Nightfall

Those Days in the Study With Three Idiots

Translator: TransN  Editor: TransN

“It’s a pity there are only five characters, it isn’t enough to satisfy me.” The emperor held his wife’s hand and said with a sigh and face full of regret. “They did not dare to say it to my face, but you know well that I have only the ability to appreciate good works. But… I am lacking in the writing department.”

“I tried the Double-hook method yesterday, but it’s not even close enough to those five characters.” The empress smiled and suggested, “Your Majesty, if it pleases you, you can get every official proficient in calligraphy to try it.”

The emperor patted her hand and laughed gaily before shaking his head. “It seems that you’re the only one who understands me. I have already forced those old fogeys to stay back after court. They are writing in the imperial study right now. I have said to them, it mattered not if their granddaughter was having a birthday celebration or if their son was marrying today. I will not let them leave until they can write the characters exactly as the way they are.”

Some rather interesting events had happened in the palace recently for the seven words, “The flower blooms on the shore astride”. However, no matter how much the emperor had enjoyed the calligraphy; it was simply a pastime for him. In order not to get the censor harping on him, His Majesty had not ordered any of the departments in court to join the search, but only sent out men to search secretly throughout Chang’an. He had also told a few subjects that he was close to and ordered for them to keep a lookout for him.

Several months had passed and the most famous bookstores and galleries of Chang’an had already been searched. The most famous calligraphy artist had been summoned and questioned, but yet, the secretive calligraphy artist who had left those words could not be found. In fact, several famed calligraphy artists could not even understand the style the phrase was written in.

The main reason for the situation at hand was that these people could not think out of the box.

From the Emperor of Tang, the officials studying the calligraphy in the imperial study to the calligraphy artists on the streets. Everyone looked at the masterful strokes of the brush, the imposing characters, the quiet strength and beauty with hidden pride in the characters that looked almost alive in awe. To these people who could not stop praising the work of art, the author of this mysterious piece must be a calligraphy master who had been living in seclusion. Someone who could write a piece of such caliber must be a cultivator who had come from a long line of calligraphers. Why would he sell his works on the streets?

And because they already had this impression, no one visited the Scent Workshop and questioned the poor scholars who sold their calligraphy writings there. Nobody visited the streets and alleys and asked for newly opened galleries as well. As such, nobody connected the dots between the recent ruckuses in the imperial study with the Old Brush Pen Shop in Lin 47th Street.

One day, tourists from the Great River Kingdom detoured into Lin 47th Street in the Eastern City after visiting the Chang’an Palace. They walked into what looked like a normal shop selling normal calligraphy.

They stood with their hands behind their backs and looked at the average looking works hanging on the walls and could not help but furrow their brows and shake their heads. It was then when their eyes brightened and one exclaimed, “It is true that they say there are hidden masters everywhere in Chang’an of Tang. They have such quality writings even in a random small shop by the streets… Young lady, is your boss around?”

Sangsang was eating her chicken noodles. She lifted her tanned face and smiled, “My boss isn’t around. If you’re asking for the price, this Zhongtang calligraphy is worth three thousand gold pieces. No discounts.”