The next day, Qi Shen sat in Ziyan Palace reviewing memorials while occasionally lifting his eyes toward the palace entrance.
Shou Quan found it strange. No ministers had come to court today.
So who exactly was he waiting for?
By June, the weather had grown increasingly hot. The hall itself was perfectly quiet, yet the cicadas outside had started unusually early. Ever since Qi Shen returned from court, their shrill cries had continued without pause, becoming more and more irritating.
With a sharp smack, Qi Shen threw the memorial in his hand onto the imperial desk.
Cang Ji assumed the noise from the cicadas was what had angered him and immediately turned to order his apprentice, “Go drive away the cicadas in the trees. Disturbing the Son of Heaven’s peace of mind is a capital offense!”
But the cicadas were not what Qi Shen cared about. He raised his eyes and asked coldly, “Has anyone come to seek an audience outside the hall?”
Cang Ji knew perfectly well there was no one, but seeing the cold severity on Qi Shen’s face and the faint expectation hidden in his eyes, he hurriedly went outside and pretended to check. Then he returned with an obsequious bow.
“Reporting to the Son of Heaven, there is no one outside…”
Qi Shen grabbed the cushion behind his waist and hurled it away.
Too excessive.
He had only just left Tangcui Palace yesterday, yet Jing Xin apparently did not realize he liked the pastries she had made?
She had only just escaped the Cold Palace, yet she did not know to send more delicious pastries to curry favor with him?
Qi Shen pressed his thin lips together tightly, his face dark with anger as he returned to the sleeping chambers for his midday rest.
“Cut down the trees.”
His voice was low and heavy. Knowing he was truly angry, Cang Ji hurried outside to instruct the imperial guards, “The cicadas in the trees are too noisy. Quickly cut the trees down, and don’t make any sound while doing it.”
The guards could only chop trees with miserable expressions.
Every summer, the trees surrounding Ziyan Palace were cut down. Several towering ancient trees had already been reduced to bare trunks long ago because Qi Shen hated cicadas lingering in them. Cutting trees was one thing, but having to do it silently made the task utterly stifling for the imperial guards.
When Chang Huan arrived at Ziyan Palace, she was greeted by exactly this scene.
The burly guards all possessed the fierce bearing of seasoned warriors. Their raised blades sliced through the air with intimidating force, yet the moment the blades descended, they abruptly became gentle and restrained.
The absurdity of it nearly made her laugh, but she quickly suppressed her amusement and respectfully approached Cang Ji.
“Chief Steward Cang, is the Son of Heaven inside? This servant has come under Her Highness’s orders to seek an audience.”
“What matter does Consort Jing have?”
Chang Huan explained her purpose.
Now that Jing Xin had successfully risen from the Cold Palace, she wanted a soft pillow like the ones from the modern world. She truly could not get used to the tall, hard pillows of ancient times. However, when she asked the palace bureau overseen by Sang Jiaohu, she was told that new pillows would need to be specially made. Chang Huan had clearly seen finished ones already available, yet Sang Jiaohu insisted those were all items reserved for imperial use. So Jing Xin had sent Chang Huan to request one from Qi Shen.
It was hardly a major matter. They simply needed Qi Shen’s permission.
Cang Ji replied, “Please wait while I report this to the Son of Heaven.”
Chang Huan waited outside, but after some time she realized Cang Ji had made no move to enter the hall.
“Chief Steward Cang, Her Highness is still waiting for this servant to return…”
Cang Ji gave a false smile. “Then go back first. The Son of Heaven is taking his midday rest and must not be disturbed.” Though Qi Shen might not actually be asleep yet, Jing Xin had offended him only two days ago. There was no way Cang Ji would invite trouble upon himself.
Chang Huan could only return to Tangcui Palace, angrily complaining about Cang Ji’s attitude.
Jing Xin was currently testing the new pigments Shou Quan had found for her. Shou Quan advised her not to bother with the paints for now and instead hurry to make another cake like yesterday’s to win back Qi Shen’s favor.
She merely pursed her lips in a smile. She had no intention of doing so.
Someone in Qi Shen’s position could obtain anything he wanted, but people who gained things too easily often never learned to cherish them.
Of course she had noticed how much he loved modern desserts last night, but she deliberately refused to make more. She could not give him that sweetness too easily.
The pigments before her were exceptionally complete, even including the rarest shade known as Heavenly Blue.
Shou Quan had failed to find such pigments outside the palace, but coincidentally a tribute shipment had recently arrived in the palace. Yet the court painters from the Imperial Painting Academy showed little interest in them.
Jing Xin found their attitude rather strange. Only after asking around did she learn it was all because of Qi Shen.
The Liang Dynasty’s greatest painter, Cheng Chonglou, had originally been the royal palace’s chief painter. Whenever official histories were compiled or grand sacrificial ceremonies held, he had always overseen the paintings.
During one sacrificial ceremony, seeing Qi Shen’s irreverent attitude toward his ancestors stirred something within him. Remembering the prosperous golden age created by Emperor Xuanzhao, Cheng Chonglou spent three hundred and sixty days studying historical records before finally creating Old Dreams of Liang Smoke, a painting stretching six zhang in length.
The scroll depicted magnificent rivers and mountains, towering palaces, bustling carriages and crowds of people. Once unfurled, the silk painting presented nothing but scenes of flourishing prosperity. Yet toward the end, when it transitioned into the year of Qi Shen’s reign, the flowers withered and the scenery decayed. The streets and alleys were completely deserted, devoid of any life at all.
Qi Shen was not an emperor who admired literary refinement. He delighted in bloodshed and martial strength, nor did he possess much artistic appreciation. Yet he was exceptionally intelligent, and any normal person could tell the painting was mocking the utter failure of his rule. He immediately ordered Cheng Chonglou’s execution.
Unexpectedly, the frail scholar-painter showed no fear whatsoever. He lifted his chest proudly and demanded that Qi Shen kill him.
Instead, Qi Shen no longer wanted to execute him.
The more others wished for death, the less he wanted to grant their wish. He understood perfectly what people who feared nothing feared the most. Right before Cheng Chonglou’s eyes, he burned Old Dreams of Liang Smoke to ashes.
A six zhang painting, eighteen meters wide.
Cheng Chonglou wept bitterly and cried, “Liang smoke fades, prosperity perishes, destruction approaches!” Though still young, he coughed blood and fainted on the spot. Later, he was expelled from the royal palace.
Afterward, during several major ceremonies that required portraits of Qi Shen, none of the painters could capture his likeness as vividly as Cheng Chonglou had. Dissatisfied with how ugly they painted him, Qi Shen had several painters beaten to death.
The ministers eventually tried persuading Cheng Chonglou to return, but he would rather paint for commoners than reenter the palace. He even set up a stall on the streets and deliberately painted portraits for free. Rumor had it he could make even bearded brutes appear handsome and refined. As a mere scholar, this last bit of integrity was all he had left to infuriate Qi Shen.
Since Qi Shen never again encountered a painter capable of making him look handsome, he rarely allowed himself to be painted after that. The Imperial Painting Academy gradually fell into neglect. The painters understood well enough what sort of ruler Qi Shen was, so every painting became increasingly perfunctory. They no longer valued the newly tributed silks and pigments, merely muddling through their duties day by day.
Jing Xin suddenly became interested. If possible, she wanted to restore the Imperial Painting Academy to its former flourishing state.
The pigments beside her were almost identical to modern watercolor and oil paints. She had no idea how the Liang Dynasty possessed the technology to produce such high quality pigments, but she quite appreciated this blessing from fate.
Painting had already become both her daily routine and her profession. If she stopped painting, she would feel uncomfortable.
As Jing Xin personally mixed pigments, she listened to Chang Huan recount what had happened at Ziyan Palace. Upon hearing that Qi Shen wanted the trees cut down, she pondered briefly before saying, “Wouldn’t it be enough to ask the Imperial Medical Bureau to prepare insect repellent? Why destroy the plants?”
Following Jing Xin’s instructions, Chang Huan returned to Ziyan Palace once more. When Cang Ji heard the suggestion, he praised it enthusiastically and immediately stopped the guards from cutting trees, instead ordering palace servants to fetch medicine from the Imperial Medical Bureau.
The imperial guards, finally able to lower their blades, nearly burst into tears of gratitude.
At last, they no longer had to silently chop trees in misery.
Qi Shen finally woke from his midday nap.
One palace maid lowered her head as she lifted the bed curtains for him, while another knelt to help him into his shoes.
Suddenly, he wanted a drink.
His eyelids drooped lazily as he raised his arms, allowing the maids to help him into his robes. Sunlight filtered through the window, casting mottled shadows of tree branches across the floor. The moment he lifted his eyes, the maid fastening his sash trembled violently and collapsed to her knees with a thud.
The palace servants had always feared him.
He said coldly, “The trees were not cut down?”
Hearing his voice, Cang Ji quickly entered the hall. “Son of Heaven, you’ve awakened. A few trees were cut, but afterward the maidservant beside Consort Jing came to say that insect repellent medicine could drive away the cicadas and insects, so there would be no need to cut the trees and disturb your peace.”
He gave a low hum and did not grow angry again. Glancing at the palace maid as she resumed fastening his sash, he absentmindedly touched the embroidered pouches hanging from his waist. None of his ornaments were jade. He only liked those round, soft sachets stuffed with silkworm silk.
He asked, “Consort Jing came?”
“It was Consort Jing’s maid Chang Huan seeking an audience with the Son of Heaven. Consort Jing wished to request a soft pillow from the weaving chambers, but those were all reserved for imperial use, so she hoped the Son of Heaven might bestow one as a reward.”
Qi Shen’s lips curled slightly. The faint smile vanished quickly, replaced once more by his usual cold severity.
At least she still knew how to ask favors from him.
He glanced toward the dragon bed behind him, picked up the pillow he had just used, and tossed it into Cang Ji’s arms.
“You understand what this means, don’t you?”
Cang Ji hurriedly caught it and grinned. “This servant understands! This servant will make the arrangements immediately!”
Qi Shen then left in excellent spirits to drink wine, watching dancers as he drank. That evening, he even burned incense and enjoyed a bath.
…
Jing Xin was quite satisfied when she received the pillow Cang Ji delivered.
Imperial items truly were different. Even the pillowcase was embroidered silk, and instead of cotton stuffing, the inside was filled entirely with silkworm silk. It was even more comfortable than the pillows from five star hotels.
Seeing Cang Ji still standing there smiling cheerfully, Jing Xin instructed Chang Huan to bring out a reward.
Cang Ji accepted it happily. “Your Highness, this pillow is also scented with the Son of Heaven’s personal dragon salvia incense. It is extremely calming and aids sleep.”
“Please trouble Eunuch Cang to convey my thanks.”
“Then this servant shall return and report back to the Son of Heaven.”
Jing Xin nodded before returning to her study to continue painting.
Originally, the hall had no study room. The original owner of this body disliked reading and had instead converted one room into a music chamber. Yet crimson gauze curtains draped every corner, and a lounging couch had also been placed inside. The entire room overflowed with flirtatious atmosphere. It was obvious the original owner had intended to seduce Qi Shen even while playing the zither.
Jing Xin had the music chamber remodeled into a study. The panel doors on all four sides could be fully opened, making it resemble a sunroom with floor to ceiling windows. She ordered beige curtains hung around the room and placed her easel in the center. As the crimson sunset spread across the sky, the curtains fluttered gently in the evening breeze while she sat before the easel, completely absorbed in painting.
All the palace servants were stunned by the sight. No one dared speak aloud and disturb Jing Xin, yet everyone could feel how breathtakingly beautiful their mistress looked.
Their mistress had never been this beautiful before.
The evening glow poured over her body, outlining her delicate profile and graceful figure. She was so focused that her ink-black hair danced lightly in the wind, several strands drifting between her lips. Her full, vividly red lips pressed together faintly as she ignored everything around her. Only after a long while did she notice the strands of hair caught in her mouth, lifting one delicate finger to hook them away.
In that moment, she appeared hazy and distant in her beauty, less like a real person and more like an immortal descended from the heavens. Far more beautiful than she had ever been beneath heavy makeup in the past.
Yun Juan curiously sniffed the paints, apparently deciding they did not taste good before lazily settling beside Jing Xin’s feet and pawing at the hem of her trailing skirt.
But the peaceful atmosphere only lasted until nightfall, when it was abruptly shattered by Cang Ji barging in frantically.
Ignoring Shou Quan’s attempts to stop him, Cang Ji rushed directly into the study. “Your Highness, you still haven’t prepared?”
Jing Xin raised her head. “Prepared for what? Has the Son of Heaven summoned me?”
Cang Ji stomped his foot anxiously, sweat beading on his forehead. The one in Ziyan Palace was already throwing a temper tantrum, yet this side still seemed utterly unprepared and was even pretending ignorance.
After explaining the situation, he hurriedly urged Jing Xin again.
Once Jing Xin heard everything, she nearly laughed in disbelief. The pillow Qi Shen had sent her that afternoon had been scented with dragon salvia incense the entire time. Its meaning was that she was to attend him in bed tonight.
Her expression resembled Hong Shixian staring at Ellie, carrying a trace of speechless disbelief.
So giving her a pillow infused with his personal scent was his way of saying he wanted to sleep with her?