During this period, Luo Jing Bo didn’t really just have Jing Wan help him blend colors either. He himself had also put in a lot of hard work too.
When the painting got sent over to Sun Yi Jia’s side, there were still quite a few people crowding around her. How was it not because they wanted to borrow the opportunity to see this first ever gongbi masterpiece. Just hearing the servant girls pass on the various praises from outside, who knows whether or not they were exaggerating.
The others all impatiently urged Sun Yi Jia to open it.
Sun Yi Jia, although was still excited, compared to at the start, has actually calmed down quite a bit. Originally, she wanted to call for a servant girl to help, but someone volunteered themselves instead, even having the intention to forcibly take.
Sun Yi Jia worried that it would get damaged, and subconsciously loosened her grip. As a result, it got snatched away by someone. In that instant, Sun Yi Jia’s heart even birth a violent anger. In the past, which one of these people had the guts to dare snatch something from her hands. As expected, because she was disfigured, she was being degraded, and because her mood these last two days was good, she didn’t lash out. But did they think she was a pushover?
The painting was already spread open. Everyone who saw all went silent. These young ladies of the boudoir, compared to the carefree and unrestrained nature of the freehand style, naturally liked this kind of delicate and exquisite work even more. They practically were captivated instantly. “Painted really well.”
However, recalling the words previously heard from outside, this representing Luo Jing Bo’s feelings for Sun Yi Jia, did it mean that this phoenix represented Sun Yi Jia, and he, Luo Jing Bo, was actually one of the hundreds of birds? Revering her, worshipping her? This made many of them give birth to a ‘wanting to have the person swallowed’ kind of jealousy. Just a lowly disfigured slut, she was also worthy? Merely just considering on behalf of the Ding Duke Manor!
But, why wasn’t it them? Why weren’t they able to encounter this kind of person?
“Younger sister best be careful, if you rip this this painting, father will have to make you throw in your little life.” Sun Yi Jia suddenly spoke in a cold tone.
Everyone finally noticed that a corner of the painting was being held in the hands of a certain shu younger sister of Sun Yi Jia’s. The edge was even somewhat wrinkled. The movement of those two hands, and also those two eyes reddened with resentment, she clearly was thinking of having the painting ripped in half. That wasn’t anyone else, it was precisely the one that tried to pick on Sun Yi Jia but got slapped last time when Sun Yi Lin had gotten drunk.
The girl panicked and quickly let go, “I, I wasn’t……..”
The doorway’s curtain was lifted open. The Ding Duchess walked in with a cold expression. The crowd hurriedly moved out of the way. The painting was put onto the table. Because it was spread open, a portion of it was hanging off the table. Sun Yi Jia hurriedly went forward, and under her wet nurse’s help, had the painting rolled up. Caressing that creased corner, and also that tiny little gash, she heartached endlessly.
Seeing this, the Ding Duchess’s eyes further froze over. She went forward two steps, and slapped her palm over, “Lowly spawn, just can’t bear to see your di older sister’s good fortune. If you really rip it, never mind the Duke won’t forgive, even this madam will skin you alive. The Duke said, seeing that this is Yi Jia’s happy occasion, to lift your confinement, but this madam shouldn’t have been merciful and lenient. Someone come, have this lowly spawn dragged back to her courtyard for me, have her servants all taken away, then get a big lock and have her courtyard gate locked up.”
That girl finally knew to be scared. She didn’t dare to deny, only hurriedly begging for forgiveness, “Madam, madam, I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong, won’t you forgive me this time, I won’t dare to next time, won’t dare to again……..”
“You still want to have a next time? First think about whether or not you’ll have the fortune to walk out of your courtyard. Have her mouth stuffed for me.”
Once the Ding Duchess lashed out, it had the others unbearably terrified. In the past, the Ding Duchess wasn’t like this, this was not even wanting one’s reputation anymore? But, this kind of Ding Duchess made them not dare utter a single word outside.
Sun Yi Jia coldly looked to this bunch of ‘sisters’ that were trembling in fear. She carefully had the painting put back into the brocade box, “Mother, today is indeed a good day, one ought to be happy.”
The Ding Duchess’s expression warmed up a bit, “Still not getting lost, waiting for this madam to ‘ask’ each and every one of you all?”
The crowd rushed towards the door like the tide, disregarding even the most basic etiquettes.
In an instant, only the mother and daughter pair remained in the room, as well as a few servants. The Ding Duchess’s residual anger had a hard time dispersing.
“Mother, don’t be angry anymore. Actually I very much agree with little sister Wan’s words, there’s no harm in evaluating twenty years down the line. Today, they are jealous that I’m about to marry a good husband, cursing that after I marry, have all kinds of hardships. But I believe, twenty years later, they will be even more jealous, and I will live better than any of them, sweet on the surface, and even sweeter in the heart.”
“Mother was worried that you’d feel wronged, but looks like I worried for nothing. Why don’t you return to your own courtyard. This painting, you better keep safe, if by chance any one of them set their sights on it and damage it, or it gets lost, when time comes, you’ll be the one crying.”
“Mother, rest assured, anything can get lost or damaged, but it definitely won’t.”
“Just look at you, afraid that heart has long flown away. As expected, when the daughter has grown, she must be married off.” The Ding Duchess could tell, after they’d returned from the Grand Elder Princess’s birthday banquet, this daughter of hers actually liked that Luo family brat a lot. “Alright, I’m also too lazy to bother with you, as long as you’re happy, that’s enough. Mother can be said to have not let you down.” The Ding Duchess was strangely a little sentimental.
“Mother……”
“Enough, enough, just go back, I’m still busy.” The Ding Duchess used a brocade handkerchief to press against the corner of her eye, and then left.
Just as Sun Yi Jia returned to her own courtyard, she got called over by someone sent by her grandmother. Sun Old Madam has been increasingly reclusive as of late. Even the Grand Elder Princess’s birthday banquet, she didn’t attend either. And calling Sun Yi Jia over at this time, she didn’t have too much to say either, just telling her, for her to be able to marry into the Luo family in the end should be her good fortune. In the future, properly live out her days, and appreciate one’s good fortune.
Afterwards, she had someone take out a small jewelry box, “Grandmother doesn’t have anything good to give you either, only have this last bit of something from the bottom of the trunk, just accept it.”
“Grandmother, I can’t have this.”
“Told you to take it, so just take it. In this rear court, would they let this old woman freeze or starve?”
“Grandmother………”
“Jia’er, you’re a good child. Although you suffered some hardships, those actually all don’t count as anything. You haven’t experienced true hardship before. Grandmother also hopes that in this lifetime, you will never experience it.”
Sun Yi Jia cuddled next to Sun Old Madam’s side, quiet without a word.
Sure enough, just as predicted, in less than two hours, news of the Luo family’s third young master, Luo Jing Bo, inventing a new painting style spread. Among the scholars, especially those that are very fond of painting, this caused quite an uproar.
However, due to the timing of that painting’s appearance, some people believed that he was truly someone with deep feelings, some people believed that he was putting on an appearance, and there were also some that believed this was practically an insult to painting. In short, he was being enthusiastically discussed by others. Naturally, there were also those, who believed themselves to be lofty and unsullied but in actuality were pedantic old men, that cursed him as nothing more than an immature young brat, yet still dared to call oneself the creator of a new painting style, practically not knowing the immensity of the heaven and earth[1]. This kind of person was practically just ruining the reputation of painters.
These discussions naturally still haven’t passed on to Luo Jing Bo’s ears. However, even if they did, he probably wouldn’t care either. Every new idea, during the process of getting accepted by others, would always have those either good or bad remarks. Not only did his grandfather and father told him this, his younger sister had also said the same thing. What he needed to do was to just maintain an ordinary mindset.
Speaking of which, in the Qi Yuan dynasty, the matters of the imperial exam didn’t belong to the Ministry of Rites. Otherwise, the Ministry of Rites position wouldn’t be this low. In the Qi Yuan dynasty, it ranked last among the six ministries. That’s why, Luo Pei Shan, in comparison, was still relatively idle. After morning court ended, his entire person just appeared leisurely.
(T/N: Historically, the Ministry of Rites usually oversees the imperial exam, but there are parts of this novel’s government system that differs from actual history. See my historical notes page for more detail.)
As soon as Luo Pei Shan stepped out of the palace gates, he was immediately stopped by someone, “Sir Luo, your Luo family sure is impressive.” The person speaking was one of the cabinet ministers. However, among the four cabinet ministers, he ranked last, and similarly, also Li Hong Ming’s father-in-law (Rui Wangfei’s father).
What is this sour scent? “Elder Liu, what do you mean by this?” Luo Pei Shan had a very puzzled look on his face.
“Sir Luo, no need to pretend with me, one’s own grandson having good future prospects is a good thing.”
Luo Pei Shan’s face was still a question mark, “Asking Sir Liu to express clearly.”
Cabinet Minister Liu inwardly cursed at him, “Heard today that your noble residence’s third young master went to the Ding Duke Manor to send the betrothal gifts, and even took a special betrothal gift. Sir Luo should at least know what it is, right?”
Luo Pei Shan nodded in realization, “Sir Liu is referring to that hundred birds facing the phoenix painting? It’s nothing more than my grandson’s inferior work, not worth mentioning.” He even unconcernedly waved his hand.
“What this old man heard wasn’t some inferior work, clearly it was an outstanding masterpiece, not to mention the gongbi style.”
[1] More literal translation would be ‘not knowing how high the sky is and how thick the earth’; idiom meaning an exaggerated opinion of one’s own abilities.
