Su Dongpo’s ode, "Great River Flows East," was indeed a prime subject for creation. Unsurprisingly, the literatus painted on the fan must be the renowned recluse, Su Shi, also known as Dongpo Jushi.

However, Wang Guan also noticed that the ink on the fan painting looked relatively fresh, and the seals used for the inscription were vibrant, suggesting they had been applied only recently, clearly indicating a new work. Glancing at the date inscribed, he saw it was indeed from two days prior. Most importantly, he saw the name of the artist—the surname was Xing…

In that instant, Wang Guan couldn't help but wonder if this fan painting might have originated from the hand of Grandpa Xing Qiu.

The facts proved his speculation sound. Just then, Elder Tian began introductions. Xing Qiu’s grandfather was indeed a famous painter and calligrapher in Ezhou, and the others present were members of the Ezhou Calligraphy and Painting Association, recognized cultural figures in the area.

Wang Guan naturally offered his greetings, and these gentlemen, showing respect for Elder Tian, all responded with polite smiles and nods.

Concurrently, Elder Xing beckoned his grandson over and said with a smile, "Brother Tian, this is my eldest grandson. I ask for your continued guidance in the future."

Elder Tian responded with polite praise, then his eyes caught the scattered pile of copper coins on the floor, sparking his curiosity. "Wang Guan, what is all this? When we came up, you seemed to be looking at something—were these the coins?"

"That’s right," Wang Guan nodded with a smile. "I happened upon a few ancient coins on the 'money tree' and decided to take a look."

"Young people certainly have sharp eyes," Elder Tian praised, then inquired, "Any discoveries? Don't tell me you've found another fifty Xi Wang Shang Gong coins."

Clearly, Elder Tian was aware of Wang Guan possessing those specific coins, which is why he made the jest.

"It’s not that easy," Wang Guan laughed, shaking his head. "There were a few counterfeits of Taiping Tianguo large coins, but the rest were either modern machine-produced commemorative pieces or fakes deliberately fabricated by antique coin dealers…"

"That’s certainly plausible."

Elder Tian smiled, then suddenly extended his hand. "In that case, you must have picked out the genuine articles. Let me see them. Something you took such pains to sort through shouldn't be ordinary currency."

"Fourth Brother!" Wang Guan immediately turned to the middle-aged man.

The middle-aged man reacted quickly, promptly placing the coins in his hand onto the tabletop, respectfully inviting Elder Tian to appraise them. Moreover, it wasn't just Elder Tian; Elder Xing and the others also gathered around with keen interest to examine the coins.

"Yuanfu Tongbao?"

At that moment, Elder Tian glanced over and expressed a degree of surprise. "Yuanfu Tongbao coins are rarely seen on the market. I never expected to find one here."

"Is it very valuable?" Elder Xing asked curiously, picking up the Yuanfu Tongbao and examining it closely.

"It’s not exactly expensive; it’s about the price of the fan painting you did for me," Elder Tian joked, but everyone else immediately understood the implication.

The painters and calligraphers present knew the price of Elder Xing’s fan paintings, and the middle-aged man knew the value of the Yuanfu Tongbao, allowing them to estimate the worth of Elder Xing's artwork. Whether looking at the painting or the Yuanfu Tongbao, everyone felt a slight gasp escape them.

"Oh!"

Just as others were expressing their awe, Elder Tian suddenly picked up another coin to examine. After a moment of contemplation, he turned back to Wang Guan and asked, "Wang Guan, are you certain this coin is genuine?"

Everyone looked over with surprise. The coin clearly bore the inscription Jiaqing Tongbao on the obverse, which seemed unremarkable. However, the coin’s condition was exquisite, with a subtle, faint golden sheen hinting at high-quality brass casting.

"Elder Tian, do you think something is amiss with this coin?" Wang Guan countered.

"See for yourself," Elder Tian chuckled, shifting his hand slightly. The coin flipped over to reveal the reverse side, showing the four characters Wu Shi Tong Tang (Five Generations Under One Roof).

Upon seeing this, anyone with even a slight understanding of ancient coinage immediately suspected it was a modern imitation.

After all, typically, ancient coins would feature inscriptions like Tongbao, Yuanbao, or Zhongbao on the obverse, while the reverse would be blank, feature some decorative patterns, or perhaps the abbreviation of the mint.

But an issue where the obverse has four characters and the reverse also has four characters—surely that didn't exist? As some individuals pondered this, Wang Guan remained composed, smiling brightly. "Elder Tian, you are trifling with me again. I refuse to believe you don't recognize this type of Gong Qian (Palace Coin)."

"Gong Qian?"

"What is Gong Qian?"

Many looked bewildered, not understanding the term.

"Heh heh, alright, enough joking," Elder Tian laughed, gesturing. "Why don't you explain the meaning of Gong Qian to everyone?"

"Gong Qian, sometimes called Hua Qian (Lucky Money or Play Money). You heard correctly; it's Hua Qian written with the characters for 'spend money.' The characters are the same, but the meaning is entirely different."

As he spoke, Wang Guan felt a touch of awkwardness and couldn't help smiling. "The Hua Qian originated in the Han Dynasty. Initially, it was a form of money created by the common people for amusement; it had no circulation value."

"The types of Hua Qian in popular use were vast, including coins struck for opening furnaces (Kai Lu), securing treasure vaults (Zhen Ku), gifting, blessing, appreciation, play, ornamentation, zodiac animals, and so on. Calling them 'spending money' is more accurate to say they functioned like amulets, auspicious tokens, or souvenirs."

Wang Guan continued with a smile, "It’s like the imitation ancient coins we cast today, or coins blessed at a temple and given to children to wear, or even those imitation ancient coins on this money tree—they are all Hua Qian."

"Of course, among the common folk, they were Hua Qian. But in the Palace, they were called Gong Qian. The imperial court also used coins as decoration. One common large coin inscribed with Tian Xia Tai Ping (Peace Under Heaven) served as a drop ornament at the corners of palace draperies. Furthermore, Gong Qian were used for hanging lamps, supporting beams, and other ceremonial acts."

Wang Guan gave a brief explanation, then pointed to the coin in Elder Xing's hand. "As for this Jiaqing Tongbao with Wu Shi Tong Tang, it was used for birthday celebrations. It was likely a Palace Coin specially ordered by Emperor Jiaqing to celebrate the birthday of the Emperor Emeritus, which was the retired Emperor Qianlong."

"Is it worth money?" the middle-aged man asked urgently, as this was his primary concern.

"It is considered relatively valuable," Wang Guan smiled. "After all, this was a special issue, so the output couldn't have been large. Moreover, due to its special purpose, it was cast to be more aesthetically pleasing and is a popular item for collectors."

Hearing this, the middle-aged man grasped the situation. While delighted, he wisely refrained from asking the exact price. After all, this was the information age; he could easily look it up later.

"Your Wu Shi Tong Tang isn't the most precious among the Qing Dynasty birthday Palace Coins," Elder Tian sighed slightly. "The most valuable would be the special longevity coins struck for Emperor Kangxi’s sixtieth birthday. Those birthday celebration Palace Coins have extremely limited surviving examples; they are incredibly rare and represent the pinnacle of Qing Palace Coinage."

"That’s right," Wang Guan agreed. "Speaking of which, Gong Qian only began featuring inscriptions instead of pictorial designs during the Jiaqing period. Designs before that were incredibly varied, with text and patterns in a myriad of styles, each possessing its own unique character—they are known as 'bronze plate paintings'."

"Naturally. Current customs have faded, but in ancient times, Hua Qian threaded through the entire life of a person. They were used for personal adornment, amusement, games, scattering at weddings (Sa Zhang), celebrating a child’s first month (Xi Er), auspicious occasions, divination, burial, and rewards…"

For a time, Elder Tian and Wang Guan engaged enthusiastically in discussing the cultural significance of Hua Qian, leaving the others feeling somewhat awkward, as they could only listen without fully grasping the conversation. Yet, they still felt they had benefited greatly.

Elder Tian, however, noticed he had somewhat overlooked the others and smiled. "I’m getting thirsty. Let's sit down for some tea and chat more leisurely. By the way, Wang Guan, you mentioned bronze plate painting—we have masters of calligraphy and painting here. If you have any questions about brushwork or painting, feel free to ask them."

"Brother Tian, please don't flatter us," Elder Xing quickly waved his hand. "None of us dare claim such a title. If this were ancient times, our level would merely be the green leaves setting off the red flowers. Even if we weren't entirely lost to the river of history, one would likely need to consult local gazetteers just to find mention of us."

To know one's limitations is precious. Even though Elder Xing was approaching seventy, he was not senile. He understood the standard of his own calligraphy and painting and was not prone to losing his sense of self amidst flattery.

"But at least you are above second-rate quality, certainly better than my third-rate skill," Elder Tian chuckled good-naturedly, then beckoned, and they all took seats by the window.

At this moment, the tea house owner was wracked with heartache and regret. If only he had known the money tree held genuine ancient coins, why would he have sold it? Lost in his remorse, he forgot to attend to the guests.

Fortunately, while the owner was spacing out, the waiter was quick-witted enough to step forward and serve them. After a flurry of activity, fragrant tea and snacks were presented. Wang Guan respectfully poured a cup of clear tea for everyone before sitting down himself.

Then, Wang Guan, still curious, continued to inquire, "Elder Tian, are you visiting Ezhou to see friends?"

"More or less," Elder Tian smiled. "But the real purpose is to attend the Su Zi Cultural Festival."

"The Su Zi Cultural Festival?" Wang Guan paused. Su Zi was Su Dongpo; he knew that much. But Ezhou didn't seem to have much connection to Su Dongpo, unless…

A flash of realization struck Wang Guan, and he immediately asked, "Is it being held in Huangzhou?"

Directly across the river from Ezhou was Huangzhou, where Su Dongpo was exiled following the 'Poetic Imprisonment Case,' and where he produced the two famous fu poems, one ci poem, and one calligraphy piece admired by the world. The two fu poems were, of course, the First Excursion to the Red Cliff and the Second Excursion to the Red Cliff. The ci poem was Nian Nu Jiao: Meditations at the Red Cliff. As for the calligraphy, it was the renowned Huangzhou Cold Food Observance Tablet, one of the Ten Great Calligraphic Masterpieces of China.

Thinking it over, Su Dongpo's most celebrated achievements were actually born from the inspiration that erupted when he was at his lowest point, allowing him to express his innermost feelings freely. This showed that for ancient literati, poetry and prose often found their richest material during moments of deepest despair, leading to the conclusion that the history of Chinese culture is, in many ways, the history of the fallen scholar.

"You are correct," Elder Tian affirmed with a smile. "Even though my calligraphy and painting skills are lacking, and I'm not a famous cultural figure, they still valued me enough to personally invite me to my home, so I had to make the trip."

"Brother Tian is being too modest. Your skill in running script is extraordinary; it is truly unique…" Elder Xing smiled, and everyone else nodded in agreement. While mutual praise is common, Elder Tian’s calligraphy was genuinely good, so it wasn't entirely insincere flattery.