ctnovel 023 Give me back my virtuous brother!
023 Give me back my virtuous brother!
Making a living by selling calligraphy and paintings sounds elegant, but in reality, it's a very difficult and embarrassing situation.
Lu Ying's calligraphy style was learned from "Chu Suiliang's style," but he was of mediocre talent and did not learn it properly. He failed to learn any of Chu Suiliang's strength, beauty, bone structure, and charm.
As for painting, like Wang Mian in later generations, Lu Ying was self-taught. Of course, similarly, his calligraphy was limited by his aptitude and his achievements were not great.
Given that his achievements are not high and his reputation is not well-known, the market price for his calligraphy and paintings is self-evident.
The two sat idly in a corner of the market for half a day, selling only one handwritten copy of the "Classic of Filial Piety".
A few dozen copper coins were barely enough for two horses to make the round trip.
Lu Ying was in low spirits and lost all interest in the conversation. She packed her things and prepared to leave the city to go home.
Li Yu quickly stopped him.
You can't leave the city, otherwise the plot will stop.
Li Yu advised, "Brother, wait a little longer; there will surely be someone who appreciates its value." Lu Ying, however, said that if they delayed any longer, they might miss their journey. Traveling at night would be unsafe.
Li Yu said that if that was the case, they should find an inn in the city to stay in.
Lu Ying smiled wryly: "We're short of money and in a dilemma. We can't afford to stay at this inn."
Li Yu was speechless.
With only three days left, Li Yu had gained little of his intellectual experience from chatting with Lu Ying.
He entered [Lu Sheng] not for this kind of experience.
The Pillow Book has two main characters: Lu Sheng and the Taoist priest Lü Weng.
Lu Sheng didn't have much to say; this old man Lü was most likely Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals.
If Li Yu can get even the slightest benefit from him, then the trip will not have been in vain.
The best approach is to obtain the true secrets of cultivating immortality and comprehending the Dao; methods for tempering the body and refining qi will also suffice. At the very least, one should acquire a mysterious technique similar to the "Secret Records of the Resurrected."
Lü Weng is a treasure trove, and Li Yu is confident that he will never "enter the treasure mountain and return empty-handed".
After all, his "character panel" has an additional "Fairy Affinity +10" status.
Immortals all like to believe in fate, so it wouldn't be right to let him go empty-handed, would it?
However, Li Yu, despite his meticulous planning, hadn't anticipated his current predicament—
No money!
Unable to find a hotel!
I won't meet Lu Weng!
Could it be that his first "moonlight journey" was cut short by this filthy thing?
What to do!
Li Yu pondered a solution, but he didn't help Lu Ying pack the cloth bag.
Li Yu's gaze lingered on Lu Ying's calligraphy works as he pondered how to sell them.
Well, ordinary people can't understand it, wealthy merchants look down on it, and scholars and literati don't even bother to look at it...
Look, look...
Suddenly, Li Yu had a flash of inspiration and shouted to Lu Ying, "Bring me a pen!"
Lu Ying was taken aback and looked at Li Yu: "Brother?"
Li Yu didn't explain, but smiled and said, "Brother, please give me paper and pen."
Lu Ying didn't ask any more questions, nodded in agreement, reopened the cloth bag, took out the writing implements, and handed them over.
Li Yu spread out a sheet of Xuan paper, dipped his brush in ink, and struck a pose. Under Lu Ying's strange gaze, he wrote the four characters "Diligence can make up for clumsiness" in a flamboyant style.
Li Yu made quite a fuss, and his behavior was rather flamboyant, immediately attracting the attention of three passersby. After he finished writing, two of the three passersby shook their heads and sneered as they walked away, while the other stopped to rest.
"Brother, you...you..." Lu Ying frowned as he looked at the words, hesitating to speak.
My dear brother, you possess profound knowledge and exceptional talent, but your handwriting...
It's a complete mess!
The way he held the pen, moved his wrist, used the brush, and applied the ink was riddled with errors; the structure, composition, and spirit of the work were even more appalling.
Lu Ying even felt that if the village schoolchildren came and wrote a few strokes, it would be better than this.
However, even though the characters were such a mess, the passersby who were resting there praised them repeatedly!
He even pulled out a dozen or so Kaiyuan Tongbao coins from his pocket and bought the characters.
Lu Ying was dumbfounded.
Then, Li Yu painted a few more paintings, which were all bought by others.
Lu Ying was puzzled, so he went to look at Li Yu's calligraphy.
Length, thickness, color...
It's still a complete mess!
Some of the characters could easily be mistaken for scribblings by a mischievous child.
For example, when writing the character for "dragon," it is depicted as coiling and twisting, with the dragon's head painted and its tail drawn; when writing the character for "horse," its four hooves are depicted as flying, its head held high and neighing; and the characters for "Buddha" and "Zen" are often depicted as large characters on a piece of paper, with a small monk sitting cross-legged and his palms clasped together.
It's neither calligraphy nor painting; it's utterly vulgar.
But it was precisely these "common things" that won the favor of many people, who spent coins to buy them.
It also attracted a crowd of onlookers, including butchers, farmers, scholars, and merchants, who pointed and offered varying opinions.
The farmers said the bird on the character was extremely fat, the butcher said it looked very shrewd, the merchants seemed thoughtful, and the Confucian scholar scoffed.
"[System]: Time limit in the 'Lu Sheng' realm: 1 hour and 59 minutes."
Li Yu put away his paper and pen.
The onlookers asked, "Scholar, why have you stopped writing?"
"My calligraphy style is unorthodox and unfit for refined tastes." Li Yu bowed to the surroundings. "I am destitute and struggling to make ends meet, so I resorted to this calligraphy style to attract attention and earn some money. Now that I have enough money, I would never dare to offend the eyes of you elders again."
Several Confucian scholars in the crowd were about to rebuke him, but seeing that he considered himself to be following "heretical" doctrines, they gave up.
Everyone dispersed.
After Lu Ying and Li Yu finished packing, they led their horses out of the market.
Lu Ying was curious about the origin of his "unorthodox calligraphy," and Li Yu said that he obtained it when he was wandering the world and named it "Jianghu style."
In fact, this "Jianghu style" is a type of calligraphy font that many people in the calligraphy world have hated in later generations.
This style does not follow ancient calligraphy models or emphasize brushwork; it focuses solely on practicing calligraphy in isolation, pursuing visual impact.
The most criticized aspect of the "Jianghu style" is its lack of basic composition and calligraphic skill.
This is also the reason why Lu Ying described it as a "complete mess".
Lu Ying said with a wry smile, "Even unorthodox methods have their fans, but my conventional ways are not appreciated."
Li Yu comforted him, saying, "This is how things are; it's not your fault, brother. It's just a pity that your talent and learning cannot be put to practical use."
Lu Ying was pleased to hear this and regarded Li Yu as his "greatest confidant in life".
The two walked and talked until they arrived at a hostel.
Lu Ying has stayed at this place many times, saying it's cheap and affordable.
The innkeeper greeted him with a smile and asked, "Young Master Lu, would you like to stay at the inn?"
Seeing Lu Ying nod, he summoned a servant to deliver the horses and luggage to the backyard, and then led the two into the guesthouse.
The shopkeeper took out the shop register to record the information. Although he was curious about how Li Yu had left his hometown and come to Gansu, with Lu Ying as his guarantor, there were no unexpected twists and turns.
After registering, the shopkeeper asked, "Have you eaten yet?" The two shook their heads.
The restaurant then arranged for them to wait for lunch in the lobby with several other travelers.
Li Yu glanced around, paused for a moment on a Taoist priest who had put away his hat, loosened his belt, and was sitting leaning against a bag, then subtly looked away.
"[System]: Time limit for residing in the 'Lu Sheng' realm: 23 minutes."
Li Yu pinched the bridge of his nose.
Seeing this, Lu Ying asked with concern, "Brother, are you feeling unwell?"
"My head hurts a little, it's nothing serious, brother, don't worry," Li Yu said.
After a while, the shopkeeper led the five people into the lobby. There were quite a few people, and there weren't enough seats at the other tables.
The shopkeeper came over and bowed to Li Yu and his companion, saying, "Gentlemen, please do us a favor."
He wanted to ask the two people to share a seat with another person so that there would be space for the five newcomers.
Lu Ying was worried about Li Yu's headache and didn't want to go. But Li Yu readily agreed and immediately got up. Lu Ying had no choice but to go with him and share a table with the Taoist priest.
During the meal, Lu Sheng asked Li Yu if he was feeling better. Li Yu was touched and repeatedly said, "It's nothing."
"I observe that the young man is in good health and full of energy, so there should be no major problems. This young man need not worry," the Taoist priest suddenly interjected.
The first young man refers to Li Yu, and the second young man refers to Lu Ying.
Li Yu's heart tightened, and he said, "I often have headaches when I'm tired or stressed, and I don't know why. If you are skilled in medicine, could you please take a look at me?"
"Healing is not my forte, otherwise I would certainly relieve your worries, sir." The Taoist glanced at Li Yu's left hand and refused outright.
Li Yu's expression froze.
The Taoist priest turned to Lu Ying and said, "Young master, I see you look melancholy, your brows furrowed, as if you have something on your mind. I am skilled in divination, able to relieve people's worries. I have traveled far and wide for decades and have never failed to be accurate. May I cast a divination for you?"
"Thank you for your concern, Daoist Master, but I have no worries." Lu Ying ignored his words and instead said to Li Yu, "Since you have no cure, Daoist Master, my brother and I will have our meal early and then go to the clinic."
Li Yu was very distressed that Lu Ying refused to go on the journey.
Master Lü seems indifferent to [Celestial Affinity +10], what can be done?
Alright, let's just follow the plot and wait and see.
Li Yu advised Lu Ying, "Brother, this headache is a chronic ailment that can't be rushed. Now that we're waiting for the meal to be ready and have nothing else to do, why not let this Taoist priest take a look at you?"
"Brother, we hit it off immediately and became close friends. If there were any unresolved issues, how could I not tell you?" Lu Ying said dismissively, then frowned and said to the old Taoist priest, "If you lack travel expenses, then you've come to the wrong person. We brothers don't have much money."
Well, Lu Ying has mistaken the old Taoist priest for a charlatan.
The Taoist priest, Lü Weng, felt a deep sense of unease.
He is a highly accomplished Taoist master; if he reveals his identity, he will be worshipped as a living deity wherever he goes. Even if he doesn't reveal his identity, everyone respects him. Why is Lu Ying so unwelcome?
And then there's this Mr. Li, who has a destiny, possesses extraordinary treasures, and whose background is impossible to fathom, yet he's just an ordinary mortal.
It's all suspicious no matter how you look at it.
The Taoist priest was filled with doubts.
He consulted the oracle half a month ago, and the divination indicated that the person destined for the Dharma was Lu Sheng from the temple. If he received enlightenment, he could be accepted into the temple.
This morning, on a whim, I cast another divination, and the result was quite different.
Not to mention the extra person, the enlightenment journey has become unclear.
Li Yu was speechless at the way the plot was unfolding.
Shouldn't it be "a Taoist priest comes to inquire, a scholar pours out his heart, and then they enjoy a dream of wealth and glory"?
Bro...why aren't you following the script?!
"Ahem!" The Taoist cleared his throat and asked Lu Ying, "May I ask if your surname is Lu, young master?"
Lu Ying was taken aback: "Your surname is Lu? How did you know? Oh, you heard the shopkeeper mention it just now?"
"It was divined," the Taoist priest said slowly, stroking his goatee. "I not only divined that your surname is Lu, but I also know that you have failed the imperial examinations and have no chance of a career in government, and that you have lived a mediocre life for most of your life."
"Huh!"
Lu Ying was surprised; this old Taoist priest actually had real skills.
Li Yu, standing to the side, feigned surprise: "Master, you are truly a diviner! My brother is a man of great vision, yet he remains unsuccessful in his career and confined to the fields. This must be the knot in your heart that you spoke of."
The Taoist priest glanced at Li Yu, thinking to himself, "Although this man is of mortal origin, he still has a destiny. If this journey goes smoothly, I will give him a method to turn stones into gold, ensuring his lifelong wealth and comfort."
After Li Yu mediated, Lu Ying's attitude improved somewhat. He asked the Taoist priest with some skepticism, "Since you know my inner turmoil, do you have any way to resolve it?"
The Taoist priest took out a celadon pillow from the bag behind him and handed it to Lu Ying, saying, "With this pillow, you can realize your ambition of becoming a high-ranking official and eating in the finest food."
Lu Sheng took the celadon pillow with some skepticism and asked the Taoist priest, "Is it really true?"
The Taoist priest said, "It's worth a try."
While Lu Ying was still hesitating, Li Yu couldn't wait any longer.
"[System]: Time limit for residing in the 'Lu Sheng' realm: 12 minutes."
Li Yu said to Lu Ying, "Brother, we have neither wealth nor treasure, and there's nothing for the Taoist priest to deceive us about. Why not try this solution?"
The Taoist priest found Li Yu more agreeable, but he shook his head when Li Yu mentioned "no treasure." It was a great pity that this boy, though possessing a rare treasure, couldn't recognize or use it.
Well then, since he possesses a special destiny, I might as well take him under my wing. Even if he can't become a disciple, he can still be a helpful alchemy apprentice.
Lu Ying was finally persuaded by Li Yu. Under the Taoist's smiling gaze, the two went to the room they had booked.
After entering the room, Li Yu kept pinching his brow.
The true secrets are gone, the methods are gone, and the magic has vanished.
What?
After all this trouble, could you please give me the title of "Mysterious Grade"?
Surely you can't have only that little bit of [intellectual] experience?
"Brother, is your headache acting up again?" Lu Ying asked with concern.
Li Yu nodded, and Lu Ying said, "We've wasted so much time on this old Taoist priest. Fine, we don't need to try this pillow anymore. Brother, let's go to the clinic now."
"This headache comes on in bursts, and it'll get better after a while." Li Yu had a sudden thought, and then said to Lu Sheng, "Brother, I think this old Taoist priest is also a highly accomplished person. I wonder if the pillow is suitable for my ailment? May I try it?"
"Of course we can try, but didn't the old Taoist priest say he couldn't cure illnesses himself?"
"I'm just giving it a try."
"Okay, here you go."
Outside the inn, the Taoist priest had a feeling that something was missing. He tried to calculate it with his fingers, but couldn't figure it out.
……
A moment later, a howl suddenly came from inside the house!
"My dear brother!!"
The Taoist priest was taken aback. What's wrong now?
It's not easy for me to just take on a disciple!
Before they could finish their exclamation, Lu Ying came running out of the house with bloodshot eyes and a ferocious expression. She grabbed the old Taoist priest by the collar and cried out, "You evil Taoist! Give me back my brother!!!"
"Give me back my good brother!"