At this moment, Old Man Qian smiled faintly, "To be honest, I used a bit of trickery. I first noticed the discrepancy in the seal before examining the painting with a scrutinizing eye. This way, it was much easier to spot the weaknesses."

"What weaknesses?" Yu Feibai hurriedly pressed, and Wang Guan and the others also listened intently.

"Setting the seal aside for a moment, if we focus solely on the painting itself—it’s a long landscape scroll, featuring mountains and water, rendered with bold brushwork that gives it a commanding presence."

Old Man Qian offered a brief compliment before pivoting sharply, "However, this piece distinctly lacks the signature characteristics of Shen Zhou's late-period brushwork; one might say it’s missing the atmosphere of his Jiangnan landscapes."

"Atmosphere of Jiangnan landscapes?" Yu Feibai looked astonished. "What kind of atmosphere is that? Scenes of small bridges, flowing water, and quaint homes?" ... "Not quite that."

Old Man Qian shook his head and elaborated carefully, "Shen Zhou’s landscape painting primarily drew from Wang Meng and Huang Gongwang among the Yuan Four Masters, while also absorbing certain stylistic traits from the Zhe School. This resulted in a brush style that was both strong and gentle, often revealing sharp brush tips during the execution of strokes. The most crucial feature, though, was his cun technique. He habitually employed Wang Meng’s 'Ox Hair Texture Stroke' (Niú máo cūn fǎ)—dry brushwork repeatedly layered to create a somewhat fuzzy, textured effect."

"The main reason Shen Zhou favored this technique is that the mountains in the Jiangnan region are often covered in dense vegetation, which from a distance, lends that characteristic fuzzy look—that’s the atmosphere of Jiangnan landscapes in his brush."

Old Man Qian explained, then chuckled, "Furthermore, by his later years, his technical mastery was complete. Even though using very stiff, blunt brushes emphasized calligraphic expression over the precise reproduction of natural stone, his depiction of trees shifted to thick branches and large leaves, neglecting minute details in favor of overall momentum."

"Viewed broadly, the overall style of this work does indeed capture the essence of Shen Zhou's late landscapes. However, the forger missed one point. Shen Zhou greatly emphasized momentum, but that didn't mean he neglected detail."

At this point, Old Man Qian gestured, "Look here: the moss on the rocks is dirty, greasy, and carries a faint dark aura—this is not in line with Shen Zhou’s style."

"Why not?" Yu Feibai was baffled; without a point of comparison, he couldn't discern what was wrong.

"Shen Zhou placed immense importance on applying moss dots when painting landscapes. His studio was piled high with paintings that lacked these final touches. When asked why he didn't finish them, he always replied that he needed to wait until his spirit was in the right state to apply the dots," Old Man Qian smiled. "This speaks volumes about how seriously he took his work, and highlights his dedication and conscientiousness."

"Take this piece, for example. The foreground and middle ground lack moss dots, but the main peak has many added. Yet, the force behind these ink dots is insufficient; they lack the aged, coarse texture found in Shen Zhou’s ink work, and their arrangement is overly fragmented." After enumerating several faults, Old Man Qian added casually, "When we get back, I’ll borrow an authentic Shen Zhou landscape for you to compare directly with this forgery; then you’ll truly see the difference."

"That would be best," Yu Feibai nodded eagerly.

"Right, we’ll discuss that later. As for the whole painting, aside from the issues I mentioned, the outlining of the stones is completely devoid of gǔfǎ (bone method). Whether large or small, the stones are drawn limply, lacking any sense of angularity. Moreover, the composition pairing stones and clusters of trees is too dense, creating a chaotic structure without a sense of rhythmic contrast between openness and closeness..." Old Man Qian pointed and narrated for a while before concluding with apparent dissatisfaction, "Besides all that, there are no other problems."

Those flaws alone were more than enough to expose it.

For a moment, everyone was deeply impressed. In their eyes, something that appeared authentic was, in fact, riddled with errors.

"Oh, yes, there's one more piece of auxiliary evidence we overlooked."

Just then, Wang Guan chuckled, "It circles back to the seal issue. Think about it: this piece is dated to the tenth year of the Hongzhi reign. It wouldn't have fallen into Wang Zhi's hands until at least the Jiajing period. That means the object circulated for at least several decades, yet there are no inscriptions or seals from any other collectors during that span—that seems rather peculiar."

"Exactly. Aside from Shen Zhou's three seals, there are no appreciation seals from anyone else on the entire work. That truly is a major flaw," Pi Qiushi agreed wholeheartedly, then quipped, "Perhaps this is a Jiajing-era replica. Maybe it was originally sold as a fake, but Wang Zhi mistakenly bought and collected it as genuine."

"Of course, it might have been a gift, or something acquired through plunder. In any case, everyone should thank him. If he hadn't collected it so early, this work would have circulated, someone would have misidentified it, added an inscription and seal, and passed down through generations, leading countless people astray."

Pi Qiushi expressed his sentiment with a sigh, but Yu Feibai cared little about who might have been fooled. He was more concerned, "Speaking of which, if Wang Zhi’s judgment was that poor, how many genuine articles do you think are in his entire collection?"

"Uh..." In that instant, everyone exchanged uneasy glances, genuinely unable to guarantee anything.

"Don't overthink it," Old Man Qian waved his hand with a smile. "One genuine item is still one genuine item. Whether it's real or fake, it’s all part of a dialectical learning process."

"That’s true..." Wang Guan and the others heartily agreed, realizing that they genuinely learned a great deal during the appraisal process. Besides, even if these were all forgeries, having survived until now, they were rare copies and still held considerable value. One must be content; sometimes loss can be a blessing.

Yu Feibai, predictably, scoffed at this notion and waved his hand dismissively, "Let's keep looking. I refuse to believe they are all fakes..."

Just then, Yu Feibai’s phone rang, and he stepped away to answer it.

The others casually unrolled the scroll he had taken out. It was a calligraphy exemplar, written with meticulous precision and strict adherence to established rules (fǎdù jǐnyán), giving off a very pleasing impression.

"Looks like Guǎn Gé Tǐ!" Pi Qiushi exclaimed after a quick glance. "A volume of Guǎn Gé Tǐ calligraphy—that's rather uncommon."

Pi Qiushi’s observation was well-founded. Guǎn Gé Tǐ, also known as Tái Gé Tǐ, originally referred to the Secretariat and later became a generalized term for officialdom. This calligraphic style emerged during the Song Dynasty but gained immense traction during the Ming Dynasty due to imperial favor, gradually evolving into an independent script form that thrived throughout the Ming and Qing eras. The reason for its dominance was simple: it was the script of bureaucracy. Official documents, memorials submitted to the Emperor, and even answers in the Imperial Examinations had to use this style. If anyone dared to use a different script on an examination paper, the proctors had the authority to immediately disqualify the answer sheet without even reading the content. Under these circumstances, Guǎn Gé Tǐ naturally reigned supreme, much like modern standard typeface (Sòng Tǐ), spreading across the nation.

However, rarity is what creates value. When too many people write in a certain style, it inevitably degenerates. Tái Gé Tǐ became rigid, mechanical, and lifeless due to overuse. For example, if someone today told you they were going to write a calligraphy scroll for you in this style, what would be your first reaction? A joke! Indeed, it would be laughable. Consequently, very few Tái Gé Tǐ calligraphy pieces survive because collectors are generally unwilling to acquire them. Low demand equals low value.

"Shen Du!" At this moment, Wang Guan noticed the signature and was immediately astonished. "Another 'Shen,' and the name rings a bell... Yes, I think he was a famous calligrapher from the Yongle period."

"That’s him. He and his younger brother, Shen Can, were known as the 'Two Shens'—the Elder and Younger Academicians," Old Man Qian nodded with a smile. "He was highly appreciated by Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty for his Tái Gé Tǐ calligraphy, earning the title of 'Wang Xizhi of this dynasty,' enjoying great fame at the time. By the way, the sutras inscribed on the Yongle Great Bell were written by his hand."

"In that case, his calligraphy should have considerable value," Wang Guan mused, "We just don't know if this one is genuine."

"Old Man Qian... Good news! Tremendous news!"

While the others were examining the calligraphy scroll, Yu Feibai suddenly returned, a mix of shock and joy on his face, rushing in with excitement, "I have a nephew! My brother just called to say my sister-in-law gave birth to a big, healthy baby boy..."

"Hm?" The others paused, then their expressions softened into smiles, offering their congratulations in unison.

Those familiar with Yu Feibai's family situation understood that this child would be the third generation of the Yu family, the eldest grandson of General Yu Shouzong, making the occasion immensely significant. Even ordinary people place great importance on the continuation of the lineage, let alone a prominent family like the Yus; no amount of emphasis would be excessive.

However, the reason for Yu Feibai's elation seemed slightly different from what everyone else assumed.

"That's wonderful! With a grandson now, Mom shouldn't be so desperate to pressure me into marriage," Yu Feibai beamed, praising repeatedly, "He's a truly excellent nephew, born at the perfect time! I must send him a grand gift later..."

Hearing this, the others were momentarily speechless. After a brief moment of mock disdain, Wang Guan smiled, "When are you going to see your nephew? Can you wait half a day? I want to ask Master Banshan to bless a safety amulet, and then you can carry it over for me and congratulate your brother."

"Count me in..." Pi Qiushi and Tang Qinghua chimed in. Even Old Man Qian offered to gift a small, exquisite jade gourd pendant, but only after Wang Guan had taken it to Master Banshan for consecration and blessings.

"No rush. My brother said my father will definitely be too busy, but my mother is already there. I’m just going over to join the excitement; my mom will probably just find me to be a hindrance," Yu Feibai scratched his head, then asked expectantly, "What about you all? Does anyone want to come with me to have a look?"

"Go where? To help you shoulder the pressure?" Tang Qinghua pouted. "Tell Xu Qing to go with you. If your aunt sees her tagging along, she absolutely won't scold you; she'll probably be delighted."

"She’ll be happy, but we aren't planning on getting married yet. If we go together now, aren’t we throwing the lamb to the wolves?" Yu Feibai couldn't help but shake his head, dismissing Tang Qinghua’s terrible suggestion.

(To be continued...)