15 Lesson (2/2)
Xia shook her head. ”No, there are none. The military posts of the Fan family and Jun family were far apart from each other, which made it difficult to have any interaction.”
”Their location?”
”West of Ming Kingdom.”
”West?” Jun Hua was surprised. If they were in the West, wasn't it near the Lan family?
As if reading what was on her Miss' mind, Xia added, ”They have terrible relations with the Lan family. They often compete on who would win more battles on the border.”
Jun Hua nodded in understanding. This new friend of hers was indeed interesting. Perhaps, tomorrow they would cross paths again.
”Oh right, what is tomorrow's lesson?”
”It's painting Miss.”
Jun Hua hurriedly stood up and headed towards the living room, where Madam Mu was still waiting for her grandfather to finish his writing.
”What is it Hua'er? Have you changed your mind?” Jun Zhenxian raised his head hopefully.
Jun Hua shook her head. ”It's not that. I want to ask Madam Mu about the level of painting skills that a normal fourteen-year old girl has.”
Madam Mu looked at Jun Hua. She nodded her head before asking her servants for her drawing tools to be brought. She picked up a brush, dipped it into painting colors, and started to draw in a white canvas.
”Normally, a fourteen-year old girl cannot draw very well unless they have been trained since they were young. Some nobles can draw a very realistic view, while others can barely pass. You see my drawing; there are still many errors here, which are similar to what a normal fourteen-year old girl do.”
Jun Hua stared at the canvas before nodding. ”Thank you very much Madam Mu.”
”What about you? Try to draw some simple object.”
Madam Mu prepared a new canvas, and Jun Hua thought for a while before she started to draw. Her hands expertly held the brush as it glided on the canvass in graceful strokes. She had chosen to paint one of the views she had once seen while in the battlefield. Soon enough, a realistic painting of misty mountains and valley came into view.
”My, you're quite a talented painter!” Madam Mu exclaimed her astonishment upon seeing Jun Hua's simple painting.
Although Jun Hua's painting was not the best that Madam Mu had seen, it was really good, far better than an ordinary girl of her age could do.
”Thank you Madam Mu.”
”If you paint like this tomorrow, you will likely get into the top. But my guess is you won't.”
Jun Hua smiled but didn't answer. She came to know her talent in painting when she started to draw maps for war strategies. Since then, she would paint from time to time, which greatly enhanced her skills further. Jun Hua stared at her painting and asked Xia to keep it safe. After a while, she bid farewell to Madam Mu and her struggling grandfather and went to rest.