"Sir and Terauchi-kun are too kind. Although Zhiren's calligraphy has improved slightly, he still cannot achieve the state of mind arising from the hand when wielding the brush. It seems that he is still too deliberate!" Ning Zhiheng replied with a smile.

Hiroki Ito, a scholar who excels in both calligraphy and painting, also greatly admired Ning Zhiheng's work. He privately believed that in terms of brushwork, Ning's work was no less than his own, and even more innovative and original.

He said with a smile, "Unlike us idle people who just write poetry, paint, and compose music every day, Fujiwara-kun also manages a huge business company. To be able to make such progress in his busy schedule is simply a genius!"

Everyone praised Ning Zhiheng repeatedly. They naturally had a lot of goodwill towards him. In Japanese society, class differences are everywhere. The top nobles occupy the highest position. On the surface, they treat these literati with great courtesy, but in reality, they only regard them as tools for showing off their refined tastes.

The young nobleman in front of them maintained sufficient respect for these literati and scholars, and blended in seamlessly. His talent was also enough to earn everyone's recognition.

Of course, even more importantly, as soon as Chairman Fujiwara joined the Mulan Academy, he immediately spent a lot of money to buy a piece of land nearby, intending to double the size of the Mulan Academy and claiming that he would build it into the most upscale manor, a landmark building in Shanghai, to enhance the Mulan Academy's reputation. Everyone was excited about this plan and naturally had a great fondness for this talented and wealthy young man.

Ning Zhiheng now has ample funds and doesn't care about these small sums of money. Winning the approval of these people is also extremely beneficial to him.

He began by saying, "My little skills are nothing to brag about. All of you here are seniors I greatly admire. You are the ones I strive to emulate."

As everyone was chatting amicably, a man in his thirties walked in. Seeing how happy they were, he said, "You all seem to be in a good mood today. Did I miss something?"

This is Takano Takayuki, a sculptor with some fame in Japan, and a frequent visitor to the Makuranshain.

Hiroki Ito said with a smile, "Fujiwara-kun just wrote a beautiful scroll of calligraphy, and everyone was discussing it. Takano-kun, you're late today!"

“I admire Fujiwara-kun’s calligraphy skills! But first, take a look at my haul!” Takano Takayuki strode over to the group, sat down, and excitedly took out a handbag. “Today I acquired a fine piece of jade, which is truly rare!”

Clearly, Takano Takayuki was extremely pleased with his haul today and wanted to show it off to everyone. When he opened his handbag, a seven-inch square piece of emerald green jade was revealed to all.

For a moment, everyone fell silent. This was indeed a rare and exquisite piece of jadeite, crystal clear with a bright and lustrous emerald color. From any angle, one could see the green fluorescence emanating from the surface, radiant and luminous, with a translucent and lively quality.

"It's so beautiful!"

Everyone was full of praise. The Japanese also really like jadeite, and their love for it is no less than that of the Chinese, and may even be greater. So much so that in later generations, jadeite was even designated as the national stone of Japan.

They believed that jade, in addition to its decorative function, also had mystical effects, and regarded it as a precious object, widely used for sacrificial purposes.

However, because Japan does not produce high-quality jadeite domestically, the jadeite produced is very coarse in texture, has poor density, and is monotonous in color, mostly milky white or grayish white. Therefore, it is very rare to obtain a high-quality piece of jadeite.

Just like the jade magatama that Ning Zhiheng seized three years ago, it is an extremely rare and exquisite piece in Japan, and it is also very rare among the jewelry of Japanese nobles.

Ning Zhiheng reached out and gently tapped the jade with his finger. The sound was crisp and clear, befitting the characteristics of jade and metal. He couldn't help but exclaim, "This jade is pure and delicate, as clear and transparent as glass. It's a rare treasure. Takano-kun, you're really lucky!"

Everyone praised it, and Hiroki Ito said with a smile, "Takano-kun, you are a master sculptor. It is a perfect match for you to carve this piece of jade. Congratulations!"

Seeing the envious looks from everyone, Takano Takayuki felt extremely pleased with himself. He held the jade in his hand and said with a smile, "This isn't for me. It's a gift I'm preparing for my teacher. I'm sure the old man will be very pleased!"

Everyone was taken aback when they heard this. Takano Takayuki is a well-known sculptor in the Japanese art world. His teacher, Kanda Tamayama, is the top sculptor in Japan, with superb sculpting skills. He has always been a national treasure-level master in Japan.

Terauchi Hiko's eyes showed envy as he nodded and said, "So it was a treasure given to Master Kanda. That was the right gift. It seems that a masterpiece will be born soon!"

"Is Takano-kun planning to return to Japan soon?" Kuroki Takeichi asked, as he was quite close to Kanda Tamami. "Please give my regards to Mr. Kanda for me; we haven't seen each other for six years!"

Upon hearing Kuroki Takeichi's words, Takano Takayuki couldn't help but laugh and said, "Mr. Kuroki, you should personally greet your teacher. He sent me a telegram saying that he will be traveling abroad to Shanghai soon."

"Will Master Kanda come to Shanghai?"

"Is there something important?"

"Yes, Mr. Kanda is a highly respected national treasure-level master. I didn't expect him to suddenly come to Shanghai."

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