Emperor Mingde and Song Beiting walked over together. He reached out and took the young Bei Yue from the wet nurse.
"Mr. Wen should draw more for Your Majesty and the little county prince."
Like uncle, like nephew, young Bei Yue and Emperor Mingde were indeed similar in appearance. Together, they looked even more like father and son.
Emperor Mingde loved this nephew the most. This was the first child he had held, and it felt like his own. He even wanted to bring him to the Taiyi Hall to raise him personally.
Wen Daozi repeatedly agreed.
Lingyao was helpless. Lingxi held one, and the Emperor held another. What was she to hold? Kuaishu Ge.
The young emperor, the dignified goddess, Princess Lingxi, the young commander of the Imperial Guard, Wen Daozi discovered that they were all children from back then, grown up, and their relationship was very harmonious, like ordinary people.
How beautiful it all was, including the babbling child, like new shoots just emerging from the earth, full of vitality, growing vigorously.
A sudden desire surged in his heart, to paint, paint, paint...
While they were still playing with the child, Wen Daozi had already splashed ink and was immersed in the painting of hope.
For two full days, he completed ten paintings in total.
Besides the Emperor and Goddess paintings collected in the royal secret chamber, the rest were soul paintings freely created from Wen Daozi's perspective.
He had found his direction again.
He finished in a flash, as if divinely assisted.
Later, historical records stated that during Emperor Mingde's reign, Wen Daozi created over three hundred paintings, which documented the journey of Jingguo from chaos to clarity and then to a prosperous era.
At over eighty years old, he was summoned by the Emperor to the imperial palace to paint a mural for the newly built Datong Hall. In just three days, he concentrated his spirit and brush, completing the "Ten Thousand Li of Jingguo" painting.
He was also honored as the Sage of Painting by later generations.
...
Wen Daozi was indeed a soul painter, doing as he pleased. Lingyao finally picked a painting that included her and the two children; she held one, and the Emperor held another.
Although the other paintings were good, they featured too many figures. Wen Daozi probably wanted to depict the harmonious atmosphere within the palace.
"Then I'll send this one."
Lingyao had it framed and wrote a letter, asking Yu Liu to send it to the Southwest.
Meanwhile, in the Taiyi Hall, Emperor Mingde was also looking at the portraits.
"Wen Tang, doesn't this one look like when we were at Fengque Tower? You, me, Imperial Sister. It's a shame Qing He is missing."
Song Beiting's eyes were deep. In that painting, the woman smiled gently and looked into the distance, likely in the direction of the children, though they were not depicted. The Emperor sat opposite her. He, with a sword at his waist, stood behind the Emperor, his gaze fixed on her.
If Qing He were present, she would be standing behind her.
"This one..." Emperor Mingde mused.
Song Beiting was startled. What was depicted in it...
At that time, the Emperor's hands were tired, and he handed the little county prince into his arms. He had never held a child before and was somewhat nervous. His grip might have been too strong, and the little county prince pouted, about to cry.
His face turned pale. Fortunately, the princess was nearby and came to tease the child, and then the little county prince grinned. He also smiled.
This scene was captured by Wen Daozi, and he painted only the three of them.
It looked like a family of three...
"Wen Tang, you should keep this painting!" Emperor Mingde said casually.
He seemed unaware of any impropriety.
"Your Majesty, this painting should..." be destroyed.
Song Beiting found it difficult to say. He could only attribute it to Wen Daozi's superb painting skills, the lifelike expressions of the figures, and even the sense of relief he felt.
It would be a shame to destroy such a good painting...
"Since it depicts you, you keep it. And this one, of the two of us. We are ruler and subject, and also friends. Wen Daozi is indeed the best painter in Jingguo; he can perfectly capture this relationship."
Emperor Mingde picked and chose, finding three paintings in total, personally rolling them up, and handing them to Song Beiting.
"Thank you, Your Majesty."
Song Beiting's throat tightened, his heart pounded, as if he had done something illicit.
But in his heart, there was also a secret, inexpressible joy.
They were friends, there was nothing illicit about it. He was upright and honest.
He told himself.
Wen Daozi's paintings stirred the emotions of everyone depicted. Lingxi was also complaining to Ling'er in the hall.
"What kind of painter is this? I secretly told him to paint one of me and Brother Wen Tang, but he added Imperial Brother and Fu Lu, and the wet nurse catching butterflies. What is all this?"
"Exactly. He didn't pay attention when painting. This servant told him three times before he reluctantly responded, yet he acted in bad faith." Ling'er also complained.
Alas, forget it.
Lingxi glumly put away the painting.
Even if it only depicted two people, what of it? It was just deceiving herself.
...
Lingyao sent the painting to Xiao Shan, originally intending to offer him some solace, but she never expected that Xiao Shan would receive not one, but two paintings.
Among them was the one where Lingyao and Song Beiting looked at each other and smiled at the child, which Wen Daozi named "Chaoyang."
Xiao Shan was almost furious.
The man and woman were handsome and beautiful. If the woman were not his wife, he would have praised them as a match made in heaven.
And the child, the three of them were all smiling happily.
No matter how you looked at it, it resembled a happy family of three.
This painting was sent later. Xiao Shan's first thought was of Song Beiting, that scoundrel trying to sow discord.
Even though he knew it was someone deliberately trying to anger him, he really couldn't control himself.
He had never held the child, yet it was in that pretty boy's arms.
He was fighting on the battlefield, and how could she be painting with Song Beiting...
"General, the Grand Princess of Tantai is here again. Shall we see her or not?" Wu Zhoubai asked without hope.
Xiao Shan gritted his teeth: "See her, why not? Who would refuse such a great beauty!"
Wu Zhoubai almost choked on his saliva.
Did the General dare to cuckold the Goddess?
In the following ten days, Lingyao did not receive a reply from Xiao Shan. Instead, rumors spread in the capital about her past relationship with Song Beiting.
There were also the copied paintings of Wen Daozi.
Wen Daozi's reputation preceded him, and even the copied paintings were sought after by many.
For a time, the "Chaoyang" painting became widely circulated.
Xiao Shan was the God of War protecting Jingguo, while Song Beiting was the commander of the Imperial Guard who deeply waited for the Goddess, and also the Great Sun God designated by the late Emperor.
Especially in the "Chaoyang" painting, the handsome and extraordinary commander of the Imperial Guard and the beautiful and noble Goddess were simply a divine couple, perfectly matched.
Therefore, soon there were voices among the people suggesting that the Goddess should take Commander Song as her second husband.
"If Xiao Shan knew about this, his jealousy would be overflowing."
Lingyao squeezed her forehead.
Who was this bastard stirring up trouble behind the scenes?
Yu Liu's eyes held a hidden glint.
Who else could it be, it must be that Song Beiting.
And he even dared to fantasize about being the second husband.
Isn't he afraid of being skinned by the General!