After several glasses of wine, Jiang Li didn't want to drink anymore. There were no side dishes when drinking wine, and there were no beautiful dancers massaging his shoulders and legs. Such wine and food were tasteless, and it was not a pity to throw it away.
Putting down the wine cup in his hand, Jiang Li turned around and went to the inner room to pack up the painting scrolls, brushes, ink paint, and other painting tools.
Staring at Jiang Li's back, Zhao Gao's lips curled into a smile. He shook the wine bottle and examined the clear wine that was rippling in it.
" Li 'er, don't blame Uncle for using such a method. It's really because you don't understand Uncle's good intentions. I think with your extraordinary wisdom, intelligence, and eloquence, you'll definitely be able to turn danger into safety. You'll be able to rise to glory and soar high.”Zhao Gao muttered softly, his cold eyes flashing with anticipation.
After about 15 minutes, Jiang Li appeared with a bamboo basket on his back. The bamboo basket was filled with scrolls, brushes, ink, and other painting tools.
"Let's go. The sooner we finish painting, the sooner we can wrap up!" Jiang Li looked at his uncle and asked him to lead the way. He wanted to leave early and come back early.
After drinking all the wine in the wine goblet, Zhao Gao strode forward and led Jiang Li to the main hall of Ganquan Palace.
After exiting the pavilion, the dazzling sunlight was the first to fall, making one feel warm and comfortable.
Following behind Zhao Gao, Jiang Li had nothing to do. He kept observing his uncle's eunuch uniform. After looking at it for a long time, he felt that it was okay. His cheap uncle's eunuch clothes were very loose, divided into upper and lower clothes.
The upper garment referred to the upper half of the official uniform, and the lower garment referred to the lower half of the official uniform. It was equivalent to the upper garment and the lower garment. However, the upper garment was connected to the lower garment and could not be separated separately.
In general, this eunuch uniform was very imposing. The colors were a mixture of red and black, with golden embroidered silk patterns. The sleeves were very long and swayed with every step. Other than the boots, the rest of the lower body could be seen hidden in the official uniform.
Not long after, they arrived at the main hall of Ganquan Palace.
It was an extremely huge palace. It was built on the steps and seemed to be made of gold, jade, and rosewood.
The golden windowsill, the green reflective tiles, and the red window and the main door were all magnificent and dignified.
Jiang Li raised his head and looked at the white stone steps that were going up diagonally, as well as the guards and maids who were standing respectfully on both sides of the steps and not moving at all. He felt that he had learned a lot.
Climbing the white stone steps and passing by Zhunduo's guards and maids, Jiang Li noticed that they had their heads slightly lowered. They didn't even look up at strangers.
Obviously, the guards and maids who had lived in the palace for a long time knew how to survive in the palace without looking or asking.
The end of the Warring States Period was a semi-slave and semi-feudal society. Other than scholar-bureaucrats, ministers, nobles, and so on, the rest of the people had almost no human rights. They belonged to the class that was ruled and exploited.
When they arrived at the entrance of the main hall, Zhao Gao slowed down and turned around to remind them,""Li 'er, pay more attention to your words and speech later. Don't be rude.”
Jiang Li didn't say anything. He just nodded to show that he understood. Then, he stepped over the tall mahogany threshold and entered the magnificent main hall.
Looking around, the first thing that entered his sight were twelve straight red painted round wooden pillars. Each red painted round wooden pillar required two people to embrace.
The floor beneath her feet was like jade, extremely smooth and free of dust. The palace maids had cleaned it up cleanly. Above her head was the main hall's beam carved with dragons and phoenixes. From the floor to the highest point of the hall, it was estimated to be nearly twenty meters high.
Because the hall was too high and wide, it looked a little empty inside. There were screens at every certain distance, and golden silk curtains hung between the screens. These golden silk curtains fluttered in the breeze and reduced the loneliness in the hall.
As they walked, Zhao Gao suddenly stopped. He raised his sleeves and stretched out his hands. He put his palms together, bent down, and shouted to the front,"Reporting to the Empress Dowager, I've already summoned Jiang Li.”
Jiang Li was unable to move forward in this situation. He could only look ahead. However, there was no one in front of him. There were only screens and layers of mountains, blocking his view.
In the main hall, Zhao Gao's voice was still echoing. No one answered for a long time. It sounded a little sinister.
After waiting for nearly ten minutes, there was still no reply. Jiang Li frowned slightly, feeling dissatisfied.
What did he mean? Was Empress Dowager Qin that amazing?
Summoning me over to paint and making me wait?
"What arrogance." Jiang Li complained straightforwardly. He glanced at Zhao Gao and asked,""Uncle, where is he? Don't tell me he's not here!"
Zhao Gao kept bending over and did not retract his hand. He maintained this posture and explained to Jiang Li,""The Empress Dowager might be taking an afternoon nap. Those who achieve great things need to be patient.
"Uncle, can't you go and call her? Who knows how long she'll sleep until? I didn't even eat when you brought me here. It'll be dark soon.”
"Shut up and be quiet."
Zhao Gao scolded in a low voice. He looked at the jade floor with a hint of nervousness. This nephew of his really made people worry. He didn't even look at where he was. Why did he dare to say anything?
Another fifteen minutes passed, and the hall was finally no longer quiet. Footsteps came from ahead, crisp and pleasant, like the sound of high heels stepping on the floor.
As the footsteps got closer, a figure with a voluptuous figure appeared between the two screens. Jiang Li looked at her from the corner of his eye, and a hint of surprise flashed across his eyes.
This was Empress Dowager Zhao Ji. Why was she so young? She seemed to be only in her early thirties.
Okay, I'm confused.
It was currently the end of the Low Level Martial Arts Warring States Period. Women had children at an early age. Even though the Ancestral Dragon was already 21 years old, the Empress Dowager Zhao Ji was only in her thirties. In the 21st generation, this age was considered a young woman.
As Mistress Zhao walked closer and closer, Jiang Li did not seem to realize that a commoner was meeting the Empress Dowager. A normal person would be like his cheap uncle, Zhao Gao, at this moment, looking down at the jade floor and not looking up.
However, he was still staring at it without blinking, as if he was looking at an NPC.
One could see that Lady Zhao was wearing a red and black golden phoenix robe and a resplendent phoenix crown. Her hair was as soft as ink. She had a plump body and a beautiful face. She was very young, dignified and elegant, but also revealed a graceful and noble temperament.
Top-grade peaches, top-grade young married women, and perfect aunties were the three most appropriate adjectives that Jiang Li thought of in an instant.
In terms of overall standards, Mistress Zhao was not inferior to the Eastern Monarch, Moon Goddess, snow maidens, and Flower Shadow. In fact, she was even more charming. Her status was there, and the temperament and charm that she had developed from being in a high position for a long time were truly something that ordinary people did not have.
When Lady Zhao arrived before him, Jiang Li withdrew his gaze and bowed. He did not bow, though. He felt that he had given her face.
" Ha, you're indeed full of arrogance…" Concubine Zhao's phoenix eyes flashed slightly as she looked sideways at Zhao Gao. Her gaze was self-evident.
Seeing Jiang Li's salutation, Zhao Gao's sickly pale face trembled. He kicked Jiang Li's boots and said in a low voice,""What are you doing? Don't you know how to bow? To think that you still want to be conferred the title of Marquis."
Jiang Li was in a good mood when he saw his uncle's exasperated expression. He had done it on purpose to make Lady Zhao hate him. Later on, when he was drawing, Lady Zhao would kick him out. That way, he would be able to thwart his uncle's plan of harming people.
After a while, Jiang Li did not even greet the empress dowager. He kept his head lowered and remained silent. Lady Zhao frowned and glared at Zhao Gao coldly." This is your good nephew, Jiang Li, the famous painting saint and immortal poet of the Seven Kingdoms. Why doesn't he know the most basic court etiquette? How do you usually teach your nephew?”
"Empress Dowager, please calm down. This servant is guilty!"
Zhao Gao lowered his head and admitted his guilt. He wanted to hang Jiang Li up and give him a good beating. It was obvious that this bastard did it on purpose.
"Alright, you can leave now!" Concubine Zhao waved her hand lightly, too lazy to argue.
Previously, Zhao Gao had said that his nephew was proud and arrogant. Now that he saw him, he was indeed full of arrogance. For talented people, the upper echelons were very tolerant, and so was Zhao Ji.
"This servant will take her leave first!"
Zhao Gao bowed and left. However, before he left, he gave Jiang Li a meaningful look.
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]