"A painter?" Liang Xiao's eyebrows twitched.
Wouldn't that give him a chance to learn who was painting demonic portraits to tarnish his name?
Miss Qian said proudly, "That's right, a painter! My master is incredibly skilled at painting! Do you know about the art world?"
The three of them shook their heads simultaneously. Jian Qinwan stated frankly, "I'm not interested in painting, and only recently have I started to have a slight interest in calligraphy..."
"You really don't know?" Miss Qian looked vigilant.
Seeing Liang Xiao and the other two shake their heads without hesitation, Miss Qian finally relaxed and whispered, "You mustn't tell anyone, my master is the 'Female Painting Immortal' of Da Gan!"
Female Painting Immortal?
Liang Xiao and the other two fell silent.
It seemed that the Female Painting Immortal was a renowned painter in the Jiangnan region, and Liang Xiao himself hadn't bothered to learn about the art world. After all, he wasn't good at Da Gan's ink wash or colored paintings, only having practiced sketching for a while.
Miss Qian didn't dare to reveal too much and returned to silence, looking at Liang Xiao with an inexplicable nervousness.
After a long while, Liang Xiao asked, "Recently, there have been widespread rumors in the Jiangnan region about Marquis An Guo, Liang Xiao, with claims that someone has painted him as 'Ghost King Liang Xiao.' You are a painter, do you know anything about this matter..."
"Ghost King Liang Xiao?!"
Before Liang Xiao could finish, Miss Qian cried out in terror, covering her head and trembling, "Don't mention that person, he's too terrifying..."
Liang Xiao and the other two found it both amusing and frustrating.
Was he that terrifying?
However, the depiction in that painting was indeed quite eerie.
"Do you know who painted it?" Liang Xiao asked.
Upon hearing this, Miss Qian's face turned pale, and she stammered, "I... I definitely didn't paint it!"
"Really?" Liang Xiao smiled.
Could it be that she was the one who painted it? Then it would be a case of finding something without looking!
Miss Qian insisted it wasn't her painting. Seeing Liang Xiao's disbelief, she took out a folded painting from her sleeve and unfolded it.
"See, my style is like this. That painting wasn't done by me, so you can rule me out first..."
Liang Xiao glanced at it and nodded slightly, "It's very good! In your art world, it should be considered top-tier, right?"
It was a painting of a spring scene by the river, with a style reminiscent of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival." Peach and plum blossoms covered the banks, a lone boat sailed on the river, veiled by spring rain, and a person in the boat leaned under the awning, drinking wine by lamplight.
"You understand painting?" Miss Qian was both surprised and delighted.
"A little, but I can't paint," Liang Xiao replied.
Miss Qian gave a playful smile and said, "For this painting of mine, apart from my master, no one in the current art world has seen it. All the famous painters who have seen it have admitted their inferiority!"
"It is indeed remarkable," Liang Xiao nodded.
This Miss Qian was definitely not boasting; the artistic quality of this painting was truly high!
Miss Qian then lowered her head and sighed, "It's precisely because I feel I've performed so well in this painting that I can't decide what to name it or what inscription to give it. Preferably, a poetic line."
Liang Xiao replied without hesitation, "Peach and plum blossoms in spring wind, a cup of wine; ten years of lamp light in the rain of the martial world."
The moment he spoke, all three young women present gasped in unison!
"Peach and plum blossoms in spring wind, a cup of wine; ten years of lamp light in the rain of the martial world..." Miss Qian repeated, looking at Liang Xiao with a slightly flushed face, "It's too perfect! Good heavens, you are a true confidant sent by heaven... Brother Lu, you can't paint, but can you do calligraphy?"
Yue Lian and Jian Qinwan instinctively looked at Liang Xiao, their eyes shining.
"I can tell, you definitely know calligraphy!" Miss Qian's face was flushed with excitement, and she pleaded, "Could you please get paper and brush and write this line for me to see?"
Liang Xiao did not refuse. He went to find the innkeeper and paid for the best brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, and casually wrote down the poetic line.
"This..." Miss Qian stared at Liang Xiao's calligraphy, as if struck by lightning.
"Isn't this good enough?" Jian Qinwan was slightly displeased.
This philanderer's calligraphy was, according to the calligraphers of the capital, superior to that of Zhuo Mingfeng, the founding prime minister!
"It's very good..."
Miss Qian snapped back to reality, clasped Liang Xiao's hand, and said with teary eyes, "Brother Lu, could you write this poem on my painting, as an inscription and title..."
Liang Xiao repeatedly shook his head, "How can such a precious painting be defaced by just anyone's inscription?"
"This is truly my painting, and I'm asking you to inscribe it. It doesn't matter if it's ruined..." Miss Qian's tears began to flow like a dam.
"Alright, don't cry anymore! Don't use tears against me again!" Liang Xiao was defeated on the spot.
Miss Qian then wiped away her tears and gave a playful smile, feeling triumphant.
This tactic really worked well on him...
Facing a masterpiece that could be passed down through the ages, Liang Xiao had to treat it with seriousness. He repeatedly inspected the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone, ensuring there were no problems, before wielding his brush and ink, writing the poetic line in the blank space in the upper right corner of the painting.
It was done in one go!
The poem, the calligraphy, and the painting complemented each other perfectly!
Miss Qian's eyes widened, "It's so beautiful..."
Liang Xiao reminded her, "Take it and keep it safe."
Miss Qian looked at Liang Xiao wistfully and murmured, "Do you know why I said it didn't matter if it was ruined just now? Because I intended to give this painting to you!"
Liang Xiao repeatedly shook his head, "That won't do! I've already shamelessly inscribed it. This painting is your masterpiece, you can't lose it."
"Please accept it, confidants are hard to find, moreover..." Miss Qian trailed off.
Jian Qinwan looked at Miss Qian, a hint of something unusual in her eyes.
This girl seemed to be around the same age as Yue Lian. Could it be that she had been seduced by the philanderer as soon as they met?
Liang Xiao still did not accept.
Miss Qian pouted, "Alright then, I will find a suitable opportunity to let everyone in Jiangnan know that you inscribed this painting for me!"
Liang Xiao remained noncommittal, merely asking, "You escaped from Jinling, so you are not very familiar with the customs and traditions of Luzhou?"
Miss Qian nodded like a pecking chick, acting like an obedient little girl at this moment.
"Then, which family's third young lady are you from in Jinling?" Liang Xiao asked.
Miss Qian was startled and vaguely replied, "Don't ask, you can't afford to offend them... And the person they want to marry me to is someone you absolutely cannot afford to offend. It's best not to know, I'm afraid if you knew, you would also advise me to get married!"
As she spoke, Miss Qian was overcome with sorrow, and tears streamed down her face, crying more and more sadly.
Liang Xiao could tell that this was not fake crying this time, and quickly tried to comfort her.
The inn had been completely booked by Liang Xiao. The guards from the Liang Manor were secretly stationed around, and they even bought their own ingredients from the market.
Miss Qian was arranged to rest in the safest Tian-level room.
In the largest room, Liang Xiao and the other two talked late into the night by candlelight.
"Could she be... to be given to Little Shuangzi?" Liang Xiao frowned.
Jian Qinwan and Yue Lian were startled and nodded silently.
This was indeed a possibility!
After all, in the eyes of outsiders, Da Gan's emperor had not yet chosen concubines. Whoever became the first concubine would very likely become the empress and rule the realm.
It made sense that Miss Qian's family was forcing her.
Jian Qinwan snorted, "Is there another possibility, that she is to be given to you, Marquis An Guo..."