Chapter 59 I Love Little Money
Spring Palace Painting, also known as Fire Avoidance Painting, is an art form that mainly expresses the blending of yin and yang. It is profound and has many varieties.
At the same time, due to its high threshold, fast return on investment and low investment, it is the first choice for students who are short of money.
"I thought it was some incredible job, I thought it was copying banned books, but it turns out it's just pornographic stories." I said disdainfully, "I can do that too."
Tan Wei paused and said, "Chang'an is indeed a country of open-minded people. However, if my lady wants to earn this money, her reputation will be damaged."
I have tasted the bitter fruit of poverty and I wish I could jump off a building and sell off all my moral integrity. Our Shen family's motto only requires political integrity and never mentions economic ethics. Making money is a good thing and not shameful.
I said seriously, "When you encounter financial difficulties in life, as long as you don't steal or rob, there is always a viable way out. Tanwei, do you know where that person lives?"
Tan Wei shook her head: "You have to ask our husband about this, but Lu Chen often comes to see our husband. Next time he comes, you can ask him a few questions."
Since Lu Chen hadn't shown up for half a month, I had no way to enter the Huang Shu industry, so I settled down in the small house Zhang Zhi gave me and taught him some tips on painting.
Zhang Zhi doesn't have much talent, but he really likes painting. After hard work and practice, the results are obvious. I am quite satisfied and encourage him to keep up the good work.
His face flushed with excitement and he admired me even more.
Ten days later, I thought it was a time of changing seasons and people were coming and going, so I gave Zhang Zhi a day off and went to the tavern in the city to get some news.
From the casual conversation of the drinkers, I learned that Li Siyan still had not given up looking for me. Waves of imperial guards were sent out to search for me, not to mention the city defenses in various places. Now the whole Henan Province knew that the emperor had lost a beloved concubine and was searching for her like crazy.
He also sent people to Chang'an and Jiangnan, but still found nothing.
Everyone knows that if someone is still not found after such a high-intensity search, that person is definitely dead. I think Li Siyan also understands this, but he stubbornly refuses to believe it and would rather think that I have cunningly hidden myself.
The reason why he still held on to a glimmer of hope was because he hadn't found my body yet. It was an extremely tragic thing that he died without a body. Now it became his last chance to deceive himself.
Others said that the emperor was so angry that he vomited blood in front of all the officials. He went out to look for someone with a high fever and almost lost his life. He was really good to Chen Ying.
Various melodramatic stories were circulating among the people. Some said that Shen Ying was a fox spirit sent to wreak havoc on the human world, others said that the imperial family was the birthplace of infatuated women, and still others said that this woman had once served as a chamberlain and had engaged in many scandalous affairs with the emperor in the imperial study...
It sounds so convincing that if I weren't the person involved, I might have believed it.
I found it a little funny to hold my chin in my hand and listen to the drinkers sighing at the emperor's deep affection.
He was a man of integrity and loyalty, yet he nearly lost his life. Didn't I also survive a narrow escape? Why does he get a good reputation, and am I a vixen?
The world is unfair, and I feel more and more that my decision to escape was absolutely correct.
After I came out, the world was so big. Although the food and accommodation were much worse than before, I felt much happier than before. There is little rain in Mingzhou and the climate is dry and refreshing. I can bask in the sun in the yard in my spare time. The days are peaceful and smooth.
Occasionally I would think of the Dog Emperor, recalling the tender days with him in Hibiscus Garden, and the look on his face when he caressed me with such fascination.
In fact, I am very afraid of his pervasive stickiness. I am afraid that I will forget my family's blood feud when my body is extremely pleasant, and I am also afraid that I will be served to the point of being unable to leave him.
However, as the saying goes, fortune often follows misfortune, and misfortune often follows fortune. I soon discovered that the experience of in-depth communication with the Dog Emperor was not completely useless.
The sufferings I have endured are nourishment for the future, and what doesn't kill me will make me stronger. In short, with these colorful experiences, I successfully took the top spot in the world of Mingzhou Spring Palace Pictures.
The story begins in this luxurious tavern.
That day, when I heard the news and stood up to pay the bill, I suddenly saw a very familiar fan.
A thirteen-bone fan, fine ink sprinkled with gold, with peach blossoms painted on the fan, so sexy it's enough to make you break your legs.
The owner of the fan generously ordered a pot of Shidongchun tea and some side dishes, then turned and went upstairs.
Here he comes, the sponsor is here!
I was afraid he would run away, so I immediately went up to him and gave him a professional smile: "Hello, does your shop need a helper who knows how to paint?"
Lu Chen narrowed his eyes, looked me up and down, and tapped my shoulder with his fan: "I remember you, you are the teacher that Zhengji hired recently."
"Exactly!" I said happily, "...I happened to hear that your shop is looking for a painter, a master of Xiao Fengyue. I wonder if you could give me a chance and let me try?"
Lu Chen smiled and said, "Zhengji is really stingy. He actually let his teacher do this kind of business."
I said, "That's not the case. I lost some money and am struggling financially, so I had the audacity to ask. But since I'm his teacher, you know my painting skills are superior to his. This business is perfect for me and I won't refuse."
With the identity of Teacher Zhang Zhi, it became much easier for me to find a job. Without saying a word, Lu Chen politely led me to the private room on the second floor, asked someone to bring me paper and pen, and gestured to me to invite me in.
I recalled the pictures I had seen before, chose a conservative posture, and painted with my brush in a smooth and flowing manner, completing the painting in one go. The freehand style was accompanied by detailed details, especially the part about the great harmony of life, which makes one's eyes jealous and heart beat fast just by looking at it.
The reason why I can draw so meticulously is all thanks to the practical experience Li Siyan gave me.
Even if someone with more careful observation comes to look at it, they will be surprised to find that apart from the face, the male protagonist in the painting's utensils and figure are highly similar to the emperor of this dynasty.
After all, I haven't seen any other men, right?
I gave the picture to Lu Chen and waited for his reply.
Lu Chen, unlike Zhang Zhi, had definitely seen the world. Seeing me paint a beautiful picture at great speed, he wasn't surprised at all. He smiled steadily and said, "Madam Wang is indeed the descendant of a famous teacher. Your skills are extraordinary. This painting is meticulous, but what's rare is the poignant and lingering artistic conception. It's truly a masterpiece."
I was ready to negotiate my wages, but he suddenly changed the subject and said, "...but the erotic paintings I have here are not sold to wealthy families for teaching, but are meant to be circulated in brothels. My wife's painting skills are amazing, but the content of these paintings is a bit ordinary."
After hearing his comments, I was not annoyed at all. Instead, my desire to perform began to burn.
"If the shopkeeper wants something bold and novel, just tell me," I dipped my pen in ink and picked up the brush. "You're lucky you found me."
After saying that, I took a big stroke of my brush and drew more than a dozen small pictures with simple strokes in an instant.
Each one is erotic and hot, with swings, screens, bathtubs, and outdoor activities, all of which are easily handled. The postures are even more diverse, directly taken from the various attempts made by Li Siyan and I when we were together.
When I drew the fifth small scene, Lu Chen's eyes changed when he looked at me.
It was a sharp, excited look at the money tree.
I said, "Most of the wealthy families in Chang'an use erotic paintings to avoid public attention. I have handled many private collections with my master and his wife. Those are the secret collections of the government. I am confident that no one in the entire Hebei Province can paint better than me."
People who are poorer than me can't paint as good as me, and people who paint better than me don't lack the money to go into the painting industry.
Lu Chen lowered his head to think for a moment, then laughed out loud, clapping his hands. "Madam Wang is truly remarkable. I'm willing to lend a hand. I wish you success in making money soon!"
He really wanted me to get rich, so he placed an order on the spot and gave me two taels of silver as a deposit, agreeing that I would draw two copies as master copies first, and he would have the rest copied.
"This thing actually has such a wide market. It really is the law of food, sex and nature." I sighed after taking the money.
Lu Chen smiled and said, "We have a good painter. Our albums are sold far and wide, so we naturally earn a lot of money. If you like, you can also draw some pictures of gay men and mirror polishing, and the price can be even higher."
"Shop?" I was surprised. "There really is a shop that specializes in erotic pictures?"
The other man took a sip of his wine and said proudly, "This isn't the kind of shop you know where you hawk your wares on the street. In our line of work, the most important thing is secrecy. We have to wait for the right price and not allow it to be circulated privately. Only then can we get a good price."
I can only say that people in Mingzhou really play big...
On the way back, I counted on my fingers for a long time.
The housing prices in Mingzhou are not expensive. One book costs one string of coins. After deducting the cost of pen and ink and rent, if I roll up my sleeves and paint eighty books, I can buy a small house... It takes me half a month to paint one book, so if I work for four years, I can afford a house.
This is an industry with huge profits, too much profits. I sighed to the sky. If I had known this would happen, I should not have thrown away the fire avoidance map that Li Siyan gave me. I should have kept it to observe and learn before throwing it away.
Having found a brand new career path, I returned to my house full of confidence and high spirits.
Zhang Zhi pulled me to look at his new drawings, and I encouraged him, "Keep it up!"
The other person's eyes lit up: "Is the apprentice really making progress?"
I was in a good mood and praised him: "Your brush strokes are bold and your lines are smooth. You have already entered the realm of painting."
Zhang Zhi smiled like a peony: "Thank you, sir!"
After seeing Zhang Zhi off, I spread out the paper and pen that Lu Chen had given me and started to work on some erotic creations, when I heard a polite knock on the door.
I opened the door and saw it was Tanwei.
Tanwei brought me dinner.
He skillfully took out three small dishes from the box and said to me politely, "Our young master has a childish nature and has caused trouble for Madam Wang."
"No, no, Mr. Zhang provides me with three meals a day and rents me a house for free. I can't thank him enough."
Tan smiled and said slowly, "Madam Wang said before that she was from Yongnian County before she was abducted to the Duke's Mansion. I wonder if you remember how many people are in your family? What are their names? What is their situation?"
I showed him my ID card and said, "To be honest, my childhood memories are fuzzy. I only remember that I was from Yongnian County, but I can't remember anything else."
Tan Wei nodded: "Don't worry, my lady. We are not suspicious of you. It's just that our eldest aunt heard about this matter and is a little curious. She wants to see if she can help you find a husband."
"Great aunt?"
"She is our husband's sister. She married in Yongnian County a few years ago. Even though she is in the county, she is always worried about our husband and sends people to visit him every few days." Tan Wei said.
Tan Wei described the matter of investigating the family background very beautifully: "...My eldest aunt's husband is on duty at the county government office and has the ability to check the local household registration. If heaven has mercy, it will allow my wife to reunite with her family, and she will no longer be helpless in the future."
When I heard that Zhang Zhi actually had a brother-in-law who worked at the county government office, I immediately felt a little uneasy: After all, I'm not the real Wang Yayu. If the physical features don't match... will...
Tanwei observed my expression calmly.
I said, "I've been away from home for nearly fifteen years, and I'm even more homesick. I don't know if my parents and relatives are still alive. I'm very grateful to my aunt for helping me find out. May I ask if you've found any clues?"
Tan Wei saw that I had guessed it, so he didn't keep me in suspense and went straight to the point, "My aunt has made inquiries and found out that there is indeed a family in Yongnian County who lost a daughter fifteen years ago. If you are interested, you can choose a day to go to the county to discuss it."
At this point, refusing would only make me seem guilty. I steeled myself and agreed without hesitation, saying, "Great! Let's do it tomorrow."
That night I took out the maid's life story written by Wen Baibi for me and read and recited it carefully.
The next morning, Tanwei knocked on the door on time, and another servant named Kaizhi lent me a donkey cart and drove to Yongnian County.
Kaizhi was more lively than Tanwei. He chatted with me all the way and asked me many questions about the wealthy families in Chang'an in a roundabout way. I cheered up and answered his questions one by one.
When we got off the car, Kaizhi went to the hall before me. I guess he reported my performance along the way to the aunt.
This eldest aunt's name was Zhang Qian. She married a clerk who had some real power. Her house was well furnished and she had a pair of young children.
She casually called me to the flower hall and gave me a seat, but did not serve me any snacks or tea. She exchanged a few pleasantries with a forced smile, and looked at me without any hesitation.
But I don't really like people who show off their cleverness. But I also know that times have changed. I have no one to rely on and I still live in her house, so I just close my eyes and endure all kinds of indifference.
After several rounds of probing, Zhang Qian finally confirmed that I was indeed from Chang'an and had worked for a wealthy family for at least ten years: identity can be fabricated, but vision and accent cannot be faked.
With a casual smile on her face, she said to me, "I heard you were coming today, so I specially invited the family of the lost child to come and talk to you. Come on, let's go and take a look."
I whispered, "Thank you."
She took me to another room and introduced me to a short woman with thick eyebrows and narrow eyes.
As soon as the woman saw me, she burst into tears and opened her arms to hug me: "Daughter, mother finally found you!"
I took a step back cautiously.
The first time I saw her, I was sure that this person could not be Wang Yayu's biological mother.
When wealthy families buy maids, they pay much more attention to appearance than others can imagine. It is difficult to tell whether a little girl is beautiful or ugly, so she has to refer to the appearance of her parents. The Wen family is considered a top aristocratic family in the dynasty. Wen Baibi is the eldest daughter who is doted on by everyone. No trafficker would dare to sell a maid whose mother is ugly to her.
"Mrs. Zhang, you might have found the wrong person," I said politely to Zhang Qian, rejecting the woman. "Everyone says mother and daughter are connected by heart, but when I saw her, I didn't feel any affection at all. It's obvious that we're not related by blood."
The woman stood there in a daze, unable to speak.
A gleam of light flashed in Zhang Qian's eyes.
"It wasn't just this family that reported their child missing in the same year. Several others either had their remains found in the following years or had their parents die of illness one after another. Are you sure it wasn't her?" she asked me.
I said, "No, judging by the way this aunt is dressed, I know she's from a merchant family. But I vaguely remember that my parents were farmers and lost me on the way to the city. I wonder if there's any record of that."
Zhang Qian's tense expression finally relaxed a little.
"There is indeed one."
I could feel that it was only at this moment that Zhang Qian truly let down her guard against me.
She is really a very shrewd and suspicious woman.
She said to the woman, "I'm really sorry for making you come here for nothing. I will come to your house and apologize someday."
After sending the woman away, Zhang Qian bowed to me and said, "My apologies, Madam Wang. I was worried that you might be interested in getting close to my brother, so I tried to test you. I hope you can forgive me."
Although I was speechless, I still said politely that it was okay.
She introduced me to a wealthy mother who had lost her daughter. If I had any bad intentions, I would have gone up to her without any hesitation to recognize her. Once the recognition was successful and I became the wife of a wealthy family, I would definitely go back to the county with my mother and naturally stay away from Zhang Zhi. But if I refused, it meant that I had decent character and was not stupid, so it would be fine for me to be with my younger brother.
That’s really a good calculation.
She continued, "I did find one of the farm families you mentioned, but their situation is a bit complicated. After their single daughter was taken away, the wife became depressed and died within a few years. The husband, wanting to save money to remarry, left home to work in Xingzhou. I haven't heard from him in years. Now, only my grandparents and two unmotivated uncles remain in the house. If you're interested in meeting them, I'll arrange for them."
She glanced at me again, and said, intentionally or not, "But you have to think clearly. This family is in dire straits and has a hard time. It may not be the right place for you."
"Let's just forget it." I said, "If I return to my ancestral home, without my parents to protect me, I'll inevitably be exploited. I'll just be married off again for some money. If that's the case, I'd rather be self-reliant."
"Very good," Zhang Qian said with a smile, looking quite satisfied. "If you don't mind, then you can continue living in that house. My brother is innocent and naive, and I have been very strict with him since he was a child. He finally found something he likes, and as an older sister, I shouldn't stop him. I hope Madam Wang will be more tolerant of him. Zhang Qian will be very grateful."
I was stunned when I heard this. This sister really changes her attitude like turning over the pages of a book. Before she knew my background, she was so cold and stern. She is completely different from the smiling face she has now.
She then asked me, "Madam Wang, what are your plans for the future? Will you stay in Mingzhou, or go somewhere else? Who do you want to marry and have children with?"
I sighed, "I've been living in Chang'an for fifteen years. Now I'm back home. I just want to find a place to stay in Mingzhou. Your brother is smart and studious. In a year or two, I won't have much to teach him. Then I can either open a private school for girls or work as a tutor for a wealthy family. There's always a way to support myself."
She listened carefully and nodded, saying, "I understand. My husband's family has quite a few capable relatives in Mingzhou. If any of them is in need of a teacher, they will find a way to recommend you."
I was flattered: "Thank you, Madam Zhang!"
"From what you said, it seems that you don't want to get married." She glanced at me and said, "With your looks, it's a pity."
I touched my face: "Really?"
After entering Mingzhou City, I didn't paint my face yellow with dirt anymore. Instead, I covered up the original outline with thick powder. I also trimmed my eyebrows and removed moles, and used lip balm to change the shape of my mouth.
Thanks to the fact that my wanted poster is drawn in a relatively abstract style, and with my face-changing skills, even if I swagger through the streets, no one will suspect that I am that peerless vixen.
I quite like my new face. It is simple and plain, which is the real thing.
Zhang Qian asked indifferently, "We're both from Chang'an. I wonder if you ever saw Chen Ying while working at the Duke's Mansion? My husband has been ordered to look for her and has posted notices for two days."
I heard my name and my heart skipped a beat.
Seeing that she looked normal, as if she was just complaining, I calmed myself down and said, "Of course. I've seen her a few times when I played polo with the mistress. She worked as a palace attendant for two years. Then, for some reason, she left the palace and then returned to it inexplicably. I don't know what happened to her afterwards. Judging by the notice at the city gate, she seems to have gone missing."
Zhang Qian was outspoken and blurted out the truth without realizing it: "Missing? A delicate young lady from a noble family, with no papers or money, and no news for almost two months. I think it's probably..."
I strongly agree, I am very pleased that you think so!
I lived a very comfortable life in the following days.
Zhang Qian is a very straightforward person. After she let down her guard against me, she would come to bring me some food and clothes every now and then. I said it was not necessary, but she generously said that it was the proper courtesy and that as long as I could make her brother happy, these little things were nothing.
"An elder sister is truly like a mother." I sighed to Kaizhi, "This painstaking effort is extraordinary."
Kaizhi was ordered to bring me food. Hearing this, he said disapprovingly, "Some people love painting, some love books, but our eldest aunt loves to make arrangements for others. This is her hobby. If she is not allowed to interfere, she will be unhappy."
My half-finished spring painting was still lying on the side, and Kaizhi came over to take a look with great interest: "Oh, Madam Wang, your painting skills are truly amazing. The brushstrokes are so fine that you can even see the strands of hair. The artistic conception is also quite extraordinary."
The painting shows a charming and handsome man in half-dressed clothes, leaning against a blossoming tree, holding a glass in his hand to invite someone. Three steps away, a woman with a high bun is undressing and throwing an apricot blossom to him.
"Right," I said proudly, "I thought of it the other day under the apricot tree. It means a handsome man is like a flower, ready to be picked. So I named it Floating Flowers and Waves."
This is my latest themed creation, focusing on female awakening. My target audience is middle-aged women in high positions of power. Lu Chen, with his keen business sense, keenly perceived the loneliness and dryness in these women's hearts, so he asked me to create a series of images to arouse the long-lost tenderness in them...
In Lu Chen's words, "You have to feel it, you have to put yourself in their shoes. At this age, they have children, status, money, everything, but they lack a loving, strong man. Our paintings are to make up for this regret for them. It is a great merit, do you understand?"
I don’t care whether it’s a merit or not, I only care whether Boss Lu can help me make money to buy a house.
It turns out that there is an unexpectedly large market for female-oriented products.
As soon as my first book of pictures of secret sex scenes in the boudoir came out, brothels of all sizes in the city rushed to buy it, and the sales were very good.
Before this, most of the paintings of this kind on the market were created by men. They were too wild and not delicate enough, lacking a subtle undercurrent. My paintings, on the other hand, happened to be novel in style, with handsome men and beautiful women, and were very popular among women who had been secluded from their homes for a long time.
Lu Chen made a lot of money and was in a good mood. He gave me four taels of silver as a commission. This was a considerable amount of money. It could be exchanged for a cow and a cage of chickens in the market.
I'm currently painting my second book. Lu Chen isn't in a rush to strike while the iron is hot, and he even advises me to get some rest: "...Don't worry. There's no other woman painting erotic pictures in the entire Hebei Province. Without competition, I should naturally whet my appetite a little more and keep things fresh."
When I thought about it, I realized that this was the truth, so I started painting slowly, working on it for three days and then stopping for two days.
During this period, Kaizhi saw it once when he delivered food, and was very impressed by me. Then he turned around and reported it to Zhang Qian.
Zhang Qian was really surprised to know that I was so familiar with romantic matters. She thought I wanted to seduce her brother to learn bad things, so she found a reason to call me in for questioning again.
I could only speak nonsense: "To be honest, when I was working for the master's family, the young master always...always forced me to look at these shameful pictures. But as the saying goes, "Misfortune may turn out to be a blessing in disguise." I didn't expect that these filthy things would come in handy now.
Thanks to Li Siyan, my lying skills have experienced a qualitative leap.
Zhang Qian asked me several times and confirmed that I was only concerned about making money to buy land and houses, and then she sent me away with peace of mind.
Before leaving, he repeatedly told me to keep this business secret, otherwise it would damage my reputation.
I understand what she means. My reputation doesn't matter. The important thing is that it doesn't affect her brother's reputation.
I looked at my silly and innocent apprentice with pity, and thought to myself, no wonder you are so rich but no matchmaker has come to your door yet. If any young lady heard that you have such a sister, she would pack up her belongings and run away overnight!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
