan accepted the invitation, her fingertips tracing the delicate cloud patterns on it, her expression complex. She naturally knew this was an opportunity—to appear before the Emperor would further solidify the Shen family's position. But the thought of going to the capital, to be so close to Su Moqing, filled her with indescribable emotions—a mixture of anticipation and trepidation.
"Prepare gifts." After pondering for a long time, Shen Rulan finally made up her mind, her gaze becoming firm. "Prepare the pair of East Sea pearls we obtained the other day, and also select some fine Yangzhou lacquerware and pith flowers as tribute. In addition, prepare a proper brocade robe, and we will set off for the capital tomorrow."
"Yes, young master!" Shen Fu was overjoyed to see her agree and quickly went to make the arrangements.
On the winter solstice, a heavy snow fell, covering the Forbidden City in silver. The red walls and white snow complemented each other, making it appear even more solemn and majestic.
Inside Changyin Pavilion, however, it was as warm as springtime, with the underfloor heating burning brightly, and the air filled with the mellow aroma of imperial wine and the sweet fragrance of pastries.
The officials sat upright according to their rank, chatting and laughing.
At the merchants' banquet, Shen Rulan, dressed in a dark brocade robe, stood out among the lavish attire of the room with her tall, upright figure and aloof demeanor. Holding a wine cup, her gaze unconsciously swept across the hall, a hint of anticipation hidden in her heart that she herself was unaware of.
The banquet was halfway through when the music gradually faded away.
The imperial concubine turned to the side and whispered a few words to the emperor.
Upon hearing this, the Emperor's eyes lit up with interest, and he said loudly, "I have heard that there is a female painter in Yangzhou whose skills are superb. Today, she wishes to paint a 'Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains' to celebrate the prosperity of our Great Qing Dynasty. Summon Su Moqing to the palace!"
"Summon Su Moqing to the palace—" The eunuch's clear voice echoed in the hall.
Su Moqing, dressed in a moon-white palace gown with a few elegant ink orchids embroidered on the hem, slowly walked into the hall. Her figure was slender, yet her steps were steady. Upon reaching the hall, she gracefully bowed: "This commoner, Su Moqing, pays her respects to Your Majesty and the Noble Consort. May Your Majesty enjoy good health and the nation prosper."
"Rise." The Emperor waved his hand, his gaze falling on her with a mixture of scrutiny and curiosity. "I heard you're going to paint 'Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains' for me, and you intend to demonstrate your skills in public?"
"Your Majesty, that's right." Su Moqing stood up, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the merchants' seats, and his eyes met Shen Rulan's.
That one glance seemed to weigh a ton. Longing, concern, joy... all sorts of emotions were frozen in that instant, yet both of them suppressed them without making a sound.
Shen Rulan's fingers tightened slightly as she held the wine glass, her fingertips turning white. Su Moqing's hand, hanging in her sleeve, also curled up gently. Her heart was pounding so hard it felt like it was going to burst out of her chest, but her face remained calm.
Soon, palace servants brought in a huge sheet of Xuan paper, which was spread out in the hall, and brushes, ink, and inkstones were arranged one by one.
All eyes in the hall were focused on Su Moqing, some with curiosity, some with disdain, and some waiting to see him make a fool of himself.
Su Moqing took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. She picked up the Huzhou brush, dipped it in thick ink, held her wrist in the air, hesitated for a moment, and then the brush tip suddenly fell!
With a flourish of the brush, ink paints the universe. The outlines of majestic mountains quickly appear on the paper, the lines vigorous and powerful; rivers flow, waves churn, lifelike and vivid.
Even more wonderfully, she had scattered several salt fields among the mountains, where the busy figures of salt workers could be vaguely seen; on the rivers, several canal boats sailed by—these were all businesses that the Shen family had managed for the imperial court, and were her silent thoughts of Shen Rulan.
The emperor was so engrossed in reading that he rose and walked to the table to examine it closely, nodding in approval from time to time.
Upon seeing this, the officials also gathered around, their praises ringing out endlessly.
When Su Moqing reached the section of the Grand Canal in Yangzhou, he changed his brushstrokes and added a tall ginkgo tree on the riverbank, its golden leaves seemingly ready to fall in the wind. Beneath the tree, a figure in a dark brocade robe could be vaguely seen gazing at the distant mountains and rivers, his posture upright.
Shen Rulan, sitting at the table, saw it clearly and felt a warmth in her heart—Mo Qing had painted her. She knew that Su Mo Qing was expressing his longing in his own way.
An official standing nearby smiled and exclaimed, "Master Su's painting is truly exquisite! The person under this tree is a perfect depiction of those who serve the country in this prosperous era!"
Upon hearing this, the Emperor laughed heartily: "Well said! That's exactly right! It is precisely because of these dedicated people that this vast land enjoys such peace!"
He turned to look at Shen Rulan and said loudly, "Minister Shen, I have heard that your Shen family has managed the salt administration and canal transport in Jiangnan very well, and the annual salt tax has never been delayed. You have worked hard."
Shen Rulan quickly stood up and bowed: "Your Majesty, serving the country is my duty, and I dare not complain of hardship."
"Well done, indeed!" The Emperor nodded in satisfaction. "Guards, reward Shen Rulan with one hundred taels of gold and twenty bolts of brocade!"
"Thank you for your grace, Your Majesty!" Shen Rulan bowed in gratitude, but her heart was slightly tense because of the emperor's attention, afraid of revealing the slightest flaw.
The banquet ended happily for all.
As the guests departed one after another, Shen Rulan had just stepped out of Changyin Pavilion when a young eunuch hurried over and, taking advantage of a moment when no one was looking, slipped her a note and whispered, "Young Master Shen, this is what Miss Su asked me to give you."
Shen Rulan was overjoyed. She calmly took the note and put it in her sleeve. Back at her residence, she eagerly unfolded it and saw Su Moqing's neat handwriting: "Three days later, outside Xihua Gate, I look forward to seeing you."
Shen Rulan clutched the note tightly in her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly. She looked up towards the Forbidden City, where the red walls stood tall and the palaces stretched endlessly. The person she longed for was within those palace walls.
Three days isn't a long time. She can wait.
Little did she know that in the Changyin Pavilion, the moment her eyes met Su Moqing's, the Imperial Concubine behind the curtain was holding a teacup, observing everything. A faint smile played on her lips, her eyes gleaming with an all-knowing light.
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