Since he announced that he had an injury on his leg, Li Jing had not been on a horse or worn any battle armor.

The suggestion made him excited and he immediately asked someone to get his armor.

Li Yuanying added: “Get the ones you wore when you were young!”

“Why?”

“Since we want to show the demeanor of a hero, it is natural to show you at your best.”

Seeing that Li Jing agreed to fetch the armor he wore in his youth, Yuanying asked enthusiastically about what was the most proud battle he fought, what kind of weapons and horses they were riding and whether there were any birds to help send messages.

These things were usually taken care off by Hong fu. Hearing that they wanted an amour she was surprised. After careful questioning, she learned about Li Yuanying’s plan. Although she thinks such a portrait might not be allowed into Lingyan Pavilion, it was rare for Li Jing to be so excited. She personally delivered the armor in hopes of seeing Li Jing’s in his battle suit.

When Li Jing saw Hong Fu coming in person, he smiled happily and ordered someone to help him put them on. He also asked Hong Fu to get his cloak. He is no longer young and had been quite sick in the past few years and riding horses seemed like a lifetime ago. He was not afraid of others laughing at him so he asked someone to help him get on the horse and he sat on it recalling to Li Yuanying: “My horse back then was not this. It was red, energetic and its mane and tail swung  high when it ran. I also have a hunting falcon, have you ever seen one?”

“Yes! They are super fierce.”

Li Jing laughed: “Isn’t it? Mine even pecked a Turks’ eyes. The Turks themselves also raise falcons but there are not as good as mine!”  

Li Jing got excited and called to the soldiers guarding: ” Go get my pike!”

The soldiers followed order and quickly brought a gold-painted pike. Li Jing stretched out his hand to take it, feeling that it was a little heavy but still raised it and said to Li Yuanying: “Back then, I could easily wipe out a group of enemies with this. Let me go out  and I can fight one against a hundred!”

Yuanying was fascinated and praised: “When you become a General, you can fight one against ten thousand! No, it should be one against one hundred thousand!”

“It’s not that exaggerated. You still have to have good soldiers. I can’t be a bare general.”

One elderly and one young were excitedly talking about the battlefield. Yuanying asked more with bright eyes while Li Jing recalled the past with a bright face.

Hong Fu stood aside and listened to their conversation with great interest, her eyes became moist suddenly.

How long has it been? Since the Battle of Tuyuhun on the 10th year of Zhenguan, her husband had not rode a horse nor has he been so high-spirited. Every day he is either writing a book behind closed doors or playing with the birds and animals raised in the house, never showing such an expression. They have been together for a long time and she knew that Li Jing was happiest  on the battlefield. He was born for fighting!

Li Yuanying and Li Jing chatted happily but he didn’t draw anything.

 “I have a picture in mind. I will paint it when I go back. Once the painting is done, someone will send it to you for a look. If you think it’s good, send it to the palace.”

Li Jing agreed to the proposal.

After sending Li Yuanying away, Li Jing noticed Hong Fu’s red eyes. Li Jing held Hong Fu’s hand and asked with concern: “What’s wrong?”

“It’s been a long time since I saw you on a horse.”

“If you like it, I will get on my horse and show it to you every day.”

Hong Fu threw herself into Li Jing’s arms and the couple hugged each other tightly, as if they had returned to the days when they were young and frivolous.

They can grow old in peace and watch their children and grandchildren grow up. They had to give up some stuff but such a life is already very good.

Since he had already said his goodbyes to mother, Yuanying did not return to the palace. Instead, he went towards the Academy with the pen, ink, paper and inkstone prepared by His Majesty. He visited his teachers and asked for space as he was ordered to draw portraits of the heroes. The teachers were surprised, they have heard about the Emperor’s plan but his Majesty sent Yan Liben to paint and Chu Suiliang to write the inscription. They did not hear anything about Li Yuanying’s involvement.

So the boy explained that Yan Liben was traumatized by the leopard and also described what the leopard looked like and how it felt. Now, everyone knows that Li Yuanying went to Li Jing’s house to play with the little leopard!

Although they all felt that it was a bit ridiculous for the Emperor to appoint Li Yuanying to draw pictures of heroes, they were still curious about his skills so they gave him a quiet room to paint in his free time.

Yuanying carried his supplies to the quiet room and put them away. He didn’t make any progress for several days except making time during morning classes to sit and look at horses. What do their eyes looked like and their fur when the wind blew. In what direction will it  fly? See how the hooves rise and fall when they run.

After sometime, the boy had a vivid picture of horses in his mind. The horse’s body is fiery red, its eyes were black and bright and it looked very energetic! Then immediately there was another person, and that person’s face gradually became young and handsome. He looked in his prime and heroic like a rare hero.

Finally, a ferocious falcon roared down from the sky and landed on the shoulders of the unparalleled hero.

The whole picture is complete.

Li Yuanying spent several days thinking deep without eating or sleeping and finally started painting. He took a whole day and locked himself in a quiet room. Just when Wei Shu and others were worried that he would be hungry and hurt his body, he came out. Seeing them outside the door, Li Yuanying excitedly pulled them inside to see his masterpiece: “Look, I’m done with the painting!”

Wei Shu followed Li Yuanying and saw a long scroll. The person in the painting was painted using Yan Liben’s usual method; the skills might not be on par but the portrait was more lively.

That’s right, just by looking at it, Li Jing in the painting seems to be walking in front of you. Maybe the face and figure is not exactly like him but you can tell at a glance that it is Li Jing. He is an amazing general – After seeing the painting for a while you might even develop a passion to fight with him on the battlefield!

Wei Shu praised: “Great painting.”

Wu Mei continued: “Yes, the painting is very good.” She has seen Li Jing from a distance. Back then Li Jing was already suffering from leg injury. Every time he entered the palace, he had to lean on a staff. His figure is no longer like how he looked in his youth, all brave and heroic. After seeing Li Yuanying’s painting, she understood why Li Jing’s wife desperately wanted to marry him. Who wouldn’t feel admiration for such a heroic figure?

The commotion attracted a few teachers like Dr. Ma. Hearing that the painting is ready, they were all curious about how the completed piece look. Professor Shen who had met Li Jing when he was younger praised it: “It’s identical! It looks just like Duke Wei back in the days.”

Everyone thought the painting by Li Yuanying looks like it was alive.

He was happy to receive praises over his skills. He requested that the painting be sent to Li Jing for his review.

When he was concentrating on his work Yuanying didn’t feel hunger. Now that he is done his tummy is making weird hungry noises. The good thing is that the cafeteria is operated by the restaurant he owns. Even if it’s way past meal time, there will always be abundance of food waiting for the owner. After completing serious work, Yuanying had a huge appetite.

After he is done, Tang Xuan voiced out: “How can you not eat and drink, we were all worried.”

“When I’m working on my painting I need to do it in one seating. If I stop, I might lose the inspiration.” He spent days on the drawing but didn’t feel any tiredness but instead learned from the experience and felt that his art skills had improved.

He happily told Wei Shu: “I think I can grasp painting humans now, just that it’s tiring to do so. I won’t do this for others but when we get married let me paint you in your wedding gown?”

Wei Shu felt that all attention is now directed at her, her ears flushed red but she happily agreed: “Okay.”

Yuanying sent Wei Shu back to her dorm and then fell into deep sleep to replace his stamina used for painting Li Jing.

The boy slept happily with a full stomach but the Li Jing family stayed up the whole night. The couple hung the painting up and admired it. The horse looks exactly like Li Jing’s old horse; energetic and bold, the pike was raised high as if it could break through wind; even the falcon seems like it was alive.

Is Li Jing satisfied with the painting? How can he not be, he never imagined that the boy can paint such an accurate representation of him in his youth. You must know that the boy weren’t even born yet when he was in battle and serving the country.

“Can we ask someone else to draw a new portrait and sent that to the Pavilion? Let’s keep this for our future generations so that they know how brave and heroic their ancestors were.” (Hong Fu)

Li Jing stared at the painting for a long time before replying: “Of course not, we need to send this to the Pavilion. If our descendants want to view it, let them make the trip to the Pavilion.”

Hearing this, Hong Fu’s eyes lit up to: “Yes, let them make the trip.”

The sent the painting back to the palace the next morning and Li Jing went along in person to expressed his satisfaction about Li Yuanying’s work.

The Emperor heard all about his younger brother’s antics of playing with a leopard and shaving yaks. He initially thought that the brat only took painting as an excuse to visit and play at Li Jing’s house. He was quite surprised to hear that Li Jing is here to praise Yuanying on his job well done.

After confirming again and again the Li Jing is happy with the work, the Emperor went to the Pavilion to have a look for himself. Coincidentally Zhangsun Wuji and Wei Zheng was also visiting and so after sending Li Jing off, the Emperor invited them to view the portraits together.

Quickly, everyone saw Li Yuanying’s masterpiece.

Skills wise indeed the boy was not as good as Yan Liben but all of it look like it is in harmony and painted in the same style. The biggest problem is that Li Yuanying painted Li Jing to be too heroic and alive. Putting both works together, Li Jing’s portrait stands out too much making the others dull in comparison!

Why does it look like…. a general and a group of ordinary men.

Fang Xueling: …….

Zhangsun Wuji: ……

His Majesty: ………

All 3 were rendered speechless.

Notes from the author:

His Majesty Li Er: Look at what “good work” you have done!!!

Little Prince: What nonsense, I followed after Yan Liben’s style.