You rascal, stop right there!

Chapter 318: Like a loving couple

That day, in the evening,

Bai Wan took the painting box to Guojia Village. Before he got close, he could see many white flags floating in the air.

White paper money was floating in the air, creating a desolate and sad scene.

The air was cold, the white clothes were plain, and it was sad and tragic.

"Zi Chen, go back. This occasion is not suitable for you."

Bai Wan looked up. He knew very well that Zi Chen had faced the memorial scene of his parents' death and was afraid that it would cause sadness.

Ling Shumo spoke softly, his voice slowly becoming calmer: "It's okay."

Seeing that the Guo family had come to greet them, a dozen villagers prepared their things and were waiting for them.

"Master Bai, Master Ling?"

The tone was full of surprise.

The villagers obviously had great respect for them.

After all, Bai Wan has a straightforward temper, can read and paint, and can even flatter disobedient cows, donkeys, or white geese.

Ling Shumo is one of the only two teachers in the area. He has a very good temper. In addition to teaching children to read, he often helps with writing letters and keeping accounts.

In the illiterate village, they were capable of doing anything.

"You are finally here! Great-grandfather's spirit will be kept for seven days. One large scroll of his portrait and one half of his body will be drawn. Two portraits and a pair of elegiac couplets are needed." Guo Yuanmin, grandson of the Guo family, said.

The offerings, satin and silver have been prepared nearby.

Someone had already taken a tracing brush and rice paper and led them to the coffin in the center of the mourning hall.

"You've got a great time today. I'll paint the shadows, Zichen will write the elegiac couplets, and as for this kid..."

Bai Wan smiled and looked Chai Jin up and down for a moment.

"I brought him here to mourn my great-grandfather!"

"I...I, cry for the dead?!"

Chai Jin was panic-stricken, but he agreed reluctantly.

The boy was obviously not used to such a cold and gloomy scene. When his family members died, they were anxious and had no way to hold a funeral hall or draw pictures.

Bai Wan painted, touching the paper with her cool fingers. Ling Shumo also silently wrote the elegiac couplet.

People around me have started sobbing and burning money.

Chai Jin looked at these people crying bitterly. The entire mourning hall was so simple and plain.

"Woo? Woo…"

The crying was so forced.

Bai Wan's face was filled with disappointment, as if she hadn't learned enough from her father. "This mourning is a whole art. You should have cried for at least fifty cents, right?"

Cough!

It turns out that he is here to cheat people.

It is really admirable that such a good thing can be done without suffering any loss.

Chai Jin laughed: "Master Han, mourning is... the lowest class... fifty coins... I will give you the rest."

Crying for the dead is a folk custom, and crying for the dead is just one of the many aspects of human life.

Painters are no different and should not be divided into high and low categories.

Bai Wan sighed inwardly, this man is still stubborn.

This spirit still couldn't stop crying!

Bai Wan laughed and sighed when he heard what Chai Jin said, and then he put down the two completed paintings.

"Uncle Guo, the shadow is already drawn. Come and see!"

The Guo family looked at the painting, nodded repeatedly, and showed it to everyone.

One person passed it on to another, and everyone thought it was great.

"It's a really good painting, it just lacks some popularity!"

"The mouth is thicker, the forehead is lower, and the eyebrows seem to need to be flatter."

……

They were chattering away at once, and it was a good thing that they loved giving suggestions.

"Tell them slowly, I'll remember them one by one and correct them together."

"What can be changed must be changed, and what cannot be changed cannot be scribbled!"

Bai Wan rolled her eyes slightly, picked up the brush, and the shadow in her hand began to gradually become vivid without any delay.

Chai Jin was stunned.

As the number one painter in Daqing, he not only draws shadows for ordinary people, but also patiently corrects other people's works.

Even if you show paintings to these country folk, they will not be able to understand the exquisiteness of the paintings by the painting master.

It's like talking to a deaf person or playing the lute to a cow!

However, after a few revisions, the Guo family was convinced by the painting and it was finally completed without much modification.

"Okay, you can take Huaying to the funeral. It's time for us to go back!" Bai Wan rarely bowed.

Then, elegiac couplets are pasted on the columns on both sides, and scrolls are hung before the funeral so that people can kowtow and worship.

All the mourners knelt down reverently and looked at the true face of the portrait in the mourning hall with tears in their eyes.

The night was hazy.

The three of them then walked out of the mourning hall and walked along the country road holding lanterns.

It was quite cold at night, and Bai Wan shivered slightly.

Ling Shumo took out a cloak from his bag, tied it gently, and wrapped it around his body.

"Look, I told you before that you weren't in good health and that you should do less drawing like this. You never listened!"

"You're controlling me again..." Bai Wan murmured with a smile, "I won't next time, okay?"

The two of them acted as if no one was around.

Chai Jin was shocked when he saw this from behind.

Isn’t it said that Han Miaoran and Ling Shumo are lifelong friends who grew up together?

I didn't notice it during the day, but now they look like a loving couple.

Do not!

Han Miaoran and Ling Shumo are both talented and virtuous, so how could they be gay? We must not make random assumptions.

Chai Jin quickly shifted his focus and asked solemnly, "Master Han, I have something to ask you. Is this painting worth a thousand gold coins? Or ten thousand gold coins?"

Then he shook his head, thoughtfully.

"No, in such a remote mountain village, wouldn't it be necessary to build a temple for you, Master Han? And make your name known to all the villages?"

I really can’t figure it out.

Bai Wan was slightly startled when he heard this. "The fee for these two paintings and the funeral couplet is one piece of satin and ten taels of silver."

Although it is not a small amount, it is far from the two thousand taels of gold in the "Caizhou Lengsheng Night Banquet" a few days ago.

It seemed that he saw Chai Jin's confusion at the moment.

"Brother Chai, do you think that painters are only good at painting those elegant landscapes, talented men and beautiful women, and banquets for royal relatives and dignitaries?"

"What does Painter Han mean?"

The previous dynasty admired calligraphy and painting and favored painters.

There was a Prime Minister Li Simeng, a Minister of Rites Ling Shumo, and even a National Guard Painter Han Miaoran.

"of course not!"

People in the world are simple-minded and can only see the people at the top of the tower, but not the countless dust in the world.

"Folk painters mostly paint pictures for lanterns, scenes painted on porcelain, and peonies on folding screens..."

"The door god picture at the door, the kitchen god picture, the secret play picture for a daughter's wedding, the wedding picture, the funeral picture, the candy wrapper picture for children..."

To sum up, these things are that literati paintings focus on talent and character, while artisan paintings focus on the market and customs.

"If one only paints to please the royal family, nobles, powerful officials and wealthy businessmen, their value will be less than one or two times that of ordinary people, and their heart will lose its original nature."

After saying this, Bai Wan remained calm and continued to paint the shadow, with the brush and ink lightly passing over it.

He is usually cynical and a bit confused, but when he is serious, he is clear-headed and has profound insights.

Upon hearing this, Chai Jin's face turned pale and lost some of its color.

Ling Shumo had also finished writing the elegiac couplet by this time, and he said from the side: "Think clearly about why you want to learn painting before becoming my disciple!"

This time it was said so bluntly, of course he understood.

Becoming a master of painting, a court painter, or a folk artist all depends on a single thought.

Chai Jin seemed to have suddenly been enlightened. He suddenly knelt on the ground, and suddenly he didn't dare to look into Bai Wan and Ling Shumo's eyes.

He raised his head, his eyes gleaming:

"I'm ashamed to have bothered you. I deeply appreciate the teachings of the 'Mo Ran Shuangjie'."

"I have decided to think it over and will not bother you again until I make a decision!"