Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn - Chapter 25
“Isn’t it ‘personal’? If I’m in Qiufeng Garden, you have to be in Qiufeng Garden. Alright, as long as you don’t leave Qiufeng Garden, you can do whatever you want, you can even stay in the study.”
"I wonder if the other members of the Jade Guard can also study?" I asked, hoping to secure some benefits for Song Zhixuan and the others, as knowing more words would be beneficial for their future.
Shen Haoyu looked at me with dissatisfaction and said, "You don't need to worry about these things. After they've laid the groundwork, someone will take care of the arrangements!"
"Yes, Lynn overstepped his bounds." I bowed and admitted my mistake.
Shen Haoyu waved his hand, and I stepped aside to find a book to read.
The days spent with Shen Haoyu were always so aimless, and I didn't say anything more. However, the fact that I couldn't leave Qiufeng Garden at will puzzled me a bit, as if I were being confined.
It was another rare good day. As I carefully ground the ingredients for Shen Haoyu, I took a deep breath and inhaled the faint fragrance of early-blooming flowers in the air.
In a few days it will be Prince Qing's thirtieth birthday, and Shen Haoyu needs to prepare a birthday gift. He's just a child, so there's no need to give him anything rare or priceless. I suggested he give Prince Qing a painting or calligraphy work he created himself. The skill level is secondary; the important thing is originality and sincerity. After careful consideration, Shen Haoyu accepted my suggestion and is currently painting.
I remember how I used to make little trinkets for Mu Shaoting's birthday, and he was happier than receiving anything. Actually, I had my reasons back then, because I couldn't afford anything expensive. But now, I can't give him any gift, and I don't even know the exact date of his death.
Prince Qing loved bamboo, and his palace had dozens of varieties of bamboo planted. It was said that his own residence, Qinzhu Garden, had a large bamboo grove, which was cared for by as many as ten people, who cherished it greatly. Of course, this was all hearsay; after entering the palace, I hadn't been anywhere except for Qiufeng Garden and the main courtyard where I had stayed before.
To please him, Shen Haoyu naturally painted bamboo. I had only ever seen him practice swordsmanship or calligraphy before, never painting. Watching him paint bamboo stroke by stroke, I was greatly surprised. I never imagined his painting skills were so remarkable, far better than my own chicken-claw-like work. Looking at his painting, one might think he was already an adult.
After finishing the last stroke, Shen Haoyu carefully hung the painting to dry. The entire painting was done with black ink. Although there were only varying shades of ink, it still vividly revealed the stubbornness of the bamboo stalks standing tall among the rocks. The brushstrokes were few, but the spirit was superb.
"The bamboo planted in the Prince's mansion has lost its original spirit," Shen Haoyu said, looking at his painting.
Come to think of it, bamboo is naturally flexible yet unbreakable, possessing remarkable vitality. Yet, in the Prince's residence, it's treated like a delicate flower. Since Prince Qing loves bamboo, he couldn't possibly be unaware of this. What could his intention be? Shen Haoyu's bamboo paintings are stylistically very different from the bamboo grown in the Prince's residence. What message is he trying to convey to Prince Qing through his paintings?
I'm too lazy to think about it. People who grow up in powerful and wealthy families are inherently more cunning and calculating than others. Trying to guess what they're thinking is just asking for trouble.
Looking at Shen Haoyu's paintings, I couldn't help but recall a poem once written by Zheng Banqiao: "Clinging firmly to the green hills, its foundation rests on the broken rocks. Through countless trials and tribulations, it remains steadfast and strong, unmoved by the winds from the southeast, northwest, or any other direction."
"What did you just read?" Shen Haoyu asked.
“A poem about bamboo,” I replied.
"It seems pretty good. Read it again so I can hear it clearly," Shen Haoyu said.
So I read it aloud again. After listening, Shen Haoyu thought for a long time and asked, "Whose poem is this? I've never read it before?"
Oh dear, I forgot that Mr. Zheng Banqiao and he are from different times and spaces. I thought for a moment and said, "I don't remember. My mother taught me this at home, but she never told me who wrote it."
Shen Haoyu nodded, then picked up his brush and inscribed the poem on the painting, thus completing the birthday gift for Prince Qing.
In the afternoon, Mr. Qi returned from his errands, and Shen Haoyu followed him to the outer courtyard to practice swordsmanship, while I stood guard beside him. Although I had seen many of his moves and had picked up a few, I didn't even know how to hold a sword properly. I would just pick up a twig and practice my swordsmanship haphazardly.
During the break, Jiang Ming, whom I hadn't seen for a while, rushed in. He bowed to Shen Haoyu and Mr. Qi, then walked straight towards me. A sense of unease welled up inside me. Had something happened that concerned me?
Jiang Ming squatted down, put his arm around me, and said, "Something happened to your family!"
My house? I was just thinking that something had happened to Song Zhixuan and Lin Zhao, how could it be my house?
“Your mother has been poisoned, but your brother is alright; he’s out there now,” Jiang Ming said.
My mind went blank for a moment, and I looked up at Shen Haoyu. Shen Haoyu glanced at Jiang Ming and said, "Take him back with you."
Before I could react, Jiang Ming pulled me towards the door.
Auntie, please don't let anything happen! Huai'en will be here soon. I silently prayed in my heart.
Do not lean against the west railing to lock in the clear autumn. Chapter 020
Chapter word count: 4084 Update time: 09-07-25 14:05
Jiang Ming led me to the side gate of the Prince's Mansion. I immediately saw Zinuo, who was covered in dirt. How could he have become like this after not seeing him for several months? I ran over and hugged him, and he burst into tears again. My heart ached.
"How is Mother?" I asked, holding back my tears.
Zi Nuo sobbed, "My mother is gone! Waaah..."
I collapsed weakly to the ground. Was it really that sudden and fast?
“When Chunming and I got home, my mother was already dead…” Zinuo said, crying.
Seeing us like this, Jiang Ming didn't say anything more. He picked me up with one arm and Zi Nuo with the other and walked out.
"Don't cry, take me to see a doctor," Jiang Ming said softly.
I pointed out the path, and Jiang Ming carried us quickly there.
On the way, Jiang Ming told me that Zinuo had asked the gatekeeper to announce that it was either Song Zhixuan or Lin Zhao, because they had been to my house before and Zinuo knew them somewhat. After Song Zhixuan saw Zinuo and found out what had happened, he came back to tell Jiang Ming, and Jiang Ming then went to Qiufeng Garden to pick me up.
As I listened to Jiang Ming's words, I still couldn't accept the news that my aunt was dead.
Zinuo had already finished crying; looking at his swollen eyes, I wondered how many times he had cried. Seeing that he had calmed down a bit, I reluctantly asked him what had happened.
Zinuo sniffed a few times and said, "This morning, Brother Chunming took me to the market to look at kites. He said he wanted to give one to Sister Chunxiu, so I went with him. We played at the market for a while, and by the time we got home, it was past lunchtime. When we got home, no one was there. We were hungry, so we went to the kitchen to find something to eat, and then we saw..." Zinuo's eyes reddened, as if she was about to cry again, but she held back. "We saw Mother, Aunt Wu, and Sister Chunxiu lying on the ground. Their faces were almost black. Brother Chunming and I went over to look, and they weren't breathing at all. We were so scared, we ran outside and called for help. A few uncles and elders came, and they told us that they had died from poisoning... Waaah..." After finishing her story, Zinuo burst into tears again.
Although I myself wanted to cry, I still had to hold back and comfort Zi Nuo.
"I was so scared and didn't know what to do. Chunming's father came back, so I had no choice but to go to the Prince's Mansion to find my brother..." Zinuo said while crying.
I hate myself so much. Zi Nuo is so young, what kind of life has he been living with me for the past six months! Now he has to watch his own mother die tragically in front of him. How have I taken care of him? And what about Aunt Wen Wan? How could she just disappear like that?
We finally arrived at Aunt Wu's house. Jiang Ming put Zinuo and me down. There were already many people gathered in the courtyard. We squeezed in and saw three white cloths covering the open space in the middle, with several yamen runners talking about something. Chunming was standing next to a burly man, wiping away tears. That must be Chunming's father, whom we had never met before.
Jiang Ming led us over to find out what was going on. The constable asked him what his relationship was with the deceased. Jiang Ming claimed to be his aunt's brother.
The coroner told us that my aunt and the others had died of poisoning. The cause of the poisoning was still under investigation, and the results would be made public once they were available. Jiang Ming requested to see the deceased, so the constables lifted the white sheet.