Chapter 25 - Wei Wan'er's Ambition
As soon as he finished speaking, the ghost on the screen who was originally in a daze suddenly started.
I maintained the delicate posture of holding my belly, my eyes darting around in horror.
Damn it, the dog emperor only said that I can’t appear in front of him, but he didn’t say that he would take the initiative to scam me!
The hall was suddenly as silent as death. It was so awkward that I was frozen all over and didn't dare to move.
After a moment of silence, Wei Wan'er smiled and said to Li Siyan, "Your Majesty is the True Dragon Emperor, carrying the righteousness of the universe. No gods or ghosts can approach him. In my opinion, that shadow is probably a young palace maid from my palace, taking a leisurely stroll there."
Li Siyan glanced over here and said coldly, "If you dare to play tricks again next time, I will drag you away and beat you to death."
I pretended to be very scared, pinching my throat and sobbing, "I won't dare to do that anymore!"
While pretending, I slowly backed away, and backed away again, and finally ran back to the room and closed the door. Although I was timid in body and mind, I arrogantly roared silently: Drag him away and beat him to death? Bah, if you dare, beat him up.
I didn't get any food, and was frightened by Li Siyan. I was hungry and irritable. I cursed the haunting dog emperor in my heart, but I still couldn't get rid of my resentment. I walked around the room twice, took out the manuscript of "The Femme Fatale's Lair" that I had just hidden this morning, and continued writing with gritted teeth: The official was still intoxicated in the land of tenderness, completely unaware that danger was slowly approaching him...
Turning my grief and indignation into inspiration, I wrote for an hour without sleep, starting from the story of the wealthy man taking in an eighteenth concubine to the story of the eighteenth concubine coming to her senses and transforming into the Black Widow. This concubine was a fierce woman, and out of resentment, she acted without hesitation. That very night, she covered her head and went to the pharmacy to order three pounds of Hanxiao Banbudian... Just as I was excitedly describing the poison's fatal effect, Ruiyin knocked on my door.
My hands trembled, and I quickly stuffed the manuscript back into the jar. I grabbed a handful of hair and opened the door, revealing a delighted face: "Your Majesty has finally left?"
Ruiyin gave me a strange look and said, "No, His Majesty and the talented woman went to the inner hall."
Seeing the writing brush and ink on the table, she asked again, “Is Madam Shen writing something?”
How could I dare tell her that I was writing pornographic widow literature? I smiled guiltily and said, "I've only polished the ink, but haven't started writing yet."
Ruiyin didn't seem to believe it, and she still tried to stretch her neck to see what I was writing. I quickly grabbed her sleeve and said pitifully, "Sister Ruiyin, when can we palace maids have dinner?"
She took me into another side room where the palace maids had their meals and ordered the young palace maid who was eating with her head down to make a seat for me.
Hunger is the best seasoning. Even though the food was of poor quality, I pounced on it with shining eyes and ate it as fast as a whirlwind.
After stuffing five steamed buns into my stomach, I put down my chopsticks and burped crisply in front of the shocked gazes of the girls.
I patted my full belly, noticing the awkwardness of the situation, and smiled sheepishly, then took the initiative to bring up the topic: "Your Majesty has stayed in our side hall for quite a while today. It's truly a blessing for our humble home."
Ruiyin didn't understand the last two idioms, but resonated with the first half. Her chest puffed out immediately, and she said with great joy, "Indeed, this is the first time in three months that His Majesty has stayed in one palace from noon to night, and even brought official business to Xuanwei Palace to handle. This kind of respect is truly unique."
Bah, tyrant!
A little palace maid came over and added, "Yes, His Majesty dotes on us talented ladies. Look at our talented ladies' eyes, they are so gentle."
Bah, pervert!
Another young palace maid smiled foolishly, "Your Majesty is heroic and brave, and this woman is talented and beautiful. They are truly a perfect match."
Bah... I can't think of how to curse.
I said with a forced smile, "Hahaha, she is really the only one favored by the imperial concubine. It seems that our talented woman's promotion is just around the corner. Hahahaha." The ear room was filled with a happy atmosphere.
While the palace maids were all there, I asked, "Since the talented lady is favored, does that mean everyone in our palace always has to meet the emperor?"
Ruiyin said, "It's not that he always wants to see her. His Majesty doesn't like people around. When he's with a talented lady, he usually sends us away. People like us who are on duty in the inner palace can only have the opportunity to serve him two or three times in ten days."
"Huh?" I was shocked. "Can we not see each other?"
Ruiyin pondered for a moment and said, "Other festivals are fine, but the New Year's Day audience and the Emperor's Thousand Years' Day audience are for the entire palace, even the chores and cleaning staff have to attend. You are a proper palace maid, so you can't avoid these two events."
"Is his...his Chiaki coming this month?"
"On the tenth day."
I counted on my fingers in horror: It’s the tenth day, so... there are only five days left?
Oh my God!
Early the next morning, while the dog emperor was still asleep, I rushed to the Zichen Palace to find Qingfu.
When Qingfu saw me, his two bleak eyebrows twisted into a frown, and he said in disgust, "I finally managed to get rid of you. It's only been a day, and you're back again?"
I didn't waste any time talking to him and got straight to the point: "Grandpa Qingfu, His Majesty's birthday is coming soon. The people in Xuanwei Palace told me that the maids from all the palaces will come to the audience to celebrate his birthday. I have to go too. Doesn't that mean His Majesty will have to meet me face to face?"
Qingfu snorted coldly, "Are you stupid? Rules are dead, but people are alive. Why don't you just not come?"
I blinked. "Can it still be like this?"
Qingfu lowered his eyes and said disdainfully, "How important do you think you are? What difference does it make whether you are more or less?"
"Okay!" I agreed happily. "Grandpa Qingfu is right. I'll go back first."
"Hurry up and leave. It's ridiculous to hang around all day long."
Qingfu, with a face full of sardonic wrinkles, waved his hands at me as if shooing away a fly: "Your Majesty has been visiting Consort Wei quite frequently lately. You should hide yourself well and don't show off in front of His Majesty."
"knew."
I agreed without hesitation and ran back to Xuanwei Palace under the rising sun.
Li Siyan slept in Xuanwei Palace last night, and brought his servants with him. They were all familiar faces from Zichen Palace. When I returned to the palace, I saw Huiyue directing the young palace maids to run around in an orderly manner, and Ruiyin was beside her trying to get close to her.
I walked over and greeted her, "Sister Huiyue, is His Majesty awake yet?"
Hui Yue smiled and said, "It's almost time to go to court. I'm waiting inside to wash and dress."
Ruiyin smiled and said, "The sisters in Zichen Palace are so quick and efficient. They finished it so quickly. I really admire them."
I don’t know whether the sister from Zichen Palace is agile or not, but I really heard her flattery, and it was so loud.
After a while of hammering and banging, the emperor left Xuanwei Hall, dressed neatly and went to court. Not long after, Wei Wan'er also got up and sent someone to call me over, saying that she wanted to paint and asked me to serve her.
I gathered my energy and went over to her. I diligently cut the paper for her, arranged the brushes and ink, and asked her, "What would you like to draw?"
Wei Wan'er displayed the shy demeanor of a young girl. "I haven't decided what to draw yet, but Madam Shen, I have something else to ask you. You used to be an attendant in the imperial court. Do you know what kind of birthday gifts His Majesty likes?"
"Gold." I blurted out without hesitation.
Wei Wan'er was stunned: "Gold?"
I added, "It would be even better if you add some jade."
Due to the extremely poor environment in which he grew up and the lack of basic cultural literacy, Li Siyan's aesthetics are very similar to those of the country bumpkin landlords.
In other words—the more expensive it looks, the better.
I remembered the gold box he wanted to give me before... Damn, I really want to delete this bad memory.
I told the truth, but Wei Wan'er looked quite disappointed.
Like a failed scholar who guessed wrong, she slumped down beside the couch and said dejectedly, "I knew it. I'll never be able to guess what he's thinking."
I had a bad feeling and asked quietly, "...wh...what happened?"
Wei Wan'er bent down and sadly took out an exquisite brocade belt and a pair of dragon boots embroidered with flowers. She placed them on the table and stared at them blankly, her eyes gradually reddening. "I... I didn't know what he liked, so I only prepared two kinds of needlework. I guess he didn't like them..."
No! Sister, listen to my explanation!
Seeing her tears about to fall, I reached out my hand tremblingly and said loudly, "Wait... wait! I think His Majesty will love this gift very much!"
Wei Wan'er looked up at me, her eyes full of tears.
"But didn't you just say that Your Majesty likes gold and jade?" she asked doubtfully.
I said firmly, "Just because he likes expensive things doesn't mean he doesn't like other things. Talented, I've served in the Purple Palace for two years and have a good idea of your Majesty's preferences. In my opinion, your gift could be improved. Your Majesty likes luxury, so why not embellish the belt with some gold and jade? That way, your Majesty will treasure it and never let it go."
Li Siyan's aesthetic taste has always been earthy and vulgar, and his wardrobe is filled with all kinds of flashy accessories. Although Wei Wan'er's gift is eye-catching, it is a blessing in disguise. It still suits Li Siyan's aesthetic taste and there is room for rescue.
...How should I put it? In a sense, Wei Wan'er and Li Siyan are really a perfect match. They are both rustic fashion enthusiasts who accidentally entered the inner palace and have slipped through the net of the gentry's aesthetic education.
After hearing what I said, Wei Wan'er looked at the gift she had prepared critically. After a while, she nodded and said, "Madam Shen is right. I was so busy expressing my feelings that it didn't seem valuable enough. I'll ask Ruiyin to go to the warehouse to get the jade piece and nail it on tonight."
I flattered her fiercely: "A gift from a talented person will surely outshine all the others."
"Thank you." Wei Wan'er gave me a grateful look. Suddenly, as if she had thought of something, she asked me, "You attendants also give gifts to His Majesty, right? I wonder what you gave him last year. Did His Majesty like it?"
I was stunned by the question and my mind went blank.
Last year? I only remember Su Xing registering and putting away the rare gifts shipped from all over the place into the warehouse. Because there were so many things, she was busy for many days to finish. But were there any gifts from me? Probably not.
I scratched my head in distress, thinking hard for a long time, and suddenly remembered: No, I did give it to him. At that time, the dog emperor asked me for a gift, and I said I didn’t have any. He scolded me sarcastically, and said that he would give me another chance and asked me to prepare it quickly. I had no choice but to make him a picture of a magpie climbing a branch overnight. After receiving it, he was very happy, and specially asked someone to frame it and kept it in his mysterious little secret cabinet.
That mysterious little secret chamber is where Li Siyan keeps important items, including: the imperial seal, Emperor Gaozu's letter, the relic box, the little wooden horse carved for him by his own mother, the biography of Empress Dowager Yu written by me, and the pearl flowers given to him by a young lady he met by chance when he was a teenager... Both in terms of the preciousness of the items and their commemorative significance, my "Happy Magpie on the Branch" has greatly lowered the grade of the secret chamber.
I gave her a brief account of it, and after listening, Wei Wan'er looked very moved.
"In that case, I should also paint a picture to present to Your Majesty." Wei Wan'er was full of confidence.
Since she has this intention, of course I support her wholeheartedly. It's not shameful to please the new leader.
I remembered the unfinished painting I saw in front of the palace yesterday. A light bulb went off in my head, and I said to Wei Wan'er, "In my opinion, there's no need for you to draw a new one. The picture of His Majesty's back from yesterday will be just fine."
Wei Wan'er was a little tempted, but hesitated, "But ordinary people give paintings and calligraphy as gifts, but rarely give the host's portrait. I'm afraid..."
"It's alright. His Majesty has always been unconcerned with trivial matters and thinks highly of himself. If I draw his back, he will definitely look up to me."
I am being more tactful. The truth is that Li Siyan simply cannot tell whether a painting is good or bad. As long as he thinks it looks like the real thing, it is a good painting. If the painting is of him and looks like the real thing, then it is simply a peerless painting, like Wu Daozi reborn.
The more I thought about it, the more I thought it might work. I pressed on, "Giving small gifts like needles and thread is certainly a thoughtful gesture, but wouldn't it be lost in the crowd? Your Majesty treats talented people differently, so they should also receive unique gifts. Otherwise, how can they be unique?"
In the vast inner garden, the most luxurious thing is this unique one, and the hardest to find one is also this unique one.
Wei Wan'er was moved by this "uniqueness".
"Okay, I'll do as you say." She said firmly.
She postponed the work of nailing the jade pieces until night. Taking advantage of the good weather during the day, she spread out the picture of Li Siyan's back on the windowsill, picked up the brush, stared at the man on the scroll for a long time, and suddenly said in frustration: "I don't draw well."
Seeing her trying to back out again, I screamed in my heart: It doesn't matter, sister! Your painting is not good, but Li Siyan is blind! He doesn't even know who the Han family is, how can he be picky about your craftsmanship!
But I couldn't be so blunt, so I had to try to comfort her in a roundabout way: "...Talented lady, don't be embarrassed. The magpie painting I gave Your Majesty last year was also very crude, but Your Majesty appreciated it anyway. What does it matter whether it's good or not? What matters is the heart..."
I didn't expect Wei Wan'er to have completely missed the point. Her eyes suddenly lit up, and she held my hand eagerly and said, "How could I forget that Madam Shen is the most knowledgeable about calligraphy and painting. Take a look at this painting. How can I improve it?"
As he spoke, he stuffed the precious jade-handled Hu brush into my hand.
I shut my mouth in despair. Well, this sister and Li Siyan are really a couple. Even their bad habit of not listening to advice is the same.
"Well... since the talented person is willing, then Chen Ying will do his best to help him. When we draw a figure, we focus on a straightforward and unrestrained posture. The face and hair can be carefully carved, but the patterns on the clothes should not be too detailed, as they will easily distract from the main subject. Look here..."
I rolled up my sleeves and started writing, demonstrating to her using the most concise lines. With just a few strokes, I had outlined the back of a thin man on the paper.
In the picture, Li Siyan was working at his desk, wearing his Tongtian crown, a dark brocade uniform, and his most precious sable cloak spread out behind him.
After I finished the painting, I always felt that something was not right. I looked at it carefully for a long time, and suddenly an idea came to me. I picked up the pen again and added an old eunuch with a paralyzed expression next to him. Well, now it finally tasted right.
Wei Wan'er said in disbelief, "Madam Shen has never seen His Majesty, yet she can paint so vividly?"
I shed two lines of tears in my heart: This is what they call practice makes perfect. If you follow Li Siyan as a servant for two years, you can also write out the shape of his dog head with your eyes closed.
With my encouragement, Wei Wan'er was eager to try. She picked up my model drawing, looked at it from left to right, then put it down and traced it carefully. However, her pen power was not good enough. Although she tried hard, the works she copied were always lacking in quality.
I naturally thought it was just about right, but I couldn't stand this girl's stubborn temper. She insisted on asking me to revise it over and over again. So I accompanied her from morning to afternoon, and the waste drafts piled up like a mountain.
Wei Wan'er became more and more courageous as she became more frustrated. I gradually collapsed. It was not until the evening that she finally managed to produce a painting that she was slightly satisfied with. She said kindly, "Madam Shen, you must be tired. Why don't you go and rest for a while?"
A moment? I almost blacked out.
To avoid repetitive work, I flattered him, saying, "Painting is not something that can be accomplished overnight. We have done our best today. This painting is truly extraordinary. How about we frame it now and present it to Your Majesty tomorrow?"
Wei Wan'er pondered, "Are you saying I can't draw a better one?"
"If a talented person keeps writing, he will surely make progress next year." This means don't think too much this year.
Wei Wan'er pouted, revealing a little girl's demeanor, and compromised: "Okay, I'll listen to Madam Shen."
She held her chin in her hand and thought for a moment, then suddenly frowned. "This painting is private, and I don't want to show it to others. But apart from the servants kept by Your Majesty, where else in the harem can I find a framer?"
This question stumped me.
We stared at each other for a long time. Wei Wan'er twisted her handkerchief and asked shyly, "Madam Shen... do you know how to mount a picture?"
I:……
The next morning, I carried the brocade provided by Wei Wan'er, her precious paintings, and some glue, and set out on the journey to frame the paintings.
I used to work in the Zichen Palace. The framers in the palace were all familiar with me. When they saw me coming to frame the paintings myself, they thought the paintings were my work and came over to take a look, but I sent them away one by one.
During this time, Qingfu also came by. This old man is very clever. He knew that I didn't want him to look, so he came up from behind me quietly and took a good look at the content of the painting. Then he curled his lips and said sarcastically, "Seeing that you were so mysterious, I thought you were doing something stupid. I didn't expect it was just a mediocre painting. I was so tired that I came all the way here. It really spoiled my fun."
I was frightened by him and said angrily, "Who allowed you to watch it? Forget it right now!"
Qingfu hummed, "How gladly I come."
He drooped his eyes, scanned it twice more, and asked, "Did your new master draw this?"
I said, "Yes, Ms. Wei values this painting and doesn't want those clumsy craftsmen to see it, so she asked me to frame it."
He did not forget to instruct Qingfu, "Grandpa Qingfu, you can take a look, but please do not tell His Majesty. Consort Wei said she has a surprise for His Majesty, so we should keep it a secret for now."
"When have I ever been so talkative?" Qingfu said, "Just looking at the brushwork, it looks like your masterpiece."
As I applied paste to the back of the paper, I asked, "Grandpa Qingfu, do you know how to appreciate paintings?"
Qingfu put his hands behind his back and turned his head: "Your Majesty likes it, I just follow and watch occasionally."
I mercilessly pointed out, "He doesn't even know who Han Dajia is, and he still says he likes painting?"
Qingfu blurted out: "Your Majesty often privately..." But as if he thought of something, he quickly shut up and looked at me warily.
"What does he often do in private? Watch pornographic pictures?" I was selling my moral integrity again.
Qingfu slapped me on the head, almost pushing my face into the basin of paste, and said angrily, "Wash your mouth!"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
