Chapter 34
Presenting the Buddha with borrowed flowers
An Qing Ran was sitting in her room remembering the cloth she wore at the party in her past life.
It was a pink and gold skirt embroidered with b.u.t.terflies on top of what she had put a pale jacket.
At the moment, in front of her was the very same outfit. She picked it up and placed it down. She didn"t like the pink colour anymore. The delicate colour didn’t fit her mood. She felt so old!
"Jie Jie!"
Called a childish voice from the yard. Soon after An Qing Ran faced the little girl. She was wearing a pink dress, almost the same style as the dress Qing Ran had just set away. In her previous life whenever, new clothing was made for her. Yiniang would always order two sets of clothes to be done.
At the time she was really happy about it! Only now did she realized that her Yiniang wanted to purposely confuse outsiders on who was the actual Di and Shu daughter of the general Fu!
(NB : Di children have a higher social status that Shu born children as they are the children of the official wife)
An Yan Ran was holding a scroll in her hands and looked at her mysteriously.
"Jie Jie, guess what I got?"
Obviously, she knew what was in her hand! All this already happened after all… However, in this life, she had the choice to play along or not.
" I can"t guess." said Qing Ran indifferently "What is it?"
An Yan Ran took a seat in front of her and that drank a mouthful of tea before asking.
"Jie Jie do you know Dong Fang Ruo Xue?"
"How could I not know who is Niang’s country Lord of the Shou w.a.n.g Fu!?" Qing Ran smiled.
Shou w.a.n.g, Dong Fang Bo was the only younger brother of Yunqi country, Emperor. However, he was Shu born. It was perhaps the reason why he was an introverted and low-key individual. There were hardly any rumors about him.
His daughter Dong Fang Ruo Xue painting skills were unparalleled in all of Yunqi. The rumors said her hundred flower painting if hanged in a sunroom during summer could attract bees and b.u.t.terflies. She was considered the one and only celestial being in this world.
Therefore, her painting became the object of heated fights among rich merchants and aristocrats in the capital.
Every family who owned one of her painting would show it off to their guest during banquets. As it was enough to gain the envy of all present.
Dong Fang Rou Xue"s painting depended greatly on her mood. She could stop painting for a year and a half. Sometime she would rip the picture if it didn"t fit what she had in mind. Therefore, in recent years only a few pieces could be seen. Nonetheless, they were increasingly refined!
An Qing Ran always wanted to get one but it was almost impossible.
An Yan Ran smirked and she turned to look at Ren Dong.
"Ren Dong could I trouble you to clean the table and lay a thick fabric on the table so that no water could touch it…"
Ren Gong came forward cleaned up as instructed and jokingly said:
"Second miss, are you pa.s.sing an imperial decree? Do you want this slave to burn some pine cypress incense, take a bath and change clothes before she can receive it?"
Ren Dong was not yet able to see An Yan Ran true face, she only considered her to be a lively and lovely little girl. Hence, she didn"t really treat her as her master and more like a little sister.
"Ren Dong, don"t mock me! This is something good and I promise that you have never seen it before!"
An Qing Ran certainly knew what she was talking about.
When all was done according to her instruction, An Yan Ran carefully opened the scroll. The picture of a peony and b.u.t.terfly was gradually displayed in front of Qing Ran"s eyes.
Although prepared, she was still blown away. From afar it looked like the b.u.t.terfly was flapping his wings, and the peony was even more lifelike. When you stood in front of the painting a deep aroma floated in the air.
An Yan Ran was obviously satisfied with her sister"s reaction and smiled.
"This is a new arrival! I give it to Jie Jie!"