Yao Huang really liked His Highness Prince Hui's paintings, but this time she chose the stone bridge in Lingshan Town as the painting location. This was to allow Prince Hui to become more accustomed to being among crowds and more used to the gazes from his surroundings. Therefore, on the day she first took Prince Hui out, Yao Huang ran to the stone bridge first and asked him if the scenery on the bridge was beautiful. This way, when she actually asked him for a painting, it wouldn't seem too abrupt.
Yao Huang was seventeen years old. Before this, it had always been her friends and family who tried every possible way to coax her and make her happy. His Highness Prince Hui was the only person who had made Yao Huang expend so much thought.
But who could blame her, since Prince Hui was her husband, the person she would share a bed and live under the same roof with for decades?
Her wealth and glory came from His Highness Prince Hui, and this alone was worth Yao Huang putting effort into him. Moreover, His Highness Prince Hui's leniency and indulgence toward her, and the brief smile that finally appeared on his face, all made Yao Huang more motivated and full of drive to help the Prince regain his vitality.
"Why aren't you speaking? Are you going to paint for me or not?"
Yao Huang had set the date for painting, but Prince Hui delayed giving an answer, so she had to tug at his sleeve.
Zhao Sui's eyes were blindfolded with a cyan skirt ribbon, but he could still clearly see the princess consort's pleading gaze.
A moment later, he nodded.
.
His Highness Prince Hui liked staying in the study. When setting out from the capital, he brought two chests of books and one chest of writing materials, which included a box of pigments that might be used for painting.
On the evening of the eighteenth, Qingai and Feiquan prepared the pigments, easel, small table, and other items. The next day after breakfast, Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui's wheelchair to set out, while his younger cousin Feiquan followed behind carrying the items.
The sun rose in the east. Standing on the bridge and looking west, Yao Huang was not exposed to the sun. Prince Hui's wheelchair was parked behind a weeping willow on the bank, which not only allowed him to clearly see the princess consort's dress and face but also spared him from being scorched by the fierce sun when it rose higher.
Feiquan first helped the Prince set up the easel and arrange the pigments. Yao Huang stretched her body on the bridge while pondering what kind of pose to strike.
Mid-June was not the busy farming season, so there were quite a few idle neighbors on both banks. Attracted by the spectacle of Scholar Liao and his wife, they gradually gathered around.
"Scholar Liao, are you about to paint?"
Feiquan smiled and replied, "Yes, my second sister-in-law especially likes the scenery of our town, and it just so happens that my second brother is good at painting, so he came to paint a picture."
There were not many promising young men studying in the town, let alone engaging in the elegant pursuit of painting, which required more skill and financial support. The neighbors' interest grew stronger. Some even ran home specifically to bring back stools, looking as if they intended to watch Scholar Liao paint the entire process. As the news gradually spread, more and more neighbors gathered here, including men, women, the elderly, and the young, no longer just women.
Zhao Sui looked at the princess consort at the head of the bridge. Today, she wore a light blue upper garment and a plain white waist-high long skirt. The blue color made her look very dignified and composed, suitable for such an occasion of being surrounded by onlookers while being painted. The princess consort's face was also slightly lowered, with one hand resting on the top of the adjacent railing. It looked as if she was admiring the fish, or perhaps hiding some inner thoughts.
Seeing Scholar Liao pick up his paintbrush, the neighbors gathered around stopped talking at Feiquan's gesture.
Zhao Sui first painted the section of the stone bridge where the princess consort stood.
Shopkeeper Hu, who sold writing materials in town, watched for a while and softly praised, "Wonderful. These few strokes by Scholar Liao seem casual, yet they vividly bring the weather-beaten stone bridge to life on the paper. Such skill means either Scholar Liao has extraordinary talent or he has spent at least a dozen years of painstaking practice to achieve this."
The neighbors, who did not understand the techniques but felt that Scholar Liao indeed painted very well, all nodded in agreement.
After finishing the small section of the stone bridge, Zhao Sui began to paint the beauty on the bridge, starting from the neck.
Painting requires patience, and so does watching someone paint. Some neighbors lost interest after watching for a long time and walked away. Some had to tend to their shops or busy themselves with other livelihoods. People came and went. In the end, those standing closely behind Prince Hui to watch the painting from a short distance were actually the neighbors from the east and west ends of their new residence. On one side were Madam Zhu and the siblings He Wenbin and He Wenqi. On the other side were Squire Qi, whose black hair was mixed with silver threads, and his second wife, Madam Lu. Sandwiched between these two families was Shopkeeper Hu, who loved elegance and could not bear to leave.
Shopkeeper Hu offered praise every now and then. Under his explanation, the neighbors increasingly understood how exquisite Scholar Liao's painting skills were.
Shopkeeper Hu said, "I saw a painting worth a hundred taels of silver in a calligraphy and painting shop in the capital. Thinking about it carefully, it is actually inferior to Scholar Liao's work by three points!"
The neighbors gasped in awe!
Hearing this on the bridge, Yao Huang secretly laughed in her heart. If a piece of His Highness Prince Hui's calligraphy or painting were put out, there would be plenty of wealthy merchants scrambling to buy it even for a thousand taels of silver.
After Zhao Sui finished painting the princess consort's dress, hands, and arms, he began to paint her head, still leaving the facial features blank for the very end.
Madam Zhu had long been displeased hearing Shopkeeper Hu continuously praise Scholar Liao right in front of her son, who was a provincial graduate. At this moment, seeing Scholar Liao signal that the young lady could come off the bridge, Madam Zhu could not help but say, "They always say 'paint the dragon and dot the eyes.' The facial features, especially the eyes, should be the part that tests painting skills the most, right? Scholar Liao, keep painting and let us all broaden our horizons."
Zhao Sui turned a deaf ear and simply continued to hold his brush and paint.
Feiquan scoffed at Madam Zhu, "Are you an examiner? Does he have to listen to you on how to paint?"
Everyone else had offered words of praise, but the moment this person opened her mouth, it made everyone uncomfortable, full of provocative arrogance.
Madam Zhu: "..."
Naturally, there were also people around who disliked Madam Zhu's usual behavior. They jeered, "Shopkeeper Hu, previously the best painter in our town was Wenbin. Now, evaluate it for us. How does Scholar Liao's painting compare to Wenbin's?"
Before Shopkeeper Hu could answer, another person laughed, "This is hard to judge. According to what Shopkeeper Hu just said, Scholar Liao's painting is worth more than a hundred taels. Our Wenbin isn't bad either. A while ago, Squire Qi offered a reward of ten taels of silver to ask Wenbin to paint a birthday celebration picture for him, and Wenbin turned it down. It shows that Wenbin's paintings might also be worth a hundred taels."
The mentioned Squire Qi stroked his beard and continued to watch Scholar Liao paint.
He Wenbin glanced at the beauty from the painting, who had already approached the crowd and heard all those words just now, and his face flushed with embarrassment.
Madam Zhu glared at the two people who were jeering and explained on behalf of her son, "It's not what you say at all. Squire Qi is our old neighbor. As long as his birthday was at a different time, Wenbin would have painted for him without taking any money. Isn't it just because he happens to be preparing for the spring imperial examination? The spring examination is such an important matter. Where would he have the free time to waste his energy on painting?"
Hearing that these words carried a hint of mockery toward his own Prince's crippled legs and lack of need to prepare for the spring examination, Feiquan laughed, "He has no time to paint for Squire Qi, but he has the time to come here and watch my second brother paint?"
Madam Zhu was about to retort again, but He Wenbin pulled his mother back and said to Squire Qi, "Uncle Qi, I was thinking wrongly before. Studying should also combine work and rest. Practicing calligraphy and painting are elegant pursuits that cultivate the mind and character. As long as Uncle Qi doesn't mind, I can paint for you today."
Squire Qi smiled amiably, "How could that be? The spring examination is still more important. Worthy nephew, you absolutely must not be distracted by this old man's affairs."
"Right, right, right. You absolutely must not delay Wenbin's time, sir. Otherwise, if something happens next year, you will still have to take the blame."
This was practically cursing her son to fail his exams! Madam Zhu was furious. Pointing at the person, she scolded, "Filthy mouths cannot utter decent words! Is that any way to speak? I..."
Feiquan jumped up and shooed the mother and her two children back. "Go, go, go! If you want to argue, take it somewhere else. Do not ruin my second brother's mood for painting."
He Wenbin and his sister were young and cared about their reputation, so they pulled their mother away together.
The sun climbed higher, and the spectating neighbors gradually dispersed. By the time Zhao Sui paused his brush, the princess in his painting was only missing her facial features. Besides Yao Huang and Feiquan, the only person left beside him was Squire Qi, who was sitting on a rock by the bank fanning himself.
Feiquan took charge of packing up the supplies. Yao Huang turned Prince Hui's wheelchair toward Squire Qi and smiled. "We are heading back. Would you like to walk with us, sir?"
Squire Qi nodded cheerfully and spoke sincerely to Prince Hui. "I have not read many books and do not know how to praise people properly. But seeing my worthy nephew's painting today, I finally understand why some are willing to spend hundreds or thousands of gold for the calligraphy and paintings of famous masters."
Zhao Sui replied, "It is merely a clumsy work. You flatter me, sir."
Squire Qi walked beside the wheelchair, waving his palm-leaf fan, and sighed. "Worthy nephew, you heard everything just now. I will be celebrating my sixtieth birthday on the twenty-ninth of this month. I did not engage in any elegant pursuits in my youth, but now that I am old, I suddenly wish to ask someone to paint a birthday portrait of me surrounded by my children and grandchildren. Nephew He is busy, and I absolutely dare not disturb him again. I wonder if you would be willing to do me this favor? As for the payment, please forgive me, but my fortune has been drained by a courtyard full of descendants. Right now, I can only offer ten taels of silver. Any more and my family will make a fuss, which would defeat the purpose."
When he was young, he had hoped for a flourishing line of descendants. Only when he truly had a large family did he realize that descendants were basically debt collectors. Giving to one meant he had to give to another, and every pair of eyes was fixed on the meager savings he held in his hands.
Yao Huang looked at the top of Prince Hui's head. This was an admirer he had attracted himself; she was not going to interfere.
Zhao Sui glanced at the hem of Squire Qi's robes. Beneath the coarse clothing was a pair of worn cloth shoes. The man was frugal with himself, yet willing to spend a significant sum for a painting.
While he was painting, this old squire had first stood, then eventually sat off to the side. His eyes had remained fixed on the painting and the brush the entire time. It was obvious that he genuinely appreciated the art.
The He family scholar had no spare time, but Zhao Sui indeed had plenty of it.
Zhao Sui asked, "What kind of birthday portrait do you want, sir?"
Squire Qi was overjoyed. After a moment of excitement, he said nervously, "It might be a bit troublesome. I want a picture of me sitting in the seat of honor in the main hall, with my three sons sitting on either side, and my grandsons and granddaughters kneeling in the middle kowtowing to me. The grandchildren's faces will not be visible, so a simple sketch for them is fine. But it would be best if my three sons and I are clearly recognizable. I just thought that when I pass away, the three of them might look at it and remain harmonious..."
Yao Huang felt this was a long shot for Squire Qi. The Qi family had about seven or eight grandchildren, right? Even just painting them kneeling from the back would take considerable effort, not to mention having to clearly depict the faces of four adults. Prince Hui was accustomed to solitude; would he really have the patience to paint all this for an old man he barely knew?
After walking in silence for a stretch of the road, Prince Hui finally spoke. "I can do it. However, every time I come to paint, your family must be ready and waiting in the main hall beforehand. Once I arrive, I will begin painting immediately, and I do not want to hear any idle gossip. Considering the children are young, I will tolerate them making a noise three times. Any more than that, and the arrangement is canceled."
Squire Qi was thrilled beyond expectation and repeatedly promised that they would strictly follow the rules.
The old man escorted the young couple all the way to their front door before finally taking his leave.
Once Feiquan closed the front gates, Yao Huang stepped in front of Prince Hui and said in amazement, "Since when did Second Master become so accommodating? Even I have to coax you just to get a painting."
Feiquan quietly slipped away into the reverse-facing rooms in the front courtyard.
Zhao Sui looked up at his princess. "Did you coax me when you asked for a painting?"
Yao Huang smiled, leaned over to tug at his sleeve, and gently swayed it back and forth as she said, "This is what you call coaxing."
Zhao Sui was speechless.
