The Perilous Palace Dream - Chapter 122
Chapter 122
The topic was presented by the most venerable scholar of the academy, which was nothing more than paired couplets followed by composing poetry.
Unlike the full-hearted devotion of the other scholars, the youth wearing the jade crown displayed an easy, unhurried composure.
He was always the first to set down his brush, after which he would raise his head and gaze intently at Nie Qinglin with bright, piercing eyes.
That ardent gaze was such that even Princess Shaoyang at her side could hardly bear it.
She wished she could unfurl her handkerchief to cover her younger sister’s face, lest the little rogue flirt with her using his eyes.
However, Nie Qinglin did not care much at all.
She met his gaze directly and generously, until in the end, it was that seemingly proud and arrogant youth whose face flushed faint red first.
A soft blush tinged his fair cheeks—a color that even the finest rouge could never blend.
Nie Qinglin tapped her carved wooden fan gently against the armrest of her chair, a smile playing at the corners of her lips as she couldn’t help thinking to herself: Before that jiaodog became so wildly licentious, did he also have such a tender, green age when he would blush like this? In the midst of her shifting thoughts, she suddenly noticed her sister watching her with a vigilant look in her eyes.
Restraining her smile slightly, she asked, “Why is Sister looking at me like that?”
Hearing the Princess of Yong’an ask this, the Eighth Imperial Sister said fearfully, “The expression on your face, sister, looks just like that Third Master Pan who tried to force a marriage…”
Upon hearing this, Nie Qinglin’s face fell.
Her sister truly lacked foresight—how did she resemble her Pan family nephew in the slightest?
Nevertheless, she carefully put away her provocative gaze.
Her imperial mother’s clan had already produced a rakish scoundrel; it would hardly do for her to turn out as a rakish libertine who flirted with young men as well!
After several rounds of competition, only five remained of the thirty-plus scholars selected from various academies to compete for the top three spots.
The youth with the jade crown held first place throughout.
In the final contest of composing poetry to match a painting, the youth in the jade crown was again the first to finish painting and inscribe his poem.
When his Landscape of Distant Mountains and Layered Towers was hung high, it drew gasps of admiration from the onlookers in Fanmo Tower.
Nie Qinglin looked over as well and realized at a single glance that the youth was imitating Master “Zhenlin’s” painting style.
His brushwork emphasized forceful transitions and pauses, highlighting a grand and magnificent aura.
In this world, Master Zhenlin’s ink works were not as widely circulated as those of other talented scholars, so ordinary people rarely saw the true master’s style.
But Nie Qinglin had been steeped in it through constant exposure; she could naturally tell at a glance that although the painting was good, it was a pity… his brushwork still lacked a bit of maturity and practice.
Still, he was a rare young talent who would surely achieve great things in the future.
When the final results were announced, the first place in this poetry gathering belonged to the youth wearing the gold crown, and only then did Nie Qinglin hear that his name was Sui Qingchen.
At that moment, the parade float downstairs selected a new top courtesan, who placed a bouquet of fresh flowers into a basket hanging down from the tower.
Amid the cheers and laughter of the people on the street, the basket was hauled up by ropes.
According to past custom, after the first-place winner received the floral tribute, he was to untie it and distribute the flowers to the unmarried noble ladies in the building.
Of course, if he had a particular affection for a certain lady, he could offer the entire floral bouquet to her alone.
However, doing so carried a risk: if the lady and her family refused to accept, he faced the danger of being tactfully rejected and losing all face.
Yet the youth did not accept the bouquet offered by the courtesan.
Instead, he dipped his brush and drew a narcissus about to bloom on paper.
Before the ink was even dry, he stepped down from the high platform, raised the painting in both hands, and offered it toward Nie Qinglin.
“A fair lady should indeed be matched with fresh flowers, but that bouquet has passed through common hands and been tainted by worldly dust. I wonder if the young lady would be willing to accept this fairy of the waters?”
Having said this, he looked at Nie Qinglin with a gaze full of quiet determination.
One had to know that this youth was one of the few young talents in Lin’an City who possessed both inner talent and outer charm, combined with an illustrious family background.
He was the legitimate grandson of the Marquis of Zhongyuan, who had settled in Jiangnan, and was destined to inherit the noble title in the future.
He was also a hot favorite among prospective sons-in-law at this poetry gathering.
However, the youth had always held himself in high regard and sneered at the matchmaking aspect of the poetry gathering.
When one thought about it, it made sense—how could a marquis’s household with such deep wealth ever marry a woman from a merchant family as a principal wife?
Yet, contrary to everyone’s expectations, he unexpectedly took the initiative to show favor to a lady.
Such a bold act immediately caused a clamor among the surrounding crowd, everyone whispering among themselves as they wondered which family’s daughter this fortunate young lady was.
Nie Qinglin looked at the youth, whose eyes were clearly ardent yet forced an indifferent air of unconcern.
A faint smile rose in her heart.
Seeing that his expression grew somewhat awkward after holding out the painting for a long time without a response, she finally reached out her hand and took the painting of the narcissus.
Having ascended Fanmo Tower incognito, taking a reserved seat meant it was better to go along with the holiday customs to avoid ruining everyone’s spirits.
Sure enough, when she accepted the narcissus painting, the youth’s pair of phoenix eyes brightened once more, and the people throughout Fanmo Tower whispered among themselves, debating whether the young master of the Marquis’s Residence would go to the mysterious lady’s home after this to propose marriage.
Sui Qingchen also wanted to ask where the fair lady’s residence was located, but before he could speak, the two beauties had already risen to leave their private box, preparing to take their leave from Fanmo Tower first.
Panicked in his heart, he gave chase.
However, to his surprise, when the two beauties reached the top of the staircase, they came to a halt.
Standing firmly at the top of the stairs was a man of tall, imposing stature, leaning on a jade walking stick whose handle was carved into a tiger’s head with bared fangs.
His white, waist-cinched brocade robe further accentuated his thick eyebrows and phoenix eyes.
The cold, murderous aura surrounding this handsome man instantly snuffed out much of the festive atmosphere in Fanmo Tower.
Perhaps because a prominent raised scar ran along one side of his cheek like a coiled dragon, it added an indescribable wickedness to his originally handsome face.
Nie Qinglin had never imagined that he would appear on this Fanmo Tower so completely without warning after several months of separation.
His face… what on earth had happened to it?
“Why have you come? Your face…”
Hearing her words, the Grand Tutor’s phoenix eyes grew dark.
He turned his face slightly as if avoiding her gaze,”I suffered a minor accidental injury, but it is no matter now… Seeing that you were watching with such great relish, is the young lady preparing to leave?”
Judging from his state, he had clearly been here for a while.
She did not know how much of her flirtatious eye contact with that youth earlier had fallen into his eyes.
As the two faced each other, a sense of unfamiliarity and awkwardness hung between them.
Shan Tiehua and Lu Yuda, who were following behind, saw the Grand Tutor and were about to bow in greeting.
But Wei Lenghou spoke first,”This young lady is leaving in such a hurry, but this humble one also has a flower to offer. I ask that you please pause your steps.”
As he spoke, he casually picked up a plain white lantern hanging to the side.
These lanterns were originally meant for the scholars to paint and color after the competition to decorate the portico at night.
Wei Lenghou, however, casually took it to use as blank paper for painting.
Using no brush, he reached out his long fingers, dipped them into the special lantern paint set on a nearby side table, and painted a branch of winter plum blossoms braving the wind and snow.
Painting on a lantern was different from painting on paper.
Because the surface of the lantern was creased and uneven, it tested the painter’s skill even more.
Yet the Grand Tutor moved his fingers slightly, lightly dabbing, and in a short moment, a branch of winter plum blossoms was completed.
At first glance, this plum blossom appeared plain and unremarkable, but one soon discovered the ingenuity within it: because of the different angles on the uneven paper surface, the plum blossom could actually be viewed at different stages of bloom. Viewing it from the side, it appeared as if the buds were still closed; viewing it from the front, the petals were already in full bloom. Such a mastery of composition born of complete confidence would make anyone with a passing knowledge of calligraphy and painting burst into marveling praise.
Now the crowd erupted into excitement, praising the exquisite painting skill one after another.
Having seen this winter plum blossom, looking back at the works of the other scholars in Fanmo Tower, those slightly naive strokes truly became like narcissuses in a lake—somewhat self-admiring and isolated.
Sui Qingchen, in particular, felt quite struck.
Having exerted all his effort to imitate Zhenlin’s brushwork, how could he fail to recognize that this was the work of the true master himself? Originally, meeting this great master of calligraphy and painting whom he had long admired in his heart should have filled him with joy, but this Master Zhenlin actually seemed intent on competing with him for the fair lady—how could this not fill his heart with annoyance?
Although this Master Zhenlin possessed great talent, when he had reached for the lantern just now, his steps had stumbled—he was actually a cripple! Moreover, although his face was handsome, a scar ran down the side of it.
Though such a man had talent, in the end, he was still unworthy of this peerless, flower-like beauty!
Thinking of this, Sui Qingchen was instantly filled with confidence, his shock at having just recognized Zhenlin’s brushwork lessening considerably.
Looking at it this way, he still had a chance!
Nie Qinglin slowly reached out and took the lantern, giving the Lord Grand Tutor some face, before stepping past him and leaving Fanmo Tower directly.
Sui Qingchen still wanted to step forward to ask the lady’s name, but he was blocked by this sinister, dark-clothed man.
Merely being glared at by him, Sui Qingchen suddenly felt the fierce, murderous aura radiating from his entire body, so intimidated for a moment that he dared not move a muscle.
By the time he snapped back to his senses, the top of the staircase was already empty…
After descending the stairs, Nie Qinglin entered the carriage.
Princess Shaoyang asked timidly who that dark-clothed man just now was.
Nie Qinglin’s expression did not change as she said, “That one is a god of plague whom one cannot afford to offend, nor can one avoid.”
However, when the carriage returned to the villa, the god of plague had unexpectedly already arrived first, sitting in the main hall with a expression as dark as unblendable ink.
With a single wave of his hand, the uninvolved people at the door were dismissed.
Nie Qinglin walked over to a chair and slowly sat down, unable to resist glancing at the walking stick placed beside his seat.
“It has been a long time since I last saw the Grand Tutor. Have you been well?”
The Grand Tutor parted his thin lips slightly and said in a cold voice.
“It seems that without this Marquis, the Princess has been living quite well. If this Marquis had failed to show up today, would the Princess not have composed a beautiful tale of a talented scholar and a fair lady with that young brat?”
Nie Qinglin drew back her gaze, her thick black eyelashes lowering as she said,”With the grand tale of the Grand Tutor doting exclusively on the Xiongnu princess preceding this, all else becomes mere triviality. I only wonder what official business brings the Grand Tutor here today?”
Wei Lenghou frowned.
“Where did you hear such nonsense? When did this Marquis ever dote exclusively on some Xiongnu princess?”
Nie Qinglin raised her head in slight surprise.
“The Grand Tutor’s memory is truly short. Could it be that the princess of the Xiongnu Gefan tribe has also become yesterday’s yellow flower in just these few short months?”
Wei Lenghou raised his eyebrows slightly, a look of sudden realization dawning on him.
“And here I wondered why you didn’t send this Marquis a single letter for months, turning out you left the capital carrying a grudge! That princess of the Gefan tribe was betrothed early on to the eldest son of the Marquis of Anbang; the two are a fine match of talent and beauty, perfect to forge a heartwarming tale between friendly nations. In the Princess’s eyes, is this Marquis really someone who lacks such discernment in his tastes?”
Upon hearing this, Nie Qinglin froze for a moment, her small face slowly drooping.
Seeing this, the Grand Tutor felt extremely satisfied, assuming the young woman realized her mistake.
Softening his tone, he reached out his hand and said,”To think you could harbor such petty, baseless jealousy. Why don’t you come over to this Marquis and let me see if my Guo’er has grown thin?”
Nie Qinglin slowly raised her head, but the expression on her face was not the embarrassed fluster he had imagined.
“So that was how it was. Fortunately, the young master of the Marquis of Anbang was willing to relieve the Grand Tutor of his worries. However, national affairs are taxing; if the Grand Tutor has no other business, please return to the capital as soon as possible so as not to delay important matters.”
Saying this, she actually stood up and was about to leave directly.
“Stand right there!”
The Grand Tutor’s temper could no longer be suppressed and erupted all at once.
He had rushed to Jiangnan day and night without rest, his heart full of expectation that upon meeting again, his beauty would softly and affectionately throw herself into his arms to soothe the pain of longing.
But who could have expected that after eagerly rushing to Fanmo Tower along her trail, he would behold the scene of that delicate woman smilingly flirting with that yellow-haired youth?
Possessing a hand of low-class calligraphy and painting, hair not even fully grown, yet daring to try to hook up with Wei Lenghou’s woman!
This shout was so full of vigor that even a grown man’s knees would have gone soft with fear, yet that small woman continued walking outward with steady steps.
Furious, Wei Lenghou stood up, took several quick steps forward with his walking stick to cut in front of her, grabbed her arm, and said,”The Princess has certainly grown bold while living in Jiangnan! Since I have already said it was a misunderstanding, what kind of sullen anger are you nursing now?”
Nie Qinglin smiled bitterly.
“Qinglin has no reliance or backing, and would not dare nurse sullen anger toward the Grand Tutor. I have simply come to understand why I was always so consumed by fear of gain and loss. The Grand Tutor is an outstanding hero among men, a treasure whom the women of the world flock to. But Qinglin is not a brave general capable of guarding a precious treasure. Rather than worrying every day about when I will lose it, it is better never to have possessed it at all. These few months of separation are also enough to prove that the Grand Tutor cannot truly be unable to part with Qinglin… Since we met, we have experienced too many misunderstandings and twists of fate, but I can also feel that the Grand Tutor treated me with genuine affection. I was moved by the Grand Tutor and developed true feelings. Yet even when affection is deep, there comes a time when it fades. Qinglin is a most ordinary woman of the mortal world; if that day truly comes, I will surely be unable to endure the pain and torment of emotional trial. It would be better if the Grand Tutor took pity on me, and while there is still affection, let go of your hand and allow Qinglin to reside long in Jiangnan, sparing me from torment and distress…”
Hearing her words, the Grand Tutor was so enraged that the green veins on his forehead bulged high.
This small woman claimed with every breath to love him, yet turned right around to tell him to let go.
The memory of her weeping bitterly out of heartache when he was gravely injured was still fresh before his eyes, yet in the blink of an eye she had become so cold and indifferent, paying him no mind whatsoever.
What a ruthless heart! And to think he had worried that once she found out, she would surely be so anxious she couldn’t swallow food and would wash her face with tears all day.
Looking at it now, she actually harbored hopes that he would die early so she could freely bat eyes back and forth with those young, tender youths! Drowning such a woman who failed to preserve female virtue in a pig basket wouldn’t even dispel his anger!
Just at that moment, a sudden alarmed cry rang out from outside the hall.
“Sister, save me!”
Nie Qinglin heard that it was the voice of her imperial sister, Princess Shaoyang.
She hurriedly pushed past the Grand Tutor and walked out with quick steps.
In the courtyard, a man built like an iron tower was holding Princess Shaoyang in his arms with a face full of excitement, shouting incessantly.
“My Shaoyang, you didn’t die? I knew I would find you again!”
When Princess Shaoyang had returned from Fanmo Tower and seen her sister being interrogated by the god of plague, she had felt worried in her heart.
They were blood sisters after all; even if she could not remember their past affection, she still subconsciously worried for her.
So after stepping down from the carriage, she had not hurried back to her room, but instead waited in the small garden outside the hall.
However, unexpectedly, in just a short moment, a man built abnormally huge like a giant bear had charged into the courtyard.
Upon seeing her, his bizarre pair of deep blue eyes actually filled with hot tears, and he scooped her up in a single embrace.
Had she truly run into a bear monster in broad daylight? Frightened out of her wits, Shaoyang opened her throat and screamed for dear life, her small mouth biting Xiu Tuhong’s neck until it was dripping with blood.
Such a chaotic scene was truly a headache to behold.
After finally managing to separate the two, they had to be comforted individually.
Xiu Tuhong brushed away the maidservant who tried to apply medicine to his neck, and said with a lonely expression to Wei Lenghou, who was sitting nearby.
“What should I do, she actually forgot me!”
Wei Lenghou kept a wooden expression on his face, the dragon-like scar on his cheek glowing with a subtle, enchanting shade of red.
He said numbly, “Truly forgetting is still better than hardening one’s heart to intentionally forget… Women are not good things at all!”
