Author's Note: As soon as night falls, the monthly votes disappear, leaving my heart utterly cold. I beg for your support with monthly votes! Author: Zhu

“Seeing Tan Jing’s collector’s seal, anyone who knows who Tan Jing is can’t help but start wondering if the item is a counterfeit.” Just then, Wang Guan started explaining, “However, have you ever considered this: what if this seal wasn't placed by Tan Jing himself, but was deliberately added by someone else…”

“Deliberately added?”

Fang Mingsheng looked stunned. “Why would someone deliberately add it?”

“To protect the painting, of course.”

At this, Elder Zeng’s eyes flashed, and he quickly spread the painting flat on the table beside him, taking out a magnifying glass to examine the Tan Jing seal closely.

Fang Mingsheng snapped back to reality at the opportune moment and hurriedly asked, “By adding Tan Jing’s seal, does it make people think it’s a fake painting, so they stop coveting it?”

“Something like that,” Wang Guan chuckled. “After all, once the news of Tan Jing’s forgeries spread, some people asserted that ninety percent of his collection was fake. So, when people see his collector’s seal, their reaction is the same—they assume it’s a fake. Someone exploited this point, adding a seal to this painting to disguise a genuine work as a forgery…”

“It’s not entirely impossible…”

Fang Mingsheng pondered for a moment, then suddenly shook his head. “But wouldn't that be too high a price to pay? Besides, what evidence do you have to prove this is fact, and not just a guess?”

“There is certainly evidence,” Wang Guan said with a smile. “Perhaps Elder Zeng has noticed it too.”

“Elder Zeng.”

Hearing this, Fang Mingsheng naturally looked back. “You’ve spotted a flaw too?”

“It’s hard to say for sure, but the seal does seem a bit off.” Elder Zeng murmured, a contemplative look on his face. “It wasn't noticeable before, but now that he mentions it, the seal really does feel wrong. As for exactly what is wrong, I can’t pinpoint it immediately, but there’s a sense of disharmony…”

As he spoke, Elder Zeng looked at Wang Guan, his gaze full of approval. “A great master produces a worthy disciple. Truly worthy of being Brother Lingxi’s student; your eye is far sharper than mine.”

“Elder Zeng, saying that is clearly setting me up for a fall,” Wang Guan quickly shook his head. He was self-aware enough to know that he only saw the flaw because of his special ability, not his true skill.

Besides, Fang Mingsheng had already mentioned that Elder Zeng specialized in porcelain and wood carvings, rarely dabbling in calligraphy and painting, so it was understandable that he hadn't spotted the flaw; it didn't mean he was undeserving of his reputation. Thinking carefully, this man, without any special aid, managed to discern that the Porcelain Mother was a forgery made by Mr. Zhu Da—that genuine skill was enough to earn Wang Guan’s immense admiration.

To be ignorant is not to be guilty; only the truly ignorant are fearless. The more one learns, the more profound Wang Guan’s sense of awe becomes. In reality, those who achieve success in any field, past or present, domestic or foreign, are often humble and cautious, never arrogant or complacent…

Of course, there are exceptions, like those who loudly proclaim, I am the sun, I am the King of the World. This is an isolated phenomenon that one can choose to ignore.

After all, humble people are more likely to earn a good reputation, whereas arrogant individuals, even if people admire their achievements, will inevitably utter a few condemnations verbally, perhaps even smearing their name eventually. Throughout history, there have been countless celebrities inexplicably tarnished, not to mention those already controversial figures who become the perfect target for slander and criticism.

Leaving merits and faults to be judged by later generations—the ancients didn't know that future generations, striving to climb the ladder and grab eyeballs, would have absolutely no integrity left. Reversing black and white and confusing right and wrong is their specialty. A national hero can be blackened as a criminal who prevented national unity, while an emperor who enforced strict literary inquisition, imprisoned the people's minds, and sealed off the country is infinitely praised as an enlightened monarch, a great emperor for the ages…

Are there not countless examples like this? That is why one needs a good reputation to avoid being smeared!

“Wang Guan, stop being modest.”

Meanwhile, Fang Mingsheng was very curious and urged him on. “Hurry up and tell us, what is wrong with this seal? How can it prove that it was added by someone else and not by Tan Jing?”

“That’s simple; it’s mainly the ink paste that’s wrong.”

Wang Guan smiled. “If you compare them closely, you’ll find that compared to the other seals, Tan Jing’s impression here is lighter in color and hasn't seeped into the calligraphy paper at all.”

“So what?” Fang Mingsheng still didn’t understand.

“Indeed, it’s wrong.”

Just then, Elder Zeng fully understood, couldn't help but laugh and sigh. “The most formidable form of disguise in this world is not deceiving the eyes with grand tricks, but misleading the heart. As long as doubt is sown in the mind, people naturally become blind even with their eyes open, magnifying flaws infinitely until they overlook the most fundamental facts.”

“Stop speaking in riddles,”

Fang Mingsheng was completely baffled and pressed anxiously. “Elder Zeng, I still don’t understand. Please guide me out of this confusion.”

“He has already pointed it out; you still don’t understand…”

Elder Zeng shook his head slightly, signaling, “If you don’t understand, ask. Go and seek enlightenment from him.”

“Uh…”

Fang Mingsheng hesitated. Asking was fine, but adding the word ‘seek’ made it hard for him to swallow his pride.

Fortunately, Wang Guan didn’t require Fang Mingsheng to beg. He explained directly: “If Boss Fang compares carefully, he will discover that the other seals are oil-based, and the ink has seeped into the paper. Only this seal is very light and faint. This faintness isn't because it faded over time; rather, the person who stamped it deliberately made it so…”

“Why? Why deliberately do that?” Fang Mingsheng was puzzled, knowing the reason must be the key.

“To make it easy to wash off or scrape off the mark.”

Wang Guan smiled and stated plainly, “I just examined it. The paper of the painting is quite thick, and the color of this seal is very faint. Therefore, one could easily find a master to remove this seal without damaging the paper quality.”

“Ah!”

Fang Mingsheng gasped, completely dumbfounded at the revelation. “You can do that?”

“Why not?”

At this, Elder Zeng spoke up, looking completely calm, as if he had seen it all before. “Digging out the mark, scraping the mark, washing the mark, adding a mark—these are the most basic skills in painting forgery. So, someone might do the opposite: in turbulent times, they disguise a genuine painting, and once peace returns, they wash off the fake mark. That’s also quite possible.”

“Really…”

After confirmation, Fang Mingsheng’s face lit up with joy. “You mean, I’ve hit a huge jackpot?”

Wang Guan secretly curled his lip. If he hadn't heard that Fang Mingsheng intended to deal with Mr. Zhu Da, he wouldn’t have been so kind as to tell him the secret of this painting.

“Elder Zeng, you just mentioned washing off the mark.”

Agitated, Fang Mingsheng quickly asked for more instruction. “How exactly do you wash it? Do you just splash water on it?”

“How could it be that simple? If you did that, it wouldn’t be called washing the mark; it would be called ruining the object,” Elder Zeng snapped back irritably. “Washing the mark is something that tests one’s skill. A slight mistake can easily cause the mark to blur, which not only fails to achieve the goal of restoring the original but turns you into the executioner of the painting.”

“Then what should be done?” Fang Mingsheng pondered, asking carefully, “Do I need to find a master of forgery to help? Does Elder Zeng know anyone in that field?”

“What do you think?” Elder Zeng glared. If not for his self-control, he would have cursed outright. Asking if he knew people involved in forgery was essentially accusing him of being an accomplice!

In an instant, Fang Mingsheng realized his mistake and forced an awkward laugh, apologizing repeatedly.

Elder Zeng snorted, raised his cup, and took a sip of tea before finally offering advice: “Go to Zhongshan and find Brother Huang. Explain the reason, lend him the painting to study for a few days, and you don’t need to worry about the rest.”

“Understood.”

Fang Mingsheng was delighted. Fortunately, he still possessed some composure and didn't immediately take his leave for Zhongshan. However, the joyous smile couldn't be concealed; it was as brilliant as fireworks.

Elder Zeng couldn't stand it and reminded him, “Finding a bargain is good, but don’t forget whose credit this is.”

“I haven’t forgotten; how could I?”

Fang Mingsheng composed himself, his smile warm and amiable. “I said I would reward you handsomely.”

“It was just a small effort; there’s no need to be so formal,” Wang Guan politely declined.

However, if Fang Mingsheng insisted on forcing cash or a check upon him, Wang Guan would gladly accept. After all, based on traditional habits, he had no psychological burden about taking from the rich and powerful.

“I must, I must…” Fang Mingsheng said this, but showed no actual intention of following through.

Seeing this, Wang Guan silently judged him, thinking that actions never matched his words.

With the matter of the painting’s authenticity resolved and after a round of exclamations, the conversation naturally returned to Mr. Zhu Da’s forgeries. Learning that the blue-and-white plate seized by customs was a fake, Elder Zeng stated emphatically that it absolutely could not be allowed to enter the market.

“I’ve already told Old Qian about this; he is currently finding people to coordinate and get the plate released,” Wang Guan quickly explained.

“That matter is easily settled.”

Elder Zeng said casually, “Ming Sheng, you arrange for someone to smooth things over and get the plate out so he can take it back.”

“No problem.”

Fang Mingsheng nodded in agreement, then frowned. “Wang Guan, you were very right. Mr. Zhu Da must be hiding overseas. Not only was the blue-and-white plate seized at sea, but the Porcelain Mother that swindled me was also part of a scheme set up at sea… Speaking of which, after realizing I’d been tricked, I immediately investigated and did find some leads, but unfortunately, none of them were useful.”

“What leads?” Wang Guan inquired curiously.

“I won’t mention the people on board; they were surely disguised fishermen who vanished after selling me the item. As for the fishing boat, it was left behind. When the maritime police discovered it and checked, it turned out to be a stolen and missing vessel.”

As Fang Mingsheng recounted, Wang Guan immediately thought of Gao Zhuang’s fishing boat, wondering if it was the same one. Another fishing boat, plus sea salvage porcelain—the possibility was quite high.

It appeared that his initial guess was correct: the boat hijacking was indeed carried out by Mr. Zhu Da’s gang. At the time, he couldn’t figure out why Mr. Zhu Da would go to the trouble of hijacking a worthless fishing boat, but now he understood—it was all for the sake of setting up a scam. (To be continued)