Chapter 191

Chapter 191: Did He Seem Regretful?

Qi Shu Xian’s eyes swept across the row of painting scrolls, searching.

None.

Still none.

How could there be none? He remembered placing it here.

But as he unrolled scroll after scroll, he found nothing but his own work. Even the small portraits Sheng Zhi Wan had given him were gone.

“Heir Apparent, what are you looking for?” Meng Yang asked as she watched him.

Qi Shu Xian closed his eyes briefly.

Meng Yang thought of something and lit up with excitement. “Does Heir Apparent know Xian Yuan Zi?”

“That’s wonderful! If Heir Apparent knows Xian Yuan Zi’s identity, find him and make him admit that painting was just something he drew on a whim…”

She did not care about any Painting Immortal. But if the rumors kept fermenting, it would affect the Ji Zhou matter.

“Who said I know Xian Yuan Zi?” Qi Shu Xian’s voice turned cold.

“Then what were you searching for?” Meng Yang pressed. “Weren’t you looking for Xian Yuan Zi’s painting? I saw you unrolling nothing but painting scrolls.”

Meng Yang wanted to ask more, but Qi Shu Xian had already strode out. “Even His Majesty doesn’t know his identity. How could I?”

The moment Qi Shu Xian stepped outside the study, the Steward came to report, “Heir Apparent, Third Prince’s residence just sent an invitation. He asks that you and Concubine Meng go at once to speak with him.”

Meng Yang’s heart clenched with unease. Qi Shu Xian sensed that the rumors among the Scholar had reached Third Prince’s ears.

Sure enough, when they arrived at Third Prince’s residence, they saw many sheets of paper laid out before him.

Sheng Yuan Hao picked up one sheet with a blank expression. He read aloud, “Big rat, big rat, you gnawed on the people’s bones!”

He picked up another. “When the Ji Zhou Prefect wore his red tassels, they were dyed with the blood of the living.”

Then another. “Does the Du Clan Elder know or not? Three jin of cotton could keep how many households alive. Don’t you know the cold need warmth? Don’t steal people’s clothes to make your floorcloth!”

Each line Sheng Yuan Hao read added another layer of chill to his face.

Qi Shu Xian kept his mouth shut. Only when Sheng Yuan Hao swept every sheet from the table and hurled them to the ground did Qi Shu Xian lift his eyes.

Meng Yang’s face was paper white.

“Qi Shi Zi and Miss Meng, have you heard these fine poems and lines outside?” Sheng Yuan Hao said.

“In only a few days, the Du Clan and Prefect Yan’s evil name has already spread through the capital city.”

From noble officials down to street hawkers, it seemed that anyone who could not recite a few lines cursing Ji Zhou’s authorities and the Du Clan was out of step with the trend.

No one imagined any of this had Sheng Yuan Hao’s hand behind it. Sheng Yuan Hao had built an image of himself as a refined, carefree man who loved paintings and fine wine. So hearing these words from others, his feelings were obvious.

He was furious, yet he had nowhere to vent. He even had to pretend to admire the painting and comment on it.

“The Du Clan and the Ji Zhou Prefect are my people, Qi Shi Zi-” Sheng Yuan Hao’s gaze pressed down like a weight. “I’ll give you three days to find Xian Yuan Zi’s identity. I don’t care what method you use. Make him admit he painted that work because someone instructed him to!”

Qi Shu Xian pressed his lips together and did not answer.

Sheng Yuan Hao narrowed his eyes. “What, my words don’t work?”

Qi Shu Xian gave a bitter smile and rose to bow. “Your Highness thinks too highly of me. When the Painting Immortal’s first work appeared, I wanted to know his identity. After all these years, I’ve found nothing…”

Sheng Yuan Hao let out a cold laugh, but he knew Qi Shu Xian spoke the truth. Xian Yuan Zi was far too mysterious. Even Imperial Father had not found him.

As for the painting itself, the Shopkeeper of Gathering Sages Teahouse said it had appeared in the middle of the night. It was left with a note telling the teahouse to display it.

Sheng Yuan Hao closed his eyes and rubbed the thumb ring on his hand. “What if someone claiming to be Xian Yuan Zi stepped forward… and said the painting was fake?”

Qi Shu Xian looked up. “Your Highness means to find someone to impersonate Xian Yuan Zi?”

“Qi Shi Zi is honest and keeps his word. The Xian Yuan Zi you find will naturally be real,” Sheng Yuan Hao said lightly. “As for anyone else who dares impersonate Xian Yuan Zi, deal with them.”

Qi Shu Xian lowered his eyes. “Yes. I’ll go find the person most skilled at imitating the Painting Immortal’s work.”

“Hm?” Sheng Yuan Hao’s tone sharpened. “Heir Apparent is not looking for an imitator. You’re looking for the Painting Immortal himself.”

“And with the rumors spreading this far, in a few days someone will report it to Imperial Father. Over there, Qi Shi Zi, the faster the better.”

“Yes,” Qi Shu Xian answered.

Only then did Sheng Yuan Hao look at Meng Yang. “This time, Miss Meng had better earn more silver for me. Otherwise, you won’t deserve all the effort I’ve spent.”

“Yes…” Meng Yang answered, face drained of color. In truth, she already regretted it.

She only wanted to use the chance to earn more money, yet she had not expected that in this life, the Du Clan would dare to burn even the Ci Ji Orphanage.

It was all Sheng Zhi Wan’s fault. If Sheng Zhi Wan had not insisted on showing off her so-called kindness, how could things have spiraled this far?

Maybe Lin Yi and the others would have already returned with the silver. Even if the children in the Ci Ji Orphanage had really died, the blame should have fallen on Sheng Zhi Wan.

After they left Third Prince’s residence, Meng Yang looked at Qi Shu Xian with tears in her eyes. “Heir Apparent truly doesn’t know Xian Yuan Zi?”

“I said I don’t know him, so I don’t know him!” Qi Shu Xian denied it outright.

Meng Yang could not guess why he would refuse to admit it if he did know. Neither of them spoke again.

Qi Shu Xian sent her back, then went to look for someone who could imitate paintings. Yet his steps unconsciously stopped outside the Princess’s residence.

The gates of the Princess’s residence were shut tight.

Qi Shu Xian gave a bitter smile and was about to leave, but when he turned, he met Zhang Da, who was carrying things back from outside.

Zhang Da also froze when he saw him. “Heir Apparent?”

Qi Shu Xian paused and looked at what Zhang Da carried.

Zhang Da said proudly, “It’s cold now. Princess had me buy hand cream to share with everyone!”

It was so expensive too. Zhang Da had never used something like that before. Now that he followed the Princess, he actually got to use it.

Qi Shu Xian watched the smile on Zhang Da’s face and suddenly understood why, after Sheng Zhi Wan left, the Servant in the Duke’s residence had grown far lazier.

Meng Yang came from a farm family. She could earn silver, but she also carried a peasant woman’s stinginess and constant counting. Even the people in her own courtyard had to buy such things themselves. How would she ever think of anyone else?

Qi Shu Xian pressed his lips together and said nothing.

Zhang Da went inside the Princess’s residence and told An Zhi what he had seen. An Zhi then reported it to Sheng Zhi Wan.

“Princess, this servant thinks Heir Apparent seemed regretful?” An Zhi said.

Sheng Zhi Wan neither agreed nor denied it.

Regretful was not certain. These days, he and Third Prince were probably frantic and wanted to learn where Xian Yuan Zi was.

But the painting had been bought at auction. As for Xian Yuan Zi, who knew where that person was?

Sheng Zhi Wan’s lips curled slightly.

Qi Shu Xian never came to ask Sheng Zhi Wan again.

As for the guess that Sheng Zhi Wan might know Xian Yuan Zi, even Qi Shu Xian himself did not know why he had instinctively hidden it…

Over the next two days, Qi Shu Xian ran everywhere, but Xian Yuan Zi’s technique was too distinctive. No matter how hard he searched, he could not find anyone suitable.

Then, on the third day, at court.

One after another, dozens of officials submitted memorials, begging Emperor Chong Sheng to thoroughly investigate the burning of cotton in Ji Zhou Manor.