Chapter 76

"What do you need the charcoal for?" Shangguan Ruomeng asked suspiciously.

Feng Jueyu did not explain, but said, "You'll know when the time comes, hurry up, or the painting will be finished, and I'll lose without the charcoal."

Shangguan Ruomeng glanced at him and said with a smile, "You always have so many tricks up your sleeve. I'll find it for you, let's see what you do next." With that, Shangguan Ruomeng walked toward the side courtyard.

In the small pavilion, the ink and brush had already been brought. Xi Ruiyun looked at the two people on either side and finally fixed his gaze on Sima Ruyu. "Miss Sima, please do not move."

Upon hearing this, everyone nodded, understanding that Xi Ruiyun was going to paint Sima Ruyu...

Swish, swish, swish... The wolf-hair brush moved like flowing water, and Xi Ruiyun began to display his painting skills...

Outside the crowd, Shangguan Lingyun, Mu Hongtu, Xu Liefeng, Sima Wen... a few old men gathered together, craning their necks to look inside, not knowing what was happening. Shangguan Lingyun asked, "What's going on inside?"

He was asking Shangguan Tengfeng, who shook his head. "I'm not sure, it seems like painting."

"Rubbish, can't I see it's painting?" Shangguan Lingyun glared at his son.

At this moment, Shangguan Ruofan squeezed in and said, "Grandpa, I know, Brother-in-law is competing in a painting contest with Xi Ruiyun."

"Who?" Everyone thought they had heard wrong and looked at Shangguan Ruofan.

Shangguan Ruofan said, "Brother-in-law, Xi Ruiyun."

"Your brother-in-law? Competing in a painting contest with Xi Ruiyun?" Shangguan Lingyun pointed at the small pavilion, incredulous. "He... he... damn, can he even paint?"

Everyone: "..."

Mu Hongtu grinned and punched Shangguan Lingyun. "He's your son-in-law, didn't you know?"

Shangguan Lingyun, surprisingly, did not retaliate. He glanced at Shangguan Ruofan and asked, "Can your brother-in-law paint?"

Shangguan Ruofan chuckled and scratched his head. "I guess he can..."

"Guess? Go to hell, tell me, what's really going on?" Shangguan Lingyun glared.

Shangguan Ruofan then explained the whole story. The old men, being no fools, understood immediately. It seemed Feng Jueyu was in a difficult position, preferring to lose rather than lose face. That's how it was...

"Ah..." Shangguan Lingyun sighed. "Well, losing is better than avoiding the battle. Let them have their fun..." With that, Shangguan Lingyun was about to leave.

But Xu Liefeng stopped him. "Hey, Old Shangguan, don't go. Since you're here, why not stay and watch? Don't worry, everyone in Tianan knows what Feng Jueyu is capable of. Even if he loses, no one will say anything. Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Get lost." Shangguan Lingyun was furious. "Xu Liefeng, don't think I don't know what you're up to? You just want to see me embarrassed, right? I won't give you the satisfaction. Damn, by the way, the one who instigated this is your grandson. That kid is a bad seed, just like you. Be careful, he might one day scheme against you."

"Hey, Old Shangguan, that's not fair." Xu Liefeng laughed as he watched Shangguan Lingyun leave, not stopping him. It seemed he was quite pleased to see Shangguan Lingyun in a bind...

At this moment, Shangguan Ruomeng returned, holding a piece of charcoal she had found in the kitchen. She handed it to Feng Jueyu, who walked to one side without a word, squatted down, and began to grind the charcoal on the ground. Shangguan Ruomeng didn't know what a pencil was, and the charcoal she found was too large, so it needed to be processed.

Shangguan Ruomeng watched curiously and asked, "What are you doing?"

Feng Jueyu smiled. "This is called sharpening the spear before the battle."

"Nonsense!" Shangguan Ruomeng rolled her eyes, knowing he didn't want to say more and didn't press further.

A moment later, Xi Ruiyun finished his painting, placed the brush on the inkstone, and clapped his hands. Everyone eagerly gathered around, including Sima Ruyu, and they all marveled at the painting.

The painting depicted a young girl leaning against a pavilion pillar, admiring the flowers and the garden. The scene was simple, but Xi Ruiyun's brushwork was excellent, capturing every nuance of Sima Ruyu's expressions. The lines were delicate, the ink evenly distributed, and the flow was smooth. Sima Ruyu's graceful figure and beautiful face were vividly portrayed, with the spring breeze and flying willow catkins adding to the scene. The key was Sima Ruyu's smile, gentle and refined, her eyes full of affection, and even the small dimples at the corners of her mouth were captured. The painting was a masterpiece of meticulous observation and lifelike detail...

"Great painting, great painting..."

Several scholars gathered around, praising the painting...

The crowd passed the painting around, and the praise continued...

Xi Ruiyun, proud, raised his head, wiped his hands, and walked over, taking the painting of the beautiful girl. The more he looked, the more satisfied he became.

Ma Yuanru, Shang Gongjin, and Xu Zixiong came over, examined the painting carefully, and nodded in approval.

Ma Yuanru said, "Xi, I am truly impressed. I cannot match you..."

Even Ma Yuanru admitting he was inferior meant the painting was truly excellent. With the scholars' unanimous praise, Xi Ruiyun's painting became the best in the room...

At this moment, Feng Jueyu finished grinding the charcoal and walked over. Xi Ruiyun and the others looked at him, and Xu Zixiong, eager to humiliate him, said, "Feng, your eye for detail is unparalleled. Please evaluate the painting..."

As he spoke, Xi Ruiyun said, "Please," and presented the painting with both hands.

Feng Jueyu did not take it but raised his hand. Seeing his blackened hand, everyone nodded, understanding that he was afraid of dirtying the painting.

Sima Ruyu looked at him curiously, having heard that he could make Ma Yuanru eat his own painting. She wondered what he could do.

Xi Ruiyun was not concerned and, with Xu Zixiong, spread out the painting for Feng Jueyu to see clearly. "Feng, please give your opinion..."

Feng Jueyu nodded and examined the painting carefully. After a moment, he suddenly chuckled...

Everyone was taken aback, wondering why he was laughing.

Xi Ruiyun frowned, not wanting to lose face in public, and asked, "Feng, is my painting not good?"

Feng Jueyu shook his head. "Not at all, this painting is excellent, very excellent, extremely excellent..."

Hearing the praise, Xi Ruiyun breathed a sigh of relief and raised his head. Xu Zixiong also looked pleased. Since Feng Jueyu couldn't find any faults, he was likely to lose.

Just as Xi Ruiyun was about to speak and ask Feng Jueyu to paint, Feng Jueyu suddenly clasped his hands and said to Xi Ruiyun, "Congratulations, Xi, your good fortune is near..."

"Huh?"

This unexpected statement left everyone, including Shangguan Ruomeng, Sima Ruyu, and Shangguan Lingyun, who was watching from a distance, stunned...

Xi Ruiyun was puzzled and asked, "Feng, why do you say that?"

"Isn't it?" Feng Jueyu pointed to the painting and said, "This painting captures the subject with uniform and smooth brushstrokes, and the expressions are vivid. I may not be skilled, but I know that painting a person is very difficult and requires capturing the essence of the subject's heart. This painting does just that..."

The old scholars and scholars nodded in agreement. An old man with gray hair said, "Indeed, painting a person is about capturing the heart. Only by capturing the heart can a painting be considered excellent..."

"I am enlightened," Feng Jueyu clasped his hands to the old man and returned his gaze to the painting. "The heart captured in the painting is not only the subject's but also the artist's. Xi, your painting conveys your own feelings, which is why it is so lifelike and vivid. This suggests that you have someone in your heart, correct?"

Everyone understood, and their gazes shifted to Sima Ruyu, realizing that this young man had a crush on Miss Sima...

Xi Ruiyun nodded with a bitter smile, acknowledging it...

Sima Ruyu's face turned red, but she showed no other reaction...

Xi Ruiyun said, "Feng, you have a keen eye." This statement was a bit grateful, thanking Feng Jueyu for helping him express his feelings.

However, Feng Jueyu did not stop. He continued, "Look at the subject in the painting, her eyes full of affection. Although she is admiring the scenery, she is also looking at someone. Such deep affection can only be directed at someone she loves. Therefore, I say, your good fortune is near..."

"Ah?"

When he finished speaking, the crowd let out gasps of surprise. Everyone realized that Sima Ruyu also had feelings for Xi Ruiyun...

Sima Wen, standing nearby, frowned, and suddenly, Sima Ruyu exclaimed, "You're talking nonsense..."

Everyone was shocked and looked at Sima Ruyu. She walked over, stared at the painting, and stammered, her face turning red, "I... I... don't have that intention..."

"Buzz!"

The crowd was in an uproar, and Xi Ruiyun was stunned...

Feng Jueyu said, "You don't? Did I misinterpret it?"

When he said this, almost everyone understood what was going on. Feng Jueyu was not really praising Xi Ruiyun but was using the concept of painting the heart to evaluate the painting. He first revealed Xi Ruiyun's feelings to everyone and then used the painting to guess Sima Ruyu's feelings.

If Sima Ruyu indeed had feelings for Xi Ruiyun, then his statement about good fortune being near would be true, and his evaluation of the painting would be correct, leaving no room for criticism.

But if Sima Ruyu did not have feelings for Xi Ruiyun, then Xi Ruiyun would be publicly rejected, which would be a significant embarrassment. As for the evaluation of the painting, it would have nothing to do with Feng Jueyu.

After all, the painting was done by Xi Ruiyun, and if he imagined that Sima Ruyu had feelings for him, it would be easy to mislead the evaluators.

This method of evaluation was much more damaging than directly pointing out the flaws in the painting...

And the outcome was likely to be as Feng Jueyu had guessed. When Sima Ruyu came over to deny having feelings for Xi Ruiyun, it directly indicated that the painting was a failure, even a major one...

Without Feng Jueyu saying it, everyone believed that Xi Ruiyun's painting was not only a failure but a complete disaster. At the same time, the prestigious Tianan scholar was publicly rejected, which was a significant embarrassment...

It had to be said that Feng Jueyu's move was devious, damaging, ruthless, and vicious... It completely crushed Xi Ruiyun's pride and destroyed his confidence.

This guy was too ruthless...