"It's a painting, but it uses a different technique than our national law. The style is weird and very strange.
Unfortunately, there was a fire one year and the painting was burned.
The Sheriff's father is heartbroken and has been lying in bed sick all the time, looking like a madman and crying bitterly from time to time.
Mr. Zhang was very troubled by this and invited dozens of Liangzhong, but to no avail." Yang Yun said.
"What kind of painting is that that can make Mr. Zhang's father so crazy?" Tang Wen asked.
“When that painting was still there, my great Chu traditional Chinese painting master ‘Liu Yuanzong’ made a copy of it.
Later, Mr. Zhang spent a lot of money to buy it. However, although Liu Yuanzong's brushwork was like a god, the techniques and pigments of Western paintings were different, and it was difficult to draw the essence of the painting after all.
I have seen that copy painting. It depicts a handsome man and has something like 'APOIIO' marked on it.
Master Liu guessed that the one might be the name or seal of the handsome man in the portrait." Yang Yun shook his head and sighed.
APOIIO?
Let me go, the one next door, isn’t that Apollo, one of the twelve main gods of Olympus in ancient Greece?
Tang Wen was immediately shocked. How could the legend of God Apollo appear in this world?
Could it be that ancient European civilization also appeared in the ancient process of this world?
The Dadong Republic is similar to the parallel space of modern China, so is this world similar to the parallel space of ancient China?
"Jun Ru, please bring over the painting hanging on the east wall in my room." Tang Wen said.
Because this is an opportunity to make good friends with Prefect Zhang.
Jun Ru nodded, turned to the bedroom next to her, and brought the European oil painting.
Of course, this oil painting depicts Athena, the goddess of wisdom, one of the twelve main gods.
Yang Yun glanced at it and was stunned. He pointed at the letters 'Athene' and said, "It's strange that your painting has a similar name. Moreover, the painting style is somewhat similar to the paintings copied by Master Liu."
"My painting is also from the West." Tang Wen said with a smile.
"The Baron is really an elegant man, he was able to obtain such a treasure." Yang Yun stroked his beard and sighed.
"Haha, my ancestor once made great military exploits and was granted the title of Liangzhou Bo by the royal family. This painting was also rewarded by the royal family.
It's a pity that every generation in my Tang family is not as good as the previous one.
This painting has been passed down and is an heirloom of my Tang family." Tang Wen opened his eyes and lied.
"Disrespectful!" Yang Yun stood up, bowed to Tang Wen, and then said, "Yang was a little disrespectful to the lord before, but Yang is not talented, but he is also a martial arts scholar."
"If anything, Tang must be rude." Tang Wen shook his head and finally understood.
Previously, when Yang Yun saw that he did not kneel down to worship, it was because he had fame.
According to the rules of the Dachu royal family, those with meritorious status can meet officials without having to kneel down to worship.
Just slightly cupping your hands or connecting your head is enough. Even a scholar can receive such treatment.
It's just that Yang Yun is a powerful martial artist and has been around for so many years.
How could he be so destitute that he could serve as a small-time headhunter in Yanling County? He must be at least a seventh-grade official.
"Bu Feng has just taken me to see the corpses of pirates. These people are committing heinous crimes and actually want to rob the Lord's property.
I, Yang Yun, will definitely investigate this matter thoroughly and give Sir Alex an explanation.
However, Your Majesty was able to kill more than seventy pirates, which shows the might of our great Chu.
But no one on my side died, Yang admires it!" Yang Yun said, holding his fists repeatedly.
"That was also a coincidence. They colluded with me, the slaves of the Tang family, and we finally found out and asked you to put them in the urn.
Otherwise, I'm afraid all Capt. Yang will see is Tang Wen's corpse.
No, it’s not just me, there are hundreds of corpses from my Tang family." Tang Wen said.
"Sigh... Our Yanling County is a bit remote, and Koh Samui is even more remote.
In recent years, wars and famines have followed, and many people have died.
As pirates became more rampant along the coast, the court had no choice but to shrink its troops and preserve a few fortresses.
Most of the naval forces are stationed at checkpoints, leaving no room for places like Koh Samui.
Especially recently, while our country is in the middle of a war with the Great Qin State, the Sun Kingdom, which is located across the sea in the east, is also ready to make a move.
The admiral was also quite helpless and further reduced the navy's strength, placing them all opposite the eastern part of the provincial capital, mainly to protect the provincial capital.
Otherwise, once those thieves from the Kingdom of the Sun break through our eastern defense line, the provincial capital will be lost, our mountains and seas will be in danger, and the country will be in danger.
As a result, the court was unable to deal with the pirates, so they became more and more rampant and crazy.
In fact, there was a criminal operation by pirates to massacre the island last month, which was simply heinous.
It's a pity that I, Yang Yunkong, have all my skills, but I am unable to destroy these thieves and restore peace to our mountains and seas." Yang Captou shook his head and sighed.
"Therefore, I have to train my personal guards every day to ensure the safety of our Yanling Samui Island.
I also want to protect the safety of the surrounding pirates and contribute some strength to the court.
It's a pity that the court gave me a quota of 60 personal guards.
If pirates attack again, Yanling County is beyond their reach.
I'm afraid that the island will be destroyed and people will die, blood will flow into rivers, and corpses will be scattered everywhere." Tang Wen said.
"Chaoting has its own difficulties." Yang Yundao said.
"Mr. Yang also has many things to do. Recently, disaster victims and refugees from other provinces have entered.
Once the victims and refugees become hungry, they will inevitably engage in robbery or even murder, which is a big headache for Mr. Yang.
Mr. Yang is very grateful to Mr. Tang for taking the time to come to Koh Samui in person.
However, Tang was also powerless.
If the court can give me more places, I can form a more powerful personal guard.
At that time, fighting against pirates and protecting the island will also solve some problems for Yanling County." Tang Wen said.
"There is a chance this time." Yang Yun thought for a moment and said suddenly.
"Oh?" Tang Wen was deliberately stunned and looked at Yang Yun.
"The war in the northwest has been tense recently, and we are in need of food, grass and horses.
The State of Qin sent eighty divisions in an attempt to occupy the three northwest provinces of Chu.
Therefore, the court issued a wartime emergency announcement.
If the nobles of Chu State want to be promoted, they can do so based on their military merits." Yang Yun said.
"Of course Tang knows this, but Tang is just a scholar who has no aspirations to serve the country, but is powerless." Tang Wen said.
"Haha, it's different this time. You can donate money and food, which is also a disguised support for the fight against the Great Qin." Yang Yun smiled and shook his head.
"Does donating money and food count as military exploits?" Tang Wen was surprised. Donating money to buy officials was not uncommon in ancient times.
Of course, the official positions bought by donations are usually idle officials who only have name but no real power, and are just used for appearance.
"Of course!" Yang Yun said.
"How exactly do we donate money in exchange for military merit?" Tang Wen asked.
"One hundred taels of silver for one battle merit. Like your baron, if you want to be promoted from a third-class baron to a second-class baron, you need to donate fifty points of battle merit." Yang Yun said.
"That's five thousand taels of silver." Tang Wen nodded.
"Yes! Or the equivalent of food and grass. However, if you want to be promoted to the first baron, you will need ten thousand taels of silver." Yang Yun said.
"This doesn't seem cheap. The war is in chaos now. The fields are wailing everywhere. There are many victims and refugees who have died of hunger. It's too difficult to make some money. What's more, it's only ten thousand taels of silver. Is it too difficult?" Tang Wen
He shook his head deliberately and sighed.
"Of course, sir, please think about it, without this opportunity, how difficult would it be for you to be promoted to the first level of knighthood?
If you join the army and lead troops to fight, you will only receive one battle point if you kill an enemy.
Even if you are promoted to a second-class baron, you still have to kill fifty enemies.
If you have to kill a hundred enemies at the first level, you will definitely have to survive a narrow escape to advance.
Moreover, compared with donating silver taels, one's life could be lost on the battlefield if one is not careful, but donating silver taels is extremely safe." Yang Yun nodded.
"Indeed, it's not easy. But what if you are promoted to Viscount?" Tang Wen nodded.
"The third-class Viscount is fifteen thousand taels, the second-class is twenty-five thousand taels, and the first-class is twenty-five thousand taels." Yang Yundao said.
"Based on this, if you want to be promoted to earl, wouldn't it cost thirty thousand taels?" Tang Wen asked.
"Earl, that's different. To be promoted from viscount to earl is at least 100,000 taels, but that's still a third-class uncle." Yang Yun shook his head.
Tang Wen made a calculation in his mind. One hundred thousand taels was not a big deal to him, so donating an earl would not be a bad idea.
At that time, according to the laws of Da Chu, the bodyguards of the third rank uncle can be expanded to 300 people.
By then, I will have enough power to protect Samui Island.
Of course, at present, we don't have many people. Even if we donate a third-class uncle, we won't be able to spare 300 people to establish the personal guard army.
This was for future consideration. Tang Wen was worried that the war would stop in the future.
The donation of money and food for promotion to a noble title has to be stopped again, and then the opportunity will be lost.
"I do have some intentions," Tang Wen said.
He noticed that Yang Yun's eyes suddenly lit up and he said, "Then you must hurry up. If your lordship is interested, I will report the matter to the prefect as soon as possible after I return."
"Okay!" Tang Wen nodded.
"Master, dinner is ready." At this time, Li Quan came in to report.