C24 (1/2)
Wang Zhixi naturally knew that Wang Yunhe's words were extremely well written. Even though she still didn't understand the time and effort Wang Rong spent on calligraphy, when his aunt said she wanted to hand over the Buddhist scriptures, he didn't stop her from going to Wang Rong and asking her to copy the Heart Sutra. Wang Rong He was not a petty person.
Wang Zhixi placed Wang Rong and the book she had written on the ground and then covered them with a piece of paper. However, if this were to continue, the following scriptures would be invaded by the ink and become useless. Wang Zhixi did not mind letting the palace maid throw it away.
But someone picked it up and placed it back on Zhou Yuting's table.
”Who do you think wrote this?” Zhou Yuting asked. The front hall staff were so nervous, yet Zhou Yuting lived in a private room, with only her bed covering her entire appearance. As for its master, no one cared who she squeezed in with.
”It was written by Wang Zhixi's beautiful sister who was called ugly by His Majesty.” The palace maid lowered her head and said, ”Wang Zhixi's performance was far worse than hers. She wanted to gift the two empress dowager with this set of scriptures, but she deliberately asked for a sample and placed it under a piece of paper to write it down word by word. ”It's obvious that you think sister's calligraphy is better.”
Zhou Yuting carefully read the Buddhist scripture that had been scrapped. Although a few characters had already been stained by the ink and curled into a ball, she could not see it clearly. But it does show that the pen is strong, and that it is not something ordinary handwriting can contend with.
Zhou Yuting caressed the scripture and muttered, ”He can still operate like this?”
”Please help me ask if this Miss Wang is willing to make a copy of the scripture and lend it to me for me to study. The conditions are easy to negotiate.” Zhou Yuting said to the palace maid.
The palace maid returned to report not long after she left for the rear hall. With a troubled look on her face, she said, ”Miss, Miss Wang, you really aren't listening to all this nonsense. You aren't willing to copy another book.”
Zhou Yuting's face was gloomy, even if she were to use her meals and life's inconvenience to threaten Wang Rong, the time of the scripture ceremony was right in front of her. At this moment, it was very likely that the fox didn't hit her and instead fell to the ground. After thinking for a moment, Zhou Yuting made a decision in her heart. She asked palace maid to come over and say it like this, then gave her a heavy bag, ”When this is done, you will have to pay for it.”
”Don't worry young lady, the safekeeping has been completed.” palace maid promised.
All of the written records of the Imperial Consort Candidate s were handed to their aunt in Chuxiu Palace first, and then, their aunt personally delivered them to the Tzu Ning Palace. When they reached the outer walls of the palace, her aunt suddenly stopped the procession. She looked straight ahead, not looking behind. Behind her, a palace maid hurriedly found a tray filled with eunuchs that she had memorized long ago.
After finding the scripture of Wang Rong He, he quickly changed the label on it to Zhou Yuting's, and then placed Wang Rong He's label on Zhou Yuting's book. The whole process was very quick and light. When palace maid came to stand behind his aunt, she called him to leave, but in just a short moment, it was as if they had never stopped.
The Empress Dowager Chen and the Empress Dowager Li were sitting facing each other and drinking tea in the Palace of Tzu Ning.
”Why did you suddenly think of letting Imperial Consort Candidate copy the scripture?” Empress Dowager Chen asked.
”It is a scripture sent over by His Majesty. Elder sister didn't notice any clues.” The Empress Dowager Li said.
Empress Dowager Chen put down her tea cup, ”I really don't know what to say about your thoughts. I can understand that you were so cautious when your Majesty was still the crown prince, but you had no other choice. Now that the emperor was doing well, the whole dynasty was praising him. The king is also very filial. If there is anything good, they would think of us. Just accept the good intentions and try to find out what is behind it. ”
”That's a private lesson.” The Empress Dowager Li said solemnly.
”That is the Imperial Consort Candidate. Speaking of which, they are all His Majesty's women, where did this private lesson come from?” Empress Dowager Chen shook her head and said. |
Empress Dowager Li still could not relax her gloomy face. palace maid looked at each of the scriptures Her Majesty had sent over, and in the end, could not find three. She could only present them to the empress dowager together. ”Why are there three?” Empress Dowager Li asked.
”These three handwriting looks alike. The servants really can't tell, so they can only show it to the empress dowager and ask her to tell.” Aunt Yaoyu said.
”And you can't tell?” The Empress Dowager Chen curiously said, ”Take it over to take a look. Yo, there's even a copy of the Buddhist Scripture inside.”
The Empress Dowager Li asked Yao Yu, ”Which three?”
”Reporting to the empress dowager, they are respectively the capital's largest administrative group's Liu Jing, the capital's safe house's Wang Zhixi and the capital's chessboard street's Zhou Yuting.” Yaoyu said.
”Then invite all three of them.” The Empress Dowager Li said.
The empress dowager suddenly called Liu Jing over. Wang Zhixi, Zhou Yuting went to the Ci Ning Palace for an audience.
”It can't be. It's only been a short while, and he already picked three?” Yang Jingru said, ”He asked us to copy the scriptures without any reason, and immediately summoned people to meet him after handing it over, why do I feel like we're looking for someone?”
”It's a good thing that we still have Sister Liu in the rear hall. If we really had to choose between the three of them, our face would have already fallen.” Cui Ruo said.
Wang Zhixi wrote according to her writing style, it seemed very normal. Liu Jing had worked very hard, she had copied and scrapped many pieces of paper, and now that she had seen the finished product of the paper, she felt that there was a huge difference between her writing style and the one she had given her. But what about Zhou Yuting?
What about her book? She copied it with her right hand? If she was the one who wrote the scripture the Emperor had given to the Empress Dowager, would the Empress Dowager not look for her?
Wang Rong suddenly sighed as she covered her face. Could she have been thinking too much? This is so embarrassing.
”Sister Wang, what happened to you?” Cui Ruo asked.
”I'm fine.” Wang Rong He lowered his hand and calmed himself down, saying, ”Just wait until Jing Er comes back, then we'll know what's going on.”