Chapter 64 The painting shop The scenes in this painting... seem so familiar...
"Madam, what are you saying! Everything in our shop is always genuine!" the shop assistant said with a forced smile.
"No problem, then please, young friend, take a look at it for me!" the old man said.
The two followed the waiter upstairs to the second floor and sat down by the window. The waiter brought out a long box from the inner room, carefully opened it, took out the scroll inside, and gently spread it on the long table, introducing it as follows: "This is Tang Li's 'Ink Plum Blossom Painting'. The plum blossoms are outlined with slender and firm brushstrokes, and the ink tones vary between dry and wet. Every stroke is well-structured, and it is undoubtedly an authentic work!"
"Without vibrant colors, relying solely on black and white ink, the painting captures the proud and aloof spirit of the plum blossom. The plum blossom blooms passionately alone in the cold wind, upholding its true nature and refusing to follow the crowd. This is how the noble character of a scholar is revealed!" the old man praised.
Qingduo glanced at it and said without hesitation, "This is not Tang Li's painting."
"Madam Zeng, how can you say that!" The shop assistant's face changed, and he said anxiously, "If this gets out, how will we do business with you in the future? Your husband, Boss Zeng, and our manager have always been on good terms. You can't ruin our reputation!"
“I’m not slandering you, I’m telling the truth!” Qingduo said frankly. She pointed to the painting and explained in detail, “It’s not your fault. This painting is an extremely realistic imitation, and it is indeed difficult to tell the difference. However, there are slight differences in the color tone and the thickness of the brushstrokes. Also, this imitation only copied the appearance but not the soul, so of course it’s not the real thing.”
"I'm pointing out the problems to you now, so you won't sell counterfeit goods to others. That's how I'm helping you!"
She didn't know about anything else, but this painting was immediately recognizable as a forgery by her mother, Qin Luofu. Years ago, her father was convicted of cheating and imprisoned. The family desperately needed to bribe officials, so in desperation, her mother hastily forged several of her father's paintings to do favors or exchange for silver. Therefore, many of the fake Tang Dynasty gifts circulating in the market over the years were actually made by her mother.
Qingduo was very familiar with her mother's painting techniques from a young age, and there are still many of her mother's childhood drawings in her dowry chest. Even though her mother's imitations have reached a level that is almost indistinguishable from the real thing, it is a piece of cake for Qingduo to see through them.
The old man exclaimed in surprise, "Young friend, how do you know so much about Tang Li? Are you perhaps his disciple or successor?"
Qingduo didn't want to reveal her relationship with Tang Li to outsiders, and simply said modestly, "Not at all, it's just a superficial understanding. I learned about him a little out of interest before, but times have changed, and I'm not that interested in his paintings anymore."
However, she was fortunate enough to come across her mother's last work, and she was determined to buy it!
The conversation with the old man eased Qingduo's tension. She turned around, waved her hand, and said to the shop assistant in a generous manner, "Wrap up this painting for me!"
The old man's attendant asked suspiciously, "You keep saying this isn't a genuine Tang Li painting, so why did you buy it? Are you deliberately trying to deceive us and keep it for yourself?"
"Ah, this young friend wouldn't lie. Before we arrived, she said she didn't want Tang Li's painting. The style and artistic conception of this painting are indeed unique, but it just suits her taste," the old man said.
Qingduo exclaimed happily, "Oh my! You're such a kindred spirit! Even though we've only just met, you understand my feelings! I really want to be your friend!"
The old man chuckled: "Young friend, your unpretentious manner suits me just fine. However, at my age, it's not quite appropriate for me to befriend a lady. Just now, I heard from the waiter that your husband's surname is Zeng. I wonder which Zeng family in the city you are?"
“My husband’s name is Zeng Zhengqing, and he is the owner of Qingyuan Bookstore,” Qingduo said earnestly. “However, I am not Mrs. Zeng, I am Tang Qingduo.”
The old man was taken aback by her words, then found them amusing and chuckled a few times. Qingduo then asked, "Old friend, what's your name?"
"How dare you! This is Lord Liao! How dare you ask his name directly? This is utterly disrespectful!" the attendant shouted sternly.
Qingduo was startled and stared blankly at the old man in front of her, speechless.
"Your Excellency"? Just how high-ranking is he? She had never interacted with any high-ranking officials before, and wondered if her words and actions just now had been impolite. Qingduo became a little nervous again.
With a gentle smile, Lord Liao said, “My surname is Liao, and my given name is Pingju. I have long since retired from officialdom and returned to my hometown, so I am truly unworthy of the title ‘Lord’. Today, I had a very pleasant chat with you, young friend, and I have learned a great deal from you. I am a few years older than you, so if you don’t mind, please call me ‘Uncle Liao’!”
"My lord! This cannot be done!" his attendant hurriedly dissuaded him.
Qingduo breathed a sigh of relief. Since he had said so, she would just have to comply. She wasn't one to fuss over details, so she casually cupped her hands and said directly, "Uncle Liao, since you've said so, I won't stand on ceremony!"
Liao Pingju smiled broadly and said repeatedly, "Good, good, good! Young friend, you are very generous! It is fate that we meet for the first time today, and besides, you helped me identify a painting. How about this, consider this painting as my gift to you!"
Qingduo quickly waved her hand and declined, saying, "That won't do! Although this painting isn't Tang Li's original work, judging by its quality and the fact that it's being sold here, it must be quite valuable. It would seem shameless of me to accept such an expensive gift on our first meeting."
"It's nothing. It's just that if I come across Tang Li's paintings again in the future, I would like to ask you to help me appraise them. I wonder if you would be willing to help me?" Liao Pingju asked with a smile.
Qingduo already had a good impression of the old man who admired her father, and when he bought her mother's painting and gave it to her, her liking for him instantly reached its peak. So, she patted her chest and immediately agreed: "Leave it to me!"
"To be honest, I also have some painting skills. Although I can't compare to those famous artists, let alone Tang Li, my paintings are still passable. How about this, tell me where you live, and I'll finish the painting and send it to you in a few days. I can't just take your gift for nothing, so consider it a return gift for the painting you gave me."
Liao Pingju joked, "Then I shall respectfully comply." After saying that, he actually had his attendant tell Qingduo his address.
Qingduo silently kept it in her heart, then said goodbye to Liao Pingju and left the Treasure Pavilion with Uncle He. She was both happy and proud. This was truly a wonderful place. Not only did she get a painting for free, but she also made a good friend, an "adult."
Just as she was feeling quite pleased with herself, Uncle He asked, "Young Madam, is this the painting you're going to give to the Master?"
Qingduo slapped her forehead and exclaimed, "Oh no! I completely forgot about that!"
*
When Zeng Zhengqing returned home that evening, Qingduo eagerly took out the scroll Bai De had given her to show him: "Look! I came across a painting of my mother today!"
Seeing how she was clutching the painting like a precious treasure, Zeng Zhengqing smiled and said, "You've had quite a haul today!"
Qingduo nodded repeatedly, saying incessantly, "Yes, yes! It's all thanks to you for letting me choose a gift, otherwise this painting would have ended up in someone else's hands!"
"I never knew the Treasure Pavilion was so interesting! I must visit it more often! Oh, and I also met a very impressive person today, Lord Liao Pingju! I've heard that he used to be a very high-ranking official in the capital!"
Zeng Zhengqing exclaimed in surprise, "Lord Liao? You ran into him?"
"Yes, we chatted for a long time. He called me 'young friend,' and I called him 'old friend.' We're friends now. In the future, when I tell others that I've become friends with a high-ranking official, how impressive will that be!"
“This painting was a gift from him, and as a return gift, I should give him one of my paintings! But…” Qingduo noticed Zeng Zhengqing’s expression and asked curiously, “Qingqing, you also know Uncle Liao?”
"Of course I know, he just did us a big favor!" Zeng Zhengqing said, and then told Qingduo the whole story of how Liao Pingju took the initiative to introduce Lu Nong to join the Minghe Book Club.
After listening, Qingduo sighed, "He is such a kind-hearted person! Now it seems I have to put in my best effort to paint, both to thank him for the precious gift and to thank him for helping Sister Lu Nong join the book club, thus relieving your worries!"
Zeng Zhengqing replied, "Of course. I will also prepare a generous gift. After you finish this painting, my wife and I will come to your door to express our gratitude."
Qingduo nodded in agreement, then boasted, "Qingqing, you see, I did the right thing by doing good deeds! It was because I helped Sister Lu Nong and other victims who were bullied by Shouzhentang that Uncle Liao noticed me and stepped in to help. This is all the reward for our good deeds!"
"Yes, it's all thanks to Madam's insistence on doing this that I also benefited from it," Zeng Zhengqing quickly flattered. "Marrying Madam is truly a blessing."
Yes, yes!
Qingduo raised her face and straightened her back, just like a little bird puffing out its fluffy chest, looking extremely proud.
*
Zeng Zhengqing hadn't been to Mingzhu Bookstore for a long time. He only glanced at the account book each month, just to confirm that his wife was still willing to continue drawing. When he arrived at Mingzhu Bookstore that day, the sight before him made him stop in his tracks. He looked up at the signboard and wondered if he had come to the wrong place.
Is this still the same painting shop that was deserted when he first took over?
The small painting shop was crowded with women dressed in various skirts, chatting animatedly in small groups. It was late autumn, but the bustling noise made the room feel like a hot summer day.
Manager Fang led his staff through the crowd, occasionally taking out a handkerchief to wipe the sweat from his forehead. Just as he put the handkerchief back into his sleeve, he looked up and inadvertently saw his boss, Zeng Zhengqing, standing outside.
"Master," Manager Fang squeezed through the crowd, sweating profusely with the movement. He pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his brow haphazardly. "Why are you standing here, Master? Please come inside and sit down!"
"What's going on?" Zeng Zhengqing asked.
Shopkeeper Fang explained with a smile, "This is the hottest set of illustrations lately, called 'Twelve Months of My Lover,' painted by an artist named 'Little Lotus Turns Over.' We've released the illustrations for January to November so far, and the December one is still missing! Even so, as soon as it hit the shelves, it attracted a lot of girls to buy it! Some even wanted to pay extra to get it."
Zeng Zhengqing couldn't help but ask out of curiosity, "What kind of picture is this? Let me see one."
Shopkeeper Fang hurriedly went back into the house, retrieved a rolled-up scroll, and handed it over, explaining, "The other months' stock is almost sold out, but there's still some left from January to March. Please take a look at this February's stock first, sir."
Zeng Zhengqing unfurled the scroll and immediately showed surprise. People are usually depicted from the front, but the man in this painting only has his back to the viewer, not his face.
The figure in the painting stands alone on the mountaintop, gazing at the golden sunset. His shadow is stretched long by the twilight, exuding an indescribable desolation. The sky and earth are vast, and he is the only one accompanied by the sunset. The more one looks at him, the more a sense of pity unconsciously arises in one's heart.
"His paintings are all like this, only showing the back or side view, never the front. He only relies on different postures and actions, as well as the background, to convey the spirit of the figure," said Manager Fang.
"That's quite ingenious. By using the blank space of the back view, it evokes imagination and captures the girls' hearts. No wonder they like it." Zeng Zhengqing pondered, then put away the scroll and handed it to Manager Fang. "This 'Little Lotus Turns' is not only skilled in painting but also ingenious. He's a rare talent. Think of a way to keep him here. Don't be afraid to pay a little more money."
Shopkeeper Fang quickly agreed. Zeng Zhengqing then asked about Qingduo's paintings, and the shopkeeper hesitated: "Master, your wife hasn't sent any paintings to the shop to sell for a long time."
Zeng Zhengqing was taken aback. He clearly saw Qingduo painting in her room every day, especially recently, to the point of neglecting to eat and sleep. But whenever he went over, she would act secretive, and he wondered what she was busy with. Since she was always creating, why didn't she sell her work at the shop?
Could it be that she has now discovered the joy of painting and no longer needs to rely on selling her paintings for a living, thus maintaining her enthusiasm for painting?
wrong.
He knew her personality all too well; she was a "money tree," and there was no reason for her not to make money when there was an opportunity!
Where have all her recent paintings gone?
Zeng Zhengqing was puzzled and said, "I understand. If Madam sends any more paintings, make a special mark in the account book."
"Yes, sir, I've noted it down. Please come inside so I can see the recent accounts."
Zeng Zhengqing nodded and followed Manager Fang inside. As they passed several women, they were arguing about something, and their noisy conversation drifted into their ears.
“This April painting is my best! He stands outside the door, tall and straight, waiting quietly, as if he is waiting for me with all his heart and eyes.”
"Come on! My May was the best! The lights were soft, and he was sitting at the table with a meal he had prepared himself, ready to have dinner with me. He was so considerate!"
"It's just a meal! What's so special about that? Look at my June! The curtains hang lightly, the thin gauze flutters, my lover's clothes are half off, he lies on his side inside the curtains, just about to... Oh!" She was too shy to continue.
The other women burst into laughter. Another woman said coldly:
"Vulgar! What I like best is October, with its gentle moonlight reflecting on the water, and a refined yet gentle nobleman and I boating on the lake. What are you all compared to me! I am the true gentleman, as dignified as jade!"
Shopkeeper Fang exclaimed, "Xiao He Fan is truly amazing! The beauty of his 'Twelve Months of Lovers' paintings lies in the fact that each man in the painting has his own unique charm—some are elegant, some are simple, some are romantic, and some are gentle… which perfectly satisfies the preferences of different women!"
"It's only November now, and it's already so popular. When the first picture is released in December, Xiaohe Fan and his paintings will surely become famous!"
Zeng Zhengqing, however, did not hear his sigh; he frowned and pondered deeply:
Why do all these scenes they described seem so familiar?
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A note from the author:
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