chapter 7

Ever since he’d seen that painting, the Crown Prince had been preoccupied.

Every few days he found some excuse to visit the Marquis of Dingguo’s Mansion-asking after calligraphy copybooks, sparring in archery, playing chess.

But it just so happened that in the heavy autumn dew and sharp winds, I caught a chill. It wasn’t convenient to see guests, so I still hadn’t paid my respects to the Crown Prince.

Illness is dull, though, and one needs some diversion. I ended up doing a few paintings: autumn chrysanthemums, red maples, wild geese flying in an autumn sky, and a woman leaning by the window, taking in the view while sick.

The Marquis of Dingguo dotes on his daughter. He hung these paintings in his study and looked at them every day, as if he were seeing his daughter herself.

So the Crown Prince critiqued each one of them in turn. The more he admired my brushwork, the more he wanted to see me in person.

Judging that the time was about right, the Marquis of Dingguo began widely inviting guests to attend the birthday banquet for the Marchioness of Dingguo at the start of the month.

Besides first-rate food and wine, the birthday banquet featured all kinds of entertainments and prizes, so the guests could truly enjoy themselves.

The prize for the painting competition was a piece by Ni Yin, the “Autumn Dwelling in Empty Mountains Painting,” which Zhen Yuting had copied several times.

Naturally, she was the most eager to take up the brush, and without surprise, she received unanimous praise from the guests.

But the Crown Prince still did not give his approval. After studying the paintings for a long while, he asked, “Is Hanyu not going to paint?”

I raised a hand to cough lightly behind my sleeve. “I’d rather not make a fool of myself. Besides, I’m not fully recovered yet.”

Zhen Yuting’s expression turned extremely unsightly. It was the first time she’d seen the Crown Prince even slightly disappointed in her. She asked timidly, “Your Highness the Crown Prince, do you find my painting lacking?”

Only then did the Crown Prince realize that the girl in his heart was unhappy. “A painting done by Yuting is, of course, excellent.”

After the guests departed, I sat in the study with the Marquis of Dingguo, looking over the paintings, and laughed. “Exchanging a single painting by Ni Yin for the result that she is no longer the Crown Prince’s first choice-worth it.”

This was the first time the Crown Prince, knowing exactly what Zhen Yuting liked, had not done his utmost to help her.