After everyone finished exchanging pleasantries, Ning Zhiheng turned around and gestured to Koda Kanan, then introduced with a smile, "You've come at the right time. Koda-kun and I were discussing calligraphy, but he's too modest and refuses to put pen to paper. Imai-kun, if you're interested, come and take a look. This is a piece I just finished. Please give me your critique!"
After speaking, Ning Zhiheng's face was full of hope, completely like a writer's smug expression, which made the three people in the room smile. It seems that this Mr. Fujiwara has a childlike heart. When he talks about calligraphy, he has no trace of his usual dignified and solemn demeanor.
Yuji Imai himself was neither interested in nor good at calligraphy, but he still quickly stepped forward to examine it carefully. The calligraphy was indeed extremely well done, and Yuji Imai nodded in praise repeatedly, but he didn't know what was so good about it.
Wen Hao was also watching intently from the side. His calligraphy skills were quite good. He immediately saw the brilliance of the piece and was secretly amazed. He had never expected that Mr. Fujiwara's calligraphy achievements were so high!
"Sir, this piece of calligraphy has the style of Zhao Mengfu, but it innovates in technique and has its own unique features. You probably mostly copied the style of Ouyang Xun before, and then switched to the style of Zhao Mengfu. The brushstrokes are deep, steady and spiritual, the strokes are clear, and the style is spacious and beautiful. You should be most good at writing large scrolls, and you are very precise in the layout of the writing!"
Wen Hao's words startled Ning Zhiheng. He had only used the calligraphy as an excuse to lower his stance and get closer to Wen Hao, but Wen Hao's calligraphy skills were so high and his judgment was amazing. He could tell Ning Zhiheng's writing techniques and habits at a glance.
Then Wen Hao said, "Alas, time flies by like a fleeting horse through the west window; the rising sun brings gentle warmth!" These are lines from Huang Tingjian's poem, expressing the lament that time is like water and the comforting warmth of the rising sun.
At this point, he glanced at the scenery and sunshine outside the window and immediately understood. He continued, "It must be that you saw the bright sunshine and pleasant scenery today, which inspired you to write this poem. The words perfectly capture the scene, and it is truly a perfect match. It is like adding another volume to the Desi Hall. Your Chinese proficiency is simply admirable!"
After these words were spoken, everyone in the room was astonished. Although Imai Yuji and Koda Kanan had some literary knowledge, they did not have a deep understanding of Chinese literature. However, Ning Zhiheng was very clear that Wen Hao's last line, "Add a scroll of books to the Desi Hall," was the last line of Huang Tingjian's poem "Window Sun," which perfectly captured the scene of him writing this calligraphy today, demonstrating his superb literary skills.
Wen Hao's talent is indeed outstanding; otherwise, he wouldn't have caught Shen Le's eye and been promoted to her confidant and trusted advisor.
This person is not only highly literate, but also a master of both literature and martial arts, skilled in combat and shooting. In particular, he is meticulous and possesses accurate reasoning and judgment abilities.
When he first saw the cause of death of Zhang Pei and other spies, he immediately discerned Ning Zhiheng's fighting habits, style, and techniques, pointing out that the murderer was proficient in both military and martial arts, demonstrating his excellent combat skills.
It's a pity that such a person would betray his country and become a traitor. Ning Zhiheng couldn't help but feel sorry for him!
However, he still looked satisfied and said with emotion, "Wen Jun, you really hit the nail on the head. I did like the style of Ouyang Xun's calligraphy before, but later I rewrote it in the style of Zhao Mengfu, thinking that I had combined the strengths of both styles. I didn't expect you to see it at a glance. Well said, 'Add a scroll to the Desi Hall,' that's so well said. It's true that a kindred spirit is hard to find!"
At this point, he gestured and continued, "Why don't you also leave a piece of your calligraphy so we can appreciate it too!"
Wen Hao had also tried his best to make a good impression on Mr. Fujiwara. Now that he had received praise from the other party, he was naturally overjoyed. When he saw Fujiwara Tomohito inviting him, he declined slightly, but then stopped being coy. He stepped forward, spread out a sheet of Xuan paper, took a wolf-hair brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote the poem in one stroke.
"Spring breeze and spring rain bring flowers to my eyes, while the waters of Jiangbei and Jiangnan lap against the sky."
This is also a line from Huang Tingjian's poem, describing the beautiful scenery of spring's arrival and the revival of all things.
With spring arriving now, and Nanjing situated on the south bank of the Yangtze River, at the junction of the north and south banks, this line of poetry is perfectly timed and fitting.
As for the calligraphy, it is in regular script. Although it is not as skillful as Ning Zhiheng's, it is still a fine work. It is clear that he has put in a lot of hard work.
"Sir, I have made a fool of myself!" Wen Hao stepped back and bowed.
He knew that his writing skills were far inferior to Fujiwara Tomohito's, but he was still quite an expert and should leave a deep impression on the other party.
Ning Zhiheng naturally nodded in praise and then said, "When I was in Shanghai, my favorite place was the Mulan Academy. There were many like-minded people there, all of whom were the best in our Japanese literary and artistic circles. But when I came to Nanjing, I didn't have that kind of atmosphere. It was really boring. Mr. Wen, you can come to my place often when you have time. We can make friends through literature and exchange skills. It would be a very elegant thing!"
These words immediately delighted Wen Hao. His visit had been so effective that he had caught Mr. Fujiwara's eye. Just as Mr. Imai Yuji had said, if he could gain the approval of this powerful figure, his future development in Nanjing would be much smoother.
Even Koda Kanan, who was standing to the side, was envious. He thought to himself that Wen Hao was so lucky to have won the favor of Fujiwara Tomohito, which would naturally be of great benefit to his future career. However, he didn't care. After all, Wen Hao was Chinese, and no matter how promising he was, his future was limited. At most, he could hold a higher position in the Nanjing government, but he was just a pawn used by the empire!
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