The palace is not big, but it is built very delicately. There is a hot spring pool in the back hall, which is specially used for Yang Yuhuan to bathe. It is commonly known as the "Royal Concubine Pool". The design is super vulgar, like a blooming Begonia flower, so it is also called "Begonia Soup".
Because the hot spring water in Lishan Mountain is rare, the hot spring pool is very small, only three or two steps long and wide, but it is made of twenty-four pieces of black jade. The jade is deep dark blue and as smooth as a mirror. There is a piece carved from white marble in the middle of the pool. The lotus nozzle has a ceramic water pipe under the base connected to the water source.
Water mist is continuously sprinkled from the lotus all year round, and flying beads and jade are scattered.
Yang Yuhuan's delicate body was looming in the water mist. Against the background of the deep blue ink jade, her skin looked even whiter and smoother. The water mist didn't even have time to form water droplets on her shoulders, and had already flowed along her smooth and delicate body. The skin slipped off.
It is precisely the "slim jade body, like floating waves and lotus flowers, with dew and delicate brilliance".
After washing, she raised her hand, and the two maids quickly spread a soft blanket by the pool, and helped Yang Yuhuan up. Her wet feet stepped on the blanket, and Zhang Yunrong had already picked up a big bath towel and stepped forward to wrap it around the attractive woman. body.
"Huaqing Palace is better. It's really comfortable to take a bath."
Yang Yuhuan tilted her head, straightened her black hair, and smiled with satisfaction.
Zhang Yunrong said: "Even in Chang'an City, the imperial concubine can wash herself whenever she wants."
"It's always troublesome to drive you to boil water."
Not far from the dressing table, a parrot was standing on the shelf, its round eyes rolling, and it suddenly screamed.
"What a fool! What a fool!"
Yang Yuhuan didn't wait for the maid to wipe her hair, she ran over barefoot, pointed at the parrot's little head and lectured: "Don't say that."
"It's all nonsense. It's all nonsense."
"I taught you many poems and songs, but you forgot them within a few days. You are like a gambler's parrot." Yang Yuhuan said angrily.
Zhang Yunrong stepped forward and said with a smile: "This little thing has learned well. Every time the imperial concubine is happy when she plays bad cards, she will always get something to eat by barking a few words. This shows that she also understands that playing bad cards is a good thing."
"What you don't learn well."
Just as he was talking, a maid said: "Mrs. Guo Guo has come into the palace to ask for an audience."
Yang Yuhuan then said: "Bring me the dress that Xue Bai gave me, and I will meet my sister in the hall."
She was talking about the gift that Xue Bai gave her on her birthday, which was extremely crude compared with the various treasures presented by An Lushan. At that time, Yang Yuhuan even scolded Xue Bai for being "stingy" when she accepted it, but that night , she liked it very much after trying it on.
The material used is less than a piece of cloth, which is better than countless gold and silver jewelry.
It was an underskirt, and overall it was the most common look in the world. This time Xue Bai put more thought into the design of small details. For example, the double-layered skirt, light gauze and silk, are cool and cool. It’s not too revealing, the key is that it’s very beautiful; another example is the embroidery on the tulle, which perfectly matches lightness and elegance.
Unlike the shocking clothes he presented before, such small changes are more acceptable to the world. What's more, Yang Yuhuan has a peerless appearance. When she puts on this skirt, anyone who sees it can only say "beautiful" from the bottom of his heart. ”.
After a while, Yang Yuyao came in.
Yang Yuhuan subconsciously glanced behind her and saw that Xue Bai was not there. She was slightly disappointed as expected, thinking that the tailor had not seen her wearing this dress yet.
"Eh." Yang Yuyao looked surprised. She stepped forward to look at it carefully and said, "It's so beautiful?"
"The third sister must look good in it too."
"I am taller and not as pretty as you."
After hearing this, Yang Yuhuan was not very happy. She just felt that Sister Yang was showing off, secretly wondering what was so good about Gao, and she was not a man. Then, she knew that Yang Yuyao had already tried this dress on, but there was nothing she could do about it.
The two younger brothers are more "close".
"Speaking of it, Ah Bai has finally figured it out. Xue playing cards and Xue Tailor are much more interesting than Xue Yushi and Xue Sheren."
Yang Yuyao said: "A man must have a career after all, and he can't always hang around his daughter's family."
As time went by, she obviously understood Xue Bai better.
Yang Yuhuan pursed his lips and stopped talking.
"I'm here today, not to mention these card games and tailoring, but I'm here to ask you about a painter in the palace." Yang Yuyao said, "I heard that there is a man named Zhang Xuan, do you know about it?"
"Zhang Huazhi? How can you not recognize him?"
As Yang Yuhuan spoke, he called Zhang Yunrong to ask her to bring the parrot over, and said with a smile: "Just last year, he also painted me a picture of "Taizhen's Teaching of Parrots". Hey, let you take a look at the parrot in the painting."
The parrot she raised was very spiritual. When she was brought to the palace, she shouted: "Third Sister, Third Sister."
The third sister ignored it, just looked at the "Taizhen Religion Parrot Picture" and asked: "Where is Zhang Xuan now?"
"He is from Chang'an. He is now old and no longer worships in the palace. He lives in seclusion in Zhongnan Mountain. Except for the guards sent by the saint to escort him, few people know about him."
After that, Yang Yuhuan called Zhang Yunrong again and said: "Go and ask General Gao about the whereabouts of Zhang Xuan, and say that I still want to ask him to paint a painting for me."
The two sisters continued to discuss clothes. Half an hour later, Zhang Yunrong came back and informed Yang Yuyao of the results of the interview.
…
In the evening of that day, Mrs. Guo Guo left her business.
"I'll go there myself." Xue Bai learned of Zhang Xuan's whereabouts, thought for a long time, and made his decision.
Yang Yuyao was very puzzled and asked: "Why?"
Xue Bai was much closer to her physically, and he didn't trust her as much as Li Tengkong. So, he said slowly after careful consideration: "I found out that Zhang Xuan went to Xue Xiu's house and painted many people. Maybe
I have met my biological parents."
"What are you still asking about? Given the current situation, it is better to do less than to do more."
"If I didn't find out clearly in advance, my situation would only be more dangerous if my political opponents knew about it first."
"Who is so blind? Just kill him."
"Don't worry, I'm going to Zhongnan Mountain now. If I hurry, I'll be back in two days. Just tell me I'm going to pick out gifts for the saint's Chinese Valentine's Day banquet."
Xue Bai comforted Yang Yuyao, thinking that he might be the one who didn't open his eyes.
And the reason why he must see Zhang Xuan is because he hopes to persuade or deceive Zhang Xuan and come forward to testify for him in the future, proving that he is the emperor's grandson.
With such a witness, he may be able to win more support when the situation changes.
~~
Most of the officials accompanying the Huaqing Palace would buy homes in Zhaoying County, and so did Yuan Siyi.
He was not on duty that day, so he had been looking at the documents he brought back from the Shang Palace Bureau in his study, and once again turned to the portrait of Concubine Xue. He squinted his old eyes and stared at the child in the portrait for a long time.
"Grandpa, did you call me?"
A middle-aged eunuch walked into the study silently, bowed and saluted.
This man's name is Fu Chulin. He is about thirty-five years old, has a serious face, is as serious and old-fashioned as Yuan Siyi, and has the aura of a court official. If others don't know his identity, they will often think that he still has something under his crotch.
"Take a look." Yuan Siyi said: "I can't figure out why there is a portrait of Li Ying's concubine and son among the documents Ge Nu reviewed before his death."
"The sons of the deposed prince were all adopted by King Qing." Fu Tuolin said: "The grandson of the emperor in the painting was born to Concubine Xue. Is that the fourth son of the deposed prince, Li Qiu? Ge Nu called this
Do you want to use this portrait as a reason to support Prince Qing?"
Yuan Siyi nodded and did not deny this possibility.
He didn't pay much attention to this matter at first, but Li Linfu saw Gao Lishi before he died and immediately read the documents. He was curious, so he ordered someone to take a look at the documents. At that time, he looked at it casually and found nothing.
The mystery within it was left aside and ignored.
It wasn't until Xue Bai suddenly mentioned the matter to the saint that he suddenly realized that it was not simple. Instead of reporting it to the saint immediately, he covered it up in front of the saint, wanting to find out what was hidden behind it first.
"Go to Zhongnan Mountain, find Zhang Xuan, the painter at that time, and ask him what is hidden in this painting. If you can't find out, bring him back directly."
"Here."
"Go in person, take your confidants with you, and don't let others know."
Fu Chulin agreed. Although she thought Yuan Siyi was making a fuss out of a molehill, she still followed the order and led her people straight to Zhongnan Mountain.
~~
Zhongnan Mountain. Among the mountains behind the magnificent palace complex of Louguantai, more than ten miles east of Laozi's sutra platform, there is a mountain named Chiyukou. There is a natural stone cave in the mountain called Yingyang Cave.
After Zhang Xuan resigned and retired to hermitage, she built a wooden building at the entrance of the cave to practice Taoism and provide for her old age.
At the end of June, an old friend came to see him. After lingering in his residence where the spiritual energy of heaven and earth gathered for several days, he said goodbye today.
Zhang Xuan sent her friend to the foot of the mountain, but was reluctant to leave and said, "Since you like this place, why not stay a little longer to complete the murals in the cave before leaving?"
"I also wanted to stay, but I have an errand and I have to leave."
"Sent?" Zhang Xuan said: "This time you and I met, we only talked about painting skills. I still treat you like me and will not worship you in the palace."
"If I also resign, how can the saint let you go? I have been to Sichuan in the past few years, and now I am back."
"Why?"
"In the fifth year of Tianbao, the saint heard from Yang Zhao who came to Beijing that the scenery of Jialing River was beautiful and interesting, so he ordered me to go to Sichuan to sketch. Here, I watched the waves on Jialing River for five years."
Zhang Xuan was also a painter, so she didn't understand how much effort her old friend put into the painting. She sighed with emotion: "Over the years, Yang Zhao has become Yang Guozhong, a high-ranking prime minister. You, you haven't even painted a painting."
"In life, there are always things that must be done slowly, one stroke at a time, there is no need to rush, there is no need to rush."
The topic returned to painting, and after chatting for a few words, Zhang Xuan could only watch her friend go away, even though she was extremely reluctant to leave.
When the sound of horse hooves faded away and disappeared, only a lonely old man with white hair was left standing there, mumbling to himself.
"There's no rush, but I'm afraid this is the last time you and I will see each other."
After that, Zhang Xuan walked up the mountain with difficulty on crutches.
He is already very old, and this journey has been extremely difficult. However, the wealth and glory he has gained from serving in the palace for many years cannot make his legs and feet feel any lighter as he grows older.
When we returned to Yingyang Cave, there were three horses tied under the wooden building, but someone came to find them from another mountain road.
Zhang Xuan did not want to see outsiders. He knew that those people were just here to ask for paintings. They were willing to pay countless gold and silver treasures for his paintings, but he did not want to spend his pitiful life painting paintings for others.
So he used crutches and struggled to climb to the top of the mountain. He sat there and watched the sun slowly move westward, gradually turning golden and dyeing the clouds red. He would rather spend a lot of time watching the sunset than pursue fame and fortune in the world.
Until the sun completely set, a bonfire was lit in Yingyang Cave, and the smell of barbecue wafted over. Zhang Xuan hesitated for a moment, finally got up and returned to his secluded place.
A young man with a good impression came forward, supported him, and said at the same time: "I have disturbed Mr. Zhang. I occupy the magpie's nest. I should apologize with barbecue. Please sit down and enjoy Mr. Zhang."
"My eyes are dazzled, my hands are shaking, and I can no longer paint."
"I didn't come here to ask Duke Zhang to paint. The junior Xue Bai often walks around the palace, but he never had the opportunity to see Duke Zhang before."
"Are you Xue Lang?" Zhang Xuan was a little surprised and said with a smile: "You came a little late."
"I wonder what Mr. Zhang means?"
Zhang Xuan did not answer, but was helped into Yingyang Cave by Xue Bai. She first looked at the lamb legs roasting on the bonfire, nodded with satisfaction, and said to Diao Bing who was sprinkling salt, "Sprinkle more pepper."
Diao Bing was stunned, thinking that the old man had such vicious eyes that he could see the pepper powder he carried in his bag so quickly.
Over there, Zhang Xuan looked at the murals in the cave and asked Xue Bai, "Can you tell whose handiwork this is?"
The painting is a landscape with immortals in it. At first glance, it is not Zhang Xuan’s style.
When Zhang Xuan paints people, she likes to make them plump, fatter than they actually are. This artist's style is more realistic, and the fairies in his paintings all have oval faces.
Xue Bai is really not good at reading paintings. Although he can appreciate that this mural is very good, with majestic charm, upright handwriting, generous swaying in large areas, and very dense details. However, it is impossible to identify the painter based on this.
Fortunately, he learned calligraphy from Yan Zhenqing, and there is also an inscription on this wall, describing the time of painting "Mengqiu, Xinmao Year".
"My master once obtained the Twelve Meanings of Zhang Xu and Zhang Changshi's true biography, which is similar to this word." Xue Bai said slowly: "I also watched Lady Gongsun dance with a sword..."
He pointed to the belt of the immortal in the painting and continued: "In this painting, the sleeves of the immortal's clothes are fluttering, with the momentum of dancing in the wind, elegant and neat, like a sword dance, maybe it is the world-famous 'Wu Daidang'
wind'."
When Zhang Xuan heard this, she stroked her beard and laughed.
Xue Bai held the ceremony and asked: "Did this junior guess correctly?"
He was really unsure, so he asked questions seriously.
Zhang Xuan nodded and said: "Wu Daozi also learned calligraphy from Zhang Xu. He also had another teacher. Do you know who it is?"
Xue Bai actually heard about this and tentatively replied: "He Jian."
"Yes, Zhang Dian and He Jian are both good at cursive calligraphy. They are all the Eight Immortals, open-minded and unrestrained, chatting freely, and their calligraphy is unbridled. The so-called 'struggle with nature cannot be achieved by man'. But Wu Daozi has been lonely since he was a child.
I was poor, had experienced the hardships of the world, and could not write such clear and elegant words, so I had to turn to painting."
Only in the prosperous Tang Dynasty could one easily meet so many great masters with superb artistic attainments and whose names have been passed down through the ages. Looking at a painting in a cave in the mountains, one can talk about Zhang Xu, He Zhizhang, Gongsun Auntie, and Wu Daozi.
This is an era of bright stars.
Xue Bai was still thinking about conspiracies and power struggles, wondering whether Zhang Xuan mentioned He Zhizhang intentionally.
"Speaking of Supervisor He, I am here because I have something to ask Mr. Zhang."
"Ask me." Zhang Xuan sat down by the campfire, took a piece of kebab, smelled it, and sighed: "My teeth are not good."
Diao Geng took the meat skewers back and cut them into smaller pieces with a dagger.
Xue Bai pondered for a moment and asked: "May I ask Mr. Zhang, before the three commoners case occurred, did you paint for the then Crown Princess Xue?"
Zhang Xuan was not frightened. She ate barbecue with chopsticks and murmured: "It must have been the 22nd year of Kaiyuan. I went to the East Palace and was ordered to paint for the Crown Princess."
"Do you still remember what happened at that time?"
"The Crown Princess has two children, the Prince's third and fourth sons."
"Then, which emperor's grandson is in the painting?"
This is a very important question for Xue Bai, but Zhang Xuan answered it very directly, saying: "The fourth son of the East Palace is still in his infancy. He was taken to breastfeed by the wet nurse.
I'll just paint again next year, but it's a pity that there will be no next year."
Xue Bai was silent for a while and asked: "Li Qian?"
"I don't know the name of the emperor's grandson."
"With Zhang Gong's eyesight, if we meet again after more than ten years, will we still recognize this emperor's grandson?"
Zhang Xuan stopped what she was doing, slowly shook her head, and said, "Why does Xue Lang think I can still recognize it?"
"Painters often observe the most carefully."
"But Xue Lang can't see that the painting of the Crown Princess was not written by me?"
"How could it be?" Xue Bai said, "The seal on the inscription and postscript is clearly the seal of Duke Zhang."
"The saint ordered me to paint, so naturally I left my seal." Zhang Xuan said: "But that day, I drank a few too many drinks with Your Highness and became a little drunk, so I asked someone else to write for me."
"Is Mr. Zhang joking with this junior?"
"This matter cannot be hidden. If you look closely at that painting and the painting next to mine, you can always tell them apart."
Xue Bai asked: "Is there anyone in the world who can imitate Zhang Gong's paintings?"
Zhang Xuan said: "If you expect me to identify the child for you, just give up. I won't lie to you, I really can't recognize him."
"How dare I ask Mr. Zhang, who had such superb painting skills back then and could actually imitate Mr. Zhang's brushwork?"
"I answered all your questions simply." Zhang Xuan said, "If you want to ask further questions, why don't you first explain why you came to inquire about this matter?"
Although Zhang Xuan was only a servant of the palace, she had stayed in the palace all her life and had seen too many conspiracies and intrigues, so naturally she also had a palace.
Xue Bai was silent, and walked to the entrance of the cave with his hands behind his hands, looking at the stars in the sky and thinking.
He hopes to secretly use the identity of the emperor's grandson to accumulate power, but does not want to be implicated or exposed by making it public too early. The balance is difficult to grasp. More and more "candor" will inevitably lead to more and more problems.
There are more and more dangers, and the dangers are directly proportional to the opportunities.
"I came here to see if Mr. Zhang could recognize me."
Xue Bai still made a decision. As he spoke, he turned around, sat down cross-legged opposite Zhang Xuan, and looked at her candidly.
Zhang Xuan was surprised, looked at Xue Bai blankly, and said: "What...what do you mean?"
"I was born in the 18th year of Kaiyuan." Xue Bai recalled the birth date of Princess Boping that he had seen on the royal jade certificate, and said slowly: "In the Gengwu year, I was born in the year of the horse. I was born in the winter moon, which is regarded as a horse's tail.
I have a twin sister."
The plate in Zhang Xuan's hand fell to the ground, but he didn't seem to realize it.
He just stared at Xue Bai blankly for a long time. After that, he rubbed his old eyes vigorously, as if trying to identify.
But that painting was really not painted by him. At that time, he was only focused on drinking and did not take a closer look at the child.
Xue Bai's eyes were firm, as if telling Zhang Xuan that no one would pretend to be the son of a traitor. He is the number one scholar, a scholar in the middle school, and a popular person around the saint and the noble concubine. If it is not true, he does not need to be Li Qian
.
Under the current circumstances, he does not need evidence to use huge risks to convince others of his weaved life experience.
Finally, Zhang Xuan put down her hands.
His old eyes were already red from rubbing by himself, and later, tears slowly flowed down.
"I heard that Mr. Lang was accidentally beaten to death?"
"No." Xue Bai said: "Supervisor He and Mr. Zhang protected me."
"Supervisor He never mentioned this matter to me or Wu Daozi."
"I won't mention it."
Zhang Xuan still couldn't believe it, but she didn't know why to doubt it. When she thought about the prince who treated him kindly, she nodded with approval and said: "Your Highness and the Crown Princess must be very pleased that Mr. Lang has such a talented person.
"
"I vow to bring justice to the case of the three common people." Xue Bai said, "But I wonder if Mr. Zhang can prove my identity for me?"
Zhang Xuan nodded repeatedly, and then said: "That painting back then was indeed not painted by me, but by my disciple, Zhou Fang."
Xue Bai smiled and said, "I don't remember."
"Lang Jun was so young at that time, how can he remember it? My apprentice's painting skills are extraordinary. Although he was still young at the time, he could already imitate 70% of my painting skills, and now he has surpassed me."
"I wonder where he is?"
"His eldest brother Zhou Huo served as a general in Longyou and made great contributions in the battle of Shibao City. Now he follows Ge Shuhan to recover Jiuqu of the Yellow River. Zhou Fang went to Longyou to visit his brother at the beginning of the year."
"Longyou, Zhou Fang."
Xue Bai kept this matter in mind and pondered: "It's just that the world thinks that the painting was done by Zhang Gong, and it was also Zhang Gong who met me back then. It will be appropriate for Zhang Gong to come forward at that time."
Zhang Xuan shook her head and said, "Does Mr. Lang want to reverse the case now?"
"The time has not come yet."
"I am old and can't live much longer. How can I bear witness for you?"
Xue Bai looked around and saw that Zhang Xuan was old and exhausted. Knowing that what he said was not false, he sighed slightly.
He didn't want to force such an old man, but fortunately he had other ways to prove his identity.
"Shall I make another painting for Mr. Lang?" Zhang Xuan said slowly, "Let's call it "Your Majesty's Night Tour". How about that?"
Xue Bai was a little surprised and saluted: "Thank you, Mr. Zhang."
"Please Sir, please sit down and let me take a closer look."
…
It was dawn after sitting there, and Zhang Xuan had not yet started to write. His old eyes were full of red bloodshot eyes, but he still stared at Xue Bai until his face was burned into his mind, and Xue Bai was there again.
Moving before his eyes.
Until noon, the Diao brothers cooked noodle soup, but Zhang Xuan refused to eat it. Instead, she went back to the small building, ground her paintings, rolled out the long scroll, and started writing.
He has been painting for the rich and powerful all his life, and now he is still painting noble princes.
But the difference is that at this moment, what Zhang Xuan wants to paint is not the magnificence of the past, but the firmness between Xue Bai's eyebrows, the determination to redress the injustice, and even the greater things in his heart.
.
He has painted saints, and he has painted them many times, such as "Saints Fighting Cocks and Shooting Birds", "Saints Enjoying Coolness", and "Saints Hitting Parasol Trees". The saints in his paintings are outstanding in their natural and unrestrained style, but they rarely have that...
...the momentum of being committed to the country.
For a long time, Zhang Xuan finished painting the scenery and people, but she had not yet clicked on the eyes of the person in the painting.
He looked at Xue Bai, stretched out his hand, held the brush with some trembling, and slowly lowered it.
~~
A long painting was slowly rolled up and tied with a rope.
Zhang Xuan solemnly handed it into Xue Bai's hands and said: "The inscription and postscript contain the old man's personal testimony. Lang Jun must not reveal it to others easily before his safety can be ensured, otherwise his life will be in danger."
"Don't worry, Mr. Zhang."
"Mr. Lang, please come back quickly. The Saint of Qixi Festival must hold a royal banquet. Lang Jun is in a hurry to return to Lishan Mountain."
"Junior will send someone to pick up Mr. Zhang..."
"I am already in my twilight years. I beg you, sir, to let me enjoy my last freedom in the mountains."
Xue Bai had no choice but to say: "That's it, come visit me another day."
Zhang Xuan said goodbye with a smile, and when Xue Bai left, he slumped down on the couch.
Only he himself knows how much energy it will consume to paint another painting now.
After resting alone for most of the day, she suddenly heard a sound coming from the bottom of the mountain. Zhang Xuan supported the wall and walked out of the cave. She looked down the mountain and saw someone slowly coming this way and already out of the forest.
He recognized one of them as Fu Chulin.
They are both people who have been in the palace for a long time, and they know each other well. Zhang Xuan, Zhifu Cui Lin, seems to be loyal and good, but in fact he is greedy. I am afraid he has noticed something.
Then he turned around with a crutch, struggling to support his old and disabled body, picked up the unused ink and paintings, and poured them over the mural left by Wu Daozi on the wall.
The ink instantly ruined those paintings.
Burn the harp and boil the crane.
When time and space intersect, Xue Bai also did such things to destroy calligraphy and paintings in order to protect others...