The difference between copying the Cold Food Rhapsody from a facsimile and copying it from the original manuscript, I presume everyone understands. Given that Liu Yong himself was a master calligrapher, he would have been even better equipped to capture the essence and spirit of the true work.

This, in turn, should give everyone some idea of the value of this imitation. Of course, there is a prerequisite: this imitation must genuinely be the work of Liu Yong, and not a fake made by someone else imitating Liu Yong.

The statement is somewhat convoluted, but it is a regrettably common reality in antique collecting. When the whereabouts of the genuine article are known, everyone understands it will never surface on the market. Therefore, those driven by avarice inevitably set their sights on the imitations.

After all, when the original is unavailable, even a master's imitation commands a considerable price. Consequently, incredibly lifelike fakes spring up like mushrooms after a spring rain—truly endless and commonplace occurrences...

Considering this situation, Wang Guan and Elder Tian naturally needed to be cautious and scrutinize the authenticity with care.

“Wang Guan, what do you think?” Elder Tian inquired, though he did not ease his vigilance. His eyes meticulously examined the scroll, and he even began to touch the paper and mounting materials, leaving no detail unchecked.

“It looks promising,” Wang Guan replied, also observing closely, a slight smile appearing on his face. “The paper’s color transitions from yellow to white naturally; it doesn't look artificially aged.”

“Mhm, the paper itself is correct,” Elder Tian nodded slightly in agreement, then, to the mixed emotions of surprise and joy on Shopkeeper Tan’s face, he mused, “But there is also the possibility of ‘old paper, new writing.’”

The so-called ‘old paper, new writing’ refers to using genuine antique paper remaining from that period, then forging a calligraphy piece upon it. Once the ink is dry, if hung for a period, it perfectly mimics ancient paintings and calligraphy.

Since the paper is truly ancient, if one only examines the paper quality, they certainly won't detect any signs of artificial aging. This alone reveals the depths of ingenuity employed by forgers, who devise every possible means to achieve the goal of deceiving the eye with falsehood.

Elder Xing and the others, hearing this, couldn't help but sigh. They knew the world of antique collecting was deep, but they had no concept of how deep. Now, hearing Wang Guan and Elder Tian converse, they realized it was unfathomable, deep enough to drown many an unwary soul.

At the same time, Shopkeeper Tan quickly tried to argue, “Elder Tian, the paper might be old, but the newly written characters cannot possibly possess the same subdued luster as the ancient ones, can they?”

This argument held water. After all, even if the same ink is used on the same type of paper, the appearance will change over time.

If it was good ink, the strokes would remain clear, but after several hundred years, the initial glossy, lacquer-like sheen would certainly be diminished. If it was inferior ink, that would be even less of a question; perhaps after centuries, the ink color would have faded significantly.

Regardless, the ink markings of the characters are also one of the criteria for researching the authenticity of calligraphy and painting.

Elder Tian surely understood this, but he ignored Shopkeeper Tan’s defense and instead focused on analyzing the style of the calligraphy: “Su Dongpo’s calligraphy is not conventionally beautiful at first glance; the brushwork is very natural, somewhat casual, which is why those who dislike it criticize it as ‘a toad under a rock.’ Furthermore, the Cold Food Rhapsody was originally a draft poem, so it certainly won't be as neat and formal as a finalized piece.”

“But it is precisely because of this that the Cold Food Rhapsody appears simple and genuine, without any forced affectation. Thus, the beauty is something you can only appreciate after gazing upon it for a long time—that true, good beauty which neither boasts, nor shows off, nor acts affectedly.”

Elder Tian commented slowly, “Let’s talk about Liu Yong’s calligraphy next. His characters are described as full-bodied yet strong-boned, rich in flavor and deeply concealed, containing inner fortitude. He particularly favored heavy ink, writing in a rather round and full manner, without connecting strokes, leaving wide open spaces. Those who disliked his work claimed his writing looked like ‘ink pigs,’ which is ironically similar to the criticism leveled at Su Dongpo.”

“So, for Liu Yong to imitate Su Dongpo’s calligraphy would present absolutely no difficulty.”

As he spoke, Elder Tian chuckled, “Moreover, there is Huang Shangu’s colophon. Its style is completely different from Su Dongpo’s calligraphy, yet they complement each other perfectly, two great calligraphers displayed side-by-side, known as twin jewels. Many describe Huang Shangu’s script as if opening a general’s treasury—long spears, broad halberds, swords drawn and bows bent, giving a feeling of overt sharpness.”

“Therefore, Liu Yong could not replicate this kind of writing; even if he forced himself to imitate it, he couldn't capture that spirit.”

Just then, Elder Tian gestured, “If you had seen the original Cold Food Rhapsody, you would notice that the two poems in this scroll possess a certain spirit of the original work, but the colophon by Huang Shangu becomes increasingly awkward the more you look at it—it feels incongruous.”

“So, what does that mean?” Elder Xing’s eyes lit up, having caught the underlying meaning.

“It means…” Elder Tian smiled and looked toward the box beside him, “It’s time to look at the Dongpo Heavenly Inkstone.”

At this point, those who needed to understand, understood. While Elder Xing was happily chatting with Shopkeeper Tan, Elder Tian casually remarked, “Oh yes, among Liu Yong’s many surviving calligraphies, there are quite a few pieces done by proxies. Especially since Liu Yong had three concubines who could all produce work so convincing it was mistaken for his own; one must be exceedingly cautious.”

“Hm?”

In an instant, the smile froze on Shopkeeper Tan’s face. He certainly wanted to offer a defense, but Elder Tian showed no inclination to listen, directly signaling Wang Guan to open the box and see what this supposed Su Dongpo Heavenly Inkstone looked like.

“What a large inkstone.”

At this, Wang Guan casually opened the box. Inside, there lay a stone inkstone. It was oval, both its length and width exceeding twenty centimeters. Wang Guan carefully lifted the inkstone to examine it. The front surface showed the ink pool, the trough, and many mottled marks. On the back of the inkstone, inscriptions were clearly visible.

“Elder Tian, take a look.”

After examining it for a moment, Wang Guan frowned slightly and set the inkstone down, letting Elder Tian examine it.

“What is your assessment?” Elder Tian asked casually, also beginning a thorough and meticulous inspection.

“Regarding this Heavenly Inkstone, Su Dongpo himself wrote a piece called the Inscription on the Heavenly Stone Inkstone, explaining the origin of the inkstone very clearly,” Wang Guan mused. “He said that when he was twelve, he found a strange stone in his backyard, shaped like a fish, warm and smooth to the touch, with a light jade-green color. Both the surface and interior were covered in fine silver specks, and when struck, it rang clearly.”

“This means the stone’s color should resemble fish scales, possessing a shimmering, light jade-green hue. The stone quality should be fine and smooth, slightly revealing subtle veins, and striking it should produce a pleasant sound.”

At this juncture, Wang Guan blinked, “But these characteristics, it seems, do not quite match the stone inkstone before us.”

The others looked and nodded in agreement; indeed, they did not match. If one insisted on finding a similarity, it was only that the inscription on the inkstone was the same. As for the silver-flecked, fish-scale pattern and the pale green color, none of it was apparent on this inkstone.

At this, Shopkeeper Tan, who had been haggling with Elder Xing on the side, couldn't help but turn back to refute, “It’s been over nine hundred years. The stone has endured much change and turmoil; some alteration is normal.”

“No matter how much it changes, the fundamental texture of the inkstone itself cannot have changed, can it?” Wang Guan laughed, then reached out and touched the stone surface, immediately shaking his head. “It’s so rough; there’s none of that warm, smooth, delicate feeling.”

“The surface has weathered somewhat…” Shopkeeper Tan countered.

“Then that contradicts itself,” Wang Guan laughed again. “If the surface is weathered, then the inscription should also be somewhat blurred. Why are the characters so sharp?”

“Uh…” Shopkeeper Tan was instantly struck dumb.

“Enough,” Elder Xing said at this moment, taking the opportunity to laugh. “Let’s put the matter of the inkstone aside for now. You need to seriously discuss this matter of the proxy-written Cold Food Rhapsody with me.”

“Elder Xing, this really is not by a proxy,” Shopkeeper Tan said helplessly. He knew that a genuine work by Liu Yong and a piece written by his concubine were entirely different categories, with a significant gap in price.

“Regardless of whether it’s a proxy or not, your asking price is too high,” Elder Xing shook his head. “You know this painting isn't for us personally; it’s for an exhibition, and afterward, it will be housed in the Cultural Center for collection—it's a cultural event.”

“I know, but you must also understand…” Shopkeeper Tan lamented, “My shop is a small operation, and this piece is the prized jewel of the establishment. I spent quite a bit acquiring it…”

“Alright, everyone take one step back,” Elder Xing waved his hand. “Don’t make an outrageous demand.”

“I can’t reduce it any further; if I do, my whole family will be starving,” Shopkeeper Tan refused to yield. He was convinced that Elder Xing and the others could not give up on this item, intending to make a huge profit. As for the Su Zi Cultural Festival, what did it have to do with him? He was just a small merchant; he’d have to be bored out of his mind to worry about a cultural event.

One must stick to their responsibilities; in one’s position, one pursues that duty. Therefore, for him, making money was the number one priority.

With this mindset, Shopkeeper Tan insisted on not compromising, which caused Elder Xing and the others to frown, feeling somewhat dissatisfied, yet helpless. After all, the item belonged to the owner; whether he sold it or how much he charged was his prerogative. They had no right to force him to sell it to them.

The standoff continued until Elder Xing quietly sighed, about to agree.

Just then, Elder Tian suddenly spoke up, “Brother Xing, there’s no rush in this matter. The Cultural Festival isn't until the day after tomorrow; we have plenty of time. Ezhou, ancient Wuchang, has a profound heritage; let’s go browse elsewhere. Perhaps there are even better items.”

“Exactly,” Wang Guan cooperated perfectly, laughing lightly. “Speaking of which, among my collection, I have a rather fine armrest, one that has some connection to Su Dongpo.”

He wasn't lying. Huang Tingjian’s armrest certainly had some connection to Su Dongpo, didn't it? After all, they were teacher and friend, close confidants; if you said they had no connection, you’d have to ask the legions of Su fans scattered across the globe if they agreed.

“What, you still have your armrest?”

Elder Tian heard this and immediately laughed, “Your home isn't far anyway; send someone to bring it over later.”

“No problem.”

Wang Guan readily agreed, “If the Cultural Center needs it, I’ll donate it directly…”

The exchange between the two put Shopkeeper Tan in a bind. He certainly knew they were cornering him, but even knowing it, some things he had to grudgingly accept. This was an open scheme, impossible to circumvent.

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