At my instruction, the monkey, standing on a stool, quickly displayed the painting that Professor Li had given me on the shelf behind.

Looking around the entire hall, everyone's booths were packed, except for the space where Monkey and I were, which was completely empty except for a painting.

I was quite relaxed about this. As the saying goes, a piece of gold or jade is worth more than a pile of broken tiles. Antiques are not something that can be won over by quantity.

At least for now, nothing in this room can compare to my painting in terms of aesthetics and historical value.

You should know that this painting was something my grandfather valued back then. His status in the industry is enough to show what kind of value this painting had.

Among the wealthy businessmen who were able to attend today's tea party, apart from a few who were simply there to present treasures to important figures like Mr. Leng and Lin Jianghao, there were also quite a few genuine players.

The rules of the antique trade are different from other industries. In this trade, success or failure is determined by the treasures themselves, not by social status. People admire those with discerning eyes. Therefore, tea parties like Mr. Leng's, which involve commercial activities and collusion, were once deeply hated and despised by people in the industry.

However, in this day and age, the antique trade has long been imbued with many attributes that were originally unrelated to this circle. But this is inevitable. After all, in this gold standard era, all industries appear restless, and the antique circle, which has been known for its exorbitant profits since ancient times, is naturally not immune to this fate.

Thanks to the unique nature of the antique trade, most of the people here today are true experts. Although their identities and statuses may not be equal, the main purpose of their gathering is to exchange knowledge about antiques and collectibles.

As long as you have a discerning eye, something to offer, and a recommendation from someone in the industry, you're qualified to attend this tea party. Although it sounds easy, everyone here is a big player, so the threshold is quite high. The unequal status I mentioned only means that if they weren't in the antique business, they probably would never have the chance to meet someone like Mr. Leng in their entire lives. But those who can come here are all major collectors in Beijing's antique and collectible circles.

Just as the monkey finished hanging up the painting, the stall owner from the booth next to mine returned. This man was in his thirties, with a shaved head and a necklace of yak bones around his neck.

The bald man only glanced at it casually before being drawn to the painting we were displaying. He stood in front of the table for a long time, marveling, "Young man, this painting is obviously from the late Ming Dynasty! But there's something strange about it; why is there neither an inscription nor a seal?"

An elderly man with white hair who was passing by heard the voice, stopped and said, "This is not a painting from the late Ming Dynasty, but from the Song Dynasty, and it is the work of a master!"

Upon seeing the old man, the bald man bowed slightly, behaving very politely: "Mr. Tang, did you also attend this tea party?"

“Mr. Leng was humiliated by Mr. Lin at the last tea party, and he must be holding a grudge. It’s obvious that this tea party will be very lively, so of course I have to come and see.”

After answering the bald man's question with a smile, Old Tang turned his attention back to my painting: "The liveliness of this painting of children at play is truly rare. The colors are so vibrant yet not gaudy, especially the child in the lower right corner. He clearly has a dejected expression, yet the form and innocence are expressed perfectly... The painting of children at play depicts a crying baby, yet it feels completely natural! Wonderful! Truly wonderful!"

The bald man had initially thought my painting was quite good, but after hearing Mr. Tang's praise, he began to re-examine it: "Mr. Tang, you are a leading figure in the field. How could you give such a high evaluation to a painting that doesn't even have an inscription?"

Old Tang's gaze was so intense it seemed he wanted to devour the painting: "The beauty of this painting lies in the fact that it has no inscription! Judging from its size, the painting has not been cut, indicating that the artist originally did not sign it. Yet it is a complete painting. The only possibility is that this painting is a practice piece! And if a practice piece is so perfect, it's hard to imagine what level a painting must have reached to satisfy the artist!"

Mr. Tang is considered a leading figure in the art world in Beijing. Many shopkeepers who were strolling around the hall saw him commenting on my paintings, and soon more than twenty people gathered around.

His insights were truly enlightening.

When I first saw this painting at Professor Li's home, I was only curious as to why it had no markings, but I overlooked the story behind it.

The old man succinctly explained the reason in just a few words; indeed, experience counts.

The bald man was a pragmatist. Seeing Old Tang's entranced expression, he scoffed and said, "With antiques, you only make money if you can find their provenance. There were many famous painters in the Song Dynasty. If this painting of children at play were forged with Tang Yin's signature and seal, it would probably be enough to send it to those big auction houses for auction!"

Old Tang scolded, "Nonsense! This painting is priceless. By forging an inscription, you are destroying its artistic value! Or rather, the greatest charm of this painting lies in the fact that it has no inscription. The more profound one's understanding, the more one can see its value!"

I felt a deep sense of admiration: "The old man has such keen insight; his understanding is truly admirable."

What Mr. Tang meant by "internal strength" was his own cultural literacy and understanding of history and culture.

There were only so many famous painters in the Southern Song Dynasty. This painting is clearly the work of a famous artist. It is precisely because there is no inscription that we do not know which famous artist it is, which arouses people's curiosity even more.

As one gains more experience and cultural knowledge, someone might see it as Li Song at thirty and as Su Hanchen at forty. This state of empathy with historical figures is the ultimate pursuit of top players.

Old Tang smiled at me: "Of the great masters of children's play paintings in the Southern Song Dynasty, few of their works have survived to this day. Only the names of Li Song, Liu Zongdao, and Du Haier remain. This painting is of great significance for the study of the history of painting in the Southern Song Dynasty. I wonder if you would be willing to give me this painting?"

I went to great lengths to come to the tea party with Mr. Leng, mainly to expand my network. Seeing that Mr. Tang was quite experienced, I was also somewhat interested in him. However, I didn't rule out the possibility of him leaving: "Sir, as you can see, this is the only item I have at my stall. It wouldn't look good if I asked you to leave."

"Don't worry, I know the rules of this tea party. Since I've taken a liking to your things, I'll naturally show my sincerity."

Old Tang pointed towards Mr. Leng and his group: "My booth is not far away. If you are willing to give up this painting of children at play, I will exchange it with you a hanging scroll of figures by Xia Gui with inscription and signature. How about it?"