DBB – Chapter 043: Ink Treasure
After dining at Jinchao’s residence, Gu Jinxian and Ye Xian made their way to the guest wing in the outer courtyard, where they would be staying until the following day, when they would join Gu Deshao in the ancestral tomb-sweeping at Xicui Mountain.
Once inside, Ye Xian pushed open the window of the study and gazed pensively at the pagoda tree, its branches now dense with new spring leaves.
Gu Jinxian wandered around for a bit before approaching him to talk.
“Uncle,” he began, “why do I feel like you’re being a bit too hard on Eldest Cousin?”
Ye Xian didn’t even turn his head. “I’m not targeting her.”
Gu Jinxian stepped beside him, clearly wanting to persuade him. “Although Eldest Cousin has a poor reputation outside, I believe most of it is slander. We’ve met her a few times now, and I find her temperament gentle and her knowledge impressive. Honestly, she’s better than most noble young ladies…”
Ye Xian let out a short, scoffing laugh. “And you’ve decided that after meeting her twice? Nephew, if you keep trusting people that easily, you’ll end up being played to death.”
He patted Gu Jinxian on the shoulder.
Gu Jinxian stared at him, speechless.
His mother had told him that the Marquis of Changxing, having fathered Ye Xian late in life, doted on him beyond reason. In their household, if Ye Xian said east, no one dared suggest west. He’d been frail since birth and only recently recovered enough to go out—his family cherished him even more because of it. Gu Jinxian had always admired his uncle’s carefree attitude and sought to grow close to him, while everyone else avoided him like the plague…
Now he finally understood why they did.
He was the plague.
“You… you even tried to frame her with that handkerchief at our house,” Gu Jinxian accused. “If you hadn’t cleared things up, her reputation would have been destroyed! And then today, her kitten was just sleeping peacefully under the corridor. You could’ve teased it if you wanted, but you even injured it… If she weren’t so composed, she would’ve cried and made a scene long ago. Any other noble miss would’ve demanded you pay for the offense!”
His tone had grown agitated, his words increasingly blunt.
Ye Xian replied evenly, “I really was trying to help her that time…”
“That’s what you call helping?” Gu Jinxian snapped. “What kind of help was that?”
Ye Xian sighed and added, “I didn’t mean to injure the kitten that badly. I only wanted to discipline it a little… You know I don’t have good control of my strength.”
That finally softened Gu Jinxian’s expression a bit. “If you didn’t do it on purpose, then at least apologize. The kitten was hurt because of you. Even if you don’t want to apologize, at least do something to make up for it.”
Ye Xian, however, continued in a low voice, “You’re being deceived. Your cousin may seem gentle on the surface, but her mind runs deep. She hides her intentions well. She’s someone capable of achieving great things…”
Gu Jinxian rubbed his temples. “Uncle, please don’t say things like that. Just apologize to her, would you?”
Ye Xian remained silent for a long while, then finally gave a reluctant nod. “Fine. I get it. Now go wait outside.”
After sending Gu Jinxian away, he remained standing alone by the window, lost in thought.
That evening, Baiyun returned with the kitten.
Baopu lay curled inside its basket, its front paw wrapped in bandages. The poor thing couldn’t even bend its head to lick the wound. Frustrated and in pain, it meowed softly and incessantly.
“The wound’s been treated and bandaged,” Baiyun reported. “The stablehands said the injury didn’t reach the bone, so it won’t affect its walking or jumping later. But for the next few days, it’ll be stiff and hard to move…”
Jinchao could only sigh. She couldn’t do anything to Ye Xian. All she could do was try to comfort Baopu with a gentle hand—but the kitten, now wary of people, immediately shrank into the cotton cloth at the bottom of the basket when it sensed her approach.
She had Baiyun carry it away to replace the bedding with something softer, so it wouldn’t aggravate the wound.
“Miss, Tong Mama would like to see you,” Qingpu announced softly from outside the curtain.
Tong Mama had come regarding the Qingming Festival. In the past, the women of the Gu household never joined the tomb-sweeping at Xicui Mountain. They would simply bow at the ancestral shrine at home and be done with it. But this year, Gu Deshao had given special instructions—since the ancestral family had sent Fifth Madam Ye and the two cousins, it was a gesture toward mending ties. This time, everyone would go together.
Song Yiniang had already begun preparing the wine offerings, incense paper, and paper money. She had someone inform Jinchao that, if she wasn’t too busy, she could assist with the household’s ceremonial preparations—things like arranging fruits, cooked dishes, and willow branches.
Tong Mama added curiously, “Song Yiniang always seems to involve you in these things…”
Jinchao smiled. She didn’t find it strange at all. She instructed Tong Mama to inform the various stewards to have the offerings ready.
The next morning, Jinchao dressed much the same as the day before. Several maids followed her with stools, snacks, and fans as they made their way to the screen wall.
Six green-curtained carriages stood ready, stablehands holding the reins. The early sun shone faintly across the carved reliefs of the wall—and several people were already waiting there.
Upon closer look, it was Gu Lan, Ye Xian, and Gu Jinxian, surrounded by their maids and attendants.
Gu Jinxian spotted her first and smiled brightly. “Eldest Cousin, you’re here!” He pulled her over to chat.
Gu Lan was in the middle of telling Ye Xian, “I heard Uncle went to Ciguang Temple yesterday to see the monkeys…”
Ye Xian responded coolly, “It was Jinxian who wanted to go… we never even climbed the mountain.”
Gu Lan wore a periwinkle silk robe patterned with gemstone pendants, over an eight-panel pale green skirt. She looked radiant. Unbothered by Ye Xian’s indifferent tone, she smiled and continued, “I go to Ciguang Temple often too, though I’m not particularly fond of the monkeys. They say the monks keep them for the pilgrims—fat, lazy things that just lie in cages all day. Unless you feed them, they don’t even move…”
Ye Xian didn’t really listen and gave only a vague “Mm.”
His gaze drifted to Jinchao.
“You’re late,” he said to her.
Gu Lan noticed her arrival as well, greeted her politely, and then said nothing more before boarding her own carriage.
Jinchao stood still for a moment, watching her second sister disappear behind the thin curtain.
So she still wanted to win over the Heir of Changxing? Trying to curry favor with him?
But from what Jinchao had seen… the best way to please someone like Ye Xian was to ignore him entirely.
Jinchao continued watching her second sister until the light gauze curtain of the carriage dropped into place.
Still trying to win the favor of the Heir of Changxing?
Did she really think flattering him would work?
As far as Jinchao was concerned, the best way to please someone like Ye Xian was to completely ignore him.
At that moment, Ye Xian turned to her and said, “Your sister is remarkably talkative.”
Jinchao smiled. “She simply feels a connection with Uncle.”
Ye Xian let out a soft laugh and said no more.
Meanwhile, Gu Jinxian was frantically throwing him pointed glances. He hadn’t forgotten—they had agreed yesterday that he would apologize. He wasn’t about to let Ye Xian pretend he’d slept and forgotten all about it!
But Ye Xian pretended not to notice. With a look of practiced indifference, he turned and studied the stone relief of a qilin treading on clouds carved into the screen wall.
Jinchao didn’t feel like standing there idly. Her father and the others would be coming out soon—she might as well wait in the carriage.
Just as she turned to leave, Ye Xian tugged lightly at her sleeve.
From within the fold of his wide sleeve, he pulled out a long scroll, which he then placed into her hands.
Jinchao looked at him in confusion. “What is this?”
He replied succinctly, “Ink treasure.”
Then, after a brief pause, he added, “My painting. A gift to apologize.”
Jinchao didn’t know whether to laugh or be exasperated.
Who apologizes with their own artwork?
He wasn’t some famed painter from Jiangnan, not a celebrated scholar or master of the brush.
If he truly wanted to make amends, she’d have preferred a Persian cat.
Gu Jinxian chuckled as well.
Ye Xian gave them both a puzzled look and said slowly, “Gold and silver are too vulgar. Jade feels overly sentimental. Anything else would fall short of our cousin’s status. After much thought, I decided my painting was the most appropriate gift.”
Gu Jinxian leaned closer to Jinchao. “Cousin, open it! I really want to see what he painted.”
Jinchao hadn’t intended to unroll the painting in front of Ye Xian—what if it was terrible? He’d lose face, and knowing him, he’d probably hold a grudge.
But since Gu Jinxian insisted, she relented and unrolled the scroll.
It depicted two fluffy kittens playing beneath a melon vine, pouncing at butterflies.
One of the cats tilted its head at a butterfly, its expression so vivid and lifelike it almost seemed to breathe.
In the corner were three characters: Cat Amusements Picture (猫趣图), not written in the usual flowing scholar’s hand, but in large seal script, bold and meticulous. The strokes were powerful and steady, imbued with an unexpectedly ancient charm.
Ye Xian said casually, “I’m giving you two cats—to keep your kitten company.”
Jinchao didn’t know whether to laugh or be offended.
Still holding back her expression, she rolled up the scroll and handed it to Qingpu, then bowed politely.
“Thank you, Uncle, for your generous gift. Now that we have your ink treasure, I’m sure Baopu won’t hold a grudge anymore—he’ll have feline companions to share his days.”
With that, she left him standing there and climbed into her carriage.
Gu Jinxian remained, staring at Ye Xian.
Ye Xian gave him a sideways glance. “What now?”
Scratching his head, Gu Jinxian muttered, “You never even studied painting under Grand Tutor Gao… how did you manage to draw something this good?”
Grand Tutor Gao—Ye Xian’s maternal grandfather—was a revered scholar and President of the Hanlin Academy, already in his seventies. Ye Xian, far from being a model student, had hardly applied himself.
Even the private tutor assigned to him, Master Shi Yuan, a protégé of Grand Tutor Gao and current Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, could barely get him to study for more than a few days at a time.
Ye Xian replied dismissively, “It’s not hard to imitate life.”
Then, saying nothing more, he turned and stepped into his own carriage.
Gu Jinxian remained outside, thinking for a moment before muttering:
“Forget the painting—was that really an apology?”