Li Muyang was indeed too nervous just now, and indeed too concentrated.
Because he had thrown away all distractions in his mind, he placed all his attention on the brush in the hand.
Accidentally, the scene under the brush came alive. The Snow eagle soared, broke through the sky. If Cui Xiaoxin had not lied for him, most likely that Ning Xinhai would have saw through his real identity.
After this disruption, Li Muyang and Cui Xiaoxin naturally let go of each otherâs hand.
Li Muyang glanced at Cui Xiaoxinâs delicate jade-like hand, and was embarrassed to touch it again. Even if he had this thought in mind.
âItâs done.â Li Muyang pointed to the place where the Snow eagle flew away from. Now that the Snow eagle was gone, taken away with it some of the splotch of ink, the corner of the rocks were revealed and was consistent to the artistic conception that Li Muyang had mentioned before.
Cui Xiaoxin received the paintbrush and chuckled, âI will finish off the painting.â
âYes.â Li Muyang nodded.
Then, Cui Xiaoxin was fully focused in painting, while Li Muyang was admiring at the side.
Gazing at the painting, but also at the painter Cui Xiaoxin.
In the painting, the branches of the plum tree were thick and fierce, the petals delicate and beautiful. There was a subtle fragrance wafting around, and a profound artistic conception.
The woman in the painting was elegant and gentle, independent and sincere, like an orchid in an empty valley, or a crane by the lakeside, she draws the eye.
Cui Xiaoxin, was like she had found inspiration. Her brush strokes were extremely fast, but the painting was increasingly better than before.
Li Muyang was just quietly admiring the painting at the side, and did not raise any more suggestion.
When the last stroke was finished, Cui Xiaoxin looked at the âPlum tree kingâ painting, saying, âAre there any flaws?â
Li Muyang smiled, âThere is.â
âAll things in the world, which one can truly deserve the word âperfectâ?â Cui Xiaoxin said, smiling. âWhat to name this?â
ââThe plum tree kingâ. The king of hundred trees.â Li Muyang said with a smile. âDidnât you already think of the name?â
âDo you want to inscribe the words?â
Li Muyang shook his head.
Therefore, Cui Xiaoxin inscribed the title in the upper right corner of the painting.
âGood.â Cui Xiaoxin said joyfully. She raised the brush and began to appreciate the work she had just finished, her heart filled with happiness.
âMiss careful of the ink dripping.â Taohong reminded.
Startled, Cui Xiaoxin drew back.
This step did not matter. The drop of ink on the brush was shaken, dripping onto her snow-white boot.
With a smear of ink on the snow boot, it looked extremely harsh and unsightly.
âAh, the shoe is going to be ruined.â Liulu hurriedly squatted down and was about to use her sleeve to wipe the ink stain.
âDonât wipe it.â Li Muyang hurriedly stopped her. âThe stain will get bigger and it canât be rubbed away.â
Li Muyang, from Cui Xiaoxinâs hand took the brush, and then bent down, outlining a skylark on Cui Xiaoxinâs shoe from the splotch of ink.
The skylark was lifelike and looked very adorable.
When the shoe was lifted, it looked as though the skylark was going to spread its wings and soar.
Cui Xiaoxin trod lightly around then exclaimed, âThis brush stroke rescued it well.ân/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
Taohong and Liulu also marveled at the young Missâs shoe.
Taohong turned around to say to Li Muyang, âI didnât know that Gongzi Li has so much talent, it really is a surprise.â
âMiss Taohong is too kind.â Li Muyang chuckled, passing over the brush in his hand.
Cui Xiaoxin evidently really liked this pair of skylark boots. She gazed at it with a wide smile on her face for a good while before she ordered Taohong to bring the seal over and stamped the painting with her own seal.
Cui Xiaoxin rolled up the painting, âyou gave me the âWinter plum blossoms bloom proudly in snowâ painting, I will return the gift with this âPlum tree kingâ.â
Li Muyang received the âPlum tree kingâ scroll with two hands. âThank you Miss Xiaoxin.â
He then took out the âWinter plum blossoms bloom proudly in snowâ from his bosom and presented it. âMiss Shinian told me to deliver it to Miss Xiaoxin.â
Cui Xiaoxin looked at Li Muyang and said: âI think, last nightâs âWinter plum blossoms bloom proudly in snowâ is the real Winter plum blossoms bloom proudly in snow painting, right?â
She received the scroll and ordered Taohong to carefully store it away, then raised her head to see the clouds tumbling overhead. âLooks like it will snow again. Letâs go back to the city.â
Cui Xiaoxin was right. On the way back, white flakes were fluttering down again.
Li Muyang trudged through the snow, and did not dare to operate qi to resist the cold for fear that Ning Xinhai would notice. He could only use his physical body to withstand the cold. His wax yellowâs face turned pale, and he looked battered and exhausted.
Swooshââ
The curtains were undrawn.
Taohong shouted to Li Muyang, âGongzi Li, Miss tells you to get on the carriage to avoid the cold.â
Ning Xinhai furrowed his brows as he reminded, âMiss, physical contact between men and women is forbidden, if people see him together with Miss in a carriage, Iâm worried that there will be rumours.â
Cui Xiaoxinâs soft voice sounded. âUncle Ning, donât worry. It is cold outside, let him come in to warm up his body. There is no one in the wilderness, we will let him off at Tianduâs city gate. Besides, thereâs Taohong and Liulu here too, so what if someone sees us?â
Ning Xinhai wanted to say something but then hesitated. In the end he halted the carriage and scowled at Li Muyang, saying in a warning tone: âget in the carriage. If you try to do anything, be careful of your head.â
Li Muyang after a brief thought said under his breath, âthey have three people, I am by myself.â
ââââ
The carriage was spacious, and the three girls were slim, so Li Muyang did not feel crowded at all.
Cui Xiaoxin was sat with her back against the seat while Taohong and Liulu were each sat to one side. Li Muyang swept his eyes across and saw that only Cui Xiaoxinâs side was the most spacious, so he seated himself there.
Cui Xiaoxin was holding a hand warmer facing forward. Li Muyang also could only, like her, see the snow through the gap of the curtains.
Everyone said that this yearâs snow would be heavier than usual. But hopefully the common people will have a good harvest this year.
Stepping onto the public roads, there were more and more pedestrians and horse-drawn carts.
There was a clatter of clomping of hooves when a group of black-clad mounted soldiers came galloping over.
They moved around the carriage, and after a distance, they turned back around under the leadership of a man.
The black-clad mounted soldiers crowded round Cui Xiaoxinâs carriage, and the leader fiercely yelled: âThe Imperial Monitoring Division, we suspect that there is a wanted criminal on board, the people in the carriage immediately come down for inspection.â
Li Muyang was shocked: could my identity been leaked, otherwise, why would the Imperial Monitoring Division come over?
His right hand clenched into a fist. It was as if he was prepared to act if those people made any unusual movements â he would fight back with his life.
Because Li Muyang had killed Cui Zhaoren and destroyed the majority of the Imperial monitoring division, he had a deep prejudice against the Monitoring Divisionââof course, they also had deep hatred toward him.
Li Muyang knew well that if he were to fall into the hands of the Monitoring Division, he would be in utter misery.
Cui Xiaoxin furtively patted Li Muyang on the back of his hand, saying in her soft voice, âDonât worry.â