Song Jiyun was taken aback, but her mind raced swiftly.
The Second Young Master of the Hong Family’s coming-of-age ceremony was in mid-September.
Less than half a month from now.
They could fire at most two kilns.
However, her purpose here was to repay the Hong Family’s kindness for providing clay material; as long as there was a chance to reciprocate, she would do her utmost. She certainly wouldn’t reject their request outright.
"It’s rare that Old Grand Master Hong likes it," she pondered, "Does the old master have an existing design, or would he like us to help design a new one? What kind of items are to be fired, and how many pieces? When is the latest they need to be ready?"
Hong Xi listened and then instructed the servant boy beside him to fetch a painting from his study that was placed on the desk.
"September is exactly the time for inserting Cornelian cherry fruit, and my grandfather wishes to use Cornelian cherry as the design to fire a batch of Fortune and Prosperity Gourds," he turned to Song Jiyun, "Coincidentally, our family owns a ’September 9th Ascending Heights Painting,’ from which he wants to excerpt a design. Do you think you can make it in time?"
Song Jiyun breathed a sigh of relief and smiled, "It’s great that you have an existing design! Do you want to fire underglaze blue or Overglaze Enamel?"
Hong Xi said fretfully, "Logically, we should fire underglaze blue. Underglaze blue only needs to be fired once and is easier. But according to my grandfather, the ceremony should be lively and festive; firing Overglaze Enamel would be better. Yet getting the right colors in Overglaze Enamel firing is crucial... I can’t decide at the moment which is better. Miss Song, as an expert, I need your advice."
The colors produced by Overglaze Enamel firing at that time were indeed problematic.
Song Jiyun then considered whether the Cornelian cherry could be fired in Alum-Red, while the branches and leaves remained in underglaze blue.
But this required time.
She hesitated, "Let’s decide on the design and the size of the items first!"
Hong Xi nodded.
The servant boy brought the scroll over.
Hong Xi said to Song Jiyun, "Miss Song, please follow me."
He pushed open the door to the Flower Hall, which was an elegant room.
All around were waist-high bookshelves, and in the center was a large desk equipped with the Four Treasures of the Study.
The tree canopy covered the roof, filling the room with a dense green.
Song Jiyun went forward gladly.
Hong Xi stood in front of the desk and personally opened the scroll, "It is a painting and calligraphy by Li Gonglin from the previous dynasty. Look at the rocky base of the false mountain; my grandfather wants to take the Cornelian cherry from the base as the design."
Song Jiyun looked down and observed intently, "He painted four or five clumps of Cornelian cherry. If we use all on the Fortune and Prosperity Gourd Vase, might that be a bit much? Usually, on a gourd bottle, one clump is slanted, or only three to five red fruits are selected, painting a full vase."
Hong Xi considered, "If we paint one clump slanted, how should we excerpt it? And if we are to paint three to five red fruits, how should that be done?"
In business, customer satisfaction should always come first, especially since the Hong Family had provided help in a critical moment.
Song Jiyun looked around for paper and pen.
Hong Xi quickly prepared Xuan paper for her, handed her a brush, and even opened the ink box to start grinding some ink for her.
After Song Jiyun laid out the Xuan paper, she quickly copied one clump of Cornelian cherry and then another clump of the Cornelian cherry fruit from the upper right corner.
"If painting a clump slanted, use this clump," she pointed out to Hong Xi, "If for a full vase, use this cluster of fruit, painting nine, twelve, or sixteen fruits on the Fortune and Prosperity Gourd Vase."
Hong Xi had been watching her draw uninterruptedly from the moment she started sketching a clump of Cornelian cherry, uttering praises as she drew, and when she finished and showed him, he instinctively moved closer and said, "Miss Song truly does the Song Family Kiln Factory proud. Not to mention anything else, just the craftsmanship of your brushstrokes—swift, simple, yet delicately meticulous—it’s hard to find anyone in Jingde Town who can match you."
"Not at all!" Song Jiyun modestly responded, yet despite knowing the flattery was just social courtesy, she felt quite pleased, "I’m just practised."
She looked up and smiled at Hong Xi.
That smile, like a blooming summer flower, was brilliant and radiant, instantly brightening the somewhat darkened elegant room.
Hong Xi was momentarily stunned, as the verse "The bright fresh prickle as if on fire" spontaneously came to his mind.
His gaze became fervent.
Sitting in the Flower Hall, Yuan Yunzhong only felt a glare.
In front of the red lacquered desk, Song Jiyun and Hong Xi stood side by side.
The noon sunlight poured through the branches and leaves onto them, as if sprinkling innumerable flakes of gold, making Hong Xi’s face appear beautiful and radiant while looking at Song Jiyun. Hong Xi, slightly bending down and joking with Song Jiyun, had a smile glowing with a heat that couldn’t be blocked, streaming from the depths of his eyes.
As beautiful as a vividly colored gouache painting.
Even the atmosphere around them became quiet and tranquil.
Yuan Yunzhong’s pupils constricted, and he slowly stood up with his chin lifted, pushing open the window of the Flower Hall.
With a slight "click," a wave of heat accompanied by the fragrance of flowers burst in, spreading throughout the cool Flower Hall.
Song Jiyun and Hong Xi involuntarily looked towards the source of the sound.
Yuan Yunzhong stood at the window with his hands behind his back, his posture erect, gazing at the splendidly blooming flowers in the courtyard.
Feeling their gazes, he turned around, leaning against the window sill, and gave them a smirking look with an expression that asked, "What’s the matter?"
He truly appeared as a graceful figure against the gentle breeze, lofty and spirited, embodying a serene and bright aura.
Hong Xi intuitively felt displeased and frowned secretly.
Song Jiyun, however, couldn’t help but touch her forehead.
How could she have forgotten this ancestor!
Although he wouldn’t let her down at critical moments, he wasn’t someone with a good temper either.
He kindly accompanied her to the Hong Family, yet she only focused on conversing with Hong Xi and sidelined him; it would be odd indeed if he just silently waited nearby!
Song Jiyun thought for a moment and then smilingly picked up the drawing she had just made. She walked out from behind the desk and said, "I’ve made two designs; could you help us see which one is more suitable?"
She had seen his paintings firsthand; his skill was much higher than hers.
She indeed trusted his judgment.
Yuan Yunzhong’s gaze was cold, and he stared at her intensely for a few moments before his eyelids slightly drooped, and his gaze fell on the Xuan paper in her hands.
It was just a few strokes, yet he had rendered the Cornelian cherry with vivid, powerful expression.
He raised an eyebrow and said slowly, "Not bad."
Song Jiyun couldn’t help but let a smile show in her eyes and said, "Which one do you think is good? I’m also somewhat undecided."
Yuan Yunzhong rested his right hand on the edge of the window and didn’t look at the drawing again. Yet, his tone was casual as he said, "Time is tight, just paint a bunch obliquely!"
Song Jiyun was slightly startled.
She had to admit, he had reminded her.
Painters also need time to paint.
A Fortune and Prosperity Gourd Vase is usually a foot tall, and painting the entire vase would take much more time than merely painting a bunch obliquely.
She had earlier overlooked this detail.
Yuan Yunzhong’s words made sense, but his way of speaking was too prone to misunderstanding.
Especially since the Flower Hall and the elegant room were so silent you could hear a pin drop, Hong Xi definitely heard it.
She didn’t want Hong Xi to misunderstand.
After all, she was the one who provided the two options.
"Time is indeed tight, but by working together, we can always figure out a way," Song Jiyun said, then asked Hong Xi, "Who did you invite to your younger brother’s coming of age ceremony?"
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
