Yao Huang loved Prince Hui’s paintings very much, but this time she chose the stone bridge in Spirit Mountain Town as the painting location in order to make Prince Hui more accustomed to being among crowds and more accustomed to gazes from his surroundings. So on the first day she took Prince Hui out, Yao Huang had first run onto the stone bridge to ask him if the scenery there looked good. That way, when she truly asked him to paint, it wouldn’t seem too abrupt.
Yao Huang was seventeen years old. Before this, it had always been her relatives and friends who tried every way to make her happy. Prince Hui was the only person on whom Yao Huang had spent so much effort.
But who told Prince Hui to be her husband, the person who would share the same roof with her for decades?
Her wealth and honor came from Prince Hui. This point alone made it worth Yao Huang’s while to invest effort in him. And Prince Hui’s tolerance and indulgence toward her, the brief smile that finally appeared on Prince Hui’s face—all of this made Yao Huang even more motivated and full of energy in helping Prince Hui regain his vitality.
“Why aren’t you saying anything? Will you paint for me or not?”
Yao Huang had set the date for painting, but Prince Hui had yet to give a response. She had no choice but to tug his sleeve.
Zhao Sui’s eyes were covered with the blue skirt sash, yet he could still clearly see the Princess Consort’s pleading expression.
After a moment, he nodded.
Prince Hui loved staying in his study. When departing from the capital, he had brought two trunks of books and one trunk of the four treasures of the study, which also included a box of paints that might be used for painting.
On the eighteenth evening, Qing Ai and Fei Quan had prepared the paints, easel, small table, and other items. The next day after breakfast, Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui to set out, with young cousin Fei Quan following behind carrying the items.
The sun rose in the east. Standing on the bridge and looking west, Yao Huang wasn’t hit by the sun. Prince Hui’s wheelchair stopped behind a weeping willow on the bank—this position allowed him to clearly see the Princess Consort’s dress and face, while also sparing him from the scorching sun when it rose higher.
Fei Quan first helped the Prince set up the easel and arrange the paints. Yao Huang moved her body on the bridge while pondering what pose to strike.
Mid-June wasn’t the busy farming season, and there were quite a few idle neighbors on both banks. Attracted by the scene created by Scholar Liao and his wife, they gradually gathered over.
“Scholar Liao, are you going to paint?”
Fei Quan answered with a smile, “Yes! My second sister-in-law particularly loves the scenery of our town. Since my second brother is skilled at painting, he’s come to paint a picture.”
There weren’t many scholarly and accomplished young men in the town, let alone someone engaging in refined activities like painting that required even more skill and financial support. The neighbors’ interest grew stronger. Some even specially ran home to fetch stools, looking prepared to watch Scholar Liao paint from start to finish. The news gradually spread, and more and more neighbors gathered, including men, women, old and young—no longer just women.
Zhao Sui looked toward the Princess Consort at the bridge head. Today the Princess Consort wore a light blue upper jacket and a plain white waist-high long skirt. The blue displayed dignity and serenity, suitable for such an occasion of being watched while being painted. The Princess Consort’s face was also slightly lowered, one hand resting on top of the railing beside her, as if admiring fish or harboring some private thoughts.
When the neighbors standing around saw Scholar Liao pick up his brush, they all stopped talking at Fei Quan’s signal.
Zhao Sui first painted the section of stone bridge where the Princess Consort stood.
Shopkeeper Hu, who sold the four treasures of the study in town, watched for a while and praised in a low voice, “Marvelous! These few strokes by Scholar Liao seem understated, yet they make the bridge’s weathering by wind and frost leap onto the paper. Such skill—either Scholar Liao has exceptional talent, or he must have dedicated at least ten years of devoted refinement to achieve this!”
The neighbors who didn’t understand the technique but felt Scholar Liao indeed painted very well all nodded along.
After painting a small section of the stone bridge, Zhao Sui began painting the beauty on the bridge, starting from the neck.
Painting required patience, and viewing paintings did too. Some neighbors lost interest after watching for a long time and left. Some neighbors had to tend their shops or attend to other business. With people coming and going, those who ultimately stood closely behind Prince Hui to observe the painting up close turned out to be the neighbors from the east and west of the new residence—on one side were Madam Zhu with He Wenbin and He Wenqi siblings, on the other side was Squire Qi whose black hair was streaked with silver along with his second wife Madam Lu, and sandwiched between these two families was Shopkeeper Hu who was reluctant to leave due to his love of refined arts.
Shopkeeper Hu praised every so often. With his explanations, the neighbors increasingly understood how exquisite Scholar Liao’s painting skills were.
Shopkeeper Hu said, “I’ve seen a painting worth a hundred taels at a calligraphy and painting shop in the capital. Thinking carefully, even that one falls short of Scholar Liao’s work by three parts!”
The neighbors gasped in unison!
Standing on the bridge, Yao Huang heard this and laughed inwardly. Prince Hui’s paintings—even at a thousand taels of silver each, wealthy merchants would scramble to buy them.
After Zhao Sui finished painting the Princess Consort’s dress, hands, and arms, he began painting the Princess Consort’s head, still leaving the facial features blank to complete last.
Madam Zhu, hearing Shopkeeper Hu constantly praising Scholar Liao in front of her provincial graduate son, had long been displeased. Now seeing Scholar Liao signal that the young lady could come down from the bridge, Madam Zhu couldn’t help but say, “They say painting a dragon and dotting its eyes—the facial features, especially the eyes, should be the most challenging test of painting skill, right? Scholar Liao, continue painting and let us all broaden our horizons.”
Zhao Sui paid no attention and simply continued painting.
Fei Quan scoffed at Madam Zhu, “Are you an examiner? Does how to paint have to follow your orders?”
Everyone else had been offering praise, but this person’s words made everyone uncomfortable—full of challenging provocation.
Madam Zhu fell silent.
Naturally, there were also those who usually disapproved of Madam Zhu’s behavior. They stirred things up, “Shopkeeper Hu, previously Wenbin had the best painting skills in our town. Now give us your judgment—how does Scholar Liao’s painting compare to Wenbin’s?”
Before Shopkeeper Hu could answer, another person laughed, “That’s not easy to judge! According to what Shopkeeper Hu just said, Scholar Liao’s painting is worth a hundred taels or more. Our Wenbin isn’t bad either! Just recently, Squire Qi offered ten taels of silver as payment to have Wenbin paint him a birthday celebration picture, but Wenbin declined. This shows Wenbin’s paintings might also be worth a hundred taels.”
The mentioned Squire Qi stroked his beard and continued watching Scholar Liao paint.
He Wenbin glanced at the beauty in the painting who had already approached the crowd and heard all those words. His face flushed with embarrassment.
Madam Zhu glared at the two troublemakers and explained for her son, “That’s not what happened at all! Squire Qi is our old neighbor. If he had celebrated his birthday at any other time, Wenbin would have painted for him without charge. But it just happens to coincide with his preparation for the spring examinations. The spring examinations are such an important matter—how could he have the leisure to waste energy on painting?”
Hearing these words implied mockery that their Prince had crippled legs and didn’t need to prepare for spring examinations, Fei Quan laughed, “No time to paint for Squire Qi, yet time to come here and watch my second brother paint?”
Just as Madam Zhu was about to retort, He Wenbin pulled his mother back and said to Squire Qi, “Uncle Qi, I was thinking wrong before. Studying should combine work and rest. Practicing calligraphy and painting are both refined activities for cultivating one’s character. As long as Uncle Qi doesn’t mind, I can paint for you today.”
Squire Qi smiled amiably, “How could that work? The spring examinations are more important. Worthy nephew, you absolutely mustn’t let this old man’s matter distract you.”
“Right, right! You absolutely mustn’t delay Wenbin’s time, otherwise if something happens next year, you’ll have to bear responsibility.”
This was cursing her son to fail! Madam Zhu was furious to death. She pointed at that person and scolded, “A dog’s mouth can’t spit ivory! Is that any way to talk? I—”
Fei Quan jumped up and chased the mother and two children backward, “Go, go, go! If you want to quarrel, quarrel somewhere else. Don’t ruin my second brother’s mood for painting.”
The young He siblings, concerned with saving face, pulled their mother away together.
The sun rose higher and higher. The neighbors watching gradually decreased. When Zhao Sui stopped his brush with only the facial features remaining to be painted on the Princess Consort in the painting, besides Yao Huang and Fei Quan, only Squire Qi remained, sitting on a rock by the bank fanning himself.
Fei Quan was responsible for packing things up. Yao Huang pushed Prince Hui to turn toward Squire Qi and smiled, “We’re heading back. Would you like to join us?”
Squire Qi nodded cheerfully and said sincerely to Prince Hui, “This old man hasn’t read many books and doesn’t know how to praise people, but having seen worthy nephew’s painting today, I finally understand why some people are willing to pay hundreds or thousands of gold to purchase famous calligraphy and paintings.”
Zhao Sui replied, “Merely a crude work. You flatter me.”
Squire Qi walked alongside the wheelchair fanning his cattail fan and sighed, “Worthy nephew heard just now—this old man will celebrate his sixtieth birthday on the twenty-ninth of this month. When I was young, I never did any refined activities. Now in old age, I suddenly want to commission someone to paint me a birthday celebration picture with children and grandchildren filling the hall. Young He is busy, and this old man absolutely dares not disturb him again. I wonder if worthy nephew would be willing to help this old man? As for payment, forgive this old man for having his family fortune depleted by a courtyard full of children and grandchildren. Now I can only offer ten taels. Any more and the family will make a fuss—the loss would outweigh the gain.”
When young, he longed for prosperous descendants. When the descendants truly multiplied, he discovered they all came to collect debts. Give to this one and you must give to that one—every pair of eyes fixed on that bit of savings in his hands.
Yao Huang looked at the top of Prince Hui’s head. This was an admirer he had attracted himself—she wouldn’t interfere.
Zhao Sui glanced at Squire Qi’s robe hem. Beneath the coarse cloth garment was a pair of half-worn cloth shoes. He was frugal with himself yet willing to pay handsomely for a painting.
While he painted, this old squire had first stood, then changed to sitting to the side, his eyes constantly fixed on his painting and brush. One could tell he truly loved it.
Scholar He had no leisure time. He indeed had plenty of leisure time.
Zhao Sui asked, “What kind of birthday celebration painting do you want?”
Squire Qi was overjoyed. After being excited for a moment, he said nervously, “It might be a bit troublesome. I want one with me sitting in the main seat of the hall, my three sons seated on both sides, and my grandsons and granddaughters kneeling in the middle kowtowing to me. The grandchildren’s faces don’t need to be seen—just paint them simply. But my three sons and I should be recognizable. I’m hoping that when I’m gone, the three of them can get along harmoniously…”
Yao Huang felt it was doubtful for Squire Qi. The Qi family had seven or eight grandchildren, right? Even just painting their backs as they knelt would require considerable effort, let alone clearly painting four adults. Prince Hui was accustomed to solitude—would he have the patience to paint this for a complete stranger?
After walking a stretch in silence, Prince Hui spoke, “I can do it. However, each time I paint, your family must prepare in advance in the hall. When I arrive, I will paint directly and don’t want to hear any idle chatter. Considering the children are young, I can tolerate noise three times. Any more and the matter is off.”
Squire Qi was overjoyed and repeatedly guaranteed he would follow the rules.
The old man escorted the young couple all the way to their door before taking his leave.
After Fei Quan closed the gate, Yao Huang moved in front of Prince Hui and said in wonder, “When did Second Master become so easy to talk to? When I ask you for a painting, I have to coax you first.”
Fei Quan quietly slipped into the reverse-facing room in the front courtyard.
Zhao Sui looked up at the Princess Consort. “You coaxed me when asking for a painting?”
Yao Huang smiled, bent down to tug his sleeve, and said while shaking it, “This is called coaxing.”
Zhao Sui remained silent.