Chapter 489

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said: "If it's not open, then it's closed; if you're not happy, naturally you care."

Princess Anping had already given him a thumbs-up; the old man beside them laughed and said, "You two young people are truly a talented man and a beautiful woman, a perfect match."

Those words made Princess Anping blush uncontrollably; she somewhat embarrassedly shook her head and said, "Sir, you've misunderstood."

Another old woman came over and also handed Hu Xiaotian a cloth tiger, smiling, "How could my old man be wrong? At a glance I can tell you two are deeply in love, hearts in sync."

Hu Xiaotian took the cloth tiger and gave a dry laugh. "Talented man and beautiful woman?" These old folks' eyesight is too sharp. Princess Anping then remembered Wen Boyuan was still behind her, and hurriedly stepped forward. After Hu Xiaotian thanked the two elders, he took his prize and left. Looking again, Wen Boyuan's face had turned ashen; of course he also heard the old couple's words clearly. He silently cursed the old couple for being blind—how could a noble princess possibly be a good match with a lowly eunuch? What suitability could there be?

Princess Anping deliberately put distance between herself and Hu Xiaotian, but she heard Wen Boyuan behind her pointing at a flower lantern and saying, "Big or small, the price is cheap!" He looked at Hu Xiaotian and said, "I've solved this lantern riddle!"

Everyone was looking at him, but Wen Boyuan stared only at Hu Xiaotian, saying word by word, "Lowly wretch!"

Hu Xiaotian was delighted inside; this guy was obviously jealous. Seeing Princess Anping treat him so well, this guy's jealousy flared. "Damn it, you're the lowly wretch! We're a couple out for a stroll, and you, this big lightbulb, tagging along behind us, are really an eyesore!"

Although Wen Boyuan harbored ill intentions, his guess at the lantern riddle was correct. After all, he came from a learned family and indeed had some talent.

Princess Anping was in high spirits, and she consecutively solved several lantern riddles, also winning quite a few prizes.

The snow had stopped at some point; ahead, lanterns blazed brightly. A young scholar in tattered robes was there selling paintings. Although many were piled on the table, no one inquired. To attract customers, the scholar spread out paper on the table and did a live ink-splashing.

Princess Anping also loved painting, and since she rarely went out, everything felt novel. She therefore went over to look, only to see the young scholar painting a plum blossom picture—bold brushstrokes, ink colors crisscrossing, giving it some vigor. However, the detailing and outlining lacked refinement.

Princess Anping asked Wen Boyuan, "Brother Wen, how do you think this painting is?"

Wen Boyuan had specialized in bird-and-flower painting for many years and was a direct disciple of the master Liu Qing Shan; his eye was exceptional. Hearing Princess Anping ask for his opinion, he smiled indifferently and said, "A mere doodle. That's the extent of its skill." His tone was full of disdain.

The young scholar, upon hearing such evaluation, flushed with anger, lifted his head and glared at Wen Boyuan, saying, "You seem to be someone who understands painting. Why don't you paint something for me to see?"

Wen Boyuan said nothing, but actually walked over and took the brush from the scholar's hand. Seeing that Wen Boyuan truly intended to paint on the spot, the scholar laid out a fresh sheet of xuan paper for him. Yet Wen Boyuan's brush flowed like dragons and snakes; with just a few strokes he sketched a white plum branch extending sideways. An expert can tell at once whether there's skill; even Long Xi Yue couldn't help silently praising Wen Boyuan's bird-and-flower painting ability as not being in vain.

Upon seeing the white plum painted by Wen Boyuan, the young scholar was momentarily speechless. He leaned in for a closer look and said softly, "This white plum bears the style of Master Liu Qing Shan; this young master truly has an extraordinary hand. I am Yang Lingqi. May I ask your esteemed name, sir?"

Wen Boyuan completely ignored him, placed the brush on the stand, turned and left, thereby expressing his contempt for the scholar. The young scholar, receiving such cold treatment, was embarrassed to the extreme.

Princess Anping felt somewhat unwilling; she gave Hu Xiaotian a look, he understood her intention, walked over and placed a silver ingot on the table. Unexpectedly, the young scholar picked up the silver ingot and handed it back, saying, "Sir, I, Yang Lingqi, may be destitute, but I merely sell calligraphy and paintings to make a living; I am not a beggar."

Hu Xiaotian laughed and said, "I never said you were a beggar; this silver ingot is to buy your plum blossom picture. By the way, your right arm seems injured—it must have affected you considerably." Hu Xiaotian observed minutely; while watching Yang Lingqi paint earlier he had noticed his movements were unnatural, and when Yang Lingqi returned the silver ingot he saw a deep knife scar on the back of his hand, which had healed but likely left his right hand not fully functional.

Yang Lingqi said, "Please forgive my clumsiness, sir."

Hu Xiaotian pointed at his palm and said, "May I see your hand?"

Yang Lingqi extended his hand; the five fingers of his right hand could not fully straighten. Hu Xiaotian deduced that the knife wound on the back of his hand had severed part of the tendons, and the subsequent recovery had been unsatisfactory, leaving a sequela. Hu Xiaotian then turned his gaze to the left hand; Yang Lingqi's left hand remained perpetually hidden within his sleeve. From Hu Xiaotian's gaze he understood the other's meaning and said calmly, "My left hand is gone, sir; no need to look."

Seeing the young man before him, Hu Xiaotian couldn't help feeling sympathy; he said softly, "To be able to paint such a picture with such a hand is already no small feat; I will buy this plum blossom picture."

Yang Lingqi said, "I appreciate your kindness, sir, but..."

Hu Xiaotian placed the silver ingot back on the table, seized the plum blossom picture, and turned to leave.

After only a few steps, Yang Lingqi came running up from behind: "Sir, please wait!"

Hu Xiaotian stopped, thinking Yang Lingqi had come again to return money, but saw Yang Lingqi holding out a painting and saying, "Sir, if you insist on buying, this is one of my earlier works; please take it."

Hu Xiaotian took the painting and slowly unrolled the scroll. It was a small bird-and-flower work: several slender bamboo stalks, a strange rock, on which a lone little bird stood beside the water, with a few fish swimming in the water beneath. The composition was ethereal, the brushwork fresh and clear, the whole scene full of lively charm—both brush and ink had reached the point of perfection. At a glance Hu Xiaotian knew this was definitely a masterpiece; seeing the signature on the picture bearing Yang Lingqi's name, he inadvertently noticed a small line: "Painted by Lingqi on the ninth day of the first month of the Gengshen year, at home in Qingyun Lane, Qingyun, Xichuan."

Although the painting amazed Hu Xiaotian, it hadn't shocked him too much—until he saw the inscription and discovered that Yang Lingqi actually came from Qingyun County. A feeling of meeting an old friend in a foreign land welled up in his heart, and Hu Xiaotian exclaimed delightedly, "Master Yang, are you from Qingyun County in Xichuan?" Yet hearing Yang Lingqi speak, he detected no trace of that local accent.

Yang Lingqi replied, "My ancestral home is not there, but I have lived in Qingyun County, Xichuan."

Hu Xiaotian asked, "Master Yang, have you ever been to Qingyun Bridge, or dined at the Wild Goose Pavilion?"

Upon hearing Hu Xiaotian mention several landmark buildings of Qingyun County as if counting his own treasures, Yang Lingqi's face lit up with pleasant surprise: "Sir, have you also been to Qingyun?"

Hu Xiaotian thought to himself, "Not only have I been there, I once served as the magistrate of Qingyun County."

Actually, after asking those questions Yang Lingqi realized his inquiry was redundant—if Hu Xiaotian had never been to Qingyun, how could he know such details so clearly? He therefore clasped his hands and said, "May I dare ask your esteemed name, sir?"

Hu Xiaotian said, "My surname is Hu."

"Ah, so you are Master Hu."

At that moment, Long Xi Yue and the others in the distance stopped and looked over, also puzzled as to why Hu Xiaotian would show such great interest in this poor scholar. Wen Boyuan was visibly impatient, furrowed his brow, and told Zhan Peng, "Go urge him along."

Zhan Peng was about to go over, but Long Xi Yue said, "No need." In her view, Hu Xiaotian must have stopped for a reason.

Hu Xiaotian felt the name Yang Lingqi was very familiar, as if he had heard someone mention it before. He searched his memory and suddenly recalled that when he first met his second brother Xiao Tianmu at Red Willow Village, Xiao Tianmu had mentioned that before him there had been a Magistrate Yang of Qingyun County, an upright and unyielding official who had been harmed by villains, and it seemed his missing son was named exactly this. Hu Xiaotian's memory was extraordinary; even such a minor detail was etched clearly in his mind. He sized up Yang Lingqi and said softly, "Qingyun County once had a Magistrate Yang; I wonder if Master Yang knows of him?"

Upon hearing Hu Xiaotian bring up this matter, Yang Lingqi's face changed to astonishment. He pursed his lips, turned and fled, even neglecting his own painting stall. After taking two steps, a person blocked his path; Yang Lingqi nearly bumped into the person's chest, looked up, and seeing it was none other than Hu Xiaotian, he trembled and said, "Who are you? Why do you persistently press me?"

Seeing Yang Lingqi's state, Hu Xiaotian already knew he had guessed his identity correctly. This Yang Lingqi had fallen to such a state; who knows how much human suffering he had endured. He sighed and said, "Master Yang, don't panic; I am Hu Xiaotian, who once succeeded your father's position in Qingyun."

Upon hearing Hu Xiaotian's name, Yang Lingqi looked at him half-believing, half-doubting: "You... you are Hu Xiaotian?"

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, "Exactly, it is I."

Yang Lingqi's expression then eased a little, and he said softly, "I have heard of your name, Sir; I know you are a good official..."

Hu Xiaotian said, "Master Yang, how did you come to this state? What exactly happened?"

Yang Lingqi sighed and said, "This is a long story." He glanced at his painting stall; just then someone passed by to buy a picture, and he said, "I must get back to work, Master Hu; your friends are also waiting for you."

Hu Xiaotian nodded and said, "Master Yang, where do you reside now?"

Yang Lingqi did not directly answer his question, but said gloomily, "These past few days I have been setting up my stall here to sell paintings." (To be continued~^~)