The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 1078 - 245: A Divine Turtle Painting_2

Chapter 1078: Chapter 245: A Divine Turtle Painting_2

Everyone said there was none.

Shen Bi found it even stranger.

Yesterday, the attendant who fetched the painting came over, "Master! There was indeed a turtle painting yesterday, but it wasn’t any divine turtle image, it was..."

"And what was it?" Shen Bi’s face suddenly darkened. How could he be left in the dark about something even the Emperor knew!?

Seeing his anger, the attendant kneeled down in fear and recounted everything about how Pei Qin’s turtle painting was given to him and how he had handed it over to the First wife to handle.

Upon hearing that it wasn’t a major issue, Shen Bi was only more bewildered—what did the Emperor mean by mentioning it? Was it a warning that he and his fellow officials were all under his scrutiny?

After some contemplation, Shen Bi still asked Madam Shen to bring over the painting, since the Emperor had expressed his desire to see it, no matter what, he had to present it to the Emperor.

"She behaves frivolously, yet you actually accepted the painting!? I had it burned," Madam Shen stated unhappily upon his inquiry.

"The Emperor wants to see it!" Shen Bi frowned.

Madam Shen was shocked, "The Emperor wants to see that turtle painting? What’s going on?"

Shen Bi was equally unclear about the matter.

Madam Shen immediately guessed that Mo Heng supported Prince Yongle’s ascension to the throne and Pei Qin was invited to Shen Mansion; it couldn’t be a sense of grievance that Mo Heng complained to the Emperor on Pei Qin’s behalf, could it?

It had to be said, women’s thought processes differed from men’s.

Madam Shen shook her head, thinking the Emperor wouldn’t bother to vent for a minister’s wife over such trivial matters.

"Even if it wasn’t a good painting, you shouldn’t have burned it directly! The Emperor wants this painting now!" Shen Bi was somewhat annoyed; he hadn’t even been promoted to Grand Secretary and the new Emperor had started to meddle with his domestic affairs.

But the painting was already burned. What could they do now?

"Please ask Madam Yuanyang to paint another!" Madam Shen suggested after a long thought.

That was the only choice now.

The painting had been burned by Madam Shen’s order, so naturally, she thought of a solution, immediately sending for Shen Songming to ask Pei Qin for another turtle painting.

Shen Songming had heard about the events at the flower viewing banquet yesterday; when approached to fetch the painting, his expression grew cold, "It’s better not to fetch this painting; I fear my great aunt [Madam Shen] will regret it. If the Emperor wants the painting, just say it was destroyed."

Madam Shen scowled, "What do you mean by that, Songming? It’s just a painting; can another not simply be painted? Can’t even this bit of face be given?"

"In that case, it might be better to send your eldest sister-in-law to make an apology," Shen Songming bowed and excused himself.

Madam Shen’s face turned gloomy with anger, "This is preposterous! After so many years, for such a petty issue, still trying to take her side!?"

Da Ya, the head maid, quickly tried to calm her down.

Yet, to ask Pei Qin for a painting, Shen Songming dared to refute even his great aunt’s face. How could Madam Shen not be furious?

When Old Lady Shen learned of this, she had lived a lifetime of luxury, but she wasn’t blind in her old age. As the new Emperor ascended, he would elevate some and suppress others. Grand Secretary Jiang Gan was about to step down and Shen Bi was to be promoted in his place. The Emperor taking this opportunity to give a warning wasn’t considered a big deal. She personally called Shen Songming to make the trip.

Shen Songming no longer refused and carrying the food for Jiujiu and Xixi, he headed to the Mansion of General Zhaoyong to find Pei Qin.

Pei Qin wasn’t home; he spent half the day playing with Jiujiu and Xixi until she returned at lunchtime, "Paint me another turtle painting, please!"

"Pfft! You actually liked that turtle?" It was indeed meant to mock Shen Bi.

Shen Songming rolled his eyes at her, "Xiao Guangzhao took up your cause and asked my uncle for the painting, but it was burned."

Pei Qin nodded in realization, "No painting! It was you who bullied mom, and now that you’ve run into trouble, you still dare to ask me for help? That’s audacious!"

"Then you could paint something to disgust them!" Shen Songming advised.

Pei Qin scratched her head, "When is Mo Heng coming back?"

Huang Qiu was about to respond when Mo Heng had already returned. His glance shifted to Shen Songming, slinging a sharp look his way, "Set up the meal!"

"Yes!" Huang Qiu and Xue Dong answered and went to arrange the meal.

Shen Songming wanted to hold Xixi and feed her.

Mo Heng snatched his daughter into his arms, "You should eat more yourself; if you get a bit plumper, a certain someone might stop thinking about you."

Shen Songming teased him, "This young master must maintain a handsome and suave appearance so that when I go out with my daughter, we look like father and daughter!"

The two men glared at each other, both snorted, and sat down to eat.