Meishan, though seemingly similar to Mount Emei, is not the same place. In terms of administrative division, Meishan is a prefecture-level city, whereas Mount Emei is a county-level city; their statuses are distinctly different.

Moreover, in terms of cultural history, Meishan boasts the esteemed reputation of being a "thousand-year city of poetry and books." Setting aside everything else, the mere presence of Su Dongpo is enough to carve a brilliant and splendid chapter in the history of many cultural capitals across the nation.

As the youngest prefecture-level city in the province, Meishan has also received substantial support, with a direct expressway constructed from the provincial capital to the city. By car, if timed perfectly, the journey takes a mere two hours.

Thus, Yu Feibai decided to drive over himself. Whizzing along at high speed, he soon reached his destination.

Once the vehicle entered the city limits and they observed the throngs of people flowing through the streets, Wang Guan inquired, "We're here. Are you going to contact Uncle Qi, or should we find a hotel ourselves?"

"Of course, we'll find another hotel," Yu Feibai stated as a matter of course. "Otherwise, staying with Uncle Qi means every move I make will indirectly be under the old man's nose. How would I get out to have any fun?"

"What is there to have fun with?" Wang Guan asked casually. "The most famous place in all of Meishan seems to be the Three Su Museum. Are there any other well-known attractions besides that?"

"There really don't seem to be any," Yu Feibai thought hard, finally shaking his head, but he immediately countered, "But Su Dongpo alone is more than enough."

Wang Guan didn't argue. Thinking about it closely, it was indeed true. One Su Dongpo was enough for a person to study for a lifetime.

"Speaking of which, Meishan is quite pitiable. During the Tang and Song dynasties, it was a place teeming with talent. Especially in the Song Dynasty, dozens of people made their mark in the Song historical records, not to mention the countless scholars who passed the Imperial Examinations—perhaps numbering in the hundreds. That’s why Emperor Renzong of Song praised it, saying, 'Scholars who love learning across the realm mostly reside in Meishan.'"

Just then, Yu Feibai sighed, "It's a pity that after the Mongol cavalry swept south at the end of the Song Dynasty, Zhang Xianzhong entered Sichuan at the end of the Ming Dynasty, and the Qing forces campaigned westward, suppressing the Revolt of the Three Feudatories, the entire Shu region, including Meishan, saw its economic and cultural standing plummet across the nation, never to fully recover its vitality again."

Wang Guan deeply agreed. Even from snippets in history books, one could sense the prosperity and glory of ancient culture. However, this rich and civilized land seemed destined for constant hardship. Every incursion by barbarous civilizations brought irreparable damage.

Yet, millennia of accumulation had endowed this land with unparalleled depth. Therefore, no matter how severe the harm, even if reduced to ruins, it possessed the ability to rise from the ashes and establish a new order.

After a brief period of reflection, Yu Feibai parked the car in front of a hotel, got out, and called out, "Let's check in first, eat, rest, and then go visit the calligraphy and painting exhibition this afternoon."

Wang Guan naturally had no objections. After securing their rooms at the hotel, they came down to eat.

Once they had eaten their fill, they took a stroll around the nearby streets before returning to their rooms to recuperate. It wasn't until two in the afternoon that the two headed to the location of the Meishan Calligraphy and Painting Exhibition. The venue was a very expansive art museum. The ground floor lobby and the dozen or so rooms on the second floor were all adorned with the exhibited works.

In total, there were perhaps over a thousand pieces of art. The subject matter was rich and diverse, featuring everything from regular script, running script, cursive, and seal script calligraphy, to Chinese ink painting, oil painting, collage, and sketches.

To borrow the words of a docent, every single piece reflected the spiritual outlook and artistic aspirations of contemporary people; the artists had poured their passion into works depicting modern life, possessing a strong flavor of the era, daily existence, and artistry.

For Wang Guan and Yu Feibai, they were simply there to observe the spectacle, nodding along while listening to the explanations.

Of course, the museum was not lacking in works by masters. Furthermore, both Wang Guan and Yu Feibai possessed a certain level of appreciation and understood precisely what made those particular pieces exceptional.

It wasn't that the remaining calligraphy and paintings were merely filling space. It was just that compared to the meticulously crafted works of the masters, the more common pieces genuinely lacked a certain degree of skill and refinement.

In fact, this disparity was already evident in how the exhibits were arranged.

The ground floor lobby displayed the general collection of calligraphy and paintings—about a thousand pieces—with only a few security guards patrolling the perimeter. However, on the second floor, across a dozen rooms, only a few dozen works were hung. Yet, there were almost two guards stationed in front of every room.

This arrangement signified not just a difference in status, but also a reflection of value.

Coincidentally, in the very first room on the second floor, in a conspicuous position, Wang Guan spotted Yu Shuzhong's Feibai Shu (Flying White Script). This piece had been exquisitely mounted and hung on the front wall of the room, visible immediately upon entry. Furthermore, this relatively small work occupied an entire wall, unlike other rooms where two or three pieces might share one.

Simultaneously, as Wang Guan looked around, he noticed that all the works displayed in this room shared a similar name or theme as Yu Shuzhong's Feibai Shu—~~—

Moreover, Wang Guan observed closely and discovered that besides Yu Shuzhong’s Feibai Shu, there were no other works in the room that could be considered top-tier. Stranger still, while other rooms on the second floor had dedicated docents explaining the background of the exhibited masterpieces, this particular room had absolutely no guide, allowing visitors to view the pieces on their own.

Naturally, Wang Guan was quick to connect the dots, considering Yu Shuzhong's background. He dimly realized that the artworks in this room were likely the creations of high-ranking provincial leaders. When certain VIPs visited, dedicated guides would naturally be arranged for them.

Understanding the special function of this room’s collection, Wang Guan glanced at the pieces twice and then suggested, "There isn't much to see here. Let's move on to the other rooms."

"Fine," Yu Feibai replied nonchalantly.

Turning to leave the room, Wang Guan looked up and suddenly spotted a somewhat familiar figure ahead.

Wang Guan paused, quickly tapped Yu Feibai's arm, and said with a smile, "Come on, I'll take you to meet an elder."

"What elder..." Yu Feibai was momentarily stunned. Following Wang Guan’s gaze, his face instantly showed a flicker of guilt, and he instinctively tried to hide behind Wang Guan.

"You didn't do anything bad, why so nervous?" Wang Guan said, half-amused and half-exasperated.

"Uh, I guess that's true," Yu Feibai suddenly realized, smiling sheepishly. "It can't be helped; I made a huge blunder and I'm still embarrassed about it. You didn't tell him about that, did you?"

"Don't worry, I absolutely haven't mentioned a word," Wang Guan replied, smiling, and quickened his pace forward, calling out, "Uncle Lei!"

"Ah, it’s Wang Guan, what a coincidence."

Hearing the voice, Lei Yunchang turned around and immediately broke into a smile.

"Yes, I didn't expect Uncle Lei to be visiting the exhibition too," Wang Guan stepped back two paces, allowing Yu Feibai to move forward, and said with a grin, "Uncle De, this is Yu Feibai. Remember him?"

"I remember. How could I forget after only a few days?" Lei Yunchang chuckled. "It’s you I should be seeing. You said you'd gather with me. It's been a week since I returned from Yanting, and you haven't stopped by."

"My apologies, I was tied up with matters," Wang Guan quickly offered his apology, omitting any mention of his injury.

Naturally, Lei Yunchang had only said it in passing, not genuinely holding a grudge.

After a few pleasantries, the three fell into step and toured the second floor together. To their surprise, Lei Yunchang was not only proficient in antiques but also possessed a high degree of connoisseurship regarding the works of modern masters.

After visiting all the rooms upstairs, Lei Yunchang seemed intimately familiar with the characteristics of nearly every master's work, reciting details as if they were old friends. He could even accurately discuss the current collection value and future appreciation potential of the pieces.

This left Wang Guan and Yu Feibai full of admiration.

After more than an hour, they had viewed all the masterworks on the second floor. As the three walked out of the last room, Wang Guan prepared to invite Lei Yunchang out for tea to deepen their acquaintance.

Unexpectedly, Lei Yunchang smiled mysteriously and said, "Come on, I'll take you somewhere to see something truly interesting."

"Where?"

Wang Guan and Yu Feibai were startled, and with a touch of confusion, they followed Lei Yunchang toward the staircase leading to the third floor.

A security guard was posted at the stairwell entrance, and a makeshift barrier of fabric tape was set up, clearly blocking access for general visitors. However, as they approached, Lei Yunchang presented a pass, and the guard immediately opened the way for them.

Turning the corner at the top of the stairs, Yu Feibai couldn't help but ask, "Uncle Lei, what are we going up there for?"

"To attend a symposium."

Lei Yunchang finally dropped the pretense with a gentle smile. "This exhibition isn't just for displaying the calligraphy and paintings of masters. Some of the masters themselves have come and are currently exchanging ideas in the conference hall on the third floor. I'll take you up to see; it'll be beneficial for you to meet a few more people."

"Thank you for your trouble, Uncle Lei," Wang Guan and Yu Feibai certainly understood Lei Yunchang’s good intentions and quickly expressed their gratitude.

Once on the third floor, they walked straight down the corridor. After about twenty steps, they could hear lively voices. Soon, the three entered the meeting hall, which could accommodate over a hundred people, and it appeared somewhat crowded.

Wang Guan estimated there were at least fifty or sixty people inside, gathered in small groups, conversing animatedly, laughing, and exchanging ideas. Meanwhile, staff members moved busily through the crowd, frequently refilling teapots and water glasses for the guests.

"Yunchang!"

Suddenly, someone in the crowd waved and called out.

Lei Yunchang nodded with a smile, leading Wang Guan and Yu Feibai toward a corner area. There, a low table was set up, and five or six people had arranged stools around it, sipping tea and chatting convivially, a scene of considerable comfort.

Seeing Lei Yunchang arrive, someone immediately stood up to offer a seat and then hurried to a nearby room to fetch three small chairs for Wang Guan and Yu Feibai. Then, staff were called over to serve tea...

After all the commotion, Lei Yunchang relaxed, holding his teacup, and said with a knowing half-smile, "People who seek favors without reason are either plotting mischief or have a hidden agenda. Tell me, are you asking me for something?"