He obtained the God of All Laws from human skin.

Chapter 114 Artist Upgrade

Qin Chuan helped Aunt Liu tidy up, and then asked Liu Ding to stay here as usual, so he didn't need to be taught martial arts at noon.

After all, he had already mastered all five forms and twelve styles; the rest was up to him.

If something like this happens again in the future, with Liu Ding around, Aunt Liu will feel much more at ease, and this situation will not occur today.

After settling things at the shop, Qin Chuan returned to Heaven and Earth. After dealing with his business, he began to draw with a charcoal pencil. He had promised to deliver the dowry paintings for the wealthy merchant Wang from the south of the city. He had already drawn quite a few, and now he only needed two more to complete the set.

After a lot of work, Qin Chuan finished the painting.

At the same time, a system notification sounded: [Drawing a scroll, Professional Experience +5]

[Experience capped; Artist's job level increased]

Occupation: Illustrator

[Level: lv2→lv3 (0/300)]

[Professional Skill: Lifelike]

As his artist level increased, Qin Chuan closed his eyes and meditated for a while.

At level one, the skill focuses on form, emphasizing accurate proportions and precise structure. At level two, the skill expands to color, and the application of ink and color becomes more sophisticated. Ink is divided into five colors, varying in density and dryness, and charcoal pencils are used with varying pressure and speed, resulting in a more realistic and lifelike depiction of the figures.

Now that I've reached level three, my skills have started to touch on action. It's not just about "drawing a person moving," but about capturing that moment's expression and movement, rendering it onto paper, thus elevating the sense of realism to another level.

Qin Chuan closed the panel. This time, besides Wang Fushang's dowry paintings, the most important thing was Zheng Ding's "couple painting".

It wasn't that the "couple's picture" was difficult to draw, but rather that there was something on Zheng Ding's body. Liu Rushi had reminded him about it, but he couldn't just not send the painting. After thinking about it, Qin Chuan decided that for safety reasons, he would have someone else deliver the "couple's picture" this time, and he would not do it himself.

After tidying everything up, Qin Chuan stood by the window to rest, but then saw a "familiar face" on the street.

That man was none other than Feng Shu, the county magistrate's chief clerk.

At this moment, he was carefully serving the people next to him. The people were dressed in plain clothes, and their official ranks could not be seen, but their overall demeanor could not be concealed. Walking at the front was a middle-aged man in his forties with a square face, a serious expression, a steady gait, and an air of official authority in every gesture.

Two younger men followed behind him, who looked like attendants. Qin Chuan glanced at them and figured they were not the magistrate of Qinghe County. But then he remembered that the imperial examination was approaching, and according to the rules, the court would send officials from the prefectural city to supervise the examination in order to prevent local officials from engaging in favoritism and cheating.

This group of people were probably the examiners sent down from the prefectural city. As the county clerk, Feng Shu was responsible for receiving and arranging the examinations, so he naturally had to be all smiles and serve them carefully.

However, judging from this, preventing "favoritism and corruption" is probably a joke.

As night approached, Wang, the wealthy merchant, stepped into the gambling den. He glanced around the hall but didn't see Qin Chuan. Just as he was about to ask someone, Sister Wu, with sharp eyes, approached and said, "Master Wang, you've arrived? Manager Qin is waiting for you on the second floor. Please follow me."

As she spoke, she led Wang Fushang up the stairs, through the corridor, and stopped in front of the familiar carved wooden door, where she gently knocked three times.

The door was pulled open from the inside, and Qin Chuan stood at the doorway, cupped his hands in greeting to Wang Fushang, and stepped aside to let him into the house.

He then took out the dozen or so dowry paintings he had painted earlier and placed them on the table.

Although it was just a sketch, entirely in black and white, after a few glances, Wang Fushang couldn't help but blush slightly, repeatedly praising, "Wow, it's really well drawn."

Looking at the painting in front of him, Wang Fushang was very envious. To be honest, if this painting wasn't intended as his daughter's dowry, and if there weren't even better paintings available, he wouldn't have wanted to give it up. He would have preferred to keep it for himself.

Wang, the wealthy merchant, handed over a silver note to settle the bill, and the excess would be considered a deposit for the painted decorations.

He carefully rolled up the dowry paintings and put them into the brocade box he carried with him, repeatedly reminding him that the set of colorful erotic paintings must not be delayed.

Qin Chuan nodded in agreement, and Wang Fushang, carrying the brocade box, went downstairs contentedly.

In the past, Wang Fushang would play a few rounds at the gambling den, but today he didn't stop at all, got into his carriage, and went back to his house.

When Wang the wealthy merchant returned to the house, Madam Wang was in the main hall. Upon seeing him, she asked, "Why have you returned so early today, sir?"

Wang, the wealthy merchant, placed the brocade box on the table with a smug smile on his face. He sat down in a chair, took a large gulp of tea from the maid, and then said, "I'm going out to take care of some important business. I've prepared the dowry paintings for our daughter."

Madam Wang chuckled upon hearing this and waved her hand, saying, "Do we really need to prepare dowry paintings? Why not just find the few scrolls passed down from our ancestors? They're not rare items, so why waste money on them?"

"Those few scrolls that were passed down?" Wang Fushang patted the brocade box on the table, his tone carrying an undisguised smugness. "You think this is ordinary stuff? You won't find another set of these dowry paintings in Qinghe County. Not to mention Qinghe County, even in the prefectural capital, it's unlikely anyone could paint them."

Madam Wang looked at him with suspicion. She had seen those dowry paintings before, which were nothing more than a few meticulous erotic paintings with stiff figures that looked like clay figures. What was so special about them?

When she was young and inexperienced, she was incredibly embarrassed to look at it, but now that she has experienced so much, she doesn't find it so inappropriate anymore.

Seeing that she didn't believe him, Wang Fushang stood up, grabbed her wrist, and pulled her into the inner room, ignoring the maid standing next to him.

"You don't believe me? Come on in, close the door, and I'll show you with your own eyes."

Madam Wang reluctantly followed him into the inner room.

After locking the door and lighting two candlesticks, Wang Fushang walked to the table, opened the brocade box, and carefully took out the sketch of the dowry, slowly unfolding it in the candlelight.

Madam Wang leaned closer, glanced at the drawing, and exclaimed "Oh dear!" before covering her face. Although the drawing was a sketch, it was incredibly realistic, and the actions of the two people depicted in it were so lifelike that even though Madam Wang had been married for decades, she couldn't help but gasp in embarrassment. Wang the wealthy merchant wasn't much better off; his fingers trembled as he flipped through the drawings. He hadn't dared to look closely at Qin Chuan's earlier, but now, by the candlelight, he was flipping through the drawings one by one, feeling his throat dry and his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

Neither of them spoke, but after exchanging a glance, Madam Wang exclaimed in surprise, "Master!"

"Sir, you have a good capacity for alcohol!"

Inside a private room on the second floor of Xiangmanlou, several daringly dressed courtesans were nestled in the arms of a middle-aged man. Thin gauze and light silk covered their fair arms and legs, making them look exceptionally alluring.

The middle-aged man's hand was around the waist of one of the women, and he would gently caress her waist from time to time. The woman would then let out a coquettish cry and bury her face in his shoulder, which caused a stir among the people present.

"Sir, would you like another drink?"

A woman in a light purple blouse held up a wine glass to the man's lips, her voice soft and sweet.

The man smiled, opened his mouth, and drank it all in one gulp, immediately drawing cheers from those around him.

Sitting to the side, Feng Shu kept raising his glass and smiling obsequiously, his smile almost excessively solicitous.

Although he was the county clerk, in front of these officials from the prefectural city, he was just a minor figure running errands and serving them, and dared not slack off in the slightest.

While urging the man to drink, he carefully observed the middle-aged man's expression. Seeing that the man was in a good mood, he breathed a sigh of relief and secretly rejoiced that he had made thorough arrangements.

The middle-aged man's surname was Fang, and his given name was Fang Mingyuan. He was an examiner sent down by the prefectural city's education office, and he was an eighth-rank education official.

Although his official rank was not high, he was a key figure in this imperial examination. The way he swung his pen to grade the papers could determine the future of any candidate.

This is why Feng Shu served him so meticulously. After all, some people who want to pass the exams rely not only on their knowledge but also on their efforts outside the exam hall.

Having worked in the government office for so many years, Feng Shu had seen too many people like this. Some of them were not good writers, but they had connections and could still get by. He himself was one such person.

Some people are very knowledgeable, but they don't understand the rules or how to conduct themselves. They've been taking exams for decades and are still stuck in the same place, like Zhou Fusheng.

This world has never been about talent and ability alone.

Fang Mingyuan came down from the prefectural city and held the power of invigilation. In Qinghe County, he was practically the emperor of the children's examinations.

As long as he is well taken care of, it is possible to decide who will be on the list for the imperial examination.

Seeing Fang Mingyuan's expression, Feng Shu knew that the matter was mostly settled.

He was about to step forward and hand over the list, but after thinking for a moment, he left the room first. He then went into an empty room, called a maid, and asked for paper and pen. After the ink was ground, he wrote the two characters "Qin Chuan" on it.

That's right!

Since Fang Mingyuan can get people "on the list," he can also get them "off the list."

Feng Shu was not a magnanimous person. He still remembered the incident decades ago when Zhou Fusheng refused to give him "favors." How could he not retaliate when he was humiliated by Qin Chuan?

This kid wants to take the "Children's Examination," and he wants his own auspicious words, and he also wants to be on the list of successful candidates.

Shit!

As long as he remains in the position of registrar, this kid will never make the list.

After writing Qin Chuan's name, Feng Shu took out a brocade box containing the names of the candidates he had written earlier. These were all "talents" who would be on the list in the future, and he couldn't leave any out.

Feng Shu carefully compared the items and, after confirming that nothing was missing, was about to put them away when the door opened. The maid who had been there earlier leaned against the door and said, "Master, the guest inside is looking for you."

"I understand, I'll be back right away."

Knowing that Fang Mingyuan was looking for him, Feng Shu didn't dare to delay and quickly tidied up. But when he turned to look at the desk, the slips of paper with names written on them were scattered in a mess. It was probably blown away by the wind when the maid opened the door.

Feng Shu quickly picked it up, and a moment later, a voice came from outside again, "Lord Feng, Lord Feng, where are you?"

"Oh, Lord Fang, you're here, you're here."

Feng Shu knew that Fang Mingyuan was getting anxious, and he was anxious too. He hurriedly gathered up the notes, put them into the brocade box, and then hid them in his bosom. As for the one on the far right, he stuffed it into his sleeve.

This is the one with the name "Qin Chuan" on it; don't get them mixed up.