Chapter Twenty-Nine: Why Is It Always the Prince Alone in Your Paintings?

The young man was fair-skinned with delicate, refined features, and his slender fingers were beautifully shaped. He wore a plain gray robe with no adornments, presenting an air of simplicity that made him seem more like a poor scholar than Yu Hualiang. The lake was not large; Yu Hualiang stood at its edge while the young man sat in the pavilion. The two could see each other perfectly.

The man in the pavilion smiled at Yu Hualiang—a smile he could not decipher—and beckoned him over. Yu Hualiang glanced around, saw no one else, and only then strolled over, asking, "Who are you?"

The youth greeted him with a respectful bow. "My name is Wang Ruosheng. How is your injury?"

"My injury... How do you know about it?" Yu Hualiang asked, puzzled.

Wang Ruosheng explained the whole story, clarifying the sequence of events. It turned out Yu Hualiang was lucky enough to have met him by chance. Moved, Yu Hualiang bowed deeply. "You saved my life!"

Wang Ruosheng quickly helped him up. "I dare not claim such credit. I merely inherited my father's compassion for helping others."

"Your father?" Yu Hualiang’s brow twitched.

"Ziliang?"

Turning around, they saw the Seventh Prince standing together with the portly Wang the Physician. Wang Ruosheng bowed to the prince and then again to Wang the Physician. "Father."

Yu Hualiang finally understood—he was the son of Wang the Physician. No wonder he seemed familiar. The Seventh Prince stood beside him, taking his hand and warming it. "Ziliang, your illness hasn't fully healed. Why aren't you resting?"

Yu Hualiang was accustomed to such gestures from the Seventh Prince. "I've grown restless, so I decided to take a walk."

"Well then, I shall accompany you. But first, let Wang the Physician examine you."

Yu Hualiang’s expression was blank; the prince spoke to him as if coaxing a child.

Young Wang the Physician volunteered, "I may not be as skilled as my father, but may I examine the painter? Father, perhaps you should go see the womenfolk in the other room?"

Wang the Physician stroked his beard, thinking the women likely had skin ailments and he would rather not treat them, so he followed the Seventh Prince to take a look.

The three sat in the pavilion. Young Wang examined Yu Hualiang with practiced seriousness. After a thorough check, he said, "Your Highness, the painter Yu has fully recovered, but should still avoid getting the wound wet, and abstain from alcohol and spicy food."

Yu Hualiang nodded. Wang Ruosheng then took up his brush, wrote out a prescription, and handed it to him. "Take this medicine once a day."

"Thank you, Doctor," Yu Hualiang replied politely.

Yu Hualiang tucked the prescription away. The Seventh Prince led him through the palace grounds, vibrant with life. The ice on the lake had just melted, and its waters were crystal clear. The tips of lotus leaves reached toward the surface, growing steadily; fish swam in pairs and threes, stirring ripples across the pond.

The Seventh Prince produced a small bowl filled with assorted grains and tossed them into the water. Fish flocked to the spot.

"Ziliang, give it a try," the prince said, handing him the bowl.

Yu Hualiang had fed the fish plenty of times before. Whenever he came to sketch at the lotus pond, he would buy fish food to enlist the help of these aquatic brothers and sisters for his drawings.

He scattered the fish food into the pond, and the Seventh Prince’s gaze seemed to follow the fish, then return to Yu Hualiang.

Afternoon sunlight warmed the lake, reflecting onto the prince’s face. Yet in his eyes, Yu Hualiang appeared almost otherworldly, ethereal.

Yu Hualiang suddenly looked up, and spotting someone behind the prince, he respectfully saluted, "Long live the Fourth Prince!"

The Seventh Prince turned in surprise. "Fourth Brother, what brings you here?"

"I came to check on you. Why are you still quarreling with Siran?" The Fourth Prince mentioned Siran—is she the Princess Xuan?

Yu Hualiang glanced offhandedly and noticed someone lurking behind a tree. He thought to himself, she must have finished her punishment and was out and about again.

The Fourth Prince looked at Yu Hualiang. "Your paintings are quite impressive."

Yu Hualiang replied humbly, "You're too kind."

The Seventh Prince said, "Let’s sit up ahead."

Yu Hualiang knew they had matters to discuss, so he stepped back. "I’ll leave you to it, Your Highness. I should return."

The Seventh Prince pulled him back. "Ziliang, stay. Join us. My brother isn’t so rigid."

Yu Hualiang gave an awkward smile and stuck close to the prince. The Fourth Prince glanced at him. "Why so distant? We’ve met before."

"Yes, we have," Yu Hualiang replied with a polite smile.

The Seventh Prince sensed Yu Hualiang was uneasy and drew him closer. "When was this? Why didn’t I know?"

The Fourth Prince said, "The day I asked you for Yihe. Speaking of her, she’s truly exquisite, delicate and boneless... that—"

"Ahem, Fourth Brother, we’re not here to hear your bedroom tales," the Seventh Prince teased.

Yu Hualiang couldn’t help but chuckle, catching the Fourth Prince’s attention. "Does the painter have some insight on this?"

"No, not at all!" Yu Hualiang shook his head.

The Fourth Prince looked at the Seventh Prince. "Seventh Brother, you’re in good health... You must have suffered plenty."

He cast a peculiar glance at Yu Hualiang, who felt he couldn’t clear his name no matter how hard he tried. "I really—"

"Ahem, Fourth Brother, you’re not here just to inquire about my private affairs, are you?" the Seventh Prince joked again.

The Fourth Prince laughed awkwardly. "Siran begged me to tell you to stay away from him."

"She’s a woman—what right does she have to control me?" the Seventh Prince sneered.

Yu Hualiang sighed. "Seventh Prince, you see my wounds are nearly healed. I’ll return tonight, before more rumors spread."

"Ziliang, you needn’t worry. We are innocent. Why fear what others say?"

"Pfft..." The Fourth Prince burst out laughing, giving the Seventh Prince an understanding look, as if he saw right through him, chuckling quietly.

The Seventh Prince’s tone softened. "Fourth Brother, is Yihe serving you well?"

"Yes, she’s a rare beauty," the Fourth Prince praised.

"Fourth Brother, perhaps we should visit Lingxuan Tower another day?"

"Splendid, splendid," the Fourth Prince replied.

After speaking, the Seventh Prince edged closer to Yu Hualiang. The Fourth Prince realized he was being dismissed and patted his head. "Oh, the livestock at home haven’t been fed. I’ll be off!"

Once the Fourth Prince left, Yu Hualiang finally opened up. "The Fourth Prince has such leisure... and tends livestock?"

The Seventh Prince snorted. "Yes... exquisite beasts."

Yu Hualiang didn’t quite understand his meaning, but since it didn’t concern him, he returned to admiring the scenery.

In the muddy dungeon, only a single shaft of light illuminated the old, rusted cages. Every time the Fourth Prince tapped the cage with his jade fan, the person inside shrank back, retreating into a corner with nowhere left to hide.

He ran the cold jade fan over their warm skin. The woman in the cage, her long hair draped about her, had nothing to cover herself. She could only use her hair for modesty, cowering motionless in the corner.

Seeing no reaction to the fan’s touch, the Fourth Prince grabbed her hair, making her cry out. He pulled her close. "See, isn’t that nice? Cry out, let’s hear it. Isn’t it lovely, Yihe?"

The woman in the cage—Yihe—had long since been tormented beyond recognition. He opened the cage and dragged her out, beating her on the ground until her cries turned hoarse.

"What right do you have to hit me? To strike my mother? Just because your son is Crown Prince? He was only born a few days before mine—why should he be Crown Prince?"

Hearing his rage, Yihe, her eyes glistening with tears, said, "Just kill me..."

The Fourth Prince’s eyes widened as he looked at Yihe on the ground. "Kill you? Why did you spy for that vile woman?"

"Kill me!" Yihe fought back, but the Fourth Prince stomped her down. Only when his anger subsided did he start loosening his robe.

Yihe’s eyes widened as she desperately tried to escape, but he dragged her back, pressing her against the cage. She knew there was no escape. In the dim light, she saw a skeleton lying in the cage.

Yu Hualiang pleaded with the Seventh Prince for a long time before he was allowed to return to his little courtyard.

Ah Liu ran to him, throwing herself into his arms and sobbing so hard it hurt Yu Hualiang’s kidneys. Mo Cai, worried, quickly separated them. "Young master, you’ve finally returned."

"What’s wrong? Crying again?" Yu Hualiang patted Ah Liu’s head.

She sobbed, pulling out the bracelet from her sleeve. Yu Hualiang saw it had been nicely repaired, the joint wrapped in silver, the carved flowers looking lovely.

"This is the bracelet passed down to daughters-in-law in the Yu family. Even repaired, it looks quite nice," he said.

Ah Liu gave him a big hug. "Hualiang... How could I deserve such kindness from you?"

Yu Hualiang sighed. "Why must you always say that? I am good to you... because it’s right."

Even now, Yu Hualiang didn’t know why he treated Ah Liu so well. He’d always intended to find her a good girl, or if not, a good lad, so she could live her own life. But now he was sinking deeper and deeper... Hualiang, if your spirit watches from above, bless him to straighten out soon!

Mo Cai and Ah Liu busied themselves with cooking while Yu Hualiang sat and painted. Today, he’d seen a particularly beautiful scene—a pale blue sky reflected in the lake, with the tender buds of springtime willows mirrored on the water.

His face was pale from the lake’s reflection, his eyes gentle. In Yu Hualiang’s eyes, the Seventh Prince was always dashing and suave, elegant as jade—handsome, romantic, and noble.

Such gentle looks, with a smile, were rare. The fish in the pond rushed eagerly for the food, and the scene was deeply etched in Yu Hualiang’s memory.

Mo Cai brought dinner to the table, admiring his work. "Young master, painting again!"

Yu Hualiang nodded proudly. "Take a look."

Mo Cai praised him. "Young master, you’re truly gifted!"

"You’re not much for compliments. Ah Liu, come see," Yu Hualiang called.

Ah Liu immediately recognized another masterpiece, but couldn’t bring herself to rejoice.

"Hualiang, your paintings are always beautiful. But why do you always paint only the Seventh Prince?"