Time Is Slow - Chapter 40

Chi Can naturally didn’t mention Qiao Zhao. He said lazily, “I don’t know. Just a chance encounter, that’s all.”

The Grand Princess Changrong clearly didn’t believe him. Her vividly painted lips curled into a cold smile.

“A chance encounter, and you’d ask him for help?”

She knew her son’s temperament well. Unless someone was truly trustworthy, he would never ask for a favor.

Meeting her half-smiling, half-skeptical gaze, Chi Can suddenly felt a flicker of anger. He flung out, “If Mother doesn’t believe me, then so be it,” and turned to leave.

He hadn’t begged anyone for help. That girl had offered herself, thank you very much.

As her son’s figure disappeared through the doorway, the smile on the Grand Princess’s lips faded. Suddenly, she raised her hand and—rip!—tore the “Duck Playing in the Water” painting in front of her.

Even Dongyu, the palace attendant who was long used to the Grand Princess’s unpredictable moods, couldn’t help exclaiming.

“Your Highness—!”

Out in the corridor, Chi Can suddenly halted mid-step. He turned sharply and strode back into the study.

He stood by the door, his face like a sheet of ice, his gaze locked on the torn half of the painting in his mother’s hand. The cold radiated from him like a winter storm.

Behind him, Taosheng quietly retreated several steps, pretending to be invisible.

Chi Can said nothing. He simply stared at the Grand Princess.

His features were exquisitely refined, and even in fury, he carried an unmatched elegance.

The Grand Princess met his eyes, feeling a sting in her chest. She tossed the ruined painting at his feet and said coolly, “Since it’s a forgery, no matter how well it’s done, I don’t care for it. You should understand that, Can’er.”

Chi Can stood there for a while. His pale face gradually flushed with anger. He bent down, picked up the torn painting, and said softly, “Yes. I understand.”

Clutching the painting tightly, he turned and stormed out. The door slammed shut with a bang, loud enough to make the carved sandalwood brush holder on the desk tremble.

The room fell into deathly silence.

After a long moment, Dongyu spoke cautiously, “Your Highness… was that really necessary?”

In this entire vast residence, only Dongyu dared speak such words to the Grand Princess.

She remained silent for a long time. Her lowered lashes trembled slightly. Then she asked, “What, are you taking his side now?”

“I wouldn’t dare. It’s just… it’s obvious you care deeply for the young master—”
So why make things between mother and son so tense and painful?

But Dongyu didn’t dare say the rest aloud.

The Grand Princess waved her hand, her tone drained of interest.

“Go. I want to be alone.”

Dongyu bowed and quietly exited, closing the door behind her.

Back at his own residence, Chi Can stormed in and swept a gilded beauty-shaped incense burner off the side table with one hand.

Taosheng, quick as lightning, caught the precious burner mid-air and cradled it in his arms, breathing a silent sigh of relief. He tiptoed to place it far from his volatile master before returning with a forced smile.

“Young Master, would you like some tea?”

“No!” Chi Can strode over to the table and sat down, spreading out the painting he’d been holding all this time.

The Grand Princess hadn’t held back at all. This “Duck Playing in the Water” copy was so lifelike it could’ve passed for the original, priceless if sold outside. Now it lay before him in torn shreds, like a body pulled apart by five horses.

Bit by bit, Chi Can pieced the fragments back together, gently smoothing over the torn edges.

Taosheng stood nearby, clearly sensing his master’s bad mood. He let out a quiet sigh and offered, “Young Master, if you like, I can check the antique market. Maybe we’ll get lucky and find an original work by Master Qiao.”

“No need,” Chi Can rejected flatly. His eyes were fixed on the broken bridge in the painting, dark and deep, revealing nothing of his emotions.

Taosheng craned his neck to look at the ruined “Duck Playing in the Water” painting, inwardly feeling indignant on his master’s behalf. The Grand Princess is really too unreasonable. The young master had accidentally damaged Mr. Qiao’s painting and, fearing the Grand Princess would be upset, had gone all the way to Jiafeng to ask for a new one. And now that he’d brought it back, she tore it up without hesitation.

Tsk tsk, what kind of mother is this, so temperamental?

Taosheng sneaked a glance at Chi Can and thought of something.

No wonder the young master’s temper has gotten more unpredictable too. Birds of a feather, I suppose…

“What a pity,” Chi Can murmured.

Taosheng cautiously observed his expression and suggested.

“Why don’t you ask the gentleman who painted it to do another one?”

“Gentleman?” The usually cold-faced Chi Can suddenly showed a shift in expression. He raised an eyebrow and glanced sideways at Taosheng.

That glance nearly made Taosheng’s knees give out.

Young Master… those eyes are too pretty to be used like that!

Still hopelessly entranced by his master’s looks, Taosheng gave a silly grin.

“If you just tell me where the gentleman is, I’ll take care of it for you!”

“You want to go?” Chi Can asked.

Taosheng nodded earnestly to show his loyalty.

“Don’t even think about it!” For some reason, Chi Can suddenly smiled. But when his gaze landed on the shredded painting again, the smile faded, and his expression finally softened a little.

“Bring me a good-quality case.”

“Right away.”

Taosheng, quick on the uptake (as any personal attendant of Chi Can must be), soon returned with a fine long case made of sandalwood.

Chi Can took one last look at the “Duck Playing in the Water” painting, then carefully placed the torn fragments into the box.

Taosheng held out his hands, expecting his master to hand over the case. However, to his surprise, Chi Can stood up and stored it away himself.

When he saw the blank look on his servant’s face, Chi Can’s own expression hardened. 

“You are not to speak of this to anyone.”

After a pause, he added, “Especially Zhu Wu and Yang Er.”

Taosheng raised a hand to his mouth, miming zipping his lips shut, and vowed loudly.

“I’ll take this to the grave!”

Chi Can: “…”

This little fool…

And yet, strangely, his mood had lifted a bit.

Well, maybe there’ll be a chance in the future to have that girl paint another one. It was ruined, after all.

Outside the city, on the official road in the outskirts of the capital, a young man in white galloped at full speed. Trees and blooming shrubs on both sides of the road blurred into streaks as he passed, as if no scenery—no matter how beautiful—could make him pause.

At a bend in the road, he suddenly leapt from horseback, drawing the long blade at his waist and swinging it toward a nearby spot.

With a sharp whinny from the white horse and the crisp ring of clashing steel, a man dressed in black emerged from behind a tree.

The young man in white had eyes as dark as obsidian, as if carved from mountain snow-fed crystals—clear and deep. His gaze landed calmly on the man in black.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“You’ve been following me since I left the city, haven’t you?”

The man in black sheathed his sword and smiled.

“You misunderstand, sir. I just happened to be passing by.”

The young man’s gaze dropped to the man’s hand, the one that had just sheathed the sword. His lips thinned slightly, and he raised an eyebrow. 

“You’re a Jin Lin Guard?”

The man in black looked surprised. Seeing the young man’s calm demeanor, he gave up on lying and chuckled frankly.

“The general has sharp eyes. How did you recognize me?”

“Your grip on the blade.”

Shao Mingyuan’s voice was cool as he glanced at the long sword on the man’s waist.

“Even though you carry a sword, the angle and stance of your draw are only suitable for one weapon—the Xiuchun Dao.”

Having said that, Shao Mingyuan gave him a long, steady look.

“Now, will you tell me why you’ve been following me?”