Painting Doctor Jinhua

When Chen Shuling mentioned that the skin on her neck and hands was whiter than snow, Yuwen Hui also cast his eyes towards Xiao Jinyu's neck, and his eyes also gleamed. But when he heard the last word "deceiving the emperor", everyone's faces changed. Some of them looked at Xiao Jinyu as if they were watching a good show. Only Lanling Wang and Xiao Xian had hidden tension in their eyes. When they were about to say something, Xiao Jinyu spoke:

"I'm sorry to disappoint you all by coming to see you in this appearance. But if you say I am deceiving you, I won't admit it. Jinyu's mother died only half a year ago, and her father died only three months ago. The Book of Rites says that for parents, one should not change one's clothes for three years. So Jinyu is still in mourning for her father and mother. Children in mourning should not wear red or green, and should not seek pleasure. Jinyu wears plain clothes and looks plain, so how can she be deceiving you?"

Chen Shuling's face darkened. He was about to say something, but when he saw his father Emperor Chen Xu looking at him with a slightly reprimanding look, he shut up in shame and anger.

"You are right. As a child, you should be filial and observe mourning for three years when your parents die. You have done nothing wrong, and this matter has nothing to do with deceiving the emperor." Chen Xu said with a smile.

"Then, may I ask Your Majesty, why have you summoned me here?" Xiao Jinyu asked directly.

At this time, Xiao Xian had already walked in led by Eunuch Wu.

As soon as the elegant southern scholar in white entered the hall, he immediately attracted everyone's attention.

Of course, these people were curious not only about Xiao Xian's appearance, but also about the fact that the man who was said to have been paralyzed in a wheelchair for more than ten years was now standing in front of everyone with such calm demeanor.

There was also an unpredictable expression in Chen Xu's eyes, but it was impossible to figure out what he meant.

Seeing Xiao Jinyu standing in front of the hall, Xiao Xian immediately stepped forward and saluted Chen Xu: "Xian pays respect to Your Majesty!"

Chen Xu was silent for a moment, then raised his hand and said, "Please stand up!"

He continued, "Three years ago, you were rated as a second-rank official in the Zhongzheng assessment. I wanted to have the Ministry of Personnel recruit you as the Crown Prince's Junior Secretary to assist the Eastern Palace, but you refused the Ministry of Personnel's recruitment document on the grounds of being disabled and sick. Now that you are in good health, are you still willing to join the government?"

Xiao Xian thought for a moment and replied, "After this elegant gathering, if Xiao Xian's talent does not disappoint Your Majesty, I am willing to become an official and serve the State of Chen at my utmost!"

This answer satisfied Chen Xu very much. One has to know that in this era, if a monarch of another country summons scholars, they can freely choose which monarch to serve. Now, in front of the envoys from Qi and Zhou, Xiao Xian's words have made his attitude clear.

This is all he wanted.

"Okay, please take a seat here, and enjoy today's delicious food, fine wine, and beautiful women with everyone else!"

After saying that, he turned his gaze to Xiao Jinyu again.

"You just asked me why I summoned you here. I will tell you now. I heard that you are very good at painting, so I want to see with my own eyes today how you paint."

Sure enough, it was the painting that Xu Ling took away that caught his attention?

This is a good opportunity!

When it comes to how to paint, Chen Shuling's eyes light up. He has also heard that this young lady's dance in painting is unique in heaven and on earth. He wonders if it is true?

"Okay, I can paint, but I want to tell you all here that my paintings can touch people's hearts, understand human nature, and judge people's character. Everything you see will be revealed in my paintings. Do you still want to see it?"

When Xiao Jinyu said this, many people showed doubt in their eyes, but Chen Shuling and Yuwen Hui sneered.

"If you say that you can make the painting lifelike, I am willing to believe it, but I don't believe that you can touch people's hearts, understand human nature, and judge people's character. My dear, don't brag in front of His Majesty, otherwise..."

"Shut up!" Chen Xu suddenly frowned and interrupted, then looked at Xiao Jinyu and said, "Please draw!"

"A three-foot Zhang Zhi brush, two boxes of Weidan ink, and a seven-foot Zuobo paper!" Xiao Jinyu still asked.

Chen Xu looked at his son Chen Shubao and ordered, "Prince, as she requested, bring the best Zhang Zhi brush, Wei Dan ink, and Zuo Bo paper from your East Palace!"

"Yes!"

The prince obeyed the order and immediately gave instructions to the eunuch beside him.

"I wonder what the young lady is planning to paint?" Yu Wenhui asked with interest at this time.

Xiao Jinyu smiled and replied: "Just call it: Eastern Palace Night Banquet!"

"Eastern Palace... Night Banquet?" Yu Wenhui smiled. "It sounds interesting. Let's wait and see."

After a while, the eunuchs of the Eastern Palace brought the Zhang Zhi brush, Weidan ink and Zuobo paper that Xiao Jinyu needed. Everyone saw Xiao Jinyu holding the brush in both hands, standing in front of the seven-foot Zuobo paper, and actually working with both hands at the same time, sketching briskly on the paper.

And when she was painting, most people sitting around her were not looking at her paintings, but at her, as if she was the person in the painting. There was an unreal, elegant and graceful beauty in her brushstrokes.

Only Xiao Xian and Lanling Wang's eyes fell on her painting. She drew quickly and vigorously. In an instant, a figure appeared in her painting, and then another figure was quickly drawn...

It turned out that she was painting everyone in the East Palace.

Xiao Jinyu's gaze had been calmly shining on everyone here, even capturing the subtle changes on everyone's face or in their eyes. However, Chen Xu, who was sitting at the top, was staring at her intently, with a calm expression but ambiguous meaning.

After a cup of tea, Xiao Jinyu stopped writing and said, "The painting is done!"

Everyone was awakened from their dream at this moment. The two groups of people, led by Chen Shuling and Yuwen Hui, stood up and looked into the distance. They saw that the clean and white Zuobo paper just now had become a picture scroll of all living things: music and singing, girls dancing, and the beautiful ancient Xuanpu garden filled with guests, some raising their glasses to welcome each other, some talking and laughing, some whispering, and some looking at each other in silence. Every person was presented in the painting, and both their movements and expressions were vivid.

At this time, Chen Shuling and Yuwen Hui could no longer laugh or speak.

"With such painting skills, let alone lifelike, it is a stroke of genius. I believe that painting can come true!" Yuwen Zhi couldn't help but sigh, as if he had discovered something, and asked again, "Hey, there seems to be a poem written on the painting, what is it?"

At this time, Chen Xu raised his hand and signaled Wu Shizhong and another eunuch to present the painting together.

Seeing this painting up close, Chen Xu's expression changed incredibly, but because he was very good at concealing his emotions, the complex expression only flashed by, and then he read: "The merchant woman knows not the hatred of losing her country, and still sings the song of Houtinghua across the river? What does it mean?"

Although Crown Prince Chen Shubao had not yet written the famous line "The enchanting face is like a flower with dew, and the jade tree's flowing light shines in the back garden", it was impossible for Chen Xu not to understand the deep meaning of this sentence. He asked this question only because he wanted to hear her answer.

"The singing girl does not understand the pain of losing her country, and the scholars are also indulging in pleasure. Therefore, under the threat of the powerful Qin tiger, Qu Yuan wrote Li Sao, which was intended to warn the world!"

Before Xiao Jinyu finished speaking, some scholars stood up in shock!

"Young lady, what do you mean by that? Are you scolding us?"

"I dare not, gentlemen. I have just said that my paintings can touch the heart, reveal the nature, and judge the character of people. Since you all want to see my paintings, and now that my paintings are finished, why are you dissatisfied?"

The scholar was so angry that his face turned red and his neck became thick. Chen Xu raised his hand to signal him to sit down and said, "Don't get excited. Since I allowed her to draw this picture, she can express it freely. What's more, what she said is not without reason. During the Hou Jing Rebellion, many scholars died under his butcher knife. When the famous scholar Yu Xin was stationed at Zhuquehang, he heard that Hou Jing's troops were coming and he threw away his armor and fled without fighting. If it weren't for my uncle who led 3,000 soldiers to the king and killed Hou Jing, how could Jiankang City or my Chen Kingdom be what it is today?"

"Yes, Your Majesty, Emperor Wu has protected our people in the south and has made outstanding contributions. His name will go down in history!" Some scholars have begun to echo and flatter him.

"What this young lady said is very reasonable. It is very reasonable."

After hearing what Chen Xu said, no one dared to speak, even the envoys from Zhou State fell silent, and Gao Changgong was even more lost in thought.

But Chen Xu's words were undoubtedly also said to these envoys. He was telling them that although the State of Chen now only had a piece of land the size of a palm, not everyone in the State of Chen was as spineless as famous scholars like Yu Xin. There were many brave and warlike people in the Chen clan!

Now even a sister-in-law could say something like "Qu Yuan wrote Li Sao to warn the world", Chen Xu felt that it was just what he wanted, and he could use the sister-in-law's words to slap the faces of those who indulged in pleasure in the room.

"In this case, my painting is finished. Can I leave now?" Xiao Jinyu asked at this time.

Chen Xu glanced at the people around him and said, "The banquet is over, everyone can leave, but you, Xiao Jinyu, stay!"

Xiao Xian stood up in shock and shouted, "Your Majesty!"

Chen Xu raised his hand to interrupt him and said:

"Please rest assured, Mr. Xiao, I am not keeping her here to embarrass her, but I have something to ask her."