As Xiao Yinzi and Song Zhao were talking, they suddenly heard a knock at the door.
"Has the Noble Consort rested?"
"Is that you, Xiao Yinzi?" Song Zhao asked Xiao Fuzi to open the door and welcome Xiao Yinzi inside.
When Xiao Yinzi came in, he had a big smile on his face. He bowed respectfully to Song Zhao with clasped hands and said, "I thought you were still resting, I hope I have not disturbed you."
Song Zhao said, "Why have you come at this time? His Majesty went to the Nine Bends Dike. Shouldn't you be attending to him there?"
Xiao Yinzi smiled and said, "The matters at the Nine Bends Dike have been resolved perfectly. His Majesty is in an excellent mood today. Having some free time, he wanted to take you to tour Suzhou City properly."
Happiness also rose onto Song Zhao's brow. "But isn't it the concubines' rest time now? Why not wait until..."
Xiao Fuzi quickly said, "Too many people would be noisy. His Majesty only invited you and Noble Consort Chen. No one else has this blessing."
Song Zhao then understood. "Let this concubine change clothes and will go with you immediately."
After leaving the island by boat and arriving on Zhengchang Street, from afar, Song Zhao saw several attendants in disguise guarding Xiao Jingheng and Noble Consort Chen, who were talking and laughing.
Xiao Yinzi led her forward and said, "Your Majesty, the Noble Consort has arrived."
Following his voice, Song Zhao paid her respects and greeted, "Greetings to Your Majesty, Noble Consort."
"You’re here," said Xiao Jingheng, holding Song Zhao's arm to spare her from bowing, looking at her with laughter in his eyes.
In contrast, Noble Consort Chen had an unhappy expression on her face.
She looked Song Zhao up and down and said impatiently, "What are you doing here too?"
Xiao Jingheng said, "I finally have some free time today, so I wanted to take you and the Noble Consort out to tour around."
Noble Consort Chen coquettishly said, "Your Majesty, having this concubine accompany you is enough. The Noble Consort still has to take care of Chen Yu. How can she make time?"
Xiao Jingheng casually said, "There are many ancient calligraphies and paintings in Suzhou. You don’t have much interest in them. With the Noble Consort along, she can also broaden my perspective."
Hearing this, Noble Consort Chen's eyes darkened. She glanced impatiently at Song Zhao and said, "Well, since that's the case, come along then."
Having said that, she intimately held onto Xiao Jingheng’s arm, deliberately quickening her pace to leave Song Zhao behind, afraid that she would get too close to Xiao Jingheng.
Noble Consort Chen was used to being petty. Song Zhao didn’t have the mind to compete with her over such matters. She just quietly followed behind the whole way.
After entering a calligraphy and painting gallery, Song Zhao saw a painting of A Thousand Li of Rivers and Mountains hanging in the center. The owner kept boasting that it was an authentic work by Wang Ximeng. Xiao Jingheng was quite interested in it and stopped to appreciate it carefully.
"Zhao’er, come take a look," he called.
But before Song Zhao could even open her mouth, Noble Consort Chen started chattering away.
"It really is a fine painting. The mountains stretch continuously and the rivers are vast. The scenery is detailed and exquisite. This painting's composition is orderly, with continuity yet ever-changing momentum. Although it depicts expansive scenery, there are also mountain streams, thatched cottages, bamboo groves and pine trees, decorated with red flowers, green willows and more, making it magnificent yet not lacking in detail."
As she spoke, she became more self-satisfied. Pointing to the tiny human figures in the painting, she added:
"Sir, look. Although the people are as small as ink dots, if you look closely, their expressions are all different and very true to life. Wang Ximeng's brushwork focuses on boldness and lightness. Although the scene looks still, it’s as if it’s alive and moving, forcing admiration."
"The painting's composition is also quite deliberate - using near, far and level perspectives to showcase the majesty of the thousands of li of rivers and mountains. It really is ingenious!"
As Noble Consort Chen eloquently analyzed with well-ordered points, even the shopkeeper couldn't help but praise her, "What fine taste this noble lady has, touching on all the critical points!"
Xiao Jingheng was also quite surprised. "Wasn't Wan'er always disinterested in such things before?"
Noble Consort Chen shyly flushed and softly said, "Being by your side, whatever you like, I like. Of course I had to learn. Knowing my inferior talent, I can only make up for it with hard work and diligence."
Hearing her words, Xiao Jingheng repeatedly nodded, smiling from ear to ear.
Song Zhao also smiled lightly, not giving her opinion about the painting.
After leaving the gallery, Noble Consort Chen didn’t understand why Xiao Jingheng was clearly very fond of the painting yet didn’t buy it. So she asked, "Your Majesty liked that painting for a long time. Why didn't you purchase it? The price was fair, even if high."
Xiao Jingheng just smiled without answering. Instead, he pointed to Song Zhao, "Ask the Noble Consort.”
Noble Consort Chen’s gentleness instantly disappeared as she glared at Song Zhao in disgust. “What is it?”
Song Zhao slightly bowed and replied, “The rocks and mountains in that painting were blue.”
Noble Consort Chen said, “What of it? I read in the Guide to Painting that the reason mountains and rocks become blue is because the ink has faded over time. Isn’t it good that it’s blue?”
Song Zhao answered, “That’s true. But the blue in that painting was newly added with azurite. It is subtly different from the indigo formed by the fading of mineral pigments...”
Song Zhao had seen the fading of mineral pigments before. So had Xiao Jingheng.
Only the Noble Consort was desperately grasping at book knowledge, letting slip what she had hastily learned.
Although every word seemed like precious pearls, there wasn’t a trace of original insight.
Hearing Song Zhao’s analysis, Noble Consort Chen felt she had lost face. Scoffing lightly, she said,
“You really are so worldly and learned!”
As she turned to retort Song Zhao, she accidentally bumped into a careless woman, nearly knocking her over.
Seeing this, the guards quickly surrounded them and seized the woman.
Xiao Jingheng supported Noble Consort Chen and anxiously asked, “Are you hurt?”
Noble Consort Chen shook her head. Then she glared at the sweating woman and said in irritation, “What’s your hurry? Don’t you have eyes to watch the road?”
The woman knelt before them with a thud, crying and begging for mercy.
"Forgive me, noble lady, I didn't mean it! My son is gravely ill, having convulsions and fainting spells. I heard that the divine Tan Yuezhi has opened his temple today. I was hurrying there, hoping he could save my son’s life...”
Hearing this, Noble Consort Chen's expression softened slightly. “Since it’s your child who's sick, you should find an imperial physician, not some charlatan!”
The woman explained, “How could I afford an imperial physician? My son has been sick for two years and we have spent all our savings. My husband fell gathering medicine in the mountains and left my son and I widowed and orphaned. What else could I do...”
She wept bitterly. Seeing her tattered clothes and skin-and-bones thinness, Noble Consort Chen took pity and told Liu Yue to give the woman twenty taels of silver.
“Take this money and properly treat your son. Stop believing in nonsense.”
Thinking she had seen a living bodhisattva, the woman repeatedly kowtowed to Noble Consort Chen, wiping away tears as she scrambled back home.
While Noble Consort Chen was handling the matter, Xiao Jingheng silently watched by the side, only speaking after the woman had left.
“Wan’er has become even more gentle now.”
Noble Consort Chen blushed and coquettishly smiled. “Being a mother now, I cannot bear such sights.”
Xiao Jingheng held her hand and gently caressed the back of it, showing his affection.
He then asked Jiang Deshun, “I often hear the people of Suzhou mention Tan the Immortal. What kind of extraordinary character is he that so draws the locals to him?”
Jiang Deshun replied, “This servant secretly investigated. The man is called Tan Yuezhi and is truly skilled in divination, possessing some abilities.”
He then pointed to the popular temple not far away, “That Temple of No Words was built for Tan Yuezhi by the people of Suzhou themselves.”
Seeing the bustling crowd at the temple even livelier than a fair, Xiao Jingheng also became interested. “Let’s go take a look at the commotion.”
