Chapter Sixty-One: Searching for Poetry

  (Today is the third watch, seeking collection, reward, and recommendation support!)

  "Brother, Mother said she wants to take a nap for a while, she's a bit tired, maybe she got up too early today!" Facing He Lanmin's inquiring eyes, He Lanminyue hastily explained, and glanced at Chen Yi with a smile, "Brother, what were you and Mr. Chen discussing?"

  "Yesterday, Auntie summoned Ziyu to enter the palace, and Brother was just discussing this matter with Ziyu!" He Lan Minzhi seemed unwilling to say more about this in front of his sister, and immediately changed the subject, turning to Chen Yi and saying: "Ziyu, my mother wants to take a nap, so let's change locations and talk in my study. You're a learned and talented person, surely you're well-versed in books and paintings? The other day I just acquired a piece by Yan Taichang, let's go appreciate it together!"

  "Yan Taichang Bo?" Chen Yi was taken aback, he knew that during the Longshuo era, all levels of government offices in the Tang Dynasty had changed their names, and the name of the Minister of the Six Ministries had also been changed. The original Minister was now called Taichang Bo, so this Yan Taichang Bo must be the famous Yan Dashi in Chinese painting history.

  "Not bad, it's indeed Yan Taichang Bo," He Lan Minzhi showed a hint of a proud smile. "I suppose you've also heard of Yan Taichang Bo's great name, his paintings are worth a thousand gold coins, I had to think carefully before getting one of Yan Taichang Bo's paintings, today we'll go take a look together!"

  "Chang Zhuo's brother got Yan Dashi's work, and he must go to appreciate it, let me open my eyes too!" Chen Yi's interest was immediately hooked up, and he couldn't wait to run to He Lanmin's study room to see Yan Dashi's famous paintings!

  Yan Tai, Yan Liben's works, are extremely rare in the later era where Chen Yi is located. It is said that his works "Step-by-Step Picture", "Emperors of Past Dynasties" and "Job Offering Picture" are suspected by many to be not Yan Liben's genuine works but rather copies made by people later on? Chen Yi knows that Yan Liben lives in this era he has traveled to, and is still holding a high-ranking position as the Minister of Works. Since Yan Liben is alive and well, it must be his genuine work if we can see something claiming to be his work.

  From He Lan Minzhi's tone, Chen Yi also knew that even at this time, people like He Lan Minzhi found it very difficult to get a piece of Yan Liben's work. In fact, he didn't need to say more. Now there is one in He Lan Minzhi's study, and he must take a look!

  "Alright, let's go!" He Lanming smiled and made a welcoming gesture with his hand, taking the lead in walking forward.

  Chen Yi returned a smile and bowed to He Lan Minyue, who looked curious, and the three of them went together to He Lan Minzhi's study.

  He Lan Minzhi had not originally planned to let He Lan Minyue go with him, but the little girl was very enthusiastic and, after hearing her brother say so, had already planned to go take a look at the excitement. Now that their mother was taking a nap and didn't need to be taken care of, Chen Yi also invited them politely, not paying attention to his brother's expression, and happily followed along. Seeing his sister's enthusiasm was so high, He Lan Minzhi could only reluctantly give up!

  Three people entered He Lan Minzhi's study together. The servants quickly brought tea and refreshments, and lit incense.

  He Lan Minzhi's study was quite large, with a lot of books hidden inside, as well as many calligraphy and paintings. Chen Yi didn't know who the calligraphy and paintings belonged to, but in his eyes, they were all very good. If there were any works by He Lan Minzhi among them, his impression of this young master would be greatly changed. Moreover, he would also feel ashamed, as his own calligraphy couldn't compare with these works, let alone the paintings!

  He Lan Min seemed to be pleased with Chen Yi's surprised expression when he saw these paintings, and smiled: "Ziying, these are all my daily works, scribbles, please don't laugh!"

  "Really?" Chen Yi, slightly disappointed, walked to the last painting and looked at it carefully. After a while, he turned to He Lanming and said: "Brother Chang Zhu, if you painted this, I can only admire you, and it's hard for me to catch up with you!"

  "Ha! You've been teasing me, but that painting really isn't mine!" He Lan's proud expression faded away, replaced by a self-mocking look: "This painting was done by Minyue. My painting skills are far inferior to hers... Alas, I've always thought of myself as a talented scholar, but my poetic talent can't compare to Ziyu Xiongdi's, and my painting skills can't match up to Minyue's either. In front of you two, I have nothing but shame!"

  "Chang Zhuo is too modest," Chen Yi said, withdrawing his gaze from the spring landscape painting and looking at several other paintings that should have been painted by He Lanmin. He sincerely praised: "The paintings made by Chang Zhuo are all excellent works, I am inferior to him, in a moment, Chang Zhuo, please don't ask me to paint, I dare not show my ugliness in front of you siblings, otherwise, I will be ashamed and retreat! Haha!"

  "Haha! Ziying is too modest, you have to leave some of your treasures behind. Alright, let's appreciate the painting first!" He Lanmin laughed and took out a scroll from a locked box, carefully unrolled it and hung it on the hook on the bookshelf.

  Chen Yi stood in front of He Lanming's hanging painting, taking another look at the spring landscape painted by He Lanming. It was a scene with red apricot blossoms peeking over the wall, painted extremely delicately, with the vibrant colors jumping off the paper, making one involuntarily gasp in admiration - this was why his eyes had landed on this painting from the very beginning.

  Chen Yi looked at the painting again, then glanced at He Lan Minyue, who had a pleased smile on her face, and couldn't help but reveal an expression of admiration and appreciation.

  Seeing Chen Yi looking at her with a different gaze, He Lan Minyue's heart was filled with an increasing sense of pride and she responded to Chen Yi with her eyes, wanting him to show off his skills as well. Chen Yi understood this from He Lan Minyue's gaze, perhaps thinking that he should make a good impression in front of the beauty, he didn't back down and agreed to He Lan Minyue's request with his eyes. He was pondering for a moment on how to show off.

  He Lan Minyue seemed to have understood Chen Yi's meaning as well, the corners of her mouth twitching upwards, with an expression that said "don't disappoint me".

  At this time, He Lan Minzhi had already hung up the painting and gestured for Chen Yi and He Lan Minyue to come forward and observe.

  This is an early summer landscape painting, the main scene is a garden, the pond in the garden is very open, with willows along the edge, swaying in the wind, many of which are immersed in the water. A clear spring flows into the pond from the ditch, and the willows also follow the flow. The lotus leaves in the pond have just emerged, with a few dragonflies either perched on the tender lotus or flying among the tree sprouts.

  The few paintings that have been passed down through the ages, said to be the true works of Yan Liben, are all figure paintings. But what Chen Yi saw now was an excellent landscape painting, which shocked him greatly. What's more surprising is that this painting matches a certain ancient poem perfectly, as if the poem was written specifically for this painting. He had the urge to recite the poem out loud, but when he saw that there were no inscriptions on the painting, he immediately suppressed his urge and continued to appreciate the artwork.

  He also thought of how to show off in front of He Lan Minyue!

  "Zi Ying Xian Di, what do you think of this painting?" He Lan Min couldn't help but ask as she saw Chen Yi staring at the artwork in a daze.

  "After all, it's a masterpiece, I can only feel sentimental and dare not make any comments!" Chen Yi said a heartfelt truth.

  "He should be more humble," He Lan Min smiled, pointing to a blank space on the right side of the painting, where Yan Liben's seal was located: "This painting has this place left blank, without any inscription or poem. At that time, I was in a hurry and didn't have time to write... I've been thinking about it for many days, but couldn't come up with a suitable poem. I wonder if today, Brother Ziying can bestow a poem on me, to complete this painting?"