Chapter 172 I Remain Silent
"Yeah?"
Kong Yingda stroked his beard and said, "Practice more, draw more, and you can do it too in the future."
Wei Shuyu readily agreed, and then offered a few more flattering words, which made Kong Yingda very happy.
The tone shifted...
"Uncle Kong, look, I want to practice calligraphy but I don't have a template. How about you leave me a calligraphy model to copy?" Wei Shuyu interjected at the right moment.
Kong Yingda glanced at Wei Shuyu in surprise.
That's a good request.
From now on, I will be Wei Shuyu's calligraphy mentor, which will be a source of pride for others.
"Can."
Kong Yingda happily agreed.
After wandering around for a while, the two arrived at Kong Yingda's small attic.
Upon entering, Wei Shuyu saw the painting of a tiger descending a mountain spread out on the table.
"Uncle Kong, this is..."
Wei Shuyu picked up the scroll and examined it carefully.
The painting is finished, except for a slight misalignment in the final inscription, which is essentially harmless.
snort.
Kong Yingda snorted coldly.
He gets angry whenever this is mentioned. The painting was almost finished, but then Teacher Liu yelled at him and ruined it.
"Just throw it away."
Kong Yingda was about to take the painting.
Unexpectedly, Wei Shuyu withdrew his hand and hid it behind his back.
"No, I think this painting is excellent. Why don't you name a price, Uncle Kong, and I'll buy it?"
"If the painting is ruined, it's worthless!"
"It's okay, I'm not picky."
Just as Kong Yingda was about to say something, Wei Shuyu directly quoted a price: "One hundred strings of cash!"
In an instant.
Kong Yingda swallowed back all the words he wanted to say.
One hundred strings of cash!
Officials during the Zhenguan era did not have much money; most of them received their salaries in grain.
"Ahem... Uncle Yu."
Kong Yingda wanted to say something more, but Wei Shuyu still didn't give him the chance.
"It's settled then."
Turning his head, Wei Shuyu looked at Cui Shenji: "Little Jiji, send someone to get the money!"
"oh."
Choi Shin-ki left happily.
"..."
A tattered painting sold for 100 strings of cash; what a mess!
"Forget about the money. The painting is ruined and not worth that much. You can take it if you like it..." Kong Yingda said casually.
Kong Yingda is a descendant of the Kong family.
How could I possibly sell a ruined painting?
Wouldn't it be a disgrace to our ancestors if word got out?
"It's fine."
Wei Shuyu smiled and said, "I just like buying things with money."
"I will not accept money."
Kong Yingda put on a stern face.
"That……"
Wei Shuyu's eyes darted around: "Then I'll donate it to the Imperial Academy!"
"..."
Kong Yingda didn't know what to say.
Are you just burning money?
"Whatever you want."
Kong Yingda stopped trying to persuade him.
You can't advise a rich person.
This rich person is throwing money at himself.
Can you tolerate it?
We must endure it!
I am proud and aloof, and I will remain silent!
Smash it if you want!
If I utter another sound, may I step in dog poop outside...
Kong Yingda stood in front of the desk and began to write.
He wrote it very carefully!
Wei Zheng's calligraphy was no worse than his; if someone wrote poorly, Wei Zheng would ridicule them.
After carefully writing a passage from the Analects, I picked up the paper and blew on the ink...
What do you think of these characters?
Kong Yingda handed it to Wei Shuyu with a smile.
"Beautiful calligraphy!"
Wei Shuyu, like an old scholar, commented: "His brushstrokes are vigorous and powerful, like dragons and phoenixes dancing, flowing like clouds and water, vigorous and forceful, with seasoned and skillful pauses and breaks, each stroke startling the wind, each dot like a lotus flower blooming..."
Kong Yingda smiled and narrowed his eyes.
What is the purpose of practicing calligraphy?
Being praised.
Otherwise, what's the point of practicing?
"Then you can copy this calligraphy."
Seeing that the ink was almost dry, Kong Yingda handed the paper to Wei Shuyu.
"etc……"
Wei Shuyu looked at the calligraphy and felt that something was missing: "Uncle Kong, such fine calligraphy, shouldn't you add your signature?"
"It was just something I did on the spur of the moment, it's not necessary."
Kong Yingda waved his hand and started to show off.
"That won't work."
Wei Shuyu shook his head repeatedly: "If you don't sign your name, my father will be angry when he sees me copying other people's calligraphy."
That makes sense.
If Wei Zheng's son doesn't learn calligraphy from Wei Zheng but learns from me, wouldn't old Wei be furious?
What if I tear down the post in a fit of anger?
Get the signature.
Once it was signed by Wei Zheng, it wouldn't be appropriate to tear it up openly.
"Alright."
Kong Yingda took out a seal and ink.
With a soft thud, it covered the corner of the paper.
"Uncle Kong, there's this one too..."
Wei Shuyu took out the painting "Tiger Descending the Mountain".
"Isn't that unnecessary?"
Kong Yingda frowned.
The painting is ruined. If I stamp it with his seal, won't I be laughed at?
"Just doing it on the spur of the moment..."
Without saying a word, Wei Shuyu snatched the seal and slapped it into the corner.
We're kids, we have the right to be willful!
Kong Yingda didn't say much, only shook his head helplessly.
Anyway, he painted this picture.
After carefully putting away the calligraphy and painting, Wei Shuyu took his leave.
"Brother, what do you need Uncle Kong's calligraphy and paintings for?"
As soon as he stepped outside, Fang Yi'ai couldn't help but ask what was on his mind.
"Of course, it's to stir up trouble."
Wei Shuyu replied subconsciously.
He'd been influenced by Qin Shandao's constant talk of causing trouble.
Huh? Something's up?
Qin Shandao's ears twitched slightly, and he immediately leaned closer.
"Big brother, what do we do?"
Whose calligraphy was the best in the entire Tang Dynasty?
“Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan…”
Qin Shandao replied without hesitation.
In the early years of the Zhenguan era, this was a widely recognized fact.
"Let's go to their residence."
Wei Shuyu called out and left.
After walking a few steps, he suddenly turned to Fang Yi'ai and said, "Little Ai'ai, go to the Emperor Emeritus and get a piece of calligraphy or painting."
ah?
Fang Yi'ai was taken aback: "Would the Emperor Emeritus give it to me?"
*Smack*
Wei Shuyu smacked him on the head with his other hand.
“If he doesn’t give it to you, you cry, make a scene, and refuse to leave his place.”
Wei Shuyu said with a sense of disappointment and frustration.
"oh."
Fang Yi'ai accepted the order and left eagerly...
"Little Shandao, I have a task for you..."
As Qin Shandao listened to Wei Shuyu's account, his eyes widened further and further...
"Brother, isn't this a bad idea?"
"What's wrong?"
"The guys might get their butts bruised and battered..."
"Why don't you just go to Wan Hua Ge for a massage?"
"..."
That makes perfect sense.
Qin Shandao accepted the order and left eagerly.
Next, Wei Shuyu visited Ouyang Xun and Yu Shinan one by one.
Under Wei Shuyu's persuasive words, reasoning, emotional appeals, and even threats, the two produced their long-forgotten calligraphy.
Finally, there's Li Shimin.
What do you want me to write?
Since there had been a prior agreement, Li Shimin did not make things difficult for him.
"Your Majesty may write whatever you wish."
Wei Shuyu thought for a moment and said, "If possible, I hope Your Majesty will write a couplet that says 'Harmony brings wealth'."
Li Shimin thought about it and felt that the word was quite fitting for merchants, so he wrote it down.
One day.
Wei Shuyu collected calligraphy and paintings from most of the famous figures in Chang'an...
In ancient times, people wanted an item to become extremely popular.
The simplest way is to have a prominent figure take the lead!
"General Liang."
The next day, after returning to Hu County, Wei Shuyu went to see Liang Jianfang.
"Imperial Censor Wei".
Liang Jianfang clasped his hands in a fist salute.
"Make all these calligraphy and paintings into folding fans!"
Wei Shuyu pointed to the calligraphy and paintings on the carriage: "Have skilled craftsmen do it, and there can't be the slightest damage!"
"If you do it well, you'll get ten times the pay!"
"If any of these paintings are damaged... throw them into a cesspool and soak them for three days and three nights!"
A latrine?
Liang Jianfang's eyes widened.
What kind of calligraphy or painting could be destroyed at such a high cost?
He climbed onto the carriage, and when he saw the signatures on the calligraphy and paintings, he was completely dumbfounded...
Li Shimin, Kong Yingda, Ouyang Xun, Yu Shinan, and Li Yuan.
There were also Wei Zheng, Fang Xuanling, Cui Yixuan...
As for where these people's calligraphy and paintings came from...
Naturally, it was the friends who transformed into thieves and 'took' it from their elders' studies.
As a high-ranking official in the imperial court, who doesn't have one or two pieces of their own calligraphy?
Even Yuchi Gong has it!
It's just that it's poorly written, so I'm too embarrassed to publish it.
After joining the Imperial Academy army, Yuchi Huan worked diligently and successfully brought back Yuchi Gong's calligraphy.
"Also, inform the merchants..."
"Three days later, Hu County will officially hold its first business meeting!"
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