Ci Jinzhi

Qi Daizhao, who had always been a man of few words, suddenly said: "It's not because of that sweet cake."

Ci Daizhao retorted: "Why not? What the father-in-law just meant was that Brother Hua gave Xin Daizhao sweet cakes, and Xin Daizhao mentioned it to him above."

Qi Daizhao shook his head: "No. Sweet cakes are not worth mentioning, but Xin Daizhao is willing to mention them."

 Ci Daizhao was startled, and he understood the meaning of Qi Daizhao.

 A small piece of sweet cake is nothing. Hua Daizhao can have the opportunity to see the beauty of the sky. It is because Xin Daizhao has a kind heart and cherishes every kindness to others.

Divination about the imperial edict gave rise to a guess: Could it be that the nobleman painted in the imperial edict is Xin Taizhao?

If this is the case, the relationship between Hua Daizhao and Xin Daizhao may have to do with that piece of sweet cake.

In any case, the fact that a person like Xin Taizhao would associate with a down-and-out petty official like them shows his character.

Hua Daizhao entered the palace and was led to Emperor Xingyuan. He was so nervous that his palms were sweating.

Emperor Xingyuan was gentler than he thought: "There is no need to be too polite. I sent you here because I heard that you are good at painting figures, and I want you to paint a portrait."

"Yes." Hua Daizhao lowered his head and did not dare to look directly at Tianyan, with great expectation in his heart.

 You can see what the emperor looks like now that he can be fair and aboveboard.

“Well, let’s draw a portrait of Xin Daizhao, as you are familiar with it.”

 Hua was stunned for a moment before the edict was issued, and quickly responded.

The pen, ink, paper and inkstone were spread out, and the painting was waiting for the imperial edict. The pen was picked up, but it was not put down for a while.

Emperor Xingyuan, who was standing beside him with his hands behind his hands, wondered: "Why don't you draw?"

The painting was waiting for the imperial edict and he tightened his grip on the pen.

He wanted to paint too, but he was nervous with such a big emperor standing next to him!

However, no matter how nervous he was, he couldn't stay still. Hua Daizhao secretly took a breath and put down the pen.

It is not a boast that Hua Daizhao is good at painting figures. After he put down the pen, all the nervousness, anxiety and all kinds of emotions were immediately forgotten, and there was only a picture scroll in his eyes.

The image of a young man appeared in his mind, and soon a handsome young man appeared on the page as he wrote smoothly.

 “Wei Chen has finished the painting.” The painting was waiting for the imperial edict, and he put down his pen and stepped aside.

Emperor Xingyuan was very interested in admiring it, and raised his eyebrows slightly: "The eyebrows seem a bit different -"

As soon as these words came out, Hua Daizhao immediately broke down in cold sweat and hurriedly looked at the characters he had painted in one go.

At this sight, I feel stupid.

With his painting skills, not to mention the young man he spends all day with, he can also draw almost the same thing as someone he has just met. However, the portrait in front of him is not that the emperor is picky, it is really different from Xin Taizhao.

"I am a humble minister who is incompetent, please forgive me." Hua immediately knelt down to plead guilty, his face turned pale.

 I thought it was an opportunity, but I didn’t expect it to be a catastrophe.

 He didn't blame Xin Daizhao for creating the opportunity for him, he only blamed him for being obsessed with it.

"What kind of crime?" Emperor Xingyuan grinned unconsciously, "The painting is good! I will give you a pair of Huzhaohu pens and a hundred taels of silver..."

　　After hearing a series of rewards, Hua Daizhao became even more stupid.

 This time it was not fear, but surprise and confusion.

 Why is there a huge reward for a painting that doesn’t look like it?

　　"I'm waiting for the imperial edict, so I won't thank you for your kindness." Sun Yan, the eunuch, reminded him.

Hua waited for Zhao to come to his senses and kowtowed heavily: "Thank you for the reward, Your Majesty. Long live Your Majesty."

After the painting was waiting for Zhao to leave, Emperor Xingyuan picked up the painting and admired it again: "The painting is really good. Sun Yan, arrange for someone to frame it."

He said that Mu'er must have a resemblance to him, and the painter would have noticed it!

On the way back to Hanlin Academy, Hua Dizhao suddenly stopped.

He was not obsessed with his mind, but he entered a state of selflessness and moved his pen according to his heart, so that he could draw such an edict.

He is good at observing a person's bones when drawing people, and he has long felt that a person's bones are more beautiful when they are painted with a hint of pain.

 In this way, Xin Taizhao may have changed his appearance, but his original appearance... looks like the emperor!

Xin Daizhao is like an emperor—thinking of this, Hua Daizhao gasped. "Why don't you leave when you are painting?" the chamberlain asked.

Hua Daizhao came back to his senses and said, "No, it's nothing."

 He seems to have discovered a huge secret!

The painting of waiting for the imperial edict took one step at a time and returned to the waiting room for the imperial edict.

Seeing him looking lost, several people gathered around him.

 “Brother Hua, what’s wrong with you?” Ci was asked.

 Could it be that his words and deeds were inappropriate and made the emperor unhappy?

Hua Daizhao looked at several colleagues with curious faces and calmly said, "I am so happy that I have been rewarded today. It's like I haven't come back to my senses yet."

 Xin Daizhao is the direct prince!

 When he thought of this speculation, Hua Daizhao wanted to scream.

 “What was the reward?” Ci Daizhao couldn’t help but raise his voice and asked.

Since it is a good thing, why is it like this?

The people in the east hall couldn't help but look around when they heard the commotion, and were jealous of the encounters of the few idlers in the west hall.

“I was rewarded with a pair of Hu pens and one hundred taels of silver…”

　　The eyes of several people were stunned when they heard the word "Ci Daizhao".

 One hundred taels of silver! An imperially gifted writing brush that can be used as a family heirloom!

"The Hu biscuits I ate that morning were much better than the sweet cakes..." Ci Daizhao murmured, regretting it endlessly.

 Hooking up the divination and waiting for the edict, he nodded secretly.

The noble man who painted the painting is undoubtedly Xin Daizhao.

Not mentioning the subtle changes in the minds of everyone in the imperial edict hall, Xin You and his entourage galloped and arrived at the inn before dark.

The group of people were dressed in plain clothes. After revealing their identities, the postmaster hurriedly arranged meals for the room.

"Please heat up this crispy duck and send it over." He Qingxiao went to tell the postman in person.

When the meal started, Xin You and He Qingxiao were sitting at a table alone. When they saw the crispy duck that was served, they couldn't help but glance at He Qingxiao.

"An elder in my family made it with his own hands. He asked me to take it with me to eat on the road, and Mr. Xin can try it." In front of others, He Qingxiao couldn't bring up the appointment between the two of them to eat crispy duck.

"Thank you, Mr. He." Xinyou didn't expect that He Qingxiao still remembered the previous agreement, and the corners of her lips couldn't help but raise, "It's great that Mr. He has an elder who cares about you so much."

He Qingxiao thought of the scene when Aunt Gui stuffed the crispy duck to him with a straight face, and felt a little unsure about what she said.

Aunt Gui didn't seem to want to talk to him.

“Aunt Gui heard that I was escorting Mr. Xin on his trip, and she also said that when Mr. Xin comes back, he will come to the Marquis Mansion and she will cook for him personally.”

“Then when you come back, Master He, don’t forget it.”

Jin Linwei at the other table listened to his master chatting and laughing with Mr. Xin, secretly wondering.

 Sir, you are not usually such a warm person.

As for Qianfeng and Ping An, after finishing their meal quickly, they stood silently behind Xin You, with only the new master in their eyes.

He Qingxiao was happy to see two more loyal people protecting Xin You, until these two people insisted on sleeping in the same room with Xin You.

“We can just lay the floor and it won’t affect the young master’s rest,” Qianfeng promised.

Xin You has a big headache: "I'm not used to sleeping in the same room with others. I can't fall asleep even if someone is there, even if I don't make a sound."

“The villain and Qianfeng wait until the young master falls asleep before entering the house?”

“No.” Xin You and He Qingxiao refused in unison.

 The two of them looked at each other with helplessness in their eyes.

 Qianfeng and Ping'an were puzzled by He Qingxiao's reaction.

What's going on with Mr. He? Doesn't he care about the young master's safety so much?

 (End of this chapter)