King Li Yuanchang of Han Dynasty had two most popular preferences: one was beauty, and the other was calligraphy and painting. He only visited two places most often every day, one was the Xieyu Tower, which was famous for Chang'an, and the other was the Caifeng Hall, where Chang'an literati gathered the most.

Caifengtang is like Xieyulou, and is located in Pingkangfang, but Pingkangfang is not entirely brothels, and Caifengtang is a restaurant.

Pingkangfang is mostly a place where literati and poets gather, so it is favored by others. Someone built a more elegant restaurant here, taking the name of "uneven watercress, pick them from both sides" in the Book of Songs and ordered the watercress hall.

Caifeng Hall is different from ordinary restaurants. The owner of Caifeng Hall is also a person who loves calligraphy and painting, so Caifeng Hall is not allowed to enter. In addition to being a wealthy person, it also requires some literary talent.

Just the day after Li Yuanchang entered the palace to express his marriage intentions to Li Shimin, there were rumors in Chang'an City that the emperor wanted to marry Li Yuanchang as the candidate for marriage and marry Ashinayun.

The rumors seem to be like a rumor, with a nose and eyes, which seems to be a foregone conclusion, and even Li Yuanchang feels this way.

Li Yuanchang was in a good mood, and it happened that Li Yuanchang's old friend Xiao Yuanruo, who was from Suzhou, returned to Beijing from Suzhou and brought the "Duck, Geese, Water and Bird Picture" painted by Gu Kaizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty whom he bought from Suzhou. He specially held a banquet in the Shuitang and invited Li Yuanchang and other friends to appreciate it.

Xiao Yuanruo was a wealthy silk merchant in Suzhou. He was born in a wealthy family. He was previously a good friend and had a bit of friendship. In addition, Gu Kai was difficult to find a painting, and Li Yuanchang was obsessed with this. Therefore, Li Yuanchang did not think too much when he heard about the appointment, and he responded in one go.

"Brother Yuanruo, where is Gu Kaizhi's original work? Come and take it to see me. I am already itchy." The next afternoon, Li Yuanchang was unbearable when he arrived at the water chestnut hall and said to Xiao Yuanruo directly.

Xiao Yuanruo smiled and said, "The prince is really a person who likes painting, and he is so urgent."

Li Yuanchang said: "I have long said: Beauties are like paintings, and paintings are like everyone else. If there is a famous painting but cannot be viewed, it will be like a peerless beauty standing in front of me half-covering the lute, but surrounding them but not being able to share the beauty. How boring would it be?"

Xiao Yuanruo said: "Haha, beauty is like a painting, painting is like a beauty. Such a straightforward word may only be able to speak by someone as straightforward as the prince."

Li Yuanchang said: "Brother Yuanruo doesn't need to say much, don't hide it anymore. Take the "Duck, Swallow, Water Bird Picture" for me to appreciate it."

Li Yuanchang's words fell, and the others in the room could not hold back and said, "What the prince is saying is that we are all coming for Gu Kaizhi, and we will appreciate the painting first, and it is not too late to open the seat."

Xiao Yuanruo smiled and said, "Since the prince spoke, how dare Xiao refuse to obey?"

Xiao Yuanruo said, and took out a long, narrow and wide wooden box from behind and handed it to Li Yuanchang.

Li Yuanchang took the wooden box from Xiao Yuanruo and immediately opened it impatiently.

Li Yuanchang opened the wooden box and lay quietly in the wooden box was a roll of ancient paper-colored painting scroll. Li Yuanchang was afraid of breaking the painting scroll, so he gently picked up the painting scroll from the wooden box and slowly unfolded it, and it was really as gentle as if he was a beauty.

Li Yuanchang looked down at the painting in his hand. The handwriting was meticulous and tight and continuous like a spring silkworm sprinkling silk; the meaning was kept first, and the painting was finished, but the meaning was not extinguished. It was Gu Kaizhi's handwriting.

Li Yuanchang was obsessed with calligraphy and painting, and was a master of this art. He had seen a few original works of Gu Kaizhi before, so although he only had a few glances, Li Yuanchang could conclude that the "Duck, Swallow, Water Bird Picture" in his hand must be Gu Kaizhi's original works.

Gu Kaizhi was a master of painting in the Eastern Jin Dynasty. He originally wrote many calligraphy and paintings, but later after the Five Barbarians invasion of China and the Northern and Southern Dynasties, Gu Kaizhi's paintings were mostly destroyed by war disasters, but not many have survived to this day. It is really difficult to think of a genuine work, so the more Li Yuanchang reads, the more he feels he can't put it down.

Li Yuanchang asked in confusion: "Brother Yuanruo's original painting of Gu Kaizhi is really good, but I don't know where it comes from?"

When Li Yuanchang spoke like this, Xiao Yuanruo didn't know what Li Yuanchang was thinking. Xiao Yuanruo replied: "I have a child who was originally from a wealthy family, but he lost all his property due to excessive gambling. He had to sell his ancestral property to repay his debts. This painting was purchased from him."

"But I don't know how much it costs?" Li Yuanchang continued.

Xiao Yuanruo stretched out two fingers and said to Li Yuanchang mysteriously: "Your Majesty may wish to guess."

Seeing this, Li Yuanchang guessed: "Two thousand stakes?"

When Xiao Yuanruo heard this, he shook his head.

Li Yuanchang then guessed: "Twenty thousand coins?"

Xiao Yuanruo smiled, but shook his head again.

Li Yuanchang asked in disbelief: "Is it 200,000 yuan?"

In Li Yuanchang's opinion, 20,000 guan may be a little expensive, but it is not unacceptable to Xiao Yuanruo, who has a solid foundation and loves this, but 200,000 guan is really exaggerated, and even Li Yuanchang was a little scared.

However, it was obvious that Li Yuanchang did not guess, Xiao Yuanruo said slowly: "The prince guessed wrongly, it was 200 coins."

"Two hundred trump cards, how could Gu Kaizhi's original work be so worthy?" If Li Yuanchang had not been absolutely confident in his eyes, he would have almost suspected that the "Duck Swallow Water Bird Picture" in his hand was a fake.

Xiao Yuanruo smiled and said, "My hairdresser is a real fool, and he doesn't know the good or bad. I bought a house of two hundred yuan. This "Duckling Swallow Water Bird Picture" is just an inconspicuous addiction."

After only two hundred coins, I could buy this original work of Gu Kaizhi, and there was a house connected to it. After hearing Xiao Yuanruo's words, a hint of envy appeared on his face.

Li Yuanchang was obsessed with this theory, and there was no reason why he was not moved when he saw this "Duck, Swallow, Water Bird Picture".

Li Yuanchang immediately asked, "I like this "Duck, Swallow, Water Bird Picture" very much. I am willing to pay 10,000 yuan to buy this painting. I wonder if Brother Yuanruo is willing to give up love?"

Li Yuanchang was a prince, so he was naturally in great power, but unexpectedly, Xiao Yuanruo shook his head and said, "I'm afraid this is inappropriate."

Li Yuanchang was already angry when he heard this.

If it is a price, this "Duck, Swallow, Water and Bird Picture" is about 6,000 yuan, while Li Yuanchang offered 10,000 yuan, which is considered a good deal. What's more, this painting was only bought by Xiao Yuanruo for 200 yuan. In the eyes of the domineering Li Yuanchang, Xiao Yuanruo's actions are really ignorant.

Just when Li Yuanchang was a little angry and was about to explode, Xiao Yuanruo suddenly spoke, "Gu Kaizhi is also my favorite. If someone else speaks, I won't sell it even if it's 100,000 yuan. But since the prince likes it, how can I ask for a price? I heard that the prince will marry Turkic Ashinayun, and I would like to use this painting as a tribute to the prince's wedding."

When Li Yuanchang heard this, his face suddenly turned from anger to joy, and he asked in disbelief: "Are you serious about this?"

Li Yuanchang said: "Everyone from Jin Dynasty said that Gu Kaizhi has three wonderful things: paintings, writings, and infatuation. Looking at it below, these three wonderful things can be used as the prince. The prince's paintings have both excellent words. When the beauty is infatuated, it can be said that he is infatuated. Besides the prince, who else deserves this "Duck, Swallow, Water Bird Picture"?"

The so-called painting, the double-jue word is originally what Li Yuanchang is most proud of. Now Xiao Yuanruo calls him the Three Jue again. Compared with Gu Kaizhi, he is naturally very happy and immediately raised his glass and said, "Yuan Ruo's words are very much the heart of my king. Now the Japanese king has paintings and beautiful women. It can be said that he is happy to be there. We will not return without getting drunk."
Chapter completed!