“No.” Under the astonished gazes of the crowd, Elder Ren gently shook his head, then smiled faintly, “I saw it with my own eyes.”

“Ah!” The crowd froze, many finding it hard to believe, thinking Elder Ren was joking.

“Heh, you don't believe me?” Elder Ren chuckled lightly. “Back then, when I was just a boy, barely a teenager, I apprenticed under Master Daqian in Beiping. I happened to accompany him when he visited Mr. Xu Beihong, and I witnessed the entire event. Afterwards, I was the one who bought those river shrimp. That’s why, before Master Daqian departed for Taiwan, he entrusted this painting to me.”

Suddenly, everyone understood. It was no wonder Elder Ren knew the story in such detail.

Simultaneously, everyone’s gaze shifted back to the painting on the table. This single artwork involved three famous masters and harbored such a hidden tale; it was truly rare, perhaps unparalleled in the world.

Seeing the crowd starting to surge forward again, the host quickly called out, “Everyone, please maintain order! Those who wish to see the painting, please come up one by one to prevent any accidents.”

Under the host’s gentle direction, the crowd slowly backed away, leaving some to appreciate the painting while others returned to their seats to wait.

Once back in their corner seats, Wang Guan and Yu Feibai were greeted warmly by Lei Yunchang and the others. Especially when looking at Wang Guan, everyone’s eyes held an expression of deep admiration.

While Wang Guan’s process of appraising the painting might have involved guesswork, as Elder Ren noted, without the keen eye to spot the differing styles within the artwork, no amount of random guessing would have led one to the true story. Even Lei Yunchang, looking inward, couldn't guarantee he would have spotted the clues if he had been the one on stage viewing the piece.

Amidst the chorus of praise, Wang Guan received quite a few business cards—private contact details for various calligraphers and painters. He carefully tucked them away, knowing they might prove useful someday.

For the next hour or so, upon learning that Wang Guan and Yu Feibai had come from the Porcelain Capital, Ma Fusheng and the others grew quite curious. They inquired about conditions in the Porcelain Capital. The group chatted animatedly, the atmosphere lively and jovial.

Soon after, all good things must end, and the symposium inevitably approached its conclusion. When the organizers announced the end of the exchange session, Elder Ren had the painting carefully rolled up, and surrounded by his entourage, he walked out of the hall alongside Elder Feng.

Seeing this, the attendees also began rising in small groups, shaking hands and saying their farewells. Wang Guan and his friends did the same, discussing which teahouse they might visit to sip tea and pass the time before meeting again for dinner that evening.

Just then, Qi Qingguo suddenly walked over. Ma Fusheng and the others paused, quickly greeting him.

Qi Qingguo wore a beaming smile. After exchanging warm pleasantries with the others, he turned his attention to Wang Guan and Yu Feibai. He cut straight to the point: “Elder Feng has invited you to his home as guests. You should follow along now.”

The group was startled and envious upon hearing this, vaguely understanding that this invitation must have originated from Elder Ren’s suggestion.

“Uncle Lei!”

Wang Guan started, turning to look at Lei Yunchang, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. After all, they had just agreed to gather with everyone else; changing plans immediately seemed slightly inappropriate. Moreover, they had already arranged to leave with Lei Yunchang and Ma Fusheng the next morning to go to Linqiong to authenticate the Linglong porcelain.

“It’s no problem,” Lei Yunchang quickly laughed. “We’re setting off at eight tomorrow morning. Just give me a call then.”

“Yes, go on ahead,” Ma Fusheng added from beside him. “And remember to send our regards to Elder Feng.”

The others nodded in agreement. Though envious, they weren't jealous of the two young men. Seeing this, Wang Guan and Yu Feibai no longer hesitated. After bidding farewell to the group, they followed Qi Qingguo.

Descending to the garage, Yu Feibai finally couldn't contain his curiosity. “Uncle Qi, who exactly is this Elder Feng?”

“He used to be the president of a university.”

With their existing connection, Qi Qingguo naturally didn't hide anything. He smiled and said, “Although he has retired, he still has a vast network of former students and colleagues. In short, like Elder Ren, he holds considerable influence in the Shu region.”

Yu Feibai nodded slightly, then asked, “Right, Uncle Qi. That painting just now—did you know the secret story behind it?”

“I truly don’t know about that,” Qi Qingguo shook his head. “When I was born, the old master had already passed away. As for my elder cousins, they never mentioned this to me either. Perhaps even they were unaware. After all, the old master wasn't the sort of person who enjoyed bragging about himself during his lifetime.”

Wang Guan understood clearly. The “old master” Qi Qingguo referred to was undoubtedly Qi Baishi. Furthermore, the history behind the painting might have been somewhat embarrassing for Zhang Daqian. The fact that Qi Baishi never exposed Zhang Daqian’s shortcomings spoke volumes of his noble character.

Of course, Qi Baishi’s gentle reminder to Zhang Daqian to correct his mistake didn't necessarily mean Zhang Daqian was inferior. One had to consider their respective ages. Qi Baishi was thirty-five years older than Zhang Daqian and, after the victory in the War of Resistance Against Japan, was well into his later years, his creation in calligraphy, painting, and seal carving having reached its zenith.

However, Zhang Daqian at that time was only in his early forties, and his creative focus was primarily on imitating ancient masters, consuming a massive amount of time and energy. Therefore, it was hardly surprising that he lagged slightly behind Qi Baishi in sheer painting skill. Perhaps it was only after this experience that Zhang Daqian, ashamed yet motivated, managed to break free from the frameworks of his predecessors and develop his own distinctive style. In his final years, through continuous exploration, he finally integrated all his techniques seamlessly, ascending to become a giant in the art world.

“Wang Guan, let’s go.”

At that moment, Yu Feibai reached out and pulled the contemplative Wang Guan into the car. Then, with a grin, he added, “I got swept along again thanks to you. I suspect they primarily wanted to invite you alone.”

“No need to thank me,” Wang Guan laughed. “With Uncle Qi here, even without me, you could have gotten an invitation if you’d wanted one.”

“Heh, that’s true,” Yu Feibai chuckled. “It just shows that Uncle Qi carries more weight.”

“Not at all,” Qi Qingguo laughed. “It’s mainly because your excellent performance stirred a desire to nurture talent in Elder Ren and Elder Feng, prompting them to extend the invitation themselves.”

As he spoke, Qi Qingguo started the engine, and the vehicle slowly pulled out of the garage.

Along the way, the three chatted casually. Soon, the car entered a quiet, leafy residential area, finally stopping in front of an elegant building.

After getting out of the car, Wang Guan saw that the main gate of the building was already open, with several men who looked like bodyguards standing guard at the entrance. Elder Ren and the others had clearly already gone inside.

After parking, Qi Qingguo walked over and beckoned with a smile, “Don’t be nervous, just walk straight in.”

Wang Guan nodded, and he and Yu Feibai followed behind Qi Qingguo through the entrance, passed through a corridor, and arrived in a spacious reception hall.

The hall was decorated with meticulous taste: a tea table and sofas occupied the center, large potted plants stood in the corners, and there was a large goldfish tank where several large, red-and-black goldfish swam lazily, looking utterly serene.

Elder Ren, Elder Feng, and the others were seated on the sofas. Seeing the three arrive, they greeted them with warm smiles.

“You’ve come at the perfect time. Come try my West Lake Longjing tea,” Elder Feng said with a laugh, picking up an ancient, rustic teapot. He tilted it slightly, splashing water, and the fragrance of the tea instantly permeated the air.

“The aroma is rich and mellow; one whiff tells me this is genuine West Lake Longjing,” Qi Qingguo commented with a smile, quickly stepping forward and taking a seat next to Elder Ren without ceremony.

As for Wang Guan and Yu Feibai, they tactfully moved to the other side and sat next to the young man named Ding Yang.

After handing a cup of tea to Qi Qingguo, Elder Feng looked curiously at Wang Guan and smiled. “You young people are nimble. If you want tea, just help yourselves.”

“Thank you, Elder Feng.”

Hearing this, Yu Feibai immediately stood up and returned with two cups of tea—one for himself and one for Wang Guan. However, he deliberately and subtly ignored Ding Yang, who was sitting nearby.

Seeing this, a flash of displeasure crossed Ding Yang’s eyes before he also rose to pour himself a cup of tea.

The others noticed but suspected nothing untoward. After all, Yu Feibai only had two hands and couldn't carry three cups. However, Wang Guan knew that Yu Feibai was holding a small grudge, still mindful of Ding Yang’s dismissive attitude towards him in the meeting room.

Wang Guan was helpless against Yu Feibai’s childish temperament. He could only offer Ding Yang a friendly smile, signaling goodwill. To his surprise, the other man was also rather arrogant, keeping his head down and sipping his tea without acknowledging him at all.

The friendly gesture failing to elicit the expected response left Wang Guan slightly taken aback. Holding a grudge over such a small matter suggested the other person wasn't particularly broad-minded.

Wang Guan mused internally, raising his cup and taking a delicate sip of the hot tea. He felt a wave of refreshing fragrance flow through him, leaving him deeply comfortable—a lingering sweetness on the palate, an endless aftertaste.

“Excellent tea…”

Everyone offered praise. However, since meeting Gao Dequan, Yu Feibai, and others, Wang Guan had tasted quite a few top-tier famous teas. Although the West Lake Longjing was delicious, it wasn’t enough to leave him utterly lost in rapture. The others felt similarly; they certainly drank fine tea and water regularly, so after a few compliments, they all set down their cups and began chatting.

It was mainly Elder Ren, Elder Feng, and Qi Qingguo who spoke, with Wang Guan and the other young men listening. As they talked, the conversation drifted back to the exchange meeting held earlier.

Elder Ren expressed his feelings with great depth: “I looked over the exhibited works. Although many were mediocre, there were quite a few that were truly striking. This thoroughly proves that our land of Bashu constantly produces talented individuals capable of carrying the torch. Therefore, such calligraphy and painting exhibitions should be held more frequently to discover them and give them opportunities to display their work.”

“Indeed,” Elder Feng agreed, his gaze sweeping over Wang Guan and the others, offering encouragement. “We are getting old; the future belongs to you young people now.”

“I dare not say that; I still have much to learn,” it was Ding Yang who spoke, smiling reservedly. “My teacher said I need several more years of diligent study before I can meet the standard for graduation.”

“Ding Yang…” Elder Feng mused, looking up. “Brother Ren, if I recall correctly, he is a top graduate from the Repin Academy of Fine Arts in Russia, is he not?”