Chapter 64 Part 2

Pei’s son had entered the capital, and he couldn’t be eliminated for the time being. Liu Ceye was afraid that he would be used by the Feng family, so he wanted to win him over with the Wei family. The Wei family, being related to the Crown Prince by marriage, would be an ideal match if the marriage went through; at worst, they could dissolve it later. Even if it didn’t work out, as long as there was some contact, it would be an opportunity for the crown prince to show his influence to the officials. Especially after the crown prince was imprisoned some time ago, he was more eager to ease the relationship with Pei Xiaoyuan, which prompted him to ask the emperor’s intervention. The emperor’s lack of objection could be seen as his intention to ease the longstanding enmity between the two families and affirm the Crown Prince’s stable position.

Therefore, he expected that Pei Xiaoyuan would give face to the Wei family, or the crown prince, no matter what, and at least maintain relations with the Wei family.

He had never thought that he would not come to the Wei family’s birthday party. Only Cui Daosi showed up that day, saying that his nephew was busy with official business and could not get away.

Liu Ceye had been very upset about this matter these days. On one hand, he suspected that Pei Xiaoyuan would be used by the Feng family, and on the other hand, he was even more worried. Did the emperor secretly instruct him to do this? At this moment, he was in no mood to appease Xiao Liu shi. He was not polite and complained: “If it weren’t for your impulsive actions back then, would we be in this situation today? I’ve been cleaning up after you ever since! If you’re told not to go, then don’t go! Stay here, serve the Grand Empress Dowager, and keep an eye on the Wang family—what’s wrong with that?”

Xiao Liu shi‘s face became flushed. “How did you arrange it in the beginning? Didn’t you say that I would marry to replace my sister? You promised me and told me to wait in vain, but did you do it? You were also afraid that the woman would be favored and Mao’er’s position would be lost sooner or later! I helped you make her a dead ghost, but now everything is my fault?”

Seeing her deathly pale face and eyes that turned dark, Liu Ceye hurriedly told her to be quiet: “Just bear with it! What about a moment of humiliation? When Crown Prince ascends the throne, you will be the empress dowager. At that time, you can do whatever you want!

“Now it’s the final moment. If you act rashly, you will ruin Crown Prince’s affairs. You know it yourself!”

Liu Ceye’s threatening words were like a bucket of cold water poured over Xiao Liu shi‘s head. She stared at the man in front of her and said word by word, as if she was squeezing out words from between her teeth: “I may have done it, but you are not innocent either! If anything happens to me, none of you should expect to fare well.”

Liu Ceye knew that she had been sitting in the cold palace for more than ten years, and her temperament had changed a lot. She was also a daring person with many means. Seeing her like this, he did not dare to push her too far. He quickly suppressed his disgust and advised: “What are you talking about, Sister? Isn’t everything we do for the future of Crown Prince? It’s precisely because of this that I ask you to be patient. You have come through so many years, why not wait a little longer. It will soon be over.”

Xiao Liu shi was silent for a moment, then slowly said, “That old man Zhao Zhongfang has suddenly returned. What does His Majesty mean by that?

“Also, there’s a painter in the palace who is very favored by His Majesty. I met him by chance yesterday. I don’t know why, but I always felt like he was familiar, but I couldn’t remember where I had seen him before…”

A night has passed, but the chilly feeling that she had felt all over her body at that time still seems to have not completely subsided.

Liu Ceye had naturally heard of the painter, and knew that he had a close relationship with Pei Xiaoyuan, like a brother. But how could he take a court painter seriously?

Over the years, he had tried to place his own people in the emperor’s Ziyun Palace, but he could not find a single opportunity. He was also afraid of the emperor’s shrewdness and did not dare to act rashly.

In his opinion, this matter was nothing. The emperor was using Pei Xiaoyuan, so he naturally treated this painter well. This was one reason. Secondly, the emperor might still be obsessed with Consort Yin, and now that his health was declining, he would inevitably miss his old people more and more, therefore he called Zhao Zhongfang back. The painter happened to be a good painter, he could cater to the emperor’s preferences by painting likenesses that would allow the emperor to feel as if he were seeing the person herself, offering him some measure of solace—thus explaining the extraordinary favor.

But it was not a good idea to say this in front of Xiao Liu shi, lest she go crazy again, so he just comforted her: “His Majesty’s health is getting worse and worse, and it’s only natural to call back the old people to serve. As for that little painter, he’s just trying to flatter him with his unique skills and tricks, just like Ye Zhongli in the past, what is there to be afraid of?”

He had naturally heard about the empress’ nightmares and her abuse of the palace maids. He glanced at her, who looked tense and suspicious, and said in a gentler voice, “Your Majesty, don’t think too much. It’s useless to think too much. Why not take this opportunity to visit the imperial temple more often and listen to the Buddhist teachings? If you have the Dharma in your heart, all the demons in your heart will naturally retreat.”

After Liu Ceye left, it was unknown whether Xiao Liu shi had listened to his advice. However, just like Fengyi Palace, the people in the painting department of Jixian Hall had also become restless in the past few days because of the news that suddenly came out of the Palace Office.

When the emperor went to Cangshan for summer retreat, the court painters would definitely go with him, tasked with documenting the military parade or other scenes with paintings, which was also their duty. The young painter Ye Xuyu was deeply favored by the emperor would definitely accompany him. But as for the others, it was uncertain who might be selected to go. In the past few days, except for Fang Shanjin who didn’t care about anything, everyone, starting with Yao Xu, hoped that they would be selected, and even the field trips that were originally underway were stopped. The eunuch Cao was particularly cunning. On one hand, he accepted bribes from Yao Xu and Yang Jiming, but in the end he turned around and announced that Song Bokang would bring his apprentice to accompany the entourage, saying that field trips were equally important, and that capable people should be left behind to continue, so as not to delay the progress of the Shenshu Palace murals.

Song Bokang knew that Eunuch Cao was a man who changed his attitude according to the situation, and he must have made such an arrangement to please Ye Xuyu. It could be seen that this apprentice was really his lucky star. After this apprentice came, he could say that everything goes smoothly for him, and he naturally takes better care of him. But Song Bokang was not a person who gets carried away by success. It was certainly an honor to be able to overwhelm the opponent and accompany the emperor this time, but painting that mural was still the most important thing, and he never forgets this. Afraid of being defeated by the other side, he must take advantage of the remaining days to visit other places outside Chang’an. The two sides have different progress, so naturally they go their separate ways. Getting busy like this, going out every few days, coming back to organize the paintings, in a blink of an eye, the season had entered the seventh month, and a few days later it would be the Yulan Festival, and then the emperor’s summer retreat trip to Cangshan would also come after that.

News came back that the palace had been cleaned and looked brand new. The officials in the capital had also made preparations, and the many officials and entourage who were able to accompany the emperor were even more eagerly looking forward to the journey, just waiting for the emperor’s order.

Early in the morning of that day, Song Bokang led several disciples out of the palace again. This was the last time he would go out to record the scenery. Xuyu went with him as usual, and when she left the palace, she met Pei Xiaoyuan.

He was entering the palace with several subordinates from Luwu Division.

As the emperor was about to travel, and this was his first time leaving Chang’an in nearly twenty years since he ascended the throne, among the sixteen guards, the Jinwu Guards bore the most direct responsibility for security. Therefore, Han Kerang did not dare to relax at all. Although he had already made a plan for the escort of the trip, in order to ensure that nothing could go wrong, he called all the chief officers of the left and right Jinwu Guards and the Luwu Division into the palace early in the morning.

Pei Xiaoyuan was dismounting near the palace gate. One was leaving the palace, the other was entering, and they bumped into each other unexpectedly.

This was the first time the two had met in more than half a month since they said goodbye at Yongning Mansion.

Pei Xiaoyuan knew that after she moved out that day, she had been living in the Xianfu Palace in the palace, which was a side hall of the Ziyun Palace, on the grounds of doing some polishing work on the mural of the Queen Mother of the West. Then again, who dared to ask more questions about the emperor’s arrangements?

He also knew her whereabouts during these days. Just like before, she was either walking back and forth between the palace, Zhaowen Hall, Jixian Hall, or Shenshu Palace, or going out with Song Bokang to record the scenery.

Today, she was wearing the same official summer cloth blue robe with a collar as her colleagues in the painting department, with her sleeves slightly rolled up to her wrists, and a bamboo sun hat on her head, which she wore very low, with the brim covering most of her face. However, among the group of people traveling, he still saw her at first glance and could not help but slow down his pace.

“Young Master Ye!”

Liu Bo also noticed her at this time and called out to her happily.

This voice immediately attracted the attention of the team of people from the painting department. When Song Bokang saw that it was Pei Xiaoyuan and others, he hurried over to salute. Pei Xiaoyuan saw that she seemed to turn her head as well and looked in this direction. His heartbeat slightly accelerated, but he still looked calm while he exchanged a few words with Song Bokang. He then heard him say: “In a few days, I will have the honor to follow His Majesty to the east to Cangshan. While I still have time, I want to go out of the city for the last time. The road today is a bit far, and I am afraid I will not be able to return tonight. Fortunately, Supervisor Yuan has arranged for us to stay in an official’s villa tonight. When I return to the city tomorrow, I will prepare to travel. By then, I will trouble Chief Pei to take care us people from painting department. So I would like to thank you in advance.” After speaking, he then bowed.

While Pei Xiaoyuan responded to him, he saw Liu Bo had gone up to greet her, saying that he had not seen her these days. She replied that she was busy with something in the painting department. Liu Bo talked about the trip to Cangshan, and then said in a flattering tone: “I heard that the old emperor would ask painters to draw pictures of his entourage every time he went out. If it’s the same this time, please remember to draw me in it! At that time, I will be by Master Pei’s side and take advantage of his fame!” After saying that, he bowed to her and looked back.

It seemed she also turned her eyes and looked at him like Liu Bo.

Pei Xiaoyuan’s heart was beating very fast for a moment.

At this time, several other subordinates beside him heard it. They didn’t know that this young painter who had recently won the emperor’s favor had a good relationship with their boss. They followed Liu Bo’s example and surrounded her to get close to her, hoping that they could be included in the painting.

She looked at everyone, as if she was amused by them, and raised her hand to lift the brim of her hat. As she raised her arm, her sleeves wrinkled together, revealing a part of her wrist. Then, as she finished raising her hat and lowered her arm, her sleeves quickly straightened up, covering her arm again.

“I am grateful that you brothers think highly of me. If His Majesty asks me to paint a picture, I will definitely include you in it.” She said with a smile, her attitude was easy-going and generous.

Liu Bo and the others were all delighted and thanked her loudly. Song Bokang and other people from the painting department also knew that young master Ye and Pei Xiaoyuan had a good relationship, and they all laughed when they saw this. The atmosphere outside the palace gate was rarely so warm and relaxed, which attracted several palace guards to keep turning their heads to look at this side.

No noise was allowed in this place, and everyone knew this. Besides, everyone had things to do, so after chatting, they bowed and said goodbye to her.

Finally, Pei Xiaoyuan waited until she looked over.

She still had the same smile on her face. Her eyes paused on his face, and she continued to smile. She nodded at him, then collected her eyes, pulled the brim of her hat down to cover half of her face, mounted her horse and left with the crowd. Her figure soon disappeared outside the palace gate.

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