When the bell and drum came, an attendant immediately came over with a will, glanced left and right, and said loudly: "Xuanren is coming." ”

I don't know who came up with this character, neither by name nor by identity, which is quite a bit of a sense of who is coming over soon.

Shen Ao and Cai Lun went with the inner servants, but the direction of going was not to talk about the martial arts, but to go around the palace until they reached the backyard, here, two more palace maids came over, looked the two up and down, and then said to the eunuch: "The Queen Mother Yizhi, please go to Jingtai Pavilion to reply."

As he spoke, he led the two of them to a pavilion, and when they arrived at a pavilion, the palace maid went in first to report, and then someone said: "Please invite the two wise men into the pavilion." ”

Shen Ao was speechless, this pomp is really not small, but since it is a palace test, how did he come to the harem, it doesn't make sense, could it be that the queen mother wants to choose it herself? Khan, it must be embarrassing to meet her later.

When the two of them entered, they crossed the threshold and felt the delicate magnificence of this attic, which was greeted by a row of small black lacquer screens made of gold and silver flattening, and the gold and silver bars were inlaid with the patterns of the new Xingle. Inside, the bamboo mat is covered with a silk red carpet, and the green, white and blue colors are woven with treasure lotus patterns. In the center of the attic is set up a new low table inlaid with ivory wood paintings, surrounded by the emerging white porcelain beauty picture crescent stool, and the Xingyao white porcelain tea set on the low table is also scattered, and the left and right are screen light yarns, which happen to enclose an open space, but after the light yarn, there are countless figures shaking, and there is a burst of chuckles from time to time, Shen Ao looked left and right, and then found that there were really a lot of people in this room, and they were all concubines in the palace, and the first to sit was the Queen Mother and the Queen Mother.

When the Queen Mother saw Shen Ao, her face changed at first, but in front of so many concubines, she didn't squeak, but just said: "The emperor chooses the relatives, and the mourning family will be the examiner, you take the test well, which one wins, if the emperor nods, it will be regarded as a concubine." ”

Cai Lun said with a smile: "The Queen Mother is in charge, and the students are flattered. ”

Shen Ao wanted to make a sycophant, but Cai Lun robbed him of his lines, so he had to pout and simply not speak.

The Queen Mother glanced at Shen Ao deeply, whispered a few words to the woman on the side, and said, "Yes." Then she walked out and walked to the inner room of the attic, the furnishings of the room here are completely different from the outer hall, a little less luxurious, a little more elegant, but she saw An Ning Qiao sitting behind the bead curtain with a red face, through the light gauze and the bead curtain, vaguely looking at the movement outside, she saw Shen Ao come in, her mood was suddenly complicated and embarrassed, God knows that time the father suddenly asked about recruiting relatives, how he made a ghost to promise it, but in the memory of the ardent expectation, I feel that if it is a recruitment, maybe Shen Ao will come, with his wisdom and knowledge, It's no problem to stand out.

It's just that although she thought like this in the past, now she really heard Shen Ao's voice, she still couldn't help but panic, sitting on the brocade pier, picking at the hem of her skirt, not knowing whether she was happy or worried in her heart.

"Teiji." The woman walked in, saluted An Ning, and said, "The Queen Mother just passed the word, telling the emperor not to choose Shen Ao. ”

"......" An Ning raised his eyes, his eyes were as plain as water, and said, "Why is this?" ”

The woman said: "Shen Ao already has a wife, how can he marry him." ”

An Ning bit her lip, but she didn't speak, and said after a long time: "I know." ”

In the small hall, the Queen Mother looked at Shen Ao and Cai Lun with a smile, she admired Shen Ao, this young man was both the champion of the art examination and the champion of the imperial examination, he had just made great contributions to the office, and now he has been awarded the title of Marquis, for the Honglu Temple Temple, whether it is knowledge or surname, the Queen Mother can't find a trace of flaws; It's just that...... He already has a wife, and this alone makes the Queen Mother have to be deterred.

The Queen Mother's eyes fell on Cai Lun again, Cai Lun is also handsome and chic, and is the heir of the Cai family, it is said that his talent is also excellent, at this time, seeing his docile and well-behaved appearance, the Queen Mother couldn't help but nod, and she already had an idea in her heart.

After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke: "I heard that the paintings of the two of you are excellent, so I will ask you to make a painting today." ”

After the queen mother said that, she raised her hand and glanced at the eunuch, and the eunuch understood, and immediately beckoned a few small chamberlains to move the bookcase and the four treasures of the study, and placed them in front of Shen Ao and Cai Lun.

Cai Lun saw that the Queen Mother was expecting him, and he was secretly proud in his heart, so he asked, "I don't know what the test question is?" ”

The Queen Mother thought for a while and said: "Since you admire tranquility, you will draw tranquility according to your whimsical ideas, but I said in advance that this painting needs to be two feet and five inches, and one more point cannot be more, and one point less can not be less." ”

After the Queen Mother finished speaking, Shen Ao and Cai Lun immediately understood that this was not just a school painting, but behind this painting, there was also a hidden problem. Because the painting paper sent by the eunuch is only about two feet and three inches, and the painting is made with two feet and three inches of paper, and this painting is not simple.

Cai Lun was determined, as if he already had the answer in his chest, and said with a smile: "The Queen Mother will stay away, and the student will paint a picture for Emperor Anning." Then he raised his pen, dipped it in ink, and began to put it down.

"Nima's cheating!" Shen Ao couldn't help scolding in his heart, feeling that it was really unfair, most of these test questions were written by Cai Jing, Cai Jing told Cai Lun that Cai Lun was ready, and he planned to shine today; This pair of grandparents and grandchildren is really shameless.

Shen Ao thought about it, and suddenly fell into hesitation, two feet and three inches of paper should be two inches more, this is difficult, he raised the pen and fell into deep thought, and then, he smiled slightly, and also began to move the pen.

In the pavilion, two teenagers held a pen, one with a graceful demeanor, calm and calm between the pen and ink; The other was smiling and confident, and the concubines and wives on the side were holding their breath, and the needles in the building could be heard.

Only half an hour has passed, Cai Lun was the first to put down the pen, he had an advantage, with his great-grandfather's 'guidance', he was a few points faster than Shen Ao, he blew the ink, his eyes looked at Shen Ao's side, seeing that Shen Ao was still writing a book, his gentle face showed a trace of ridicule, and he saluted the Queen Mother respectfully: "Back to the Queen Mother, the student has already drawn!" ”

The Queen Mother was overjoyed and immediately said, "Okay, come here, take it to the mourning family to see." ”

Cai Lun happily handed over the painting to the eunuch who delivered it, the eunuch carefully held the painting, bypassed the light gauze curtain, and displayed the painting in front of the Queen Mother.

Zhao Ji good calligraphy and painting, most of the concubines in this palace have a little bit of calligraphy and painting appreciation, Cai Lun's painting fell into the eyes of the concubines, it immediately attracted a burst of applause, the pen of this painting is very delicate, exquisite to the extreme, because it is origami painting, the difficulty is quite high, so the challenge of the layout is extremely strong, each pen line is scattered, there is no trace of chaos, a woman in the painting is as beautiful as a fairy, one hand is holding the messy hair in front of the forehead, the corners of the mouth are smiling, the eyes are clear and lovely, the graceful body is leaning against the door frame, although the posture is enchanting, but not conventional, the whole person is dignified, as if he is looking at the scenery in the distance, and seems to be thinking about the girl's heart, between a smile and a smile, the whole body unconsciously reveals nobility.

This painting may not be as famous as the famous works of the past dynasties, but in front of the concubines and wives, it is enough to make them amazed.

The Queen Mother was overjoyed, pointed to the painting and said: "The mourning family doesn't know how to paint, but they also know that Cai Lun's painting makes people feel comfortable, come, take this painting to An Ning to see." ”

The woman took the painting, turned around and went to the back room, and saw that Princess An Ning was thinking about her heart in a daze, and the eyes of the autumn water were shining, like stars in the dark night sky, which made people look at it and couldn't help but feel pity; The woman happily unfolded the painting to Princess An Ning and said, "Your Highness, you come to see the painting made by Cai Gongzi, it is really good, no worse than a few painters in the court." ”

An Ning only glanced at the painting, then retracted his eyes and muttered, "The person he painted is not like me at all." ”

Seeing that An Ning was not interested, the woman said: "Cai Gongzi has never seen His Royal Highness, so naturally he doesn't paint like it, but this painting is still very good." ”

An Ning bit her lip, wiped a trace of red on her face, coughed lowly, and said, "Shen Ao must be better than him." ”

The woman was bored, so she had to accept the painting and return to the Queen Mother to restore her life.

Cai Lun saw that everyone praised him, and he was overjoyed, but his face still showed a humble look, and he stood with his hands hanging to the side; The concubines saw that he was not arrogant or impatient, and they even felt that this Cai Gongzi was outstanding.

On the other hand, Shen Ao was quite embarrassed that his grandmother didn't love his uncle, but he devoted himself to painting, and he had already excluded all the things around him, and only the pen in his hand and the drawing paper under the pen were left in his eyes.

After another half an hour, Shen Ao put down his pen and said, "The painting is finished." ”

Another eunuch presented Shen Ao's painting to the Queen Mother, and the concubines came to see that Shen Ao took the same method as Cai Lun, which was to fold the paper diagonally, so that two feet and three inches became two feet and five inches. Everyone went to look at the painting seriously, and after looking up and down, one of the concubines couldn't help but exclaim: "Good painting!" ”

The rest of the concubines nodded in agreement, and for a while, they appreciated it more seriously; This picture of a lady is cut out of redundancy, without any smudging, and only outlines a woman with simple and clear familiar lines.

The woman in the painting wears knotted sideburns, her eyebrows are slender and picturesque, and her eyes are shining like stars, staring into the distance; There is a small mouth under the small bridge of the nose, thin lips, and the corners of the mouth are slightly curved upward, with a little smile. The whole face is delicate and beautiful, so refined, there is no trace of fireworks in the world. She wore a white shirt with silk flowers and a white pleated skirt; Sitting there, dignified and noble, quiet and elegant, so pure, tender, like a budding hibiscus, delicate and dusty.

Just this look, you can see that this painting is extraordinary, but the woman in this painting does not just show a kind of playful dignified, under a closer look, only to see that although the woman is smiling, although with a daunting dignified, but in the depths of the eyes, there is a sense of loneliness staring into the void, although she is smiling, but the smile is a little reluctant, behind the reluctance, is the melancholy of depression and unhappiness.

Deep in the forbidden palace, a beautiful girl is generous and decent, her body is weak, under the jewels, the girl has a poignant smile, her eyes are deep, looking into the distance, what will be the direction of her gaze? Shen Ao didn't draw it, but it was enough to arouse countless reveries.

It's just that the forced smile of the woman in the painting, the loneliness and anxiety under the happy appearance, deeply moved all the concubines, they didn't say a word, each with something in their hearts, couldn't help but sigh, there were a few concubines with tears in their eyes, holding back tears and not bursting out of their eyes.

The woman in the painting can be Princess Anning, but why not them? Who understands this feeling of loneliness better than them? There is only one emperor, but the concubines are like clouds and seas, most of the time, they are just in the harem alone guarding the lonely lamp, although the tears turned into a thousand lines, but in front of outsiders, they have to endure loneliness, forced laughter.

The Queen Mother saw that many concubines were weeping, so she sighed and said, "What are you crying about, you have put away your tears, and what kind of system have you become." Although I vaguely hoped that Cai Lun would overpower Shen Ao, even the Queen Mother had to admit that Shen Ao's paintings were really a heaven and an underground compared to Cai Lun; She had no choice but to say, "Go, show the painting to An Ning." ”

The woman took the painting to the back room, An Ning saw that she took Shen Ao's painting, this time she was no longer indifferent, her face full of sorrow had a little more smile, and then she went to see the painting seriously, this look was a full half a column of incense, so that the woman's hands were sore, An Ning suddenly raised her eyes, her eyes shining like stars, and smiled at Wen Er: "This painting is me, in this world, only one person really understands my feelings." ”