GTB Chapter 45

Chapter 45: The Missed Painting

Madam Ye and Shí Qingya emerged to find Jiang Jiuchu gleefully swinging on the swing, causing both of them to twitch their lips slightly.

When the painter put down his brush, Shí Qingya stepped forward and glanced at the painting on the table. She couldn’t help but praise it inwardly; the person in the painting was as beautiful and ethereal as a fairy beneath the flowers.

She withdrew her gaze and thanked the painter, “Painter Lin’s skills are indeed superb, portraying my little sister-in-law so beautifully.”

The painter quickly rose and bowed towards Shí Qingya, “Thank you for your praise, Princess. It is simply that Miss Jiang is naturally beautiful.”

Shí Qingya nodded, smiling slightly as she asked, “I wonder how many more families Painter Lin has yet to paint? When will you be able to finish them and send them to the Empress Dowager? I will go with you to take a look then.”

“Reporting to the Princess, there are still two young ladies who have not been painted. I should be able to finish them this afternoon and send them to the Empress Dowager tomorrow.”

Shí Qingya nodded. Recalling the time Painter Lin delivered the paintings last time, it seemed to be around the *Chen* hour when he entered the palace, so she didn’t inquire further.

Jiang Jiuchu, who had been sitting on the swing, immediately jumped down when she saw the painter leave, running to Shí Qingya’s side and asking, “Sister-in-law, have you thought of a way?”

Shí Qingya then told her the idea she had in mind, and then sighed, “This matter can only be done by pretending to be unintentional. This is the best way I can think of.”

Madam Ye and Jiang Jiuchu both felt it was a good idea. This method completely avoided the risks and would not be easily discovered, so there would be no blame.

In the afternoon, Jiang Yuan and Jiang Jiuche returned to the residence after finishing their duties. After learning about this, they were not too surprised, because they had heard a fourth-rank official mention this matter in court today, and they had anticipated it at the time.

They only felt that one thing had not ended, and another had come. The imperial city of Kyoto was indeed a place where one could not control one’s own destiny.

That night, Jiang Jiuche and Shí Qingya leaned against each other on the couch.

“Ya’er, are you sure there’s no problem doing this?” Jiang Jiuche asked with some worry.

Upon hearing this, Shí Qingya raised her head and stared at Jiang Jiuche, “What is my husband worried about? Are you worried that my method will not work, or are you worried about me?”

“The method is definitely going to work. I’m worried that if it’s discovered in the future, it will anger you.”

“My method is at most an unintentional mistake. Even if it is discovered afterward, it will not be a big problem. Husband, don’t worry.”

“I’m just a little curious. If we simply compare the Seventh Prince and Fu Gongzi, who do you think is better for Chu’er to marry?”

Although Shí Qingya agreed to help, it didn’t mean she thought Song Fuge was good. If her little sister-in-law married Song Fuge, there were too many uncertain factors, from the small matter of herself to the large matter of the entire Jiang residence.

If this matter were placed on other court officials, it would absolutely not be allowed to happen.

Not to mention anything else, just for the sake of face, they would not agree to marry their daughter to a merchant, let alone face so many problems.

“This…” Jiang Jiuche couldn’t answer for a moment, mainly because he didn’t understand what kind of person the Seventh Prince was.

Moreover, like Madam Ye, he had never thought that Jiang Jiuchu would fall in love with someone from the *jianghu*, and he had also never thought that his younger sister would become a candidate for the prince’s consort.

Seeing his hesitation, Shí Qingya said, “If it were me, and I had to choose between these two, I would still think my Seventh Brother is better.”

“After all, when men propose marriage, which one is not sincere and full of love? But as time goes by, this love will fade, and then the external things that were once not cared about will become important, such as status, power, and authority.”

“But if that Fu Gongzi is not good to Chu’er in the future, what will Chu’er have left?”

Listening to Shí Qingya’s words, Jiang Jiuche was surprised and somewhat hurt, “Ya’er, you are so distrustful of men, is it because your husband is not doing well enough?”

Shí Qingya leaned against Jiang Jiuche’s chest, smiling happily, “Of course not. On the contrary, it was you who made me decide to help with this matter. Otherwise, I definitely wouldn’t help.”

“After all, I have never seen a man like you. What I have seen the most is someone like my imperial father, where there are new people in the harem every year, and the new people become old people every year.”

“Also, the most important point is that I am a princess. If you are not good to me, I am not afraid. I have my imperial father to stand up for me.”

“But can Chu’er be the same? That Song Fuge says he will take her to travel the mountains and rivers, but who knows where he will take Chu’er? How many times can you see each other in a year? Aren’t you worried?”

“Alright, alright! I won’t say anymore. I have to get up early tomorrow to enter the palace with you.”

Shí Qingya realized that what she said seemed very unfavorable to her little sister-in-law, so she stopped talking.

But she always believed that her little sister-in-law was simple-minded, spoiled by her husband’s family in An Yang County, and had never seen the sinister nature of the world and the complexity of people’s hearts.

Marrying Song Fuge was like betting her entire life on a man’s sincerity. She would not dare to make such a moth-to-flame-like bet, even if that person was Jiang Jiuche, who she fell in love with at first sight.

The next day, the morning light was dim.

Shí Qingya entered the palace early and was admiring the flowers in a garden path. The wide road beside the garden was the only way to enter Cining Palace from outside the palace.

Half an hour later, the figure she was waiting for finally appeared in the distance.

Shí Qingya picked a few flowers and held them in her hand. As the person approached, she just happened to walk out of the small garden.

“Eh, Painter Lin.” Shí Qingya pretended to look at the painter who was walking over by chance, then glanced at the small stack of portraits in his hand.

“This humble servant greets the Princess.” Painter Lin bowed.

“No need for formalities.” Shí Qingya looked at the stack of portraits in Painter Lin’s hand and said, “You’re going to deliver the portraits to the Empress Dowager, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then I’ll take them to my grandmother! I’m just going to pay my respects to my grandmother.” As Shí Qingya spoke, she reached out towards Painter Lin.

Painter Lin paused for a moment, but didn’t think too much and handed over the stack of portraits in his hand, “Then I’ll trouble the Princess.”

“You’re welcome.” Shí Qingya took the portraits and turned to walk forward.

After walking a distance, she turned back to look and saw that the painter had already walked away. She quickly flipped through the portraits in her hand and then pulled out Jiang Jiuchu’s portrait and placed it on top.

She walked close to the roadside flowers and plants. After taking a few steps, suddenly, some of the portraits fluttered down onto the bluestone slabs under her feet, and some fell into the flower bushes next to her.

Shí Qingya was anxious and quickly bent down to pick them up one by one, finally leaving only two portraits, quietly stuck in the flower bushes.

However, not long after she left, a red figure walked behind her.

In Cining Palace, beside a stone table in the courtyard, Shí Qingya handed the portraits in her hand to the Empress Dowager, who was sipping tea, “Grandmother, I just ran into the painter delivering the portraits to you, so I conveniently brought them over for you.”

The Empress Dowager took the portraits and instructed Li *momo* behind her, “Go and bring over the portraits that I didn’t finish looking at last time.”

“Yes.”

Shí Qingya glanced at Li *momo* returning to the house and asked the Empress Dowager, “Grandmother, are you still going to let Seventh Brother choose?”

“Of course. Yan’er is already eighteen. How can he not choose a consort? He doesn’t have a mother, so I can only help him with these matters.”

Shí Qingya didn’t respond, because she wasn’t the only one whose seventh brother didn’t have a mother. What could she say? She could only remain silent.

When Li *momo* brought out the paintings, a red figure walked over from afar.