At that moment, Tang Qinghua was still utterly confused. "What does that mean?"

"It's a nickname," Pi Qiu Shi interjected with a light chuckle by the side, explaining. "Guo Chen went by the moniker Panhu Jushi. Legend has it that during the Jiajing reign, the Jiajing Emperor commanded Guo Chen to rewrite all the plaques in the imperial city's halls and temples. However, when he came to the plaque for the Hall of Supreme Harmony, he omitted a stroke, writing it as the Hall of Great Harmony."

"Just as everyone held their breath in suspense, Guo Chen, unhurriedly, picked up a large writing brush, dipped it thoroughly in the inkstone, and then tossed it casually. The tip of the brush landed precisely below the character, adding a single stroke, neither too far nor too close, transforming the character for 'Great' into the character for 'Supreme.' Seeing this, the Jiajing Emperor spontaneously praised him, calling him Flying Brush Guo Panhu."

As he spoke, Pi Qiu Shi laughed, "Of course, this is just folklore. But during the Jiajing era, Guo Chen's calligraphy was indeed famous throughout the capital. Families of prominent lineage felt it was undignified not to have a piece of Guo Chen's writing, so those seeking his calligraphy were endless. At that time, his paintings and calligraphy were absolutely the most renowned."

"Sounds quite impressive," Tang Qinghua noted pointedly. "But now he seems to have little fame. I suppose only specialists like you who study art history would know of him."

"That's precisely right."

At this juncture, Wang Guan laughed lightly. "During the Jiajing era, there were many famous officials—for instance, Yan Song, Xu Jie, Yu Dayou, Qi Jiguang, and so on. But very few calligraphers and painters were widely known to the common folk. However, I can name two people you've certainly heard of, Qinghua. One shares your surname..."

"Tang Bohu," Tang Qinghua blurted out.

"Exactly. Tang Bohu passed away in the second year of the Jiajing reign, so he barely counts as a figure of that era," Wang Guan smiled faintly. "The other was mainly active during the Jiajing years and, like Tang Bohu, belonged to the 'mad scholar' class. But this man was even more frantic; he seemed to have self-destructive tendencies and even attempted suicide several times..."

"Xu Wei, Xu Wenchang!" Tang Qinghua exhaled slightly, clearly knowing who Wang Guan was referring to.

"Those are the two I meant. In the eyes of many today, when they think of Ming Dynasty people and artifacts, their first association might be these two," Wang Guan remarked with a smile. "Yet, while these two had some renown back then, in the eyes of the established scholar-officials, their fame couldn't compare to Guo Chen's."

"The reasons for that, even if I don't spell them out, you probably have some inkling," Wang Guan said with a touch of melancholy. "Setting aside current dramatizations and adaptations, both of them were essentially products of failure in the imperial examinations. After failing spectacularly in the exams, these two arrogant men became deeply repressed, naturally leading them to commit many acts that society could not easily accept."

"It was also because of this situation that most who sought their paintings and calligraphy were merchants. As for other high-ranking officials, even if they admired their talent, they would outwardly show disdain. It wasn't until after both men passed away, when the worldly prejudices faded, that people could openly express their affection for their works and quickly elevate them to deity status."

At this moment, Wang Guan said lightly, "So, Guo Chen’s mastery in poetry, calligraphy, and painting was relative. When compared strictly within the official system, he was undoubtedly number one. This is because the haughty scholar-officials disdained comparing themselves to those outside the system. In modern terms, it's like 'when the tiger is away, the monkeys reign supreme.' Do you understand with this explanation?"

"I understand, perfectly," Tang Qinghua exclaimed, enlightened. "It’s like an official's calligraphy being worth millions while he’s in power, but it’s not worth a penny after he steps down."

"Roughly that sentiment," Wang Guan chuckled. "But Guo Chen was somewhat different; the acclaim he received back then stemmed from genuine ability, not just deliberate flattery. So, his works still hold considerable value."

"That's true. I wouldn't claim three to five hundred thousand, but someone would certainly buy it if he asked for ten or twenty thousand," Pi Qiu Shi agreed.

"Look at his script: upright and level, like silver hooks and iron lines, deeply grasping the essence of the Ou style," Wang Guan commented, praising it. "That level of calligraphy is forged through arduous practice; there's no fluff in it."

"Mmm, it does look quite pleasing to the eye," Tang Qinghua conceded.

"Alright, forget that scroll. No matter how famous Guo Chen was then, he's not very famous now, so let's move on," Yu Feibai said cheerfully at that moment. "Come look at this painting; this is the real treasure."

"What painting?" Wang Guand and the others quickly gathered around.

At this point, Yu Feibai unrolled the scroll completely, allowing everyone a clear view.

It was a long landscape scroll; the ink strokes were bold and simple, filled with an imposing, magnificent momentum. The mountains undulated, rendered in thick, saturated ink washes, while the ceaseless river was outlined lightly with pale ink, leaving areas of white. The contrast between dark and light created a mutual interest, leaving a lingering charm.

"A fine painting,"

After one glance, Pi Qiu Shi couldn't help but praise, "This level of brush power isn't something just anyone can achieve."

"Of course not! You should see whose painting this is."

Speaking, Yu Feibai slyly covered the area where the signature would be, then grinned. "Why don't you try to guess whose picture this is?"

"Hey, there's no rhyme or reason; how are we supposed to guess?" Wang Guan frowned. "Give us at least a hint."

"You want a hint? Fine, I'll give you one," Yu Feibai chuckled. "This is a Ming Dynasty painting... Hey, don't rush to judge, I'm not finished yet. It’s a Ming painting, the artist was from Jiangnan, and he was a famous master painter..."

Pi Qiu Shi’s eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "Someone from the Wu School of Painting, one of the Four Masters of the Ming Dynasty?"

"You guess!" Yu Feibai felt the hints were sufficient and refused to reveal any more secrets.

"A famous master painter, it must be one of the Four Masters of the Ming," Wang Guan mused, then studied the work carefully.

The most famous school of painting in the Ming Dynasty was undoubtedly the Wu School. The rise of the Wu School had certain historical roots. After all, when the Northern Song Dynasty fell, the Southern Song retreated to a corner of the country. Though militarily weak, a century or so was enough time to thoroughly develop the Jiangnan region.

Even after the fall of the Southern Song, and following the turmoil of the late Yuan wars, the economy of Jiangnan began to revive at the start of the Ming Dynasty and developed rapidly. By the mid-Ming period, the prosperity of Jiangnan reached an unprecedented level, and appreciating paintings became an integral part of life. With this demand, a large number of professional painters naturally emerged.

Though there were many painters, after a comparison, later generations grouped the most powerful representatives together, calling them the Four Masters of the Ming, to create a parallel reference to the Four Masters of the Yuan.

These four were Shen Zhou, Wen Zhengming, Tang Bohu, and Qiu Ying. Their styles differed vastly, but their skill was exquisite, each possessing his own distinct characteristic. Their works circulated widely and are highly valued both then and now.

How highly valued? It might be hard to say for the ancient times, but today, one only needs to check the auction records of major auction houses to see clearly. Any work by these four, confirmed to be genuine and with an orderly provenance, is often appraised for tens of millions, and breaking the hundred-million mark is not uncommon.

"I can't tell whose it is."

At this moment, Pi Qiu Shi analyzed carefully: "The Four Masters of the Ming all made outstanding achievements in landscape painting, bringing new breakthroughs to the landscape painting traditions of the Four Masters of the Yuan or the Southern Song Academy style. However, each focused on different aspects."

"Among the four, Shen Zhou and Wen Zhengming were both skilled in landscapes, inheriting the tradition of Northern Song landscape painting; Tang Bohu excelled in both landscapes and figures, but he followed the Southern Song Academy style as his model; Qiu Ying was renowned for his fine-line figures and blue-green landscapes."

Pi Qiu Shi slowly commented, then confirmed his assessment: "But a style as bold and unrestrained, with firm and deep brushwork like this painting, slightly resembles Shen Zhou's style."

"I think so too," Wang Guan nodded in agreement. "Shen Zhou was known as 'Coarse Shen' (Chu Shen). After his brush technique reached maturity, his works often employed varied and fluid ink methods, favoring thick brushes to depict landscapes, making his style more robust, vigorous, and majestic..."

"You have some discernment,"

At that opportune moment, Yu Feibai chuckled lightly. "Not bad insight."

"So, you're saying this is actually Shen Zhou's painting?"

Wang Guan and Pi Qiu Shi exchanged glances, a hint of genuine surprise coloring their faces.

If this were a work by Wen Zhengming, Tang Bohu, or Qiu Ying, they would certainly be happy, but confirming it as a Shen Zhou piece filled them with distinct surprise. The subtle difference in their feelings naturally had its reasons.

Because the formation of the Wu School is generally attributed to having begun with Shen Zhou and achieved maturity with Wen Zhengming, Tang Bohu, and Qiu Ying. In essence, Shen Zhou belonged to the level of the founding master. Even though Tang Bohu was the most famous of the four—known to everyone—in terms of artistic stature, he was still somewhat inferior to Shen Zhou.

Furthermore, it is common knowledge that Tang Bohu once studied painting under Shen Zhou; he was truly a junior in the field. Moreover, Shen Zhou was born in the second year of the Xuande reign of the Ming Dynasty and passed away in the fourth year of the Zhengde reign, living to the age of eighty-three—a veritable evergreen master of the art world. He never participated in the imperial examinations, dedicating his entire life to the study of poetry, prose, calligraphy, and painting, thus achieving immense success in these areas.

In any case, Shen Zhou's works are generally held in major museums today. Occasionally, his works appear on the overseas art market, and their appearance invariably causes a sensation, leading to fierce competition among buyers. In 2010, a major Beijing auction house offered Shen Zhou’s High Scholar Beneath Pine Trees, which finally hammered down for over 150 million.

From this, one can understand the preciousness of Shen Zhou's works, and it’s no wonder Yu Feibai claimed it was a true treasure right from the start.

"However, Shen Zhou’s calligraphy and painting circulated widely. He was already a very famous master painter in his time, so his works were often imitated, leading to a mixture of genuine and fake pieces that are difficult to distinguish,"

Amidst their excitement, Pi Qiu Shi also frowned. "I wonder if this painting is authentic."

"That is true."

Wang Guan nodded, pondering. "I recall historical records mentioning that Shen Zhou had extensive social connections and was highly respected. He was always approachable; even when ordinary people or manual laborers sought his paintings, he never refused. He even happily obliged when someone presented him with a fake piece and asked him to add an inscription. That’s why Wen Zhengming called him an immortal dwelling beyond the mundane world..."