PCA Chapter 99

Suburban Bamboo Grove

 

In the depths of winter, all things bore the appearance of decay, yet this bamboo grove still maintained a patch of emerald green. A winding path led inward, guiding to a small blue stone road that meandered towards a secluded spot. In the heart of the bamboo forest, someone had enclosed a courtyard with a fence. Inside the yard were two sparsely planted vegetable plots, now mostly covered by fresh snow with only hints of green showing through. In the center of the courtyard stood a bamboo tower made of fragrant bamboo, shrouded in mist, appearing too ethereal to be of this world.

 

A plaque hung in the center of the courtyard gate, bearing the name — Xiaoxiang Residence.

 

Early in the morning, a young man who looked like a servant was sweeping in the courtyard, gathering the withered yellow bamboo leaves into a corner to use as kindling. He had just dug out a few small cabbages from the snow when he turned around and frowned: “Young Master, why are you out here?”

 

The young man smiled warmly in the sunlight, “The weather is nice today, I came out for a walk.”

 

The servant stomped his foot in frustration, tossed the small cabbages back into the vegetable patch, and quickly went back inside to fetch a large cloak, draping it over the young man. He complained, “Your cold hasn’t fully recovered, you should know to wear more clothes.”

 

The young man did indeed cough lightly, and seeing the servant about to scold him again, he waved his hand to change the subject, asking, “What day is it today?”

 

The servant’s words of reproach died on his lips, and he finally sighed, saying softly, “It’s the twenty-third day of the twelfth lunar month, the Little New Year.”

 

Another year has passed… The young man straightened up, gazing for a while at the fragments of sunlight split by the bamboo leaves. After an indeterminate time, he asked again, “Is everything prepared?”

 

The servant nodded silently, went back into the room, and soon came out with a basket covered with a blue and white cloth. Vague glimpses of yellow and white corners could be seen inside.

 

He also placed a hand warmer in the young man’s hands, “Young Master, hold onto this. It’s cold on the road, don’t let the wind chill you.”

 

The young man nodded, and they left the courtyard together. The servant left the gate slightly ajar; in this remote area, no thief would covet such a place, and even if they encountered someone desperate enough to steal, there was nothing of value inside the house.

 

However, before they had taken more than a few steps, they encountered a group of people coming towards them on the blue stone path.

 

The leader of the group, dressed in a long black robe, slowly emerged from the dark green fragrant bamboo. He had a tall, jade-like figure with a slender waist like bamboo, and his brow carried a sharp air reminiscent of bamboo leaves.

 

Upon recognizing the newcomer, the young man first brightened, calling out: “Lord Su?”

 

Immediately after, he was surprised: “What’s this?”

 

Su Chen stopped in front of him, slightly nodding: “I didn’t introduce myself properly last time. Su Chen, Assistant Magistrate of the Dali Temple. We meet again.”

 

Li Yunxi’s face no longer showed surprise, calmly cupping his hands: “This humble citizen greets Lord Su.”

 

Su Chen stared at the basket in Danqing’s hands for a moment, then asked: “You were about to go out?”

 

Danqing discreetly hid the basket behind his back. Li Yunxi smiled faintly, “It’s nothing important. What brings Lord Su here?”

 

Su Chen shifted his gaze and raised his hand towards the officials behind him. Immediately, people surrounded the small courtyard, with several rushing inside to search everywhere.

 

Su Chen said: “The Dali Temple is conducting an investigation. We hope for your understanding.”

 

Li Yunxi remained relatively calm, only occasionally lowering his head to cough lightly. After the officials had thoroughly searched the small courtyard, they returned one by one to report: “Sir, nothing was found.”

 

Su Chen raised his chin, pointing at the basket Danqing was hiding behind his back: “May I take a look at that?”

 

Li Yunxi hesitated for a moment, then stepped aside slightly: “Danqing.”

 

Danqing reluctantly handed over the basket. Two officials took it, lifted the blue and white cloth, and examined it inside and out, shaking their heads at Su Chen.

 

Su Chen then smiled, employing a strategy of force followed by courtesy: “Li, won’t you invite me in for a seat?”

 

Li Yunxi nodded calmly: “Please, Lord Su.”

 

Once back in the bamboo courtyard, Danqing first lit a fire basin and brought it over to the two men, then boiled water for tea. With people watching his every move, everything felt awkward.

 

After sitting down, Su Chen looked around the bamboo tower. The master and servant likely lived upstairs, while the entire lower floor served as an art studio. Painting paper and brushes could be seen everywhere, with both completed, mounted paintings and half-finished works. Strangely, there didn’t seem to be a proper reception room for guests. Su Chen was seated on a bamboo couch, which had initially been covered with several paintings that Li Yunxi had to clear away to make room for him.

 

Li Yunxi smiled apologetically: “My humble abode is simple. I hope Lord Su doesn’t mind.”

 

Su Chen didn’t seem bothered by this, returning the smile: “It’s I who have intruded unexpectedly. I hope Li doesn’t take offense.”

 

Li Yunxi shook his head and offered a cup of tea: “I only have bamboo leaf tea here. I’m not sure if it suits Lord Su’s taste.”

 

As soon as Su Chen took the cup, an official behind him immediately warned: “Sir, be careful of what might be in the tea…”

 

The officials were still wary after Cao Wei’s gruesome death, but Su Chen paid little heed. Even if Li Yunxi had ten times the courage, he wouldn’t poison a government official here, and since they had just searched the entire courtyard and found no white phosphorus, no one would incriminate themselves now.

 

Su Chen raised his hand and took a sip without hesitation, smiling: “This bamboo leaf tea is different from what’s sold in the market. It’s pure and refreshing, with an added fragrance of orchids.”

 

“Danqing has enclosed a plot in the backyard where bamboo, trees, and orchids grow together. The flowers scent the tea, and the tea absorbs the flower’s fragrance. We roast it ourselves for drinking. It’s not refined enough for connoisseurs, but I’m grateful Lord Su doesn’t find it distasteful.” Li Yunxi knew Su Chen hadn’t come for a cup of tea, so he asked directly: “May I ask the purpose of Lord Su’s visit?”

 

Su Chen, also disliking beating around the bush, replied straightforwardly: “It’s about some paintings.”

 

Su Chen paused briefly: “I found the characters ‘Yu Gui’ on the paintings.”

 

If he hadn’t accidentally encountered Li Yunxi in the Western Market, where Li Yunxi personally told him about the “Yu Gui” characters in his paintings, Su Chen might not have made the connection even if he had discovered the characters. Fate truly works in mysterious ways, as if predetermined.

 

Li Yunxi was taken aback and asked: “Which paintings is Lord Su referring to?”

 

“Three ‘Peach Blossom’ paintings,” Su Chen said directly. “Did you paint them?”

 

Li Yunxi didn’t hesitate and nodded: “Yes, I painted them.”

 

Su Chen hadn’t expected such frankness and frowned: “Are you sure? These three paintings are connected to three lives.”

 

“The paintings are indeed mine,” Li Yunxi shook his head calmly, “but paintings themselves don’t kill. I painted them with a clear conscience, so I have nothing to hide.”

 

It was true that paintings themselves don’t kill; Xu Youhuai and the other two died from their own greed, bearing the weight of thirty-two lives. Their deaths were deserved. However, Su Chen needed to provide closure for the dead, an explanation for the anxious public, and justice for the thirty-two members of the Shen family.

 

Su Chen asked: “Why did you paint these three paintings?”

 

Li Yunxi paused to think before slowly responding: “About two years ago, an old man approached me, asking me to paint these three paintings for him. All he had to offer in exchange was an ink stick. Seeing how pitiful the old man was, already on the brink of death, I agreed.”

 

“How did you come to know the Shen family’s axe-cut stroke painting technique?”

 

Li Yunxi explained: “Since the previous dynasty, people have been using large and small axe-cut strokes in landscape paintings to depict mountain textures. It’s not particularly novel. The Shen family was the first to apply this technique to flower, bird, and figure paintings. Someone once brought me a work by the late Master Shen Xingzhong to copy. I spent half a year learning to recreate that painting, so I gained some understanding of the Shen family’s technique.”

 

“You can learn someone else’s painting technique just by looking?” Su Chen was initially surprised, but then remembered the “Lotus and Sandpipers” painting that could pass as genuine. He sighed inwardly, realizing that in this world, some people are born with specific talents.

 

Su Chen stopped pursuing the matter of the paintings and asked: “May I see the ink stick the old man exchanged with you?”

 

Li Yunxi nodded and instructed Danqing to bring out a square box from the inner room. Inside was an ink stick. Su Chen picked it up and weighed it in his hand. It was hard, smooth, and fine-textured, with a faint blue-purple sheen—truly a fine ink stick. The front of the stick was inscribed in gold with the characters “Pine and Crane Extend Life,” while the back was engraved with an image of an old pine tree and a crane.

 

Su Cen examined the four characters on the ink stick for a long time, rubbing it with his fingers. He noticed a gray mark on the gilded characters that couldn’t be erased.

 

“It was already like this when the old man gave it to me,” Li Yunxi said. “If it weren’t for this gray mark, this ink stick would be worth a hundred taels. Unfortunately, this flaw was left during its making, so it’s not worth much now.”

 

“It’s not a flaw,” Su Cen sniffed the ink stick under his nose, “This is a burn mark.”

 

Ink is primarily made of pine soot, which doesn’t fear fire, but the gilding on the surface would melt under high temperatures, spreading to places where it wasn’t originally, forming this gray mark.

 

So this ink stick was indeed brought out from a fire scene. The old man who asked Li Yunxi to paint was most likely the steward who survived from the Shen family back then.

 

Su Cen stood up and asked Li Yunxi, “May I borrow this ink stick for a few days?”

 

Li Yunxi smiled faintly, “Please, my lord, feel free.”

 

Su Cen was about to leave when he suddenly stopped and turned back to ask, “I saw you take some joss paper and incense earlier. Are you going to pay respects to someone?”

 

Li Yunxi was slightly taken aback and said, “It’s the Little New Year. I’m just paying respects to the Kitchen God.”

 

Su Cen continued to stare at him impassively until Li Yunxi felt a bit uneasy and touched his own face, asking, “Is there anything else, my lord?”

 

Su Cen looked for a moment longer before withdrawing his gaze and smiling, “Nothing. Don’t forget about the painting we agreed on, Brother Li.”

 

Li Yunxi was stunned for a moment. By the time he came to his senses, Su Cen had already left the bamboo building with his group.

 

Li Yunxi let out a long sigh and collapsed onto the bamboo couch, only then realizing that his usually cold fingertips had somehow broken out in a cold sweat.

 

Danqing immediately came forward to inquire, “Are you alright, young master?”

 

Li Yunxi raised his hand to indicate he was fine, and after a long while, he sighed softly, “That person is really formidable.”

 

 

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