Chapter 134: The Portrait Artist

"Borrowing our eyes!" The members of the Yin family looked at each other in dismay, failing to understand what Lord Mo meant by this remark.

"Could Marquis Mo mean..." Lady Yin hesitated. Could the scion of the Mo family be planning to use some sort of celestial sorcery to allow them to behold the lingering spirit of Yin Kaishan?

Observing the apprehensive expressions of the Yin household, Mo顿 realized they had misunderstood. He couldn't help but laugh softly and hastened to explain, "Lady Yin has misunderstood. My meaning is simply that the Mo residence should find a few individuals who were most familiar with Lord Xunji's appearance. Let them recall his facial features and describe them in the greatest possible detail. Based on your descriptions, I will reconstruct a true likeness of Lord Xunji."

Mo顿 was employing a technique commonly used by sketch artists in later generations. While he might not possess the ability to reconstruct a person's face from a mosaic or an extremely blurry photograph, creating a portrait through the detailed descriptions of those closest to the subject was entirely feasible.

"Oh!" The company finally understood, letting out a collective sigh of relief. They thought to themselves: the scion of the Mo family had constantly been debunking ghosts and deities; how could he possibly resort to the witchcraft-like practices of shamans?

"Kaishan was my son, and no one knew him better than I. I would not misremember a single freckle upon his person. Count me in!" Lady Yin nodded. Naturally, she knew her own son most intimately.

"If Lady Yin is willing to assist, that would be wonderful indeed. However, I must ask you to bring forward a few more people. The more detailed the descriptions, the more accurate my portrait will be," Mo顿 nodded. Furthermore, children inherit a degree of facial genetics from their mothers; having a close blood relative as a template would more than halve the difficulty of drawing the portrait. Even if Lady Yin hadn't volunteered, Mo顿 would have asked her to stay.

"Very well, that is no problem at all. There are many veterans in the Yin household who followed Kaishan, especially Yin Li! Back then, he was Kaishan's personal body-guard. Every time Kaishan went onto the battlefield, Yin Li never left his side, protecting him at every step." Lady Yin pointed to a leading manservant standing nearby.

Tie An could not help casting a glance at Yin Li. Just outside the main gate, the person who had posed the greatest threat to him was this short yet heavily muscled Yin Li.

"The old lady flatters this humble servant. Following the General was my highest honor," Yin Li said respectfully. Given the military merits Yin Li had accumulated, he could easily have served as a military captain within the army. Yet, following the death of Yin Kaishan, Yin Li had chosen to become a servant of the Duke of Xunji's estate, continuing to guard the Yin family.

"A truly loyal and righteous man!" Mo顿 praised.

"I dare not accept such praise!" Yin Li replied.

In the end, Lady Yin selected a few more individuals who had personally attended to Yin Kaishan to assist Mo顿 with the portrait.

Soon, Mo顿 set up his drawing board and signaled Lady Yin that she could begin her description.

"Marquis Mo may not know this, but although our Yin family is now a military lineage, Kaishan's ancestors were all civil officials. When Kaishan was young, he was exceptionally slender and frail. When he first followed the Founding Emperor in raising troops, I was terribly worried, constantly dreading that he would suffer hardships in the military. Yet, upon his return, he had grown tall, dark, and robust." Lady Yin fell into her memories, speaking in a rambling, reminiscent tone.

Mo顿 did not interrupt her chatter; instead, he listened with infinite patience, culling useful information from her scattered words.

"Kaishan's fate was truly bitter. He fought desperately his entire life, yet had no life left to enjoy his achievements, not even leaving behind an heir. When I first laid eyes on Yuan'er, I discovered that his eyes were identical to Kaishan's when he was a boy. That was why we had Yuan'er adopted into the lineage, so as to preserve an incense-burner of descendants for Kaishan."

"Now, that is a piece of useful information!" Mo顿 motioned for Yin Yuan to step closer, and comparing him to Yin Yuan's eyes, he sketched upon the xuan paper.

"Is this correct?" Mo顿 held up the completed sketch of the eyes for everyone to correct.

"The General's eyes and the young lord's eyes are alike, but slightly larger, carrying more murderous intent," Yin Li recalled and added.

Mo顿 immediately took another sheet of xuan paper, enlarged the eyes based on the previous sketch, and added several sharp, fierce lines.

"Yes, yes! That is precisely the look! Regardless of how amiable the General usually was, the moment he flew into a rage, there was no one whose heart did not tremble with fear. Such a gaze is something this humble servant will never forget in this lifetime," another manservant cried out joyfully.

"The General's eyebrows bore the closest resemblance to the old lady's, yet they were slightly different," Yin Li frowned and said.

Comparing them to Lady Yin's brows, Mo顿 swiftly drew over a dozen different styles of eyebrows, finally selecting three similar ones and modifying them one by one.

"The General's nose... his mouth..."

"Kaishan had a round face, with a black mole upon his cheek..."

"Upon the General's forehead, there is a scar an inch long. He sustained that when he risked his life in battle against Wang Shichong."

...

As everyone chimed in with their observations, Mo顿 continuously revised the drawing. Sheet after sheet of xuan paper was replaced, until finally, as night began to fall, a lifelike portrait of Yin Kaishan emerged upon the paper.

"Please look, Lady, and see what else needs modification." He turned the drawing board around for Lady Yin to evaluate.

"Kaishan!"

At the sight of the figure within the portrait, Lady Yin let out a cry of profound grief.

"Ten years! Ten years! Day and night, your mother has longed for you!" Tears streamed down the old lady's face as she tremblingly stroked the portrait with her fingertips, as though the son who had once been her greatest pride were standing right before her eyes.

"General!"

Led by Yin Li, the servants of the Yin family all dropped to their knees.

"Child, why do you not kneel? This is your father!" Trembling, Lady Yin pulled Yin Yuan to the side of the portrait, pointing to the image of Yin Kaishan as she cried out in sorrow.

Staring blankly at the portrait before him, Yin Yuan felt a sudden surge of deep familiarity.

"Father!"

With a thud, Yin Yuan dropped to his knees. All the glory and wealth of his lifetime had been exchanged for the life of the man depicted in this painting.

After the members of the Yin household had paid their respects, they finally remembered that Marquis Mo was still waiting nearby.

"Marquis Mo's skill in painting is truly miraculous and divine. On behalf of the Yin family, I wish to express my deepest gratitude to Marquis Mo for this great kindness and immense virtue," Lady Yin said, bowing formally to Mo顿.

Lady Yin understood that this stroke of artistry by Mo顿 not only saved the Yin family from becoming the laughingstock of Chang'an City, but also secured their place in the Emperor's favor once again—a tremendous boon for the declining household of the Duke of Xunji.

"I dare not accept such praise; this is merely my duty!" Mo顿 hastily stepped aside to avoid the bow.

"Unfilial wretch, why do you not quickly go and offer your apologies to Marquis Mo!" Lady Yin rebuked angrily, glaring at Yin Yuan.

Her face flushing red, Yin Yuan stepped forward, bowed deeply to Mo顿, and said, "Marquis Mo, I listened to slanderous talk and wronged you. I beg the Marquis to forgive my offense."

"My skill in painting has never been displayed before the public, so it is only natural that it led to misunderstandings. In fact, I should thank the Duke of Xunji's estate for giving me the opportunity to clear my name," Mo顿 returned the courtesy.

"You two are of the same generation; you should grow closer in the days to come!" The more Lady Yin looked at Mo顿, the more admiration she felt. Knowing that Mo顿's future prospects were boundless while Yin Yuan appeared somewhat dull-witted, she wished to pave the way for her grandson.

"Assuredly, assuredly!" Mo顿 repeatedly agreed.

"Kaishan!" A desolate cry suddenly rang out from behind them.

Mo顿 started and turned abruptly to see a noblewoman of about thirty years of age, weakly supporting herself against the doorframe, gazing with desolate heartbreak upon the portrait of Yin Kaishan.

"Mother! Why have you come out?" Seeing the noblewoman, Yin Yuan hurried forward to support her.

"Mistress!"

The servants bowed in greeting. Clearly, the noblewoman before them was Yin Kaishan's widow, Lady Yin, and the mother of Yin Yuan.

"Did I not tell you all to take proper care of my mother? How is this how you fulfill your duties!" Yin Yuan glared angrily at the maidservants standing behind Lady Yin. Ever since Yin Kaishan's death, Lady Yin's grief had turned into chronic illness, frequently confining her to bed and requiring dedicated care.

"Mistress heard the news and insisted upon coming to see! This humble maid tried every way to stop her, but could not!" the maidservant said, aggrieved.

Lady Yin paid no heed to Yin Yuan; her gaze remained fixed entirely upon the portrait of Yin Kaishan!

"Kaishan, you have finally returned!" Lady Yin cried out in a desolate wail, and overcome by excessive agitation, she fainted on the spot.

The members of the Yin household had witnessed with their own eyes the scion of the Mo family stroke by stroke bringing forth the likeness of Yin Kaishan, building their expectations step by step so that they were mentally prepared when the portrait was finally revealed.

However, Lady Yin was already frail and consumed by her yearning for Yin Kaishan; encountering the portrait so abruptly, she naturally could not bear the emotional shock.

"Mother!" Yin Yuan cried out in panic.

"Quickly, summon a physician!" Yin Li commanded urgently.

"What physician? Prepare a carriage immediately and send the Mistress to the Mo Hospital!" Lady Yin made the decisive call.

Her trust in the scion of the Mo family was now absolute, extending an extraordinary level of confidence to the Mo Hospital as well.

A carriage was swiftly prepared.

The gates of the Duke of Xunji's estate swung open once more, and a carriage galloped forth, closely tailed by various spies lingering outside the gates all the way to the Mo Hospital.

The news that Lady Yin had fainted and been admitted to the Mo Hospital spread rapidly throughout Chang'an City.

Mo顿's visit to paint a portrait and Lady Yin's subsequent fainting—these two events, embellished by the wild imaginations of onlookers, quickly birthed countless versions of the story that swept like wildfire across Chang'an City.