Chapter 173 – The Mystery in Painting

Miantang picked up a letter and read it.

 

These are all carefully checked by Cui Xingzhou and Li Guangcai, along with a group of clerks, so there was no need for her to further examine and explore.

 

So she abandoned the documents and turned to look at other objects.

 

Cui Xingzhou also knew that he couldn’t find anything in the document. He thoughtfully pointed to a large porcelain jar filled with painting scrolls and said, “It seems that General Takatsukasa is still an artistic person, especially fond of collecting landscape paintings.”

 

Miantang listened, walked over, reached out, and took out a painting, slowly unfolding the scroll.

 

The artistic conception of this painting was also very beautiful, it was the famous Daishan Mountain in the Great Yan Dynasty. Floating clouds hover around, creating a towering and dangerous peak. However, it was not a masterpiece, and the signature was only the seal of “Mr. Wei“.

 

But Miantang furrowed her brows and carefully examined it, then took out several other paintings from the jar one after another, and then spread them out one by one.

 

Cui Xingzhou knows that she has a unique sense of smell in appreciating paintings.

 

He knows that when she first competed with Zhao Jiayu to paint plates at her porcelain shop, she had a unique insight and discovered that the dragonfly eyes hidden in the paintings were the secrets of a lady. She competed for the attention of Marquis Zhennan and made Zhao Jiayu very angry!

 

But in these paintings, was there another world in the bean-sized paper, just like Master Chen, a scholar who hates brushes?

 

At this moment, Liu Miantang pointed to an ochre red mountain stone on the painting and said, “Do you think there are scattered red mountains and stones in every one of these paintings?”

 

Cui Xingzhou gazed intently, and sure enough, these paintings all had ochre red mountain stones. However, because they were all painted by a painter with the signature “Mr. Wei“, the painters were the same, and the styles were inevitably similar. The rocks in those areas were not prominent, and there was nothing unusual to see.

 

But Miantang looked closer and then waved to Cui Xingzhou to bring her a pen and white paper.

 

Cui Xingzhou was aroused by her curiosity and simply learned from her, sitting cross-legged on the ground, grinding ink and laying paper for her.

 

Liu Miantang, on the other hand, carefully looked at the dates of the paintings, rearranged the order, and then rubbed down the parts of the red rocks bit by bit.

 

When the red rocks of several paintings converge together, she finds that these stones are connected in one place, like a children’s puzzle, perfectly matched. And… The patterns on those rocks gradually formed outlines – It was a diagram of the internal structure of a cannon.

 

Cui Xingzhou couldn’t help but stand up as he watched Liu Miantang conjure up the secrets in the painting.

 

“How did you discover it?” If ordinary people don’t know something strange inside, they definitely can’t associate using this method to piece together rocks.

 

Miantang looked up at him and said, “When I was on the Mountain of Yang before… I once saw similar paintings in Liu Yu’s study.”

 

“Liu Yu is a person who enjoys calligraphy and painting, so the walls of his study are covered with many works of famous artists.”

 

“And the fact that paintings by unknown individuals like this make it a bit special.”

 

“This method of distinguishing paintings was taught to me by Liu Yu at that time. However, what was hidden in his paintings at that time was not rocks, but flying birds… In the eyes of flying birds was the route map of your food and grass transportation… These paintings were all bought by Liu Yu’s people in the painting shop in the town below the mountain, and no one would pay attention to them. Even if the officers and soldiers found out, if they didn’t know the secret, they wouldn’t see anything. However, I don’t know who this person is… According to the painting style, although slightly different, but very similar… I think Liu Yu knows who the painter is. If you want to know, when you return to the capital, just ask him.”

 

Cui Xingzhou’s eyelids slightly jumped when he heard this.

 

At the beginning of the war with the Mountain of Yang, his soldiers did indeed lose a lot of food and grass. At that time, he suspected that he had engaged in an internal conspiracy and had collaborated with the bandits of the Mountain of Yang, cutting off the supply and fodder.

 

So later, when he personally commanded the encirclement and suppression of the Mountain of Yang, he also reorganized the internal affairs, replaced all the grain and grass officials, and added several blind granaries to stop the news from leaking out.

 

Has the emperor also received such a painting before? So does he also know the “mountain ghost” who paints? Or will the one secretly colluding with Takatsukasa be the emperor?

 

Thinking of this, Cui Xingzhou’s eyebrows and eyes were filled with frost.

 

He originally thought that Liu Yu was wandering among the people and should understand their suffering. But if Liu Yu goes to great lengths to get rid of him and even uses Japanese as a possibility to kill, it would be too unbearable!

 

At present, the matter has not been decided yet, and he is unwilling to delve deeper into it. He doesn’t want to judge the emperor when he has no evidence.

 

Just for a moment, his mind was filled with many messy threads that needed to be slowly sorted and aligned one by one.

 

However, he lightly corrected one of the things said by Leader Lu, saying, “He is now revered as the emperor. You cannot call him by his first name again…”

 

At first, because he was jealous, Miantang coaxed him and said she would never mention Liu Yu’s name again. But now, the female bandit, Leader Lu has just emerged and reappeared in the Jianghu. Speaking of it, she was also reckless.

 

Cui Xingzhou had to correct her, so as not to be listened to and written by someone with a bad motive.

 

Liu Miantang smiled freely and said, “If you don’t tell me, I almost forgot. It’s been a few years now, and everything is different from before. Those who have gained enlightenment have already become immortals.”

 

After speaking, she stood up and wanted to turn around, but after taking a few steps, she saw Cui Xingzhou still standing still, leaning against the table as if contemplating something.

 

Miantang then went back and took his hand, dragging him back into the bedroom, and the two of them hugged each other and lay down.

 

Today, he was surprised to hear that his mother had contracted a serious illness and was already in a bad mood. Now he has discovered a “Mr. Wei” who must have been unable to sleep all night. But tomorrow they still have to set off on their journey, and Miantang feels a bit distressed about Cui Xingzhou.

 

At first, although she felt unfamiliar with him, even if she didn’t remember him, the fit in many small details of life between husband and wife was enough to make her feel at ease.

 

For example, he never asked herself what happened after Takatsukasa kidnapped her.

 

Later, she curiously asked him, “Aren’t you jealous?” Cui Xingzhou said calmly, “Aren’t you back with me now? So it doesn’t matter if he offends you. Whether he does it or not, I won’t let him live.”

 

Upon hearing this, Miantang’s eyes lit up, and she felt that Prince Huaiyang was really a man who didn’t stick to small details and stood tall and upright. Of course, she won’t be stigmatized either, just saying that Takatsukasa was a gentleman and has always treated her with courtesy.

 

But after she finished explaining, Cui Xingzhou became jealous and asked Liu Miantang if she thought Takatsukasa was elegant and handsome?

 

Liu Miantang also didn’t think about it for a moment and told the truth. She has always admired polite men.

 

As soon as the words fell, Cui Xingzhou fiercely kissed her with an expression of wanting to strangle her.

 

At that time, Miantang realized that the exiled immortal who was looking at the light breeze was a jealous person. However, his jealous perspective was somewhat different from others, while his small belly and chicken intestines were no different from ordinary people!

 

Unfortunately, she still liked his jealous appearance very much. Thinking of this, she couldn’t help but gently embrace his arm. He hadn’t fallen asleep yet and rolled over to embrace herself, but there was a sound of bowel movements coming from his stomach.

 

At dinner, he was worried about his mother, so he didn’t have the appetite to eat. At this time late at night, Miantang felt distressed again when she heard his stomach cry, and asked softly, “You are hungry… We are setting off tomorrow morning. Servant Li seems to have prepared night Congee so that we can get up and eat early… Fangxie and the others are all asleep. Do you want me to scoop a bowl for you?”

 

Cui Xingzhou was indeed a bit hungry, so he simply got up and went to the kitchen with Miantang.

 

The homestead in the North Sea was not large, just a few steps away, so there was no need to disturb the servants, after all, there was still a continuous journey the next day.

 

Because the big stove still has an after-fire, and Congee was also hot, the two people moved benches and sat beside the stove drinking porridge, listening to the chirp of insects at night.

 

Miantang found a sugar jar by the stove, scooped a spoonful, and stirred it in Cui Xingzhou’s bowl, “In the past, when I was on the Mountain of Yang, sometimes I was chased so hard by you that I couldn’t help but envy you for being an official and upright. You don’t have to hide like a field mouse with your brothers like me. But now, I realize that you are also a rat, trapped in the imperial vat. If people from high up don’t like you, they can throw bricks into it, leaving you nowhere to escape… It’s better to go into the mountain and be a bandit happy and free.”

 

Cui Xingzhou drank this bowl of Congee, which was so sweet that he stared at Liu Miantang and said, “Are you plotting against me to be a bandit with you?”

 

Miantang smiled and said, “I just want to say, if that brick is smashed hard, wouldn’t it be like letting the jar break? There will always be a way for people to survive. You don’t have to worry too much. If you become a bandit one day, I will be familiar with the way, and I can lead you to worship the mountain and establish your sect.”

 

This time, Cui Xingzhou laughed and said, “You thought it over for me… But if the jar was smashed that hard that it broke, I’m afraid it’s not the mice in the jar who are in a hurry, right?”

 

Both of them spoke mysteries that could be understood only by each other, and the sky began to light up slightly.

 

This night was destined to be sleepless, but fortunately, the swaying carriage on the way was a good place to sleep, and they could catch up on the road.

 

Cui Xingzhou woke up after sleeping in the carriage for an hour.

 

After sleeping, his mind became much clearer.

 

Anyway, he finally managed to figure out the hidden ‘Mr. Wei‘.

 

As Miantang once said, this Mr. Wei was by no means an ordinary mole. Regardless of the way he conveys information and the unique way he acts, it indicates that he is a highly regarded and elegant person.

 

Cui Xingzhou really couldn’t figure out who was around him for so many years, and who was so cunning.

 

Thinking of being proficient in calligraphy and painting, he can’t help but glance at his contemporary brother, Guangcai.

 

He was busy pounding the back and delivering tea to Cui Fu, who was pregnant and vomiting. From the beginning of the journey, this man was filled with only his wife, and even after several calls, this brother-in-law couldn’t care to come.