At this moment, Wang Guan spoke eloquently, not as himself alone, but as if possessed by masters like Qi Baishi, Zhang Daqian, and Xu Beihong; hence the depth of his insight.

However, no matter how much or how well Wang Guan spoke, he couldn't entirely dispel the lingering doubts of the others.

After all, the entire affair was inherently somewhat mystifying. One must remember that every painter treats their own work like a biological child—cherishing it meticulously and allowing no interference. Furthermore, painters possess a specific professional habit and standard, understanding such taboos, making it almost unthinkable that one would proactively complete another's painting.

This is why everyone felt the possibility was slim. Some were even starting to denounce Wang Guan as wildly impractical. Yet, more eyes were fixed on Elder Ren, waiting to gauge his reaction.

“Good, good…” Unexpectedly, Elder Ren burst into hearty laughter at this point, his expression filled with satisfaction. “Beyond that, what else did you discern?”

The implication of Elder Ren’s words clearly signaled his tacit agreement with Wang Guan’s assessment.

“It truly is so.”

“I never would have guessed.”

In an instant, shock swept through the assembly, resembling a sudden, noisy tempest.

“Haha, Wang Guan, I knew you had it in you.”

At this, Yu Feibai roared with laughter, clapping Wang Guan heartily on the shoulder, praising him: “Exactly! Keep going, let them see who truly lacks understanding.”

Hearing this, many people subtly retreated, their faces etched with embarrassment.

However, contrasting Yu Feibai’s relentless victory, Wang Guan’s demeanor remained markedly humble. He didn't pick up on Yu Feibai’s retort but instead addressed Elder Ren’s question.

“The brushwork in the painting is exquisite. The lotus, water lilies, and shrimp amidst the grasses exhibit a perfect balance of stillness and motion, teeming with vitality—it is clearly the hand of a master.”

After offering praise, Wang Guan shifted his focus. He suddenly pointed toward Yu Feibai with a slight smile: “Actually, my friend guessed correctly. This is likely Elder Baishi’s work. As for the other master who collaborated with Elder Baishi, I believe, other than Mr. Daqian, there could be no one else?”

“What!”

The crowd was utterly stunned.

If Wang Guan’s previous judgment caused a massive stir, this current revelation was akin to dropping a deep-sea depth charge, leaving everyone in the hall reeling and dumbfounded.

Even Elder Ren was startled, asking with curiosity, “How did you know that?”

Then, as if recalling something, Elder Ren pressed urgently, “Who did you study painting under?”

“Study painting?”

Wang Guan blinked, bewildered. “I’m not a painter; why would I study painting?”

“You’re not a painter?”

This time, not only Elder Ren was taken aback, but everyone nearby wore an expression of utter disbelief.

It was only then that Wang Guan realized Elder Ren must have misunderstood something. He chuckled and clarified, “I don’t study painting; I collect antiques.”

“Antique collecting?” Elder Ren frowned.

It was evident he had assumed Wang Guan was a successor from the Dafeng Tang studio, which explained his certainty about the painting being a joint effort between Qi Baishi and Zhang Daqian. Yet, discovering Wang Guan belonged to the antique collecting circle instead was unexpected.

However, upon reflection, Elder Ren eased his concern.

After all, those in the collecting circle were renowned for their acute eyesight.

Especially the appraisers, who were famously sharp-eyed and perceptive. Being able to spot differing styles in the brushstrokes, indicating more than one artist, was not an insurmountable feat for them.

Still, the fact that Wang Guan was so young yet possessed such seasoned judgment was surprising, prompting sighs about the younger generation surpassing the old.

Yet, Elder Ren remained quite confident that no matter how keen Wang Guan’s eye might be, he could not possibly perceive the painting’s single greatest mystery.

Thinking this, Elder Ren suddenly smiled. “Young man, your name is Wang Guan, correct? I didn't expect you to be a collector; no wonder your discernment is so outstanding.”

“I am still learning, only just getting started; I can hardly be called a collector,” Wang Guan replied modestly with a smile.

“You are being too humble.”

Elder Ren shook his head, walked to the front stand, and gently stroked the painting resting on the surface, murmuring with feeling, “Indeed, whether one is a painter or a collector, both pursuits severely test one’s appreciation skills. If one cannot even differentiate good painting from bad. Then a painter’s skill will surely fail to achieve greatness, and a collector can never hope to acquire truly fine pieces.”

“Elder Ren speaks the truth. Those who pretend to know something when they don’t are the most detestable,” Yu Feibai agreed, sweeping his mocking gaze across the surrounding crowd.

Instantly, many were too ashamed to lift their heads.

Elder Ren acted as if he hadn't noticed, beckoning Wang Guan over with a smile. “You still haven’t told us how exactly you concluded that this painting was jointly completed by Mr. Daqian and Mr. Baishi.”

“I guessed,” Wang Guan replied with a smile.

“You are not being honest,” Elder Ren shook his head, displeased. “If your perception wasn't keen enough to see the different styles in the lotus and the small shrimp, how could you possibly have guessed?”

“Heh, this is everyone’s credit,” Wang Guan certainly wouldn't reveal the true secret, continuing with a smile, “My friend insisted it was Elder Baishi’s painting, and the people below insisted it must be Mr. Daqian’s work. So, I simply synthesized the opinions and made a wild guess that they collaborated on it.”

“What is he saying…”

“Is that true? He actually guessed correctly just like that?”

“Hey, do you really believe him? Didn't you hear he was just teasing?”

Hearing Wang Guan’s explanation, the crowd became confused, suspended between belief and doubt.

At the same time, Elder Ren also felt uncertain. He paused in thought, and following his plan, probed, “Wang Guan, your friend just said this was Elder Baishi’s shrimp painting, didn't I refute him for being too absolute? Are you suggesting I lied?”

Upon hearing this, the others grew even more perplexed, completely lost.

Since Elder Ren had already admitted the painting was a joint work by Zhang Daqian and Qi Baishi, his previous rebuttal to Yu Feibai must have been a lie to cover things up—what else was there to doubt?

Unexpectedly, Wang Guan not only dismissed this but nodded in agreement: “Elder Ren is highly respected; how could he lie? Since he stated this is not Elder Baishi’s shrimp painting, then it certainly isn't.”

“Wang Guan, what do you mean by that?” Yu Feibai was now also bewildered and confused.

At this moment, Elder Ren glanced sideways at Wang Guan, his face thoughtful. It was then that Wang Guan lightly laughed, “I mean, who stipulated that Elder Baishi must paint shrimp?”

This softly uttered sentence was like a nuclear bomb dropped into the room, instantly silencing all debate across the hall.

“Clap, clap, clap, clap…”

In the ensuing silence, Elder Ren couldn't help but applaud, his face full of astonishment, almost disbelief. “Young man, I am now intensely curious about the reasoning behind your marvelous judgment.”

He knew that this painting, and the story behind it, was a secret known only to a very few. Especially as time passed, many of the original insiders had passed away.

As far as Elder Ren knew now, the people who clearly understood the matter could be counted on one’s fingers. Moreover, because the incident was slightly embarrassing for Zhang Daqian, many insiders—his disciples—chose to keep the secret and not divulge it casually.

Even Elder Ren’s innermost circle of disciples were unaware of the specific process behind this event; they only knew the painting was a collaborative work between Qi Baishi and Zhang Daqian.

“It’s true again?”

This time, the people below could no longer remain seated; they all stood up, crowding the stage area until it was packed tight.

Initially, hearing that the painting on display was a joint creation by Zhang Daqian and Qi Baishi had already made people restless. Now, learning that it might be a work where the two masters ‘switched roles’ made them unable to hold back any longer.

‘Switching roles’ (Fanchuan) is a term from opera, originally meaning a man playing a female role or vice versa on stage—for instance, the famous opera artist Mei Lanfang and Meng Xiaodong, known as the ‘Winter Emperor,’ are prime examples.

In painting, ‘switching roles’ would mean Qi Baishi painting the lotus flowers that Zhang Daqian excelled at, while Zhang Daqian painted the shrimp that Qi Baishi was master of, together forming a single piece.

If this were truly the case, the painting’s value would become immeasurably greater.

Simultaneously, seeing the surging crowd, several men nearby who appeared to be bodyguards quickly erected a cordon around the table displaying the painting, struggling to hold back the surging mass of people.

“Everyone, please calm down, maintain order…”

The organizers were startled by the sudden surge and quickly grabbed loudspeakers to soothe the crowd loudly.

Gradually, everyone calmed down. However, pairs of burning eyes were fixed upon the painting on the stand. The intensity seemed powerful enough to set the artwork ablaze.

“Elder Ren, the matter is out now; stop concealing it. Please tell us exactly what the story behind this painting is.”

“Yes, we’ve been sitting down here, about to suffocate from not knowing.”

“Please guide us, Elder Ren.”

At this point, many began to urge him on, eager to hear the answer directly from Elder Ren.

With the crowd clamoring, Elder Ren found it difficult to press Wang Guan further. He gently raised his hand to signal a pause. Once the crowd quieted slightly, he touched the painting on the stand with a touch of melancholy, saying softly, “This matter dates back to after the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japan. To celebrate this hard-won victory, Mr. Xu Beihong and his wife, Madam Liao Jingwen, hosted a banquet at home specifically to entertain two honorary professors of the Beiping Academy of Fine Arts: Mr. Daqian and Mr. Baishi.”

“Madam Liao Jingwen personally cooked, and the meal was delicious. The group drank and conversed happily. After dinner, Mr. Xu Beihong proposed that Mr. Daqian and Mr. Baishi collaborate on a painting, but with a twist—they were to switch roles.”

Elder Ren reminisced, “However, during the painting process, Mr. Baishi quickly finished the lotus leaves and flowers. When it was Mr. Daqian’s turn to paint the shrimp, Mr. Baishi quietly tugged his sleeve…”

At this point, Elder Ren paused and asked, “Do you all know why he did that?” (To be continued) RQ