At the last moment of sorting out the gifts, I hesitated, and my eyes wandered over Cui Bai's volume of "Lu Yan Tu" for a long time, and finally I picked it out and did not submit it to the imperial library together with the rest of the calligraphy and paintings.

The matter between Qiu He and Cui Bai may not be known today, but the queen knows in her heart, she will know the meaning of this painting at a glance, and Qiu He's identity is not what it used to be, and Cui Bai's remaining feelings are always bad when the queen knows.

This batch of gifts was appreciated by the emperor. When the princess and the concubine entered the palace to celebrate the New Year, Jinshang specially mentioned these calligraphy and paintings, and asked Li Wei with a smile: "Are the calligraphy and paintings offered by the princess's house all chosen by you?" ”

Li Wei said yes, and now he and the middle palace looked at each other and smiled, his eyes showed a look of approval, and said, "It's all good." Xu Chongsi's painting skills of boneless flowers are becoming more and more sophisticated, and Guo Xi's four-season landscapes are also refreshing. ”

Li Wei didn't know that I had changed the calligraphy and paintings he presented, and he was stunned when he heard what he said.

And the queen also said to him at this time: "I think that Du Wei has a lot of experience with Hanmo Danqing, and now all the choices are high-quality." Xu Chongsi has been famous for a long time, and there are several of his works in the palace, and Guo Xi's paintings are rare in the past, quite innovative, where did Du Wei find it? ”

Li Wei was speechless, I immediately bowed to the queen, and replied on his behalf: "Duwei has seen Guo Xi's paintings in Heyang, and often praises him for being good at painting landscapes and cold forests. ”

"Du Wei is well-informed, does not decide on the reputation of the painter, and knows the selection of today's landscapes, which can be described as a unique vision and is very accessible." The queen smiled and praised Li Wei, and then asked me: "What is Guo Xi's temperament?" ”

I said, "Be gentle and humble, and be courteous in your dealings with others." ”

The queen then suggested to Jinshang: "Guo Xi's landscape is not inferior to the edict of the painting academy, and the intention of the pen is especially outstanding, it is better to call into the painting academy and let him continue to experience in it, and in time, there will be great success." ”

Today, the head of the jaw is good, and he called the capital of the Hanlin Painting Academy to explain the matter.

After returning from the palace, Li Wei wanted to speak several times, hesitated for a day, and finally brought up the matter after dinner the next day and asked me: "Did Mr. Xu Chongsi and Guo Xi's paintings add to the gift list?" ”

I admit it, and Yan said to him: "Danqing pictures, you don't have to worship the ancients in everything. If you talk about Buddhism, people, scholars, cows and horses, it is indeed not as close as the ancients, but if you talk about landscapes, forests and stones, flowers and bamboos, birds and fish, then the ancient is not as close as possible, and the painters of the national dynasty are better than the predecessors, and Xu and Guo are among the best. Choosing their works can also be sacred. ”

He hesitated, and then asked, "Then what I chose, did the gentleman also offer it?" ”

After a little consideration, I still told the truth: "Wang Xizhi, Zhang Xuan, and Li Cheng are still in the house, and the rest of them have been sent to the palace together." ”

Li Wei was surprised and asked, "Why did Mr. leave those famous artists?" Could it be that the official family doesn't like it? ”

For a moment, I didn't think of how to answer this question tactfully, so that he could realize the problem without embarrassing him, so I was silent for a moment, but Mrs. Yang interjected at this time and said her guess: "Isn't the princess like it, so she stayed?" ”

The princess sneered when she heard this, and turned her head coldly, not bothering to pay attention to her.

Her expression immediately aroused the dissatisfaction of her aunt, and Mrs. Yang also sneered, borrowed me to play, and said, "If the princess doesn't like it, then it must be Mr. Liang's liking, so he stayed?" Exchange a few cheap calligraphy and paintings for the antiques that my son bought back at a great price, and also make the official family and the queen praise, Mr. Liang is very capable, and he will teach the horse in the future, so that he can also learn to do such a profitable business! ”

The princess was furious, swept Li Wei's mother and son with her eyebrows, and bluntly reprimanded: "Huai Ji didn't tell the truth in this, it was to take care of the horse's face, if he hadn't replaced those paintings and calligraphy before, the horse would have lost face in front of my parents." You spend the belly of a gentleman with the heart of a villain, and you still speak so badly to each other, I really don't know what to do! ”

"The truth? What else can be true? Mrs. Yang immediately raised her voice to retort, "Someone intercepted the horse and presented it to the official family's treasure, can this matter be fake?" ”

"This is true, but to admit your noble words, there is truth and falsehood in this." The princess turned to Bai Maoxian, who was standing in the hall, and ordered: "Xiaobai, you tell the horse and the uncle and Mrs. Guo where the fake is." ”

Xiaobai hesitated, not daring to speak immediately. Li Wei seemed to have gradually realized the situation, so he asked Xiaobai tentatively: "Are my calligraphy and paintings fake?" ”

Xiaobai bowed his head, which was equivalent to acquiescence. At the request of the princess, he finally began to whisper about the flaws in those calligraphy and paintings, Li Wei listened silently, his face was pale, his head drooped lower and lower, and he didn't say a word.

And when Mrs. Yang heard Xiaobai say that the original work of "Reading the Stone Tablet and Stone Map" was visited by Pei Xiang and stored in the secret pavilion, she had something to say: "How do you know that what he Pei Chengzheng bought is real, and what my son bought is fake?" The patterns on the paintings are all ordinary, can he buy a few more words to conclude that they are real? ”

The princess couldn't bear it any longer, so she brushed up her sleeves and said to me, "Huaiji, let's go." ”

Since then, Li Wei has become more silent, rarely interacting with the children of the rich and wealthy in the past, he spent almost all his energy on learning and appreciating calligraphy and painting, often locking himself in the study all day and night to read the collection and related books, and occasionally going out, mostly to buy famous works.

One day, he came to me and politely asked me if I had any paintings by Cui Bai, and he wanted to see them.

Now all I have around me is the "Wild Goose Picture". I didn't show it to him, but said, "I don't have any Cui Bai's works here, but I have known him for many years, so if Du Wei is interested, you might as well visit his home with me another day, and you will be able to enjoy some of his paintings at that time." ”

I didn't tell anyone about Lu Yantu, including the princess. I think Cui Bai chose this painting for me, maybe hoping that one day he could see it. I also hope that Qiu He can know about this central intention, but she has a special status now, and it makes me think a lot about passing this kind of object for her, not just about the palace rules.

This reflection is more than half a year. In August of the third year of Jiayou, I finally made up my mind to take the opportunity of Concubine Miao Xian's birthday and the princess's entry into the palace to congratulate and bring the painting to Qiuhe.

On that day, the princess congratulated her mother on her birthday, and she had been allowed by the emperor to stay in the palace for a day. I went with her and carried the painting into the palace.

Qiuhe seemed to be ill, and his spirits were not high, so he said a congratulatory message to Miao Niangzi early before the birthday banquet, and gave a congratulatory gift, and then said goodbye and returned to his pavilion.

I immediately brought the painting with me and sent her all the way to her house, where she kindly invited me to stay for a moment and have tea and talk. Seeing that the pavilion was full of her cronies at that time, I took out the "Lu Yan Map", presented it with both hands, and said: "I have an old friend, Yashan flowers and birds, recently gave me this painting, I saw that this painting is quite interesting, and I remember that Dong Niangzi likes flowers and bamboo feathers very much, so I brought it to the lady, and I hope that the lady will smile." ”

Qiu He took it and unfolded it, his eyes were as soft as spring water, and he obviously understood all the reasons.

She stared at this painting, stunned and silent, and only after a long time did she lower her eyelashes, covering away a layer of water that rose from the dark, still rolled up the painting scroll, handed it back to me, and said with a light smile: "I have a superficial knowledge, I don't know how to appreciate calligraphy and painting, this painting is a waste for me." Waiji should take it back with him, keep it for himself, or return it to the gentleman. ”

I was a little surprised, but not too surprised, so I took the scroll and said yes.

After that, we chatted for a while, but we talked about each other's recent affairs, and there was no mention of Cui Bai.

When I said goodbye, she got up to see me off, but she was a little dizzy and shook because she was moving too quickly.

I was busy with the maid beside her. Seeing that her complexion was gloomy and her complexion was not good, I asked her with concern whether she wanted to summon the imperial doctor to ask for a pulse.

She looked at me with a gentle smile, but for no reason I felt that her eyes were desolate, as if these few moments had made her beautiful years grow old in this young body.

"Waiji," she said, still smiling in a trance, as she put her right hand on her lower abdomen and whispered, "I should be...... I'm pregnant. ”