Spring Remains the Same - Chapter 117

Recently, there had been no major affairs at court, and both the sovereign and her ministers were at leisure.

After the morning session dispersed, Puyang went straight back to the rear palace, where Wei Xiu was painting in the courtyard.

With long days and little to do, she always found some amusement to pass the time. Coincidentally, a new painter had recently entered the palace. He specialized in fine-brush painting, was full of clever ideas, and used elegant colors and crisp lines—a stark contrast to the opulent style typically found in the palace, and very much to Wei Xiu’s taste. So, she began to learn painting from him.

After two years of study, she had finally made some slight progress.

The spring light today was magnificent, perfect for capturing in a painting. She had someone set up a canvas, intending to depict the colors of spring.

Puyang entered the gate and quietly walked up behind her, standing there to watch for a long time.

Wei Xiu, dressed in a simple robe, held a brush and meticulously sketched on the silk. She was painting a spring scene, and the spring scene was beautiful, but Wei Xiu was more beautiful than the spring scene. Puyang first admired the painting, then the person. Her gaze fixed on Wei Xiu’s face, and she was reluctant to look away.

Wei Xiu was focused on her painting, outlining with lines and blending with colors. The spring in the courtyard seemed to have been moved onto the silk, unaltered and vivid to the extreme.

Wei Xiu set down her brush, looked at her work for a moment, and then asked casually, “What do you think?”

Puyang, her heart and soul fixed on the beauty before her, replied, “None can compare.”

Wei Xiu turned her head helplessly to meet her gaze. “I was talking about the painting.”

Puyang cleared her throat, finally returning to her senses. “I was talking about the painting. Many have painted scenes of late spring, but in your brushwork, A-Xiu, there is a unique spiritual quality.”

In a battle of wits, she could never best Seventh Lady.

Wei Xiu sighed, shook her head, and beckoned for a palace maid to come and put away the ink and brushes. She then went with Puyang into the hall.

Puyang was still in her court robes and needed to change. The palace attendants had already prepared a skirt and blouse. After changing, Puyang went to the dressing table to have her hair redone. Wei Xiu sat by a window not far away, glancing over from time to time, though most of her attention was on an unfinished game of Go set up before her.

Once the cloud-like chignon was complete, a palace maid took ornamental hairpins and dangling buyao from a case and fastened them in Puyang’s hair one by one. With the coiffure finished, the maid bowed and withdrew. Another maid, who had been waiting for a long time, stepped forward to apply Puyang’s makeup.

Puyang looked back and saw Wei Xiu’s fingertips holding a black Go stone, deep in thought. A flicker of an idea crossed Puyang’s eyes. She glanced at the maid beside her, who understood and respectfully stepped back to her original position.

“A-Xiu,” Puyang called out.

Wei Xiu looked over at the sound of her name, but Puyang said nothing more, simply looking at her. Feeling a little puzzled, Wei Xiu dropped the black stone back into its container, pushed her wheelchair over, and asked with a smile, “What is it?”

Puyang still remained silent, merely letting her gaze fall upon the eyebrow pencil.

Wei Xiu understood instantly. She moved a half-step closer and looked at Puyang with a smile. “I’ve been painting so much recently, I happen to have thought of some techniques for drawing eyebrows. Would you like to try?”

A smile immediately appeared in Puyang’s eyes. “Very well.”

The palace maids were all smiling. Wei Xiu took the eyebrow pencil, leaned close to Puyang, and began to trace her brows meticulously. Puyang sat perfectly still. Wei Xiu was extremely close to her, so close their breaths could almost mingle. The pencil glided over her brow like a gentle breeze brushing against a silk curtain, soft and delicate.

Puyang gazed at Wei Xiu’s refined face, feeling as if a flower had bloomed in her heart.

Once the eyebrows were done, Wei Xiu pulled back a little, examined them carefully, and a smile touched her lips. She picked up a bronze mirror and held it before Puyang’s eyes.

The person in the mirror was exceedingly beautiful, and the exquisitely drawn eyebrows made her beauty even more extraordinary.

Puyang felt that Wei Xiu’s work was better than that of any palace maid. She was just about to speak when she saw Qin Kun hurrying in from outside.

For him to come at this hour, it must be something important.

The smile still on her face, Puyang handed the bronze mirror to a maid and asked casually, “What’s the great matter that has you in such a hurry?”

Qin Kun bowed, glanced at Wei Xiu with a difficult expression, but still reported, “Your Majesty, the Chancellor requests an audience.”

If it were only the Chancellor, he would not have such a look. Puyang’s smile faded as she looked at Qin Kun. Qin Kun dared not hold back, but his face was full of difficulty. “The Chancellor has come to request that Your Majesty welcome consorts into the palace.”

The hall fell silent.

Puyang quickly looked toward Wei Xiu, her expression deeply embarrassed. Wei Xiu, still holding the eyebrow pencil, heard this, gave a faint smile, and glanced at Puyang. She placed the pencil back on the dressing table. “Official business is important. Your Majesty should go.”

Puyang had wanted to explain that she had never mentioned consorts to her ministers. Having Wei Xiu was a blessing of three lifetimes; how could she ever think of others? But the phrase “welcome consorts into the palace” sounded as if the candidates had already been chosen, and all that was left was to bring them into the palace.

To her surprise, before she could speak, Wei Xiu told her to go, without asking a single question.

Puyang pressed her lips together, nodded, and went out.

Wei Xiu, for her part, returned to her unfinished game of Go.

This was not the first time the matter of consorts had been raised. The last time, it had been dropped because of the Prince Consort’s return to the palace. This time, the ministers were clearly determined and would not rest until they had a result.

The Chancellor was also worried about the Emperor’s lack of an heir and had come to test the waters.

Her Majesty and the Prince Consort had been married for seven years without a child. It was assumed the reason lay not with Her Majesty, but with the Prince Consort. Some ministers at court had already begun to entertain ideas of sending their sons or nephews into the palace.

How could Puyang possibly relent? She gave the Chancellor a few perfunctory replies. The Chancellor, being a man, found it difficult to speak too plainly with Puyang. But his vague hints missed the mark, and Puyang had no interest in the topic. After a few sentences, the conversation died.

Her Majesty’s strong resistance must be because of the Prince Consort. The Chancellor sighed and, blushing, had to speak a little more clearly. “Your Majesty’s lack of an heir is a matter of great importance to the state. His Highness the Prince Consort must surely understand this. For a time, he might feel jealous, but after a while, he will come to accept it.”

Puyang thought of Wei Xiu’s completely unconcerned expression just now. She truly had no idea what Wei Xiu would look like when she was jealous.

Puyang suddenly felt extremely distressed.

Seeing the Emperor’s expression soften as if she were moved by the idea, the Chancellor’s spirits lifted. He was about to press his advantage and offer a few more words of persuasion when he saw Her Majesty shake her head and say, “There is no need to mention this matter again.”

The Chancellor left, dejected.

Watching him leave the hall, Puyang also grew dejected and returned to find Wei Xiu in low spirits.

She and Wei Xiu would never have a child, yet the position of crown prince truly could not remain empty. She had originally pinned her hopes on the Prince of Han; the Prince of Han’s child would also carry the bl00d of Emperor Gao, which would prevent the imperial line from passing to a collateral branch. But who knew that after so many years, the Prince of Han also remained childless.

Puyang felt utterly helpless. She leaned on Wei Xiu’s shoulder and complained in a low voice, “The imperial family has withered to this point, with no sign of flourishing. The ministers will have even more to say now.”

Wei Xiu comforted her in a gentle voice, “It’s not as if there are no paths left to take.”

Puyang stole a glance at Wei Xiu, who was perfectly composed, seemingly not taking the matter to heart. Puyang knew well that with A-Xiu’s intelligence and the depth of their feelings, A-Xiu must know that she would never agree to the ministers’ request. The so-called consorts would only ever exist on the ministers’ lips.

There would never be a third person between them in this lifetime.

But, even so, did A-Xiu truly not care at all?

Puyang thought for a moment. If A-Xiu were the emperor, and the ministers repeatedly tried to place people by her side… A great fury rose in Puyang. Not just fury, but also jealousy, as if she had downed an entire jug of aged vinegar. The sourness was enough to dissolve her heart.

Just thinking about it made her feel this miserable, yet A-Xiu was as unshakable as a mountain, perfectly at ease.

Puyang grew even more sorrowful.

A few days later, it was the Shangsi Festival.

Every year on Shangsi, a banquet would be held in the palace, to which all the nobles and high officials were invited.

The banquet was set by the Taiye Pool. By the pool stood a Flowing Cup Pavilion, where the sovereign and her ministers could engage in the elegant custom of floating cups on a winding stream. The Shangsi Festival was inherently refined; besides the floating cup game, there were poetry contests and performances of song and dance to liven things up. Every year at the Shangsi banquet in the palace, men of quick talent would produce fine verses and excellent essays, which would be recited throughout the capital.

This year would likely be no exception.

For such a grand event, Wei Xiu was also in attendance. She too was a person of outstanding literary talent and quick wit. When she spoke with others, elegant phrases flowed from her lips, and her bearing and words were deeply captivating.

From the start of the banquet, many talented young men gathered around Wei Xiu to seek her guidance.

Puyang was at the other end, chatting and laughing with her ministers. She frequently glanced toward Wei Xiu’s group, and seeing the smile on her face, her own lips curved upwards.

The banquet was set in a garden pond area, with sprawling green grass, flourishing trees, and the pool water rippling with the gentle breeze—a truly beautiful scene. Not far from the imperial seat, a minister, seeing that the Emperor was in a good mood, raised his wine cup and brought his son forward.

This minister was no more than forty, with a fair face, a light beard, and a dignified bearing. His son was also very handsome and followed closely behind his father, poised and graceful.

“Your Majesty.” The minister bowed first.

Puyang shifted her gaze from Wei Xiu’s direction. Seeing it was the Grand Censor, she smiled and said, “Minister Liu.” She then looked at the young man behind him. “This must be your beloved son?”

The Grand Censor quickly replied, “Indeed, this is my worthless son, the fourth in our family.” He then stepped aside to let the young man come forward.

Liu the Fourth took a small step forward, cast a fleeting glance at Puyang with a hint of admiration in his eyes, then quickly lowered his head and bowed. “This subject pays his respects to Your Majesty. May Your Majesty have eternal joy without end.”

“You may rise,” Puyang said with a smile. She turned to order the eunuch behind her to bestow wine, but her gaze swept past Wei Xiu’s group, where she had been talking with a certain young man for a long time. Puyang recognized him as the youngest son of the Princess of An’yi Commandery. His surname was Zhou, his given name Chen. He loved poetry, had a romantic nature, and held the post of Compilation Gentleman in the Palace Library, which made him quite accomplished for his age.

Zhou Chen had been in front of Wei Xiu since the banquet began. Now, as it was about to end, he was still clinging to A-Xiu’s side.

Puyang frowned secretly, then turned back, her expression unchanged. “Bestow wine.”

A eunuch behind her stepped forward with a ewer.

The Grand Censor was all smiles, and Liu the Fourth also showed a smile. He took another half-step forward and raised his cup to toast her longevity.

Puyang gave him face and drank half a cup.

“Your Majesty, this subject has heard that Your Majesty is fond of painting and poetry. This subject has a humble work…” Having had some wine, Liu the Fourth became more relaxed and began to speak.

Puyang had no patience to listen to his ramblings; her thoughts had long since flown to Wei Xiu’s side.

Zhou Chen was beaming, his eyes never leaving Wei Xiu. He held a cup in one hand and a ewer in the other. After Wei Xiu said something, he raised his head and drained his cup. Wei Xiu smiled, and Zhou Chen immediately stared at her, his eyes looking as if they would pop out of his head.

Wei Xiu’s cup contained plain water, which Puyang had specially ordered for her before the banquet. She did not hold her liquor well, so it was always like this at every banquet.

Zhou Chen, looking utterly smitten, eagerly tried to refill Wei Xiu’s cup. Puyang frowned. She saw Wei Xiu say something to him, and his motion of tilting the ewer paused. He shook his head, still trying to persuade her.

How annoying! A-Xiu already said she didn’t want any! A-Xiu only likes the water I prepared for her! Puyang was greatly displeased.

Over here, Liu the Fourth had finished reciting a poem. He said with a blush, looking slightly shy, “What does Your Majesty think of this subject’s poem?”

Puyang had to force her attention back. She replied perfunctorily, “In this dynasty’s poetry, Zhang-zi is considered the foremost. Zhang-zi accepted my invitation to become a scholar at the Chongwen Institute. If you are interested, you might as well go and seek his guidance.”

The ruddy color drained from Liu the Fourth’s face, and his expression immediately became strained. “This subject’s humble work did not meet Your Majesty’s standards. This subject will go back and study diligently.”

Puyang gave a gratified smile. “It is good that you have the ambition to improve.”

After she spoke, she looked toward Wei Xiu’s group again, only to see that Zhou Chen had said something that had actually convinced Wei Xiu. Wei Xiu held her cup before her, allowing Zhou Chen to pour wine into it!