The Moon Over Tang Dynasty

Chapter 27: Wealth and honor make people lonely through the ages

Wearing an inconspicuous tooth-colored blouse and an inconspicuous gilt hairpin, the Mrs. Zhong in front of her was about fifty years old. She had an ordinary appearance and a modest smile. She was sitting at the guest seat in the elegant room a little casually. She seemed to have no airs. Nothing, just the purple flowered six-piece skirt, which silently and clearly revealed her identity as a high-ranking official's wife. The two maids behind him stood still with bated breath. Liuli didn't even move her eyelids when she came in.

Liuli got very excited when she heard that a distinguished person was looking for her by name. After entering the elegant room, her eyes only glanced slightly, and she bowed respectfully, "Liuli has met Mrs. Zhong."

Mrs. Zhong smiled and said: "This is Mrs. Kudi. She is indeed a good person. There is no need to be polite."

Liuli stood up straight with a smile. Mrs. Zhong looked her up and down. Although her smile was friendly, her eyes showed a sense of consideration that was familiar to Liuli. Liuli lowered her eyes, already somewhat understanding her purpose of coming - nine times out of ten, it was Mrs. Yang's arrangement that worked, it came so fast!

Sure enough, Mrs. Zhong smiled and said: "It seems that I have to trouble my aunt. The day before yesterday, I accidentally saw a peony and valerian shawl. It was really beautiful, so I asked about the place specifically and wanted to trouble my aunt to do it for me. Make a shawl like that, preferably with a lotus pattern. I wonder if I have time?"

Liuli raised her head, smiled and said softly: "The shop will definitely live up to Madam's trust."

Mrs. Zhong's face suddenly showed a look of surprise, and then she asked: "When did aunty draw this pattern?"

Liuli smiled and said: "Liuli still has a commission, and there is a painter in the shop. His skills are ten times higher than Liuli's. He will definitely not disappoint my wife."

Mrs. Zhong's face relaxed again, and her smile became warmer. "Auntie, you are too humble. I have seen the peony valerian with my own eyes. If you say that someone is ten times more skilled than you, I don't believe it. But I don't know who it is." I’ve entrusted you with it, how long will it take? I’ll just wait.”

Liuli became more and more wary. With Mrs. Yang's identity and Wu Zhaoyi's status, it was not surprising that someone was willing to come forward to help her. However, this lady was too enthusiastic. Did she have to tell Mrs. Liu herself? if? He could only smile and say: "Madam, you know clearly that Liuli has no leisure at the moment. Firstly, Mrs. Wei ordered Liuli to make a four-color flower valerian for her, but she hasn't gotten it yet; secondly, Liuli agreed to Mrs. Wu from Helan Mansion. Although her painting is a personal entrustment and has nothing to do with the business of the shop, it still requires the orders of a loyal person. Therefore, I am afraid that Liuli has been unable to do anything these days and can no longer serve Madam. I hope Madam will understand. "

Mrs. Zhong seemed not to have expected that she would bring Mrs. Wu in. Although her smile was still the same, her eyes looking at Liuli became a little deeper. After a while, she said "Oh!" and smiled as if she remembered something: "Say When I came to Mrs. Wei Guo and Mrs. Wu, I just remembered that I heard Mrs. Wu say that the last time she came to this store, she met Mrs. Wei Guo who also came here. Not only did she ask you to make flower clips, but she also said on the spot But you are not allowed to draw patterns for other people, is this a problem? "

Liuli's heart sank slightly. This person would not give up until he reached his goal. It seemed that some words could no longer be avoided. She could only nod her head, "That's what was said at the time. It was probably because Liuli had behaved inappropriately in front of a noble person. It’s not surprising that Madam Wei was offended.”

Mrs. Zhong looked at Liuli and laughed again, "You are a cautious person, but you don't know how you lost your etiquette?"

Liuli sighed, "Liuli doesn't know much either. I just wasn't happy when I saw Mrs. Wei leaving, so I just made random guesses."

Mrs. Zhong nodded, "Mrs. Wei Guo is a very well-behaved person. Now that she has spoken, I will not make it difficult for you. We will talk about it when we have the opportunity in the future." After saying that, she got up neatly and walked out. Liuli couldn't help but Somewhat confused, he followed her respectfully and sent her out of the Jiaval Store. I saw a carriage parked at the door. The carriage panels were gilded with flowers and birds, and the carriage curtains were heavy brocade. It was extremely gorgeous. Before getting in the car, Mrs. Zhong suddenly turned around and smiled kindly, "Since Auntie still wants to paint with Mrs. Wu, remember to say hello to her when you see her."

Liuli felt relieved, nodded submissively and said with a smile, "I will never forget what Madam has entrusted me to do." After watching the carriage that saw Mrs. Zhong go away, she turned around and asked Shopkeeper Shi, "Has the shopkeeper ever found out about this lady?" Mrs. Zhong’s origin?”

Shopkeeper Shi frowned and said, "I'm also wondering. I just asked Xiao Qian to chat with the coachman for a few words. He said he was from Xu University Scholar's House. It seemed that the coach belonged to a very wealthy family. I thought about it for a long time and didn't think of it. I have dealt with this house before, and I don’t know why this lady knows your name.”     Bachelor Xu? Could it be Xu Jingzong, the first minister under Wu Zetian? If Mrs. Zhong is really his wife, judging from today's situation, it's not that Wu Zetian conquered him, but that he racked his brains to stick to the Wu family! That's why she mentioned this at the end: What she really wanted was not to say anything herself, but to let Mrs. Yang see that she was the first to understand the meaning of her words and put it into practice. Action people! Power and wealth are indeed the most tempting things in the world. As long as you lay out the bait, you won't be afraid that no one will take the bait.

Liuli stood in the courtyard, silent for a long time, and finally just sighed, turned around and said to Xiaotan, "Let's go back."

In the next few days, Liuli didn't come to the West Market again, but asked Xiaotan to inquire about the news every day. During this period, two or three official wives came to inquire about her, but they didn't show too much concern. There is no silver sparkle in the peony valerian sold in the store. Liuli felt relieved now, thinking that although Wu Zetian was favored now, the court was still dominated by Changsun Wuji, and the status of the queen and the queen was still stable. Except for Xu Jingzong, who was not very ambitious and had an old relationship with the Wu family, who would take the treasure? On an older concubine who served the late emperor?

Thinking about it this way, Liuli felt more comfortable painting. After practicing the picture of "Spring River Flowers and Moonlight Night" twice on paper, it was only on the third day that she spread out the light ocher cooked silk carefully selected from the calligraphy and painting shop, picked up the pen and ink, and spent two or three days on it. After days of hard work, we finally succeeded.

Although this painting is not a meticulous painting, she painted it very carefully. At the bottom of the painting are several clusters of peonies in full bloom. Looking through the flowers and leaves of the peonies, you can see the river flowing quietly, the water and the sky connecting, and the full moon rising high. The moonlight is like a halo, and in the ripples of light, a small boat is parked quietly in the river. A scholar wearing a scarf stands facing the full moon with his hands behind his back. There was a feeling of loneliness in his thin back.

Liuli looked at it for a long time and breathed a sigh of relief. In fact, this painting was quite different from the one she copied back then, but fortunately the effect was still good after the changes, especially the back of the scholar. When copying before, her instructor always said that she His paintings have their form but not their spirit. If the instructor could see this painting, he probably wouldn't be so dissatisfied, right? Liuli looked at her painting blankly, and the feeling of pride at the beginning gradually turned into a long sigh that was suppressed in her heart and could not be uttered.

Because the day after tomorrow is the Buddha's birthday on the eighth day of April, which is one of the statutory holidays of the Tang Dynasty, Pei Xingjian, a civil servant, might also have some free time. Liuli put away the scroll, turned around and summoned Xiaotan, asking her to find a male servant to deliver the letter to Pei Xingjian's house in Changxingfang the next day. Xiaotan thought for a while and then said: "Changxingfang is not far away. If you have nothing to do tomorrow, why don't you ask your servant to go there, otherwise those people will be clumsy and talk unclearly, which will delay the matter."

Liuli looked at her blinking eyes, wondering why she didn't understand that this girl had heard of the name Tiansha Lone Star. At this moment, her curiosity aroused, so she could only smile and nod, "That's fine."

Early the next morning, Xiaotan went out excitedly and returned home before noon. When he entered the door, he said to Liuli with a mysterious face: "Xiaotan visited Pei Jiulang's house today! It's really strange. ”

It turned out that she found Pei Xingjian's yard, but Pei Xingjian went to Zuotun Guard as an errand. She said she had a message that she wanted to convey in person. The old man at the porter took her to the living room and called a boy to serve tea with the guests. The boy was only about ten years old, and he was tricked by Xiao Tan in a few moments: Not only did the Pei family not have a mistress, they didn't even have a maid. Except for the old man who looked after the door, who usually waited on the boy in the study, there were only two of them. A servant follows Pei Xingjian in and out on weekdays, plus a cook to cook and a maid to clean and wash. Pei Xingjian had a very casual temperament and was not very particular about everything. The old man who looked after him had been with him the longest and was actually half a housekeeper.

After Xiaotan inquired about the news, she found an excuse to wander around the yard, "The yard is not small, but no one has taken care of it, so it is barely clean. It's a pity. The jujube tree in the yard is growing Very good, I heard the fruit is also sweet..."

Liuli was still listening in a daze, but as she continued to talk, she became increasingly confused and couldn't help but ask, "Did you bring the message?"

Xiaotan smiled and said: "After I finished reading, I naturally left a message and came back. Do I still stay at his house for dinner?"

Liuli couldn’t laugh or cry. Thinking that Pei Xingjian would be here in the next two days, she took her paintings to the studio in Xishi the next day. Unexpectedly, after waiting for three days, there was no trace of Pei Xingjian, but she received Mrs. Liu's latest instructions.

 (End of this chapter)