Tang Dynasty Xie Lu Lang

Chapter 374 Making enemies over money is not a wise plan.
In the history of Tang Dynasty painting art, General Li Sixun's artistic achievements were no less than those of the painting sage Wu Daozi. In fact, due to his higher social status, he was even more famous than Wu Daozi in his time.

Unlike Wu Daozi, who left behind many authentic murals in monasteries across the country in his early years to make a living and hone his painting skills, General Li's surviving paintings are even fewer. Whenever a contemporary artist acquires one, he treasures it as a precious gem and carefully collects it.

As Li Sixun's nephew, it was natural for Li Linfu to possess several of his uncle's masterpieces. The one presented to the Prince of Hedong was a large and exquisite work that Li Sixun was extremely proud of during his lifetime.

The Golden Palace was a side hall within the Daming Palace, where the emperor often convened meetings with his ministers or held banquets. This painting, "Cockfighting in the Golden Palace," depicts Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Li Xian, feasting and playing games with his relatives and nobles in the Golden Palace.

Cockfighting was a popular game during the Tang Dynasty, and Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Li Xian, was a big fan of it, having been fascinated by it since his youth.

Wang Bo, a great poet of the early Tang Dynasty, once wrote "A Proclamation Against the Cock of Prince Ying," which was a work about the cockfighting game between the brothers Li Xian, Prince of Pei, and Li Xian, Prince of Ying. As a result, Emperor Gaozong of Tang was furious when he saw this playful work, believing that it was inciting the two princes to fight each other, so he expelled Wang Bo.

After experiencing hardships and setbacks, Li Xian returned as the same boy who loved cockfighting. He often organized large-scale cockfighting events in the Forbidden Garden, and Li Sixun's description is of one of those banquets.

The King of Hedong was a man who loved cockfighting and dog racing, so he was naturally very interested in this subject matter. After entering the hall, he had a large table brought over, and carefully took out the scroll and laid it out flat. Immediately, a vivid and lively scene appeared before his eyes.

Zhang Dai couldn't help but step forward and discovered that General Li and his son both loved to depict magnificent palaces and grand halls, with images that exuded a sense of splendor and opulence, which indeed catered to the aesthetics of the Tang Dynasty court.

Besides these stylistic differences, the father and son's painting skills are also very high. Moreover, General Li's brushwork and ink blending in the details and the overall composition of the painting are far superior to that of General Li's son. The whole painting is harmonious and beautiful, and the figures are depicted with great spirit, making people unconsciously immerse themselves in it, as if they were there.

"Truly marvelous! General Li is a master of painting, his reputation is well-deserved!"

After carefully appreciating the painting, the Prince of Hedong couldn't help but clap his hands in praise. His father, the Prince of Qi, had a deep love for calligraphy and painting, and he had been influenced by his father's teachings. He also had a certain appreciation for art, and his love for General Li's painting was evident.

"The object itself is not expensive, but the person who appreciates it cherishes it. It is a great fortune that this painting has been appreciated by the King, which is better than letting some artist be buried in obscurity."

Upon hearing the King of Hedong's praise of the painting, Li Linfu immediately replied respectfully from the side.

The Prince of Hedong lingered on the painting for a while before turning back to Li Linfu, saying with a smile, "Li Shi, you are too modest. How could such a masterpiece be buried? Since you have presented it to me, you must have something to ask for. I also greatly admire General Li's painting. What is it that you have come to ask for? Please speak frankly."

Upon hearing this, Li Linfu's face lit up with joy. He glanced at Zhang Dai beside him and then said in an even more respectful tone, "Your Majesty is too kind. I brought this painting today only to admire the splendid style of the famous king. I dare not harbor any thoughts of personal gain!"
In my youth, I was a rascal, uninterested in worldly affairs, and my elders often lamented that I would never amount to anything. Later, I gained the favor of the late King Huiwen and received his earnest teachings, which gradually helped me to understand human nature. When the late King passed away, I was away on business and was unable to bid farewell to his spirit at the palace gates, which I deeply regret.

Upon returning this spring, I heard of Your Majesty's handsome appearance and profound adherence to the virtues of a wise ruler. I was eager to express my deepest regrets and feelings, hence my request for an audience. Your Majesty's exceptional bearing and virtuous legacy are evident; soon, the hearts of the people will surely be won over. I, your humble servant, only wish to be seated at the very end of the royal banquet; beyond this, I ask for nothing more!

Regardless of what the King of Hedong thought after hearing Li Linfu's words, Zhang Dai, standing to the side, could only applaud and cheer for him. He truly lived up to his reputation for speaking sweet words with sincerity and pleasing tone. What was even more commendable was that he made his nonsense sound incredibly emotional.

Even though Zhang Dai was deeply versed in this art, he still felt inferior after comparing them face to face.

This Li Linfu was several years older than the late Prince Qi, yet he addressed the prince's son as a junior, even claiming that he had grown up thanks to Prince Qi's teachings on how to be a decent person. Leaving aside Prince Qi's own licentious past, his tone made it sound as if he considered himself an elder brother who shared the same upbringing as the Prince of Hedong!

Zhang Dai had never shown much affection or respect for his father, Zhang Jun, but he also couldn't bring himself to recognize someone else as his father whenever he went out.

Therefore, if he wants to continue competing with Li Linfu on this path, he still needs to train. However, even with all his hard work, he may not be able to match the performance of a naturally gifted athlete. He still needs to put in more effort on other tracks to improve his overall competitiveness!

After listening to Li Linfu's words, the Prince of Hedong was deeply moved. Although his father may not have given him any unforgettable teachings during his lifetime, as time passed, he could not help but remember and cherish his deceased father.

"The late king loved to associate with the world's elites and treated scholars with respect. Many people have benefited from this, but few remember him as deeply as Li Shi. My hall is spacious; how could it not accommodate a grateful old friend? Come whenever you have time in the future!" Li Linfu's gift was exactly what he wanted, and his words were so pleasant that the King of Hedong naturally had a very good impression of him.

After expressing his friendly acceptance of Li Linfu, the Prince of Hedong was still not satisfied. He raised his hand to summon his servants as if to give them some instructions, but then suddenly stopped.

After a moment of silence, the Prince of Hedong waved his hand to dismiss his servants, and then said to Li Linfu with an apologetic expression, "It is only right and proper that I should warmly welcome the Duke of Ying and Li Shi who have come to visit together. It is just a pity that I have recently vowed to restrain myself and not to indulge in sensual pleasures for the next month."

Without such entertainment, the meal would be rather bland and unrefined, which is not the proper way to treat guests. Please wait until next month; I will prepare a grand feast at my home then, and invite you both to join me. I would be very grateful if you would do me the honor of attending!

Upon hearing this, Li Linfu was naturally disappointed. Although he was Li Sixun's nephew, his uncle did not collect many paintings of this caliber. He had brought them to present to the Prince of Hedong, intending to take advantage of the prince's delight to further enhance the prince's impression and goodwill towards him.

If it's delayed until next month, the joy of giving a gift will be greatly diminished, and he will inevitably have to prepare an equally substantial gift then, which will cost much more.

Although he was quite displeased, since the King of Hedong had already spoken, he could only respectfully reply, "Your Majesty is of noble birth and enjoys endless riches in the world, yet you still maintain such self-discipline and self-restraint, which is truly admirable. How could I dare to be so shameless as to pester you and infringe upon Your Majesty's wishes? I can only wait to visit you again another day!"

As he spoke, he secretly glanced at Zhang Dai with a venomous look, suspecting that Zhang Dai might be behind it all. The Prince of Hedong was a notorious dissolute prince, indulging in wine and women, his behavior strikingly similar to his father's. Why would he suddenly want to avoid such pleasures?
Zhang Dai had roughly figured out Li Linfu's intentions by now. The Prince of Hedong was a well-known big fish among the imperial clan, and Li Linfu was currently short of money, so he was naturally attracted to him. He immediately offered generous gifts, clearly determined to gain benefits from the Prince of Hedong.

This naturally displeased Zhang Dai, but despite his displeasure, Li Linfu had gone to great lengths to secure the position, and his conversation with the Prince of Hedong was impeccable, making it difficult for Zhang Dai to interfere.

Li Linfu was known for his honeyed words and treacherous heart, and the Prince of Hedong was generous with gifts and money to those he admired and befriended. Not long ago, at the Doujia Garden villa outside the city, he had even stated that if they needed money to start their businesses, they could speak frankly. How could he allow the Prince of Hedong to spend money only on him and not on others?

As he was still frowning and pondering, Li Linfu suddenly looked at him and said, "It is a pleasure to meet Zhang Xielu here today. May I ask, since Genji is to be executed at the end of September, when old men with white hair will lose their beloved sons, children will lose their loving fathers, and talented people will lose their good friends. What was originally a petty grudge has been taken away by Zhang Xielu. His cruelty is so great. Will you go to the marketplace to witness the execution?"

"Zhang Dai, what is the meaning of Li Shi's question?"

Upon hearing this, the Prince of Hedong asked Zhang Dai with a curious expression. This matter had caused quite a stir, but he wasn't really aware of it, as he was too busy with various forms of entertainment to pay much attention to current events.

Before Zhang Dai could answer, Li Linfu spoke up urgently from the side: "Zhang Dai had a debt of tens of thousands of strings of cash with Genji, which he kept quiet for several years. Recently, he suddenly went to collect the debt. Genji's family did not have the large sum of money prepared. Genji wanted to make compensation in another way. Zhang Dai then impeached him in court, and Genji was sentenced to death."

While the laws of the state are certainly inviolable, Yuan Jiu's violation of the law naturally warrants death, and no one dares to plead his case. However, tracing the matter back to its source, it is simply that he was unwilling to betray his principles, preferring to break the law rather than honor his debts; commentators all consider this an indication of his personal integrity.

Zhang Dai's accusations of illegal activities were not wrong, but his relentless and ruthless pursuit of debts left people with no way to maneuver, ultimately leading to a crime. I dare not call his actions cruel and ruthless, but I would never do such a thing!

Since he couldn't get any immediate tangible benefits from the King of Hedong, Li Linfu decided to take advantage of the King's favorable impression of him and quickly damage Zhang Dai's image in the King's mind.

If the Prince of Hedong were to side with Zhang Dai and reject him, that would be a timely loss-cutting measure, and there would be no need to waste any more effort here.

However, if the King of Hedong is willing to believe part of what he says, he will naturally have reservations about Zhang Dai. Even if Zhang Dai slanders him in front of the King of Hedong again, the King of Hedong will probably not believe him completely.

While the Prince of Hedong wouldn't drastically change his impression of Zhang Dai based solely on Li Linfu's one-sided account, he couldn't help but frown after hearing this and said, "Zhang Dai, are you short of money? You can tell your relatives and friends directly. Making enemies over money is really not a wise move!"

(End of this chapter)