Chapter 703 – The Immortal’s Trap (Part Three)
They initially thought An Huan’s acting had reached its peak, but now, clearly, the streamer’s skills were even more refined.
Oscar owed her several little golden statuettes!
Yang Si smirked slightly but outwardly bowed with respect to apologize.
Hearing that the painting was done by Mr. Yuanjing’s disciple, Xu Pei’s curiosity was piqued.
He spoke up to speak well of Yang Si and subtly expressed a desire to catch a glimpse of the painting.
Jiang Pengji wouldn’t refuse; that was exactly the effect she wanted.
Everyone in the tent knew Mr. Yuanjing’s name, and they were aware that he had taken in four disciples.
Someone chimed in, “I’ve heard Mr. Yuanjing is a master in painting. I wonder how much of his essence his esteemed disciple has grasped?”
“Is there a chance we could see the work of Mr. Yuanjing’s prized disciple?”
Everyone in the tent agreed; they had no malice, just pure curiosity.
Mr. Yuanjing’s reputation was incredibly high, yet his four disciples remained unheard of, which aroused suspicion.
Now that they had an opportunity to see one of his disciples’ artwork, they had to take a look and see if the disciple was just a name with no substance.
Xu Pei wanted to enjoy it alone, but hearing his many subordinates speak up, he couldn’t help but look at Jiang Pengji with a questioning gaze.
After all, it was her painting; he should respect the owner’s opinion.
Jiang Pengji nodded in agreement.
Xu Pei then motioned for the dancers to stop and let them unveil the scroll so everyone in the tent could see.
“Which esteemed disciple painted this?”
Jiang Pengji replied, “It’s Wei Ci from the Wang clan, his courtesy name is Zixiao. Due to his frail health, he seldom shows himself in public.”
The current works, due to material limitations and a lack of technique, often pursue impressionism, eschewing mere surface likeness.
Wei Ci’s painting was different, existing elegantly between realism and impressionism, with gentle, delicate brushstrokes, creating a three-dimensional effect.
The painting depicted a panorama of Xiangyang County, and due to the scroll’s length, it revealed little. Still, it showcased many lively scenes—wine shops, food stalls, tea houses… various street vendors, and bustling pedestrians. Some walked alone, hurriedly, while others strolled in pairs, enviable to onlookers. There were also families depicted, husbands and wives harmonious and children lively, with hundreds of figures, each showcasing unique expressions. One couldn’t help but marvel at the painter’s keen observation and exquisite technique. Beyond the figures and streets, the most conspicuous were the orderly buildings—pavilions, flying eaves, and bracket sets… a painting capturing their vision of a prosperous era.
Xu Pei remarked, “Such a talented artist must possess extraordinary skills and a heart full of love for humanity. I’m ashamed, brother.”
Jiang Pengji’s expression turned a bit dazed.
The audience in the live stream reacted similarly.
【Xiao Rui’s mother】: Suddenly reminded of that one from this year’s college entrance exam… with a glint of something odd in their eyes.
【Apple Flower Tea】: Hahahaha, ten years of hard study, defeated by a grass fish.
【Tongtong’s girl】: If Xu Pei took the exam, reading comprehension would be a sure full score, a college genius!
【Book Mountain Duck Pear】: #propping my chin, is it not? Perhaps Lady Ci just aimed to paint a landscape.
Having praised Xu Pei, the audience had no choice but to join in, especially since the painting was indeed a rare piece.
“It’s truly like a paradise imagined in the heart… I suppose during the most prosperous days of the previous dynasty, when nations came to pay respect, it must have looked like this.”
An old general stroked his graying beard and sighed deeply.
The others snapped back to reality and nodded in agreement.
The live stream audience was about to burst from laughter, as the content of the painting clearly depicted the scenery of Xiangyang County.
Jiang Pengji waited until everyone had praised before shyly throwing in the final knife.
“Everyone, that may be an exaggeration; the scene in the painting is actually from a place under the management of the younger generation—Xiangyang County, not… um, not at all…”
Jiang Pengji’s words were vague, leaving the tent feeling as icy as the Siberian wind with only a dozen ice sculptures remaining.
Xu Pei’s face turned red, secretly annoyed, shooting a fierce glare at the old general who first praised the painting.
If you can’t say something sensible, then don’t say anything! Now it’s awkward!
Fortunately, Jiang Pengji didn’t dwell on it and instead exchanged governance expertise with Xu Pei…
This was Xu Pei’s forte, and it alleviated his embarrassment.
Given the prior awkwardness and his jumbled thoughts, the conversation naturally fell into Jiang Pengji’s hands.
With her guidance, Xu Pei seamlessly shifted his focus from the painting’s “art and technique” to the common people and buildings depicted.
Discussing architecture, he noticed something odd about the streets, houses, and walls in the painting.
Casually mentioning this, Jiang Pengji seized the opportunity to introduce “Blue Brick.”
The audience in the live stream showered her pitch with countless likes; the streamer’s tactics were not only intricate but terrifyingly effective.
If they encountered a saleswoman like her, forget just buying, they’d probably hand over their pants too.
The entire conversation seemed like Xu Pei was asking questions and Jiang Pengji was passively answering, yet the rhythm remained firmly in her hands.
“May I ask, how much does this blue brick cost?”
After some lead-up, Xu Pei finally posed this question.
Zhejian Prefecture is located in the south, warm and rainy all year round.
Current buildings are primarily made of wood and stone, but when it rains a lot, they are prone to growing damp and moldy, leaving the ground muddy and slippery.
Xu Pei, being a sharp individual, naturally didn’t want to get taken advantage of. He sought something good while wanting to pay the least price.
He wanted to test Jiang Pengji’s resolve, to probe a little.
“The cost’s not high. Quality soil can be easily burned into blue bricks.”
Jiang Pengji casually replied, seemingly unaware of Xu Pei’s intentions, like a foolish son of a landlord.
Xu Pei furrowed his brows and asked, “Burned from soil? Like making earthenware?”
“The logic’s the same, but the heating time differs, and there are particular methods for building brick kilns.”
Xu Pei felt a tickling curiosity rise, tentatively asking, “Do you sell this around here, my dear brother?”
Jiang Pengji smiled brightly, saying, “Even if I were to sell them, Xu Brother wouldn’t be able to afford them.”
Xu Pei was puzzled, “But you just said blue bricks are cheap; why then can’t I afford them right now?”
Jiang Pengji explained with a chuckle, “Blue bricks are indeed inexpensive, but think about the distance from Xiangyang to your Zhejian. Blue bricks may be cheap, but they’re heavy. If large quantities were transported from Xiangyang to Zhejian, who knows how much wealth and labor that would consume? At that rate, these blue bricks wouldn’t be made of mud but more like piles of silver. I wouldn’t dare to mislead you, respected Xu brother.”
Xu Pei paused. He had genuinely forgotten to factor in transportation costs, and his expression showed a hint of embarrassment.
Jiang Pengji was still chattering away.
“If you want to make blue bricks, it’s best to set up a brick kiln directly in areas where the soil is suitable.”
Xu Pei felt intrigued by the blue bricks.
He was an ambitious man, naturally unwilling to be inferior to others.
A true man should aim to achieve great deeds and create an everlasting legacy!
