The Perilous Palace Dream - Chapter 101
Chapter 101
The following period was filled with the somber enjoyment of family togetherness for the Wei family.
Even the fragrant aroma of the dishes could not dispel the heavy atmosphere in the dining hall.
Madam Wei watched as her son occasionally picked up food with his chopsticks and placed it on the plate in front of the Princess.
In a short while, it piled up into a small hill.
The Princess’s delicate face was buried among a heap of oily dishes, and she struggled to swallow.
Occasionally, she would raise her eyes and glance pitifully at her son Yu Lang, only to be met with her son’s fierce phoenix eyed glare.
Following that, the little Princess would resignedly continue to swallow her food…
Watching the Princess’s difficulty in eating, the elderly couple also found it hard to swallow.
The Grand Tutor was the only one in the entire dining hall who was comfortable and leisurely, truly enjoying the dishes.
Nie Qinglin chewed in small mouthfuls and swallowed carefully, feeling that she had fully observed proper etiquette.
She then put down her jade chopsticks and excused herself first.
The Wei couple quickly stood up to see the Princess off.
After the Princess left, Old Master Wei’s eyes were wide like brass cymbals.
He pointed a finger at his son and suddenly roared “You wicked offspring! You explain yourself clearly. Is that Princess genuinely willing to marry you?”
If it had been anyone else, their finger would have been chopped off before they could speak.
However, since it was his esteemed father, Wei Lenghou took a sip of tea and calmly said “Of course. Could it be that your son would forcibly marry a Princess? Today is the first time she has met the two elders. It is inevitable that the Princess is shy and bashful. In the future, Father and Mother will find that the Princess is lively and well behaved, and most lovable. She will surely get along harmoniously with the two elders, and there will definitely not be a situation where a former dynasty’s Princess neglects her wifely duties, being extravagant and arrogant…”
In fact, what Wei Lenghou said were precisely the concerns Old Master Wei had before.
As a merchant family, having such a noble Princess as a daughter in law inevitably caused discomfort for both sides.
Would not a Princess marrying down be a tragedy? The Wei family had been engaged in business for generations, adhering to ancestral teachings, always keeping a low profile, and never harboring greedy desires to attach themselves to power or nobility.
In fact, marrying a girl like Ruoshan, a modest, well known relative, was the most stable and appropriate choice.
However, observing the situation along the way, he felt a little heartache for the little Princess who kept watching his son’s expression.
Such a delicate and charming person should be spoiled and cherished at her parents’ knees.
But at this age, she was without the protection of her royal father and mother.
Her Emperor brother was probably restrained by his son and likely powerless.
His own wicked son had already visited brothels at the age of five, losing his moral integrity.
If this unstable son grew tired of her one day, the dignified Princess would not even have a single person from her maternal family to support her.
Unfortunately, this eldest son had no intention of inheriting the family business.
Instead, he was obsessed with power and political maneuvering, stirring up trouble throughout the Great Wei empire.
He clearly harbored ambitions of becoming Emperor.
Years ago, Old Master Wei found that even thick wooden sticks merely broke when striking his son’s body, while the rebellious son acted as if he felt no pain.
He had failed to properly educate him when he was young, and now that he was grown, he could no longer be beaten.
Yet, this bastard was surprisingly popular, with ignorant common people everywhere singing praises for the current Marquise of Dingguo, completely unaware of the Marquise’s true moral character.
It was inappropriate to discipline his son in the temporary residence.
The Wei couple stood up, preparing to take their leave.
Before departing, Madam Wei once again worriedly instructed her son to find a way to resolve the issue with cousin Ruoshan.
After entering the carriage, Madam Wei saw her husband looking sullen and quickly offered comfort “That Princess seems quite well behaved… but I do not know how I should explain this to my sister when we return. If we say nothing, it will look like our Wei family is greedy for wealth and has abandoned relatives in distress, not to mention Ruoshan’s reputation…”
Old Master Wei could not help but feel stifled “The mess he made, let him clean it up himself. At worst, we will remove his name, the esteemed Marquise of Dingguo, from the Wei family genealogy. We will just pretend this rebellious son sprang from a rock. Our Wei family cannot afford such a high connection!”
Since his family was in Pingyang Ancient City, the Grand Tutor decided to stay for a few more days.
Although Pingyang had entered late autumn, the ancient city’s scenery looked even more simple and elegant in the crisp autumn wind.
The Qiu Men Mountain outside Pingyang City was the most beautiful.
Entering autumn, the mountain was covered with red leaves.
Even as winter approached, the red leaves had not completely fallen, subtly revealing the artistic mood of the lines “White stones emerge from Jingxi Stream, red leaves are scarce in the cold weather.”
Since Princess Shaoyang was heavily pregnant and it was inconvenient for her to go out, the Grand Tutor invited his younger brother Wei Yunzhi and took Nie Qinglin with them to tour Qiu Men Mountain.
Mountain springs flowed down the mountain, winding their way to the middle of the slope to form a clear lake.
The blue water rippled, reflecting the colorful mountains ablaze with rosy hues on the two banks.
It would be great fun to row a boat there.
The local officials, to flatter the Grand Tutor, specially prepared an exquisite painted pleasure boat.
Its square hull was elaborately carved and decorated.
It remained stable on the lake even if it rained or was windy, sparing the Grand Tutor any worry about seasickness.
The Grand Tutor had a few friends in the area, so he also sent invitations for them to join him for some sightseeing, leisure, and drinks.
However, cousin Ruoshan came along with Wei Yunzhi.
After stepping out of the small sedan chair, she timidly stood behind her second cousin with two maidservants.
Seeing his elder brother’s face slightly darken, Wei Yunzhi quickly whispered “It was Mother’s and Aunt Liu’s intention. Big Brother, you are carefree, but the manor has been completely soaked by Aunt’s tears these past few days. You really need to say something!”
Wei Lenghou coldly glanced at his younger brother and said nothing more.
It turned out that Madam Wei had sought out her sister after returning to the residence and truthfully described the situation of meeting the Princess.
Aunt Liu immediately soaked three handkerchiefs with tears, only saying that her life was bitter.
Not only was she abandoned by her husband’s family, but her daughter was also discovered when she was taken advantage of by Yu Lang.
If Yu Lang did not want her, how could she be married off to someone else in the future?
Madam Wei felt guilty toward her sister.
She thought that the Princess Yong’an was very gentle and seemed to fear her son, so she did not have the means to become a fierce wife.
Considering that her son already had a concubine in his residence, the Princess probably would not be prone to jealousy.
So she asked Aunt Liu, if she was determined to marry Yu Lang, it would only be as a concubine.
Was Ruoshan willing?
Aunt Liu knew perfectly well that Wei Lenghou was now the true head of the Great Wei.
Although she would be a concubine now, she would be an honored imperial concubine in the future.
It was an honor that even daughters of other noble families might not have.
Hearing her sister say this, she stopped crying and quickly agreed, only saying that Ruoshan only had her cousin in her heart and was willing to accept the slight and be subordinate to the Princess.
Thus, taking advantage of the brothers’ outing, they brought Ruoshan along.
Before leaving, Aunt Liu carefully instructed her daughter to be humble and submissive in front of the Princess, and also to evoke some pity from her eldest cousin.
Wei Yunzhi had only just learned that the stunning woman he had met a few times before was actually the current Emperor’s own sister.
He felt a slight shock in his heart.
His eldest brother was indeed extraordinary.
Ordinary common things could not enter his phoenix eyes.
But Aunt Liu, from a small family, was ignorant of her place, and having stayed overseas for a long time, she did not know the Marquise of Dingguo’s powerful methods.
Did she still think his elder brother was the young boy with hair gathered in knots from the Wei family courtyard of the past? She was like one possessed, trying to push her daughter into his elder brother’s arms.
It was a pity that his mother was also clouded by guilt and could not be reasoned with.
He figured they would both wake up after hitting their heads against his elder brother’s solid wall.
If cousin Ruoshan behaved herself, it would be fine, but if she tried to scheme again as before… The second son of the Wei family was naturally too lazy to think much.
He could happily enjoy himself after tossing the burden to his elder brother.
Today, Nie Qinglin wore a modified long gown and trousers.
The narrow sleeves and tight waist resembled the clothing of the Hu people, and a half long skirt that covered her hips was added over the trousers.
She wore small calfskin boots, and her black beautiful hair was styled in a braided bun.
She looked utterly heroic.
Since she was accustomed to dressing as a boy from childhood, she carried a unique charm that other women could not achieve, immediately catching the eye.
This was an inspiration Nie Qinglin had gained during her time “staying” in the Northern Frontier.
She felt this style of clothing was both beautiful and practical, so she wore it today.
It also made it convenient for riding horses and boarding the boat.
Ruoshan had also dressed up carefully today.
The Wei family was engaged in business and earned a lot of money, so they naturally did not skimp on food or clothing for the residing Ruoshan.
Her skirt, blouse, and hairpins were all exquisite and valuable.
Miss Ruoshan was determined to compare herself with the Princess.
In another setting, Ruoshan’s attire might have been eye catching, but next to the unique Princess Yong’an, her complicated dress and hair full of hairpins were unbearable to look at amidst the beautiful mountains and clear waters.
When the men on white horses dismounted by the Caixia Lake of Qiu Men Mountain, they were all slightly stunned to see the beautiful and charming woman standing next to the Grand Tutor.
They felt their eyes light up.
The leader was a handsome man in a white robe.
After dismounting, he cupped his hands and smiled “Zhenlin, I trust you have been well. Yuzhu offers his greetings.”
Nie Qinglin originally did not know who the Grand Tutor was meeting today besides Wei Yunzhi.
It was only when the man mentioned the name “Yuzhu” that she suddenly realized.
The talented scholars of the current world were considered the “Four Friends of the Bamboo Grove” the four recluses Yuzhu, Yunzhu, Maolin, and Zhenlin.
It was rumored that all four were descendants of former dynasty aristocratic families.
Although they had suffered great changes, they were, after all, century old noble families whose foundation had not been broken, producing these four exceptional talents.
Their poetry and paintings were worth a fortune and hard to obtain.
Among them, Zhenlin was the most elusive.
People did not even know his surname or given name.
But now, listening to their polite exchange, could the Grand Tutor actually be the rare and elusive painting and calligraphy prodigy “Zhenlin”? Nie Qinglin was momentarily distracted, suddenly recalling the small side profile portrait the Grand Tutor had once painted for her.
The brushwork was indeed unusual and refined.
Unfortunately, she usually neglected calligraphy and painting, and only relied on her exceptional memory to feign knowledge, which was enough to fool people.
However, she had not seen the paintings of Recluse Zhenlin, and had failed to realize the extent of hidden talent beside her!
Princess Yong’an secretly decided: If a palace coup occurred in the future, she must definitely take that scroll with her when she fled. Selling it after leaving the palace would be enough to live on for three to five years!
Yunzhu and Maolin, who followed, were also gentlemen with refined looks.
Based on their conversation, the four of them must have formed an intimate friendship during their youthful studies.
Knowing Wei Lenghou’s romantic nature, they did not ask any questions when they saw him bring a female companion, assuming she was a confidante.
However, they felt that this woman was quite different from the common, vulgar women he usually associated with.
Although the men arrived on horseback, a few carriages followed behind, and two more female relatives descended.
They were the wives of Yuzhu and Maolin.
The two ladies also appeared to have an air of nobility, clearly from distinguished backgrounds.
The world feared the Marquise of Dingguo’s overwhelming power.
However, these few people were acquaintances from their youth, valuing their mutual understanding.
Although some were now holding positions in the imperial court and others were still living carefree lives, they were all dressed in casual clothes, concealing any distinction of rank or status.
They gathered together for refined conversation as kindred spirits.
The pleasure boat was large.
The men gathered in one area discussing poetry and painting styles.
Nie Qinglin, the Wei family’s young cousin, and the two female relatives were on the other side of the boat, still able to overhear the men’s lofty discussion.
Lady Yuzhu saw that the Grand Tutor had no intention of introducing the woman dressed in Hu style clothing, so she did not press for details.
She just smiled and asked “May I ask what this young lady is called?” Nie Qinglin saw that Wei Lenghou was gathering with his close friends and knew he did not want to reveal her Princess status to create distance and formality.
She smiled slightly and said “Just call me Lin’er.”
After asking Nie Qinglin, Lady Yuzhu asked Ruoshan.
Ruoshan smiled and softly said “I am Wei Lenghou’s cousin.”
Ruoshan had felt her cousin was brilliant and mighty since childhood and secretly harbored affection for him, but unexpectedly a Princess had emerged in the middle.
Although the Imperial Nie clan was not powerful, she was still a Princess of the dynasty, possessing a noble status that overshadowed her.
Originally betrothed, she was now relegated to the position of a concubine.
Although she knew she had to swallow her anger and win the Princess’s favor, since this was a private gathering of Wei Lenghou and his friends, and the Princess had not revealed her identity, she could take this opportunity to properly compete with the Princess and let her eldest cousin know what a truly talented woman, skilled in poetry and calligraphy, was like, so he would not be misled by mere superficial beauty.
Thinking this, she looked at Nie Qinglin’s hands.
Her ten fingers were slender like scallions, delicate and so fair that they seemed to glow.
They did not look like the hands of someone who had diligently practiced calligraphy.
She figured that in the nunnery, she probably had not been guided by a famous teacher or practiced diligently.
How could she compare to herself, who had buried herself in hard practice at the manor for several years? If one looked closely at her own fingers, they would see the slight callus from holding the brush.
With this thought, she opened her lips and smiled.
“Cousin has been quick in calligraphy and painting since childhood. Ruoshan has also been influenced by Cousin and has a rudimentary knowledge. It is rare that Cousin’s friends from his student days are all present. I have long heard that the wives of Recluse Yuzhu and Recluse Maolin are talented women. This opportunity is rare, so why do we women not start a calligraphy and painting game?”
The two ladies, naturally refined by the scholarly atmosphere of ink and books, immediately brightened up and nodded in agreement.
Lady Maolin, a round faced woman, furrowed her brows in thought.
What kind of command or theme would be appropriate for this calligraphy and painting game?
“How about we use the four seasons of this Qiu Men Mountain as the theme?” Lady Yuzhu’s eyes lit up, and she suggested.
Her suggestion was immediately approved by the other two.
This was because the place was a beautiful setting year round.
In spring, the mountain flowers were blooming and colorful.
In summer, the cypresses were dark and the trees were green, offering quiet coolness.
In autumn, the colors were clear red and golden yellow, with the fragrance of wild fruits.
In winter, falling snow welcomed guests, with cliffs covered in hundred foot sheets of ice.
Hearing this, Nie Qinglin smiled wryly.
Why could they not just quietly eat some food and drink tea in this picturesque scenery? She had just been lost in comfortable reverie, staring blankly at a cluster of red trees, and her maidenly melancholy had not yet fully dissipated!
But since the other three all agreed, she could not pour cold water on the idea.
So Cousin Ruoshan tore some paper and wrote down four slips, folding them neatly.
After mixing them, she took one first but did not open it right away.
After the two Ladies Yuzhu and Maolin had chosen, she seemed to hesitate for a moment, deciding to swap the slip in her hand with the one remaining on the table.
After everyone had chosen, Nie Qinglin slowly stood up with the help of her maidservant and was the last to draw a lot.
Since only one was left, she had no choice.
She opened it and saw the character for “Winter” on it, and she smiled bitterly again to herself.
Winter was actually the most difficult of the four seasons to paint.
This desolate season, with its large areas of blank space to be filled with ink, was the greatest test of skill.
After reading it, Nie Qinglin was about to put down the slip when she suddenly noticed a small ink mark on the back of the paper, like a fingerprint someone had left.
Thinking of Ruoshan’s actions just now, she understood instantly.
Cousin, you worked so hard to cheat! It would really be a pity if I did not make a fool of myself for you.
A maidservant lit the incense stick on the incense burner.
Using the time it took for one stick of incense to burn as the limit, the four women spread out their drawing paper and began to paint.
The men on the other side were amused to see the ladies had started a painting game first, and they became interested.
When the four women stopped painting, they came over to look at the artwork of the four beauties.
Lady Yuzhu and Lady Maolin were both locals and frequently visited Qiu Men Mountain with friends, so they were very familiar with its four seasons of scenery.
Spreading out their paper, they began to draw with almost no hesitation.
Bit by bit, as the brush danced on the paper, a landscape gradually appeared.
Lady Yuzhu depicted spring.
The painting was predominantly green, with an elegant and serene color scheme and unique brushwork.
The mountains were stacked and magnificent.
The distant mountains were lightly tinged with green, and the lush trees blurred and spread their colors along the contours of the mountains, aptly conveying the tranquility of spring filling the world.
Lady Maolin painted summer.
The picture was layered and rich in sentiment, extending from near to far.
The green rocks and dense, ancient pines were pleasing to the eye, especially the wild flowers that bloomed profusely and spread across the mountains in summer, creating a picturesque beauty.
It made one feel as if they were standing amidst a sea of flowers…
Ruoshan painted autumn.
The autumn valley was colored by layers of trees, and the grasses were yellowing, but the red five pointed maple leaves along the ascending mountain path made the originally somewhat desolate autumn scene beautiful and moving.
Like balls of flame, the colors were bright and vivid.
The red and yellow intermingled mountains, the dense dry grass, all were captivating.
The artistic conception was wonderful and demonstrated excellent taste.
It was clearly the result of considerable hard work, something that could not be achieved without five or six years of practice.
Ruoshan heard the praise from the crowd and smiled shyly and subtly.
She was very satisfied with her use of ink this time.
When it came to Nie Qinglin’s turn, Ruoshan secretly glanced over and could not help but chuckle inwardly.
Even if the brushwork was poor, it should not be this clumsy, right? Setting aside the delicacy of the brushwork, the composition alone was hard to look at.
The picture showed a large black mountain rendered in ink, outlining a scene where white snow covered the ground.
A few dry branches were entangled together.
The beauty of Qiu Men Mountain in winter was nowhere to be seen.
The men and women present were all experts with exquisite painting skills at the time.
With just one look, they could tell that this painting seemed to be the work of a child who had just learned to paint for a few years.
It was truly unbearable to look at.
Mr. Yuzhu smoothly mediated “Miss Lin’er’s appearance is so outstanding, she is like the warm sun of winter, melting away any ice and snow.”
Although he heard the others burst into laughter, he understood what Mr. Yuzhu meant.
The drawing paper was as if it had been ruined by melting ice and snow, truly a pitiful sight!
Ruoshan stood nearby, watching Wei Lenghou’s raised dark eyebrows slightly furrow, and she could not help but feel smug inwardly: So she is such a useless Princess. What if she has gained her cousin’s favor now? She is merely using her looks to serve a man! If her opponent had been Shang Yunchu, the talented woman famous in the capital at the time, it might have been tricky, but if it was this Princess Yongan who only knew how to chant scriptures, then… she was really nothing to worry about!
After everyone had their fill of laughter, they prepared to move on.
Suddenly, Wei Lenghou reached out and moved the stone used as a paperweight, rotating the entire painting so that it was upside down.
When he turned the painting over, the pleasure boat instantly fell silent.
With just a simple rotation, the scene on the painting immediately changed due to the alteration in angle.
Where were the large mountain, piled snow, and dead trees? It was clearly an old man lying down in the snow, his tangled beard and wrinkled face, yet to be covered by the snow, revealed in the vast snowy expanse.
The pain on his face seemed to be the unwillingness of a life being taken by the bitter cold.
His large hands, like dead branches, weakly grasped a few pieces of firewood he had just gathered…
While the winter snow welcoming guests was indeed charming and the hundred foot ice cliffs were a spectacle, this cold Qiu Men Mountain was also the gate of hell for many poor people.
How many poor people fell off the cliffs while gathering firewood and were buried in the mountain belly?
This was something the local guide had mentioned inadvertently when recounting strange tales of the mountain as they entered.
Unexpectedly, Nie Qinglin had cleverly used it as her subject, creating a remarkable painting with varied perspectives and starkly different scenery.
When viewed correctly, the painting looked like a child’s poor drawing, but when viewed upside down, the brushwork was profound, giving people a chilling sense of the harsh reality.
It truly did not look like the work of an innocent and cheerful young girl.
The ladies were fine, but Mr. Yuzhu and Mr. Maolin pondered the painting deeply, and their faces instantly turned red.
They had always prided themselves on being aloof and disdained serving as officials in the current dynasty, believing the official world to be a tainted dye vat.
But just now, were they not also caught in a delusion? Like those wealthy people who only pretended to appreciate elegance, they only saw the white snow and red plums of Qiu Men Mountain in winter, but ignored the suffering of the common people, who were freezing and starving under the vast whiteness of the snow?
At this moment, sweat broke out on their foreheads.
Looking at the small girl who had a serene expression, they could not help but feel profound respect and were deeply ashamed of their previous indiscretion.
Wei Lenghou gazed deeply at the little girl who had lazily sat back down in her chair to eat snacks: Guo’er, what other surprises will you give this Marquise?
