Chapter 1181 1272 Stealing Paintings

"Well, yes, this word is a stepping stone. Although the examiner will not be able to see your paper when you take the imperial examination in the future, you will have to write it many times in the future.

If your master or superior sees that your calligraphy is not good-looking, it will also affect their opinion of you. "

At this time, Wei Guangde was sitting in the study room at home, reviewing the homework of his two sons.

Wei Guangde's eldest son Wei Fushou and second son Wei Ankang both stood in front of him, listening to their father's instructions.

Wei Ankang was still young, so naturally he was just a supporter, but Wei Fushou was already fourteen years old, and Wei Guangde also began to consider whether to change his residence in the capital or to return to Jiangxi to take the imperial examination.

Relatively speaking, Wei Guangde hoped that Wei Fushou would return to Jiangxi to take the imperial examination. After all, the sky was high and the emperor was far away, so it was easier to operate some joints.

Even if he can't be guaranteed to pass the National Examination, he can still play tricks in the Jiangxi Provincial Examination.

It took three or four years to protect Wei Fushou and win the title of Juren. For the current Wei Guangde, it was just easy and effortless.

Judging from the homework he left for his boss when he left the house this morning, his level is actually close to that of a scholar. Even in the real exam, it depends on luck.

After all, having passed the imperial examination, he knew very well that the composition of a scholar is actually secondary. The most important thing is luck. If his paper falls into the hands of the examiner, whether it will be in the hands of Ti Xue.

After thinking for a moment, Wei Guangde felt that it was possible to win this paper, so he said: "Fushou, it has been six years since you returned to the capital. Have you ever thought about going back to your hometown in Jiangxi to see your grandfather and take the imperial examination there by the way?"

"Dad, do you want me to return to my hometown in Jiangxi to take the imperial examination?"

Although Wei Guangde said that he had been away from his hometown for many years and should go home to see his grandfather, Wei Fushou naturally knew better that his father was actually more concerned about his imperial examination.

To be honest, he didn't like reading, but he didn't dare to disobey his father's orders, so he still read. However, in his free time, he often went out to play with the young men in the capital.

"Yes, I went to Jiangxi to see my grandpa and passed the imperial examination.

I think your article is quite popular. When the time comes, please ask Mr. Lin to go to Jiangxi with you to prepare for the imperial examination.

The county examination and the government examination are only small tests, the most important thing is the hospital examination. As long as you can pass the hospital examination, you will be more certain in the township examination.

I think if you return to Jiangxi now, you should be able to pass the provincial examination in four or five years.

It would be a good time to return to the capital to take part in the examination.

These years, your father and mother have been in the capital, and they have never cared about your grandfather. You will be in Jiangxi and serve your grandfather well in your father's and mother's stead. "

Wei Guangde said.

"Oh, okay, then I will go back to Jiangxi to take care of grandpa."

Wei Fushou is not stupid. He has become sensible after staying in Jiangxi for two years. Looking back now, he feels that Jiangxi was actually pretty good.

His employer is a senior official in the capital, and his status is even higher when he returns to Jiangxi than in the capital. It is not an exaggeration to say that he is the youngest in Jiangxi.

In my early years, I heard that my father once spent two years traveling around the mountains and rivers of Jiangxi. He was very uncomfortable in the capital under the supervision of his parents.

When he goes to Jiangxi, he can also travel around.

"It's just father. Does mother know about this?"

Wei Fushou asked hesitantly again.

“I will go to your mother’s place and tell her, and he won’t object.

This time when you go south to return to your hometown, you should also stay at your uncle's house in Nanjing for a while. It seems that you haven't had a good tour of Nanjing. "

Reading thousands of books is not as good as traveling thousands of miles.

It is also good to let your children go out more and broaden their horizons.

"Okay, the word Ankang is good, but you still need to practice."

Wei Guangde picked up his youngest son's paper again and said with a smile.

The little guy immediately became elated when he received the praise. When Wei Guangde sent them away, he called the servants outside the door and said, "Go and call the housekeeper." ’

"Yes, sir."

The servant agreed and walked out quickly.

Not long after, Zhang Ji appeared outside the study.

"Come in."

After receiving the notice, Wei Guangde in the room shouted casually.

"Master, you are looking for me."

Zhang Ji bowed and saluted when he entered the room.

"Please remember something. The eldest young master may have to return to his hometown to prepare for next year's imperial examination. Then you can arrange for someone to accompany him to escort him.

Pay attention to sending two smart people to record the young master's journey south and report all the people he met to me. "

Upon hearing this, Zhang Ji immediately nodded and agreed.

"By the way, he is going back to his hometown. Please arrange for him to walk more along the way and see the beautiful mountains and rivers. He should also stay in Nanjing for a while so that he can get in touch with the children from the south."

Wei Guangde ordered again.

"By the way, who is Jiangxi Tixue now?"

Wei Guangde only knew about Jiangxi's left and right political envoys and inspectors, but he didn't know who the academic officer was. That's why he asked this question.

Wei Guangde also had close contacts with Jiangxi officials, so he knew that Zhang Ji should know.

"Sir, the person who promotes academic affairs in Jiangxi is Mr. Zhuang Guozhenzhuang."

Zhang Ji just thought for a moment and replied.

"Zhuang Guozhen, oh, the one in Quanzhou."

When Wei Guangde heard the name, he immediately remembered it.

I should have heard of it before, but I didn’t pay much attention to it. After all, it was about studying, and besides managing the scholars, I had no rights.

"What's his relationship with the government?"

Wei Guangde asked again.

"Generally, there is no shortage of filial piety that should be paid every winter and summer, but it is at a normal level, and there is not much contact in normal times."

Zhang Ji answered immediately this time.

"Um."

Wei Guangde nodded, knowing that this person should be sending things to the mansion as usual, and he had no intention of joining the army.

That is, he did a decent job and sent some gifts to his mansion according to the rules.

"How long has he been in Jiangxi?"

Wei Guangde suddenly asked again.

Hearing Wei Guangde's question, Zhang Ji didn't know what his master was thinking. After a little recollection, he answered: "It's been a year. He took the position of Mr. Hou and was transferred from Guizhou to Jiangxi."

"Well, I know, you go down and arrange the staff for the young master."

After Wei Guangde finished speaking, he asked Zhang Ji to leave.

Wei Guangde sat in the study for a while, thinking about who to arrange to go to Jiangxi as the education supervisor.

Although his son's level is qualified to be a scholar, it's still the same thing. The college examination is too much of a test of luck, because each prefecture and county has a quota, and it doesn't mean that you will definitely get the title of scholar if your essay is good.

To win over others in the county, you have to be in the eyes of the education supervisor.

The most important thing is that there is no need to report to the examination for the scholar. It is completely the one-man show of the education commissioner. If he says it is good, it is good, and if it is not good, it is also good.

There is not much contact in normal times, and Wei Guangde does not plan to contact Zhuang Guozhen to let him take care of his son's college entrance examination.

"Let's just change someone directly."

Wei Guangde said in his heart, then got up and left the study, and went back to the backyard to rest.

In front of his wife, Wei Guangde told his considerations and asked his eldest son Wei Fushou to return to Jiangxi to take the exam, and also stay in Nanjing for a few days.

After listening to Wei Guangde's words, Xu Jianglan did not object.

In fact, in the case of the Wei family, it is almost the same whether the son takes the imperial examination in the capital or returns to Jiangxi to take the imperial examination.

However, there are many people in the capital, and if he passes those exams, it may not attract the attention of the censors, which is also a troublesome matter.

At least on the surface, Wei Guangde has no connection with the Censorate. For the officialdom in the capital, most people think that Zhang Siwei has a lot of say in the Censorate.

Wei Guangde was also happy to let everyone misunderstand, so that Zhang Siwei could take the blame if something happened in the future.

Just as Wei Guangde was talking to his wife in the back house, a black shadow appeared outside the Wuying Hall of the Forbidden City.

Although there were soldiers guarding the imperial city day and night, this black shadow seemed to be particularly familiar with this place and could always avoid the patrolling soldiers just right.

Soon, the black shadow approached the Wuying Hall. After a team of soldiers passed by here, the black shadow gently pushed open the half-closed door of the Wuying Hall and then instantly got into the hall.

When the door was closed again, it seemed as if nothing had happened here.

Wuying Hall, located on Chaoxi Road outside the Beijing Forbidden City in Dongcheng District, Beijing, was built during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty.

Wuying Hall faces south, is five bays wide and three bays deep, and has a yellow glazed tile hip roof.

The Xumi pedestal is surrounded by white marble railings, and there is a platform in front, with a corridor leading directly to the Wuying Gate.

The rear hall, Jingsi Hall, is similar in shape to Wuying Hall, and the front and back halls are connected by corridors.

The east and west side halls are Ningdao Hall and Huanzhang Hall, respectively, with a total of 63 corridors on the left and right. There is Hengshouzhai in the northeast of the courtyard and Yude Hall in the northwest.

In the early Ming Dynasty, Wuying Hall was a place for the emperor to stay and summon ministers. After Wanli, such activities were held in Wenhua Hall.

During the reign of Emperor Chongzhen of the Ming Dynasty, Wuying Hall became the place for the empress's birthday and the court ceremony for the ladies of the court.

However, in the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Wuying Hall was not only a place for hosting various royal activities, but also a place for the palace to collect famous calligraphy and paintings.

During the Ming Dynasty, the palace's calligraphy and paintings were generally collected in two palaces, one was Nanxun Hall and the other was Wuying Hall.

Nanxun Hall was a palace building built in the Ming Dynasty. It is located on the west road of Waichao, southwest of Wuying Hall, and is an independent courtyard.

The hall is five bays wide and has a single-eaved hip roof with yellow glazed tiles.

There are five floors of red lacquered wooden pavilions in the main and secondary rooms of the hall, which are used to store the portraits of emperors of all dynasties. Each portrait is wrapped in yellow cloud satin and placed in a small wooden box. The portraits are placed according to the levels of the pavilions.

The east room of the hall is used to store the portraits of empresses of all dynasties; the west room is used to store the imperial books and treasures of the emperors and empresses of the Ming Dynasty. The wooden structures and colored paintings in the hall are all relics of the Ming Dynasty and are very precious.

The portraits of emperors stored in the Nanxun Hall are not only from the Ming Dynasty, but also from the previous dynasties. For example, there are three portraits of Emperor Taizong of Tang and four portraits of Emperor Taizu of Song.

Of course, there are also many portraits of emperors of all dynasties in the Ming Dynasty, such as the portrait of Emperor Taizu of Ming, which has as many as thirteen blessings.

In addition, the Nanxun Hall also stores a large number of exquisite folk calligraphy and paintings.

The Wuying Hall is also a place to store these, and there is also a special calligraphy and painting gallery inside for the emperor to appreciate calligraphy and painting.

About half an hour later, the door of Wuying Hall opened a crack again, and then a figure jumped out of the hall and ran out along the palace road.

But unlike before, this time the black shadow was clearly carrying a long object on his back. After avoiding the patrolling soldiers with ease, he quickly disappeared into the palace.

In an independent straight room next to the Silijian, the lights were bright at this time, while the straight rooms around were already dark.

Straight rooms are the residences of eunuchs in the palace. It is said that there are 9,000 straight rooms in the palace to accommodate tens of thousands of eunuchs and palace maids.

Straight rooms are the places where eunuchs eat and live, usually located in the moat area of ​​the Forbidden City, close to the inner house transport warehouse.

These straight rooms are not only the residences of eunuchs, but also their work places. For example, the straight rooms of the eunuchs holding pens and the eunuchs accompanying the hall of the Silijian are located in the straight rooms by the river.

This is the riverside direct house, and those who can own a direct house alone are naturally powerful people in the palace.

"Dongdong."

Two knocks on the door sounded, and the eunuch asked outside the door, "Godfather, Xiao Wuzi is back, do you want him to come in?"

"Come in."

Feng Bao's voice came from the main room.

Soon, a figure holding a scroll in both hands pushed the door and walked into the main room.

"Have you got it?"

"Grandpa Gan, I've got it back."

Feng Bao took the scroll from Xiao Wuzi, then waved his hand and said, "Go back and rest, you've worked hard."

"Is it hard to work for Grandpa Gan?"

Xiao Wuzi said flatteringly.

"Good boy, go down."

Feng Bao said happily, and after Xiao Wuzi left the room, Feng Bao couldn't wait to open the scroll and spread it directly on the desk.

The scroll was very long, and the long desk couldn't even fit it.

But it didn't matter, just open one end and release most of the painting.

The whole painting was illuminated by a few candles on the desk.

In an instant, the appearance of the city of Dongjing, the capital of the Northern Song Dynasty, and the living conditions of people from all walks of life at that time appeared vividly in Feng Bao's eyes.

Feng Bao carefully observed the large number of people of all kinds painted on the painting, cattle, mules, donkeys and other livestock, cars, sedan chairs, large and small boats, houses, bridges, towers, etc., each with its own characteristics, reflecting the characteristics of Song Dynasty architecture and recording the prosperity of the capital of Dongjing during the Northern Song Dynasty.

The painting begins with a few seals, followed by a spring scene in the suburbs. As the picture unfolds, the next is the scene of the Bian River, and finally the streets in the city. Feng Bao looked very carefully.

Even Feng Bao carefully observed the details of those buildings, and it seemed that there were no mistakes at all, which shows the seriousness of the painter when completing this painting.

Naturally, the painting that Feng Bao was looking at was the original "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" by the Northern Song Dynasty painter Zhang Zeduan, which was highly praised by later generations.

There are many stories about this picture. After Zhang Zeduan painted "Along the River During the Qingming Festival", it was collected in the imperial palace.

Not long after the Northern Song Emperor Huizong got it, the "Jingkang Change" broke out. Song Huizong and Song Qinzong were captured by the Jin soldiers, and "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" was stolen from the palace.

After wandering among the people for more than a century, it was not until Kublai Khan, the grandson of Genghis Khan, established the Yuan Dynasty that the Qingming Riverside Scene was taken into the imperial palace again.

The Qingming Riverside Scene was taken into the inner palace of the Yuan Dynasty. There was a framer in the inner palace. Seeing that the painting was particularly good, the framer made a fake painting, secretly replaced the Qingming Riverside Scene, and then sold the real painting. The famous painting was once again lost among the people.

The painting returned to the palace again when Cheng Shoujie accidentally discovered it when he confiscated Yan Song's property.

Yes, after wandering around, the painting was obtained by Yan Shifan in the Jiajing Dynasty and collected until he was deprived of his official position.

However, now the painting has fallen into the hands of Feng Bao.

Thinking of this, Feng Bao couldn't help but be very proud.

When the front of the painting was rolled up again, revealing the final long inscription, Feng Bao was delighted. He thought for a moment and then ground the ink himself, preparing to leave his own inscription behind the painting.

At this moment, he had completely forgotten his identity, that he was just a servant in the palace, and now he had regarded himself as the owner of this painting. (End of this chapter)