The three elderly people's eyes lit up.
Since Xia Xianci brought up Lin Rui, they had sent people to Hua and Xia prefectures to inquire about him a few days ago.
When the people they sent returned and saw the intelligence they had gathered, they were shocked!
Frankly speaking, no matter how hard these three old men racked their brains, they still couldn't figure out what kind of reclusive master could have trained such a peerless prodigy as Lin Rui!
Of course, they only felt awe towards the reclusive sages they imagined, daring not to overstep their bounds, much less to desecrate them.
As for Lin Rui, his talent in poetry and prose goes without saying, but what truly astonished them was undoubtedly his mastery of calligraphy and painting.
When they reviewed the materials their subordinates had collected in Huazhou, and saw the "Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River" and the nine scrolls of "Illustrations of the Ode to the Goddess of the Luo River," only four words came to mind.
A master of both calligraphy and painting!
The elderly man at the head clapped his hands, and immediately a middle-aged man who looked like a butler came out from the side hall, followed by seven or eight servants, both men and women, each carrying an object.
Paper, ink, brush, and inkstone—everything was provided.
It seems that the three old men had foreseen this scene and had made preparations in advance.
A servant brought over a table and arranged the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. Then, a sixteen or seventeen-year-old maid was left to grind ink for Lin Rui, while the other servants were led away from the hall by the butler.
Of course, these people did not return to the side hall, but went straight out the main door.
They were well prepared.
Lin Rui thought to himself, then picked up his pen and began to concentrate on sketching out what was in his mind.
The three elderly people watched quietly from a distance, without making a sound to disturb them.
They watched as Lin Rui sketched one arc after another on the spread-out paper, and almost instantly concluded that the theme of Lin Rui's painting this time was landscape.
The theme of finding solace in nature is so widespread that even beginners can boldly try it to gain experience.
Being able to draw doesn't mean you can draw well.
Because landscape paintings are so commonplace, their excessive frequency has long caused aesthetic fatigue among master painters. To gain recognition, in addition to possessing extraordinary painting skills, one must also be able to express the artistic conception that the landscape painting wants to convey.
Passive aura!
The Five Constants!
The Halo of Wisdom!
The second and third brothers were both masters who had immersed themselves in painting for decades. At first, they were just curious and appreciative, but gradually, their eyes became serious.
At this moment, they were completely absorbed, staring intently at the landscape painting that was gradually taking shape.
In their view, Lin Rui had been doing the same thing from beginning to end.
Completed in one go!
They were all too familiar with this state of being completely isolated from the outside world, and fully immersed in sketching out what they thought and felt!
This feeling is mysterious and profound, like being in deep meditation, or like sudden enlightenment!
At that moment, the two looked at each other and saw disbelief in each other's eyes.
Could it be that this young boy can enter this state at any time?
Or is this just a coincidence they're hoping for?
Although it may seem unbelievable, or even unbelievable, they have to admit that in their hearts, they have already accepted the former.
However, at present, the artistic conception that this landscape painting, which is gradually taking shape, cannot yet be seen.
If it were anyone else, they might not say it, but they would have already started shaking their heads inwardly.
But the young man before them was an unparalleled genius who had painted the "Nymph of the Luo River" painting, so even though they had some thoughts in their minds, they rationally abandoned these meaningless distractions.
Suddenly, Lin Rui's action made them frown.
Because Lin Rui actually managed to create some afterimages in the water.
Is it a moon shadow?
etc!
Could this be a landscape painting depicting a night scene?!
Before they could react, Lin Rui had already begun sketching the night view of the mountains and forests above the afterimage, while other areas were lightly rendered with black ink.
This stroke finally revealed the terrifying skill and outrageous control of the artist!
This seemingly understated rendering completely transforms the painting, presenting the mountain and water features that should exist under the night sky!
This move was truly the finishing touch!
But Lin Rui did not stop. He abandoned the depiction of the clouds and instead sketched a small boat in the river below the mountain. A small figure stood at the bow of the boat, and one could vaguely see that the figure was holding a wine cup and looking up at the sky.
This direction complements the moon's reflection hanging upside down over the river!
Without explicitly mentioning the hanging moon, the poem immediately conveys the image of raising a cup to invite the moon.
The artistic conception is there!
The two old men nodded secretly. Xia Zhou Fusheng's reputation was well-deserved!
After a while, seeing that Lin Rui was about to finish writing, the three elders were about to step forward to appreciate the painting properly when they discovered that Lin Rui suddenly picked up another brush and began to inscribe the painting. They paused in their steps.
Passive aura!
The Five Constants!
The halo of etiquette!
"Have you not seen the Yellow River's waters come from the sky, rushing to the sea never to return?"
Have you not seen the sorrow reflected in the bright mirror of the high hall, where white hair, once black as silk in the morning, has turned to snow by evening?
Enjoy life to the fullest when you're successful; don't let your golden goblet stand empty before the moon.
"Everyone has their own unique talents, and though I may spend all my money, it will come back again."
The elderly man at the head of the group had a bright, shining gaze.
Having also immersed himself in calligraphy for decades, he was well aware of Lin Rui's terrifying skill in the art!
This poem, which is less than a hundred words long, uses three different calligraphic styles: regular script, cursive script, and running script!
Furthermore, he possesses an astonishing level of skill in mastering each font, making him linger over them!
A master of both calligraphy and painting!
Fusheng deserves this title!
At this moment, the three people who were actually in charge of the Xia family had completely agreed with what they had in mind.
In addition, the inscription, especially the last line, "Heaven has endowed me with talents that will surely be put to use; though a thousand pieces of gold are spent, they will return again," perfectly reflects the current situation in Lizhou.
Even if the road is bumpy and there are setbacks, as long as they stay true to themselves and believe that their talents will not be buried, victory will eventually be regained in their hands!
"I've made a fool of myself."
Lin Rui put down his brush and stepped aside with neither arrogance nor servility.
"good!"
The elderly man at the head of the group nodded to Lin Rui, his eyes full of admiration.
If it weren't for the fact that his family only produced one person, Xia Xianci, who was famous throughout the land and was already married, this old man would definitely have made Lin Rui his grandson-in-law.
Moreover, it's the kind of marriage where the eldest granddaughter is married off!
The other two old men were already standing in front of the table, their eyes shining as they admired the landscape painting.
They hadn't noticed anything from a distance, but as they got closer, their pupils contracted involuntarily, because the moment they saw the painting, their vision was filled with the scene reflected in their minds.
It was a cold, starless night. A small boat drifted in the breeze. A scholar in white robes stood at the bow, holding a wine cup in his hand, gazing at the bright moon overhead. He seemed slightly drunk.
They could even sense the melancholy of the white-robed scholar who felt his talents were not being recognized!
Furthermore, they could also sense the dark mountains not far away under the cover of night, and the deep river beneath their feet.
But that wasn't the end of it; unfamiliar voices even appeared in their minds.
The voice seemed to come from the scholar in white, who was softly reciting: "Enjoy life while you can, for tomorrow you may die..."
Suddenly, one of the old men took two steps back, his lips trembling slightly as he said, "This is...this is...a fusion of artistic conception!"
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