Chapter 5 Chapter 5: The Mystery of the Portrait

When Wuji saw Tang Que and Zhu Zidan coming, Tang Que's expression was very ugly, as if someone had snatched his new wife away. No wonder, Tang Que got up early in the morning, thinking that the ancestor would ask him to have breakfast with him, listen to his elder brother's harvest, and express some opinions himself, but unexpectedly, the ancestor didn't even call him. Tang Que was already angry enough for the whole morning. He didn't even eat breakfast. What made him even more angry was before noon. He saw the chef busy cooking, so he couldn't help asking who was serving him. The result was Xiao Dong Lou, and the dishes are only prepared for two people, which means that his brother Tang Ao is not prepared to ask him to participate at all. He was so angry that his whole face looked like a piece of pork liver hanging in the vegetable market. What does it mean to ask him and Zhu Zidan to paint a portrait for Li Yutang?This means that his brother Tang Ao has verified that Li Yutang is not Zhao Wuji, because the portrait painting means that he will join Tangjiabao and become an important person in Tangjiabao. How can Tang Ao not discuss this matter with him?

So when Wuji curiously asked Tang Que why he wanted to draw a portrait for him, Tang Que ignored him and said loudly angrily: "You can draw it, Tangjiabao doesn't like people asking questions. " Looking at his appearance, Wuji knew that he was angry. He answered Wuji like this, and Wuji was not angry. Just paint, anyway, he will know the answer sooner or later. After finishing the painting, he immediately went to Shangguanyan, and told Shangguanyan about it. Upon hearing this, Shangguanyan patted Wuji on the shoulder happily, and said, "Congratulations!" Wuji said: "Congratulations, why? Does Tang Jiabao want to use my portrait on a blind date?"

Shangguan Ren said: "Of course not." Wuji said, "Otherwise, where does the joy come from?" Shangguan Dao said: "Tangjiabao has always had a habit, they will draw a portrait of Ken for the main members of the upper and lower ranks, and put it in a room for everyone to see." Wuji said, "Oh? Uncle Shangguan also painted?" Shangguan Ren said: "That's right, it means that they have already believed in your false identity and want to reuse you." Wuji was very happy. He learned from Shangguan Ren that the people of the Tang family would reuse him, and now, Tang Ao actually wanted to see him, which made him so excited.

However, the excitement is the excitement. These days, he has learned not to express his emotions and anger, and when facing the enemy, he can remain 100% calm and alert. So when he approached the hall door where Tang Ao saw him, his people had calmed down, and his whole body was like a fully drawn bow and arrow, ready to exert its greatest strength at any time. As soon as Ji Ji stepped into the hall, he saw Tang Ao, and he couldn't help cheering in his heart. From the appearance, Tang Ao was about thirty years old, his face was full of heroism, and his eyes seemed to shoot out a confident look. shine.

As soon as Tang Ao saw Wuji, he asked, "Li Yutang?" Wuji cupped his fists and said, "That's right, Li Yutang from Jixi." Tang Ao said: "Welcome to Tangjiabao." Wuji said: "This is my honor." Tang Ao said: "Let's talk inside." Wuji said, "Inside?" Tang Ao said: "Yes, the room inside." Tang Ao stretched out his hand to make a gesture of invitation, and Zhao Wuji walked forward. Tang Ao clapped his hand when Wuji took two steps, and a servant walked to the hall door. Tang Ao told the servant: " Go ask Mr. Zhu to come to the room inside."

Wuji walked to the door and stopped. Tang Ao pushed the door open. Wuji stepped in and saw that there were long portraits hanging in the whole room. Tang Ao pointed to these Ken portraits and said, "These are the elite members of our Tangjiabao." Wuji saw that Shangguan's blade was also hanging on the left wall. Tang Ao said again: "Your portrait is on the table." Wuji had already seen Zhu Zidan's painting when it was finished, so although he saw a painting on the table, he didn't go forward to look at it again. Tang Ao pointed to the chair beside the table and said, "Please sit down."

Wuji sat down, his eyes naturally saw Ken's portrait, very thin, with a beard all over his face, he was no longer as handsome as before. Sitting opposite him, Tang Ao said, "Mr. Zhu's hands are pretty good, right?" Wuji said: "First class." Tang Ao said: "As long as the ruler of our Tang family is an elite member, we will draw a picture of him and put it in this room." Wuji looked at him, but didn't answer. Tang Ao said: "However, the reason why we painted your portrait this time may not necessarily hang here." Wuji said: "Oh?" He was a little puzzled, why not?There was no look of suspicion on his face.

Tang Ao said: "This is the first time since Tang Jiabao painted a portrait for someone." Wuji smiled and said, "This should also be my honor, right?" Tang Ao said: "Maybe, do you want to know why?" Wuji said, "Will you tell me?" Tang Ao said: "Of course." At this time, Zhu Zidan walked in, holding several scrolls of paintings in his hand. Tang Ao pointed to the big table against the wall and said, "Let's watch and talk over there." When he arrived at the big table, Zhu Zidan spread out the paintings one by one and placed them on the table one by one. There were five in total.

The person in the largest picture is very thin, and the farther to the right, the fatter the face of the portrait. Wuji recognized that the two pictures on the far right were of Tang Que, the fattest person in Tangjiabao, but the three on the left had Tang Que in outline, but Wuji couldn't be sure it was him. Tang Ao said: "These five portraits are all of my younger brother Tang Que. The leftmost one is about ten years ago. He was very thin at that time. The rightmost one is a year ago. He has become so fat." Wuji didn't know Tang's purpose for asking him to see these images, but he knew that Tang Ao would definitely reveal the answer in the end anyway, so he was not in a hurry at all, and he simply kept his mouth shut.

After Zhu Zidan rolled up another five portraits and put them aside, Tang Zuo went to the original table, brought Wuji's portrait of Ken, and laid it flat on the big table. At the same time, Zhu Yudan also brought brushes and ink and rice paper. Zhu Zidan put his pen and ink aside, took out a piece of rice paper from a stack, and placed it on top of Zhao Wuji's portrait. Tang Ao said to Wuji: "This piece of rice paper has been thinned so that the portrait underneath can show through." Zhu Zidan brought two more paperweights, pressed the rice paper up and down, picked up the pen, and looked at Tang Ao.

Tang Ao said to Wuji again: "Mr. Zhu is good at figure painting, so he has very subtle observations on people. Based on his experience, he is now drawing your fat face." Wuji was taken aback, thinking, draw the shape of the face?If the painting is correct, wouldn't Tang Ao know that he is Zhao Wuji?Still, maybe the painting is right? The pen in Zhu Zidan's hand outlined an outline stroke by stroke, and then, a portrait of a handsome and energetic young man emerged on the rice paper. Wuji was really taken aback this time, because it was so much like his appearance a year ago, although not all of it was realistic, but at least seven or eight points. Tang Zuo asked Wuji, "Does it look like it?" Wuji said, "How would I know?" Tang Ao said: "Why don't you know?" Wuji said: "I have been so thin since childhood, how would I know what will happen if I gain weight?" Tang said: "Really?" Wuji said: "Do you think I am such a handsome person?" Tang Ao said: "It looks very similar to me." Wuji said, "Oh?" Tang Ao said: "Come with me." Tang Ao picked up the paperweight, took down the portrait he had just painted, and walked to the living room first, walked to the left of the living room, pushed open a door, and walked in. Inside was a room full of cabinets. Tang Ao stepped in and said, "The cabinets in this room also contain portraits. The difference is that they are all portraits of people who are enemies of our Tangjiabao." Wuji didn't speak, he already knew in his heart that Zhao Wuji's portrait in Dafeng Hall must be inside, he stepped in, and saw black and white notes on the top of the eldest son, there were Feifeng Gang and Shenlong Gang... Of course, there is also Dafengtang. Sure enough, Tang Ao walked to the front of the gate with the words Dafengtang on it. He opened the fourth small drawer, took out a scroll, turned around and said to Wuji, "This is the portrait of Zhao Wuji in Dafengtang." Wuji's face remained calm, although his heart was already feeling very tense. I saw Tang Ao untied the red thread on the axis, loosened the fingers of his left hand, and the painting opened from top to bottom. Tang Ao stood with a portrait in each of his left and right hands, and his eyes were fixed on the changes in Wuji's face. Wuji's face didn't change at all, as if he was admiring two ordinary paintings. But Zhu Zidan behind Wuji exclaimed: "Exactly the same, you are Zhao Wuji!" Wuji suddenly laughed. Tang said, "Can you still laugh?" Wuji said: "Don't you think it's funny? Don't you think it's absurd?" Tang Ao said: "I don't think so." Wuji pointed at Zhu Zidan and said, "Did he draw the portrait of Zhao Wuji in Dafeng Hall?" Tang Ao said: "Not bad." Wuji said: "So, you all think that I am Zhao Wuji, so when he adds a painting, he will easily think of Zhao Wuji's previous appearance, and the painting will be of course Zhao Wuji, if you think I am from the Feifeng Gang Hu Dun, I believe what he drew must be Hu Dun, believe it or not?" Tang Ao said: "I believe, but you are wrong about one thing." Wuji said, "That point?" Tang Ao said: "Mr. Zhu didn't know about Zhao Wuji in advance, we just told him that you are Li Yutang, and then asked him to draw Li Yutang's appearance after getting fat based on his experience." Wuji stopped talking, what else is there to say? Tang Ao said: "Do you admit now that you are Zhao Wuji?" Wuji didn't answer his question, but instead asked, "Since you've decided so long ago, why didn't you kill me earlier?" Tang Ao said: "There are two reasons. First, as soon as you come in, I can feel your murderous aura. I can't guarantee that I can defeat you as soon as I make a move. Even if I defeat you, if I can't retreat completely, I, Tang Ao, will never do this kind of thing that hurts both sides." Wuji said, "Oh? What about the second reason?" Tang Ao said: "The second reason is the real reason." He paused for a while before continuing: "I never do sneak attacks. If I want to kill someone, I will definitely fight him in a duel." Wuji said: "Then you are going to fight with me?" Tang Ao said: "Yes." Wuji said: "Are you so sure that I am Zhao Wuji?" Tang Ao said: "Whether you are Zhao Wuji or not, I will fight you." Wuji said, "Why?" Tang Ao said: "It is my lifelong wish, Tang Ao, to discuss swords with the heroes of the world." Wuji asked, "Am I worthy?" Tang Ao said: "Of course you deserve it, your courage alone is enough." Wuji said: "You flatter me too much." Tang Ao said: "Do you accept my challenge?" Wuji said, "Can I refuse?" Tang Ao said: "Okay, we have made a deal, at noon on the seventh day of the seventh month, on the top of Mount Tai." Wuji said: "Okay, it's a deal." Tang Ao said: "Since we have made an appointment, I will ask you to take care." Wuji said: "I don't quite understand what you said." Tang Ao said: "Why don't you understand?" Wuji said: "Why do you want me to take care? If there is no special accident, who wouldn't take care of themselves?" Tang Ao said: "You're right. I told you to take care of yourself because I knew something special would happen." Wuji asked, "What special accident?" Tang Ao said: "These things happened one after another. The first thing is that I will let you meet someone tonight." Wuji said: "Meet someone? Do I have to meet?" Tang Ao said: "I promised someone to let you meet that person." Wuji said, "What if I disappear?" Tang Zuochou: "That's okay, it's just that I broke my promise to others, but I believe you want to see that person." Wuji didn't ask who he was, he knew it was useless to ask, and Tang Ao would definitely keep his mouth shut, so he said, "Okay, I'll see." Tang Ao said: "Thank you, the second thing, after you meet that person, you have to leave Tangjiabao alone." Wuji said: "You mean, Tangjiabao doesn't welcome me anymore?" Tang said: "No, we welcome you as a guest. I'm afraid you won't stay for a moment." Wuji said, "Why?" Tang Ao said: "Because I have to tell you one more thing. After you hear this, you will definitely be as anxious as an ant on a hot pot." Wuji said: "It's useless to be in a hurry, I have already promised you that I will meet someone at night, and I can only leave after the meeting, and I will leave alone." Tang Ao smiled and said: "You are very smart, and it is a great joy in life to be able to compete with you." Wuji said: "Everything is under your control now, I am not happy." Tang Ao said: "That's why I want to make everything fair, so that I can officially see the truth." Wuji didn't speak, he couldn't help thinking, Tangjiabao has always been famous for hidden weapons, poisons and insidiousness, how could there be such an upright person as Tang Ao?Is there any fraud in this? When he was thinking about this question, Tang Ao's next words not only surprised him, but also made him doubt whether Tang Ao was the young master of Tangjiabao. Tang Ao said: "We are going to launch a big attack on Dafengtang in the near future, are you not in a hurry to go back?" Why did Tang Ao tell this matter?Especially after he insisted that he was Zhao Wuji?Does he really want a fair fight to the death?Wuji doesn't know, it will take time to prove this. At this point, Wuji knew that it was unnecessary to conceal his identity, because as Tang Ao said, once he heard that the Tang family was going to attack Dafengtang, he had to go back, he had to go back and fight with his brothers Facing this life-and-death battle, when the time comes, everyone will know that he is Zhao Wuji. What's more, whether he is Zhao Wuji or not doesn't seem to matter to Tang Ao, because Tang Ao wants him to leave Tangjiabao, a person who no longer stays in Tangjiabao, no matter who he is, will not pose a threat to Tangjiabao. So Wuji was ready to leave. Tang Ao stretched out his hand to stop him, and said, "Don't worry, the so-called fairness means that I have told you so many things, so you should answer me one thing, right?" Wuji said, "You ask." Tang Ao said: "Why don't you kill Shangguan Ren?" Wuji said: "You are not in Tangjiabao, but you seem to know everything." Tang Ao said: "Do you think it's a fake that Tangjiabao has been able to stand on the rivers and lakes?" Wuji said: "Okay, let me tell you, I haven't found a chance to make a move yet, do you believe me?" Tang said: "Of course I believe, who is Shangguan Ren, how can you easily find an opportunity for you?" Wuji said: "But I want to tell you first, I will keep looking for opportunities to take revenge." Tang Ao said: "I hope you will use dim sum first in the upcoming battle. I don't want to attack Dafengtang like cutting tofu." Wuji said, "Why?" Tang Ao said: "If anything is too easy, it's not fun. If it's too easy, it just means that you have no judgment. Isn't it the most stupid thing to kill a chicken with a sledgehammer?" Wuji said, "That's why you let me go back?" Tang Ao said: "Not bad." Wuji said, "Are you so sure of victory?" Tang Ao said: "Make a decision and then act, and the action must be successful. This is the principle of my Tang." Wuji said: "Very well, I like people like you." Tang Ao said: "It's a pity we can't be friends." Wuji said: "Things in the world are usually not as expected, and being able to be a face-to-face enemy is not bad." Tang Ao said: "That's right, some people can't even become enemies!" Wuji said: "I will always miss you as an enemy." Tang Ao said: "What do you mean?" Wuji said: "This means that I, like you, have the confidence to win. If I defeat you, all I have left is my nostalgia for you." Tang Ao suddenly laughed, and said, "Well said, are you willing to go with me now?" Wuji asked, "Where are you going?" Tang Ao said: "Originally I was going to take you there at night, but I suddenly changed my mind and hoped you would go now." Wuji said: "You want me to meet the person you mentioned right now?" Tang Ao said: "No, I'll see you tonight." Wuji said, "Then why go now?" Tang Ao said: "Because I want you to wait there." Wuji said: "Are you imprisoned in disguise?" Tang Ao said: "Don't you dare?" Wuji said: "Why didn't I dare? But I want to know, what are you afraid of me doing during this time?" Tang Ao said: "That's right, I'm afraid that if you suddenly find the opportunity to kill Shangguan Ren, it will be a big loss for our Tangjiabao." Wuji said: "Then let's go now."