Chen Fan had admired enough and shifted his attention to other exhibits. “It’s their livelihood, why must we expose them?”
The woman raised an eyebrow. “How is that exposing them? Making fakes and deceiving people is wrong. The victim might even go bankrupt.”
Chen Fan remained noncommittal and moved to look at a Shoushan stone seal.
Seeing that Chen Fan was not paying her much attention, the woman’s eyes darted around. “Let’s introduce ourselves. My name is Tao Xiaoyan, what’s yours?”
“Chen Fan,” Chen Fan replied, continuing to look along the display table.
Tao Xiaoyan gave a sly smile and suddenly called out, “Young Master Sun, this Mr. Chen here says your ‘Hanshi Tie’ calligraphy is a fake!”
The hall was not small, but it was still just a room. Her voice rang out, clearly heard by everyone.
*Swish!*
All eyes turned towards them.
Sun Ming’en, surrounded by a crowd, scowled, his mood souring.
Gu Zian blinked slightly, then a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
While the Sun family was not considered a noble clan, their financial power was considerable. Chen Fan had offended Young Master Sun, and Gu Zian was happy to see it.
Of course, he couldn’t remain completely silent now.
After all, he hadn’t received the antidote yet, and his life was still in Chen Fan’s hands.
“Young Master Sun, my apologies. This is my friend, Chen Fan.”
He took a few steps forward, making the introduction to Sun Ming’en.
He didn’t really care about Sun Ming’en’s attitude, but he did care about Chen Fan’s.
If he angered Chen Fan and didn’t get the antidote, he would be finished.
“So, this is Young Master Gu’s friend.” Sun Ming’en chuckled, feigning indifference. “I spent three million on this ‘Hanshi Tie.’ Mr. Chen says it’s a fake, but what is your reasoning?”
Though he spent lavishly, he wasn’t truly an idiot, otherwise, it would be difficult to explain why there were hardly any fakes among his collection.
Chen Fan observed Sun Ming’en and said calmly, “What reasoning does a fake need?”
Sun Ming’en shook his head. “I’ve had many friends visit and appraise my collection. It’s not a big deal for you to say this calligraphy is a fake. But doesn’t that make all my friends look like they have poor judgment?”
As soon as he finished speaking, others chimed in.
“Exactly, Sir. Anyone can speak without evidence. If you can’t give us a reason or two, how do we know you’re not just talking nonsense?”
“Who are you to judge Young Master Sun’s collection?”
“Young Master Sun invited you out of courtesy. How can you speak so recklessly without guilt?”
“…”
The crowd began to speak, their words laced with criticism.
Some were aggressively trying to impress Sun Ming’en, hoping to be remembered.
After all, whether Young Master Sun was a fool or a spendthrift, the Sun family was undeniably wealthy and influential.
Climbing into Young Master Sun’s good graces offered many benefits.
Chen Fan glanced back at Tao Xiaoyan.
Tao Xiaoyan shrugged, smiled playfully, and whispered, “Who asked you to keep me in suspense?”
Chen Fan, not bothering to argue with her, said, “This ‘Hanshi Tie’ is a very close imitation. The paper used is also exquisite, and the aging process is remarkably done. But a fake is a fake. It’s missing several personal seals!”
“Huang Tingjian was a master calligrapher. Any of his works were cherished by later calligraphers and painters. This ‘Hanshi Tie’ is no exception! It passed through the hands of Xianyu Shu, Wen Zhengming, Dong Qichang, Qiu Ying, and Emperor Qianlong.”
“You all know Emperor Qianlong. He was fond of adding colophons and seals. He left his mark on many famous works. Any calligraphy that passed through his hands would have at least three seals, often seven or eight. How many seals do you see on this ‘Hanshi Tie’?”
The voices of the crowd gradually quieted down as they all looked towards the ‘Hanshi Tie.’
Those who were guests of Sun Ming’en understood something about art. At least, they could recognize seventy to eighty percent of the seals on the ‘Hanshi Tie.’
After a quick scan, they confirmed there was indeed only one seal, belonging to Emperor Qianlong, bearing the inscription ‘Shi Quan Lao Ren’ (Ten-Complete Old Man).
Tao Xiaoyan was the first to finish examining the seals. “It’s true. There’s only one seal from Qianlong. Given his habits, this is almost unbelievable!”
She paused, then added, “But is this reason sufficient?”
Her interjection made many people too lazy to continue scrutinizing the seals.
For those who merely pretended to appreciate art, identifying each seal was a laborious task.
Gu Zian had noticed Tao Xiaoyan earlier but hadn’t paid close attention. After a moment of scrutiny, he seemed to recognize her, and his pupils suddenly contracted.
“Indeed, the reason isn’t quite sufficient. Perhaps Emperor Qianlong changed his ways that year and only left one seal on it?”
Someone else chimed in, continuing to question Chen Fan.
The reason Chen Fan provided wasn’t entirely airtight.
Emperor Qianlong was historically known for his habit of arbitrarily applying seals, a well-known fact.
But perhaps this self-proclaimed eternal emperor, the Ten-Complete Old Man, had uniquely spared Huang Tingjian’s ‘Hanshi Tie’?
Chen Fan smiled and said, “That’s because you’ve missed one seal. There’s a seal with the characters 'Shan Quan Zi' (Mountain Spring Son). Those who understand will understand!”
“Furthermore, Huang Tingjian’s calligraphy has certain characteristics: he favored transforming the long into the short, the broken into the continuous, the straight into the curved, blending rigidity with fluidity. Several characters here, though deliberately imitating and following these characteristics, appear insufficiently rounded and natural.”
“For example, the character ‘Han’ and the character ‘Su.’ Upon close inspection, one can detect a hint of deliberate effort. This is due to the calligrapher's brushwork being slightly inferior to the original!”
Chen Fan said with a hint of amusement, “Three million yuan wouldn’t buy an authentic work by Huang Tingjian, would it, Young Master Sun?”
Tao Xiaoyan suddenly understood, murmuring, “It’s a replica by Shan Quan Zi. No wonder it has such skill and quality!”
*Clap clap!*
Applause broke out.
The one applauding was none other than Sun Ming’en.
He exclaimed, “Magnificent! Mr. Chen, your analysis and appraisal are truly brilliant and admirable!”
His gaze towards Chen Fan was almost shining with admiration.
This reaction surprised Chen Fan somewhat.
“This painting has been hanging here for half a year. Many people have seen it, but no one discovered it was a fake. Today, I have finally found a discerning expert like Mr. Chen!”
Saying this, Sun Ming’en stepped forward and enthusiastically offered his hand for a handshake.
The others who were crowding around Sun Ming’en paused for a moment, then showed signs of jealousy.
Gu Zian was bewildered, equally taken aback by Sun Ming’en’s reaction.
Wasn’t Sun Ming’en, the philistine of the antique world, supposed to be furious and displeased with Chen Fan’s disruptive behavior?
“It’s rare to encounter a master like Mr. Chen. I hope Mr. Chen will generously offer his guidance and appraise if there are any other fakes in my collection!”
Sun Ming’en held Chen Fan’s hand, speaking with immense enthusiasm. Da Feng Novel Network
Chen Fan glanced at Sun Ming’en, realizing that the fact that the ‘Hanshi Tie’ was a fake was likely known to the young master, otherwise, he wouldn’t have reacted this way.
However, he had little interest in appraising the other collections. He withdrew his hand and said lightly, “Most of your collection, Young Master Sun, is genuine!”
Sun Ming’en’s followers, envious and jealous of his warmth and attentiveness towards Chen Fan, couldn’t hold back.
One of them said drily, “So, you mean to say there are still some fakes here, Young Master Sun? Why don’t you point them out then!”
Sun Ming’en also said, “Please, Brother Chen, guide me and lend me your discerning eye.”
Chen Fan said indifferently, “Young Master Sun, as long as you are happy with your collection!”
His words implied a refusal.
As he had said, he wasn’t particularly interested in showing off.
“Alas, Brother Chen, I sincerely request your guidance,” Sun Ming’en said. “You don’t know how deep the waters are in the antique world. If you guide me, you will be my friend, my brother, from now on!”
Sun Ming’en’s sycophants grew increasingly envious of Chen Fan.
Seeing Sun Ming’en’s attitude, Chen Fan couldn’t help but chuckle.
His thoughts raced, and he said, “Very well, since Young Master Sun is so humble, I shall offer my amateur opinion.”
“However, if what I say is true, I hope Young Master Sun will permit me to visit your residence and look around. What do you say?”