Ink Burns

Chapter 152: Madam Yupan
The wind in the capital has a tongue that blows all over the city. Wherever it stops, it tells the eaves and beams with ears about the latest excitement.

Xue Xiao, the censor of the Imperial Censorate and a third-rank official, announced in front of many elders and in-laws in his family's ancestral hall that he would welcome his stepmother Zhu back to the ancestral hall and that he would observe a three-year mourning period. Within two days, the news spread to most of the people in the capital.

Some people believe it, some people don't.

"Xue Xiao is a man of deep thoughts and evil character, just like the dog that doesn't bark!" Guanbei Marquis Chang Lin sneered, "Eight years ago, he suddenly appeared, biting this and that, and now a woman can force him to retreat?"

"You are wrong, uncle." Lady Suiyuan Fu Mingjiang said with a smile, "If you have seen Liu, you will know that she has this ability - beautiful, timid, stupid, and the type who can control men the best."

Apart from her beauty, everything else about her was just the opposite, so she couldn't control Yulang.

Chang Lin had a new face on his left side. His skin was very white, but his hair was sparse, and his eyebrows were particularly prominent. They were not his own eyebrows, but two eyebrows that he had roughly drawn with eyebrow pencil. Drawing eyebrows was not uncommon for women, but it was rare for a man who was eight feet tall and strong to have them.

He has no eyebrows, no idea whether he plucked them all or was born without them.

This boy is the eldest son of Chang Lin and Zhou, Chang Yusu.

"In my opinion, why not send four or five men to ambush at the end of the alley, and lure that bastard Xue Xiao out in the dark of night, first cut off his legs, then cut off his tongue, and finally open his skull." Chang Yusu licked the corner of his mouth quickly, with bloodthirsty excitement in his eyes: "Isn't Xue Xiao a good fighter? I want to see how he can get away if five people attack him together!"

Princess Suiyuan Fu Mingjiang rolled her eyes afterwards.

Princess Jing'an treated Chang Yusu kindly: "Little Su, think more about things." She tapped her forehead with her finger stained with bright red cardamom, and said: "People have been killed, cut, blood has flowed all over the floor, brains have been splattered on the wall, but my mind is clear now. What should I do about the aftermath?"

Princess Jing'an turned her head gracefully and looked at Chang Lin with regret: "It's a pity that we didn't kill him at the beginning. Now that he has become powerful and stood on the stage, we can only use the methods on the stage to deal with him."

This statement seems to be regretful, but deeper it is a threat.

Chang Lin's face turned stern, and he squinted at his eldest son, warning him sternly: "Some things are just for fun, don't do them for real! If you make any mistakes, I won't need Qingfeng to intervene, but I will punish you personally!"

Chang Yusu licked the corner of his mouth again, and the corner of his mouth twitched unconsciously. Seeing Fu Mingjiang rolling her eyes at him, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and smile at her, revealing two rows of white teeth.

Fu Mingjiang rolled his eyes and turned his head away: What a bad guy, a bad bastard with a big body but no brains!

Princess Jing'an tried to smooth things over with a pointed tone: "Alright, alright. I know that Lord Guanbei is strict in both ruling his subjects and controlling his children."

The gods are fighting above, and the people below are feeling uneasy.

Yao Zao was huddled at the end of the seats, listening quietly to the words of the immortal at the top. He felt that his luck had come, but he didn't know whether it was good luck or bad luck - it was the first time he participated in such a situation, dealing with royal relatives and nobles, so this was good luck; as for bad luck, Yao Zao turned his eyes to the Guanbei Hou and his son at the top opposite him.

Guanbei Hou owns the Xishan Camp. Those who survived are all tough. The reason is that Guanbei Hou is very tough and his military management is no different from the imperial prison. Like father, like son. Chang Yusu killed someone when he was twelve years old. He rode out on the street and overturned an old woman's stall. The old woman's son only said "report to the authorities" and Chang Yusu pierced his throat with a sword. He lifted the man into the air with one hand and roared in the downtown area: "Report to the authorities? The official who dared to interrogate me is stuck in his mother's belly!"

All members of the Chang family have violent temperaments.

Can't be bothered, can't be bothered.

Yao Zao was curled up in a corner where no one cared about him.

But Princess Jing'an specifically pointed out to him: "Whether Censor Xue is in mourning or not, we will wait and see. As for Lord Yao——"

Yao Zaozheng was startled: "Eh——" his shoulders slumped, and he responded: "Your humble servant is here."

"Censor Xue is in mourning and will not retire. The heaven you mentioned last time. Heaven."

"Tianbao Temple, Your Majesty, it's the Tianbao Temple at the east end of the city." "It's that place. Now, the emperor's foundation is unstable. He will never take the love for him, but he can't let him go. Xue Xiao will definitely return to Tianbao Temple due to mourning. You just watch carefully. If there is any movement, report directly to the Princess Mansion. From now on, I will take care of you." Princess Jing'an's lips moved slightly.

People of high status always speak lightly, with almost no sound coming from their upper lip and their mouth shape changing very little. They don't even need to worry about the volume or clarity of their voices, because people of lower status will come forward to listen carefully, chew, analyze, and give feedback.

Princess Jing'an smiled and said, "If there is any big news, you will have something to worry about. Then, you will truly join the Qingfeng."

Yao Zaozheng was overjoyed: "Yes! I will devote all my energy and dedication to this!"

Yao Zaozheng happily took his leave.

Chang Yusu turned his gaze away in disgust, licking the corner of his mouth with the tip of his tongue: I really want to kill him, these lowly people are like rotten dogs, it's annoying to look at them.

The news spread across the country. While people were speculating whether it was true or not, Xue Xiao submitted a petition to the Ministry of Personnel. Within two hours, the petition was approved in red ink and the position of Censor in the Censorate was left vacant. Xue Xiao was in mourning and stayed at home.

The next day, Guan'an Zhai, the top calligraphy and art gallery in the capital, published a painting of a snow scene, titled "Fusion of Fire and Snow", with a private seal of "Mi" printed on it. Mi was also asked to write an inscription to suit the occasion, but the signature was a simple "Jade Plate".

Everyone speculated that it might be the work of Mi's new apprentice. Visitors came in droves, but no one believed that the painting was from the hands of a newcomer.

The curious person interrupted Mi Yaohe and asked: "Who painted this picture?"

Mi Yaohe stroked his gray beard and said, "This painting was created by a woman who is now married. She is gifted and talented. I have devoted myself to calligraphy and painting for decades and I cannot bear to see her talent go to waste. Therefore, I am printing this painting and recommending it to the history books. It will have a place in the long history of history!"

Mi Yaohe's words were selfless and willing to help others. If someone paid attention, they would be able to dig out some reluctance and impatience from the depths of his eyes: This painting has been his for a long time! A few days ago, the Grand Princess Jing'an heard the rumor from somewhere and insisted that he spit out the painting! Not only did she want to return the painting to its original owner, but she also wanted to use his fame to help the woman carry the sedan chair!
Why! Why!
A woman certainly can’t draw such a beautiful picture!

Why don't they believe in fate? They have to come and rob men of their jobs! Isn't this overstepping the boundaries?

Mi Yaohe certainly did not petition. Relying on his status as a retired minister and the reputation of the Four Great Families, he replied to Princess Jing'an in a sarcastic tone: "I'm afraid that even if I am willing to give it out, others will not believe it."

Princess Jing'an looked at him as if she was cutting him open with two knives: "What do you not believe? Do you not believe that women can write? Or do you not believe that women can become successful painters? I am a woman, and if I want your right hand, would you dare to give me your left hand?"

Rice has to swallow its saliva with difficulty: I dare not.

Since you don't dare, then work harder to complete the task.

Through Mi Yaohe's words, the talent and reputation of "Madam Yupan" became known throughout the capital in just two days.

Woman! Marry! Painting! Genius!
These four words have nothing to do with each other!

The shock brought by these four words was greater than the shock brought to the capital by the exquisite techniques, wild emotions and unexpected structure of "Fire and Snow Fusion Picture".

People in the painting world speculated about who "Madam Yupan" was. Was she a pseudonym for a royal lady? Or was she a hobby of a noble princess? Or was she of a lowly origin, a painter in Qiujiayuan who traded antiques in the capital?

Everyone tried to guess the answer, but none of them could find the solution.

Finally, Tang Xingsheng, the chief clerk of the Ministry of Rites who was fond of painting, found a clue in the list of ladies from noble families who were reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs to take painting lessons from good families.

"The third-rank lady Liu Shanyue".

月.
月.
Isn’t the moon a “jade plate”?