Chapter 28: Sword, Twin Dragons, Snowflakes Shining on Hibiscus
February 8th, 3:15 p.m.
When the three of them left Yang's house, they saw the prince consort waiting outside the opposite gate.
This son-in-law Li Wei was not a playboy, he was born in a poor family in his early years, and he was also a man who knew how to treat people. When he saw Yang Weide, he bowed from a distance and greeted Li Cheng'an with great respect. When Yang Weide introduced Shen Kuo, he looked overjoyed.
"I have heard Lord Yang mention that Mr. Shen is a young talent who knows astronomy and can calculate the stars. His profound knowledge can help the government. I am fortunate to meet him today. I have something to ask Mr. Shen."
"General Yunhui, thank you for your compliment." Shen Kuo said politely.
Although Li Wei's words were full of politeness, they did make people feel warm inside. As the son-in-law of the emperor, he could have been a little perfunctory in terms of etiquette.
The three followed the prince consort into the main gate. They saw a scaffold at the main gate of the prince consort's mansion, and craftsmen were climbing up and down to repair the door. Because Yang Wei De saw that the threshold was low and cracked last time, it could not gather wind or store air. The red lacquer door did not match the prince consort's fate, so it had to be replaced with brown. The two stone lions were not placed in the northwest according to the Qian Gua, and the stone base was small and could not block the evil spirit, so they were also being replaced. The screen wall behind the main gate was also being hammered and a glazed Qilin was installed. Qilin, as a lucky animal, also has the function of driving away villains.
Since the son-in-law invited Yang Wei De to come to the mansion to look at the layout a few days ago, these projects have begun. The Song Dynasty has been worshipping ghosts and gods. Since the previous emperor received the heavenly book and sealed Mount Tai, it has spread from the palace to the officials and then to the people, and it has been out of control since then.
The group walked through the front yard, passed the veranda and arrived at the back garden. The house was really big.
Someone was planting trees in the garden, they looked like peach trees.
"Master Yang." The prince consort pointed to the peach forest. "According to your instructions, we cut down the old locust tree on the position of the green dragon and planted a new peach forest in the hope of a smooth marriage. We also repaired the pond in the evil position and introduced running water to drive away the bad people. We originally thought that the miraculous effect would take effect after the peach blossoms bloomed in March or April. Unexpectedly, there was a big change in just two days."
"Oh, so fast?" Yang Wei De seemed surprised as well.
"Today's banquet is held to thank Lord Yang for his guidance, and also because the princess gave me some beautiful items from the palace, which are rarely seen outside, so I invite you all to come and see them."
Everyone understood as soon as they heard it. It turned out that the prince consort was in such a good mood because the princess looked at him well. She even gave him something in return. It seemed that the incident of giving the fake painting and being exposed was over.
The rumor that the princess despised her husband was already well known. Shen Kuo had only been in the capital for seven days, but he already knew that the husband, the general Yunhui, was not a vagrant without talent. He was also an expert in calligraphy and painting, especially in cursive script and flying white. His ink and color paintings were unique, but he looked a bit ordinary and often spoke with a stutter. However, Yang Wei De only came once to give some advice on the geography of the house, and not only did the princess change her mind, but the husband also seemed to no longer stutter.
The prince consort was shaking his head excitedly in front, and from the back, he seemed to have a hunched back.
The three followed him into the study, where they saw a four-fold screen standing there, on which was painted a flower bud that was about to bloom.
Shen Kuo was walking beside Taoist Li, and unexpectedly saw the Taoist's face froze for a moment, then returned to normal.
"Everyone, this is the imperial collection that the princess gave me in return, the Shu Brocade Jade Screen."
Shen Kuo and Yang Wei De both walked closer to take a closer look, and only Taoist Li stood behind the crowd, seemingly deliberately keeping a distance.
But on the four screens, there are paintings of peach, lotus, chrysanthemum and plum, symbolizing spring, summer, autumn and winter.
Shen Kuo walked closer to take a closer look at the screens, and they were indeed freehand and smooth. The prince consort was the best at painting, so he naturally understood it.
"Mr. Shen, do you have any advice for me after looking at these paintings of flowers of the four seasons?" the prince consort asked proudly.
“Although these paintings are unsigned, judging by the technique, they appear to have been painted by the same person?”
The prince consort stood aside, smiling but saying nothing.
Shen Kuo sensed a hint of embarrassment, thinking that he had answered incorrectly, so he walked from one end of the screen to the other and took another closer look. Finally, his eyes fell on the painting "Lotus Pond Before Rain". In this painting, a strong wind was rising, dark clouds were approaching, willows were swaying, and lotus flowers were about to fall. Although the heavy rain had not yet fallen, it made people particularly worried about the fate of the lotus flowers.
"These three paintings of peach, chrysanthemum and plum seem to have been painted by the same person. Only the lotus has a slightly rough brushstroke, but it has a unique charm."
The prince consort clapped his hands and praised: "Mr. Shen has a keen eye and really understands painting. Can you tell me the reason?"
"Haha, Prince Consort, you are too kind. Actually, it's just because it looks like a heavy rain falling on Weijiang Road."
"heavy rain?"
"The other three paintings: Peach Blossoms with Spring, Autumn Chrysanthemums in Full Bloom, and Winter Plums in Snow each have their own elegance, but Spring, Autumn Fences, and Flying Snow are too ordinary. As the saying goes, great skill is insignificant, and great elegance is not obvious, so they lack novelty. Only this painting of summer lotus. This lotus emerging from the water is delicate and beautiful, but it is not outstanding , but it matches the dark clouds, and it is moving beyond vulgarity. In fact, it is more than moving, it is simply shocking."
"Please give me your advice." The prince consort said seriously.
"This lotus, originally in bud, is delicate and tender, with a hint of powder, but it is unexpectedly given the sinister and turbulent aura of a mountain rain that is about to destroy the flower. Especially the bloody color on the bud, which makes the viewer feel pity and inexplicably frightened. The other three paintings are nothing more than: beautiful flowers, beautiful scenery, and beautiful artistic conception. Only this painting has evil clouds, evil wind, and evil season, which shows that it was not painted by the same person as the other three paintings."
"Mr. Shen is a great man. I admire him. The three paintings of peach, chrysanthemum and plum were all painted by masters in the palace during the reign of Emperor Taizu. Only this painting of lotus in the rain was painted by Madam Huarui."
"Was it written by that Madam Meng Chang?"
"There is no mistake. She painted this picture herself. Now the princess has given it to me. It can be considered as returning it to its original place."
The prince consort suppressed his elation and looked around in a melancholy manner. This courtyard was originally where Meng Chang and Lady Huarui were imprisoned. He turned and went to a palace lantern hanging in the air on the other side.
"This is also a gift from the princess to the palace. It may seem ordinary, but it has a name called 'Candle Shadow Horse Walking' or 'Walking Shadow'. It was made by Yu Hao, the 'Wood Saint', a skilled craftsman of the previous dynasty, specifically for this screen. It is truly magical."
Shen Kuo guessed that the fancy name probably referred to the zoumadeng. He had bought and disassembled the zoumadeng before. It was nothing more than the heat from the fire inside, which drove the silhouettes of dogs, horses, flowers, etc. on the disk to rotate. It was not particularly magical. But the name Yu Hao still made him alert. The only clue at present was that the material craftsman Yu Silang was the successor of the Yu family's mechanical skills. Just now, Master Huailiang said that Yu Hao had a booklet "Wood Classics". The first volume was circulated in the world, and the second volume was not seen by people. It was quite mysterious. When Huailiang asked to see it, Huailiang only copied a few chapters from it.
"Sir, is this revolving lantern related to the screen?"
"Good question. These two things can only complement each other when they are in the same room. I think this is also the princess's lingering love." Speaking of this, the prince consort almost floated, "This candlelight horse is indeed a revolving lantern, but the four horses in it are not the four horses in the revolving lanterns in the market, but four poems, which sing the praises of peach, lotus, chrysanthemum and plum respectively. If the palace lanterns are lit at night, these four poems will be reflected on the four seasons on the screen. Haha, everyone, can it be considered a complement to each other?"
"This is simply unheard of. Yu Hao's mechanical skills are indeed at the pinnacle." Yang Wei De pretended to be surprised.
Shen Kuo had no intention of flattering. He opened his eyes and looked carefully at the palace lantern. The outside of the lamp frame was made of translucent white brocade. It was made exquisitely, but he could not see what was hidden inside. How did these poems rotate and how were they displayed? Yu Hao had a great reputation. People said he was the reincarnation of Lu Ban and wrote the "Wood Classic" that Huai Liang praised. However, the Kaibao Pagoda wooden pagoda he had presided over the construction of almost collapsed. In the end, it was Huai Liang who presided over the restoration. Was it just a false reputation?
"Mr. Shen, this palace lantern looks ordinary when viewed from outside during the day. Only when it is lit at night can the rotating words be seen. I tried it last night and it is indeed visible." The prince consort said with a smile.
“Which four poems?”
"The first one is Cui Hu's poem about peach blossoms... Last year at this same time, the human face and the peach blossoms reflected each other's redness. I don't know where the human face has gone, but the peach blossoms still smile in the spring breeze." The prince consort recited this poem that was quite appropriate for the occasion with his hands behind his back, and he seemed to feel the lingering tenderness.
“The two paintings of chrysanthemum and plum blossoms at the back are paired with Tao Yuanming’s “Drinking” and Du Fu’s “Plum Blossoms on the River,” which are also elegant.”
"Then... which one is about lotus?"
"Lotus... ahem... matched with an ancient poem by Li Bai, but it's a little weird." The prince consort paused unnaturally and began to recite the poem:
"The swords are like twin dragons, and the snowflakes are shining on the lotus.
The brilliant light shines through the sky and earth, and the thunder roars without stopping.
Once I left, I left the golden box and flew away without you.
Feng Hu has been dead for a long time, so his edge is hidden.
The Wu River is a thousand feet deep, and the Chu Mountains are a thousand feet high.
Male and female will never be separated, and the gods will meet each other. "
Shen Kuo also understood what the prince consort said was strange, in fact, it was more than strange and a bit of a spoiler. This poem was written with a chilling chill, but if it could really be as the prince consort said, and reflected in the painting of Lady Huarui in the candlelight, it would match the solemnity of the painting. This poem and this painting, the sword and the dragon, the dark clouds and the abyss, the rain that drives the flowers to bloom, actually have a tacit understanding of making people feel cold.
He tried hard to imagine what the scene would be like if the lamp was lit at night, but he couldn't imagine it for the moment.
On the other side, Prince Consort Li Wei indignantly recounted the scandal of how he spent a large sum of money to buy a painting but was "framed" as a fake by the villain around the princess. Then he thanked Yang Wei De again for guiding him through this difficult journey, and now he has finally reaped the rewards of his hard work.
Taoist Li Cheng'an, like Shen Kuo, was more concerned about the palace lantern. He walked up to the lantern and took a closer look. He found a tiny mark on one corner and frowned slightly.
"Master, do you have any advice for me?" The prince consort observed that Li Cheng'an seemed to be hesitant to speak.
"Oh, from what I know, these walking lights seem to be a pair."
"The Taoist priest is a frequent visitor to the palace, so he knows everything. The princess was going to give a pair of lanterns back, each with four poems about flowers, but the eunuch Liang Huaiji embezzled one and sold it outside the palace. Perhaps the four poems on the lantern were more auspicious and beautiful, but he ruined the plan. If I report this crime of deceiving the master , the Imperial City Bureau will at least beat him with thirty boards. I will not bother with him...him...him...for the sake of the princess."
The prince consort no longer referred to the young eunuch as a villain, but directly mentioned the young eunuch's name and began to stutter again.
"My success is only temporary, so there is no need to be angry, Your Majesty." Yang Wei De said.
"Today, let's not talk about that poor, jealous... filthy... scoundrel, lest... lest it ruin the mood. Come on, I'll drink a few cups with you all."
Shen Kuo was reluctant to leave the palace lantern and go to the living room. He wanted to see how the palace lantern worked immediately, but unfortunately it was still light outside and he could not watch it.
When they arrived at the living room, the banquet was already set up. Taoist Master Li Cheng'an was a disciple of Zhengyi, which was different from other Taoist sects . He could eat and drink together without avoiding meat, so the four of them ate and talked together. At first, the prince consort seemed to still be a little angry, but after drinking two cups, he calmed down and talked happily without stuttering.
The prince consort mentioned that it was still light outside and he could not see the wonders of the palace lanterns. He had invited some friends in Beijing to have a night banquet and watch the lanterns. He also invited famous prostitutes from the capital to sing and dance to entertain him. He said he had also brought a piece of Mr. Sanbian's posthumous work. He was so excited that he asked the three of you to stay and watch the palace lanterns at night.
Li Cheng'an seemed to be preoccupied and didn't say much during the meal. When the prince consort invited him, he made an excuse to decline. Yang Wei De didn't like crowds either, so he also declined, saying that they were just across the street and he could come anytime, and there was no rush.
Shen Kuo wanted to stay and wanted to know how the poem was projected on the screen. Was it projected on one painting, or four poems on four paintings? If it was the latter, how did Yu Hao's mechanical skills do it? This made him wonder, if Yu Silang had this family-inherited skill, could he make a flawless "hat monster"?
However, he could not stay because he had official business. Xu Chong had just received a clue about Yu Silang and reported it to Bao Da Ren. He did not know when to arrest him, so he had to wait tonight.
