Chapter 10: Autumn Scenery of Appreciating Chrysanthemums

Back then, while following the elders of the Gu family, Wen Sheng had encountered many eccentric masters and scholars, so she was not surprised by the rumors of Young Master Bai's peculiar habits.

In her view, the intersection of calligraphy and painting was a very elegant pursuit.

This world was simply too lonely; Wen Sheng truly wished for the opportunity to make a few friends she could actually talk to.

Since she decided to go, and estimating that she would surely face opposition, she did not tell her family. She only asked Li Congwu to accompany her to Guiyan Pavilion when he was free.

Guiyan Pavilion was located on a bustling main street. The building was three stories high and sat diagonally across from the rear gate of the General's Mansion, separated by no more than the distance of a single arrow's flight. The street housed Lishui's best rouge shops, tea shops, bookstores, and stationery stores. Its wine and braised pork hock were famous in Lishui, and those who frequented the place were mostly wealthy individuals, a stark contrast to the noisy and chaotic scene of vendors and laborers in the West City markets.

Upon arriving, she learned that Manager Gu Dazuo's clothing shop was also on this street, separated from the Orchid Garden rouge shop by only one store. It was called Zhao's Clothing Shop—an absolutely prime location.

Standing at the head of the street, Li Congwu hesitated for a moment before saying to Wen Sheng, who was dressed in men's clothing beside him, "Are we really just going to take a quiet peek? We have to agree on this beforehand—if something happens and it reaches my father's ears, I won't be able to keep my legs, Third Brother."

Wen Sheng smiled and comforted him, "Don't worry. We've been to the Chen family's old establishment before, and we didn't get caught, did we? It's just a bit more expensive here. Just pick something cheap later."

Li Congwu stared at her blankly. He wanted to say that this wasn't a matter of money at all; no matter how expensive the things in Guiyan Pavilion were, as long as nothing went wrong, he could afford a single meal.

In the past, his cousin Wen Sheng always kept her head low, her voice as small as a mosquito's hum. After not seeing her for half a year, she had returned with a sense of agency so strong he could barely handle it.

Although Wen Sheng spoke lightly, she was actually quite distressed. Growing up, Wen Sheng had never worried about a single copper, but now, this had become an urgent problem that needed solving.

They say a single penny can topple a hero. How would she make a living in the future? Once she left the Gu family, what would she eat and wear without money?

Then there was Lady Li. Although she could be left at her maternal grandfather's house, it wouldn't be right unless she left a generous sum of pension money for her before departing.

Speaking of the Chen family's old establishment, Li Congwu remembered the matter Wen Sheng had previously entrusted to him. "I looked into it. That old man who plays the huqin is surnamed Qi. He only arrived in Lishui last month; he's all alone and quite pitiful. He's currently staying at the Chen family's old establishment. Since you like it, I'll take you to listen to him again later."

Wen Sheng said with a smile, "Thank you, Third Brother."

Li Congwu was honest and magnanimous. Having spent the past two days with him, Wen Sheng felt his heartfelt care and protection, and she couldn't help but truly treat him as her own cousin.

Speaking of which, the Li family members were all quite good. In this cold world, it was rare to have a family that truly looked out for her, even if their kindness was intended for that little girl who had already hanged herself—after all, she was the one receiving it...

It was currently the transition between the Wei and Shen hours. Half the afternoon had passed, and it was still early before the evening meal; even the best restaurants were deserted.

Upon entering Guiyan Pavilion, it was empty. Seeing that the two youths were dressed plainly, the gatekeeper guessed they weren't customers coming to eat. He asked with a forced smile, "What can I get for you two, honored guests?"

Wen Sheng scanned her surroundings, taking in the entire situation of the building. She pulled out a piece of broken silver, handed it to the gatekeeper, and asked in a lowered voice, "Is the Young Master Bai who frequently comes here to paint upstairs?"

The gatekeeper froze for a moment, took the silver, and hurriedly replied, "He is, he is. Are you two..."

Seeing the way the newcomers handled money and their bearing, the gatekeeper subconsciously adjusted his attitude, not daring to look down on the two youths before him any longer.

Wen Sheng raised her index finger in a gesture for silence and smiled, "We heard Young Master Bai is a great painter and came specifically to take a look. There is no need to disturb him. Just lead us upstairs and find a seat near a tea pot."

These words clearly implied they were people of significance. Were they dressing so shabbily just to avoid being recognized? The gatekeeper shrunk his neck and responded eagerly, "Right away! Follow me, honored guests! Watch your step!"

The regulars of Guiyan Pavilion all knew that if Bailian's precious son was present, he would be hiding in the third-floor private rooms, disliking being disturbed. As it happened, none of the private rooms upstairs were occupied, so the gatekeeper led Wen Sheng and Li Congwu to the third floor.

The wooden stairs were both high and steep. Following behind, Li Congwu was somewhat worried his cousin might lose her footing and fall. Wen Sheng was indeed finding the climb a bit strenuous. In the two months since arriving, she had done her utmost to treat this body well, not being picky with food and exercising more, but unfortunately, her original constitution was too poor. She had only just started gaining a bit of flesh and her complexion had improved greatly, but the moment she engaged in strenuous activity, her true state revealed itself.

The gatekeeper clicked his tongue inwardly, thinking, *Such delicate skin and tender flesh, hardly able to withstand a breeze; I wonder which young master's family let him come out dressed like this.* Upon reaching the top, he pointed to a painting hanging on the wall in front of them and whispered with a smile, "Look, this was painted by Young Master Bai. It looks just like the real thing. Everyone says that hanging this painting here truly brings brilliance to the whole building."

Wen Sheng stood still, using the time while catching her breath to examine the painting before her. It was a vertical ink wash scroll depicting an autumn landscape of chrysanthemum appreciation. The gatekeeper was not wrong; the scenery chosen in the painting was extremely realistic; one look at the layout of the pavilions revealed it was the very Guiyan Pavilion she was currently in.

Li Congwu also realized it a moment later, letting out an "Eh?" "This is a painting of Guiyan Pavilion? It looks remarkably similar!"

The foreground of the painting featured large clusters of blooming black chrysanthemums, with lush leaves and flowers as large as a bowl, intricate and layered, the brushstrokes appearing delicate and lifelike.

Wen Sheng was unsure of the aesthetic standards of this world or how they would evaluate this painting. Based on her seventeen years of experience from her previous life, this autumn chrysanthemum scene clearly carried the style of Southern-style ink wash painting. Although the brushwork could not be called masterful, it had already moved beyond a childish quality. Had she not known beforehand, she would never have guessed from this painting alone that the artist was not yet twenty years old.

On the left side of the image was a corner of the eaves of Guiyan Pavilion. The lower left was left blank; normally, one would write a couple of lines of poetry there before adding a signature, but now it was clean, with only a small square seal stamped upon it.

The vermilion relief seal was exceptionally graceful; one could tell the engraver had put a lot of thought into it. The four small characters, "Bai Lin Yuan Seal," each possessed its own character, like the flowing sleeves of a fairy, adding much color to the painting.

So, Young Master Bai's name was Bai Lin Yuan.

The gatekeeper saw that although Wen Sheng was young, her conduct was like that of an expert. He waited, hoping she might offer a few critiques or say whether the painting was good and what made it so. To his surprise, she merely stared at it for a while without saying anything, walked forward a few steps, glanced at a private room with low-hanging curtains nearby, and lowered her head to enter the adjacent room.

Li Congwu followed her into the private room. The upstairs was so quiet that he instinctively lowered his voice as well: "Go brew a pot of tea!"

"Yes, please wait a moment, honored guest. What kind of tea would you like?"

Suddenly, a "thud" sounded from the adjacent private room, as if something had fallen to the floor.

(I returned too late.)