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Ouyang Xiu and Qilang nodded in agreement, then asked the princess about the theme. The princess thought for a moment and said, "Let's describe the sorrow of parting." She then turned to Cui Bai and said, "Mr. Cui, please also paint on this theme."

Everyone accepted the order and pondered their ideas. Later, Ouyang Xiu saw Xiao Ping still standing shyly behind Qi Lang, whispering to him from time to time. He couldn't help but smile and quickly picked up his pen, writing a poem called "Fisherman's Pride": "I am good at singing and laughing, and you are talented and young. Why did you leave me and go on such a long journey? There is no news of you, and the grass by the river is green again. In the past, when I picked flowers, you presented your graceful figure, and your beautiful face smiled as the flowers withered. Today, picking flowers only adds to my sorrow, and my heart is broken. Your beautiful face is not as good as the flowers."

After writing it, he directly presented the poem to Xiao Ping and invited her to sing it. Xiao Ping blushed immediately upon seeing it, but Qi Lang remained calm and said to her, "Since the Imperial Scholar has invited you, you may sing it."

Xiao Ping had no choice but to agree. She picked up her pipa, gently plucked the strings, and began to sing. As she sang, Qi Lang briefly explained their past relationship: "She was once a singing girl in the household of my good friend Chen Junchong. When I was young, I often went to banquets with Junchong and saw her many times. Later, I went out to serve as an official for a few years. When I returned, I heard that she had been sold to someone else... I never expected to meet her again today in the Prince Consort's Garden."

At this point, he sighed, picked up his pen, and quickly wrote a poem, "Linjiang Xian": "After the dream, the pavilion is locked high, after waking from wine, the curtains hang low. Last year's spring sorrow returns again. Fallen flowers, a person stands alone, light rain, geese fly in pairs. I remember when I first met Xiao Ping, her double-layered silk dress embroidered with the character 'heart'. She spoke of longing on the pipa strings. The bright moon was there then, once shining on the returning colorful clouds."

After finishing his writing, he slowly took a sip of tea served by a maid, then glanced at Xiao Ping, who was still singing Ouyang Xiu's lyrics, his eyes filled with melancholy.

After a short while, Cui Bai announced that the sketch was complete and invited everyone to view it. Except for the princess, all the guests and hosts gathered around to admire his painting.

It was a painting of bamboo and gulls in ink, depicting a white gull running across a barren slope by the water in the cold wind. To the right were three bamboo stalks, their leaves, like the autumn grass on the water's edge, all bent to one side by the wind, showing how strong the wind was. The white gull's eyes were wide open, its long beak agape, showing a look of surprise and fear.

"This painting evokes a desolate and serene atmosphere, revealing a wild and desolate beauty. It shows that Zixi's heart yearns for a tranquil wilderness and a lonely land," Ouyang Xiu remarked after viewing it. He added, "However, the princess's theme is 'sorrow of parting,' and this painting alone seems insufficient to capture that essence..."

At this moment, Jiaqingzi was also standing on tiptoe behind the guests and hosts, looking at Cui Bai's painting. After hearing Ouyang Xiu's comments, he couldn't help but blurt out in defense: "How can it be said that it is not relevant to the theme? Does it have to be painted with two birds flying apart to be called 'parting sorrow'?"

Hearing this, everyone laughed and looked at her. Jiaqingzi realized that she had been impolite and hurriedly apologized to Ouyang Xiu with a red face. Ouyang Xiu, however, said to her gently, "Miss, you have a great insight. Please feel free to speak."

Encouraged by him, Jiaqingzi hesitated before offering his thoughts: "The wind is blowing so fiercely, yet this white gull still tries to fly back against the wind; its mate must be there. Or perhaps, the storm is so fierce that it has separated the lovers, and they were originally blown apart by the gale. Going against the wind is difficult, but it still thinks of its mate and tries its best to run back to its side. Isn't that worried look a manifestation of separation and sorrow?"

These words touched me, and the princess immediately had someone send her the painting. After looking at it, she sighed softly and praised Cui Bai highly. The others also praised Cui Bai. Cui Bai waved his hand, turned to Jiaqingzi and bowed deeply, saying, "I was just scribbling casually, but thanks to your wonderful comments, my humble work has been greatly enhanced."

Jiaqingzi lowered his head and said softly, "Not at all, sir. I have seen some of your works before when I was with the princess. I greatly admire your talent and skill. I regret that I am not good with words and cannot describe even a fraction of them."

Cui Bai smiled and said, "Princess, you have been familiar with the paintings and calligraphy of the Mige Pavilion since childhood. You must have seen many treasures by being exposed to them. I am unlearned and my painting is completely unorthodox. Even the painting academy kicked me out. These doodles are hardly worthy of being presented in a refined manner, let alone worthy of your praise."

Jiaqingzi shook his head and said, "A good painting doesn't necessarily have to conform to the rules of the Imperial Painting Academy. Although the Academy's flower-and-bird paintings are brightly colored and exude a sense of wealth and nobility, they look rather stiff. The flowers and birds seem to be obediently sitting in one place, posing for the painters to depict. But your paintings are not like that. For example, in this painting of bamboo and gulls, whether it is birds, flowers, or bamboo, they all have a great sense of movement, as if a deity has pointed and frozen the flowing scene. Moreover, looking at this painting, one can also think of the events that happened before and after. There is a story in your paintings."

These words startled Cui Bai. She stared at Jiaqingzi in surprise for a long time, until she became uneasy. She said to him nervously, "I have never studied painting. I was just talking nonsense. If I have said anything wrong, I hope you will forgive me..."

Cui Bai then turned to look at me and smiled. Seeing Jiaqingzi still nervously observing our expressions, I smiled and reassured her, "You're absolutely right, that's indeed the case."

The Lonely City Closes (The Princess Who Fell in Love with the Eunuch) A Pearl Amidst Rubble: A Wedding Dress Cast Aside

Chapter word count: 3581 Update time: 09-07-05 10:42

wedding dress

(3274 words)

When the music ended and the crowd dispersed, it was nearly four in the morning. Qi Lang and Cui Bai took their leave one after another, while I escorted Ouyang Xiu to his guest room so he could wash up before going to court. On the way, I asked him about Qi Lang's identity, and he told me, "Qi Lang is the seventh son of Duke Yan Yuanxian, named Jidao, courtesy name Shuyuan."

Only then did I realize that he was Yan Shu's youngest son, Ruozhu's seventh maternal uncle, the famous Yan Jidao, the Seventh Young Master Yan. Born into a family of high-ranking officials, his poetry was elegant and refined, just like his father's name. No wonder he was so unrestrained and arrogant, looking down on the powerful and wealthy.

The next day I told the princess about it. She was surprised and also very moved. She walked to the balcony, stroked the railing and lost in thought. I think she was thinking of the poem by Xiao Yan that she heard at Baifan Tower last year: "Who can share the brocade of mandarin ducks with me, and share this cold night in the west tower with me?"

"Let Li Wei find out where he lives, and then send Xiao Ping to his house," the princess later instructed.

That afternoon, Ren Shouzhong suddenly came from the palace, his expression serious, and asked Li Wei if he had invited Ouyang Xiu to his home for a banquet the previous day. Li Wei admitted it and asked him with great concern what had happened. Ren Shouzhong chuckled, "The imperial family has a rule against having guests; they are not allowed to be close to scholars, let alone associate with important court officials. Does the Commandant not know this?"

Li Wei was immediately stunned and speechless for a moment, so I explained on his behalf: "The Commandant has no dealings with officials in the court. It's just that the Prince Consort's Garden has just been completed, so this time we invited Scholar Ouyang to inscribe a few plaques. However, this is an occasional thing, and it will not be repeated."

Ren Shouzhong retorted, "If we want him to write a few words, we only need to ask the Emperor to issue a decree directly, instructing him to write them in the Imperial Academy and present them to us. Why must we invite him to our home? Besides, the Commandant spent the whole night drinking and making merry with him. The topics they discussed must have been more than just writing words, right?"

I said, "We just played some drinking games, nothing else."

Ren Shouzhong sneered, "Whether he said anything else or not, the censors and remonstrators may not think the same way you do. Besides, the fact that the Imperial Son-in-Law invited court officials to his home is already against the rules. Whether you discussed state affairs or family matters with him, it was a taboo. Ouyang Xiu is going to suffer another big setback. His Majesty also sent this old servant to remind the Imperial Son-in-Law to be more careful in the future."

Upon hearing the last sentence, both Li Wei and I were greatly alarmed. Li Wei hurriedly asked Ren Shouzhong, "Will Ouyang Neihan be implicated because of this?"

Ren Shouzhong said, "He knowingly committed the crime and deserved his fate. He went to court very early today, being the first Hanlin Academy official to enter the palace, which was quite different from usual. People in the palace found it strange and gossiped about it. When the officials in the Censorate heard about it, they investigated and quickly found out that he had attended a banquet hosted by the Commandant yesterday and stayed up all night. He had come directly from the Imperial Son-in-Law's Garden to court. After the Emperor found out, he issued a decree without waiting for the Censorate to formally impeach him, appointing him as the Prefect of Tongzhou. The official edict will be announced tomorrow."

After Ren Shouzhong left, I apologized to Li Wei, explaining that inviting Ouyang Xiu was my idea, but I hadn't expected it to cause them such trouble. Li Wei shook his head and said, "It's not your fault. It was a great honor for me to share drinks with Ouyang Xiu, especially since the princess was very welcoming to him... I haven't seen her so happy in a long time... But, what should we do now that Ouyang Xiu has been implicated like this?"

Upon learning of this, the princess immediately went to the palace to see her father and begged him to rescind his decree. However, the emperor refused, saying that if he did not pursue the matter this time, his relatives would surely follow suit, associating with scholars and violating ancestral rules. The princess was at a loss and returned home dejected, spending the entire night in sorrow.

Fortunately, the current prime minister, Han Qi, and other high-ranking officials admired Ouyang Xiu and were inclined to protect him. The next day, when the letter was sent to the Secretariat and the Chancellery, it was blocked by the officials. Several ministers then pleaded with Ouyang Xiu to stay, saying that he was currently compiling the "History of Tang" and needed to remain in the capital to consult materials and exchange ideas with the compilers in the Three Academies and the Imperial Library. It was not appropriate for him to be residing in an outlying prefecture to do this. In the end, the emperor reluctantly agreed and withdrew the letter ordering him to be appointed to an outlying prefecture.

Upon hearing the news, the princess breathed a sigh of relief, clasped her hands together in gratitude to heaven and earth, and then smiled helplessly: "What a pity, we will never see such a gathering of talented people again."

Upon hearing this, Li Wei intended to make amends for her regret. In early October, he submitted a memorial to the Emperor, stating that Emperor Taizong's son-in-law, Chai Zongqing, had been permitted to associate with scholars, and therefore he requested that this ban on entertaining guests be lifted. The Emperor issued an edict in reply, stating that in the future, before receiving guests, a list of guests must be submitted and approved before hosting a banquet at home.

This was actually a rather tactful refusal. If the list submitted by the prince consort included the name of a renowned scholar like Ouyang Xiu, it certainly wouldn't have been approved. Ultimately, those whom the emperor allowed Li Wei to meet were nothing more than insignificant idlers. The banquet of famous scholars in the prince consort's garden that day would indeed never happen again.

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When the princess told Xiao Ping that she would be sent to Yan Jidao's house, Xiao Ping was overjoyed and thanked her repeatedly, laughing and crying at the same time. This made the princess shed tears as well. Xiao Ping was surprised and hurriedly asked the princess why she was not happy. The princess wiped away her tears and smiled and said, "I am not sad, I am happy for you."

She then discussed with me, saying that it was clear Cui Bai and Jiaqingzi had feelings for each other, so why not bring them together and have Jiaqingzi marry Cui Bai? I also thought it was a good idea, so I went to visit Cui Bai and conveyed the princess's wishes to him.

Cui Bai admitted that Jiaqingzi did leave a very good impression on him: "I first noticed her because she drank wine on behalf of the princess. Her flushed face was very similar to that of Miss Dong back then. Moreover, her rosy cheeks were just like Miss Dong's, which stemmed from such a pure and kind motive. Later, I was even more surprised to hear her talk about my paintings. She had not specifically studied painting, but she could understand my works. This is what is called a soulmate in the world."

He formally invited a matchmaker to the princess's residence to propose marriage to Jiaqingzi. The princess immediately agreed and then had someone match their birth dates to determine their wedding date.

The divination result indicates that there will be an extremely auspicious day in November. If this day is missed, such an auspicious day will not come again until April of the following year.

April. Hearing this month made both Cui Bai and me feel a little uneasy. If we hadn't decided to wait until the Emperor's Birthday in April, perhaps Cui Bai would have married Qiu He long ago?

To avoid any unforeseen complications, I suggested that the princess set Jiaqingzi's wedding date for November. Of course, I didn't explain the reasons in detail, only saying that Cui Bai and Jiaqingzi were not young. In our dynasty, it was considered untimely for men to marry at thirty and women at twenty. They were both a few years over the age limit, and would be a year older after the new year, which wouldn't sound good.

The princess agreed, but with a hint of melancholy: "So soon... then she can only stay with me for a month, and I'll have one less person by my side..."

I didn't reply. She forced a smile and took my hand: "Luckily, you're still by my side, you won't leave me."

I felt a piercing pain in my heart, but I maintained a smile and brought up other things with her. Then, when she was distracted, I subtly slipped my hand out of hers.