Chapter 32: Portrait of Guanyin
"Portrait of Guanyin?"
The Queen Mother was slightly stunned, while the Queen next to her had a hint of joy in her eyes.
But Nanny Xue beside her showed a hint of worry.
The Queen Mother had worshipped Buddha for many years with great sincerity. In the past, many people had tried to curry favor with her by presenting her with embroidered portraits of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva. However, because these images did not suit the Queen Mother's taste, they were rebuked for desecrating the images of gods and Buddhas. As time went by, no one dared to try.
Nanny Qin should have reminded Su Zhaorong...
Liu Xiuyuan covered her mouth, her eyes shining. "It turns out Su Zhaorong's painting skills are also remarkable. Thanks to the Empress Dowager, I will also be able to broaden my horizons today."
"Yes, my sisters want to see it too."
Su Ci raised an eyebrow and glanced at the concubines whose faces were filled with emotion. She memorized their expressions one by one, took the long wooden box handed to her by Guyu, and presented it to the empress dowager with both hands.
"I, a humble concubine, wish to offer this statue of the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara to pray for the good health of Her Majesty the Empress Dowager."
“…”
The empress dowager raised her hand with some hesitation, and Nanny Xue beside her quickly took it, opened the box, and carefully unfolded the somewhat heavy brocade cloth and held it high.
“This, this…”
The Queen Mother's pupils shrank slightly, the Queen's eyes widened in shock, and the other concubines also opened their mouths in astonishment.
"Isn't this the Empress Dowager?"
Just then, a ray of light came in, and the light reflected by the golden Buddha statue hit the half-human-height portrait, covering it with a layer of soft golden light.
I saw Bodhisattva Guanyin wearing a plain white robe, sitting upright on a lotus throne, as if protected by divine light. Her face was as white as jade, with soft lines, and the corners of her mouth were slightly raised with a peaceful smile. Her hair fell on her shoulders like a waterfall, and the pearls in her hair emitted a soft halo.
In one hand he holds a jade-white bottle, in the other a light green willow branch, his eyes are like deep pools, revealing compassion and peace, with his eyelids slightly lowered, he seems to be looking down at everything in the world, dispelling the world's sorrows, and a holy aura comes to his face.
“…”
The Queen Mother was shocked. She stared at the portrait of the Bodhisattva and unconsciously touched her face.
Su Ci knelt down.
"When I first saw the Empress Dowager, I felt that your face was kind and peaceful, and otherworldly. That's why I dared to paint your face. My painting skills are crude, and I hope the Empress Dowager will forgive me."
"Get up quickly."
The Queen Mother took a long time to recover, and held her hand with a moved expression: "You child, you actually have such thoughts."
"This painting is beautifully done. It is a blessing for the Buddha that the Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara has such a compassionate appearance."
Seeing this, the Queen forced a smile and said, "Su Zhaorong is very thoughtful. This painting is truly lifelike. The Queen Mother will surely be delighted."
The other concubines also echoed the sentiment, and the sound of praise was endless.
Su Ci glanced at Liu Xiuyuan, whose smile was stiff, and sneered inwardly.
Nanny Qin had told her earlier that the Empress Dowager was a Buddhist. She had painted this portrait on the night she first entered the palace. It was originally just a gift prepared in advance, but she didn't expect it to come in handy so soon.
…
Only after returning to Yufu Palace did Guyu breathe a sigh of relief.
"Fortunately, the master prepared this painting in advance, otherwise Liu Xiuyuan would have accused me of disrespecting the Empress Dowager."
"It's not that serious."
Su Ci leaned against the soft pillow and yawned, "The Queen Mother needs me now. Even if I don't give her this Guanyin statue today, she won't let me suffer any injustice."
Gu Yu blinked in surprise. "Then why did the master give it to you? You spent two hours to paint this portrait."
"Of course it's to snatch people away."
Su Ci's watery eyes flickered slightly, and her red lips curved charmingly: "From the time I entered the palace to serving the Queen, it has only been a few days, and the Queen's people have already given me several blows. If I don't fight back, then everyone will treat me as a soft persimmon in the future."
"Kidnap someone?"
Guyu reacted and covered his mouth in surprise: "Master, are you talking about His Majesty?"
"What else?"
"But, but today is the fifteenth day. I heard from Nanny Qin that His Majesty highly values the rules passed down by our ancestors. He must stay overnight at the Queen's Palace on the first and fifteenth days of every month. He has never missed a single day since he ascended the throne. How can we rob him? Should we go directly to His Majesty or..."
Su Ci supported her forehead, narrowed her eyes slightly, and raised her red lips slightly.
"That's why I chose to deliver the portrait today. Don't worry, there's no need for us to look for it. His Majesty will come by himself. I'll take a nap first. You and Yanyu can go and set up the warm room. Just arrange it as I taught you before. Also, find the set of clothes I prepared and iron them."
Guyu's eyes lit up and she knelt down with a smile.
"yes."
Su Ci stretched out her limbs comfortably on the soft mattress and got some sleep.
…
In the middle of the afternoon, Xuan Yi had just come out of the imperial study when he heard Nanny Qin talk about Su Ci presenting the portrait of Guanyin. Without much hesitation, he turned around and headed straight for Baorong Palace.
The Empress Dowager was overjoyed and was discussing with Nanny Xue how to frame and maintain the portrait.
"The Emperor is here? Just in time. Come and take a look at the painting of Avalokitesvara that Su Zhaorong gave me. The more I look at it, the more I like it."
A pure white brocade cloth half a person's height was hung on a jade-carved screen. The Bodhisattva in the painting seemed to have a soul, which was shocking.
“…This is the Queen Mother. She actually painted her face like the Queen Mother.”
Xuan Yi's dark eyes gazed intently for a long moment, his tone tinged with emotion as he spoke, "The colors are plain yet solemn, the lines are strong and steady. It's like a condensed fairyland, transcending the mundane world. It truly inspires awe and brings peace of mind."
"The emperor's words are true."
The Queen Mother nodded happily, "I have never seen such a lifelike portrait before. The hair, the jade crown, the expression in the eyebrows and eyes, even the willow branches on the fingertips, are all lifelike. I stared at it for a long time, and it seemed as if the immortal in the painting was about to move. It is truly a miraculous skill."
"I never thought Su Zhaorong had such exceptional painting skills. Does Your Majesty know when she painted this portrait?"
Xuan Yi chuckled slightly: "The day she first met the Queen Mother when she entered the palace, right?"
"Yes, when she told me, I was shocked and also had doubts. How could such a detailed and exquisite portrait be completed in just a few days?"
"Your Majesty, do not doubt it. I saw her painting with my own eyes. She was extremely fast and meticulous. It cannot be fake."
"oh?"
The Queen Mother looked at her smiling son in surprise and said, "So the Emperor already knew about this. It seems Su Zhaorong also presented you with a portrait. Why didn't you bring it here for me to see?"
"Oh."
Xuan Yi chuckled softly, "Yes, I'll have Nanny Qin bring it to Mother this afternoon."
His portrait can be shown to others, but that little girl's can't...
"Mother, this painting was done with an eyebrow pencil, so it smudges easily. It must be coated with oil before framing to preserve it for a long time."
"Mei Dai?"
The Queen Mother looked at it carefully in surprise: "What about the color? Hmm, does it look like powder?"
Xuan Yi nodded slightly, his tone tinged with a smile, "Her paintings are different from those of ordinary people. You will understand later. Mother, I will take my leave now."
"Haha, okay."
Nanny Xue watched the king hurried away and returned to the palace with a smile.
"Your Majesty, it seems His Majesty has gone to Yufu Palace."
The Queen Mother admired the portrait with a delighted expression. "Su Zhaorong is clever and understands my thoughts well. This harem has been plagued by bad habits for a long time. It's time someone stepped forward to rectify them."
…
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