Chapter 1086: You can make a lot of money, but Brother Lang will never lose money

After lunch, the palace maids cleared away the dishes and the imperial study suddenly became fresh.

Lin Lang stood up and took out the drawing board, easel, oil paints, brushes, palette and other painting tools from his personal space, and placed them neatly on the table by the window. The sunlight poured in through the window lattice and fell right in front of the easel, making it very bright.

Li Zhi came over to look curiously and pointed at the colorful paint tubes.

"My dear brother, is this the pigment used in Western oil painting? It looks brighter than my cinnabar and malachite."

"That's right." Lin Lang adjusted the easel's height and said with a smile, "Brother, please sit down. I will start painting for you right away."

Li Zhi followed his instructions and sat down on the pearwood chair opposite, sitting upright with his hands placed neatly on his knees, like a statue of a god in a temple.

He watched Lin Lang pick up the paintbrush and couldn't help asking, "My dear brother, is my sitting posture appropriate?"

Lin Lang took a look and couldn't help laughing: "My royal brother, your sitting posture is too straight, as if you are going to offer sacrifices to the heavens. It's uncomfortable."

Li Zhi was stunned: "Then...what should I do?"

"Royal brother, why don't you cross your legs? You look relaxed, and with a cigarette between your legs, you show off your emperor's casual demeanor."

"Cross your legs?" Li Zhi blinked, clearly having never heard of this expression. "How do you do it?"

Lin Lang demonstrated by crossing his right leg over his left leg and casually resting his hands on his knees. "That's called crossing your legs."

Li Zhi said with some embarrassment, "But my dear brother, according to the etiquette of the Tang Dynasty, is sitting with your legs crossed unbecoming of an emperor?"

Lin Lang walked over, gently supported Li Zhi's legs and crossed them, smiling and saying, "Royal brother, lean back a little, don't tense your hands, and lean sideways to hold a cigarette. In our Shanghai country, this is called unrestrained and uninhibited."

Li Zhi tried to sit properly, lit a cigarette and held it between his fingers. He looked down at his crossed legs and suddenly laughed out loud: "Hey, this pose is quite novel! Since ancient times, portraits of emperors have never shown such a pose. I'm afraid the historians will laugh at me."

"Precisely because no emperor in history has done this, my brother is unique," Lin Lang picked up the paintbrush and dipped it in the paint, his eyes becoming focused. "This sitting posture reveals my brother's true nature. He is majestic yet unpretentious. His domineering aura retains the ease of a true dragon emperor."

"I love to hear what you said, my dear brother!"

Li Zhi was coaxed into feeling comfortable, and his originally somewhat restrained body completely relaxed. There was a smile on the corner of his mouth, and a bit of lazy majesty in his eyes.

Lin Lang said no more and leaned over to adjust the color.

The afternoon sun fell on the side of his face, casting a faint shadow on his eyelashes, making him look very elegant and artistic.

Lin Lang's hand holding the paintbrush was very steady. His strokes were light when sketching the outline, and he was particularly delicate when it came to the details - the twelve patterns on the dragon robe and the lines of each flame were clearly distinguishable.

The luster of the jade belt around Li Zhi's waist is made to reflect light by the use of light and dark colors.

Even the dark patterns embroidered on the cuffs of the dragon robe were carefully drawn stroke by stroke.

At first, Li Zhi wanted to move from time to time, but then he saw Lin Lang was so focused on painting that he even breathed softly. He just sat there quietly, looking forward to seeing what he would look like in the Western oil painting.

Lin Lang was immersed in painting Li Zhi's oil painting. When he was about to finish and was entering the final stage, a eunuch's low voice came from outside the imperial study: "Your Majesty, the Empress has arrived——"

Lin Lang paused his pen and looked up, only to see Wu Zetian, dressed in her usual attire as a queen, walking slowly in with two palace maids.

The moon-white silk skirt was embroidered with colorful phoenix patterns, and the crimson gauze dress she wore outside fluttered with her steps.

Her hair was tied up in a high bun, secured with a gilded filigree pearl hairpin. Nine pearl hairpins hung at her temples, swaying with each step.

A phoenix hairpin decorated with kingfisher feathers is placed in the middle of the bun, and the green feathers glow faintly and coldly under the candlelight. A red gemstone flower ornament on the forehead makes her face more majestic. Her every move exudes an air of authority without anger, yet also carries a bit of tenderness and charm.

She bowed to Li Zhi and said, "Your Majesty, I heard that Your Majesty was here, so I came to see you."

Lin Lang greeted, "The Queen's sister-in-law is here."

Empress Wu nodded slightly at Lin Lang, then turned her gaze to the easel. She was immediately attracted by the oil painting that was almost finished, and her steps involuntarily moved closer.

"My dear brother, your painting skills are truly novel!" Empress Wu exclaimed.

"You're able to paint His Majesty so vividly, even the sheen of the dragon robe seems to reflect the person's reflection. This is the first time I've seen such a painting technique. It has a more real and vivid quality than ordinary ink paintings."

She looked at Li Zhi on the canvas, who looked almost like a real person. Her hand holding the handkerchief tightened slightly, and her eyes were full of amazement.

Lin Lang continued painting his oil painting while humbly replying, "Your Majesty, I am so honored to be your sister-in-law."

"Tang Dynasty ink paintings emphasize the use of white space for artistic conception. Just a few strokes can evoke the imagination. That is true art, and the aesthetic conception is far beyond the reach of oil painting. Your oil painting is merely a different technique, pursuing a realistic look."

Empress Wu was amused by Lin Lang's words and said, "My dear brother, you are good at talking."

"However, this is the first time I've seen Your Majesty sitting like this today—so relaxed and unhurried, a bit more approachable than your usual formal demeanor. It's truly remarkable."

Li Zhi still kept his legs crossed. He couldn't help laughing when he heard that, but he had to keep it together and said, "This is all taught by my dear brother. He said that it makes one look more elegant and unrestrained."

"In my opinion, if those old-fashioned people in the Ministry of Rites saw this painting, they would definitely write to the emperor and say that I have lost my imperial dignity."

"Your Majesty, you're joking," Empress Wu carefully examined the scene in the painting. "I find it quite pleasant. Your Majesty in the painting possesses the majesty of a true dragon emperor, while also displaying a new and unconventional demeanor for imperial portraits. This, my dear brother, will surely put the court painters to shame."

Li Zhi laughed loudly and said, "Hearing what the Queen said, I can't wait to admire your masterpiece."

After Lin Lang put down the last stroke, he smiled and said, "I have finished the painting. Please review it, my Royal Highness."

When Li Zhi heard that the painting was finished, he stood up immediately. His legs were a little numb from sitting for so long. He stamped his feet, stretched his arms, and strode to the easel with anticipation on his face.

"Wow!" He was amazed by himself on the canvas at first sight. He couldn't help but reach out to touch it, but was afraid of dirtying the painting, so he stopped in excitement with his hand suspended in mid-air.

"My dear brother! This is simply a stroke of genius!"

"Look at the luster of this dragon robe, and the spirit of my eyebrows and eyes, it's like looking in the mirror! Even the little mole at the corner of my mouth is painted clearly, making me look more lively than the real person!"

Li Zhi's eyes widened, and he exclaimed in amazement: "In my entire life, I've seen at least eighty, if not a hundred, paintings by famous artists, but I've never seen one that depicts a person so realistically!"

"Brother, your extraordinary skill in painting Western oil paintings truly impresses me!"

Lin Lang smiled and put down his paintbrush. "Your Majesty, you are too kind. The newly painted oil painting needs to be aired for three to five days. Once the paint is completely dry, I will help you frame it and hang it in the imperial study. It will be magnificent."

"That's great! That's great!" Li Zhi smiled happily, patted Lin Lang's shoulder and nodded.

As Empress Wu was admiring the painting, she heard Lin Lang say, "Your Majesty, you've arrived just in time. I'll paint you a painting to preserve your beauty. This painting will be passed down to future generations, allowing them to see the extraordinary beauty of the Tang Empress."

Empress Wu was overjoyed upon hearing this, but she maintained a dignified expression. She hid the smile on the corner of her lips with a handkerchief and said, "My dear brother, your words are sweeter than honey."

After saying this, Empress Wu looked at Li Zhi with great excitement, meaning that she wanted to get Li Zhi's permission.

Li Zhi stroked his beard and smiled, "Since my dear brother has such a kind heart, then the Queen will also ask my dear brother to paint an oil painting for me to treasure as a souvenir!"

Empress Wu smiled sweetly and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your permission! Then, should I go back and change my clothes? Isn't this casual dress a little too plain?"

"No, no," Lin Lang waved his hands repeatedly, saying sweetly, "The emperor's sister-in-law is naturally beautiful, and she looks good in anything. This moon-white skirt paired with the scarlet gauze dress is both dignified and elegant, and it's perfect for her."

Empress Wu's eyes curved with praise, and she could no longer hide her smile. "Then I'll follow your advice, my dear brother. But...should I paint while sitting or standing?"

"Please sit down. Your Majesty is tired from standing for so long." Lin Lang pointed to a cushioned Zen chair nearby. "That's a perfect place for you. The light is good too."

Empress Wu sat down as instructed, then suddenly remembered Li Zhi's posture and couldn't help but joke, "Then should I... also imitate Your Majesty and cross my legs?"

Lin Lang waved his hands quickly: "No, no, no! The Empress Dowager is the mother of a country. Dignity and dignity are her nature. Sit up straight and put your hands lightly on the armrests. You will have your own dignity."

"My dear brother, what you said is absolutely right." Empress Wu smiled faintly and adjusted her sitting posture, keeping her back straight. The pearl hairpins on her temples swayed gently, shining with a warm light in the sunlight.

Lin Lang set up a new canvas, mixed the paint, held the brush and leaned over to paint.

His eyes were focused, his eyelashes cast light shadows under his eyes, and the tip of the brush moved across the canvas, sometimes lightly sketching to outline the soft profile of Wu Zetian.

Sometimes he would add delicate touches to reveal the red of the flower ornaments on her forehead and the white of the pearls on her hairpins.

The sunlight shines through the window lattice onto Wu Zetian's body, as if adding a layer of gold to her ancient beauty.

AI generates oil painting of Wu Zetian

Li Zhi sat down on a chair beside him, his eyes fixed on the canvas. He was so absorbed in looking at it that he didn't even dare to breathe, for fear of disturbing Lin Lang's painting atmosphere.

Li Zhi's eyes flashed with an unconcealable admiration, and he was secretly amazed: My dear brother, as the emperor of Shanghai, really has many novel abilities, which makes me feel ashamed of myself.

The imperial study was silent, with only the soft sound of the paintbrush rubbing against the canvas and the occasional rustle of Empress Wu's clothes as she smiled.

Watching the paint gradually build up onto the canvas to reveal Empress Wu's appearance, even the movement of her eyebrows and the smile on her lips were captured perfectly, Li Zhi couldn't help but praise, "Brother, your painting technique is truly amazing!"

Lin Lang didn't look up, nor did he stop writing. He mixed some ochre and carefully outlined Wu Zetian's hair. He said modestly, "I am just doing my best to depict the elegance of my brother and sister-in-law."

"If these two portraits can be properly passed down, future generations will be able to appreciate the elegance and grace of the Tang Dynasty emperors and empresses."

"My brother's calmness and wisdom, and my sister-in-law's grace and dignity, can all be passed down through writing, leaving a memory for future generations, allowing them to understand the style of our Tang Dynasty, which is far beyond the reach of dry words in history books."

After hearing this, Li Zhi's eyes lit up instantly, and he laughed out loud, "I am also good at painting, especially landscapes and figures. I often exchange painting skills with Yan Liben and Wu Daozi."

"When you finish your oil painting for your sister-in-law, I will paint you a portrait on silk as a return gift."

"Your Majesty's calligraphy and painting are what I have been longing for." Lin Lang readily agreed, thinking: I'm making a fortune again!