Don't get me wrong—Shengtu Hao wasn't merely putting on an act. He really had plenty of learning in him. Along the way, he led us through courtyards and darted down alleyways. Whenever we came across a room or courtyard hung with fine calligraphy or paintings, he took us there in person and described every piece like the treasures of his own household.
Not only that, he could name the origins of every painting, who had written or drawn it, and the stories behind it. Ask him anything, and he would recite the answer like a playback machine. I couldn't help clicking my tongue in amazement at Shengtu Hao.
"His Majesty the Imperial Younger Brother studied the classics diligently from childhood, and his calligraphy and painting are quite accomplished as well. Many of my subjects take pride in receiving one of his paintings or calligraphic works, offering them as an attendant in their homes while incense burns before them day and night. I know a little about the arts myself, and I find them quite good. It's just that the Xingwen Household is even more skilled in this field, stealing much of His Majesty the Imperial Younger Brother's thunder, isn't it? But now that the Xingwen Household has fallen, from this day onward, in the arts of calligraphy and painting, His Majesty the Imperial Younger Brother is unquestionably the peak of the clouds." Shengtu Wushuang laughed.
She had always spoken lazily and bluntly, often deliberately putting people in an awkward position. The implication here was, of course, that her younger brother's skill was inferior to others', and that he had used this opportunity to uproot the entire family. Her words made Shengtu Hao leap up and say, "Elder Imperial Sister, you're wronging me! I've said more than once in front of