The Eldest Daughter of a Rural Family
Chapter 1079 - 245: The Divine Turtle Picture_3

Chapter 1079: Chapter 245: The Divine Turtle Picture_3

Pei Qin, along with Jiujiu, disregarded others and enjoyed themselves as they picked dishes for each other and ate joyously.

Fat Ball Xixi ate even more than her sister, persistently eating until the very end, seriously burying her head as she scooped up her rice with a spoon.

After the meal, Pei Qin was too lazy to repaint for him, so she found a turtle painting she had practiced earlier and said, "Choose one yourself!"

Shen Songming’s lips twitched, "Can’t you paint something else...?"

"I would if you had given me the materials I need!" Pei Qin retorted.

"Just paint a new one, and I will get you the materials you want!" Shen Songming couldn’t stand those naive-looking turtles.

"Are you sure?" Pei Qin asked, raising an eyebrow with a smile.

"Hurry up and paint!" Shen Songming urged.

Pei Qin laid out her paper and then drew an old turtle flipped on its back, its expression fierce yet struggling as it tried earnestly to right itself.

She didn’t use a seal on the painting, handing it directly to him.

"You really don’t hold back, painting an old turtle that can’t even turn over." Shen Songming grunted and took the painting back to Shen Mansion.

Madam Shen was very dissatisfied with this painting, indeed furious. The previous turtle painting could still be seen as a turtle painting, but this one was practically mocking and insulting!

"If auntie is not satisfied, I still have one of the previous ones," Shen Songming brought out another large turtle painting.

Although the turtle painting was barely acceptable, having only a lone turtle on the paper was too simplistic, "The Emperor wishes to see the Divine Turtle Painting, does this painting imply that Pei Qin has suffered disgrace at Shen Mansion, or does it say that my Shen Mansion is bullying her for not knowing elegance!?"

"Auntie should also know, some paintings passed down through generations, whether they are from other artists or the original creator, are hard to replicate. It’s all about the right timing, place, and people," Shen Songming said, lowering his eyelids.

"Such a poor work, how can it catch the Emperor’s eye!" Madam Shen demanded that Pei Qin paint another Divine Turtle Painting.

Old Lady Shen instructed Shen Songming to prepare another gift.

Mo Heng at home, flatly refused, "My wife has a heart ailment flaring up, she is in pain and can’t pick up a brush."

Shen Songming shrugged, "Maybe we should just send a Divine Turtle Painting then?"

"Isn’t that deceiving the Emperor?" Shen Bi’s face darkened.

"If uncle doesn’t want to deceive the Emperor, then choose one of the two paintings to send!" Shen Songming washed his hands of the matter, he had just returned to the capital and was very busy with his business matters!

Shen Bi looked at the two paintings, it was clear to him now, Pei Qin had been disgraced at Shen Mansion! The Emperor wanting the Divine Turtle Painting, likely partly was to restore Mo Heng’s dignity, and partly as a warning to him not to become arrogant. He promptly apologized to Emperor Yongle for not managing his household well. As for the painting, it was no longer shown.

Emperor Yongle expressed regret, "I heard that the Divine Turtle Painting is so majestically lifelike as if it were real, I had hoped to see it myself."

Shen Bi confessed his fault and asked Mo Heng to provide a painting.

Xiao Guangzhao, although being Emperor had not been easy, he had come into power at a good time, after a period of chaos, suppressing all plotting ministers and generals effortlessly. Even those who did not obey had been thoroughly subdued by Pei Hansan. After ascending the throne, except for the issue of Prince Qing, Xiao Guangzhu’s plotting, his reign had been relatively peaceful.

Shen Bi left the palace, having resolved the matter.

However, Madam Shen was left out in the cold. At noble gatherings, verbal disputes were common and losing face could breed resentment. But this incident at Shen Mansion becoming known to the Emperor was a dereliction on the part of Madam Shen.

This was a scheme instigated by Lady Mo and Wei Shu, pushed forward zealously by Great-grandmother Shen, and now because of this, her father-in-law had lost face before the Emperor, and her mother-in-law had been sidelined, fueling both shame and anger in Great-grandmother Shen. The news reaching the Emperor so quickly was undoubtedly the work of Pei Qin.

Upon returning home, Pei Qin was informed she had fallen ill, a heartache.

Pei Qin looked at the man with a stern face, touched her chest, and asked, "How long is this heart supposed to hurt?"

"As long as you want it to hurt!" Mo Heng said, looking at her sideways.

Pei Qin blinked and nodded in agreement, "Since it’s going to hurt, might as well let it hurt a bit longer!"

Mansion of General Zhaoyong closed its doors to visitors.

Second Madam Zheng, bringing her youngest daughter Zheng Yuehuan, was stopped outside.

"Didn’t the lady just arrive in the capital, how could she suddenly fall sick?" Second Madam Zheng asked, her heart racing with excitement, wondering if Pei Qin, worn out from the journey, had fallen ill so soon!

The Gatekeeper looked at her coldly, it was not for her to inquire rashly into the lady’s illness!

Second Madam Zheng, realizing her mistake, quickly changed her request to see her niece, Xie Yi, saying she had brought some items for her siblings, and asked if she could kindly inform them.