The Zhen Cao Thousand Character Classic is the enduring masterpiece of Monk Zhi Yong, and a renowned historical treasure in our nation's calligraphy history. Legend has it that to propagate Buddhist teachings, Monk Zhi Yong once wrote over eight hundred copies of the Thousand Character Classic and scattered them across the land, with each Jiangdong temple receiving one.

Unfortunately, due to the passage of time and improper preservation, most of the cursive Thousand Character Classic scrolls have been lost. By the time of the Northern Song Dynasty, the imperial collection only managed to gather the remaining seven or eight volumes.

Perhaps finding the originals difficult to safeguard, Emperor Huizong, the emperor most fond of literary and artistic pursuits, simply took up the brush and penned a version himself. This version of the cursive Thousand Character Classic subsequently became one of the Ten Great Masterpieces passed down through Chinese history.

Of course, besides the cursive Thousand Character Classics by those two rather famous figures, there were many other works by celebrated masters. We need not mention the distant ones; more recently, there is the Zhen Cao Thousand Character Classic created by Mr. Qi Gong over seven days in the mid-seventies.

There are also countless other versions of the cursive Thousand Character Classic that need no further mention. In any case, the fact that Elder Tao cherishes and collects this particular piece so highly suggests it is certainly no ordinary anonymous work, but most likely hails from the hand of a renowned master.

At this moment, Wang Guan examined the work closely. He observed that the script on the scroll possessed an elegant and unique subtlety. It was unlike certain cursive works that seemed intent on drenching the paper in ink, as if this aggressive application was necessary to highlight the wild, unrestrained spirit of the cursive style.

Regardless, the impression this cursive scroll gave was one of genuine cursive—the strokes were fluid—but the characters themselves were unrestrained, refined, simple, and unpretentious, possessing a singular aesthetic charm full of a fresh, delicate air.

At first glance, Wang Guan didn't even notice the signature or seals; he immediately declared, halfway through his appraisal, "Yu Youren Standard Cursive."

Standard Cursive by Yu Youren? Did that sound a little ridiculous?

Yet, it was fact. In truth, from the very inception of cursive script, there was practically no standard to speak of. Everyone wrote as they pleased: wild, frantic, or even messy—ambiguity was irrelevant. As long as the characters written conformed to the aesthetic sensibilities of the time, it was considered a fine piece.

However, during the Republican era, the great calligrapher Mr. Yu Youren felt that Chinese characters were too difficult to recognize and too cumbersome to write. In the interest of facilitating production, fulfilling cultural functions, and saving the time of the entire populace, capitalizing on the advantages of the nation's heritage, he synthesized the best elements of cursive styles from a hundred schools and established the Standard Cursive Script.

Through years of dedicated study, Mr. Yu Youren absorbed the strengths of calligraphy masters from successive dynasties, organizing and formulating a system that was orderly, easy to recognize, easy to write, accurate, and beautiful. This resulted in the creation of the Standard Cursive Script.

Upon its completion, it immediately caused a sensation, becoming the favorite introductory text for those beginning to learn cursive script—the optimal pathway for mastering the style. It also marked a new zenith in the history of cursive script development, and indeed, a new milestone in the history of Chinese calligraphy art. This was the very reason Mr. Yu Youren earned the honorable title of Contemporary Sage of Cursive.

Since the characters in the Standard Cursive Script were relatively formalized, Wang Guan naturally found it easy to identify.

Of course, even though it was Standard Cursive, determining the author still required careful authentication. After all, Mr. Yu Youren began studying the cursive scripts of successive generations in 1929, founded the Cursive Monthly in 1932, and the Standard Cursive Script itself had been established for over half a century by now. In that span of time, it was not strange for someone to create calligraphic works following the standard established by the Standard Cursive Script.

Simultaneously, Elder Tao asked with a smile, "Young man, what do you think of this piece?"

"Excellent!"

Wang Guan offered his affirmation first. A piece of calligraphy, much like a painting, required one to observe not only the detail of each character but also the overall composition. Only when the spacing and density of the characters across the entire work were harmonious, and the ink application demonstrated natural transitions in richness and dilution, could it evoke a sense of beauty and truly be called a masterpiece.

Clearly, the scroll before them had met this standard. Next, one had to examine the signature and the seals. If it was a work by a famous person, the price would naturally be very high; if the author's reputation was minor, the price would naturally be much lower.

There was no helping it; this was the market reality. In essence, the work of a famous person was merely a brand name. Buyers were purchasing that brand, believing it guaranteed quality and potential appreciation, causing the price to continually climb.

Getting ahead of myself, back to the matter at hand. At this point, Wang Guan finally looked toward the signature located in the lower left corner. He saw the characters You Ren signed there, accompanied by a single seal carved in white relief on red clay.

"Just as expected…"

Seeing this, Wang Guan was not surprised. After all, this was the initial notion he held when he first encountered it. If it weren't a genuine work by a master, Elder Tao likely wouldn't have valued and cherished it so highly.

"What is your assessment?" Elder Tao continued to inquire. "Some suggest it is a copy, because there are subtle variations in these characters compared to the established Standard Cursive Script."

"This is the genuine work of Xian Weng," Wang Guan stated confidently. The most distinctive characteristic of Mr. Yu Youren was his long beard, which earned him the sobriquet Xian Weng (The Bearded Elder).

"Of course, some variation is entirely normal,"

Wang Guan explained with a smile. "After all, Mr. Yu Youren spent years synthesizing the structural principles of ancient and modern cursive scripts, exploring and practicing little by little until he created the Standard Cursive Script. That was a process of constant accumulation and modification, involving several revisions before it was finalized into the Standard Cursive Script we see today. This piece of calligraphy is clearly a work from somewhere within that developmental process."

"Haha, that's perfectly said," Elder Tao agreed wholeheartedly. Wang Guan smiled faintly, then mused, "Furthermore, I believe this Thousand Character Classic scroll is likely a piece from Elder You's practice session."

"How so?" Elder Tao's eyes lit up.

"Mr. Yu Youren's calligraphy is magnificent yet graceful, mellow, and uniquely clear. Especially in his later years, his cursive script achieved a state of otherworldly mastery—every stroke was perilously original, with absolutely no repetition." Wang Guan began to appraise slowly. "Under his brush, he fused Zhang Cao, Jin Cao, and Kuang Cao into one furnace, sometimes presenting a stable, elongated form, and at other times adopting an almost dangerous, precarious posture, giving the impression of boundless elegance."

"However, this scroll clearly isn't a meticulously crafted piece from his later years, because some characters are too disciplined."

Wang Guan remarked with a smile. "Sometimes life is wonderfully peculiar. Logically, disciplined characters should indicate meticulous creation. But the reality is precisely the opposite: for cursive script, a high degree of spontaneity aligns with its aesthetic standard. Therefore, the more rigid the characters, the more it suggests a lack of focused creative effort."

"Furthermore, everyone should know that Elder You studied Zhao Mengfu early on, later shifting to North Stele styles, deeply researching the Six Dynasties steles. Building upon this foundation, he incorporated the styles of Seal, Clerical, and Cursive scripts into his running script, forging his own unique path. It wasn't until middle age that he began a major transformation, focusing exclusively on cursive, incorporating the brushwork essence of Wei Stele, and finally establishing his own mature style," Wang Guan elaborated. "In other words, before achieving mastery in cursive, Elder You wrote in a rather formal running script."

"But the presence of running script traces within the characters of this cursive work is enough to indicate that this piece was merely a casual practice exercise for Elder You. Perhaps after writing it, some friend saw it and insisted on taking it, prompting Elder You to casually add the signature and seal, resulting in this scroll."

Wang Guan made this bold conjecture, deep in thought.

"The younger generation is truly formidable," Elder Tao couldn't help but exclaim softly. "It's fortunate you weren't here when this scroll was first discovered; otherwise, I surely wouldn't have won it from you."

"Elder Tao flatters me," Wang Guan replied modestly, waving his hand. "Mine is purely hindsight analysis—a reverse deduction after confirming the authenticity of the piece."

"It's not that simple," Elder Tao shook his head. "Few people truly understand cursive script, let alone be able to discern traces of running script within it. Xiao Yu studied calligraphy and painting with me for several years, ask her to appraise this now; she probably wouldn't be able to make sense of it."

"Teacher, you don't have to be so discouraging,"

At the same time, Qiao Yu complained, then pouted. "I'm not that bad. At least I know the difference between Zhang Cao, Jin Cao, Kuang Cao, and Standard Cursive Script. I must be better than certain people, right?"

When mentioning "certain people," Qiao Yu glanced pointedly, if unintentionally, at Han Lang, making it clear to everyone whom she was referring to.

If Han Lang were the protagonist of this book, he would surely have experienced a sudden surge of cosmic energy at this moment, performing feats astonishing to everyone present. But, unfortunately, he wasn't the protagonist, so he felt thoroughly stifled, wishing he could shout loudly to vent the frustration boiling inside him.

Han Lang certainly had grounds for resentment. If the conversation had been about finance, stocks, EVs, or even real estate, he could have lectured non-stop for three to five hours. But here they were discussing calligraphy and painting—clearly, they were deliberately picking on him.

It was a case of specialized expertise. They were discussing matters he knew nothing about; what choice did he have but to remain silent?

Of course, to maintain a semblance of decorum, despite the immense frustration, Han Lang absolutely refused to show it. A warm smile even graced his face, as if he hadn't noticed Qiao Yu's subtle jab.

Suddenly, Han Lang's mobile phone rang. He took it out, signaled to the others, stood up, and walked a few steps away to answer. After a brief conversation, he hung up, offering an apologetic smile. "My apologies, something urgent just came up…"

Before he could finish speaking, Qiao Yu decisively cut in. "Fine, you go ahead. No need to see you out."

"Then I shall take my leave," Han Lang managed an awkward smile and quickly departed. The moment he closed the door to the suite behind him, a sense of defeat inevitably washed over him. It wasn't that he hadn't tried; it was that they simply hadn't given him a chance. What could he do?

However, no one knew of Han Lang's dejected mood. The instant he left, Qiao Yu bounced up, cheering gleefully. "Wonderful! That annoying fellow is finally gone."

"Don't celebrate too soon. He might just have an errand to run, or perhaps he found an excuse to leave the room, but not to leave Jinyang," Bei Ye kindly cautioned. "He might even be on his way back to your place right now."

"My attitude was perfectly clear. If he has any shred of self-respect, he should know when to retreat," Qiao Yu huffed. "If he doesn't leave even after that, I'll look upon him with even greater disdain."

"Xiao Qiao,"

At this moment, Elder Tao spoke a word of fairness. "This young man actually seems quite decent. At least he has the patience to endure things. Why not give him a chance?"

"I detest it when others arrange things for me; I prefer to choose my own path. He just happened to run into my bad mood. No matter how outstanding he is, I don't like him…" Qiao Yu stated, a purely straightforward reason that reflected her personality. (To be continued)