TDDDMFM Chapter 22
"The facts are right in front of you, the evidence is conclusive, and you still won't kneel?" Dong Tianming laughed heartily.
Having suffered losses twice at the hands of Zhou Xiaobei, he finally regained some ground this time, feeling elated.
He took out his phone, preparing to record the scene.
Zhou Xiaobei sneered, looking at the Western-style professionals among the appraisal team, and said, "Foreigners' stuff is indeed unreliable!"
The staff of the appraisal agency were displeased upon hearing this.
The head of the team, dressed in a black suit with a stern face, said, "Sir, are you questioning our appraisal ability?"
"We are a professional antique appraisal agency with qualifications. Our company has cooperated with several well-known auction houses both domestically and internationally, and we have never made any mistakes. What right do you have to question us? Making unfounded accusations carries legal responsibilities!"
Zhou Xiaobei smirked disdainfully, "Yes, I am questioning you. If you have the guts, come after me!"
The staff of the appraisal agency had never encountered such a rogue like Zhou Xiaobei before, and they were infuriated.
Dong Tianming said with a black face, "You want to play dirty?"
Zhou Xiaobei unfolded "The Tang Court" painting in his hand and sneered at Dong Tianming, "Play dirty? Isn't that what people like you do?"
As he spoke, Zhou Xiaobei glanced at Shen Yue.
Shen Yue's face turned pale with anger.
"What do you mean by that?" Dong Tianming was furious.
It was only because he feared Zhou Xiaobei's skills that he hadn't lashed out at him. Otherwise, he would have slapped him already.
Zhou Xiaobei glanced at Dong Tianming and Shen Yue, saying, "You two idiots, you're celebrating too early. Open your eyes wide and see clearly. Oh, and you bunch of fake foreigners..."
"The moment of witnessing a miracle is coming!"
With that, Zhou Xiaobei tore "The Tang Court" painting in half in front of everyone.
There was an immediate uproar.
Everyone widened their eyes in astonishment.
Although the painting was fake, it still cost fifty thousand yuan. To tear it like this, he must really not care!
Of course, most people were watching with glee.
If only they had known earlier, why bother in the first place?
Dong Tianming and Shen Yue both looked at Zhou Xiaobei with a playful smile on their faces.
They stared at Zhou Xiaobei as if he were an idiot.
Dong Tianming sneered, "Are you trying to imitate Wang Gang? What a waste."
"Kneel down!" Shen Yue glared and shouted fiercely.
"You guys are really blind, can't you see clearly?" Zhou Xiaobei raised the half of "The Tang Court" painting in his hand.
This action immediately attracted everyone's attention. Upon closer inspection, they discovered that there was... a hidden layer inside!
"There's a hidden layer? Unbelievable! This is... a hidden treasure!"
Whoosh!
A figure dashed forward at a speed of 120 mph and swiftly snatched the half-torn scroll from Zhou Xiaobei's hand, holding it tightly. An expression of incredulity appeared on his old face.
This person was none other than Song Tianyu, Old Song.
"Old man, don't damage it. The things inside are worth a fortune!" Zhou Xiaobei sneered.
Ignoring Zhou Xiaobei, Song Tianyu held the half-torn scroll in his hands and examined it.
He was as excited as if he had found a treasure.
"A hidden treasure, what is this hidden treasure?"
"Jiaxuan is... oh, I can't explain it clearly. Let Master Song explain later. I never thought there would be such a hidden treasure inside the painting, astonishing!"
...
Curious onlookers crowded around.
Bei Xiaoshuai looked puzzled and turned to Zhou Xiaobei, "Brother Xiaobei, how did you know there was a hidden layer in this painting? Wow, X-ray vision, my man, impressive!"
Zhou Xiaobei smiled but didn't say anything.
In fact, Zhou Xiaobei was also clueless. He just relied on his intuition to determine that there should be something inside.
As for Jiaxuan, what on earth was that!
"Master Song, what is Jiaxuan?" Dong Tianming was also confused, looking expectantly at Song Tianyu.
Song Tianyu was completely focused on the half-torn scroll and took a while to react before explaining, "Jiaxuan is a technique where a piece of Xuan paper is ground extremely thin and mounted on a painting, forming a hidden layer. As far as I know, there are only a few craftsmen in the whole of China who can do this."
"You can understand it as 'jade in the rock.'"
With that, Song Tianyu shook his hand and pulled out a square ancient painting from the hidden layer.
He put on his reading glasses and carefully studied it.
It was a landscape ink painting.
The painting depicted a scholar sitting alone by a cold river, fishing. The river water was dripping, pavilions and towers stood by the river, and there was a clear stream. In the foreground were white clouds and a serene atmosphere, while in the distance were peaks and ridges.
The whole painting portrayed the cleanliness and tranquility of the riverside after the rain.
The inscription read "Rain Washes the Mountain Roots."
There was also a five-character poem: "Rain washes the white mountain roots, quiet like a cold river at night, dripping by the river, behind the peaks and rivers..."
The seal imprint read "Stone Creek."
Song Tianyu shook his hand, almost dropping the painting to the ground. He stared at the painting, his old eyes sparkling.
At this moment, Dong Tianming was no longer calm.
He glanced at Shen Yue, and both of them wore incredulous expressions.
They never expected that this painting would contain such a hidden treasure.
Dong Tianming asked Song Tianyu, "Master Song, what is inside this Jiaxuan?"
Dong Tianming was limited in his understanding and couldn't grasp the profound meaning.
Song Tianyu ignored him, continuing to study the painting carefully. After a while, he took a deep breath.
"Kun Can, courtesy name Jieqiu, also known as Stone Creek, one of the four famous monks of the Qing Dynasty. This 'Rain Washes the Mountain Roots' is one of his representative works. With bold strokes and rich ink, layer upon layer of strokes create a sense of depth without stiffness. Lush but not cluttered, ordinary scenery, yet deep and profound..."
"It's authentic, undoubtedly authentic!"
With that statement, the surroundings erupted into commotion!
The onlookers were going crazy!
Kun Can, one of the four famous monks of the Qing Dynasty, followed the style of Huang Gongwang and was close to Wang Meng. Although not well-known, he was undoubtedly a master of calligraphy and painting, especially in recent years, his works had gained considerable value in the market!
The painting inside this Jiaxuan turned out to be a masterpiece by one of the four famous monks of the Qing Dynasty.
Damn, this was a major find!
Dong Tianming felt dizzy and nauseous, as if a boulder was stuck in his chest, making it hard to breathe.
He couldn't be more depressed!
Shen Yue's face was also extremely ugly. She asked Song Tianyu, "Master Song, can you really confirm that this painting is authentic?"
Song Tianyu nodded.
"Absolutely and definitely!"
Perhaps because he had already caught a glimpse of it earlier, Song Tianyu's statement was extremely confident this time, almost guaranteeing it with his life!
In fact, Old Song's professional ability was still quite remarkable. The reason he missed it earlier was because he was stunned by the Jiaxuan.