Cuddling with the Cold Female Protagonist – Chapter 27

Volume 2: The Captivating Splendor of Jingdu

Statue

Ji Qingchi carried the jade ruyi back, constantly pondering where she had misspoken.

She thought carefully all night and felt that she hadn’t been considerate enough. She had been focused on Su Yi being appreciated, not realizing that Su Yi might not actually want appreciation; she only wanted silver.

            

Recalling Su Yi’s unhappy expression while fiddling with the jade ruyi, Ji Qingchi chuckled inwardly. In just a few days, how had Su Yi become such a little money-grubber?

Having figured it out, she prepared a bellyful of words to redeem her image as a considerate fulang. The next morning, upon waking and meeting Su Yi’s eyes, before she could speak, Su Yi, with bright, shining eyes, said to her, “Fulang, I will have someone make printable carvings today.”

“Qizhu…”

            

“Yan Can, quickly go find that carpenter from last time.”

As she deliberated how to begin speaking, Su Yi had already happily dressed and gone out the door to call for someone.

Staring at the closed door, Ji Qingchi said after a long while, “Isn’t she supposed to be ill? How can she move so quickly?”

            

Because Su Yi was someone who acted immediately upon thinking of something, her ability to take action was very high.

She said she wanted to make carved printing blocks, and immediately had someone invite the carpenter.

Writing characters in reverse wasn’t difficult, but drawing was not so simple. Su Yi thought for a moment and had Yan Can buy thin bamboo paper, almost transparent. After drawing something, one could clearly see what the drawing was from the back. The carpenter, looking at the back, could achieve the same effect when carving.

            

Bamboo paper was good, but it was too thin. If the artist’s skill wasn’t good, it was easy to apply too much pressure and pierce the paper.

Su Yi called the carpenter over and only then remembered that she couldn’t draw. So, she called everyone in her courtyard and asked if anyone could draw.

The serving maids and young male servants all shook their heads. They couldn’t even recognize characters, let alone draw. After asking around, only Ji Qingchi and Feng Ruoqing could.

            

But drawing was different from writing. One painting would take a long time. Su Yi looked at the two of them apologetically, “I have to trouble you two again.”

Ji Qingchi gave her a flirtatious glance, “What are you saying, Qizhu? You and I are husband and wife as one, saying such things is too formal.”

Feng Ruoqing also shook her head, “Miss Feng regards me as an honored guest, so naturally I should reciprocate.”

            

Ignoring Ji Qingchi’s overly affectionate look, Su Yi forced a sincere smile and said, “Then I’ll leave it to you. I want a portrait of myself, a few commonly used New Year pictures [年画 | niánhuà | traditional Chinese New Year woodblock prints], and for the rest, you can draw whatever you like.”

Ji Qingchi was the female protagonist; high martial arts skill and mastery of the “qin, chess, calligraphy, and painting” [琴棋书画 | qín qí shū huà | common accomplishments of the learned elite] were already standard. Su Yi wasn’t surprised. But Feng Ruoqing, who was said to be a folk doctor, also had exquisite painting skills. Her brushstrokes were controlled and fluid, producing lifelike paintings effortlessly, leaving Su Yi stunned.

“Feng-guniang’s painting skills are truly excellent. Did you specifically study them?”

            

Feng Ruoqing smiled slightly, “Just a pastime to cultivate my temperament.”

Su Yi stood beside Feng Ruoqing, watching her finish two New Year pictures popular among the people of the Yanxue Kingdom, and then continue to paint plum blossoms and orchids, watching with great interest. “Feng-guniang is truly amazing.”

Because she was standing next to Feng Ruoqing, her maids and servants were all behind her, so a large group of people gathered around Feng Ruoqing.

            

In contrast, only Gan Cao, who was grinding ink for her, stood by Ji Qingchi’s side. It was extremely desolate.

Ji Qingchi, with a cold face, practically made her brush dance, creating a blur of motion, which made Gan Cao very excited, clapping her hands and saying, “Zhujun is so amazing!”

Ji Qingchi sneered, “Being praised while painting only disrupts one’s train of thought. Focus on grinding the ink.”

            

Gan Cao quickly shut her mouth, “Yes.”

The two painted for a day, producing sixteen paintings.

Feng Ruoqing painted five, and the rest were all by Ji Qingchi, and each one was of high quality.

            

Feng Ruoqing held the paintings, looking at Ji Qingchi in surprise, “Chi-gongzi [公子 | gōngzǐ | Young master or sir (respectful)] is truly remarkable. I am humbled.”

Su Yi was also surprised. She hadn’t realized the female protagonist was so productive; this was even more impressive than a landlord’s old ox. If the female protagonist were in the modern era, she would definitely out-compete everyone.

“Fulang, you’ve worked hard.”

            

“It wasn’t hard work.” Ji Qingchi smiled faintly, “If no one had been talking while Feng-guniang was painting, she would surely have painted even more than me.”

Feng Ruoqing felt something was odd about this statement. After glancing at Su Yi beside her, she understood and smiled, “No, Chi-gongzi is remarkable. Even if I were completely focused, I wouldn’t be able to reach Chi-gongzi’s level.”

Su Yi also felt something was strange about this remark, but she didn’t dwell on it. As usual, she praised Ji Qingchi a few times.

            

Her praises were all clichés. Ji Qingchi’s smile didn’t reach her eyes, “This slave thanks Qizhu for the affirmation.”

Su Yi saw that she didn’t seem unhappy, so she didn’t bother further. After the paintings dried, she had Yan Can call the carpenter over.

Printing pictures commonly used multi-color printing, which involved dividing the picture into several small parts, carving them out, printing the colors, and then assembling those parts to print the complete image.

            

This printing method took a lot of time. Su Yi handed the paintings to the carpenter and explained what kind of carving she needed. The middle-aged woman held the paintings, looking a little troubled.

Su Yi asked, “Is it difficult to carve these pictures?”

“No, no, I’ve been doing this for decades. These pictures aren’t difficult.” Fearful of losing the opportunity to earn money, the carpenter quickly explained, “But I have a cousin, also a carpenter, whose family is poor and also hopes to get some work from Miss.”

            

Su Yi offered generous compensation. Last time she helped her carve wooden boards for a day, the money she received was equivalent to what she would normally earn in a year. There was no reason for her to refuse such a generous client.

Seeing that Su Yi didn’t speak, the carpenter said nervously, “My cousin’s family is poor and needs to support seven or eight people. She heard that Miss here needs wood carving done and asked me to inquire whether Miss still needs a carpenter.”

They were all from the same clan and had to worship their ancestors together during festivals, so she didn’t want to make things too awkward and agreed to ask for her.

            

Su Yi listened without answering and glanced at Yan Can.

Yan Can quickly whispered in her ear, “Miss, I’ve inquired. This carpenter’s surname is Li [李 | Lǐ], named Li Chun [椿 | Chūn]. There are indeed two carpenters surnamed Li on this street, but the other one is said to be slow and their work is not good.”

Su Yi nodded and had Yan Can give her twenty wen [文 | wén | a traditional Chinese monetary unit; 20 wén ≈ a negligible amount in this context], “Have your cousin carve something at random and bring it to me to see how it is, then I’ll decide whether to hire her. This twenty wen is her payment.”

            

Li Chun quickly bowed, “Thank you, Miss, thank you, Miss.”

Su Yi was willing to give her a chance instead of directly refusing, which made it less awkward for the carpenter to talk to her cousin.

Li Chun was very grateful. She was just a small craftsperson, yet Su Yi was willing to be considerate of her feelings. Of all the clients she had encountered, only Su Yi had been so thoughtful.

            

“This humble one will take my leave now and will certainly carve well, not disappointing Miss’s expectations.”

Li Chun, filled with gratitude, worked quickly and sincerely. Five days later, she delivered the carved items.

In contrast, her cousin only carved a few auspicious characters and had the carpenter deliver them after six days.

            

Su Yi looked at the piece of shoddy wood, sitting in her wheelchair and rubbing her temples, considering how to say something without hurting anyone’s feelings.

Ji Qingchi, seeing the piece of wood, smiled and asked Li Chun, “Do you have any extra wood on you?”

“Yes, yes.” Li Chun took out a small piece of wood from her bundle, about the size of an adult’s palm. “I apologize, Gongzi. I only like to carry small pieces of wood when I go out, carving whatever I see—carve—this is too small. Should I go back and get some more?”

            

“No need, this is just right.” Ji Qingchi took it, had Yan Can fetch a dagger, weighed it in her hand, grabbed the wood, and began to carve.

As wood shavings flew, a statue of a fairy presenting a peach of longevity appeared before their eyes.

Li Chun exclaimed in surprise, “Gongzi’s carving skills are so good! This humble one cannot carve such a beautiful statue in such a short time.”

            

“Take this to your cousin,” Ji Qingchi smiled and handed her the statue. “Tell her this was carved by an ordinary backyard zhujun of the Su residence.”

Li Chun quickly put it away, “Yes, I will certainly convey Zhujun’s words.”

Even a backyard zhujun, who never did manual labor, could carve such a beautiful statue. As a professional carpenter, how could she have the nerve to only carve a few characters on a piece of shoddy wood?

            

Although there was no direct rejection, it would make her feel ashamed.

Sure enough, after Li Chun brought the item back to her cousin Li Qifu [李七福 | Lǐ Qīfú] and truthfully relayed Ji Qingchi’s words, Li Qifu blushed with shame.

Carpenter Li, seeing her embarrassment, persuaded, “Seventh Sister, we’re family after all. I consider you as my older sister, so listen to me. Drink less, be more diligent, and improve your skills. If your skills improve, will you still worry about not having money?”

            

Li Qifu immediately became unhappy. She was older than Li Chun, and it had always been her telling Li Chun off, not the other way around. “Of course you’d say that to me, now that you’ve gained the favor of the young miss. Go, go, go, get out! My home is broken and shabby, how can I let a great Buddha like you stay here?”

“You… Ai.” Li Chun shook her head and left, seeing that she was incorrigible.

After she left, Li Qifu held the small statue, turning it over and over. “The knife work is not bad. Selling it should fetch a few copper coins.”

            

Thinking this, she took the statue and the pears her children had picked and went to the street.

She didn’t have a stall, so she carried a basket and held up the statue, peddling along the street. “Green pears, delicious green pears. Statues, Qifu’s special, skillfully carved statues!”

After calling out a few times, a sedan chair carried by four people approached her from the opposite direction.

            

She looked enviously at the soft sedan chair made of fine silk. As it was about to pass her, a fair hand suddenly reached out. “Stop the sedan chair.”

The sedan chair bearers lowered the sedan chair, and a gentle and refined gongzi stepped out.

Li Qifu had never seen such a beautiful gongzi. While she was still in a daze, she heard him glance at her and ask indifferently, “Are you a carpenter?”

            

Li Qifu came to her senses, “Yes, yes, yes.”

“Let me see the statue in your hand.”

Li Qifu hurriedly handed it over.

            

The gongzi turned the statue over and over, examined it carefully, and nodded. “Not bad, very good craftsmanship. I’d like you to help me carve some things, would that be possible?”

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