"This calligraphy is quite good! Only Junior Brother Qin could write like this in the Qin family!" Yan Lide nodded thoughtfully. Qin Qiong's family structure was simple: besides him and his wife, there were two sons and two daughters. Qin Qiong certainly couldn't write such good calligraphy, and it was clearly not a girl's handwriting. Therefore, Yan Lide could only guess that it was written by Qin Mu.
"These characters do indeed have a touch of Yu Gong's style," Yan Lide said, looking at Chu Suiliang.
"No, no, it's different. Master Yu's calligraphy, like the man himself, is outwardly gentle but inwardly strong; the brushstrokes are rounded and harmonious. These characters are slender and vigorous, thin yet full, and although they still look a bit stiff, they already have a very strong personal style. With further refinement, it won't be difficult for them to become a school of their own." Chu Suiliang shook his head and said.
"That's really true." Yan Lide looked at it carefully and nodded.
He hadn't paid much attention earlier, since it was just the characters for "sorghum." Nowadays, most people practice calligraphy by studying the styles of Wang Xizhi and Wang Xianzhi, and some also study the "flying white" style. Therefore, Yan Lide didn't bother to observe Qin Mu's calligraphy closely.
Chu Suiliang was different. His first calligraphy teacher was Yu Shinan, and coincidentally, Yu Shinan's calligraphy style did have many similarities to the "Slender Gold" style in terms of form. When Chu Suiliang saw it, it was as if a new world had opened up for him. Inspiration flashed through his mind, and his fingers wrote in the air uncontrollably.
"Haha! My path has been completed!" Chu Suiliang laughed heartily.
"Congratulations, Master Chu." Yan Lide cupped his hands in congratulations. Anyone with talent can master the arts of music, chess, calligraphy, and painting; as long as one is willing to put in hard work, achieving a minor level of mastery is not a problem; but to achieve a major level of mastery, both talent and hard work are indispensable. Yan Lide and Chu Suiliang are examples of those who have achieved a major level of mastery.
To reach their level and advance further, one must comprehend several principles, develop one's own unique style, and a style that surpasses the average person's; then, one must align one's principles with the universe and gain its recognition to become a master.
Above the master is the grandmaster. A grandmaster is someone who can establish a school of thought and has a deep understanding of the great principles of heaven and earth, and can create a new path of cultivation.
"I must thank Master Yan," Chu Suiliang said, bowing with his hands clasped in thanks. He had already figured out how to improve his calligraphy; with just a slight improvement, he could become a master. He could say that he had already stepped one foot into the threshold of becoming a master.
"This is all thanks to Chu Shilang's good fortune, there's no need to thank me," Yan Lide said with a smile.
"I have nothing to thank you for, so I can only offer you this cup as a token of my gratitude," Chu Suiliang said, personally pouring the wine and raising the cup.
"Today is indeed a day to celebrate, please!"
"please!"
The two raised their glasses to drink, but fortunately, they were both refined people, and drank only in small sips, savoring each drop slowly. Although the strong liquor made them slightly uncomfortable, they did not embarrass themselves.
"Fine wine, truly fine wine! I have never tasted such exquisite wine before," Chu Suiliang exclaimed.
"Yes, it is indeed a rare and excellent wine. It is like a fiery drink that burns the stomach and leaves a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth, with an unforgettable aftertaste," Yan Lide nodded and exclaimed.
"Master Yan, you've really put people through a lot of trouble," Chu Suiliang said with a sigh as he put down his cup after taking another sip.
"Oh! What makes you say that, Chu Shilang?" Yan Lide asked, puzzled.
"Having drunk your fine wine today, nothing else will taste as good as it did today," Chu Suiliang said with a smile.
Yan Lide then realized that this was what Chu Suiliang was referring to, and couldn't help but laugh and say, "Hehe, that's true, but I only have these two jars."
"It seems I'll have to go and nag the Duke of Yi another day," Chu Suiliang said with a wry smile.
"Hehe, please." Yan Lide chuckled and raised his glass in a gesture of respect.
While the Yan family was drinking, Qin Qiong and the others woke up again. After all, they were all experts, and with the help of the alcohol, they slept for a while and their bodies digested the alcohol.
"This child is truly clever." Upon waking up, Qin Qiong looked at the familiar wine jars piled up in the courtyard and couldn't help but smile happily.
"Is Lord Li still in the manor?" Qin Qiong asked.
“Go home, Lord, I am here.”
"Yes, load all of these into his carriage."
"Yes, sir!" the servant replied, and immediately called over the servants to bring the wine.
Qin Qiong guessed that the others would wake up soon, but he did not go to see them off. Yuchi Gong and Cheng Zhijie were very familiar with each other. In his house, except for the backyard, they had never been polite to each other and always treated it as their own home.
Li Daozong didn't need to send it; after all, if someone saw it, it would have a bad influence, so it was better not to send it at all.
"If anyone asks, just say I'm still drunk," Qin Qiong instructed.
"Yes, sir!" the maid replied respectfully, before being waved away by Qin Qiong.
Indeed, Li Daozong and the others had woken up. Just as Qin Qiong had predicted, Cheng Zhijie and Yuchi Gong left immediately, and Li Daozong asked a question before also leaving the Qin residence.
"Go to the palace!" Li Daozong ordered, looking at the wine jars that occupied half of the carriage.
The carriage turned around and headed towards the palace, its wheels clattering.
The palace walls stood tall, but they could not stop Li Daozong from entering. The leisurely afternoon was a rare treat for Li Shimin, especially with his many children surrounding him. It put him in a very good mood.
The Imperial Garden was bustling with activity, filled with laughter and chatter. Li Shimin, accompanied by his empress and four concubines, sat under the shade of a tree, sipping chilled wine. A eunuch bowed and spoke a few words to Li Shimin, who turned around, then waved towards the entrance of the Imperial Garden.
When Li Shimin beckoned, Li Daozong led his men in single file.
Seeing the jar in the guard's hand, Li Shimin smiled even more happily.
"Your subject, Li Daozong, greets Your Majesty and Your Majesty the Empress."
No need for formalities.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
"There really is! How does it taste?" Li Shimin asked with a smile, glancing at the wine jar in the guard's hand.
"Your Majesty, it is indeed a rare and fine wine. This is the first time I have tasted such a good one," Li Daozong replied.
"Really?" Li Shimin looked up and asked in surprise, not expecting Li Daozong to give such a high evaluation.
"Your subject dares not deceive Your Majesty!"
"Come, sit down and have a drink with me!" Li Shimin's interest was piqued. He sat up straight and pointed to a stool on the side.
"I obey the decree!"
When Li Shimin spoke, a palace maid hurriedly brought a wine vessel and placed it in front of Li Daozong. Then, a eunuch took a jar of wine from a guard and presented it to Li Shimin.
"Open it!" Li Shimin waved his hand and said.
"Here you go!"
The eunuch responded and opened the wine jar. A fragrant aroma wafted out, making the eunuch involuntarily swallow.
The eunuch poured a little into another wine vessel, and another eunuch beside him bowed, picked up the vessel, and drank it down in one gulp.
"Cough cough!" The eunuch couldn't help but cough repeatedly as soon as he drank it.
The others were terrified, but Li Shimin, Empress Zhangsun, and Li Daozong remained calm and composed.
"This servant deserves to die!" The eunuch coughed twice, hurriedly knelt down, kowtowed to the ground, and said with a trembling body.
"What's going on?" Li Shimin asked calmly.
"Your Majesty, the wine was too strong. This servant was not careful and has acted improperly before Your Majesty. Please punish me!" The eunuch did not dare to raise his head and continued to kneel as he answered.
"Go down and receive ten strokes of the cane yourself!" Li Shimin waved his hand and said.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, thank you, Your Majesty." The eunuch kowtowed repeatedly, then bowed and retreated.
An emperor's wrath can cause corpses to pile up for miles. Seeing that Li Shimin did not lose his temper, the others breathed a sigh of relief, their hearts finally at ease. The four concubines who were taking care of the children in the distance then turned their attention away, and the eunuch holding the wine jar hurriedly poured wine for him.
"The Empress should also try some!" Li Shimin said with a smile.
After the eunuch poured the wine, Li Daozong picked up the wine cup and repeated what Qin Mu had said: "This wine is very strong. When drinking it, tilt your head back and pour it down your throat, pause for a moment, then swallow it in one gulp. Only when you feel the strong wine enter your stomach should you open your mouth to exhale."
After Li Daozong finished speaking, he took the lead in raising the wine cup with both hands, drank a mouthful of strong liquor, and continued, "Drinking it this way allows you to fully appreciate the beauty of this wine, without being too spicy, and leaving a lingering fragrance on your lips and teeth."
"Oh! I'll give it a try." Li Shimin raised an eyebrow and said with great interest. After speaking, he followed Li Daozong's example and drank a large gulp of strong liquor.
"Hoo!" Li Shimin, who had kept his mouth shut, exhaled a breath of alcohol, and his face turned red at a visible speed.
"Good wine! Strong wine!" Li Shimin exclaimed.
"It is indeed very strong, but I like it very much."
"Yes, the wine is delicious and leaves a lingering fragrance. After drinking this wine, I feel like I've been drinking water all along," Li Shimin agreed.
"I wholeheartedly agree."
"Does the Qin family still have a lot of wine?" Li Shimin asked curiously.
"I estimate that this is the majority of them," Li Daozong replied, shaking his head slightly.
"What a pity. It seems I'll have to be more careful with my drinking," Li Shimin said regretfully.
“Your Majesty need not do this. I have heard that the eldest son of the Duke of Yi and the eldest son of the Duke of Lu are brewing wine in a winery using this method.”
"Oh! Tell Uncle Bao that this wine will be designated as a tribute from now on." Li Shimin's eyes lit up, and he said with a smile.
"Your subject obeys the decree." Li Daozong smiled wryly and bowed to accept the order. He didn't know how much the wine would be produced, so he could only add a "sorry" in his heart.
"Your Majesty, you should try some too, but go slowly, the wine is a bit strong," Li Shimin said with concern.
"Your Majesty underestimates me. I am not a weak woman who cannot lift a finger," Empress Zhangsun said, raising her beautiful eyebrows. Then, mimicking Li Shimin's manner, she picked up the wine cup with one hand, covered half of her face with her long sleeve with her left hand, and drank it down. Her movements were very elegant, and when she tilted her head back, her snow-white neck was revealed, causing Li Shimin's Adam's apple to involuntarily bob, and he swallowed hard.
Li Daozong, of course, kept his eyes fixed on the wine vessel in front of him from beginning to end.
"It is indeed very strong!" After a short wait, Empress Zhangsun put down her wine cup and smiled without changing her expression.
Li Shimin knew, of course, that his wife had once wielded a sword and beheaded people, and said with a smile, "If you like it, then so be it."
"This wine is very strong, Your Majesty should not drink too much. Why don't you entrust it to me for safekeeping?" Empress Zhangsun said after glancing at it.
Li Shimin's smile froze on his face, and he nodded helplessly, agreeing, "Alright!"
Not wanting to disturb Li Shimin's family's outing, Li Daozong stood up, cupped his hands, and said, "The wine has been delivered; I should take my leave now."
"Okay, go ahead and get busy. Take one jar of that wine with you." Li Shimin nodded in agreement. He had noticed earlier that there were eleven jars in total, and he guessed that one of them was probably for Li Daozong. He was very satisfied that Li Daozong hadn't kept any for himself.
"Your Majesty, I thank you for your generous gift." Li Daozong bowed and then smiled as he took a jar of wine from the guard and left.
As soon as Li Daozong left, the four concubines, who had been worried about disturbing Li Shimin, also gathered around, bowing to him in unison. Their beauty was dazzling to Li Shimin. In high spirits, Li Shimin ordered wine to be poured for them as well; good things should be shared. Before long, the Imperial Garden was filled with several rosy-cheeked beauties. If his children hadn't been there, a battle might have broken out on the spot.
Qin Mu was completely unaware of what was happening in the palace. He was still leisurely teaching his younger siblings, and after two days, he had gained a basic understanding of their cultural knowledge.
Qin Yuxin has the best foundation; she recognizes most characters and writes neat, square characters in small regular script. Qin Huaiyu is far behind; he can only guess at more complex characters, and his handwriting is barely acceptable. As for Qin Yuling, there's no need to say more; besides being good at reciting nursery rhymes, she knows no more than a hundred characters.
Fortunately, the children were quick at math; at least two of the older ones had already mastered addition and subtraction. After giving them today's practice problems and sending them away, Qin Mu changed the way he presented the questions. This time, he presented them in the form of open-ended questions, asking them to write out the equations and solve them themselves.
The carpenter was still working under the shade of the trees in the courtyard, and the rhinoceros was still soaking in the pond. Qin Mu could tell that the pond had become its bathhouse.
"Dongmei, can you read?" Qin Mu asked as he came out after changing into the clothes Dongmei and the others had made. Wearing these close-fitting clothes and well-fitting boxer shorts, he felt much more comfortable.
"Young Master, we know some," Dongmei nodded.
"That's good. Make two copies of that piece of paper on the table," Qin Mu said happily. It was really great to have someone else do this tedious work for him.
With someone helping him copy the text, Qin Mu went to look at the scrolls that Yan Lide had sent. These scrolls varied in size; he opened and looked at more than ten, all of them containing blueprints for various buildings, with annotations beside them. One of the scrolls contained the learning steps listed by Yan Lide.
The first step involves calculation and drawing. Based on the given area, one must draw the objects to be built, ensuring that the overall structure is not only reasonable and harmonious but also aesthetically pleasing. However, his first step was still copying, or rather, drawing from a scroll.
This is another process of practice makes perfect, but fortunately it doesn't conflict much with other projects. Painting and calligraphy are both things that require learning and practice.
In the past, we had to write down things from memory and think about which one to write down. Relatively speaking, assignments with real objects as references are easier and more interesting, especially with so many things we've never seen before.
The palaces, bridges, pipes, secret chambers—the detailed diagrams broadened Qin Mu's horizons. Many of the ingenious designs made him pause and ponder for a long time. He couldn't help but marvel at the designers' creativity. This was not only a learning process but also a process of reflection. Qin Mu learned a great deal from it, and therefore devoted himself even more to practicing.
Sometimes, he would carefully study the drawings before copying them. Of course, this was also for his own reference, since he still needed to return the originals to Yan Lide.
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