On the day when the county examination results were released, not only the Yuan family members went early to wait, but Mr. Lu also sent his servants to look at the results.
While the two families were looking at the results, Wei Yan was sitting in front of the window reading.
While Shen Xiu was mixing paint, she asked Wei Yan: "Does Liu Hao really know those two words? I'm afraid he will get it wrong."
"It's okay if you see it wrong." Wei Yan said, "The ranking has been determined. What's yours is ultimately yours, and no one else can take it away."
Compared to Shen Xiu, an outsider, Wei Yan behaved particularly calmly.
The county examination depends entirely on the preference of the county magistrate. If County Magistrate Zuo appreciates his literary talents, that would be the best. But if County Magistrate Zuo doesn't like his articles, there is nothing he can do about it.
Wei Yan felt that he had tried his best. As for the result, it all depended on God's will.
Shen Xiu was not as calm as Wei Yan. She was mixing paint absentmindedly while thinking about the results of the county examination, so when there was a knock on the door, she was startled.
The visitor was Qu Huan. When he saw Wei Yan reading under the window, he smiled and said, "I know Brother Wei can keep his composure. He is not as hopeless as me, who went to the county government office early to wait."
"How's it going? Is the list out?" Shen Xiu heard that Qu Huan came from the county government and asked quickly.
Qu Huan smiled and said: "Congratulations to Brother Wei, for winning the first place on the list. Master Li would be extremely happy if he knew the news."
It turned out to be at the top of the list.
Shen Xiu was both surprised and expected by this result, and a smile quickly appeared on her face, "It's really a blessing from God."
When Wei Yan learned that he had won the first place, he was stunned for a moment, then calmed down and said with a smile, "It's just a fluke." He then asked Qu Huan about the results of others.
Qu Huan said: "Ziwen is ranked just below you, Brother Wei. If nothing else happens, you two will definitely be talented scholars. As for me, I was lucky enough to pass the county examination and be ranked among the last few."
The top five in the county examination, unless there are any accidents, will generally pass the government examination and the college examination. That's why Qu Huan said this.
Shen Xiu didn't understand the reason, so Wei Yan explained to her: "In the previous dynasty, as long as you got first place in the county examination, that is, you would be the head of the case, you would not have to take the government examination or the college examination, and you could be promoted directly.
He is a scholar. Although this dynasty has waived this requirement, the county examination chiefs will still have to take the government and court examinations. But privately, the case chiefs will usually pass the government and court examinations unless there are any accidents."
Only then did Shen Xiu understand what Qu Huan meant when he said it was certain. She immediately beamed, saying that it was almost certain that Wei Yan would be admitted as a scholar.
At this time, Liu Hao also came back. He shouted excitedly: "Ms. Wei, I saw your name."
Liu Hao didn't know that Wei Yan and others already knew the result, so they came to announce the good news excitedly: "Ms. Wei's name is at the front. I heard someone said that was the head of the case."
Even though she had already heard Qu Huan say it once, Shen Xiu was still very happy when she heard Liu Hao say it again. She immediately grabbed a handful of copper coins from her purse and stuffed them into Liu Hao's hand, saying that he wanted to get some too.
Joyful.
After Shen Xiu sent the child away, she turned around and heard Qu Huan say to Wei Yan: "Ziwen is just below you. With his temperament, I'm afraid he will be awkward for a few days."
Both Wei Yan and Qu Huan knew Yuan Ziwen's temperament. He was very competitive on weekdays, let alone in this county examination. Once he knew that he was ranked below Wei Yan again, he would probably feel uncomfortable for a few days.
Wei Yan was silent for a moment and said, "We won't go looking for him for the next few days until he calms down."
If he went to look for him at this time, Yuan Ziwen might mistakenly think that he was showing off.
Qu Huan nodded and said: "You are right. Then go find him in two days. Anyway, there is still more than a month before the imperial examination. It is not too late for us to wait for two days and then discuss leaving for Fucheng.
"
After talking about the county examination, Qu Huan asked Shen Xiu, "Sister-in-law, last time you told me to wait for two days, but now the two days are up, have you finished drawing that pattern?"
Shen Xiudao: "The pattern is almost done, only one or two strokes are missing. Just wait for me for a while, I will make up the two strokes and then bring it over to show you."
Qu Huan and Wei Yan sat in the room, talking and waiting.
A quarter of an hour later, Shen Xiu took something like cardboard and carefully placed it on the table.
"Ms. sir, come and take a look at my peony painting. How do you like it?" Shen Xiu greeted.
When Shen Xiu followed the master, what she learned best was imitation embroidery. And part of the objects of imitation embroidery were oil paintings.
In order to embroider better imitation embroidery, Shen Xiu practiced oil painting hard.
Of course, some talented embroiderers can express the characteristics of oil painting without learning oil painting.
However, Shen Xiu asked herself that she was not a person with outstanding talents. Her embroidery skills were basically honed.
When she faced oil painting and felt that she had no idea what to do, she began to learn how to draw oil paintings.
After she painted the oil painting by hand, she knew exactly how to express the shades, light and shadow when sewing.
The peony oil painting in front of her is one she once painted, and the peony in the painting is the famous ancient and modern Yao Huang.
Oil paintings are good at displaying rich and colorful flowers, and Yao Huang is the king of flowers among peonies. In terms of gorgeous colors, almost no flower can compare.
Shen Xiu used the expression method of classical oil painting, focusing on physical resemblance rather than spiritual resemblance.
In this way, the peonies in front of you give people a strong visual conflict. This visual conflict is not based on the rarity of the peonies, but on the rich colors.
Rhubarb and green are intertwined with each other. Under the expressive technique of thick ink and heavy colors, the peony in front of you looks particularly energetic and exudes a feeling of vitality.
Yes, it is full of vitality.
After reading this oil painting of peonies, Qu Huan's biggest feeling was that the peonies were so vibrant and seemed to give people an upward force.
Shen Xiu smiled and said, "That's what I meant."
Compared with the subtle and restrained style of traditional Chinese painting, oil painting is more unrestrained and expresses more distinct themes.
Wei Yan didn't really appreciate the oil paintings in front of him, "I still think ink paintings have more charm."
Shen Xiu had already expected this. Chinese painting is rich in charm, so scholars prefer Chinese painting. Oil painting is rich in ink and color, and people who like it are generally ordinary people, especially businessmen.
If it was fine Hunan embroidery, Shen Xiu would definitely choose traditional Chinese painting to embroider.
However, cross-stitch is a middle-class business, so it is naturally more secular, so Shen Xiucai painted oil paintings with rich colors.
She believes that as soon as this oil painting version of cross-stitch is launched, there will definitely be no shortage of buyers.
Qu Huan also had this confidence, "Sister-in-law, just go ahead and do it. The more you do, the better. When we go to Fucheng to take the imperial examination, we will take these peony embroidered screens with us and make a good profit from it."