Finest Servant

Chapter 366 Trace

Though the palace lamps were dim, he could see clearly the scene depicted in the painting. Amidst the faint glimmer of lake and mountain, there was a vast expanse of mist, with boats weaving through. Nearby on the shore, a man dressed in a green robe was standing by the lake, his eyebrows raised in a cold smirk. The man was facing the lake, and only his silhouette was visible in the painting; his face was unclear. However, there was a sense of déjà vu, and the tattered shoes on his feet were particularly striking. A woman, dressed in a pale yellow palace robe, graceful and elegant, stood quietly by the lake, staring at the man as if puzzled or amazed. On the right side of the painting, two graceful lines were inscribed:

"Mountains beyond mountains, buildings beyond buildings,

when will the songs and dances of West Lake cease?

The warm breeze intoxicates the traveler,

mistaking Hangzhou for Bianzhou."

"Qingxuan, Qingxuan!" Lin Wanrong stared blankly, his eyes gradually reddening, and he rushed forward with a swoosh. But two young eunuchs suddenly appeared, blocking him urgently, "Who dares to intrude upon the forbidden palace?"

‘Forbidden palace? My wife is here; I don't care about your forbidden palace,’ he thought, thrilled and emotional. He didn't stop, rushing straight in, calling out loudly, "Qingxuan, Qingxuan, where are you?"

The two young eunuchs probably never expected that someone would be so audacious as to intrude upon the imperial palace. They were caught off guard and one was knocked to the ground.

Lin Wanrong reached the painting and carefully gazed at the woman depicted there, her fine eyebrows and cherry lips, standing gracefully by the Luo River, a hint of a smile on her face, noble and pure like a celestial being. Though he hadn't seen her in many days, this figure was already etched into his bones; it was the very Xiao Qingxuan he had been searching for. Standing beside Qingxuan, the man with the cunning smile was none other than himself on that day. The painting captured their first meeting by the Xuanwu Lake; judging by the brushwork, it must have been done by Qingxuan herself.

With a rustle, he jumped onto the long table and carefully took down the painting. Studying it closely, he saw Xiao Qingxuan come to life before his eyes, as if he could see her teasing and laughing shyly with him, and hear her whispering in his ear. He stared dumbfounded, lightly touching Qingxuan's cheek, wanting to smile, but a sour feeling welled up in his heart.

"Qingxuan, Qingxuan—" he cried out like a madman, leaping down from the table and rushing inside. The hall was filled with beautiful long curtains, dancing lightly in the dim light. He searched the entire hall, finding it completely empty—no Xiao Qingxuan, not even a shadow.

"Qingxuan, where are you?" Looking at the beautiful, fairy-like face in the painting, he sighed, his eyes already moist.

"It's him, the one who intruded on the forbidden ground. Seize him!" A clamor arose as two squads of guards rushed in from outside the hall, surrounding Lin Wanrong. He seemed not to notice, staring intently at the two young eunuchs, demanding loudly, "Where is Qingxuan?"

"What do you mean, 'Qingxuan, Luoxuan'? Who is this lowly riffraff? We don't know—ow!" Before the words had fully left their mouths, two crisp slaps rang out, leaving the two young eunuchs with swollen cheeks. They hurriedly covered their faces, looking in terror at the man before them.

"How dare you insult my wife?" Lin Wanrong's hands creaked as he clenched his fists, his facial muscles twitched violently a few times, and his eyes shot out bursts of ferocity. "I'll kill you, you cur!" In his fury, he no longer cared where he was. He grabbed both eunuchs by the throats, lifting them up as though they were nothing.

The guards who had rushed in were momentarily stunned, having never before seen such audacity within the palace. They were about to advance to intervene, but a loud cry from outside stopped them: "Stop, stop at once!"

The guards turned their heads and saw Eunuch Gao hurrying in, terrified. "Master Lin, Master Lin, please stop! I cannot bear your anger," he exclaimed.

With two loud thumps, Lin Wanrong threw the two young eunuchs to the ground. They panted heavily, their faces pale with fright. Seeing Gao Ping bow and bend his knee before this dignitary, they knew they were in serious trouble.

"Eunuch Gao, have I ever asked anything of you?" Lin Wanrong said, smiling darkly, but the veins on his forehead stood out sharply.

"Oh, Master Lin, where does this come from? I wouldn't dare presume. Just command me, whatever it is," Gao Ping said quickly, his obsequious smile in place. As someone close to the Emperor, he knew very well the Emperor's attitude toward Lin Wanrong. Although Master Lin's official position was not high, it was only because Master Lin chose it to be so. To surpass Prince Cheng, Xu Wei, and Li Tai, and become the first man of the court was only a matter of time. He dared not be negligent with such an important figure.

"Very well," Master Lin nodded, his face clouded. Pointing at the two young eunuchs, he said, "These two scoundrels dared to insult my wife. I won't ask for much, just cut off their tongues. You may insult me, but if you dare insult my Qingxuan, you are courting death, courting death, courting death—" In his rage, his voice grew louder and more venomous, as he brutally kicked the eunuchs without holding back. The other guards exchanged glances but dared not make a sound. For an outsider to beat up the inner palace attendants in the Emperor's home was unthinkable; Eunuch Gao's meek compliance only made it more bizarre.

After a few more vicious kicks, Lin Wanrong stopped and snorted, "I never use power to bully people, but if anyone dares touch my beloved, I have my ways! Eunuch Gao, you handle it!"

Gao Ping nodded and shrilled, "Come! Take these dogs who offended Master Lin away, cut off their tongues, and give them a hundred heavy lashes—Master Lin, does this satisfy you?"

Lin Wanrong looked at Qingxuan's beautiful eyes in the painting and nodded, not speaking. The two young eunuchs screamed in terror, "Mercy, sir, mercy! This is a forbidden area; we were only doing our duty—"

Gao Ping waved his hand, and the attendants promptly dragged the two eunuchs away. Lin Wanrong was silent for a long while before he finally spoke, "Eunuch Gao, do you recognize the woman in this painting?"

Gao Ping looked closely at the image, examining it with careful scrutiny. After some time, he shook his head, "I don't recognize this woman."

Not recognize her? Lin Wanrong cast a doubtful glance at the eunuch. Considering his standing before the Emperor at this time and his relationship with him, Eunuch Gao would certainly not dare to lie in his presence. Could it really be that he didn't know Qingxuan? How could that be possible? Paintings by Qingxuan, her very portraits were hung in the palace. How could someone who had been with the Emperor for so many years not recognize her?

"Why is this place marked as forbidden?" Lin Wanrong changed the subject and asked.

"I'm not quite sure. Ever since I began serving the Emperor over a decade ago, this place has been listed as forbidden, unoccupied all along," Eunuch Gao replied respectfully. "Other than the Emperor himself, no one else has been here, and I've never seen this scroll in your hand."

No one else but the Emperor had been here? But the painting made by Qingxuan couldn't be more than half a year old. How could it have ended up here? He pondered for a long time but couldn't figure out the reason. It seemed that he would have to seek answers from the old Emperor. He hoped it wouldn't turn out to be a debt like the one with Xian'er's mother.

Thinking that he had found a trace of Qingxuan, he tightly gripped the scroll, feeling incredibly invigorated. Hurrying towards the Palace of Heavenly Purity, he asked Gao Ping, "The Old Man, oh, I mean the Emperor, has he gone to bed now?"

"The Emperor has just retired for the night. I came over because I heard the commotion outside and was afraid it might disturb His Majesty's rest. Little did I know that I would find two young brats offending you, Sir," Gao Ping hurriedly explained.

Retired? That wouldn't do. He had just done such a great favor for the Emperor that day; the Emperor must explain Qingxuan's situation to him. Otherwise, he would cause an uproar.

As he was about to speak, a gentle cry came from ahead, "Husband, why have you not retired yet?" Qin Xian'er slowly emerged from the Palace of Heavenly Purity, her eyes red and swollen from crying, her face still marked with tears, looking utterly pitiful.

"I pay my respects to the Princess," Gao Ping hastily knelt to perform a salutation.

Qin Xian'er waved her hand dismissively and approached Lin Wanrong. She glanced at the scroll in his hand, a flash of curiosity in her eyes, and lightly snorted through her small nose, "I wondered why you were not resting at this late hour, only to find that you are thinking of that fox-like woman, even holding onto her painting so dearly."

Lin Wanrong smiled slightly, not answering her but instead asked, "Have you made peace with the old Emperor? You're not still at odds, are you?"

Qin Xian'er nodded and hummed an affirmation, tenderly embracing his shoulder and leaning against him. She then deftly took the scroll from him, "Husband, rest assured, I won't fight with Father Emperor again. I have misunderstood him for so many years, and from now on, I will dutifully honor him and never leave him alone again. I'll keep this painting for you; we can look at it another time."

Lin Wanrong found it amusing in his heart, this little jealous one. While talking about her father, she still couldn't forget Qingxuan. Without responding to Xian'er's words, he turned to Gao Ping and said, "Eunuch Gao, go and inform the Emperor that I wish to see him now."

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