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墨書 Inktalez
Yan Xiaowang In June of the eighteenth year, Yan Wang was troubled about the Crown Prince and ordered Ronghui to enter Chu to paint for comfort. This was the season of blooming peonies, and Ronghui, using the peonies as a backdrop, painted an extraordinarily beautiful man. Yan Dan viewed it and said, "Too effeminate." Thus, he had it redone.
The master pondered for ten days, using granite as a reference, and finally completed a painting of Yanggang that was definitely not "effeminate." It was circulated among people, and everyone praised it, saying that the Crown Prince's demeanor could stand alongside even the most unsightly things and still be called heroic.
The Crown Prince was angered and threw it away; after that, he never saw it again.
"Yan Family — Chapter Five of Crown Prince Yan Dan"
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The next day, Cheng Ming came to find San Chun, bringing her a large bowl of medicinal soup. It was filled to the brim, as if he feared she wouldn't have enough to drink.
"Come, drink it while it's hot," he smiled gently, as if coaxing a child.
San Chun hesitated to take it. "What do you mean by this?"
Cheng Ming replied with a smile, "Just a small token of my appreciation. I didn't expect Spring Brother to have such a good capacity for alcohol; it makes one admire you greatly. I have intentions of befriending you, so I came to curry favor."
San Chun nearly burst out laughing; this person was truly sincere. While others would merely "visit," he straightforwardly "curry favor," making her feel embarrassed to chase him away.
She took the bowl of medicine and forced herself to drink more than half before letting the rest go down her own throat. Then she placed the empty bowl in front of him and smiled, "Thank you very much, Brother Ming."
Cheng Ming didn't say much more and happily took his leave with the bowl. After that, he often came here, becoming close friends with both her and Qing.
After a night of heavy drinking, San Chun gained great fame; everyone in Fengling Jun's Residence knew that Lord Jun's newly recruited warrior could drink well and was also very handsome. Many people rushed over to see her as if she were some rare treasure.
San Chun was extremely annoyed; in a fit of anger, she grabbed a bronze sword wanting to kill someone, but it was Qing who stopped her, preventing a bloody incident. However, from then on she gained the nickname "Desperate Spring Man."
In the blink of an eye, she had been living in Fengling Jun's Residence for several days and gradually began to understand some situations within the estate.
Feng Lingjun not only has many warriors but also employs numerous guests and retainers. She has counted, and there are about several hundred of them, each with unique talents.
You, a Lord Jun who avoids conflict with others, why do you keep so many talented individuals? Are you not worried about having too much money to spend?
In fact, it is certainly not that Feng Lingjun has too much money; rather, she is pitifully short on funds and incredibly stingy.
She initially thought that life in the Fengling Duke's Residence would be filled with lavish feasts and at least a variety of delicacies. However, once she fully integrated into the household, she realized that it was far from the truth.
Feng Lingjun is only generous during banquets; on ordinary days, she is extremely frugal. The extravagance displayed during feasts is merely for show. When dining alone, she restricts the number of dishes and the amount of rice allowed, leaving the cook nearly exhausted. Even the subordinates are served simple meals of vegetables and tofu, rarely seeing any meat. After a few meals like this, one might feel as if they were turning into a rabbit.
She became a warrior mainly to enjoy food and drink, but even her most basic needs are not being met. Frustrated, she has no idea how many times she has cursed Feng Lingjun behind her back. It is truly despicable how someone who oversees so many properties can be so stingy towards their subordinates.
Others say that there are more cooks than warriors in the Fengling Duke's Residence. From her perspective, there are indeed cooks, but they are all disguised warriors.
Qing feels that Feng Lingjun is far from as simple as she appears. A wise King in chaotic times must have the appearance of a sheep while possessing the ferocity of a lion and the cunning of a fox. Virtue is merely for show to the subordinates; it does not need to be genuine—just appearing virtuous is sufficient. Feng Lingjun’s frugality serves to save expenses for other uses while also earning her a reputation for being thrifty and managing her household well. Why not take advantage of this?
He fears that she will cause trouble and always advises her earnestly. San Chun has also endured for a long time before refraining from hitting the cook. If they cannot cook well, then they should not be cooking at all; their dishes are terrible!
Apart from Cheng Ming, who frequently visits here, there is also someone named Yan Ping, reputed to be one of the most famous among the many guests.
His fame is not solely due to his talent but also because of his height. He possesses a stature that makes him completely unnoticeable at first glance. Whenever Feng Lingjun hosts a banquet, she allows him to sit on a cushion; otherwise, when seated at the table, all one can see are bowls and plates without catching sight of his head.
Yet this person can talk endlessly; his small mouth can bring the dead back to life while making the living want to jump up and slap him.
He lives not far from San Chun, and it seems that one day when she went out, he happened to encounter her. Since then, he has regarded her as an intimate friend and often quotes classics in front of her.
Having been isolated in the mountain village for two years without anyone to talk to, San Chun has grown accustomed to silence and is impatient with conversations. Unable to bear his persistence any longer, she finally asks him, “Why do you pay attention to me?”
Yan Ping smiles widely, his mouth stretching into a flower-like grin. “Only because your complexion is so lovely; admiring you is like admiring flowers.”
San Chun was speechless; it turned out he had just come to see her.
Qing said that Yan Ping had the talent of a Chancellor. She was told to treat him with courtesy, and she couldn't just chase him away with a big stick; she could only acknowledge his presence.
It was rare for him to be so honest. Aside from being a bit chatty, he wasn't too unpleasant. He wouldn't stare at her endlessly or show any lewd expressions. His behavior could barely be considered polite.
Of course, there was one crucial reason to acknowledge him: he was extremely well-informed, and she could hear news from various countries through him.
Just yesterday, he told her a joke about the King of Yan. Yan Wang sent someone on a long journey to retrieve a coffin for the palace, then placed it in the sleeping quarters, spending every day in its company, which scared all the beauties in the palace into not daring to serve him. Yan Wang even stated that if he were to pass away, he would be buried alongside the person in that coffin.
At this point, he smiled mysteriously and asked, "Do you know what is placed inside the coffin?"
San Chun lazily lifted her eyelids and replied, "A dead person." What else would be in a coffin?
Yan Ping shook his head. "You're wrong; it's just a piece of tattered clothing."
San Chun scoffed lightly. There were indeed quite a few mentally unstable people these days; even at Horse Riding Slope, there were two fighting over a ragged garment. Now another one like Yan Wang appeared. Did sleeping with a coffin somehow make nightmares more exciting?
She didn't understand and asked Yan Ping where he heard that from. He smiled gently and said, "It's just hearsay."
San Chun didn't believe that he was merely repeating hearsay. He was responsible for relaying messages within Fengling Jun's Residence, and even Feng Lingjun had to learn many things from him. Surely they had spies in the palaces of various countries; how could it be mere hearsay?
Suddenly remembering that Qing had asked her to inquire about any major events in the Qin State, she followed through and asked. However, this Yan Ping seemed to have a sieve for a mind; when others asked questions, he wouldn't say a word, but when it came to things they didn't ask about, he would chatter endlessly. Regarding matters of the Qin State, he only replied with two words: "I don't know."
She didn't believe him. "Are you sure you really don't know? Are you trying to deceive me?"
"What if I am deceiving you?" Yan Ping laughed heartily and walked away.
San Chun gritted her teeth. At this moment, she finally understood why Qing always wanted to strangle his neck; she really wanted to squeeze his sturdy neck just once. Although she often couldn't even find where his neck was...
When Qing returned and heard about this matter, he simply said, "There is no need to ask deliberately; just listen to him, and you will find what you want."
The implication was likely for her to learn how to pick out the key points from a lot of nonsense. San Chun nodded, secretly thinking that he better be useful; otherwise, there would surely be another corpse with a severed throat in the Fengling Duke's Residence.
While they were talking, a servant brought in the meal. Qing wiped his face and changed into casual clothes before sitting down to eat.
Chewing on some vegetables, he asked, "What else did Yan Ping do today?"
She replied, "He dealt with Young Master Zhao, King Wu, and the Lord of Wei State, but he didn't mention anything related to the Qin State."
Qing fell silent, his face illuminated and shadowed by the candlelight, making it somewhat difficult to read his thoughts.
San Chun was curious and asked, "What kind of person is Yan Ping?"
Yan Ping is a descendant of Yan Ying, the former Prime Minister of Qi State, and a guest of Feng Lingjun. He is quick-witted and eloquent.
This was all the information they had obtained. What role Yan Ping played in the Fengling Duke's Residence and why he approached her remained unknown.
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