I became an immortal in the Tang Dynasty

Chapter 294 Would you like to witness the ghosts and gods?
"This way, please—"

Although they didn't know who Ah Lang had brought them, the Wu family servants were already prepared.

The Wu family's servants led the way.

Jiang She, Li Bai, and San Shui walked under the corridor.

In the morning, Yuan Danqiu took Chu Yi to Xuandu Temple to visit fellow practitioners and exchange information on ancient alchemy formulas. Sanshui was also very interested, but when she heard that the senior could take them to other people's homes for meals, she let her junior brother go alone.

"What a huge house!"

Sanshui remarked that she could hardly keep up with the sights.

They arrived a little earlier; it was still before 3 PM, when the sky was bright.

Jiang She walked ahead, also observing.

Wu Daozi truly lived up to his reputation as a master painter; every scene and movement in his residence was beautiful, with two or three red plum blossoms occasionally dotting the garden. He even built a pond, where withered lotus leaves hadn't been cleared away and some snow had accumulated.

There is a pond with water and a thousand bamboo stalks.

There are halls and pavilions, bridges and boats. There are books and wine, songs and strings. Life is carefree and happy.

As they approached the main hall, Wu Daozi, having heard the news, hurried over to greet them personally. Upon seeing them, he bowed and looked delighted.

"Young Master Jiang has arrived."

Jiang She laughed and said to Li Bai and San Shui, "This is Wu Sheng, a painter."

After saying that, he turned to look at Wu Daozi.

"This is Li Bai, whose courtesy name is Taibai. This is Sanshui, a young boy practicing Taoism in the mountains."

The group exchanged greetings and then entered the warm reception hall together.

Wu Daozi personally lifted the curtain and invited the group inside. Even in broad daylight, servants had already lit candles. The room was warm as spring, filled with a faint fragrance that blended the scents of charcoal, ink, wine, and plum blossoms.

He intended to host a lavish banquet for the esteemed person, sparing no expense.

"Please enjoy yourself, my lord. This is just an ordinary household, and I have nothing to offer you."

Jiang She glanced around and then listened to the music playing inside the house.

He laughed and said, "Mr. Wu is being far too modest."

That's true.

You can find both the gorilla-lipped camel hump and the exquisitely carved sashimi here.

Sanshui carefully picked up her chopsticks. The raw sea bass slices were as thin as cicada wings, arranged by the chef in the shape of snow plum blossoms. She picked them up with her chopsticks, afraid of tearing their original shape, dipped them in the sauce, and swallowed them in one gulp.

I was caught off guard and choked by wasabi.

Jiang She laughed.

Hearing Jiang She's laughter, Wu Daozi breathed a sigh of relief. He picked up the chopsticks he had been holding but hadn't touched much and tried the sliced ​​fish for himself.

Perhaps because I had something on my mind, I couldn't taste any emotion.

Wu Daozi put down his chopsticks and glanced at Jiang She's expression; everything seemed normal.

After thinking for a long time, he cautiously brought up something.

"After returning from Yanzhou, I was moved by something and sketched a picture of an immortal on a draft. However, it was just a rough sketch and I haven't painted the eyes yet."

"I gave the painting to a friend to revise, and that person added a stroke at night."

"The moment the eyes are touched, it will fly away."

"We are but mortals, and we do not know... whether the immortal in the painting will blame us."

As Wu Daozi spoke, his fingers tightened their grip on the wine cup, and he discreetly observed Jiang She's expression, preparing to plead guilty at any moment.

I don't know why I inexplicably drew the immortal.

The sound of the pipa resonated in his heart.

Jiang She held his wine cup, having already drunk two cups, yet his face remained fair and showed no signs of drunkenness, as if he had only drunk water.

He smiled.

"I think they shouldn't care."

If you care, it's not as simple as just burning the painting.

Wu Daozi knew his identity, but the other party didn't reveal it. Jiang She also knew what Wu Daozi was struggling with, but he didn't point it out either. The two were separated by a faint veil.

Jiang She drank alcohol.

"How has Mr. Wu been doing these past few years?"

Wu Daozi breathed a sigh of relief, put down his wine cup, bowed, and said:

“I kept it a secret from my husband at the time. I said I was painting for others, but in reality I was painting for the emperor. My name is Wu Daozi. I came to Yanzhou with the emperor to paint for the Fengshan ceremony.”

Jiang She showed no surprise, and simply said something softly.

"I see," Wu Daozi continued.

“After returning to the two capitals, my colleagues and I secluded ourselves for half a year to create paintings for the Fengshan ceremony, which are now presented to the palace.”

Li Bai and Sanshui listened from the side.

The cat put down the roasted mutton she had been working on, raised her fluffy head, and looked a little curious. She wondered why she hadn't seen it in that big house last time.

Perhaps the house is too big.

The cat didn't speak.

There were many people here, and quite a few servants and geishas in the distance; she was afraid that speaking would frighten them to death.

Wu Daozi recounted his experiences over the past four years, which consisted of painting in various places according to the emperor's decree, whether it was for this temple, that Taoist temple, or for some king or princess.

Wu Daozi tried to choose the most interesting topics to discuss.

He also told interesting stories about his friend Zhang Xu.

For example, Zhang Xu once observed porters arguing over the right of way in order to learn the structure of characters. He didn't know what he had figured out, but he observed for several months and successfully caught a cold in the coldest days of winter.

His young disciple, Lulenga, accompanied him as he spoke.

Lulenga was surprised to hear this.

His teacher was a master painter of his time, and even Gao Lishi, the most favored eunuch by the emperor's side, treated his teacher with great respect.

Why would someone at the same table show such respect?

This was the first time he had ever heard Wu Daozi rack his brains to tell someone something interesting and new.

If we're outside.

People are willing to spend a fortune just to obtain a painting by their teacher.

Finally, Wu Daozi, drunk, laughed and said:
“I have lived in Chang’an for many years. If there is anything you don’t know, please feel free to ask me.”

Jiang She expressed his gratitude.

"Then I'll trouble you. I hope Mr. Wu doesn't mind the trouble."

Wu Daozi laughed.

"No way, no way."

He glanced at the talking kitten several times. The small kitten was eating a lamb bone that was about its own size. He was slightly surprised, turned his head and whispered an order to have a few more lamb bones brought from the kitchen. He casually distributed one to each person and each cat at the table.

The banquet was in full swing, and they were talking to each other.

Hurried footsteps came from outside the door.

Everyone looked at it.

The curtain was lifted, revealing a section of snow and wind outside. A cold wind swept into the room, carrying with it the fragrance of plum blossoms.

The attendant whispered a few words in Wu Daozi's ear, and Jiang She saw that Wu Daozi's expression became helpless as he listened to the attendant's words for a while.

Wu Daozi spoke.

“Go back to Jinggong Temple for me and tell them that the murals are not urgent and to ask them to wait a little longer.”

The servant hesitated.

“Ah Lang, that’s what you said last time. Now those monks are pressing us hard, saying they want to at least see some grass. It’s been three or four months, and we still haven’t seen anything.”

Wu Daozi sighed in distress.

He whispered, "I'm entertaining guests right now. At least get through today. Don't bother me any further."

The servant retreated with a worried expression.

Wu Daozi raised his head and met their gazes. He smiled and said a few words.

“It was official business that bothered me. A few months ago, I was supposed to paint for Jinggong Temple. Painting is easy, but they made too many demands. They wanted each god and ghost to be different and to convey a moral message.”

"How difficult this is!"

"Who knows what ghosts and gods look like!"

"You're making things so difficult for me. I've only been dragging my feet for a few months, and you can't even stand this..."

Wu Daozi picked up his wine cup, already smelling of alcohol. They had drunk quite a bit and had become much more familiar with each other. Wu Daozi continued to urge them to drink.

"Fine, let's not talk about that anymore."

"Come, come, let's drink!"

Jiang She picked up his wine cup and took two sips of the sweet, mellow wine. He thought for a moment, then asked:

"Mr. Wu, would you like to witness the spirits and deities?"

【Ask for monthly ticket】

(End of this chapter)