After staying at home for two days, Kang Damao accompanied his parents to enjoy two days of family fun.

On this day, Linglong was called by Kang's mother Zhu to take a walk in the manor together, Kang Damao and his father Fuji were talking in the study, Kang Damao asked with some curiosity: "Father, do you know why my mother cares so much about my little brother?" ”

Kang Damao was a little puzzled, if his mother should have taken him for a walk in the manor before, now his own son is not even as good as a guy who has only met twice, no wonder Erhu is jealous, and now even he is a little jealous.

"Maybe your mother thinks that she has a fate with this little guy and wants to take him as her adopted son." Fu Ji guessed casually that he didn t really care much about these things, and he was very relieved to have Zhu take care of everything in the Kang Mansion except for business, and she also respected this lady very much, and the reason for this was not enough for outsiders.

Kang Damao listened to his father's words and was noncommittal, let's talk about business, he changed the topic and asked, "Father, do you know the preferences of Lord Shi, the governor of Caoyun?" I'd like to prepare a gift for him before the year. ”

"Cao Yun Governor Shi Shilun? Yes, you kid has finally opened his mind, you should go around more with the governor of Caoyun, maybe you can become his protégé in the future, then it can be regarded as a glorious lintel for my Kang family, you mention his preferences, I think of it, and it is really different from others. Rehabilitation Ji pinched his beard and thought about it.

"What's the difference?" Kang Damao asked, and at the same time asking, Kang Damao said in his heart: I have always been enlightened, but you didn't find it before.

"Other dignitaries and nobles like to collect antiques, calligraphy and paintings, purple sand, wood carving, and his taste is very unique, he likes to cultivate and collect potted plants by himself, and I don't know where his hobby begins." Rehabilitation Ji explained that there are very few people who play with potted plants in this era, and this Shi Shilun can be regarded as unique.

"Bonsai? I know, I'll find a way to get him one, by the way, the previous inspector Yan who went to Zhenjiang Mansion to save me should be your friend, I also dealt with him later, and when he moved to a new house, he also wrote me two couplets, which were beautifully written, and I also prepared a gift for him. "Kang Damao is definitely a person who knows how to repay his kindness, even if it costs thousands of taels of silver to get a pair of calligraphy and paintings, he doesn't care.

"Hmm!" Rehabilitation Ji listened to his son's words and just hummed softly, he was quite satisfied with his son's approach, but he was not good at expressing it at all.

After two days of short companionship, Kang Damao took Linglong and Erhu out of Luohe Kangdian, and went to visit Lord Yan in person with calligraphy and painting, and the other party naturally warmly entertained, even Lord Yan's elderly mother was difficult to come out to meet guests, she was very enthusiastic about Kang Damao, the reason is that Kang Damao gave her a Buddha statue that had been opened last time, and it is still placed in front of the Buddha hall.

After the small gathering, Kang Damao said goodbye to the envoy Yan, and then found a privately planted stump bonsai with several relationships, the owner is an old man who has been hidden for many years, some quirks, but he has cultivated several strange stump potted plants, looking at the different shapes of the yard, strange potted plants, even Kang Damao, an outsider who does not know how to do it, was shocked.

After agreeing to one of the old man's conditions, Kang Damao carefully selected and found a potted tree with a peculiar shape, bought it at a high price, and then let people carry it on the boat, without further delay, they went south along the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal all the way south to Yangzhou City.

Outside the Governor's Mansion of Yangzhou Caoyun, Kang Damao asked Erhu to hand over the worship post and some silver, and the guard at the door hurriedly ran in to report, the last time there was a Cao Gang leader Xiang Yunlong to introduce him in, it was naturally easy, and now I am afraid that the other party has long since forgotten who he Kang Damao is, so it is better to be thoughtful.

Looking at the stump potted plant carried by the two guys behind him, Kang Damao also felt that this thing was a little interesting, if he hadn't given Master Shi a gift this time, he really didn't know much about this stump potted plant, and this time it could be regarded as a long experience.

I heard that the old man who has raised potted plants for more than 40 years said that this stump potted plant is made of woody plants, and the rocks, people, birds and beasts are used as foils, and long-term artistic processing and horticultural cultivation are carried out through methods such as pruning, pruning, and shaping.

This high-grade potted plant in front of him is still Kang Damao's soft grinding and hard bubbles, and it took a lot of tongue and a lot of silver to get it, and he must be able to enter Lord Shi's eyes, but he won't give it directly to the other party, it's too superficial.

Soon the guard came out, he led Kang Damao and a few people into the Caoyun Governor's Palace, fortunately Lord Shi received them in the front hall is not the front hall, it is in the garden, and at this moment Lord Shi is leisurely pruning a tree stump potted plant in the garden, watching him sometimes observe the branches at close range and sometimes macro observation from a distance, looking at this fascinated appearance, it can be seen that he is not only fond of this stump potted plant, it is almost to the point where he can't extricate himself.

"Ahem! Cough! Kang Damao stood next to him and coughed deliberately, they had been standing next to him for half a pillar of incense, I really don't know if this Lord Shi deliberately put on the score or really forgot about them.

"Huh? Who are you? Master Shi turned his head to stare at Kang Damao and asked suspiciously.

"Master Shi, Cao Min Kang Damao, I have been here with Xiang Yunlong, the leader of the Cao Gang, and the disaster relief in Zhenjiang Mansion ......" Kang Damao tried to remind.

The last time Zhenjiang Mansion was flooded, Kang Damao went to Luohe Kang's house to transfer grain, he had the grain requisition procedures of the Governor of Caoyun at that time, and later the Governor of Caoyun really kept his word and returned the silver allocated by the imperial court to Kang Damao at the price of that batch of grain at that time, which made Kang Damao a little more convinced of Lord Shi, so he wanted to make friends with this adult.

"Oh! Little Feilong, I remember you, I'm sorry, I was fascinated by pruning this potted plant just now, and I didn't think about it for a while, so please come with me. Master Shi put away the scissors and slapped his head and said, obviously he really thought about it, and his impression of Xiao Feilong was still good.

"Don't worry, Master Shi, I saw you pruning this stump potted plant just now, I was also so intoxicated, I have always heard that you are very accomplished in the stump potted plant, two days ago, I accidentally got a stump potted plant and want you to give a review, see if it is worth buying?" Kang Damao said slowly, it is very inappropriate for a big official like the governor of Caoyun to give gifts directly to the other party, so he played some tricks, and this kind of implicit gift-giving routine is the general trend at the moment.

"Good to say, good to say, did you bring it?" Shi Shilun said seemingly casually, but his tone couldn't hide his expectations.

Kang Damao beckoned to the two people who were waiting far away outside the garden, and the two immediately carried the stump into the garden, and then gently put the potted plant down.

Shi Shilun just glanced at this potted plant and couldn't take his eyes off, he walked around the stump potted plant several times, and his mouth was amazed, this is a rare stump potted plant with a strange shape in the world, whether it is seen from a distance or up close, it is a rare work of art.

In particular, its modeling creativity and overall structure are like a three-dimensional ink painting, which looks far-reaching, which must be the work of a master, Shi Shilun admits that with his current skills, he has not been able to cultivate such a perfect work.

Seeing Lord Shi's expression, Kang Damao suddenly felt the bottom of his heart.

"Where did you buy this stump potted plant? By which master? After looking at it for a long time, Shi Shilun couldn't help but look away, turned his head and asked Kang Damao beside him.

"It's an old man who has been hidden for many years, and I don't know his name, I'm really sorry, I have promised the old man that he won't tell him about his residence, but fortunately I asked for this stump potted plant." Kang Damao explained.

"Alas! It's a pity, I still want to have time to visit this old man that day, it seems that there is no chance, but your stump potted plant is the best in the potted plant, and it has been cultivated for decades to see that this quality is small, and it is not easy! If I'm not mistaken, this old man's technique should be the Lingnan school. Shi Shilun first sighed and said, and then named the characteristics of this potted plant.

Kang Damao came to him with a bonsai to taste, and he couldn't just appreciate it without expressing his opinion! He is still sure of teaching and teaching his juniors at the right time, and he still has this eyesight.

"Lingnan faction? This potted plant technique is also divided into genres, and it is the first time I have heard of it, and I am bothered to explain it to you. Kang Damao bowed slightly and said modestly.

Even if Kang Damao didn't need to say that Shi Shilun would also explain, he cleared his throat and immediately had a waiting soldier hand over a pot of tea, Shi Shilun drank two sips before saying slowly: "This potted plant technique is mainly divided into Lingnan faction, northern Jiangsu faction, southern Jiangsu faction, Jiangsu and Zhejiang faction, among them, each has its own characteristics, the northern Jiangsu faction is tied into a piece, paying attention to the climbing skills of one inch and three bends, with clear layers and rigorous structure. The Lingnan School imitates the painting techniques, emphasizing tailoring, storing branches and cutting off, and emphasizing the overall composition and layout, and the shape is either vigorous and majestic or chic and light, full of mountains and forests, very similar to the miniature of a big tree. The southern Jiangsu school and the Jiangsu-Zhejiang school have the advantages of both Lingnan and northern Jiangsu, but they are not so prominent. ”

Kang Damao was stunned when he heard it, it turned out that there were so many exquisite potting techniques, this was the first time he had heard of it, and he really had a long experience.

Master Shi walked around the stump potted plant twice and then said: "The technique of your bonsai is obviously the style of the Lingnan school, the trunk is vigorous and powerful, the branches and leaves are verdant and luxuriant, and the scene of the giant trees in the wilderness is vividly expressed in this small potted plant. ”