nucmednet Chapter 72 is utterly ridiculous!
Chapter 72 is utterly ridiculous!
Once outside the shop, Qinghe could barely stand.
"Consort Su, this painting actually costs three thousand taels of silver!"
"What's wrong with three thousand taels?"
Su Mowan turned her head slightly and glanced at her.
"Didn't you hear what Young Master Tang said? This was painted by a painting master a hundred years ago. If I were to paint one and keep it, it might be worth more than this price a hundred years from now."
"..."
Qinghe was speechless.
Su Mowan took two steps and then turned back, blinking: "However, you did remind me."
Qinghe stared wide-eyed, her lips trembling slightly.
"Does this mean we have to quote ten thousand taels?"
"..."
Su Mowan coughed.
"Qinghe, you've really reminded me. I was just thinking of buying some paints to see if I could become a painting master."
"..."
So the group went to a shop specializing in the Four Treasures of the Study and bought several large sheets of drawing paper and about ten calligraphy brushes.
There was no paint, though.
Su Mowan almost forgot that there were no colored paints for painting at this time; there were usually only dyes for dyeing cloth.
So they had no choice but to turn back and go home.
The first thing to do was naturally to settle accounts with Murong Jing, specifically regarding the cost of the gifts.
Upon hearing that she had bought a Guanyin statue for 20,000 taels and a calligraphy and painting piece for 10,000 taels, Murong Jing immediately frowned.
"How come I didn't know that the Painting Immortal's paintings sold for ten thousand taels of silver?"
Hearing this, Su Mowan felt relieved that there was at least no major problem with the 20,000 taels jade Guanyin.
She said without blushing, "Your Highness, you may not know this, but there were others who also wanted this painting. In order to acquire it in one fell swoop, they naturally had to pay more money."
"Who?"
Murong Jing glanced up at him.
Su Mowan immediately snapped to attention and honestly replied, "The second son of the Minister of Personnel."
There was a moment of silence.
Just as Su Mowan thought this person was about to say something about 'not being allowed to meet men casually' again...
Murong Jing snorted, "Well done."
Is this a compliment?
Su Mowan cleared her throat, her eyes gleaming with greed as she looked at Murong Jing: "Your Highness, that silver..."
"The money will be settled at the accounting office."
Murong Jing lowered his head and wrote, seemingly casually saying, "By the way, if you need manpower in the future, just ask Feng Yue. I have already given him instructions."
Su Mowan blinked.
"Whatever it is?"
"No matter what, no matter when."
Su Mowan successfully tricked someone and left happily.
She had Yinshuang deliver the jade Guanyin she bought to Fenghua Palace, but she kept the painting.
Qinghe asked, puzzled, "Consort Su, why not send them to the Prince as well? Do you intend to deliver them to the Emperor yourself?"
Qinghe also realized that the Emperor's feelings for Consort Su were somewhat unusual, and immediately made this guess.
Su Mowan smiled and shook her head.
"I'll keep it as a copy."
Just then, Yinshuang returned from outside, carrying a small bamboo basket filled with colorful pebbles.
"Consort Su, these are small pebbles that I and my servants went to the river to collect. Is that alright with you?"
Su Mowan beckoned, and Yinshuang moved closer.
After glancing at the basket twice and casually rummaging through it, Su Mowan nodded in satisfaction.
It has a very soft texture.
"Hmm, not bad, that's fine. Group the ones that are the same color together and grind them into powder."
Yinshuang picked up her basket and went out.
Qinghe blinked, still puzzled: "What do you need this for?"
Su Mowan leaned back in her chair and smiled, "As for painting, just wait and see the masterpiece of the painting god that will sell for ten thousand taels of silver a hundred years from now."
"..."
Qinghe didn't dare to refute, and after thinking for a moment, she said, "What about the jewelry shop? Now, without a manager, the shop can't open."
"This is not urgent."
Su Mowan simply lay down on the low couch.
"Anyway, we're not short of money for a day or two. We need to take our time to find a suitable candidate. Finding another Manager Li would be a real headache."
About an hour later, Yinshuang came in carrying a wooden tray with six small dishes on it, each containing powder of a different color.
Behind Yinshuang followed a second-class maid, who also carried a tray, but instead of powder, her tray contained liquid.
The dyes were bought directly from the dye house.
Combined with those made from grinding small stones, there are roughly ten kinds.
After Yinshuang placed all the small dishes on the desk, Qinghe also came over with a pen holder.
There were about ten wolf hair brushes on it, of various thicknesses.
Su Mowan had Yinshuang and Qinghe hang the original painting of the immortal on the front wall, and then had Yinshuang bring in a bowl of water in a porcelain bowl.
"Alright, you can all leave now. Your presence here will hinder the God of Painting's performance."
"..."
Qinghe pulled Yinshuang out.
Once outside, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and chuckle: "Hey, do you think Consort Su can really paint? She even said her paintings could sell for ten thousand taels a hundred years from now, do you believe it?"
Yinshuang touched her nose.
"I have to go see the Prince, you stay here and keep watch."
An hour later.
Qinghe called out from the doorway, "Consort Su, are you hungry? Would you like some food served?"
Su Mowan had a calligraphy brush in her mouth and another in her hand, which she was moving around on the paper. Without looking up, she gave a mumbled reply.
"No need, you guys eat."
Qinghe peeked out and saw that Consort Su's focused expression was quite convincing, so she didn't dare to say anything more and just silently went to the kitchen to tell Aunt Li to be ready to start a fire at any time.
Meanwhile, at Fenghua Palace, Yinshuang was also reporting to her prince.
"besides?"
Murong Jing looked up, his sharp eyebrows arching upwards.
Yinshuang gritted her teeth, feeling that she couldn't let her prince continue to be cuckolded: "Consort Su has made an appointment with the second son of the Minister of Personnel for dinner at a restaurant tomorrow."
After saying that, he lowered his head, thinking to himself, "If Consort Su knew, she'd probably be hanging lanterns under the old tree right away..."
To her surprise, her prince was not angry this time. Instead, he said in a condescending tone, "It is only right to apologize for making people make a wasted trip."
Yinshuang thought her prince was referring to the painting he bought that morning, and after a moment's hesitation, she said, "Young Master Tang intended to buy it and give it to Consort Su, but Consort Su refused."
If she looked up, she would see a strange sight: Murong Jing's lips curled into a faint smile, and his eyes softened.
But he said it in his usual cold voice: "Finally learned your lesson."
"..."
Yinshuang really wanted to say that Consort Su might just be rich and powerful, but given that Consort Su had threatened to hang lanterns, she held back.
Just then, Granny Wei entered with a frown.
The curve of Murong Jing's lips returned to its usual flatness.
"What's the matter?"
"Oh no, Your Highness, something terrible has happened!"
Granny Wei was panting as she walked.
"This old servant just went to Huangfeng Garden to deliver the tonic given by Her Majesty the Empress to Consort Su, but Qinghe stopped me at the door, saying that Consort Su was busy and would not see anyone!"
Murong Jing frowned: "What are you busy with?"
Before Wei Mama could speak, Yinshuang spoke first: "Consort Su is painting."
A hint of surprise flashed in Murong Jing's eyes, only to hear Granny Wei chime in, "Yes, I heard they're so busy they don't even eat!"
His Highness the King of Qin's face darkened.
"It's just nonsense!"