Night had fallen by then, and the people who had followed the procession to watch the excitement had gradually dispersed.
There was no curfew in the Capital City, but soldiers still patrolled late at night, and ordinary people had no wish to invite trouble for no reason.
"Husband, why did His Majesty suddenly reward you with so many paintings and calligraphy works?" Ye Buhui asked in a lowered voice as she accompanied him inside.
Su Ziji gazed at the flames blazing in the brazier. Only after a long while did he say, "Perhaps His Majesty was pleased because I copied the Thousand Blessings Painting for him?"
Seeing Ye Buhui's almond-shaped eyes widen slightly, half believing and half doubting him, Su Ziji chuckled and reassured her, "It's nothing serious. Your husband can handle it."
After watching Ye Buhui leave, he turned and headed for the collection room.
The collection room was actually a courtyard that housed the various paintings and calligraphy works he had gathered recently. Since today's batch had been bestowed by the emperor, it had been placed in the most central room.
It was an elegant room, its ceiling and walls covered in mulberry-bark paper and filled with bookshelves and cabinets. When Su Ziji entered, Jian Qu had just finished inspecting the works. Seeing him, Jian Qu said, "My lord, Eunuch Zhao delivered a hundred and fifteen pieces of painting and calligraphy. Every one is a treasure!"
The excitement still lingering on Jian Qu's face made it clear that these had to be outstanding works. Otherwise, they would hardly have stirred the heart of a fellow scholar who was not particularly interested in collecting art.
"Each piece is worth more than a hundred taels. This reward amounts to over ten thousand taels altogether. Unfortunately, they cannot be converted into