Chapter 64 (2/2)

In the first place, Ning Que didn’t care. With his hands clasped behind his back, br.i.m.m.i.n.g with interest, he looked at those different, strange flowering plants in front of the hall with interest. Looking at a distant flower boat in the middle of the lake covered by drooping willows, he thought whether it was possible to look at some beautiful palace girls. Suddenly he heard two words ‘Imperial Study’, and his body couldn’t help but to slightly stiffen, stunned as he turned towards these unremarkable rooms.

A man’s most secretive place isn’t the bedroom, but is the study.

In heavy winter snow he could be in the study reading forbidden books, in a summer evening he could be in the study completely naked looking at erotica; in a spring’s warm noon he could be in the study writing someone a secret love letter, and in a deep autumn night, he could be tearing off red sleeves, sitting in an embrace, kneading.

Here didn’t have yellow-faced grandmother’s meddling, and didn’t have children playing. With private, secretive or happy matters, all could borrow the honorableness of ink, scrolls and books and be fine – no one would come to disturb you.

The Emperor was also a man, and the Imperial Study naturally was his most private, secretive place. Who knows of how many major events in history, in how many reigns that shady and filthy things occurred inside of the Study. If it wasn’t the Emperor’s most trusted of trusted aides or preparing to become the most trusted of trusted aides, they absolutely would not have been qualified to enter the Imperial Study.

Wu ZeTian entered the Imperial Study, Zhang JuZheng entered the Imperial Study, Wei ZhongXian entered the Imperial Study, Wei XiaoBao entered the Imperial Study….Ning Que dazedly gazed at the tightly closed Imperial Study’s tightly closed doors, sadly thinking, how many great women and how many formerly great, powerful ministers were castrated to enter this small little study in order for a soaring career. Unthinkable, who would have thought that in this time on this day, it would actually fall on his own head.

Last night he guessed that Chao XiaoShu’s backing was someone in the Palace, and that the very great person within the Palace may be the Emperor himself. However speculation and actuality were two things, sixteen years ago a boy that was wandering in desperation, struggling to survive, suddenly found himself a chance to take one step and reach heaven –  it was a bit difficult to not have some shock to the heart. He finally understood that what Chao XiaoShu said last night was even more real than gold and silver, it truly was the thickest thigh in the whole world.

“Within an hour, no one will come here. If someone comes to ask, just tell them the response I taught you before, just say that Lu Ji brought you into the Palace.”

Flooded with regret, Ning Que completely hadn’t noticed when that little eunuch had left. When he came to, he discovered that around the Imperial Study was already empty without a single person.

Surrounded by unfamiliarities and a thick forest within the Imperial Palace, and beside him without a single person he recognized, the cool, shaded surroundings around him instantly became a bit gloomy. Even as brave as he was, he couldn’t help but to feel a bit uncomfortable. Standing in front of the corridor, waiting for a moment, he suddenly thought, was he supposed to go inside?

He and Sang Sang entered ChangAn City like country b.u.mpkins, amazed for a good long while. Even more so this was the Imperial Palace, he completely didn’t understand those rules, and only through common sense and theory thought like this, and so, he did exactly that. Lightly coughing twice, feigning and faking he went towards the Imperial Palace and cupped his hands, then pushed open the door and went inside.

What was effortless propriety was all bogus, Ning Que just wanted to go inside. In these years, the most important part of his life besides meditation and martial study, was the way of calligraphy. Today he finally had an extremely rare chance to enter the Imperial Study, of course the thirst of being able to see the Study of the rumored countless schools of G.o.dly calligraphy – this thirst was so strong, so intense that he completely forgot the so-called rules.

Pus.h.i.+ng the door and entering, the sight upon entry was an extremely high wall of a bookshelf, that was level all across and erect. The design was extremely ordinary and simple, but the wood used was extremely rare fragrant rosewood from East Island. On the bookshelves, were books of all kinds packed in tight formation, arranged unevenly, but were all extremely rare treasures that were the only existing copies.

Atop a desk, several open books were placed, with a single brush like a single log in a clear pond laying in the middle of an inkstone, dipped in ink, and beside were several brushes placed messily on a brush holder. The paper was Xuan Province’s sapling paper, the brushes were Horizontal Shop’s simple brushes, the ink was from Chen Province’s smooth ink, and the inkstone was a Yellow Province’s heavy clay inkstone. Not one was eye-catching, but not one wasn’t a precious tribute.

If these brushes, ink, paper and inkstones were taken out to 47th Street and sold, how much could they sell for? Ning Que dazedly looked around, inside he had no idea how he came up with this b.a.s.t.a.r.dly idea. Soon his eyes were drawn to three calligraphy pieces hung onto a flour-white wall.

Seeing these difficult to find, heirloom calligraphy pieces taken deep into the world of the Palace, he was indescribably shocked. His steps slowly moved, gaze falling on those square, stiff, bent and awkward, or smooth, refined, charming genuine famous work, and there was still those inscription stamps. His right hand subconsciously made drawing motions in the air, beginning to copy them, his face filled with joyous admiration.

Moving to the front of the desk, he saw a paper with five big, thickly-inked characters, and couldn’t help but to frown, murmuring he said, “Your Majesty, your appreciation of capability level is actually quite high, but these characters simply have no bite.”

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