Chapter 85: Chapter 80 Mr. Jiming
Soon, Jiang Hanxing had finished reciting his poem as well.
He then looked toward Li Hao with a pleased expression, “Li, what do you think of my poem?”
“Quite damp.”
Li Hao muttered gently in his heart, casually responding.
Jiang Hanxing laughed, “Although Li’s poem doesn’t quite match the beauty in front of us, it is still not bad.”
You really are full of yourself… Li Hao glanced at him, your poem counts as ‘not bad’ with the poem immortal? You sure have a big face.
“How about another one?”
As a literary plagiarist, Li Hao wouldn’t allow original creations to be insulted, and immediately decided to enlighten him.
“Oh?”
Jiang Hanxing’s expression slightly shifted, feeling a bit guilty, “Another one? What should the theme be this time?”
“You choose.”
“How about… a waterfall?”
“A waterfall?”
Li Hao laughed.
You’re really aiming for the death-point at me.
“Fine.”
Li Hao agreed instantly, promptly stopped writing, looked up, and effortlessly recited “Viewing the Waterfall at Mount Lu”.
When he reached “It descends straight down three thousand feet, seeming like the Milky Way pouring from the heavens”, Jiang Hanxing was already dumbfounded, his face full of astonishment, eyes wide open.
Previously, Jiang Hanxing didn’t think much of the poem, but this one hit the mark so precisely, he could almost see a vision of a waterfall crashing and rushing before him.
The Milky Way descending from the heavens, these words are too elegant and commanding!
Seeing the other party stunned, Li Hao smiled lightly, there are too many ancient poems describing waterfalls, originally he wanted to use one from Du, but it’s better to let the poem immortal retrieve his face himself.
Jiang Hanxing initially wanted to try, but suddenly he felt unable to recite anymore.
It feels like this poem has captured the essence of the waterfall, perfectly.
Even if this poem was not composed on the spot by Li Hao, and like him, was brought out from his past collection, it was enough to show Li Hao’s talent.
Composing poetry on the fly is just talk, after all, they are ultimately martial artists, do they really think they are those grand scholars in Hanlin Academy who daily delve into books seeking precious gems?
“Li, I am completely convinced by this poem,” Jiang Hanxing bowed respectfully and spoke.
“It’s good that you are convinced.”
Seeing this, Li Hao resumed his painting.
“Although Li comes from the Divine General Mansion, you possess such profound knowledge in both poetry and painting. Don’t your elders care about you?” Jiang Hanxing couldn’t help but ask curiously.
“Of course they care.”
“Then how come…”
“They just couldn’t control it.”
“…”
Jiang Hanxing fell silent, suddenly unable to suppress a laugh, feeling he truly met a remarkable person.
This was the first conversation between Jiang Hanxing and Li Hao. Many years later, he still remembered it vividly.
Li Hao didn’t bother with Jiang Hanxing anymore and continued painting.
Jiang Hanxing, seeing Li Hao focused, didn’t make any more noise to disturb him, and quietly left.
…
…
The next day.
Before Li Hao could go to the cold pond to paint the Water Qilin, Shen Yunqing called him to the Tan Palace.
Hearing the two conditions from Song Yufeng, Li Hao was slightly stunned but didn’t struggle much, and chose to become an honorary professor.
Staying for a year, that’s too long.
However, he too had a condition, which was to make Song Yufeng and all the elders of Tan Palace cooperate with him on one thing.
That was to let him paint.
To put it in modern words, to pose as models.
Hearing Li Hao’s peculiar request, Song Yufeng was somewhat surprised, but as it was a minor issue, he didn’t refuse and agreed immediately, thinking it was just a quirky habit of this Li family talent.
Being an honorary professor meant he needed to teach three classes per year, and if he didn’t teach in any given year, it would roll over to the next year.
The term for an honorary professor was ten years.
That is a total of thirty classes, which was relatively easy.
Anticipating Li Hao’s choice, Song Yufeng also told Li Hao that the students he would be instructing were not from Alpha Academy, but from Black and White Hall.
Li Hao didn’t really care about this; he only needed to teach, whether anyone listened, who listened, it didn’t matter.
Seeing Li Hao agree so readily, Song Yufeng showed a smile, both the young and the old getting what they wanted, making the cooperation very pleasant.
Leaving the Tan Palace, Li Hao was about to rush to the cold pond, when suddenly he saw Li Yuanzhao coming to find him.
“Hao, Miss Wushuang is back.”
Li Yuanzhao said to Li Hao upon seeing him, “The elder lady said that tonight a family banquet will be held to welcome and refresh Miss Wushuang and asked us all to come back early.”
“Ah?”
Li Hao didn’t react for a moment, but after thinking about it, a lively little girl appeared in his mind.
Years ago, the Fifth Lady tearfully watched her follow an elderly man with the appearance of a young child.
Has that little girl returned home as a learned individual now?
Thinking of this, Li Hao couldn’t help but think of a little tail in the Sword Cottage, far south nine thousand miles away.
Shaking his head, Li Hao said to Li Yuanzhao, “It’s still early, I’ll walk around a bit more, and just arrive on time later.”
Regarding the little girl, Li Hao didn’t feel much, besides, the deliberate distance kept by the Li siblings over the years meant he had seen the Fifth Lady less often.
“Er, should we prepare a gift in advance?” Li Yuanzhao asked.
For Miss Wushuang, he had only a faint impression, but over the years, he had heard numerous tales about her within the mansion and knew that she was the most distinguished among their generation.
Of course, she was not comparable to the current Li Hao.
“That’s true.”
After all, she was his long-lost cousin, and it was only proper to prepare a small gift for her. Li Hao thought for a moment and said:
“I don’t know what she likes, but she must eat something. Go to Hongxiang Building and buy a portion of crispy roast goose, and from Emerald Lake Courtyard, buy a portion of Bamboo Fragrant Dark Dragon Liver…make sure it’s hot, and deliver it during the evening banquet.”
Li Hao listed seven or eight well-known delicacies of Qingzhou City, which he had personally tasted and found to be delicious.
Li Yuanzhao was puzzled and said, “Is that all? But these items aren’t expensive, all together they hardly cost a few silvers.”
“Our family is not short of money, and it’s the thought that counts. She definitely hasn’t had such delicacies while wandering outside; she shouldn’t lack other things,” said Li Hao.
Li Yuanzhao thought about it and agreed.
Miss Wushuang was a disciple of the Qianji Sect, taught personally by a famous master. What could she possibly lack?
Cultivation Technique? Choose in Listening Rain Tower.
Weapons? Find them in the storeroom.
Gold, silver, jewelry, and other vulgar things were even less worth mentioning; she probably hardly even glanced at them.
“Alright, then I’ll buy them as Hao instructed.”
Li Yuanzhao agreed.
After he left, Li Hao picked up a painting board from the room and once again came to the cold pool.
He set up the painting board and stirred the water in the pool with his hand.
As expected, a shadow suddenly surged up, splashing water everywhere.
Li Hao quickly returned to his painting board and hastily said, “Senior Qiumo, please remain like this.”
Song Qiumo showed her true form of a Water Qilin, quite majestic. She was about to transform but stopped when she heard Li Hao, simultaneously solidifying the surrounding splashing water into a still image.
Li Hao quickly started painting, and soon, a painting of a Water Qilin emerging from the water was completed.
“Done.”
As soon as Li Hao finished speaking, Song Qiumo controlled the splashes to retreat back into the pool, then stepped forward and transformed into a human form, her bare white feet gliding towards Li Hao’s painting board.
“Hmm, not bad.”
Seeing her likeness on the painting board, Song Qiumo’s eyes twinkled, a pleased expression appearing on her face.
Was her posture coming out just now so beautiful?
She tilted her head to look at Li Hao and smiled, “What do you think of my outfit today?”
Li Hao looked and saw her dressed in a water-blue gauzy dress, the same one as yesterday, but she had clearly added silver chains on her hands and feet, looking glittery.
Do all women like shiny things? Li Hao smiled and said, “It looks very pretty.”
Song Qiumo rolled her eyes at him and said, “Then paint it.”
“Alright.”
Li Hao immediately began to paint seriously.
In truth, today’s Song Qiumo, accentuated by the jewelry, radiated an even more dazzling and untainted beauty.
And with the completion of one painting, he gained an additional hundred points of Painting Experience.
Clearly, these ornaments were no ordinary items.
“Hmm, not bad.”
Song Qiumo lightly nodded, but her eyes couldn’t hide her joy and satisfaction.
Li Hao smiled and then asked her to change her pose so he could make another painting.
Time slowly passed.
By the cold pool, Li Hao had already painted more than a dozen paintings of Song Qiumo.
Including, having her transform back to her original form for seven or eight of them.
In total, he had gained over four thousand points, adding to yesterday’s total, it was nearly twenty thousand.
Li Hao had realized yesterday that painting Song Qiumo actually yielded more experience than painting others like Feng and the elders.
Of course, he didn’t think it was because their cultivation levels were lesser than Song Qiumo’s. Probably because they often concealed their auras, so when he painted them, he couldn’t capture their essence.
Song Qiumo, however, had displayed herself freely in front of him, her aura surging, making his paintings also carry considerable force.
It seems, he thought, I still need to paint them later… Li Hao mused internally. However, Feng and the elders might be a bit tricky to convince; he’d have to prepare their favorite dish—chicken stewed with mushrooms.
“Let’s call it a day,” Li Hao said, noting the late hour, and spoke to Song Qiumo.
Holding the numerous sheets of paper, Song Qiumo was very pleased and said with a smile, “If you ever have any troubles, come find me anytime. As long as I am not away from Tan Palace, I can mostly help you.”
“Are you trapped here, Senior Qiumo?” Li Hao asked in surprise.
Song Qiumo shook her head slightly, not elaborating, and said, “Then, until next time.”
With that, she dived perfectly back into the cold pool.
Seeing this, Li Hao also packed up his painting board and headed back to the mansion.
As he passed by Alpha Academy on his way down the mountain, he saw that Li Yun and his siblings were already gone, while the other disciples of Alpha Academy were still practicing. As someone noticed Li Hao, he immediately exclaimed.
Soon, others also noticed Li Hao, all eyes uniformly turned toward him.
Li Hao, seeing this, smiled and waved as a greeting before quickly making his escape to avoid being caught up in questions.
At the foot of the mountain, Li Hao rode his horse back home.
As he arrived at the main entrance of the mansion, he sensed today’s bustling atmosphere; even the guards at the gate had smiles on their faces.
Seeing Li Hao, the guards bowed and paid respects.
Li Hao came back to the Mountain and River Courtyard and learned from Zhao that Fu was recuperating in Yu City and would return tomorrow.
Also, Zhao took out a gift box and said to Li Hao:
“Young Master, today Miss Wushuang has returned to the mansion from Piaoxue Courtyard. The matriarch has prepared a family banquet and invites you. This is a gift I took the initiative to prepare on my behalf. Just take it with you when you go to the banquet later.”