It was in the late hours of morning and the once bustling Canvas academy was now entirely silent like an abandoned house. At the back of the pavilions there came the sound of someone slapping fabric with a small log of wood. Mu Zixin was doing laundry alone. Beside him there were wooden pails full of clean water. On the ground there were still several pieces of cloth that hadn't come into contact with water.
Mu Zixin paused a little and dipped his tiny hand in the water and scooped some water and brought it near his nose. He sniffed the scent of the water greedily and close his eyes to digest the scent.
'Shifu will definitely like this,'he thought and smiled. He knew how much Shen Wu loved it how fragrant the clothes would be and Mu Zixin was just as pleased to fulfill his desires.
*****
Shen Wu was busy painting something while humming a tune. Now that his senior brother and disciples were gone he was in charge of the academy. Although there was really nothing much to manage,he still had to act like a watchman providing security to the academy's belongings. He had locked the main gate intending to prevent disturbance from the world outside. Yin Yue was always the one having guests over because of his large social circle.
Shen Wu was completely engrossed in curving patterns on the rice paper with his brush when the corner of his eye caught a red silhouette. He instinctively looked up and saw an approaching female figure in a red dress. The woman's dress was evidently revealing her tempting collarbone,her hair was tied up by a red flowery ribbon. Her hands were covered with red fingerless gloves. A thin silvery thing cinched her insanely tiny waist which Shen Wu recognized as a sword at first glance. He didn't have to ask how she got in ,he was sure she definitely jumped over the wall.
When her face became clearer in his eyes,she was already standing a few inches away from him while leaning on the table. Shen Wu froze on his seat,his knees weakened as he watched the intruder study his painting with interest.
"You draw even better than those fucking painters my father invited to the palace,"Yang Zhi said smiling mischievously.
He had painted Yang Zhi's face so perfectly from his own memory of her. The fact that Shen Wu wanted to hide that he could draw humans even more perfectly than those goddamn trees and flowers he usually painted ,had been exposed.
"I came to see your brother but now I think there's no need to seek him after all. You can work perfectly as well,"Yang Zhi said smiling mysteriously.
"What do you mean?"Shen Wu asked confused by her words.
"I want you to paint another portrait of me,"She started.
"I don't paint humans,"Shen Wu retorted.
"Then what is this?"Yang Zhi snorted in disbelief,"Is this a dog?" she raised her voice pointing her finger at the portrait of hers in display
"I was just giving it a try,"Shen Wu lied looking her straight in the eye. His gaze was confident intending to affirm his message.
Yang Zhi laughed mockingly at his statement before responding "Let me tell you a very interesting anecdote,"she started without waiting for his approval,"Some years ago the Ink Immortal took in two very talented disciples. One was older and talented and the younger was much more talented. The older was passionate about getting his talent recognized by people but his younger brother who was way perfect than him seemed to pose a threat against his prosperity. The younger was attached to him and was willing to do anything to keep their brotherly bond. Since he was sure he was the cause of his senior brother's insecurities,he sacrificed himself and let his talent go to waste allowing his brother to outdo him. He began painting nature and let his brother dominate painting portraits of influential people so he he could fulfill his wish of becoming popular. Do you think what the younger disciple is doing is good or not?"Yang Zhi queried her lips twisting into a smirk. He carefully gazed at Shen Wu studying his reaction.
"Well Your Highness I just prefer painting nature than people,"Shen Wu replied politely. He stood up and began assembling his painting utensils from the table,"Your Highness if you have nothing else to say,you may leave."
"If you help me I will keep your little secret of painting people,"Yang Zhi continued in a persuasive tone but Shen Wu still ignored her.
In a spur of moment,Shen Wu heard something cold under his V shaped chin and then his gaze fell shortly on the long slender sword Yang Zhi was holding out.
"I dressed like this hoping to seduce your senior brother to do something for me but with you I think I will skip the seduction part. If you don't do what I want my sword will kiss your beautiful face,"Yang Zhi threatened him pronouncing the words sexily. She wasn't the same fierce general anymore. Right now she portrayed herself as a pure vessel of seduction.
Shen Wu held the tip of the sword between his forefinger and middle finger and pushed it slowly away from his face.
"No need to use violence,"Shen Wu said politely. With his martial arts skills he was able to retaliate against her and even defeat her but he chose to settle for harmony.
"What portrait do you want me to paint?" He finally asked.
"I want you to paint a picture of me naked,"Yang Zhi revealed shamelessly.
"What?!"Shen Wu yelped in surprise.
"Have you ever seen a woman naked? Should I show you so you can draw perfectly?"She continued shamelessly.
"N- No need for that because I can't draw something like that,"Shen Wu rebuffed embarrassed by the conversation.
"My breasts are small and I have a mole on my left breast..."
"I don't need the details..."Shen Wu interrupted raising his voice. He couldn't bear how indecent their conversation was.
"Just paint many copies and supply them everywhere and make sure they reach the Huang State. I will pay you handsomely,"Yang Zhi concluded unbothered by how uncomfortable Shen Wu.
Having spent most of his life living with Yin Yue,Shen Wu had practiced decency all along avoiding erotic talks and actions. He couldn't deny it was something he was into but for the sake of his senior brother and his deceased Shifu he had tried to maintain a good reputation.
"And oh by the way don't you painters always have fancy names for your paintings? Give it one too. I'd appreciate that,"Yang Zhi said and turned on her heel to leave but what Shen Wu said next made her stop in her tracks.
"Are you doing all this to make sure you don't get married to the Huang prince?"Shen Wu paused,"Why don't you find someone eligible to act as your fiancé so you could avoid the engagement?"
"I'm fine with the choice I made,"Yang Zhi replied subtly and walked away leaving Shen Wu in a slight daze. He was snapped out of his trance when Mu Zixin walked in.
"Shifu can you come and help me fetch more water?" Mu Zixin requested. The little boy was very timid and definitely afraid of wells.
"I'll do that but before that can you lend me some of those erotic novels you usually read behind my back?" Shen Wu asked with a playful smile.
"How do you know I read those kind of novels?"Mu Zixin's large doe eyes widened in disbelief,"Shifu have you also developed an interest for such novels?"Mu Zixin asked delightedly still surprised by his master's request.
"I want to check something there,"Shen Wu replied embarrassed by his own words.
In a minute the little boy ran to his room, lifted the mattress taking out two novels and brought them to his master.
Shen Wu kept his end of the deal even if he didn't agree to it by himself because Yang Zhi made it seem like a command. He painted several portraits of Yang Zhi consisting of her pretty face and her upper naked body. He couldn't deny he cringed while adding the details Yang Zhi described like the mole on the left breast but he did it anyway. He emphasized more on her facial expression- her lips were slightly parted like she was in immense pleasure.
It was an example he derived from the pictorial novel Mu Zixin brought him. In the twenty two years he had lived ,he had never seen a woman naked but with his skills the painting turned out good. The name of the painting - a Boudoir Portrait of the Lustful Princess . Within a few hours of the mysterious official release,the portraits spread faster than a forest fire. Men scrambled to earn even a torn piece of the portrait. A portrait was enough to drive them crazy, evoking sexual desire and many would end up sleeping with the portrait by their side imagining they were bedding Yang Zhi herself to give themselves sexual pleasure.