The First Empress - Chapter 83

Chapter 83 Draw A Dragon’s Eye
However, Bao Luo’s mind was always agile. Although she didn’t have any exquisite recitations or exquisite talent, she could naturally train a good disciple with such a good teacher. Chen Chongyi was full of confidence in Linglong. Linglong felt that it was very difficult, but she had no choice but to head on.

“How is the female worker in Baoluo?” In the Dali Dynasty, if a woman could not work, it would be equivalent to nothing, even if she had a pink makeup and jade-like appearance, she would not be able to do so.

“Since I was young, I have studied needlework. The four famous embroideries are not a problem at all.” Chen Chongyi looked rather conceited. Linglong knew that Chen Chongyi had invested a lot of money to teach Baoluo well. This was undoubtedly true. However, if the Emperor wanted to pay attention to the female workers, they would not be able to do so. They would also need to be in a hurry. It would be best if they were to play the zither, weiqi, calligraphy, and painting. This would be difficult.

Linglong asked, “How’s Baoluo’s danqing? How’s the ink? How’s the font?” After asking three questions, Chen Chongyi answered them one by one, “Dan Qing can probably copy Wu Daozi. His writing is rough and ink is only in small letters with a hairpin flower. The rest … Elder sister has not taught Princess Yongxu anything since she was young. What should I do?”

Linglong nodded her head secretly. Now, she could only treat him as a living doctor. After all, Chen Chongyi had taught her a lot of things back then. This was considered a reward. Although she was only a fifth-grade Jieyu, she had already received the Empress’ and Emperor’s affirmation. Therefore, what she said was also very important.

Linglong asked Qin’er to bring over the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone and said, “Princess Baoluo, you can do whatever you want. Don’t be nervous, don’t have any psychological burden.” Having said that, he glanced at Chen Chongyi and said, Last night at the banquet, Baoluo was actually pretty good at dancing, However, when Baoluo saw his father suddenly become nervous, causing the dance to be slightly inferior. This was Baoluo’s mistake. Now, he understood that he had to move this father. Otherwise, even Chen Chongyi would suffer from the same kind of disdain as him. Even the servant and maidservant treated her biological mother like this. Baoluo felt sad in his heart.

Qin’er sent a big water cheng over. Linglong and Chen Chongyi retreated to the side. Baoluo dipped in ink. In a while, she had already drawn a picture of the Nine Wan Orchid. The lines of the picture were beautiful. There were some simplifications in the complicated and some in the complicated. It looked really beautiful. Even more so, she had that kind of serene mood, but Linglong frowned, and furrowed her brows fiercely.

Baoluo asked, “Sister Bu, is there a problem?”

Linglong didn’t know how to answer. Facing the question directly would naturally deal a blow to Baoluo. She could only say from the side, “The one of us who doesn’t like the paintings of the boudoir. To tell you the truth, all the paintings I learned were to please the Emperor, including the poems, songs, music, zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting that I learned.”

“Then aren’t you very bitter? Sister Bu?” Baoluo blinked.

Chen Chongyi hurriedly stopped Bao Luo, “Bao Luo, you don’t know how difficult it is to survive in the palace. Everything has to be centered on the Emperor, and you have to constantly fall in love with him. It is precisely because your mother doesn’t like you that your mother’s heart is not in love with you. Don’t go through the same mistakes as your mother!” As he spoke, he glared at Bao Luo seriously and then at Ling Long, “Things have come to this point. What do you think, sister? You can’t do this. Sister also knows what the Emperor likes, but at this time …”

Chen Chongyi was afraid that there wasn’t enough time. Linglong looked at Chen Chongyi and Baoluo and smiled. She swept her sleeves up and revealed her snow-white wrists. Chen Chongyi was secretly shocked. She didn’t know what Linglong was going to do.

He could only retreat from Baoluo.

Linglong poured all the ink on the rice paper. As a result, the darkness was completely blank, and it looked extremely sinister. Even Chen Chongyi frowned. Linglong casually spilled the water inside the water cheng on the paper. She stretched out her right hand and “randomly” drew it. It was an interesting landscape painting. Linglong took the brush and wrote the words “Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains” before clapping her hands.

Chen Chongyi and Bao Luo secretly applauded. They looked at Bao Luo with indescribable envy. Linglong looked at Bao Luo solemnly, “You’re just like this. Can you not use it without a brush? Do you understand?”

Baoluo secretly remembered. Only in this way would he be able to tell that he was superior to others. However, it was just an illusion. Of course, if he studied it carefully, he would not be able to. However, it would not be a problem for him to get away with it.

Linglong asked Baoluo to write two more lines. It was good, but it was too neat and lost the interest of the ink.

Linglong said, “You must not be neat and neat. You must have the Qi of Opening and Closing. The Emperor does not like things with the temperament of a little child.”

Bao Luo hooked it up, and it was also a couplet. After being guided by Linglong, it looked vigorous and plump, never tired of looking at it for a hundred times. Even Chen Chongyi could vaguely see the Golden Gothic Iron Horse coming from the font and could not help but nod his head repeatedly.

“Do you remember the last dance?” Linglong asked. Baoluo quickly turned around. Linglong saw that Baoluo was struggling and said, “There’s no need to stop dancing. When that time comes, when it’s our turn to dance, the Emperor’s interest will probably be lacking. So we just need to master what we just learned. Do you understand?” Linglong became more and more serious. Chen Chongyi secretly remembered the steps just now. If it wasn’t for her sisterly love, who would have helped her like this? She hurriedly nodded her head and said, “Why don’t you thank Bu Mother?”

Chen Chongyi was stunned. “Thank you, Sister Bu–” Bao Luo was still thinking about something, so her words were a little incongruous. “In the future, she will always be called Mother Concubine. Otherwise, it would be easy for someone to get her wrong if she wasn’t careful like you. Do you understand?”

Baoluo nodded repeatedly.

Linglong asked Baoluo to write another poem. The poem Baoluo wrote was also in the form of her little daughter. Linglong thought that no one would remember her like this, so she wrote a poem herself and said, “I will help you from the side then. Do you understand?” Linglong held the jade flute at her waist. Chen Chongyi nodded her head in understanding, “Baoluo, you just need to remember the words. When the time comes, sing along with the song. Naturally, Bu Mother will be by your side to help you. Do you remember?”

Baoluo remembered too many things today, but for the sake of his future with his mother, he could only try his best to remember them.

When Linglong saw that Bao Luo and Chen Chongyi had placed all their hopes on her, she also wanted to do her best.

So he said, “Sister, don’t worry. One day, you won’t let Baoluo suffer any grievances.”

“That’s good. Big sister believes you.” Chen Chongyi almost burst into tears.

Chen Chongyi and Baoluo walked into the outer room and asked Linglong, “I’ve never heard of the Hundred Flowers Banquet in the hidden mansion before. Why is it now? Sister just can’t figure out what’s wrong with it.” Linglong secretly felt that things would not be as calm as they seemed. The calm on the surface would often give rise to a turbulent undercurrent at the bottom of the lake.

Chen Chongyi sighed slightly. “You’re a smart person. Naturally, you know that this isn’t nothing to cause trouble. Every banquet is full of disturbances. It’s either to promote someone or to demote someone. Or to establish prestige. We just have to sit back and watch the outcome. There’s no need …”

“Sister naturally doesn’t need to get involved. Sister also doesn’t want to get involved, but she’s helpless. She’s already been dragged into the vortex. Now, she can only float up while carrying a heavy load!” Linglong raised her eyebrows and lifted her lips, “No matter what, I’m not afraid. I’ll think of a way to save the day.”

Actually, there were a lot of dangers that might not be prepared for Linglong, but Linglong still wanted to protect herself, so she said Yin Chi Chi.

Chen Chongyi nodded gratefully. “Thank you, sister. If you can help Baoluo stay in the capital, sister will not let you be hurt by others even if she risked her life. Don’t look at sister who is weak. When it’s time to catch up, sister will do her best!”

Linglong held Chen Chongyi’s hand and said, “It’s time for me to stand firm. Is elder sister ready?”

“Everything is ready. At that time, my sister will help me.” Chen Chongyi nodded.

Linglong was still worried. She took out a flower dress that she had been reluctant to wear before. “This dress was made according to my mother’s book. Take a look at the hem of the skirt. The hem of the skirt is mixed with warm yellow golden threads and sparkling silver threads. Now that Baoluo is wearing it, it’s natural for him to dance in all directions. Take it back for a rainy day.” “Even if Baoluo doesn’t dance, this dress is very unique and will definitely be remembered.”

“This” Chen Chongyi did not dare to accept it. After all, it was Linglong’s beloved item. Moreover, it was clear that Linglong had made this tone herself, so it was even more difficult to plunder her beauty.

“Don’t worry about it! For Princess Baoluo’s sake, don’t tell me sister doesn’t want a piece of clothing? Besides, this is also a token of my gratitude. Sister doesn’t need to think about it anymore.” Linglong acted as if she wanted to send the clothes over. Chen Chongyi caught the clothes and nodded secretly.

Seeing that it was getting late, Linglong went to the inner hall to correct two or three strokes and bid farewell to the mother and daughter.

There were still three days left before the sun rose. During these three days, Linglong taught Baoluo how to use ink to construct magnificent mountains and rivers, how to use the most opportunistic brush and ink to achieve heaven-shattering workmanship, and how to do so. She said a lot and let Baoluo remember all of them.

Baoluo was naturally extremely grateful to Linglong. Linglong held Baoluo’s hand and warned, “But remember, this is for the honor of your mother and yourself. Don’t be lacking. If you make a mistake, not only will you not be able to attract public attention, you will also become the target of public criticism. I know you don’t like this, but there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“I–I like it.” Baoluo replied dutifully. Linglong smiled and looked at the ink on the table. She felt that all the paintings she wrote had obtained her own true inheritance. Although it was done overnight, she could tell that she had already obtained the essence, and it was even better.

From the painting, it was already at the peak of perfection. Looking at Bao Luo’s hand again, only three days had passed since she had ground out a cocoon. Linglong’s heart ached helplessly.

“Thanks to Imperial Concubine Bu’s righteousness, Bao Luo is extremely grateful.” Baoluo said as she bowed. This was not what Linglong wanted. She quickly supported Linglong and said, “When the time comes, I will definitely attract everyone’s attention. Don’t be shy and timid. Your mother’s wishes are exactly the same as mine. If she wants you to soar, then she will be able to pull us along.” There are countless things happening in the harem, you are our hope … ”

Baoluo seemed to have heard something and nodded repeatedly in agreement.