The Heart Given to Brighten the Moon - Chapter 8

It was true that Shen Danxin had saved the tormented Song Mingyue, and it didn’t technically violate the first rule of their Three-Point Covenant, as Song Mingjue had been the one to bring her. However, the Fourth Princess possessed a capricious temper; a single moment of displeasure could mean disaster for all three of them. The siblings at least had the Empress as a potential life-saving shield, but what of the solitary Shen Danxin?

Song Mingyue, naturally, would not change her personality just because of a startlingly realistic portrait.

Shen Danxin was parched from her artistic efforts. She picked up a teacup, but seeing the murky liquid inside, she set it back down. Turning to the still-stony-faced Young Miss Song, she offered a fawning smile. “What did you think of my earlier proposal? You’ve seen my skills now; why not reconsider?”

Song Mingyue turned and gave a cold sneer. “The skill of drawing portraits? Or the skill of washing cloaks?”

The retort left Shen Danxin tongue-tied. Song Mingyue struck while the iron was hot, continuing her mockery. “It is true that your portraiture is unmatched. But with your conduct today rashly trespassing in the Imperial Garden and colliding with Zhao Hui, drawing a thousand or ten thousand portraits wouldn’t be enough to save you from a death sentence.”

“My sister is right. Mingjue was reckless today; the blame cannot be placed solely on Miss Shen.” Song Mingjue, who had followed them inside at some unknown point, spoke up in Shen Danxin’s defense.

But Song Mingyue wasn’t buying it. She glared at her brother and barked, “Shut your mouth!”

Song Mingjue’s mouth snapped shut, his head bowed. He stood there with his hands crossed in front of him, not daring to move, looking for all the world like an aggrieved little wife. Shen Danxin secretly wanted to laugh, but she didn’t dare let it show on her face.

“What’s done is done. You had best leave the palace as soon as possible, lest Zhao Hui take an interest in you.” Song Mingyue let out a long sigh, clearly unwilling to waste more breath.

Shen Danxin was taken aback. “Why would she take an interest in me? She likely doesn’t even remember what I look like. Besides, after the way she bullied you, should we not settle the score?”

Seeing Song Mingyue’s brow furrow, Shen Danxin cut her off before she could speak. “Do not give me that talk about ‘keeping a low profile’ and ‘patiently enduring.’ I, Shen Danxin, have walked with my head high since I was a child. Forget her bullying you even those few petty insults she directed at me are more than I can swallow. ‘Studied for a few years with a blooming tongue’? ‘Crooked melons and split dates’ disgracing Mingjue? Bah! My Shen family comes from generations of scholarly elite. If I hadn’t spent all my effort on painting, I’d have insulted her ancestors until their graves emitted black smoke! I wouldn’t even be able to show my face at home if I let that slide!”

Shen Danxin grew more animated as she spoke. She planted a foot on the bench, rolled up her sleeves, and spoke her mind. “I’m telling you, Song Mingyue, everyone in my Shen family starts as a Zhuangyuan [Top Scorer]. I’m the ‘underachiever’ who only placed second, but I’ve been immersed in it since birth! As for ‘Historical Palace Schemes,’ I’ve read thousands, if not ten thousand! Besides, where I come from, women can hold their own in the parlor and their own in the… bedroom. They can fight off lechers and thugs, work trade, do business, and afford their own fine manors and gold-filled rooms! A Green Tea Bitch of Zhao Hui’s caliber isn’t even fit to carry my shoes!”

The siblings stared at her, utterly dumbfounded.

Shen Danxin finally took a deep breath, her eyes blazing as she stared at Song Mingyue. “Young Miss Song, a kind horse is ridden by others, and a kind person is bullied by others. If you continue to act this submissively just to survive, you will never see the light of day. If you truly do not believe me, then send me out of the palace tomorrow.”

Song Mingyue lowered her eyes, remaining silent for a long while. Shen Danxin didn’t rush her; she picked up the cup and took a sip of water, her tongue curling from the bitterness.

“Mingjue, go fetch a set of men’s clothing. Miss Shen is roughly the same build as you; they should fit.” Song Mingyue finally looked up and spoke.

Song Mingjue did as ordered. He returned shortly with a bundle of clothes, set them down, and tactfully turned to leave, closing the door behind him.

Song Mingyue placed the clothes before Shen Danxin and said calmly, “Though a female identity is more convenient for moving about the palace, it is ultimately difficult to enter the higher halls. Since you possess such talent, you might as well try your luck at the Qingmo Academy. If you are fortunate enough to ascend, it shall be as you say. If you are unfortunate.”

“There is no ‘unfortunate’!” Shen Danxin waved a hand, cutting her off. “Worrying about every detail never leads to great things. You just watch and see!”

This time, Shen Danxin didn’t dare trouble the “young beauty.” She figured it out herself and donned the men’s clothing, which was far simpler than the women’s attire. She pulled her silken hair back and secured it with a wooden hairpin, causing Song Mingyue’s eyes to light up.

Song Mingyue, who possessed a modest chest herself glanced at Shen Danxin’s equally flat-looking torso and nodded with satisfaction. “You actually look quite the part of a refined scholar. Though your build seems a bit slight, you are tall enough; most people likely won’t see the trick.”

Shen Danxin’s face fell. You could insult her to her face, but you could never insult her parents and you certainly could not disparage the “peaks and valleys” of her figure! But she didn’t dare speak up, only glaring resentfully at Song Mingyue’s own chest.

Song Mingyue followed her gaze downward and immediately cursed: “Lecher! Keep looking and I’ll gouge out your dog eyes!”

Shen Danxin’s “dog eyes” had to be kept, but to enter the high gates of the Qingmo Academy, a pair of eyes and a set of clever hands were still not enough.

The three of them discussed their plan until evening. Initially, they thought of having Shen Danxin enter the Academy as a common laborer to do chores and become a familiar face. Such a status was the lowliest in the palace and therefore the safest. But laborers had to be entered into the slave registry; without a master’s mercy, they could never leave, and even their children would be born as slaves. Shen Danxin adamantly refused. Finally, they decided she would pose as a “scholar’s attendant” to infiltrate the Academy.

“Miss Shen… no, I must call you Master Shen now,” Song Mingjue said with a smile and a serious face. “And remember, if anyone asks if your name ‘Danxin’ means ‘A bird’s heart reflects the loyal red,’ you must never say it’s ‘Dan’ as in ‘serenity’ again.”

He continued, “The Qingmo Academy has existed for a hundred years, dating back to the previous dynasty. Though it is within the forbidden city, it lies outside the inner palace. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that all the world’s masters of ink and brush hail from there. Today, it is under the Emperor’s direct patronage. Once you step into those halls, your status and position will be incomparable. Thus, countless painters enter the palace every year to recommend themselves, hoping for a single painting to bring them fame. However, the Academy’s standards are not determined by common consensus; they are personally appraised by Zhao Zongqian, followed by a review by the Three Masters. Only after passing both can, one achieves world-renowned fame.”

Shen Danxin asked curiously, “Does this Emperor truly love calligraphy and painting so much?”

Song Mingyue gave a cold snort. “Zhao Zongqian was born a common soldier. Before he usurped the throne, he likely didn’t know more than a handful of words. Even now, he requires a literary attendant to read memorials aloud to him. His ‘preference’ for art is merely a mask for his boorish nature.”

But this ‘boor’ dared to lead a rebellion and steal your family’s throne, Shen Danxin thought privately. She didn’t quite agree with Song Mingyue’s biased view; for Zhao Zongqian to become Emperor, he must have some extraordinary qualities.

Song Mingjue clearly agreed with Shen Danxin more. He only smiled and continued, “The Three Masters are all men of true talent. Yu Meng, known as Master Mengchang, is a master of calligraphy whose cursive script is like a stroke of the gods. Yan Mengqing, known as Layman Xianru, is skilled in ink-wash landscapes; the world-famous Qionghai Whale Fall was his work. Finally, there is Cai Xun, the ‘Seekless Taoist.’ Like you, he is a master of portraiture. Though his work may not be as ‘realistic’ as yours, it is lifelike enough that no one under heaven can surpass him. The official portraits of the current Emperor and Empress were his handiwork.”

Shen Danxin listened intently, memorizing the three names. She then asked, “Why is this Cai Xun called the ‘Seekless Taoist’?”

Song Mingjue, looking as if she’d finally asked a sensible question, explained patiently, “Among the three, this Seekless Taoist is the most skilled; even the Empress favors him. Regarding Cai Xun, legend has it he was originally a wandering Taoist from a small temple. He had the fortune to be hiding on a mountain peak and witnessed the earth-shattering Battle of Guanlan. Afterward, he painted for three days and nights without rest, producing the world-shaking Map of a Thousand Armies. With that, he ascended to heaven, becoming a peerless talent sought after by every scholar and artist in the land.”

Song Mingyue spared her enthusiastic brother a dull glance. That battle, with its countless casualties and devastation, had directly led to the Jin Dynasty’s ruin. If not for that, even if their father, Emperor Song Hui, had been ever so profligate, the Song Dynasty would not have collapsed so swiftly.

Shen Danxin, however, listened with relish. After a moment’s thought, she asked, “How old is this Seekless Taoist?”

Song Mingjue was taken aback, then said, “He should be over sixty.”

“What is his temperament?”

“Why do you ask?” Song Mingyue asked with a slight frown of suspicion.

“Ah, these pedantic old men who live to that age always have some small hobbies. If I want to gain his favor as quickly as possible, should I not take a shortcut and cater to his interests?” Shen Danxin was working out her own little scheme.

Song Mingyue looked at Song Mingjue; her brother was good in every way, but he was too simple-minded and lacked guile, which was why he had never gained the favor of the masters at the Scholars’ Academy. While his status played a part, he simply never paid attention to details like Cai Xun’s “hobbies.”

As expected, Song Mingjue pondered for a long while before shaking his head with a helpless, bitter smile. “These Three Masters all maintain an air of high integrity both inside and outside the palace. I have never heard of them having any ‘small hobbies’.”

“Fine, fine.” Shen Danxin, seeing he couldn’t produce so much as a squeak after all that thinking, stopped pressing him. “Don’t you worry about it; I can see you’re not cut out for this. Tomorrow at that Qingmo Academy, you just handle the introduction. Leave the talking to me.”

Song Mingjue returned to his own room, looking a bit sullen. Song Mingyue, while tidying the bed, stole a glance at Shen Danxin, who sat alone at the tea table with her brow furrowed in thought. Her mind turned several times before she spoke: “Do not overthink this matter. All things are determined by fate; your willingness to help me this much is already an act of heavenly mercy.”

Shen Danxin looked at her graceful silhouette with its “curvy” grace and said with a squinty-eyed grin, “What ‘fate’? I don’t like that talk. As they say, ‘Success is determined by human effort; my fate is determined by me, not the heavens.’ If you feel you owe me, how about you ‘repay me with your body’ after we succeed?”

This time, Song Mingyue didn’t even bother to glare at her. She smacked her forehead, sighed, and ignored her.

Early the next morning, Song Mingjue knocked on the door.

Song Mingyue didn’t say it, but her heart was uneasy. For once, she didn’t hold Shen Danxin’s “lewd” comments from the night before against her; she even personally straightened the girl’s clothes. This made Shen Danxin think she’d taken the wrong medicine, leaving her on edge all morning.

As the two were about to depart, Song Mingyue stood in the courtyard like a snow-blossoming plum clear, cold, and proud.

She said softly, “Return safely.”