Chapter 273 Palace Layout
The sun is bright and the persimmon trees in Heishan Prefecture are lush and leafy.
When the layers of green leaves are blown by the wind, you can occasionally see one or two small green fruits.
Su Zhizhi sat on the floor in the middle hall.
A piece of cloth as big as a quilt was spread on the ground.
Su Zhizhi took a pen and drew on the cloth.
"This is the Ganyang Palace, this is the Imperial Garden, and here we need to draw a Qianlong Lake..."
"My aunt lives in Myeonghye Palace over here. There's a really big tree there..."
Su Zhizhi's layout diagram in the painting palace.
She likes to draw big pictures, and there are many scenes to be drawn in the pictures, so the paper for drawing has to be very large.
Wu Yingniang simply found a piece of cloth to make bedding for Zhizhihua.
Before Zhizhi entered the palace, everyone mentioned that she should scout the area, but it was just talk.
I didn't expect Zhizhi to actually memorize the layout so seriously.
Not only did I write it down, I also remembered it in great detail.
The people from Heishan Mansion were free today, so they all gathered around to look at Zhizhi's paintings.
Zhizhi has a very good sense of space and direction, and can clearly draw the position of each palace and its corresponding size.
Su Zhizhi: "At the martial arts academy, Dr. Xiong taught us how to draw a topographic map. He said the directions must be correct, and the sizes must be proportional. The marking positions are also very particular, and the map cannot be obscured."
Old Xu clapped his hands and said, "Yes, yes, going to school is so useful. Zhizhi has learned something new again."
Su Zhizhi also nodded: "Everything I learned in the martial arts school seems to be useful."
But this is not a topographic map after all. The layout map drawn by Su Zhizhi has a very obvious personal style and adds many details.
For example, Bai Xun noticed some small shapes on the map that looked like burning wooden sticks.
Bai Xun: "Zhizhi, what is this wooden stick?"
Su Zhizhi: "Ah, Uncle Dao, these are trees."
Bai Xun: "...Well, why did you specifically draw these trees?"
Su Zhizhi: "Because these trees are so big, people can hide inside them."
Hua Erniang pointed to another line and asked, "Zhizhi, why is there a red dot here?"
Su Zhizhi: "Because there is a small door in that wall, you can go through it."
Qiu Jinyu: "Then why is there a string of candied haws in this corner?"
Su Zhizhi glanced at Qiu Jinyu in disbelief:
"Aunt Qiu, this isn't a candied haws, it's a string of little people. There are often guards patrolling here."
Everyone suddenly realized that this picture was very useful.
When Su Zhizhi was almost done painting, Hao Ren came back from outside.
Su Zhizhi handed the painting to Hao Ren, and Hao Ren took out a small package the size of an adult's palm from his arms:
"Zhizhi, there's a letter for you."
"Did Ache write me a reply?" Su Zhizhi took the small package and couldn't wait to go back to her room to read the letter.
A Bao followed behind, all the way to Su Zhizhi's window, as if he wanted to listen to Su Zhizhi read the letter.
It was just the beginning of spring when Su Zhizhi sent the letter, but now it is summer when she receives the reply.
The greenery is lush and the dancing leaves cast a cool shade on the windowsill.
Su Zhizhi unfolded the package and saw a piece of white fur inside.
It is snow-white, without a single stray hair.
Su Zhizhi held it in her hand and compared it: "Abao, look, this can be made into a pair of gloves. My birthday is coming soon, and A Che must have sent me a birthday present."
She unfolded the letter and read:
【Zhizhi
Studying in a college is not a scary thing. With your good handwriting and intelligent mind, you will surely achieve success in your studies.
My father and I are not allowed to go to the Five Poison Valley for the feast. My father always said that we are in the military camp and should be role models for the soldiers. How can we indulge in the desire for food? Here, we have enough food and clothing, and we have both meat and rice. We are already lucky.
Today we are sowing seeds on the cleared land of the military camp. We have planted a large area of cotton seeds and a few fruit trees. By midsummer, the branches will be full of fruits and vegetables; by autumn, the cotton fields will look like snow.
However, the only thing I can give you now is the skin of a snow leopard as a token of my gratitude.
Due to unavoidable circumstances, the correspondence was burned in the fire, but I have memorized every word and sentence, and will never forget them.
"Abao, we can really grow a lot of cotton in the northwest!" Su Zhizhi stamped her feet excitedly, "And we can grow a lot of fruit too."
"Wouldn't the Northwest be like Lingnan then? Uncle Xue and the soldiers could eat fruit in the summer and have plenty of cotton to use in the winter."
The letter Xue Che sent this time was a little different from the last time.
Although the letter was still written in a very literary style, this time there were many pictures on the letter paper.
When he wrote "both meat and rice", he drew a bowl of rice piled high and a piece of sizzling barbecued meat next to it.
When writing about "large fields of cotton seeds" and "branches full of fruits and vegetables", a person was drawn sowing seeds next to them.
Finally, a burning fire is drawn under “Burned in Fire”.
Su Zhizhi stared at the painted fire for a while, and actually felt a little regretful and sad about the fire.
"Abao, Che burned my letter. He seemed very sad and even memorized it."
Su Zhizhi touched Abao's head:
"I feel exhausted just memorizing the lessons at the martial arts academy, but Che even has to memorize the letters..."
Gu——gu——
Po barked twice and tapped the windowsill with his sharp beak.
Su Zhizhi spread out the paper and began to write back to Xue Che:
Ache
I didn't go to the academy. I'm currently studying at a martial arts school. Luckily, I'm the youngest student there. At the school, I practice martial arts every day, but I also study.
Uncle Xue is right. Having meat and rice is good enough to fill your stomach. Besides, summer is coming soon, so you'll have plenty of fruits and vegetables to eat.
The snow leopard skin you gave me is very beautiful and is a perfect birthday gift for me. After making it into gloves, I can wear them to play in the snow this winter.
I went spring hunting at the Imperial Hunting Grounds this year. Caiwei and I hunted a tiger together. It was quite impressive. The skin has already been given to the Martial Arts Academy, so I can't give it to you. But I can give you a piece of Aunt Qiu's salted tiger meat. It's delicious. It'll be your birthday gift.
Ah Che, just burn the letter. You don't have to memorize it, and don't feel sad. It's okay to forget it.
I can write two identical letters, one for you and one for me. Heishan Mansion is very safe. We are good at hiding things, so nothing will be lost.
The first summer of the tenth year of Zhaoqing
Know
Su Zhizhi wrote the letter in one go, and then wrote another one that was exactly the same.
She put the letter into the envelope and then went to Aunt Qiu to get some dried meat.
When Qiu Jinyu heard that Su Zhizhi was going to give Xue Che some dried tiger meat, she picked out the best piece, cut it into square pieces, and wrapped it in cloth.
"How's Ah Che doing in the northwest? Is he eating well? Has he grown taller?"
Su Zhizhi: "There's meat and rice in the northwest. He and Uncle Xue both ate very well. They should be able to grow taller."
Qiu Jinyu laughed, "You guys grow fast at your age. In two or three years, you'll be a head taller."
"Two or three years? That's a long time." Su Zhizhi felt that a year was a long time, let alone two or three years.
"Alas, I thought the same as you when I was a kid, but now looking back, decades have passed in the blink of an eye."
Qiu Jinyu wrapped the dried meat, wiped her hands, and gently pinched Zhizhi's face:
"Zhizhi, in a few years, you'll be pregnant."
Cicadas are chirping in groups in the trees, and the summer breeze is warm.
Su Zhizhi had a dream that night. She dreamed that she turned into a seed in the ground, sprouting in the sunlight and growing taller and taller.
She is going to grow taller and grow up.
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