"A quarter of an hour?"

Emperor Zhezong laughed when he heard this, "Are you guys talking nonsense?"

"Minister is not a false statement," Wu Hao's ancient saying, "The pictures drawn in just a quarter of an hour are drawn on paper with special pencils. The color is monotonous and can only be viewed by the officials, and it is difficult to pass on to future generations... This is also the method that ministers practice on a daily basis."

"Pencil?" Zhao Ji said, "Is it lead in lead?"

“That’s right.”

Lead is a bit similar to later pencils and wooden boards. Lead refers to black lead strips, not real pencils, but graphite is ground into powder and rubbed with glue. Bar is wooden boards. The combination of the two is a simple writing tool and is a common tool for officials. Wu Haogu found "lead strips" very early, but after using them, he found that they were too soft and not suitable for sketching. So he customized the pen shop in Kaifeng Mansion and mixed with clay, and the "pencil" of wooden poles - of course it is different from later pencils. The lead strips are not wrapped in wooden poles, but are sandwiched in the grooves at the head of the wooden poles, which is very inconvenient to use, so Wu Haogu usually uses carbon strips to make drafts.

However, what he is going to show Zhao Xu today is his own sketching skills, so he doesn't need carbon strips - the carbon powder has poor adhesion and is difficult to preserve, while the lead strips with graphite as the main component are not easy to be wiped off.

Wu Haogu also knew that Zhao Xu, the official, was not very interested in calligraphy and painting, and he was concerned about military and national affairs! If Wu Haogu's painting skills played some role in military and national affairs, then the seat of Guanzhao could be sat comfortably.

And sketching is definitely the strongest "spy painting" skill!

"Then let's take a look at the painting," Zhao Xu said, "and then painted in Chongzheng Hall."

Zhao Xu can still wait for a quarter of an hour.

Wu Hao Gu’s Ancient Road: “Mr. Rong went down to get the painting tools.”

Zhao Xu nodded: "Yes."

Wu Haogu was once again worshipped, and turned around and left Chongzheng Hall.

Zhao Xu watched him leave and frowned slightly: "Can't he be a fool?"

This is asking Tong Guan, because Zhao Xu didn't know that Wu Haogu was the one who told him.

Tong Guan bowed and said, "Your Majesty, Mi Fu's son Mi Youren has become a teacher of Wu Haogu and learns painting skills."

"Is this really the case?"

Zhao Xu doesn't pay much attention to calligraphy and painting, but he still knows who Mi Fu belongs to.

"It's true," Tong Guan said, "Mi Youren went back to Kaifeng Prefecture with Wu Haogu."

While he was talking, the palace servant reported: "The painting bureau waited for the imperial examination and asked for a visit."

"Prince."

When Wu Haogu came in, he only took a pack of pencils and a small painting board with rice paper pasted.

Zhao Xu looked a little strange and asked, "What are you holding?"

"Your Majesty is a painting board and a pencil." Wu Haogu replied.

Zhao Xu nodded, "Then draw."

He did not ask anyone to check the time. Although Wu Haogu claimed that it would take half a quarter of an hour, he could not care so much as an official.

Wu Haogu bowed and said, "I beg you to paint on the ground."

There were desks in Chongzheng Hall for Hanlin scholars and the Secretariat (used when drafting the imperial edict), but Wu Haogu did not see it, so he simply asked to sit on the ground and draw.

"Can."

With Zhao Xu's permission, Wu Haogu sat cross-legged opposite Tong Guan, skillfully put the drawing board on his legs, held it with his left hand, and took out the pencil that was sharpened with a knife with his right hand. He had been a little nervous before, after all, it was his first time to face the king, and it was fake to say he was not afraid. However, when the willow charcoal strips were held in his hand, his mood had calmed down a lot.

Painting has long been an instinct for him, like breathing, walking, or blinking. Even if he is nervous, this instinct will never be forgotten.

Moreover, this imperial painting is just a fool to the layman. As long as he takes 30% of his former stature when he was admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts, it will be enough to make Zhao Xu look at him with admiration.

After taking a deep breath, Wu Haogu began to paint.

He did not draw Tong Guan's full body portrait, but drew a large portrait, just to draw Tong Guan's head, neck and shoulders. However, he drew it carefully, not only carefully outlining the lines, but also using the light and dark techniques of later generations.

Because of his solid foundation in learning painting for more than ten years in his previous life and over 100,000 sketches, Wu Hao's ancient paintings are as smooth as flowing water, and every stroke is just right and extremely smooth. In the blink of an eye, a picture of "Sketch of Tong Guan's Avatar" has been completed.

"Your Majesty, I have painted it."

Drawn?

Zhao Xu was stunned. It seemed that there was no more than half a quarter of an hour. Why was that okay?

"Tong Guan, come up."

"Here."

Wu Haogu carefully handed the drawing board flat and handed his hands to Tong Guan.

"Official Tong, please take it."

Before taking the drawing board, Tong Guan glanced at it first. With the help of the dark light in the hall, he saw an incredible picture. It was just a combination of black and white (actually gray) and a bunch of lines, and then drew a lifelike self... It was almost exactly the same as the self he saw in the bronze mirror!

This martial arts are so ancient, and it is indeed the number one person in the painting!

Moreover... if such a skill of "quick painting" is used on spy painting, it would be really amazing. If someone else draws one, he can draw ten or twenty paintings, even if he puts the entire Daliao city on the drawing paper, maybe it is possible!

The drawing board was carefully presented to the imperial case in front of Zhao Xu, the official family. Zhao Xu took a look and was immediately surprised like Tong Guan.

Tong Guan in the painting is very similar to the real person... Anyway, as long as you look at the painting, you will immediately know that it is Tong Guan! If you take this painting, you can go to find a good person to see Tong Guan's appearance.

"It's true that you have real skills!" Zhao Xu said again, "Wu Haogu, look up at me!"

Wu Haogu raised his head when he heard this and looked at the young man wearing a red robe and long-legged head on the imperial throne.

Although the light was very dark, Wu Haogu could still see that Zhao Xu's face was gray and thin, and he looked sick. When he thought of the young emperor's age, his early death in history, and the consequences of his early death, Wu Haogu felt like he was cut by his heart.

If he does not die, China may not have Jing Kang Tianqing...

"Did you see clearly?" Zhao Xu asked.

"I see clearly." Wu Haogu understood what Zhao Xu meant a little.

The exam continues!

However, what Zhao Xu is going to take this time is not only Wu Haogu's painting skills, but also his memory... or in other words, his memory ability of portraits.

Because there are many people who can meet, but cannot paint in person. For example, the Emperor Yelu Hongji of the Great Liao Dynasty was not necessarily willing to be a model of Wu Haogu.

"Remember?" Zhao Xu asked.

"Remember." Wu Haogu replied.

Sketching by memory is also called dictation sketching. It is a skill in sketching practice. The painter needs to rely on observation to remember the image characteristics, structure and dynamics of the model, and then perform dictation sketching.

"Go to draw again," said Zhao Xu, "Go back to the painting office to draw, and then take it to me after the painting."

"Here."

Wu Haogu bowed, took his own bag of carbon pens, left Chongzheng Hall, and then quickly returned to the painting site not far away.

Seeing that he was coming quickly, Liang Shizheng thought he wanted to get something, so he asked, "What's the point? Why not let someone come and know?"

"Does there be rice paper? Come and give it to me quickly." Wu Haogu didn't explain, so he directly asked for a raw rice paper, then spread it on the desk, and began to write the portrait of Zhao Xu, the official's official, with a carbon pen.

Liang Shicheng stood aside and watched. After only a while, his face changed drastically.

Isn’t this painted by the government?

And so fast, so like...

After drawing Zhao Xu's sketch, Wu Haogu found that Liang Shichengzhen was standing beside him in a daze, so he bowed and asked, "Brother Shoudao, do you think I'm drawing like it?"

"It's so similar... Even the official photo album collected in the palace is just like this."

"That's good." Wu Haogu smiled, "Can you borrow a pen and ink?"

"Okay, let's grind the ink for you."

"Thank you, the official."

Wu Haogu is not polite. It was his first day and he did not have his own students to serve him in the Hanlin Academy of Painting. If he had to grind ink first and then paint, it would have been a waste of time.

Just as Liang Shicheng was grinding Wu Haogu quickly, Wu Haogu chose another piece of cooked rice and a piece of cooked rice, stuck it with paste, spread it on the desk, and then chose a fine brush, and began to outline it on the cooked rice paper according to the dictated sketch.

This time it was a portrait of a plain painting, a bust, which was not complicated and completely realistic, and did not use the technique of "Wu Dai Dang Feng" - in fact, it was just a "certificate photo" of the Northern Song Dynasty version, which was not very artistic, but it was definitely very similar, and was just used to draw spy paintings.

Holding the "spy painting photo" that had just been painted but not even the ink was thoroughly dried, Wu Haogu entered Chongzheng Hall again.

"Your Majesty, I have painted it."

Zhao Xu nodded with satisfaction. This time, Wu Hao Guhua was not long, so I don’t know how it was drawn?

“Show it.”

This time, Yang Jian took the drawing paper from Wu Haogu and held it in front of Zhao Xu.

Zhao Xu leaned forward, looked at the picture carefully, and then smiled slightly: "Wu Haogu, you are indeed the number one person in the painting!"

Is this my personal letter?

Wu Haogu thought to himself, and said a few more humble words: "My painting skills are just small techniques, and they are not worth mentioning."

"If you use the small method correctly, it can also benefit the country and the people. If you can benefit the country and the people, it cannot be said that it is not worth mentioning." Zhao Xu is different from his artist younger brother. His requirements for "painting" are not based on art, but on practicality.

So even if Wu Haogu took out "Pan Su'er's Smile" and put it in front of him, he would not think it would be very good. But if Wu Haogu could draw photos of Yanyun Chengguan and the Liao Dynasty's monarchs and ministers to him, it would be a great achievement.

However, Zhao Xu summoned Wu Haogu today not entirely because of his painting skills. He had other things to ask.

"Tong Guan told me that Ma Zhi is your friend?" Zhao Xu paused, looking at Wu Haogu with bright eyes, "Do you know his background?"

Horse plants?

This question is hard to answer!

If Wu Haogu said it truthfully, then all the illegal things of Ximen Qing’s family must be exposed!

Moreover... the Ximen clan is a descendant of Youzhou Yabing Group and has many accomplices in the Liao Kingdom. What would Zhao Xu think about this? What would Prime Minister Zhang Dun and Privy Councilor Zeng Bu think about it?

"Your Majesty," Wu Haogu said, "As far as I know, Ma Zhi is a maritime businessman... and has a lot of martial arts and a very broad knowledge. I met him when I was traveling to Yuntai Mountain in Haizhou."

“Maritime business?”

Wu Haogu nodded and said, "As far as I know, the Ma family is engaged in East China Sea trade. His sea boats can go directly from Haizhou, Mizhou, Dengzhou and other ports to Suzhou in Liao, Haizhou in Goryeo, and Hakata in Japan."
Chapter completed!