Fu Junlan and the maidservant waiting outside also subconsciously ran into the room to see what was going on.
The female cultivator who barged in didn't notice anything unusual in the room. She quickly sat beside the bed and took Shang Shuqing's pulse. She invoked her arts and asked suspiciously, "Princess, did you have a nightmare?"
Shang Shuqing nodded, "I'm fine." He looked up and saw that Fu Junlan had also come in. He was stunned for a moment. This was her boudoir. His gaze subconsciously looked at his exposed feet. A part of his calf was also exposed. He was shocked and quickly hid his feet under the quilt. He said awkwardly, "Young Master Fu is here."
Fu Junlan's gaze also came in. His jade-like bare feet were very beautiful. However, his hiding action made him suddenly realize that something was wrong. This was a woman's boudoir. He quickly turned around and said with his back facing her, "I heard a scream just now and accidentally barged in. I was rude. Please don't blame me, Princess." He quickly ran out as if he was escaping. His face was red.
Since there was a guest, Shang Shuqing couldn't stay on the bed anymore. He quickly called for servants to come over and wash up.
After everything was settled, Shang Shuqing went out. When he saw the rising sun, he knew that he was drunk last night and slept late. It wasn't something a decent woman would do, so he was a little embarrassed.
She didn't need the servants to treat her to a meal. Firstly, she didn't have an appetite. Secondly, she didn't want to keep Fu Junlan waiting.
She went straight to the pavilion and greeted Fu Junlan. She asked, "Young Master, what's the matter?"
Actually, she had hinted to him yesterday that she wanted some peace and quiet. She didn't expect him to come on his own.
What could Fu Junlan say? She couldn't say that Feng Ruonan ordered him to come, could she? She made an excuse. "When I went back last night, I met General Wang. I mentioned that Princess promised me calligraphy and painting. I wonder if Princess still remembers?"
Shang Shuqing was stunned. There was indeed such a promise. However, she didn't promise him a specific time. Why was she in such a hurry?
But since Fu Junlan had already run an errand for Young Master Wang, it would be inconvenient to let Fu Junlan return empty-handed, fearing that Fu Junlan would lose face in front of Young Master Wang. After a moment of silence, Shang Shuqing nodded and said, "Young Master Fu, please follow me."
The two of them went straight to the study. Without bothering the servants, Shang Shuqing personally laid out the paper on the clean table.
Fu Junlan helped her grind the ink. She was looking forward to it because she knew that this woman's writing skills were extraordinary.
Actually, that Young Master Wang did not rush him. His actions were firstly to find an excuse to meet him, and secondly, to enlighten him.
He wasn't sure what exactly happened and couldn't find a direction. He also didn't know where to start to enlighten her. This was the only way to make friends with the Talented Lady. Spending time on calligraphy and painting could naturally divert her attention. After the painting was done, he could comment on it and change her mood.
However, after Shang Shuqing picked up the brush, he was at a loss. His eyes were empty, his heart was empty, and there was nothing in his heart. He didn't know what to draw.
Where could her current state of mind go? The blankness gradually turned into sadness. Slowly, the brush landed on the bottom of the paper. A slender sprout appeared with the weight of the brush. After a few strokes, a lifelike plant appeared.
Fu Junlan tilted her head to the side and saw that it was a blade of grass. Under the tip of the brush, another blade of grass appeared.
As she drew, Fu Junlan realized that something was wrong. Shang Shuqing's brush moved faster and faster. The gradually expanding grassland lost its elegance and gradually turned into a barren grassland. The thicker parts of the brush were closer and the lighter parts were further away. A desolate grassland spread far away.
In the sky above the desolate grassland, there was a large piece of white space. Drops of ink landed on the top of the paper. The dizziness of the brush was rubbed, and as it rose and fell, birds appeared and flew further away.
The birds didn't seem to be angry because the jackdaws had returned. Compared to the desolate grassland below, it gave people an endless sense of sorrow.
Then, Shang Shuqing dipped the brush in the ink and landed it on the paper. Lines of slightly messy handwriting appeared on the large piece of white space on the scroll. The handwriting was like a flying dragon and dancing phoenix.
Fu Junlan stared at her blankly. She saw that her face was full of sorrow and seemed to be filled with endless grief and indignation. After finishing in one breath, she slowly put down the brush and stood quietly as if she had lost her soul.
Fu Junlan's Adam's apple moved and she swallowed dryly. She realized that she seemed to have found the wrong way to enlighten her.
Then, she lowered her head and looked at the messy handwriting on the paper. Slowly, she identified the words and read, "The withered wormwood rustles and the cold wind blows. Thousands of pieces of yellow paper fluttered and scattered, sweeping up the Heaven's Sacrifice! Who swallowed, the cup of wine offered, drunk eyes wept, gradually blurred, the Jianghu … "She paused for a while and looked at the person beside her.
Shang Shuqing murmured to herself and continued the last sentence, "The Jianghu is like a horse in a dream …"
It was quiet in the study. Fu Junlan stared at her for a long time. Finally, he reached out his hand and picked up the painting on the table. The ink had not dried yet and he looked at it carefully.
The painting was full of endless desolation. Adding a few lines of endless desolation, the whole painting was full of sorrow and heartbreak.
However, he had to admit that this was a good painting with both words and paintings. It was undeniable just from the artistic conception of the painting. However, it was too sad. Giving this to Young Master Wang? Young Master Wang's mood would probably be affected after he received it. How could he give it away?
In fact, at the beginning, it was not his own intention to participate in the garden tour to become the wife of the Prince's Mansion. He was not poor and did not have to worry about not being able to find a beautiful woman. Everyone knew that the Princess of the Prince's Mansion was ugly. Which young master of a rich family would be willing to marry such an ugly woman?
However, he had no choice. Under the pressure of his family, he had to obey.
However, as he got to know her more and more, he could feel what kind of person this woman was. She was gentle, kind-hearted, and intelligent. There was not the slightest arrogance of a princess on her. She was a woman who always thought about others.
Under that ugly face, there was a hidden talent that others didn't know. She was proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, poetry, songs, and songs. For example, the painting in front of him could be done easily.
At first, he was reluctant, but later, he was really willing. As the saying goes, you can't judge a book by its cover. Now, he knew that he was really impressed by Shang Shuqing's talent and felt that he had found a treasure.
But now, after seeing this painting, what he had been secretly speculating about seemed to have been revealed in the painting.
"Roll up the Heaven Sacrificial Ceremony … roll up the Heaven Sacrificial Ceremony …" Holding the painting, Fu Junlan murmured these words over and over again. She thought of the scene of yesterday's worship. A gust of wind stirred up the paper in the sky, which matched the words in the painting so well.
But how sorrowful must her heart be to be able to write these words? That sloppy burial seemed calm and peaceful. Even the name of the deceased was not written on the tombstone, and there was not a single tear on the woman's face. However, the sorrow hidden in the woman's heart was so great that she wished she could sweep up the entire sky and offer sacrifices to her!
Yet there was nothing they could do. Who could swallow it? A cup of wine as an offering, eyes drunk with tears, could only exist in their dreams.
"Your Highness!" Fu Junlan sighed softly.
In a daze, Shang Shuqing suddenly came to his senses. Only then did he realize that he was distracted. He didn't even know that the painting scroll had been taken away. He didn't know how long he had been in a daze. A little flustered, he put down the brush and apologized, "I lost my composure for a moment. Please forgive me."
Fu Junlan forced a smile, shook her head, and asked tentatively, "Your Highness, is the Peach Blossom Fairy buried Daoye? He … he's dead? "
One sentence, only one sentence, seemed to penetrate everything. Inexplicably, Shang Shuqing burst into tears in an instant.
She, who had tried not to cry in front of others, suddenly burst into tears. She covered her mouth with both hands and shook her head helplessly. It seemed that she didn't want others to see her tears. She squatted under the table and sobbed heartbreakingly. She had completely lost control of her emotions.
Fu Junlan was flustered by her. She put the painting on the table hurriedly and reached out to help her up.
Shang Shuqing shook his head. He couldn't refuse. He was afraid of being seen by others, so he covered his mouth and sobbed. "I killed him. I shouldn't have asked him to come out of the mountain. I shouldn't have pestered him to work so hard for my brother and sister. I killed him. Even his corpse couldn't be found. He must have been in great pain before he died. How desperate he must have been. Did anyone save him at that time? Maybe there wasn't anyone around who could help him … "
Fu Junlan didn't know what she was talking about. He couldn't hear her clearly because she was sobbing and covering her mouth.
But he pretended that he was listening. He squatted in front of her and waited with a melancholy look on his face.
After a long time, Shang Shuqing, who had finally vented her emotions, let go of her mouth and wiped her tears with her sleeves. She apologized repeatedly. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Young Master Fu, I … I … "She stood up and seemed to realize something. She was a little flustered and didn't know how to explain.
Fu Junlan also stood up. He smiled and shook his head. "It's alright. The passing of an old friend is indeed a sad thing. I've experienced the passing of a family member before."
Under his comfort, Shang Shuqing's good self-control, she quickly calmed down.
After she wiped her tears dry, Fu Junlan tried to ask, "Is Your Highness in love with Daoye?"
Shang Shuqing panicked again. He waved his hand and said, "Young Master Fu, there's nothing between me and Daoye. It's definitely not what you think."
Fu Junlan smiled. He seemed to be calm and natural now. He comforted her. "Don't be anxious, Your Highness. I believe that Your Highness is innocent. What I mean is not what Your Highness is thinking. I'm just curious. With Your Highness's talent, I don't think just anyone can catch your eye. A man who can make Your Highness treat him with such sincerity must be someone extraordinary, right? "
Shang Shuqing fell silent. He didn't know how to answer.
Fu Junlan probed, "Handsome and elegant? Romantic and elegant? Or is it because Daoye's supernatural power is boundless and ordinary men like me can't compare? "
At this point, there seemed to be no need to hide anything. Since he asked, Shang Shuqing wouldn't hide it from him. "I don't know how to describe him to you. I want to ask you, will you die for me?"
Fu Junlan was silent for a while. Then, he smiled bitterly. "I don't dare to lie to Your Highness. Maybe I will, maybe I won't. If I'm lucky enough to be with Your Highness, I believe that I can still bear the responsibility."
Shang Shuqing said, "He will! I don't have any relationship with him. At most, I can only be considered as his friend. During the Battle of Corner Lake, when the Yan and Zhao armies confronted each other, the Zhao Kingdom kidnapped me to threaten the Yan army to retreat. When the two countries were at war, how could they lose because of me? Even my Older Brother had to give up on me. It was Daoye. Daoye knew that it was dangerous but he still took the risk to save me. I was saved but Daoye who was alone was severely injured under the pursuit. When he was found, he was already at his last gasp. If it was not for the timely rescue, if it was just a little later, Daoye would have died at the Corner Lake for Qing-er! Thousands of troops and horses couldn't save me. Only he was willing to risk his life for Qing-er! "
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