Chapter 126: Hello Chang’an
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Chapter 126: Reverberations of the Moon’s Ascendance
This night, Yubai also hadn’t slept.
With an injured body, he had waited tirelessly into the deep of night, eyes straining in hopes of seeing his parents and sister return. When they finally did, he thought he’d endured long enough to be rewarded with a detailed account of the apprenticeship banquet. Yet, his father, mother, and sister were all yawning one after another, so persistently that he couldn’t even get a word in.
“If it’s important, ask tomorrow…” His father, Qiao Yan, waved him off with a hand before heading straight to bed.
Qiao Yubai tried asking the servants, but all of them looked as if they were about to pass out from exhaustion.
What on earth had happened to leave everyone so completely drained?
Back in his room, Yubai couldn’t still his mind for a second.
He had heard bits and pieces of rumors throughout the day, passed down through who knows how many mouths: something about a tiger painting with missing eyes, Madam Jie’s schemes backfiring on herself, Grand Tutor Zhu flying into a jealous rage, even accusing his father of social climbing through Ning Ning…
What exactly had happened yesterday that he’d missed out on?
As he lay tossing and turning, Yubai’s hatred for Chang Miao reached its peak.
He recalled reading about a type of malicious spirit in ghost stories, one that subsisted on human resentment and anger, and could, after centuries of cultivation, unleash calamities upon the world.
Right now, he thought, if one of those evil spirits crossed his path, they’d hardly need to suffer through hundreds of years of slow cultivation—he alone could probably nourish a hundred of them.
As dawn broke, Qiao Yubai immediately got up to pay respects to his parents, only to find they were still asleep.
“Young Master, Young Master…” Yubai had been waiting in vain when a servant brought news that seemed to breathe life back into him: “The lady is awake!”
“Hurry, help me over!”
Qiao Yumian had only just finished dressing. She had intended to have a light breakfast and then head back for a nap, but hearing her hobbling brother approaching, she knew her plans for more sleep were dashed.
After a quick meal, she recounted the events at Dengtai Pavilion for him.
Qiao Yubai gradually grew wide-eyed with astonishment.
A thousand kinds of astonishment, countless sighs of wonder—all of it finally settled into one thought: What exactly had he missed yesterday?
With a trace of rationality, he asked, “Was Ning Ning’s tiger painting really that extraordinary?”
He had never heard of Ning Ning having any particular talent for painting…
“Of course.” Qiao Yumian’s voice was soft, yet her expression glowed with pride. “Though I couldn’t see it, I heard it clearly—everyone was praising Ning Ning. Even Grand Tutor Zhu acknowledged it.”
Qiao Yubai stood in stunned silence.
Everyone knew Grand Tutor Zhu had a sharp tongue, and his standards were notoriously difficult to meet… Earning his approval was hardly easier than earning the top place in the imperial exams.
The young man suddenly rose to his feet and started heading out.
A servant hurried to support him.
“Where are you going, Brother?” Qiao Yumian asked quickly.
“To Dengtai Pavilion!”
Qiao Yumian was momentarily taken aback, and then reminded him, “But, Brother, your head wound needs rest!”
Her brother’s aggrieved, regretful voice reached her ears.
“It’s because I listened to you all saying that yesterday!”
He had indeed obeyed and stayed home, but at what cost?
Since Grand Tutor Zhu’s visit, neither his mind nor his heart had known a moment's peace… he felt tormented, even worse than if he had died!
“Hey, isn’t that Qiao Yubai? Wasn’t he supposed to be resting for a while? What’s he doing out?”
In the Imperial Academy, a few idle students noticed Qiao Yubai and his servant hurrying by and looked on curiously.
“Isn’t it obvious? He must be desperate to see the painting at Dengtai Pavilion after missing Lady Chang’s performance there yesterday!”
“Were you all there yesterday?”
“Of course! Thankfully, we got there early. Later, it was so crowded that even if you wanted to get in, you couldn’t…”
“If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I’d hardly believe that mountain tiger painting was done by a woman.”
“I used to think that the Head Master’s decision to accept Lady Chang as a disciple was just a farce… But now, it’s clear she’s no ordinary talent. The Head Master must have seen something special in her from the start.”
One person sighed, “Lady Chang may be a woman, but she’s truly in a league of her own.”
Passing by, Song Xian halted at these words.
He had returned early the previous evening and went to bed, but his dormmates, returning late, had woken him with their chatter. Though they tried to keep it down, he could still hear their awe over Lady Chang Suining’s performance, and their excitement was palpable.
When he got up this morning, the Academy was abuzz with the news—he heard it everywhere he went.
But this particular comment was like a stone thrown into his heart.
She is no ordinary talent, and accepting her as a disciple was no whim…?
And what about him? Hadn’t he once tried to become the Head Master’s student, only to be politely refused? Did this mean he was lesser than a mere girl?
The words they’d exchanged four days ago in the dim twilight echoed in his ears.
At that time, he’d assumed that the Head Master had accepted her only for a bit of family amusement and had even found her plan to host a discipleship banquet distasteful—
But the young girl had assured him then that she would not disgrace her teacher’s name.
She had also said she would become an outstanding student.
Back then, he’d only sneered, not bothering to hide it.
Yet now, what he was hearing felt like a slap across his face.
Some students remained skeptical. “No matter how well she paints tigers, just how good can a woman be… Couldn’t you all be exaggerating?”
“The painting’s right there at Dengtai Pavilion. If you don’t believe us, go see for yourself!” “Let’s go together…”
“Brother Song!” Someone spotted Song Xian and, greeting him with a bow, casually invited him, “Brother Song must’ve heard about yesterday’s events at Dengtai Pavilion? We’re heading over to see the painting—care to join us?”
Song Xian was widely admired; his scholarly talents were exceptional among the candidates, and he was often praised by Head Master Qiao himself. With the upcoming spring exams, he was one of the most promising candidates, which meant he was a popular figure among his peers.
Meeting their gazes, Song Xian replied gravely, “Today, I need to visit a teacher, so I won’t be joining you.”
“Which renowned scholar is Brother Song visiting?”
“As expected, Brother Song is on a different path from us idlers!”
“Alright, Brother Song, we’ll take our leave then.”
As his classmates left, chatting and laughing, Song Xian stood in place, his fingers tense within his sleeves, a complex look on his face.
He had just lied.
He had no plans to visit any teacher today.
He didn’t even understand why he’d instinctively lied to avoid going with them.
It’s only a painting, after all. She’s young, and besides, she doesn’t even look like the sort who could dedicate herself wholeheartedly to mastering the arts…
He wouldn’t deny it—earning such praise meant she must have some natural talent.
But all this talk around him, with everyone marveling at her abilities as a woman, meant that much of the praise was laced with surprise at a woman’s capability. If a man had painted that same excellent picture, it wouldn’t have sparked such a reaction.
A bit of talent, some novelty of her being a woman…
Besides, there was no need for him to compare himself to a sheltered girl like her.
Song Xian’s mouth pressed into a straight line as he turned to leave.
…
When Qiao Yubai arrived at Dengtai Pavilion, a crowd had already gathered outside.
A servant was sent to inquire and soon reported back. Due to the overwhelming number of people wanting to see the painting, the pavilion had limited access to only fifty guests at a time to avoid chaos. Those who wanted to see it had to wait outside for their turn.
Supported by his servant, Qiao Yubai stood among the crowd, feeling a bit dazed.
It seemed Ning Ning had gained quite a reputation from that one painting.
Voices swirled around him, but every last one of them was about his sister Ning Ning.
Among the crowd, some who had been present yesterday had now become the center of attention, surrounded by others eager to hear their accounts. They eagerly recounted every detail of the previous day's events at the pavilion.
A man with a pen and notebook in hand caught Qiao Yubai's attention, weaving through the crowd and jotting down points in a small booklet.
Wasn’t that… the storyteller from the teahouse across the street?
Sure enough, becoming the city’s most popular storyteller wasn’t a coincidence.
The storyteller, in turn, quickly took notice of Qiao Yubai. After all, a striking young man with his head wrapped in bandages, moving with difficulty and needing support, was hard to overlook.
“Despite being injured, you came here braving the heat… You must be a true art lover,” the storyteller ventured, approaching to strike up a conversation.
A passionate admirer like this would make an excellent subject for his stories.
The young servant beside Qiao Yubai couldn’t help but respond, “My young master here is none other than Lady Chang’s elder brother. He had to stay home yesterday to recover from his injury, which is why he couldn’t attend!”
As he spoke, the servant straightened his back, wanting everyone to know that they weren’t just ordinary onlookers.
Qiao Yubai cast a disapproving glance at his servant—how could he be so vain?
The storyteller, surprised, looked back at Qiao Yubai. “So, you’re Lady Chang’s brother?”
Feeling the eyes of the crowd shift toward him, Qiao Yubai cleared his throat, smiling modestly as he gave a reserved nod. “Yes, the artist is indeed my younger sister.”
Immediately, the crowd surged around him.
…
While Dengtai Pavilion was flooded with people, within the Sweet Dew Hall in the palace, the holy Emperor had just received a full account of yesterday’s events from Ming Luo.
Ming Luo had returned to the palace late the previous night and hadn’t disturbed the holy Emperor’s rest.
“Madam Jie’s actions yesterday were a bit reckless and thoughtless.” The holy Emperor’s tone was unreadable, only stating, “It seems that life has been too comfortable for her outside the palace, making her forget the importance of acting with caution.”
As she spoke, she turned to Ming Luo, who stood by her side, her head respectfully lowered. “But tell me, do you believe her actions yesterday had any connection to your mother?”
The holy Emperor was, of course, referring to Ming Luo’s legal mother, Madam Chang.
Ming Luo’s heart skipped a beat at the question, though she remained outwardly composed. “Luo’er is not yet certain.”
Last night, she had indeed been unsettled by Chang Suining’s words and actions. Upon reflection, it seemed more than possible.
“Though Madam Jie wouldn’t dare say much, I have little doubt that the Chang family and others could have surmised it as well.” The holy Emperor’s voice softened only slightly in authority, yet her gaze remained piercing. “The matter at Dayun Temple didn’t leave Ah Shen wronged in the slightest. These are turbulent times—if one lacks the skill, let there be no more attempts to stir things up.”
“Yes.” Ming Luo composed herself, saying firmly, “I will convey your reminder.”
“I also heard that the Chang family girl’s work has a touch of the Chongyue style,” the holy Emperor remarked. The mention of “Chongyue” softened the holy Emperor’s voice, her previous sternness slipping away. “From your perspective, does it truly bear resemblance?”
Ming Luo felt a slight tension in her chest.
She had deliberately left out this detail, yet her aunt had heard about it from other palace sources.
And evidently, her aunt was indeed invested in this matter.
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