Mr. Lu's expression was striking, and everyone standing nearby noticed it quite clearly.

For a moment, Mr. Cai chuckled, "Mr. Lu, is there something amiss with these paintings? If you have any thoughts, please speak your mind. I am psychologically prepared for whatever it may be."

"These paintings..."

At this point, Mr. Lu hesitated. "Let me take another look..."

As he spoke, Mr. Lu pulled out a magnifying glass and began examining the oil paintings closely. Furthermore, those around him noticed that the deeper he looked, the more tightly his brow furrowed. This observation immediately suggested that the matter was unusual.

Seeing this, Wang Guan grew quite curious and couldn't help but lean in for a closer look. However, oil painting was his weaker subject; looking with the naked eye alone, he certainly couldn't discern anything specific. Driven by curiosity, he decided to employ his special ability.

"Huh!"

At first glance, a look of surprise and sudden understanding dawned on Wang Guan's face. "So that's how it is..."

"Big Brother, you noticed it too." Cai Peng, standing nearby, naturally heard Wang Guan’s exclamation and hastily pressed, "Is there an issue with these paintings?"

"...It’s hard to say," Wang Guan paused, then shook his head gently.

"What’s so hard to say?" Cai Peng was unconcerned. "At worst, they’re all fakes. Our Cai family can afford the loss. But anyone who dares to deceive my father will face a terrible end."

"A-Peng, stop talking nonsense," Mr. Cai interjected, smiling thinly. "Nephew, you also understand oil painting appraisal?"

"...A little, just a little," Wang Guan replied with an embarrassed smile. "But with Mr. Lu here, I don't need to embarrass myself."

"No, no, no..."

However, Mr. Lu was equally courteous, perhaps finding an easy out, and quickly gestured, "Since Mr. Wang is also an expert, why don't we exchange views?"

"How dare I teach my master how to fish."

"Mutual exchange leads to common progress," Wang Guan countered.

Seeing the two politely deferring to each other, Cai Peng grew impatient and cut in, "Stop dawdling and tell us the truth. Big Brother, I trust you—you speak first."

Hearing this, Wang Guan gave a wry smile but noticed Mr. Cai’s expression, realizing he couldn't refuse without seeming deliberately mysterious.

With that in mind, Wang Guan hesitated slightly before speaking. "To be frank, I don't know much about oil painting, and I have no familiarity whatsoever with the painter Mo You. However, I can tell that these five paintings, both in style and in the delicacy of the brushwork, are strikingly similar—they clearly originate from the hand of the same person."

"Indeed, indeed."

At this moment, Mr. Lu also nodded. "That's right. I can also confirm that these five paintings were done by the same artist. This can be determined through details, such as the rendering of the tulips and the depiction of the young women..."

Mr. Lu spoke in detail, fearing that Mr. Cai might think he wasn't being diligent enough.

"So, this means all these paintings are fake," Cai Peng declared, his brow raised, his expression radiating menace.

"No, no, no..."

But then, Wang Guan and Mr. Lu simultaneously shook their heads.

In an instant, Mr. Lu glanced at Wang Guan with a hint of surprise. He wasn't particularly surprised that Wang Guan could recognize that the five paintings shared a single artist; after all, someone responsible for managing a treasure exhibition ought to have some skill. However, discerning a deeper meaning impressed him somewhat.

At this juncture, Mr. Lu finally set aside his initial underestimation and smiled courteously, "Mr. Wang, perhaps you should elaborate."

"...Then allow me to toss out a brick to attract jade," Wang Guan understood that now was not the time for suspense. He dropped the pretense and stated plainly, "In my view, these paintings should all be genuine."

"What?" Cai Peng blinked. "All real?"

"Yes."

Wang Guan nodded, then added with a slight smile, "Of course, one could also say they are fake, but strictly speaking, they cannot be called forgeries."

"...I don't understand."

Poor Cai Peng, already somewhat bewildered, was now completely confused. "Are they real or fake?"

"It’s just hard to distinguish, which is why I said earlier it’s difficult to speak of," Wang Guan explained helplessly. "You must understand, matters in the art world, especially in the realm of oil painting, are incredibly complicated. The true nature of what is real and what is not cannot be explained in a few words, nor is there a unified standard."

"Precisely, exactly so," Mr. Lu agreed emphatically, nodding in complete concurrence.

"Still don't get it."

The hapless Cai Peng, who had been somewhat clueless, was now utterly lost.

"Mr. Lu," Wang Guan said, abandoning any pretense of showmanship, and addressed Mr. Lu directly. "You are the professional; perhaps you could clarify this for us."

"That works," Mr. Lu conceded. He nodded and slowly began to explain. "There are many forgeries on the market. Previously, most imitations were of famous masterpieces, but people are wiser now, knowing those are housed in major museums and harder to trick. So, the forgers have shifted from copying famous masters to imitating the works of artists who sell well in the market, possess investment potential, but are not household names."

"However, what is little known is that many commonly acknowledged forgeries often have intricate ties to the artist themselves."

As he spoke, Mr. Lu paused slightly, finally stating the facts: "Take this Tulip Girl, for example. I suspect it is a work of self-replication by the artist."

"Self-replication?" Cai Peng frowned. "What does that mean?"

"When an artist's work wins a major award or is acquired by a national art gallery, buyers often subsequently demand to collect that specific piece," Mr. Lu explained. "At that point, the artist might paint an identical work to sell. That is self-replication. You might call it a forgery, but the artist painted it themselves; yet, calling it authentic feels inappropriate."

"After all, in the common view, every work of art, much like a leaf, should be unique; there can be no two completely identical creations. Even with the same subject, the manner of expression will inevitably differ."

Mr. Lu stated solemnly, "The first painting is usually created with great care by the author, naturally imbued with emotion and artistic vitality. But the second, the third... that is purely a process of copying; where is the art in that? Therefore, many people consider an artist's self-replication to be a type of forgery."

"I see," Cai Peng suddenly understood, knitting his brow. "So, you mean these paintings are all just that fellow Mo You copying himself repeatedly just to make money?"

"That's not entirely incorrect," Mr. Lu nodded slightly, while sighing. "Youth, unable to withstand the temptations of fame and fortune, sinks into decline. If this incident ever got out, his reputation would likely be half-ruined, and he might even be unable to cope with the blow, subsequently falling into mediocrity and losing his title as a genius."

"Why do you care? He brought this on himself," Cai Peng scoffed. "If you don't court death, you won't die. When he pursued crooked paths, he should have expected retribution."

It was a rare sight to see such a spoiled young man as Cai Peng taking such a self-righteous and morally superior stance. Wang Guan muttered this internally, but felt no particular reaction; primarily, he didn't know Mo You at all, so he harbored no concern for the man. However, looking closely at the oil painting again, he suddenly felt that the Tulip Girl in the painting had a certain familiar quality, as if he had seen her somewhere before.

Unfortunately, the portrait was a profile view, revealing none of the figure's full appearance. Wang Guan thought hard but could recall nothing relevant.

While Wang Guan was pondering, he heard Mr. Cai laugh. "Since it is the artist’s own work, it truly cannot be called a forgery. Thank you, Mr. Lu, for your appraisal. Oh, and thank you too, Nephew Wang..."

As he spoke, Mr. Cai waved, signaling the bodyguards to take the oil paintings away, and then someone else brought forward another item.

"There’s more?" Cai Peng started, noticing the new item wasn't an oil painting, but a scroll—undoubtedly a Chinese ancient painting.

"I have long heard that Mr. Lu is versed in both Eastern and Western arts, not only proficient in Western oil painting but also possessing deep knowledge of classical Chinese painting," Mr. Cai said with a smile. "One stone kills two birds; please appraise this ancient painting as well."

Mr. Lu naturally did not refuse. He took the scroll and carefully unrolled it. The painting revealed a landscape: several towering, ancient pines, with a winding stream flowing nearby, exuding an air of elegant tranquility.

"Good mood, a fine painting," was Wang Guan's initial assessment. He nodded slightly, then looked closer, observing a few scholars reclining and drinking by the stream beneath the tall pines. Their clothing was somewhat disheveled, displaying a flavor reminiscent of the Wei and Jin dynasties.

"Autumn Pines and High Seclusion Painting!" Mr. Lu pronounced a fitting title for the scene, his voice a mix of surprise and excitement. "This is a painting by Wen Jia, a famous artist from the Wu School during the Ming Dynasty."

"Wen Jia?" Wang Guan's gaze shifted to the lower left corner of the painting where the signature was located. The inscription was in small, vigorous, and flowing calligraphy. The characters for Wen Jia were remarkably clear, instantly recognizable.

"Who is Wen Jia?"

For some, the name Wen Jia was thunderous, but for others, it was entirely unfamiliar. Cai Peng, for instance, now wore a blank expression, mumbling quietly, "Is it Wen Zhengming?"

"Uh, knowing Wen Zhengming means you're not a total illiterate," Wang Guan stifled a laugh, unable to resist explaining. "Wen Jia was Wen Zhengming’s son. He was skilled in poetry, excelled at calligraphy, was meticulous in appraising ancient paintings, and masterful at stone carving—the foremost in the Ming Dynasty in that regard."

"Speaking of which, Wen Zhengming was truly excellent at raising sons. His eldest, Wen Biao, and his second son, Wen Jia, were both figures whose names were recorded in history books. Furthermore, towards the end of the Ming Dynasty, his descendant Wen Zhenmeng emerged as the archetype of late blooming success."

Wang Guan spoke fluently, "From Wen Zhengming in the mid-Ming Dynasty right up to Wen Zhenmeng at the end, over a hundred years, the Wen family of Jiangnan could rightfully be called a veritable scholarly lineage, a prominent clan..."