Kingdom of Heaven and Han

Chapter 882
After drinking a few cups, Li Qingzhao said: "Drinking like this is too boring, let's do some guessing and throwing pots, and have fun."

Zhang Zeduan heard this, and said: "The layman takes two chess pieces, let's guess one. It's too troublesome to cast a pot to enjoy the scenery in your garden today."

Li Qingzhao was a popular person, so he took two Go pieces and used them to guess one.

After guessing a few times, most of them were lost by Li Di, which was a bit embarrassing.Li Di slapped the two chess pieces on the table, and said, "Let's take a break. Today's luck is bad. If you drink like this, you'll get drunk after a few more drinks."

A few people stopped, drinking slowly, and eating some vegetables by the way.

For today's appetizers, a few people bought a roast chicken, three catties of sauced beef, and some cold dishes such as cucumbers and lotus roots.I also bought a few cantaloupe, washed them with clean water and put them aside to quench my thirst after drinking.

After eating a few pieces of beef, the newcomer Wang Ximeng said, "Recently, the Academy of Calligraphy and Painting opened a Deyue Zhai, which specializes in selling paintings by the painters of the Academy. I heard that it was proposed by Minister Xuan himself to give the painters some money." Connections. This matter is very good, people like me, how can we save money with only salary?"

Zhang Zeduan said: "Deyue Zhai only sells sketch paintings, and you are not good at drawing sketches, what are you happy about?"

Wang Ximeng said: "Sketches are not very difficult. I can learn them casually, and I can draw them."

Li Di said: "Don't think about it. It's better to draw more large paintings in your spare time. The price is higher, and there is no shortage of anything. Why come to compete with us for sketches?"

Wang Ximeng sighed: "You don't know, these years in Beidi, my wife is gone, and life is hard. In order to come to Luoyang, I owed debts again. How can I get some money? To be a painter, a One to twenty per month, really not many."

Zhang Zeduan shook his head again and again after hearing this: "What are you talking about? Ordinary people out there can have enough food and clothing for a few pennies a month. You are not satisfied with ten or twenty pennies?"

Wang Ximeng said, "I'm really short of money now, what can I do?"

After finishing speaking, he couldn't help but sigh.

During the reign of Xuanhe, Wang Ximeng was taken captive and went north.Jin people don't know calligraphy and painting, so Wang Ximeng can only carry luggage like everyone else.Within a year, his wife, Mrs. Lu, died on the way to escape, leaving her alone.Apart from painting, he has no skills, so he has had a hard time in the past few years.Fortunately, Wang Xiaolie occupied Jinzhou, so he had a chance to return.When he came back, he borrowed a lot of money from a rich man, and he was in debt.Fortunately, the painters at the Academy of Calligraphy and Painting knew each other well, so the hardships came to an end.

Now that my life has settled down, I want to marry another wife, buy a house, and pay off my debts. I feel that I am short of money everywhere.If you only rely on your own salary, I am afraid it will take a few years to settle down.Recently, Wang Xiaolie set up a Deyue Zhai where he could sell some calligraphy and paintings from the calligraphy and painting academy, and his heart inevitably became lively.

Accompanied by Li Yuben, Zhang Yuan looked around and said, "The size of this house is right, and it's adjacent to Dongmen Street. It's the best place to do business. It's really the best choice for the staff, and the business must be booming!"

Li Yuben said: "Unfortunately, facing the street in the north, it's a little unlucky."

Zhang Yuandao: "Member, you see that there are many shops on this street. Most of them are in the cloth business. If you can rent a house, it's good. How can you choose randomly? We came to Luoyang, and we are not familiar with the place. It would be nice to have a place to stay." .”

Li Yuben nodded: "For the time being, I have no choice but to do so."

The two people were sent by Gushen to Luoyang to inquire about the Song Army.The Jurchen surname of Li Yuben is Pucha, the Han surname is Li, and Yuben is his real name.He is a guest of Gushen, and the relationship is not superficial.Zhang Yuan was a Han Chinese living in Datong Mansion and was Li Yuben's helper.

Obtained by Gushen's order, the two came to Luoyang part-time to inquire about the news under the cover of doing cloth business.However, in the past few years, the Jurchens have become used to being domineering, and they are careless in doing things, and they are not used to being cautious.Although Gushen repeatedly confessed before leaving, Li Yuben felt that he was already cautious enough to rent a house to do business.What usually pays attention to everything is a joke in his opinion.

Zhang Yuandao: "Yuanwai, Song people's custom is to report to Xingshou when doing business. I will go to Xingshou in a while and invite him to Dingxianglou for dinner in three days. Yuanwai reports by the way. This Xingshou is not simple, it is Xuanfu's father-in-law, outsiders must be careful in serving him. As long as he is happy, our business will be smooth."

When Li Yuben heard this, he couldn't help frowning and said, "Since he is the father-in-law of Xuanfu envoy, why did he come to be the head of the line? The head of the line is a lowly servant, and the businessman has no choice but to do it. He is the father-in-law of Xuanfu, who dares to do it?" Force him to do it?"

Zhang Yuandao: "Luoyang is different from before. The leaders of the industry are people with high morals. I have already asked, in all walks of life, the leaders of the industry are mostly leaders. Of course, these people are the leaders of the industry, and they have more management. .”

Li Yuben shook his head again and again: "The rules here are so strange, they are different from other places."

Zhang Yuandao: "We don't need to pay attention to it, it's just a meeting. This person's status is extraordinary, and he will give a big gift at that time."

Li Yuben said: "We have come thousands of miles away, how can we give him any important gifts? If it is an ordinary thing, it will not enter his eyes."

Zhang Yuandao: "I heard that there is a calligraphy and painting academy in Luoyang. Most of the painters in it are from the former painting academy. It's called Deyuezhai. The paintings in it are all high-quality goods, and each one is expensive. Let's go there and buy a painting or two. As a gift, it also shows that we are not ordinary people."

Li Yuben was overjoyed: "I heard that southerners like calligraphy and painting the most, unlike us northerners. If you can find two good paintings as gifts, it will be the best!"

At the moment, let Zhang Yuan take him across the river to Deyue Zhai shop.

The two of them crossed the Luo River in a carriage and came to the south bank of the Luo River.Not far away, I saw a simple and elegant shop, full of scholarly atmosphere.There is a signboard hanging on the shop, it is De Yuezhai.

Zhang Yuan brought Li Yuben into the shop, a servant came up to greet him, cupped his hands and said, "Two guests, please come inside."

After speaking, he took the two of them to a table and asked them to sit down.Make a pot of tea, put two teacups, let two people sit and drink tea.

The servants here are different from other places, they are white and clean, and they are extremely tidy from top to bottom.The voice is not loud, it sounds pleasant to the ear, and there is no extra nonsense, which makes people feel very comfortable.When I entered the store, I didn't ask too many questions, which made the customers feel at ease.

Zhang Yuan and Li Benyu sat down and drank two cups of tea.Looking around, there are many framed calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall, and some are piled aside.

Li Benyu called the servant and asked, "What's the price of your calligraphy and painting here?"

The boy said: "There is no fixed price for calligraphy and painting, basically one price per painting."

Li Benyu said: "I see some hanging on the wall, are those more expensive?"

The boy said: "The guest officer misunderstood. Those hanging on the wall are not necessarily expensive. Really good paintings are not displayed."

Li Yuben said: "If you don't show it, how will you know if it's good or not? You can't do business like this!"

At this moment, a man was drunk and staggered into the shop.He said to the owner of the shop: "Master, have you sold the two paintings I put here? If you have sold them, give me the money quickly!"

Seeing that it was the painter Wang Ximeng, the owner of the shop hurried out from the inside and said, "Wang Daizhao, although your paintings are good, you just asked for a higher price, and they didn't sell for a while."

Wang Ximeng waved his hand: "Why haven't you sold it yet? You, the owner of the shop, can't do it!"

The owner just smiled wryly, not knowing what to say.

Li Yuben watched from the side, and said to the boy: "Why do you have all kinds of customers in your store? I'm just praising you here!"

The little servant hurriedly said: "Excuse me, guest officer. This Wang Daizhao is not a customer in the shop, he is a painter of the painting academy. There are paintings sent to our shop, so come to ask."

Li Yuben glanced at Zhang Yuan and said, "Is he famous?"

Zhang Yuan asked the young servant: "I wonder if there are any famous paintings handed down by this king? Is it famous?"

The little servant said: "Wang Daizhao is appreciated by the Taoist emperor, and he is famous for teaching skills himself. There is a picture of "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains", which is regarded as a peerless treasure!"

"Oh—" Zhang Yuan nodded repeatedly. "I've heard of it, of course I've heard of it. That painting is very famous. It is said that it is in the royal collection of the palace, and other idlers can't see it. Why, Wang Daizhao also sells paintings in the store?"

The boy said: "Of course, our store sells paintings by these people. Wang Daizhao has two masterpieces, and they are in the store. You came just in time."

Zhang Yuan hurriedly said to Li Benyu: "Mr. Wai, this Wang Daizhao is amazing. I heard that he is very talented. When he was 18 years old, he had a painting that was deeply loved by the emperor and ministers at that time. His name is known all over the world."

After hearing this, Li Benyu couldn't help but look at Wang Ximeng more.Asked in a low voice: "Since he is such a famous person, his paintings must be good."

Zhang Yuan nodded again and again: "Of course it is good. People like this, even if they scribble casually, it is a supreme treasure!"

Li Benyu thought for a while and called the boy over.Said: "The two paintings that are waiting to be ordered, bring me to see."

The little servant was overjoyed, and hurried to bring Wang Ximeng's painting, and spread it out for Li Benyu and Zhang Yuan to see.

These two paintings, one of orchids and the other of cranes, are not large in size.The two couldn't help admiring the painting so vividly.I was about to ask Wang Ximeng to say a few words, but I didn't want Wang Ximeng to hear that the painting hadn't been sold, and left cursing with alcohol.

There was no other way, so Li Benyu could only sigh.Ask the boy: "How much are these two paintings worth?"

The boy said: "If you sell it alone, you need 150% of it. If the guest officer buys both, [-] will be enough."

These two paintings were only drawn by Wang Ximeng in a few days, just to sell them.Not to mention whether he is familiar with the content of the painting, but the attitude of painting alone is a bit improper.In Deyue Zhai, such paintings are not only hard to sell, but also not worth the price.But Wang Ximeng's asking price is so high, where can anyone buy it?
Generally speaking, these sketches by the painter are usually between ten and thirty.Wang Ximeng asked for 150 guan for two paintings, and the customers who came into the store did not pick up the money, and they refused to take a second look.

When I met Li Benyu and Zhang Yuan today, I deserved Wang Ximeng's fortune.

(End of this chapter)