Longevity

Meanwhile, Prince Xin was sitting by the window, feeling troubled, when suddenly his trusted steward, Li, quietly entered, carrying a brocade box and a scroll.

"Your Highness, the other day, Yun-ge from the Jia family sent over a transcribed copy of the Tao Te Ching. He also included this item, saying it was a small token of his appreciation, which might bring a smile to Your Highness's face," Steward Li reported in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Prosecutor Chen's spirits lifted. The image of the boy whose handwriting resembled his own, yet possessed a touch of stubbornness and intelligence, instantly came to mind.

He first opened the brocade box, inside which was a copy of the Tao Te Ching waiting to be bound.

Upon unfolding it, the gold-flecked calligraphy was neat and beautiful, with profound inner strength and a dignified style. It was indeed seven or eight parts similar to my usual handwriting, only more refined and skillful.

If one doesn't examine it closely, the emperor might actually think that he himself had painstakingly copied it.

"It's admirable that he put in so much effort." Prosecutor Chen nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction in his eyes.

This young man is indeed prudent in his actions.

Then Prince Xin took out a bound copy of the Tao Te Ching from the table and compared it with his own. Sure enough, Jia Yun's handwriting was more like his own.

"Go and give him this copy of the Tao Te Ching, which has been blessed by Master Zhang Guoxiang of Longhu Mountain, so that he won't accuse me of not paying the deposit."

This thing is good, but for Prince Xin, the sentiment is more important.

As soon as he finished speaking, Prosecutor Chen's gaze fell on the scroll.

Upon unfolding it, he was stunned.

This is not an ordinary ink painting, but a pattern drawn with charcoal.

The painting depicts tables, chairs, bookshelves, chests, and other objects, but the style is quite peculiar.

The lines are simple and smooth, without any embellishment. The focus is on the interweaving of structures and the interplay of solid and void. Some parts are even marked as being detachable and reassembleable, which is quite different from all the furniture styles he usually sees, exuding an indescribable novelty.

"What is this...?" Chen Jianchu frowned slightly when he first saw it. He really couldn't appreciate this "strange" style.

But after looking closely for a moment, a sudden inspiration struck him—Brother!

Your Majesty loves woodworking, especially studying these ingenious structures! Although these designs do not conform to traditional rules, their ingenious conception, especially those parts that can be disassembled and changed, is exactly what Your Majesty likes.

If this scripture and this picture are presented together, the scripture shows sincerity and the picture shows ingenuity. This birthday gift can be described as both elegant and tasteful, and it will be more appreciated by the Holy One than presenting a scripture alone!

His gaze fell once again on the slightly rough lines drawn with charcoal.

He had never seen this style of painting before. Unlike the subtlety and restraint of brush calligraphy, it was direct and precise, especially adept at depicting the structure of objects. This young man not only had beautiful handwriting, but also possessed such unique painting skills and ingenuity?

For a moment, the frustration accumulated due to the political situation and marriage was somewhat relieved, and he developed a genuine curiosity about the young man named Jia Yun that went beyond mere "ghostwriting".

"This Jia Yun... is quite interesting," he murmured, stroking the novel lines on the drawing.

Perhaps this chance encounter will not end with just a transaction.

On the 23rd day of the 12th month of the fifth year of Tianyou (640 AD), at the Hall of Supreme Harmony in the Forbidden City.

This day was the birthday of Emperor Tianyou.

Although the grand ceremony was simplified due to the emperor's poor health, and was not as extravagant as in previous years when he received tributes from all nations, the atmosphere inside and outside the Hall of Supreme Harmony was still solemn and dignified, demonstrating the majesty of the imperial family.

At dawn, the imperial procession was arranged on the steps in front of the palace. Banners fluttered and canopies stretched like clouds. Civil and military officials, members of the imperial family, and nobles, all dressed in court attire according to their rank, stood in orderly rows below the steps, awaiting the emperor's arrival.

At the third quarter of the hour of Chen (7:45 AM), bells and drums sounded in unison, and the music of Shao (a type of ancient Chinese music) was played. Emperor Chen Xiao, dressed in a black robe with a crimson skirt and twelve embroidered patterns, and wearing a winged crown adorned with golden cicadas, slowly ascended the throne surrounded by eunuchs.

Although his face was lightly powdered, it could not hide his underlying pallor. The lingering weariness deep in his eyes was faintly visible as the tassels of his crown swayed. Several high-ranking officials noticed this and felt a chill run down their spines.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!"

The thunderous shouts of worship echoed throughout the Hall of Supreme Harmony, causing the dust on the carved beams to tremble slightly.

The emperor sat upright on the dragon throne, receiving the congratulations of his officials. He wore a proper smile and nodded to each of them. His imperial majesty allowed no room for slackening.

Looking at the sea of ​​officials below, and at the various rare treasures and auspicious gifts they presented, Chen Xiao was indeed happy.

As the emperor, it is a natural honor to enjoy the tribute from all over the country.

However, behind this clamor and glory, an unspeakable worry, like the chill of the twelfth lunar month outside the palace, quietly seeped into his heart.

Chen Xiao knew all too well that his health was declining. The Crown Prince, on the other hand, was only five years old.

Once... he dared not think too deeply, his gaze involuntarily sweeping towards that familiar figure in the prince's procession—his younger brother, Prince Xin, Chen Jian.

This child has always been respectful and law-abiding, but when faced with the temptation of supreme power, can his heart truly remain unchanged?

The tedious and lengthy court ceremony finally came to an end, and the officials withdrew in order. The emperor, supported by his eunuchs, leaned into his palanquin and returned to the warm pavilion to rest. He then began to review the list of birthday gifts and the actual items presented by the princes and important officials.

Most of them were just ordinary jade discs, ancient tripods, calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, and sandalwood longevity screens. Although they were priceless, they could hardly stir the emperor's heart.

Until he saw the two items that King Xin had presented.

First came a handwritten copy of the Tao Te Ching, on gold-flecked porcelain paper, with an extremely elegant binding. Upon closer inspection, the handwriting was slender and neat, with restrained yet vigorous strokes, remarkably similar to his younger brother's usual handwriting, only more composed.

My younger brother is becoming more and more shrewd.

But what truly caught his eye and made him involuntarily straighten up was the charcoal drawing attached to the book. It was neither traditional ink painting nor meticulous brushwork; only the firm and precise charcoal lines calmly outlined a furniture style never seen before.

These designs strangely blend ancient charm with modern ideas: the skeleton of Song-style furniture is faintly visible—the design retains the shadow of the waist and inward-turning hoof feet, and the bookshelf also has a traditional frame structure.

However, the details have been greatly improved: the complex carvings have been abandoned, leaving only smooth lines. Special attention has been paid to the interweaving of structures. The connection between the legs and crossbeams of several tables and chairs is even broken down with a clear "exploded view", showing the mortise and tenon structure that has never been seen before.

Seemingly simple, yet revealing the beauty of ingenious mechanics. The use of space is particularly ingenious; a single display cabinet is even marked as being flexibly disassembled and reassembled to adapt to different halls and pavilions.

There is also an armchair with a backrest that is carefully designed to follow the curve of the human spine, with a small note next to it detailing the angle considerations.

At first glance, these designs appear simple and unadorned, quite different from the opulent and magnificent styles favored at the time. However, upon closer inspection, they reveal a return to simplicity and understated elegance. The meticulous consideration of structure, function, and human anatomy contained within them precisely resonated with the emperor's hidden fondness for "ingenious craftsmanship."

"Brilliant! Absolutely brilliant!" The Emperor couldn't help but gently trace the charcoal marks on the drawing with his finger, his eyes shining with a light he hadn't seen in a long time. "Such ingenuity could never have come from Jian'er! Summon Prince Xin immediately!"

Before long, Prince Xin, Chen Jian, stepped inside and respectfully bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I wish you good health and a long and blessed life!"

The Emperor waved the design in his hand, his smile becoming more genuine: "Jian'er, no need for formalities. I am very pleased with this birthday gift. Especially this design, it's quite ingenious. Tell me, who created it? As for the *Tao Te Ching*, I'm afraid it wasn't written by you either, was it?"

Chen Jian felt a chill run down his spine, and at the right moment, he showed a hint of embarrassment at being exposed, so he had no choice but to answer honestly.

"Your Majesty is wise. My humble tricks cannot fool you. The scriptures were written by a young man surnamed Jia whom I met by chance. His handwriting is quite similar to mine, so I asked him to write them for me as a token of my sincerity. As for the illustrations... they were also drawn by that young man on a whim. He said they were just some extra thoughts. I found them novel and took the liberty of presenting them to Your Majesty for your perusal."

"A young man surnamed Jia?" The emperor raised an eyebrow slightly. "Could he be a member of the Ning or Rong families?"

"Your Majesty, it is indeed the Jia family lineage."

"Oh?" A hint of surprise flashed across the Emperor's eyes. "The Ning family or the Rong family? I remember their ancestors were ennobled for their military achievements; they were all people who gained fame on horseback. I never expected that such a clever and resourceful person would emerge from their descendants."

Chen Jian bowed his head and replied, "Your Majesty is wise. I am not a direct descendant of the two households, but rather... a distant branch of another household."

Upon hearing this, the emperor's interest waned, and he stopped asking questions.

Even if a distant relative has some clever ideas, they are ultimately insignificant to the overall situation.

The emperor's gaze returned to the scroll design, his heart itching with longing. After a moment's hesitation, he smiled again, pointed at his younger brother, and laughed loudly, "You, in previous years, for your birthday, you always complained that the gifts I bestowed upon you were too much and refused to accept more. Now that it's my birthday, you're willing to go to such lengths... Jian'er, today, whatever you ask for, I will grant it."

Upon hearing this, Prosecutor Chen abruptly raised his head, his eyes instantly reddening.

He knelt down with a thud, his voice choked with grief and worry: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty... Your Majesty wants nothing! Your Majesty only wishes for good health and longevity! As long as Your Majesty is well, that's better than mountains of gold and silver! Your Majesty... Your Majesty only wants you to be well!"

By the end, Prosecutor Chen's voice was trembling with emotion, and he could no longer contain himself.

This outpouring of genuine emotion was absolutely not feigned. Emperor Chen Xiao looked at his younger brother kneeling on the ground, his shoulders trembling, and recalled the times the two brothers had spent together in their childhood. Thinking of his own serious illness, he felt an overwhelming sorrow in his heart.

He rose from his seat and personally helped Chen Jian up. The two brothers held hands and looked at each other, their eyes filled with tears.

"Good...good brother...I know, I know your heart..." The emperor patted his brother's shoulder, his voice a little hoarse.

This touching scene of brotherly love and respect did not stir the slightest ripple in the eyes of Wei Zhongxian, the Grand Eunuch of the Directorate of Ceremonial and the Director of the Eastern Depot, who stood silently to the side like a shadow.