After drinking a few drinks, Li Qingzhao said: "It's too boring to drink like this. Let's do some guessing and hustle to make it lively."
After hearing this, Zhang Zeduan said: "The layman took two chess pieces, let's guess which ones. I'm going to enjoy the scenery in your garden today. It's too troublesome to throw the pot."
Li Qingzhao was a popular person, so he took two Go pieces for guessing.
After guessing several times, Li Di lost most of the time and was a little embarrassed. Li Di slapped the two chess pieces on the table and said, "Let's take a break. Today's bad luck. If you drink like this, you'll be drunk after a few more drinks."
A few people stopped, drank slowly, and ate some food by the way.
For today's snacks, a few people bought a roast chicken, three pounds of soy sauce beef, and some cold vegetables such as cucumbers and lotus roots. I also bought a few cantaloupes, 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 Calligraphy and Painting Academy opened a Deyuezhai store, which specializes in selling paintings by the painters of the Calligraphy and Painting Academy. I heard that this was proposed by Xuan Xiang himself to give the painters some money. Connections. This is very good. How can people like me save money with just my salary?"
Zhang Zeduan said: "De Yue Zhai only sells sketch paintings, and you are not good at sketch paintings. Why are you happy?"
Wang Ximeng said: "The sketch is not very difficult. I can learn it casually and I can draw it."
Li Di said: "Don't think about this. It's better to paint more big paintings in your free time. The price is expensive, and you don't need anything. Why bother to compete with us for sketches?"
Wang Ximeng sighed: "You don't know, in the past few years in the North, my wife has disappeared, and my life has been very hard. In order to come to Luoyang, I owe another debt, and I don't know how to get some money. How can I be a painter? One month and twenty strings are really not much."
Zhang Zeduan shook his head after hearing this: "What are you talking about? Ordinary people outside can have enough food and clothing for just a few guan a month, but you are still not satisfied with 10 or 20 guan?"
Wang Ximeng said: "We are really short of money now, what can we do?"
After saying that, he couldn't help but sigh.
During the Xuanhe period, Wang Ximeng was taken captive and went north. Jin people do not know calligraphy and painting, so Wang Ximeng can only carry luggage like others. Within a year, his wife Lu died on the way to escape, leaving her alone. He has no other skills except painting, and has had a very hard time these past few years. Fortunately, Wang Xiaolie occupied Jinzhou and he had a chance to return. When I came back, I borrowed a lot of money from a wealthy family and was in debt. Fortunately, I got to know the painter at the Painting and Calligraphy Academy, so all 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 debts. I feel that I am short of money everywhere. If you only rely on your own salary, it may take several years to settle down. Recently, Wang Xiaoye set up a monthly monastery where he could sell some calligraphy and paintings from the calligraphy and painting academy, which made him feel excited.
Zhang Yuan looked around with Li Yuben and said: "This house is of a suitable size and is adjacent to Dongmen Street. It is the best place for doing business. It is a great choice for me to choose this place, and my business will definitely be prosperous!"
Li Yuben said: "It's a pity that it faces the street in the north, which is a bit unlucky."
Zhang Yuandao: "Executive member, look at the many shops on this street, most of which are engaged in cloth business. It would be good if we can rent a house. How can we choose randomly? We came to Luoyang and are unfamiliar with the place. It would be nice to have a place to stay. .”
Li Yuben nodded: "That's all we can do for now."
The two men were sent to Luoyang by the God of Grain to inquire about the Song army. Li Yuben's Jurchen surname is Pucha, his Han surname is Li, and Yuben is his real name. He is a guest of Gu Shen, and his relationship is not shallow. Zhang Yuan is a Han Chinese who lived in Datong Prefecture and is Li Yuben's helper.
After receiving orders from the God of Ceres, the two of them traveled to Luoyang, using the cloth business as a cover to inquire about information. However, in recent years, the Jurchens have become accustomed to being domineering and careless in doing things, and are not used to being cautious. Although Gu Shen repeatedly confessed before leaving, Li Yuben felt that renting a house to do business was prudent enough. The need to pay attention to everything is a joke to him.
Zhang Yuandao: "Executive officer, it is the custom of Song people to report to the head of the line when doing business. I will go to the head of the line later and ask him to have dinner at Dingxiang Building in three days, and report by the way. This head of line is not easy, it is Xuanfu's father-in-law must be treated with caution. As long as we make him happy, our business will go smoothly."
After hearing this, Li Yuben couldn't help but frowned and said: "Since he is the father-in-law of Xuanfu, how can he be the leader of the line? The leader of the line is a lowly servant. The businessman has no choice but to do it. He is the father-in-law of Xuanfu, who dares to Force him to do it?"
Zhang Yuandao: "This place in Luoyang is different from before. The chief executives in the industry are those with high moral character. I have already asked, in all walks of life, the chief executives are mostly headed by prominent figures. Of course, these people are the leaders and have more responsibilities. .”
Li Yuben shook his head repeatedly: "The rules here are so strange, they are different from other places."
Zhang Yuandao: "We don't need to pay attention. It's just a meeting. This person's identity is extraordinary, and he will be given a heavy gift when the time comes."
Li Yuben said: "We have come thousands of miles away, how can we give him any heavy gifts? If they are ordinary things, they won't be able to get into his eyes."
Zhang Yuandao: "I heard that there is a painting and calligraphy academy in Luoyang. Most of the painters there are from the former painting academy, named Deyuzhai. The paintings there are all high-quality, and each one is expensive. Let's go there to buy one or two paintings. 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. It would be best if we could find two good paintings to give as gifts!"
At the moment, let Zhang Yuan take him across the river to De Yue Zhai's shop.
The two people sat in a carriage, crossed the Luo River, and came to the Luo River on the south bank. Not far away, I saw a simple and elegant shop with a bookish atmosphere. There is a signboard hanging on the shop, it is Deyuejie.
Zhang Yuan brought Li Yuben into the store, and a boy came up to greet him. He cupped his hands and said, "Two guests, please come inside."
After speaking, he led the two of them to a table and asked them to sit down. Make a pot of tea, put two teacups, and let two people sit and drink tea.
The boys here are different from other places. They are white and clean, and they are extremely neat and tidy. He spoke in a low voice and sounded pleasant to the ears. There was no unnecessary nonsense, which made people feel very comfortable. When entering the store, no questions were asked, making customers feel very comfortable.
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 walls, and some are piled aside.
Li Benyu called the boy and asked, "What are the prices of the 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 are hanging on the wall. Are those more expensive?"
The boy said: "My guest has misunderstood. What is hung on the wall is not necessarily expensive. Really good paintings are not displayed."
Li Yuben said: "If you don't show it, how can you know whether it is good or not? This is not the way you do business!"
At this moment, a drunk man staggered into the store. He said to the shop owner: "Master, have you sold the two paintings I put here? If you have sold them, please give me the money quickly!"
When the owner of the shop saw that it was the painter Wang Ximeng, he hurriedly walked out and said, "Wang Daizhao, although your painting is good, the price you asked for was a little higher, so it was not sold for a while."
Wang Ximeng waved his hand: "Why haven't you sold it yet? You, the store owner, can't do it!"
The shop owner just smiled bitterly, not knowing what to say.
Li Yuben watched from the side and said to the waiter: "Why do you have so many customers in your store? I'm just praising you here!"
The boy hurriedly said: "My guest, please forgive me. This Wang Daizhao is not a customer of the store. He is a painter from the art academy. There are paintings sent to our store, so I came to ask."
Li Yuben glanced at Zhang Yuan and said, "Is he very famous?"
Zhang Yuan asked the boy: "This Wang Daizhao, I wonder if he has any famous paintings handed down to the world? Is he famous?"
The young man said: "Wang Daizhao was appreciated by Emperor Daojun and personally taught his skills. Of course he is famous. There is a painting called "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. I heard it's in the imperial collection and can't be seen by ordinary people. Why, Wang Daizhao also has paintings for sale in the store?"
The boy said: "Of course, our store sells paintings by these people. Wang Daizhao has two masterpieces, which are in the store. You came just in time."
Zhang Yuan hurriedly said to Li Benyu: "Outside of the Yuan Dynasty, this Wang Daizhao is really great. I heard that he was very talented. He had a painting when he was 18 years old. He was deeply loved by the emperor and ministers at that time, and his name was known all over the world. .”
After Li Benyu heard this, he couldn't help but look at Wang Ximeng twice. He asked in a low voice: "Since he is such a famous person, I guess his paintings must be good."
Zhang Yuan nodded repeatedly: "Of course it is good. Even if people like this doodle casually, it is still a supreme treasure!"
Li Benyu thought for a while and called the boy over. He said: "Bring me the two paintings that are waiting for an imperial edict."
The boy was overjoyed and hurriedly brought Wang Ximeng's paintings and spread them out for Li Benyu and Zhang Yuan to see.
These two paintings, one is of orchids and the other is of cranes, are not large in size. The two of them couldn't help but admire how lifelike the painting was. When I was about to ask Wang Ximeng to say a few words, Wang Ximeng heard that the painting had not been sold, so he left cursing under the influence of wine.
There was no other way, Li Benyu had no choice but to sigh. Ask the boy: "How much do these two paintings cost?"
The boy said: "If you sell them individually, you have to buy one piece with 80 guan. If you want to buy both pieces, 150 guan will be enough."
These two paintings were painted by Wang Ximeng in a few days just to sell them for money. It didn't matter whether he was familiar with the content of the painting or not, but his attitude towards painting was a bit inappropriate. In Deyue Zhai, such paintings are not only difficult to sell, but also cannot be sold at high prices. However, Wang Ximeng’s asking price is too high. Where can anyone buy it?
Generally speaking, these sketches by painters usually range from ten to thirty. Wang Ximeng's two paintings cost one hundred and fifty guan, and the customers who came into the store didn't pick up the money, so they refused to take a second look.
I met Li Benyu and Zhang Yuan today. Wang Ximeng deserves to be rich.
(End of chapter)
