Chapter 70: Zhuo Qing Encounters Danger (2)

Zhuo Qing followed behind Lou Xiwu, lowering her head and slowly moving toward the designated location.

A small open space was cleared in the middle of the garden, and five or six rows of stools were placed on both sides of the open space. Zhuo Qing and Lou Xiwu were arranged in the first row on the right. After sitting down, Zhuo Qing closed her eyes to rest, deciding to see nothing and be clean!

Before long, the surrounding sounds suddenly quieted down. Zhuo Qing opened her eyes and saw the Eastern and Western Empress Dowagers walking slowly, surrounded by a group of eunuchs and palace maids. For today's occasion, both of them had carefully dressed up. However, by comparison, Yang Zhilan's attire was relatively simple, and she still had a kind smile on her face. Lou Suxin, on the other hand, was wearing an exaggerated dark red long robe, with a gold silk belt that perfectly presented her good figure. She wore a string of emerald green jade beads around her neck, which, paired with her arrogant expression, really made people afraid to look directly at her.

The two sat down in the main seats in the garden, and everyone knelt down neatly and saluted, "Greetings to the two Empress Dowagers, may the Empress Dowagers be blessed with ten thousand years of peace and good health."

Zhuo Qing squatted down half a beat slower, and Lou Suxin's arrogant voice sounded faintly, "Rise."

"Thank you, Empress Dowager."

After the salute, the young ladies of each family sat back on their chairs, quietly lowering their heads, their demure and elegant appearance forming a sharp contrast with the noise just now.

Yang Zhilan looked at Lou Suxin, and after seeing her nod gently, she smiled and said in a loud voice, "Today, we invited all the young ladies and madams to the palace for a banquet, in order to select talented and virtuous women to perform talents at the celebration. For Qiongyue, this is a matter of face. I won't say much more. The old rules: zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and dance are all fine. The most skilled one wins."

"Let's compare zither skills first. Which young lady will go first?" After Yang Zhilan finished speaking, she swept her eyes around with a smile. The women were still lowering their heads shyly, whispering to each other, but no one came out.

Yang Zhilan smiled gently and said, "Everyone is so modest, then I will specifically name one person to throw a brick to attract jade."

"I have heard that the Qing sisters are known as the most outstanding women in the Six Kingdoms in terms of talent and appearance. At the celebration three years ago, Haoyue brought out a Yongle Landscape Painting that stunned the audience. It is said that it was just a practice work of the three sisters. Today, seeing two of them in the palace, why don't we let the eldest sister of the Qing family, Qing Ling, do this elegant task of throwing a brick to attract jade? What does everyone think?" After speaking, she looked at Zhuo Qing with incomparable care.

The concubines sitting on the side also hurriedly echoed, "That is excellent. This concubine has also often heard people say that the eldest young lady of the Qing family has extremely high zither skills, and the sound lingers for three days without stopping. Everyone who has heard it has nothing but praise. Today, I finally have the opportunity to witness it."

Zhuo Qing, who had been minding her own business and resting with her eyes closed, suddenly opened her eyes and looked back at Yang Zhilan. Their eyes met. Yang Zhilan was still smiling kindly, but Zhuo Qing's eyes darkened. Was this her goal? To make her make a fool of herself in front of everyone? Was this her way of avenging her daughter?!

The two exchanged glances. Yang Zhilan always had a smile on her face and shouted loudly, "Someone, prepare the zither."

"Wait." Zhuo Qing stood up. It wasn't easy to make her make a fool of herself.

Performing a standard bow of a young lady from a famous family, when Zhuo Qing raised her head, she was already full of grievances and low-spirited, replying in a low voice, "Thank you all for your kindness, but unfortunately, I suffered some injuries on the way to Qiongyue, and many things in my memory are very blurry. I can no longer remember all the tunes I was once familiar with. I'm afraid I will disappoint everyone today." Having been with Lou Xiyan for so long, just by watching, she had learned a lot. Pretending, what was so difficult about that?!

Yang Zhilan was about to speak, but Zhuo Qing pulled Lou Xiwu, who was still confused, to her side and continued, "However, I know that Xiwu's zither skills are not below mine. A few days ago, I was talking to Su Mufeng about Xiwu's zither skills, and he also praised them highly. Why don't we let Xiwu throw a brick to attract jade? She will definitely not disappoint everyone."

Lou Xiwu was startled at first, and after reacting, she pinched Zhuo Qing's waist hard. This woman really dared to speak! When did she talk to Young Master Su about her zither skills, and when did Young Master Su praise her?! She didn't even know who he was! And yet she acted as if they were very familiar!

Zhuo Qing felt pain, but couldn't show it at all. This dead girl, her hand was so cruel. She was doing it for her own good, wasn't she? Maybe she would be selected as a guest performer for the celebration and her value would skyrocket!

"Oh?" Yang Zhilan looked at Lou Suxin beside her and smiled, "Sister, I didn't expect Xiwu's zither skills to have such a breakthrough over the years. Since that's the case, let Xiwu play a song."

Lou Suxin's usually arrogant face finally softened a little, and she smiled softly at Lou Xiwu, "Xiwu, then you play a song."

"Yes." Since things had come to this, Lou Xiwu had no choice but to bite the bullet.

Zhuo Qing breathed a sigh of relief. Lou Suxin's attitude toward Xiwu was so gentle, it seemed she really liked her. She didn't need to worry about Xiwu. Even if she messed up the performance, no one would dare to do anything to the Empress Dowager's niece!

Just as she was about to sit down, Yang Zhilan still wouldn't let her go, deliberately smiling softly, "However, just listening to the music is a bit monotonous. Ling'er doesn't remember the tunes, but she must remember how to write. That Yongle Landscape Painting is still in the Imperial Study. It would be good for Ling'er to make another one today for them to witness."

These words, praising on the surface but criticizing in secret, made Zhuo Qing a bit angry. Yang Zhilan was deliberately picking a fight with her, right?! Standing up again, Zhuo Qing's face was obviously dark, "I..."

Zhuo Qing had only said one word when she was interrupted by a cold female voice, "Returning to the Empress Dowager, our sisters usually like to paint together for self-entertainment. Today, let this concubine and my sister paint a picture for everyone, I wonder if it is allowed."

Zhuo Qing raised her eyes and saw that it was Qingfeng. She was actually here too, but she hadn't looked carefully at the group of women opposite her, so it wasn't strange that she hadn't discovered her. But painting together? Was she harming her or helping her?! Did grinding ink on the side count as painting together?!

Yang Zhilan looked at Lou Suxin again and asked with a smile, "Sister, what do you think?" Forget it, there was no need for her to make things difficult for her anymore. The result would be the same anyway.

Zhuo Qing obviously didn't have Lou Xiwu's good luck. Lou Suxin glanced at her sideways and hummed coldly, "That's fine too. I also want to see how talented the Qing sisters are!" She wanted to see what kind of special woman could make Xiyan enter the palace to beg to see her several times!

Pointing to the beautiful lotus flowers blooming in the pond in front, Yang Zhilan smiled, "Sister, now is the season when the lotus flowers are in full bloom. Why don't we let them paint and play the zither by the lotus pond? Beautiful flowers and beautiful people echoing each other, wouldn't that be a beautiful thing?"

"That's fine." Lou Suxin said indifferently, "Someone, prepare the painting tools."

"Yes."

Before long, several nimble eunuchs had moved a large table to the side of the lotus pond. Behind the table was a platform built of wooden boards. This platform was just above the lotus pond, and standing here to admire the flowers felt like being in a flower cluster, which was very beautiful.

Unfortunately, Zhuo Qing was in no mood to admire the flowers now. She said anxiously to the confident Qingfeng beside her, "I really don't know how to paint!"

With a confident smile, Qingfeng replied, "It doesn't matter. Later, after I mix the colors, you just use a brush to draw a few circles at the bottom of the paper."

"Draw circles?" Zhuo Qing was stunned, and quickly asked, "How big? How many? Should they be perfect circles or ovals? Where exactly should they be placed?!" If it was just drawing circles, she could still do it, but please be specific! She would just treat it as a geometry problem!

Qingfeng replied casually, "As you like."

"Ah?!" Zhuo Qing was dumbfounded. How was she supposed to paint like this?

She was still melancholy when the ink on the table had been ground, and the paper had been spread out. The eunuchs retreated to the side and said respectfully, "The painting tools have been prepared. Two masters, please."

Zhuo Qing stood beside Qingfeng and saw her skillfully pour half of the ink into a white porcelain dish beside her, and carefully mix in clear water. After a while, Qingfeng said, "Start."

With a large sheet of rice paper spread out before her, Zhuo Qing really felt like laughing and crying. Where should she start?! If she had known she would have such an encounter, she could have considered learning calligraphy and traditional Chinese painting from her mother, and she wouldn't be at a loss as to where to start now!

Forget it, Qingfeng wasn't worried, so why should she be? Taking a deep breath, Zhuo Qing drew a circle a little bigger than a fist at the bottom of the white paper. Qingfeng's ink was a bit light, leaving a shallow mark on the white paper. Zhuo Qing looked at Qingfeng. Her expression remained the same, and she was preparing red cinnabar, probably to paint lotus flowers.

Since she had no objections, Zhuo Qing didn't care anymore. She boldly drew a dozen circles on the paper, some big and some small. By the time she finished, Zhuo Qing didn't know how to continue... The white paper was a mess because of her...

At this moment, Qingfeng seemed to be ready too. She picked up a relatively thin brush and quickly outlined a few strokes on those messy circles. A piece of vivid lotus leaf actually appeared. Her movements were very fast, and with a few casual strokes, the originally chaotic composition immediately became a lifelike lotus pond. It was simply amazing!

Just as Zhuo Qing was marveling, a zither sound like jade beads falling on a jade plate sounded melodiously. Zhuo Qing raised her head. Not far in front, Lou Xiwu sat gracefully in front of the zither, her slender fingers flowing across the strings, and the brisk tune echoed in the Imperial Garden. This girl's zither skills were really good!

"Done."

Zhuo Qing was still enjoying Lou Xiwu's zither sound when Qingfeng's cold voice sounded low.

Done? So fast? It was about the same time as she spent drawing circles!

Looking down again, Zhuo Qing was completely stunned by the painting in front of her———

In front of her was an elegant ink painting. Using only black of varying shades, it expressed the lotus leaves and the lake water vividly. The contrast between the cinnabar and the white space painted the newly blooming lotus, which echoed with the ink color, appearing pink and fresh. The most magical thing was that there seemed to be many small water droplets condensed on the lotus leaves and lotus petals. The whole painting seemed to be permeated with a faint water vapor, vaguely shrouding the ink leaves and pink lotus, just like a new lotus blooming after the rain!

In the upper left corner of the painting, a few small characters were written, "Covered in morning dew, who in the world is jealous," the font was graceful and the brushwork was smooth.

How could this be! In such a short time, Zhuo Qing couldn't believe that this was the sheet of rice paper she had just tortured!

She had seen it, what a true talented woman was.

Qingfeng slowly put down the brush and pulled Zhuo Qing back a step, letting the eunuchs standing by the side carry the wooden table toward the Empress Dowager in front.

Just finished, the paper was too soft to be picked up. Lou Suxin and Yang Zhilan both stood up and walked toward the long table, and at a glance, both of their eyes lit up. Lou Suxin even rarely praised, "It really lives up to its reputation!"

Such a work, even for someone who specifically studied painting, might not be able to paint it without thirty or fifty years of skill!

Yang Zhilan also nodded and smiled, "Concubine Qing, come over and tell us the meaning of your poem."

"Yes." Qingfeng walked over slowly, while Zhuo Qing stood on the wooden platform breathing fresh air. If she could, she really wanted to leave early.

Watching Qingfeng walk over, Yang Zhilan swept a glance at the palace maid who had been standing behind her without a trace, and the palace maid slowly retreated.

Walking to the painting, Qingfeng raised her head slightly, smiled proudly, and said in a loud voice, "Actually, the meaning is very simple. The lotus, with its noble and elegant character, is not contaminated by the filth of the world. It is precisely because of such quality that it is also envied by the world."

"Well said." Lou Suxin nodded approvingly. She just liked women who were proud and arrogant!

There was constant praise over there, and Zhuo Qing just stretched lazily. Women in this ancient times were really not easy, zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting were all indispensable!

Standing on the edge of the wooden platform, Zhuo Qing sighed while touching the lotus leaves beside her. Suddenly, Zhuo Qing felt a sway under her feet, and heard the sound of wood breaking in her ears. Before she could react, the wooden platform collapsed, and losing her balance, Zhuo Qing fell into the lotus pond...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 71 =====