Chapter 488 No Hero is Without Qin Qiong!

"Bring it here!"

Li Shimin said nonchalantly.

It's a painting.

It's like everyone's seen it before.

Open the wooden box...

The moment the scroll was unfurled, Li Shimin was so shocked that he stood up!

"This...this is Xuan Cheng?"

Li Shimin looked at Wei Zheng, then at the portrait.

Although it is a sketch, it is not colored.

But every single detail is clearly depicted.

Wrinkles, slightly upturned beard...

The most expressive thing is his eyes, as if a living Wei Zheng has stepped out of the painting.

Li Shimin then picked up Yuchi Yiseng's painting and compared it with his own.

The difference in quality is immediately apparent.

The spirit, form, and everything else are completely outshone by the sketch!

"His Majesty."

Changsun Wuji let out a soft cry.

"Um?"

Li Shimin was startled.

Only then did I realize that I had lost my composure.

He immediately sat back on the dragon throne: "Xuancheng, was this painted by Shuyu?"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

Wei Zheng smiled smugly: "At first, I didn't have much hope for Shuyu either."

"But after seeing this painting..."

"I believe that the painting skills of our Great Tang Dynasty are unparalleled in the world!"

Li Shimin laughed heartily.

He didn't like being praised.

Praising the Tang Dynasty as awesome really hit the nail on the head...

That's because he has such a wise and enlightened king!

"What arrogance!"

Yuchi Yiseng stepped forward defiantly: "Your Majesty, may I have a look?"

Um?

Li Shimin then turned to look at Yuchi Yiseng.

Before, I needed to rely on the other person to draw, but now...

"Wang De, let him take a look."

Li Shimin handed over the drawing paper.

"Impossible, impossible..."

When Yuchi Yiseng saw Wei Zheng's portrait, he was completely dumbfounded.

This is a new type of painting technique.

It has completely overturned his understanding.

"What does Yuchi Yiseng think?" Li Shimin asked with a smile.

"certain……"

Yuchi Yiseng didn't know how to answer.

This painting is so lifelike.

Not to mention him, even if his father came, he would be no match for him.

Suddenly...

Yuchi Yiseng touched the painting.

His pupils suddenly contracted, then a smile appeared on his face...

"His Majesty!"

Yuchi Yiseng straightened up and regained his confidence: "This painting is indeed lifelike, as if it were a replica of a real person."

"But there's one thing..."

"This painting is not suitable for depicting meritorious officials!"

Um?

Everyone was stunned by these words.

Is this still not enough?

Are you sure you can do it?

What do you mean by that?

Li Shimin did not immediately launch an attack, but instead asked a serious question.

"May I ask why Your Majesty has created portraits of meritorious officials?" asked Yuchi Yiseng.

"Naturally, it is so that future generations can admire it."

"Then that's it."

Yuchi Yiseng's smile deepened: "What future generations should admire must be paper and ink that lasts for thousands of years, or even forever!"

"But this painting was done with charcoal."

"This charcoal..."

"It won't keep for long!"

What?

Li Shimin felt as if he had been struck hard by a sledgehammer.

"Moreover, judging from his painting style, it mainly focuses on outlining."

"The techniques used are completely different from those of brushstrokes, and ink cannot necessarily replace them!"

Yuchi Yiseng truly deserves to be called a great painter.

The differences between the two can be analyzed in a short time!

"His Majesty."

Seeing this, Wei Zheng stepped forward and said, "I think this is not a big deal at all."

“Our Great Tang Dynasty has countless talented people.”

"As long as you have the drawing skills, you will definitely be able to find an ink that can replace charcoal!"

Li Shimin's heart was finally at ease.

After seeing the lifelike portrait, he was absolutely delighted.

It's not that he doesn't like calligraphy.

Mainly because he's concerned about his image...

He wished everyone could admire his majestic figure.

"Minister Wei, aren't you just fooling yourself?"

Yuchi Yiseng sneered: "From ancient times to the present, I have never heard of any juice that is better than ink!"

In response to this.

Wei Zheng responded with a cold laugh...

"Don't look at the Tang Dynasty with your limited perspective!"

"Just because you can't find it doesn't mean my Great Tang Dynasty can't find it!"

Even if we really can't find it...

"Let's carve it!"

“Carving the portrait into the wooden board, stitch by stitch.”

"We can still carve a timeless masterpiece!"

Bang!

Li Shimin slammed his hand on the dragon table.

"Well said!"

Li Shimin was filled with fervor.

He preferred carving to portraiture!

The skilled craftsmen of the Tang Dynasty could even carve jade pendants so lifelike.

How could this stump us?

You can doubt the technology of the ancients, but you can never doubt their craftsmanship.

after all……

Qin Shi Huang, hundreds of years ago, had already created the Terracotta Army!

"you……"

Yuchi Yiseng was also startled.

He underestimated the power of the Tang Dynasty.

They underestimated the boundless imagination of the Tang Dynasty.

“Yuchi Yiseng”.

Li Shimin turned to look at Yuchi Yiseng: "You said before that you wanted to return to Khotan?"

"Since you feel that the Tang Dynasty is not suitable for you to stay in."

"Then let's go back!"

"deliver an imperial order……"

"Yuchi Yiseng has spoken disrespectfully and insulted the current court official; therefore, he is stripped of his title!"

"He is ordered to leave Chang'an within three days!"

Swish.

As Li Shimin finished speaking, Yuchi Yiseng's expression changed drastically.

Khotan was just a small country.

He came to the Tang Dynasty mainly to establish diplomatic relations.

If word gets back that he has been dismissed from his post, his family's status will inevitably decline!

"His Majesty……"

Yuchi Yiseng quickly admitted his mistake: "It was I who was ignorant and offended the Wei family. I hope Your Majesty will forgive me this time."

"Drag him away!"

Li Shimin shouted loudly.

How dare a mere artist offend the Wei brothers?

Don't you know that both the Wei and Wei families are under my protection?

"Issue another decree..."

"Shuyu pioneered a new painting technique, which enhanced the prestige of our Great Tang Dynasty. He is hereby awarded 500 bolts of silk."

"The Tang Dynasty built the Lingyan Pavilion to honor twenty-four meritorious officials."

"Having witnessed your unparalleled painting skills, I hereby appoint you to oversee the portrait painting..."

The Ministry of Personnel.

Wei Shuyu was dealing with some matters.

Li Shimin then delivered the imperial edict.

"..."

Wei Shuyu was exhausted.

I inexplicably have another job to do.

"Your subject obeys the decree."

He threw Li Shimin's brocade onto the table.

Unlike Yuchi Yiseng, he didn't go door-to-door painting for people.

Draw if you want, don't draw if you don't.

Fang Xuanling, being in a favorable position, was the first to benefit from the situation.

Aside from Wei Zheng, he was the first to receive the portrait.

And then... he showed off everywhere.

"Nephew, nephew!"

On this day, Wei Shuyu was on duty at the Ministry of Personnel.

Cheng Yaojin and Yuchi Gong burst in.

How could Lao Cheng be absent from the show-off scene?

"Quickly, draw a picture for us." Cheng Yaojin was very direct.

"Please wait a moment, gentlemen."

Wei Shuyu said, "I have something important to record, and then I will paint for my two uncles."

The two expressed their understanding.

Wei Shuyu was in charge of the Ministry of Commerce, and his workload was no less than theirs.

Just as I was about to find a place to rest...

Yuchi Gong saw the brocade on the table.

"Shuyu, how could you so carelessly issue His Majesty's decree?" Yuchi Gong reprimanded sternly.

(The material of the imperial edict also varies depending on the official's rank; the higher the official's rank and the heavier the task, the better the material!)

(And imperial edicts weren't always yellow.)

"Sorry, I was busy and forgot."

Wei Shuyu looked up and smiled: "Uncle Yuchi, please help me tidy up."

"Um."

Yuchi Gong nodded, but when he caught a glimpse of the writing on the brocade...

I was immediately captivated!

Li Shimin has not yet announced to the public who the twenty-four meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion are.

However, the imperial edict to Wei Shuyu listed in detail the names of those whose portraits were required…

Changsun Wuji, Li Xiaogong, Du Ruhui, Wei Zheng, Fang Xuanling, Gao Shilian, Yuchi Jingde, Li Jing, Xiao Yu, Duan Xuanzhi, Liu Hongji, Qututong, Yin Qiao, Chai Shao, Changsun Shunde, Zhang Liang, Hou Junji, Zhang Gongjin, Cheng Yaojin, Yu Shinan, Liu Zhenghui, Tang Jian, Li Ji, Pang Qingyun.

Yuchi Gong was immediately captivated.

"Zhijie, look, my ranking is higher than yours!" Yuchi Gong boasted proudly.

Cheng Yaojin, unconvinced, snatched the brocade.

But after he read it, his expression suddenly turned gloomy...

"What's wrong?"

Yuchi Gong noticed something amiss: "Just because someone is ranked lower than me doesn't mean they should be so angry, does it?"

Cheng Yaojin's expression was more solemn than ever before, and he said in a cold voice...

"Of the twenty-four meritorious officials of Lingyan Pavilion, Shubao was not among them!"

What?

Yuchi Gong snatched the brocade and read it over again.

Just as Cheng Yaojin had predicted...

There is no Qin Qiong!

Turning around, he found that Cheng Yaojin had already reached the gate.

Where are you going?

"Enter the palace and meet the Emperor!"