The Eighteenth Century of Xuyang in the Red Chamber

After successfully obtaining the household registration status, Xu Yang returned to Chongya to continue his life as a pseudo-bookboy.

After Xu Jiao finished his work, he didn't go back to the capital directly. Instead, he wandered around Yangzhou city wondering what he was looking for. When Xu Yang asked him what he was busy with, he just smiled mysteriously, and you will know after a while.Xu Yang just ignored him with a bear look like "you ask me, come ask me, come ask me", knowing that his virtues would be said by himself in a few days, so he didn't have that curiosity at all .

Xu Yang was so annoying these days, he was going crazy being pestered.Thanks to Lin Ruhai, he, who is said to have returned from Europa and has been in Chongya for several months, is said to be very good at calligraphy and painting, and is extremely strange. The precious nephew of Mr. Lin’s family has almost become one of the Yangzhou literati circles these two months. The hottest topic!

It is said that after Xu Yang got the oil painting materials a few months ago, he painted a few pictures for his family, so he gradually found the feeling in these ancient painting tools.It just so happens that Ji Shanchang’s birthday is in mid-May, and Xu Yang is really poor now (communication needs money, so invite a few of you to drink a pot of tea and have some snacks at the teahouse in front of Chongya, and you will lose a tael of silver ...), I was embarrassed to always use the things that Mrs. Xu and Lin Ruhai gave him to make up the money. I really didn't have any suitable gifts at hand, so I carefully drew a portrait of Ji Shanchang as a birthday gift for the old man—— For a month, as soon as Xu Yang arrived at the Ji Mansion, he would set up a painting shelf facing the old man, holding a bunch of pens and paints in styles that the old man had never seen before.Ji Shanchang was so depressed, he gestured with a pen to me for a whole month and you didn't allow me to watch it, you don't want to be such a bully!

Because Xu Yang's hair hasn't grown long enough, Lin Ruhai doesn't allow him to join in the fun on special formal occasions, it's too ugly!So Lin Ruhai didn't take him there for Ji Shanchang's birthday, but only mounted his portrait on a big frame and carried it away.

This is the difference between Western paintings and Chinese paintings!For Chinese painting, you can roll a scroll and make it into a scroll, but for Western painting, especially this kind of portrait, you don’t need a frame to frame it, just roll it!If you roll it a hundred or ten times, your painting will be ruined... After all, the coating is much thicker than that of Chinese painting.

So Xu Yang could only ask people to get this painting to be lined with a board first, and then framed, which is four feet high and three feet wide.Such a big thing is really conspicuous, and Lin Ruhai is the highest-ranking official present and Ji Lianjiang's serious disciple. As soon as he enters the arena, the whole room is like a benchmark except for Ji Lianjiang.All the other gifts from Lin Ruhai have been registered and sent directly to the warehouse, but this oil painting is afraid of being crushed and rubbed. When Lin Ruhai went out, he asked his two most proud servants, Huiming and Guiming, to carry it and follow him all the way. , the two children also had brain cramps, and because this thing was not on Lin Ruhai's gift list, they just carried the portrait and followed Lin Ruhai to the birthday hall.Lin Ruhai was walking in front, it was impossible to look around and look back to see if his servant was following, so he swaggered all the way and rushed directly to Ji Lianjiang with the two servants carrying the portrait wrapped in silk.

To be honest, Lin Ruhai has always been cautious, and I don't know what's wrong, since Xu Yang came, it seems that no matter how cautious people are, they will get into trouble if they touch Xu Yang's side.This phenomenon is really puzzling, or maybe the virus from the 21st century had no antibodies hundreds of years ago!It's so contagious.

After Ji Lianjiang helped up Lin Ruhai, who was bowing down, he laughed at his students: "Where did you get such a treasure? You specially asked someone to carry it in. Quickly take off the cloth and let me see it!" Twitching, he wiped his sweat silently in his heart, and secretly scolded Xu Yang, "If you touch it, something will go wrong", but his face did not show at all. Said: "This is not a gift from me, but that child Yang'er, who knew your [-]th birthday, so he drew a picture for you and asked me to bring it."

Ji Lianjiang was also really cooperative. He obviously knew what it was, but he pretended to laugh and said: "I said! It turned out to be Yang'er. I knew you didn't have anything rare for me. By the way, isn't that child the most lively person?" , why didn't you come today?"

Lin Ruhai smiled wryly: "You also know that his hair hasn't grown well yet, so he doesn't want to come here to embarrass himself..."

Ji Lianjiang laughed loudly: "That's right, the body and skin are affected by the parents, Yang'er used to be outside, no one taught him, so no one can blame him! Now that I understand this, I know that I am ashamed of it, and I am sensible. Quickly take off the cloth, let me see what he painted, dare to make a fool of yourself in front of Uncle Tanhualang."

Lin Ruhai asked the boy to stand up the painting and took off the cloth on it.The room was brightly lit, and Mr. Pian Ji Lianjiang was facing the painting sideways. Comparing the two, it really shocked everyone in the room!

How many literati have seen oil paintings of the level of Mona Lisa these days?Those who go to the east to pan for gold are either businessmen or missionaries. Which master painter specializes in going to the east?Most are part-time.Almost only the royal family can hire a decent oil painter to paint for the family members. Even though the business is booming now, and many Western paintings have been spread to the East, most people can only see some finished Western paintings.Oil paintings of figures are much more realistic than Chinese paintings, but those who are lucky enough to see oil paintings of figures may not necessarily have seen the painted figures themselves, so although they feel that oil paintings look like real people, they really don’t know how much they look like. experience.

But Xu Yang is different!Although it is not a full-length portrait, it is almost life-sized. This is a sitting portrait of Ji Lianjiang.The old man sat on the grand teacher's chair with a serious face, his temples were grizzled and wrinkled, his eyes were not wide open, but a glimmer of light could be seen in them; the background was his study room, and the most wonderful thing was the scene behind him. It was dark, as if the old man's body blocked the light, extremely realistic.Mr. Ji is on the side now, and everyone can't help but compare him with the portrait. His gray hair is almost the same, the number of wrinkles on his forehead is exactly the same, and there are those really conspicuous protruding ears!The shape of the ear is really vividly portrayed, born on such an upright old man, it is a little more humorous out of thin air.

Ji Lianjiang was also taken aback. He had heard that Lin Ruhai, a little nephew, could draw western paintings. He also had two western paintings in his hand, which were nothing more than pictures of beauties. To be honest, the blond-haired and blue-eyed Europa women were not for the elderly. Well, those paintings were not drawn by everyone, and those that were passed on to China were almost painted by some painters long ago who conformed to earlier European aesthetics—the two paintings in Mr. Ji’s hands are of that kind. Golden curly hair, white skin, and a fat body that can't be covered by any amount of clothes, it really made the old man lose his appetite for Europa's paintings and women.

But Xu Yang's painting is right in front of him, Ji Shanchang feels that looking at this painting is completely looking at himself, just like looking at the Western mirror at home!The old man stood up and walked to the painting to look at it carefully. He couldn't help reaching out to touch it, but he retracted it when it touched the paper.After a while, he suddenly said in a soft voice: "Come on tomorrow when you are free, let Yang'er draw a picture for your teacher's wife." Lin Ruhai knew what the old man was thinking when he heard it.Mr. Ji's old wife is really not in good health these days. The old man is obviously afraid that if the old wife really lets go, she will never be seen again in the future, so he asked Xu Yang to draw a picture and keep it in mind.

Seeing the teacher's sadness, Lin Ruhai couldn't help but want to scold Xu Yang again, why is this kid always making trouble!Hastily continued: "When is he not free? He's alone! Tomorrow, I'll ask him to come over and paint for my teacher, and draw one for my teacher every season. Let's make a screen for my wife to watch!"

Ji Lianjiang was also amused by Lin Ruhai's once-in-a-lifetime humor, and the old man also knew that sad things should not be mentioned on a happy day, so he shook his head and said, "Although I don't know Western paintings, I can still see them. My son has put in a lot of work, it’s not something that can be painted in three to five days. He still has to study? How can he have this time? If he really has time, he can draw a reunion portrait for our old couple in the future.” Suddenly remembered something: "That brat is being lazy again? Didn't you say that I wrote a picture with me on my birthday? I didn't know that he could draw so well. I thought about his handwriting, so I asked him for it. Why did I give it now?" Huaer, did you save the writing for me?" The old man knew that Xu Yang must have written the writing, but he didn't take it to the front, and deliberately let him show his face, so he pretended to be angry.

Where does Lin Ruhai not know what the old man means?My nephew has been delayed for more than ten years in learning, and he still has to suffer if he wants to rely on the imperial examination!It's not bad to have a reputation as a talented scholar who can't be underestimated first!Then he hurriedly replied with a smile: "How can I forget it! Just his broken characters are really not worth two taels of silver, and they are placed outside with other gifts at home!"

"Hmph, what he said was broken, the words you wrote during the [-]th Five-Year Plan period can stand on the corner of the table..." Mr. Ji praised Xu Yang very much, and Lin Ruhai wanted to smoke Xu Yang even more.Is it easy for your uncle and me?In order to flatter you, it's not too bad. The words I wrote have become something that can only be used as a table corner.

There are indeed quite a few accompanying guests today. After all, Ji Lianjiang is a great Confucianist in the world. Although he is not an official, he is really the oldest surviving No. Guan'er, because of his old man's birthday, almost all the officials in Yangzhou attended the order.So Zheng Zhihe, the magistrate, said with a smile: "Ruhai is being modest again, isn't she? My daughter often tells me at home that although your daughter is only 9 years old, she can write with style in one hand. Just like that, you still tell me It's not as good as her brother! It can be seen that your nephew's handwriting is indeed quite good. It's really unreasonable for you to pick on such a good daughter first, and then despise your nephew now! You have to pick and choose for such an outstanding child , if you really don't like it, how about sending your nephew to me as my son-in-law?"

Lin Ruhai also laughed: "I think, I'm afraid that if I agree now, my wife will be reluctant to part with her daughter when I come back, and the grape trellis at Zhihe's brother's house will collapse."

This kind of talk is just a joke, no one takes it seriously.Zheng Zhihe is a dignified fifth-rank official with real power, and there is definitely room for him to rise in his position in the future; although Mrs. Xu is also a fifth-rank imperial order, but that is the commendation given to her by the emperor, and the glory belongs to her. The man's power is supported, it just sounds nice.If Xu Yang can't get into school in the future, he won't even have the qualifications to be shaded, and he will have to bow down to every official. It's really hard to live.Zheng Zhihe is just Zheng Jinhua's daughter-in-law, who loves her like her own life, how could she be so casual.On this occasion, the jokes made by men are different from those made by women. Many things are really just talking, not a temptation, just a joke.

Just as he was talking, someone went to the Lin family's gift pile and found Xu Yang's words.When I opened it, it turned out to be a hanging scroll. When I opened it, it was Liu Yuxi's "Humble Room Inscription".And the font is even better!It was actually written in Xiaozhuan, Xu Yang is not particularly good at Xiaozhuan, after all, he is still young, and he has practiced the most basic fonts, but this kind of hanging scroll needs to be beautiful, especially this "Humble Room Inscription". There are only 79 characters, and it is written with elegant literati feelings, so Xu Yang thinks it is quite unique to use Xiaozhuan.

Although it is not the best font, Xu Yang's writing is really not bad!More than ten years of writing is not for nothing, he can't see the magic copybook in the modern information society!No matter where or how to make a good post, I hide it in my own home.And the most important thing is that the development of Xiaozhuan in history was actually in the Qing Dynasty!At this time in Dajiang, Wu Changshuo had not yet been born, and Deng Shiru had long since been swept away by the wings of a butterfly, so there is no such character in the calligraphy world now.

Those present are all knowledgeable people, just like the poem "Humble Room Inscription" said: There are great scholars in talking and laughing, and there are no white people in communication.The two servants each held one side of the hanging scroll and unfolded it to dry. Mr. Ji was startled for a moment, then surprised, and walked a few steps to the hanging scroll.Xiaozhuan really isn't popular at this time, but not being popular doesn't mean people don't like it, it's just that there aren't any excellent characters written in Xiaozhuan that are sought after, so it's not popular.Xu Yang doesn't think he is the best at Xiaozhuan, but what is that compared to?It's a comparison with his pavilion, Nima!In this era when the imperial examination is the ultimate goal, most of the literati practiced the most in the pavilion style, okay?Second only to this kind of character you are best at, don't you just make it clear that you can write this very well!

When Xu Yang was preparing gifts, he really didn't expect that his handwriting would be opened and read on the spot, and he didn't expect that at this time, almost no one could write Xiaozhuan well-although he knew the common sense in the calligraphy world, but when he wrote it, he really didn't like it. Didn't think much about it.

For the Dajiang literati at this time, Xiaozhuan?Apart from engraving this thing, who has nothing to do to practice this thing all day long!The culture of the Dajiang Dynasty has long embarked on a different path from that of the Qing Dynasty, so Xiaozhuan is still rarely practiced as a necessary font by everyone.In the dynasties before this, there were very few calligraphers who were famous for Xiaozhuan. Even if there were three or two kittens, in this era of extremely underdeveloped information, who has seen a few good posts about Xiaozhuan?However, Xu Yang's Xiaozhuan was originally based on Wu Changshuo's characters. Later, as he got older, he gradually developed his own characteristics. No one had ever seen Wu Changshuo's characters in this era, so Xu Yang's characters are unique!

Not to mention that Mr. Ji was surprised, Lin Ruhai, who didn't check the handwriting in advance, was also dumbfounded. He knew that Xu Yang's handwriting was good, but he really didn't expect it to be so good!This word is a completely new style, and after another 20 years of tempering, it will be enough to establish a school!Mr. Ji looked at it for a while, and suddenly burst into tears, and said: "There is such a grandson, Mr. Xu knows, and he can smile at Jiuquan."

Mr. Ji's master Xu is Xu Yang's grandfather, Xu Duan, the young master of the prince.Xu Duan was the chief examiner of Ji Lianjiang's national examination that year, so all the candidates of that year worshiped Xu Duan as their teacher.It was also for this reason that Xu Zichang was able to easily introduce Lin Ruhai to Ji Lianjiang as a student; and in turn, Lin Ruhai introduced Xu Yang to Ji Lianjiang as an auditor.

As soon as Mr. Ji's words came out, everyone was startled, and some who couldn't read clearly pushed forward, but within a few breaths, the space in the middle of the main hall was full, and the chairs beside it were all empty.Mr. Ji's words are not casual. Being an official these days is different from the Qing Dynasty where prostitution was common in the later generations. There are still relatively few donated officials. Those who came from different backgrounds were also Juren, so those who were present were really rich in their stomachs.Mr. Ji will not praise people casually, and the appreciation of these visiting officials and literati themselves is quite high.Even a few hardcore calligraphy lovers completely forgot about Mr. Ji's birthday, and started discussing fonts on their own.

To be honest, Xu Yang's handwriting is really good, but it's really not good enough to calm so many people.The key is this font. We Chinese can write a character in N types of fonts, and each font can create countless styles...Xu Yang has learned from later generations and practiced font styles that these people have never seen before. It's gone, his style has never appeared before.

That's right, Wu Changshuo was only born in 1844!The ghost knows whether there will be such a person in this world in the future, it is probably hanging.In addition, who doesn't know that Lin Ruhai's nephew is only fourteen or five?He grew up in the barbarians, and it is said that he can't speak Chinese well, but his adoptive parents missed the Chinese culture and taught him to practice calligraphy since he was a child, so that he would not become illiterate.This word was actually written by a boy in the [-]th and [-]th year who couldn't even speak Chinese well a year ago. This is so unscientific!Wrong wrong, this is too rare!

This birthday banquet almost wiped out all the upper echelons of Yangzhou literati circles and official circles. Xu Yang has been upgraded from a little transparent child in Chongya to a young talent who is proficient in calligraphy and painting. Some people even touted him as a Yangzhou youth calligraphy and painting No.1.

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The author has something to say:

Sue, our Xiaoyang finally recovered, ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh...

But don't get too excited, this is really just a small episode in Xu Yang's life.Just like what Lin Ruhai complained: "My nephew has been delayed in learning for more than ten years, and he still has a hard time if he wants to rely on the imperial examination. It's not bad to be a talented scholar with calligraphy and painting, so that people can't be underestimated!!"

That's right, this function is just to prevent Xu Yang from being underestimated... He is really a young man from a scholarly family, no matter what the reasons for his ups and downs, Xu Yang's current knowledge is indeed quite underestimated.It can't always be said by people: "A very good child, but it's a pity that it was delayed."

Dajiang is really a more open dynasty than we imagined, especially in the south. Due to the development of maritime trade, everyone accepts new things to a high degree.There is no way, I have to set it like this, otherwise, really, if everyone has the same atmosphere as Cao Xueqin’s Jia Mansion, this country is really rotten to the bone and there is no way to save it. No matter how I write, I can’t help it.