With a "swish" sound, the wide curtain on the west wall was slowly opened, and Chen Caozhi said loudly: "Everyone admires the eight celestial dragon statues here first, and then looks at the Vimalakirti Bodhisattva statue in Changkang. This is called throwing bricks to attract jade.
.”
"Throwing bricks to attract jade?" Gu Kaizhi laughed: "This term is very new, Zi Zhong is too modest, you are throwing bricks to hit me."
Xie Daoyun held back his laughter, and when he looked up, he saw on the west wall, which was two feet high and five feet wide, there were eight magnificent pictures of sentient beings in various colors and shapes:
The emperor of the Heavenly Division, Shakti, has a towering crown, a hanging necklace, and a vajra in his hand, looking majestic and majestic;
The one in the dragon department is a childish-looking girl, extremely cute, with coral horns on her head, like a double bun, low eyebrows, and clouds on her feet. This girl is the daughter of the dragon king Pojieluo, and she is the first among the dragons.
The Dragon Girl who became a Buddha;
King Asura has two heads. The left side of his head is dark and ugly, while the right side of his head is fair and fair. The contrast between the two gives a strong visual impact;
Yaksha is also a Buddhist protector who eats both ghosts and humans. In order to express the dual character of Yaksha, Chen Caozhi painted Yaksha with two sides. One side is handsome and majestic, and the other side has a bloody mouth and is extremely ferocious. The body is tall and agile, and the hands are
Holding a snake spear, strong and agile;
Gandharva does not eat the fireworks of the world, but only uses fragrance as nourishment. He is the god of music who serves Emperor Shakti and specializes in playing music and singing. His body emits a strong fragrance. Chen Cao's extreme changes in pen and ink are used to combine this god of fragrance and music.
The painting is graceful and colorful. The gandharva on the mural holds a purple bamboo flute and plays it with his lips. Various flowers come out of the flute hole, giving the viewer a subtle sense of fragrance;
Garuda is the Golden-winged Dapeng. Its wings are spread out and occupy half of the wall. Its wings are red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple, and are gorgeous. A pure sapphire-colored wish-fulfilling bead protrudes from the bird's head, and its claws are like hooks.
, grabbed a poisonous dragon and opened its beak to eat;
Kinnara is the god of song, born with a single horn, playing solemn music;
Mahaloka is the great python god, the most terrifying one. He has a human body and a snake head. He crawls on the ground, holds his head high and stretches his neck, and tries hard to form seals in the posture of practice——
"Doesn't the little dragon girl look a bit like Run'er?"
Lu Weirui and Feng Lingbo had been very close to each other for less than half an hour, so she asked Feng Lingbo quietly.
Feng Lingbo looked at the little dragon girl on the mural carefully and said: "It's a bit similar, but Run'er is cuter. Run'er's eyes are particularly smart. When she smiles, the little dimple on her left cheek is so beautiful that it makes people feel distressed."
Lu Weirui nodded and said: "Yes." Then she pointed at the incense god Gandharva and said softly: "This one looks a bit like the Ding family's sister-in-law."
Feng Lingbo smiled and said: "I think it looks like you. Look, surrounded by all kinds of flowers, isn't it the nymphomaniac Lu Weirui?"
Lu Weirui's face turned red and she said, "I can't play the recorder."
Feng Lingbo smiled and said: "It doesn't matter, you can let my sworn brother teach you."
Lu Weirui and Feng Lingbo were talking in a low voice on the side, and Chen Caozhi also heard it. He looked carefully at the dragon girl and the incense god he painted. He didn't think that when he was painting, but now when he looked at it, the dragon girl really looked like Run'er. As for the incense god Qian Ta
Grandma, she does look a bit like sister-in-law Ding Youwei and a bit like Lu Weirui——
Elder Zhu Fati's disciple Tan Yi reported that the east and west murals were completed. He was overjoyed and hurriedly came to see them. First he saw the eight celestial dragon statues on the west wall. He was so happy that he couldn't help chanting Buddha. Such murals should be unique in Longgong Temple.
This time we will lose one end to Waguan Temple.
Gu Kaizhi praised: "Zizhong's figure and Buddha paintings have reached perfection. The colors are strong and bold. The delicate parts are like spring silkworms spinning silk, and the unrestrained parts are like flying streams. It makes me both envious and jealous."
Liu Shangzhi laughed and said: "Chang Kang praised Zi Zhong so much, so he must have thrown bricks at Zi Zhong."
Gu Kaizhi smiled and said: "I can't smash it. I can't smash it. Zizhong is my strong enemy. The east and west murals have their own characteristics."
Zhu Fatai took the lead, and everyone went to the east wall to see Kaizhi's statue of Vimalakīrti. However, they heard a lot of surprises and asked, "Why didn't Vimalakīrti Bodhisattva light up his eyes?"
Gu Kaizhi said proudly and mysteriously: "On the Buddha's birthday, I will consecrate the eyes of Vimalakīrti Bodhisattva in front of the faithful men and women. The look of this mural will be very different. You will wait and see."
Xie Daoyun took a closer look at Gu Kaizhi's unfinished portrait of Vimalakīrti. There were eleven figures, large and small, with different expressions. Chen Caozhi's eight-part celestial dragon statue was better because of its novel shape, but Gu Kaizhi was obviously more skillful and had meticulous handwriting.
The tightness and continuity make the characters more charming. The eyes of Vimalakirti in the center are empty, which affects the overall effect. Once the eyes are touched, the whole painting will be full of energy——
Lu Weirui and Zhang Tongyun looked at these two murals with different moods than others. They also participated in the painting of the murals. The folds of clothes, the treasure pillars, the necklace, the fragrant chariot, and the auspicious clouds were all written by them. Now they can see
The mural was completed, and I was overjoyed.
Zhang Tongyun asked: "Wei Rui, who can paint the Eastern and Western murals better?"
Lu Weirui chuckled and said, "A Tong is so proud, isn't he? Of course Gu Langjun is slightly better. Mural painting is not Chen Langjun's specialty."
Zhang Tongyun said: "Wei Rui is so fair. I thought you would favor Chen Langjun."
Lu Weirui glanced sideways at Xie Daoyun, her pretty face turned slightly red, and she stretched out her finger to lightly poke Zhang Tongyun's waist as punishment, and said: "A Tong, let's go back, and we will visit you on the Buddha's birthday to pay homage to Vimalakirti."
The Bodhisattva statue is consecrated and the eyes are on."
There were so many people today that it was inconvenient for Lu Weirui to talk to Chen Caozhi alone. Moreover, Zhu Yingtai, who was wearing powder and incense, always made her feel a little awkward. I can't say it was disgusting, but she just felt a bit of discomfort like thorns in her back, which was completely different from Chen Caozhi's.
Friends such as Xu Miao and Liu Shangzhi gave her a warm feeling, so she did not want to stay in Waguan Temple for too long. Moreover, her stepmother Zhang Wenwan had told her to go back early. After all, the last encounter with Zhu Lingbao was always a hidden worry——
Chen Caozhi and Gu Kaizhi sent Lu Weirui and Zhang Tongyun out of Waguan Temple. Gu Kaizhi said to Lu Weirui: "Miss Lu, I have finished the "Three Heroes of Jiangdong" painting. This afternoon, I asked Mr. Andao to show it to your Majesty, as well as the two
A portrait of Cao Buxing was also returned together."
Lu Weirui said: "Let Banli bring those two portraits to me. I'll order Banli to pick them up in the evening." He also asked Feng Lingbo to meet at the Lu Mansion tomorrow.
Xu Miao said: "My father and Lu Shijun are good friends. I should bring Lingbo to pay homage to Lu Shijun."
After Lu Weirui and Zhang Tongyun left Waguan Temple by car, Chen Caozhi and Gu Kaizhi were going back to the Main Hall to see if there were any flaws in the murals that needed to be repaired. Xie Daoyun said: "Brother Shangzhi, Xianmin, Changkang, Zizhong, I want it too.
I'm going back - Zi Zhong gave me a few steps, I have something to say."
Chen Caozhi accompanied Xie Daoyun and left Waguan Temple and walked slowly towards Qingxi Gate, followed by the Xie Mansion's ox cart and several servants.
In the Pingchou wilderness outside Qingxi Gate, the Qinhuai River is sparkling, and the scenery is pleasant in late spring and early summer.
Xie Daoyun said: "My fourth uncle entered Taicheng and I left the house quietly, so I have to rush back early." After a pause, he asked: "Why didn't Zizhong agree to Yuan Tong? Zhuge Zeng, I was also thinking of going back with him."
You are having a debate."
Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "Brother Yingtai, now is the time to accumulate reputation. You must not lose."
Xie Daoyun asked with a smile: "You can definitely beat me?"
Chen Caozhi asked: "Does Brother Yingtai want to win against me?"
Xie Daoyun laughed and said: "I received your generous gift of "Thirteen Chapters on Yi Li" and I have nothing to repay. If a debate can help you win 600,000 yuan, why not do it?"
Chen Caozhi laughed and said: "Aren't the two of us colluding to defraud others of their money?"
Xie Daoyun finally couldn't keep his reserve, smiled deeply, and said: "This is unreasonable, how can this be a fraud! I have to go all out to argue with you, how dare you relax even a little bit?"
Chen Cao said: "How dare you? No matter what, I will not argue with you over six hundred thousand dollars, and I never gamble with others."
Xie Daoyun turned his face and looked at the Qinhuai River not far away, and said: "I understand, but before I go to Gushu, I still want to argue with you. It was I who invited you, not Yuan Tong, Zhuge Zeng, and Zizhong
Are you willing to agree?"
Chen Caozhi smiled and said: "Brother Yingtai seems to be cheating——"
Xie Daoyun turned around, smiled, and asked, "Are you willing to fall into the trap?"
Chen Cao said: "It seems that I can't refuse."
Xie Daoyun held back his laughter, said goodbye, and boarded the car.
…
After Lu Weirui and Zhang Tongyun parted ways, they met Lu Qin on the north bank of Hengtang. Lu Qin looked angry and asked, "Ruimei went to Waguan Temple again?"
Lu Weirui's heart skipped a beat, knowing that the thing she was worried about had finally come to pass. She smiled and said, "Yes, Brother Six, what can I do?"
Lu Weirui is the jewel of the Lu family. Lu Qin still loves this cousin who is five years younger than him and is very affectionate. However, Weirui wants to marry Chen Caozhi, which is really intolerable to him. Fortunately, his father Lu Shi
She was strongly opposed to it. Without the permission of her father, Lu Shi, Wei Rui would not be able to marry Chen Caozhi. Let Chen Caozhi wait in vain——
Two days ago, Lu Qin went to visit Zhu Lingbao and asked him why he fell and broke his leg? And what a coincidence, Xianglong also fell and broke his leg? Zhu Lingbao refused to say it clearly at first because Lu Qin was Lu Weirui's brother and he was afraid that Lu Qin would blame him.
——
This morning Lu Qin went to visit Zhu Lingbao again, and finally learned the whole story. Lu Qin was furious. He was not angry with Zhu Lingbao, but hated Chen Caozhi. He also thought that his sister Lu Weirui's behavior was really an insult to the family tradition, so he came to his uncle's house to find the supervisor.
A brief interrogation revealed that Lu Weirui had been to Waguan Temple frequently in the past month and went there again today. However, his father Lu Shi and his uncle Lu Na had not returned from Taicheng. Lu Qin angrily brought twenty of his family members with him to visit.
Rushed to Waguan Temple and met Lu Weirui in Hengtang.
Lu Qin stared at Lu Wei Rui, who faced him calmly, with pure eyes, innocent and fearless. On the contrary, Lu Qin looked away and lowered his voice and asked: "You went to Waguan Temple to have a private meeting with Chen Caozhi, right?"
Lu Weirui said: "Chen Langjun and Gu Langjun were painting murals in Waguan Temple. I went to observe and learn. Sixth brother, is there anything wrong with me?"
Seeing that Lu Weirui didn't show any shyness or flinching, Lu Qin couldn't help but get even more angry and asked, "You go to Waguan Temple every two days. Do your uncles and aunts know about it?"
Lu Weirui said: "Dad and Aunt Zhang both know -" When she said this, she suddenly felt sad and full of grievances. She felt that she was going to be questioned like this by Brother Cong. What had she done wrong!
