When Duanmu Ci followed Emperor Taizong in raising an army in Taiyuan, Taizong asked, "What is outside Taiyuan?"
Duanmu Ci replied, "It is the world."
When the Tang army approached Guanzhong, Emperor Taizong asked again, "What lies within Guanzhong?"
Duanmu Ci replied, "It is the world."
When the world was settled, the former Prince of Qin ascended the throne in the Taiji Palace. Emperor Taizong asked again, "What is on the dragon throne?"
Duanmu Ci replied, "It is the world."
Three different questions yielded three answers with different connotations but the same form.
This is a dialogue between two of the world's most brilliant minds, standing on opposite banks of the long river of history. It is naturally full of wisdom, wit, and profound meaning in every word.
However, for these old gentlemen who now step into Duanmu Ci's house, no matter what question you ask them, they will only give you a single, stingy answer, just like Duanmu Ci did back then.
"Uh-huh."
They wouldn't say another word, because their minds had already wandered elsewhere...
...
...
The moment the old gentlemen opened the door, the first thing they saw was a wild cursive script hanging on the wall in the distance, its spirit unrestrained, its strokes full of ink and color, and its charm profound.
They rushed over without even changing their shoes, eager to get a closer look, leaving behind a few messy, dusty footprints on the beautiful red solid wood floor.
"This is Zhang Xu?!" A sharp-eyed old gentleman spotted the signature at a glance.
"Fake, fake! I bought this at the furniture store to decorate my house, it's not the real thing! The real thing is in the museum." Duanmu Ci followed behind, spouting nonsense with a straight face.
"Nonsense!"
Xun Yong angrily retorted, "Which furniture store is so generous? They actually gave away calligraphy and paintings by Zhang Bogao, the master of cursive script? Tell me, so I can go and have a look too. If they can give me a piece of calligraphy as well, what's wrong with me buying out half of their furniture store?!"
“That’s right, that’s right,” an old man chimed in. “Although we’re not as rich as Old Man Xun, we can still scrape together the money and buy the other half if we really have it!”
No, that's not true...
Xun Yongxu pointed to the scroll, on which was a calligraphy copybook, and then he read it aloud word by word: "Drink three liters of wine, and all diseases will be cured."
An elderly gentleman nearby exclaimed, "No wonder he's known as 'Xun the Half-Brush'! He can recognize cursive script so quickly! If it were us, it would probably take us quite a while!"
The others nodded in agreement.
Among all calligraphic styles, cursive script is the most difficult to decipher and the hardest to follow a set pattern. However, this doesn't mean it lacks any rules or can be haphazardly written. Its rules are nothing more than four: "variation, simplification, connection, and substitution." Within these frameworks, one can be unrestrained, with bold and flowing strokes, freely extending and contracting the brush. But if one goes beyond these boundaries, then truly "cursive script dragged out of control, even a god couldn't recognize it!"
It is obvious that Zhao Xu, as the master of cursive script, did not "detach himself from the body" in his cursive script, so those who are proficient in this art will recognize it very well.
Despite the praise, Xun Yong wasn't particularly happy. He simply frowned as he looked at the calligraphy. "Judging from the paper quality, the ink stains, and the essence of the brushwork, it's undoubtedly Zhang Xu's own work. However, this calligraphy has never been recorded in historical books, and it doesn't bear any inscriptions or seals from collectors throughout history. It's truly strange!"
“Yes, and this calligraphy is exquisite, with some parts as brilliant as the ‘Stomachache Calligraphy’! How could it be unknown? Could it be a fake?” Clearly, Xun Yong was not the only one who noticed the problem.
Then they started wondering why this calligraphy copybook had been largely forgotten in history...
Duanmu Ci stood to the side, silent.
This calligraphy copybook remained in his possession and was never passed on to outsiders, thus leaving no trace in history.
...
...
Although Duanmu Ci possesses a longevity constitution, this does not mean he is immune to illness, even illnesses like typhoid fever or the common cold.
That autumn, in the seventh year of the Tianbao era of the Tang Dynasty, the Holy Emperor was rehearsing the Rainbow Feather Dance in the magnificent Daming Palace, but Duanmu Ci fell ill in a cold autumn rain.
After he fell ill, his good friend Zhang Xu came to visit him. Zhang Xu, who was addicted to alcohol, wrote the "medicine" that "drinking three liters of wine will cure all diseases" after returning home to treat his illness. Duanmu Ci disregarded the medicinal principle and valued the sentiment, so he kept the letter as a permanent treasure.
I cherish the autumn rain in Chang'an that year, and the friends from that year.
Just two years later, Zhang Xu died of illness, and his "prescription" could not save him.
...
...
After a while, they still couldn't figure it out. When they asked Duanmu Ci, he was just lost in thought, so they had no choice but to give up and sit up on the sofa.
Duanmu Ci simply brewed some tea on the coffee table, poured it into white porcelain teacups, and then handed them to the gentlemen.
Fortunately, they were only renowned figures in the calligraphy world, not experts in porcelain. Otherwise, they would have been speechless upon seeing the white porcelain used to hold the hot tea, and might even have had thoughts of splashing the cup of hot tea in someone's face...
Xun Yong asked, "Where is Xianzhi's calligraphy copybook? Don't forget the important matter!" Put Zhang Xu's matter aside for now; the most urgent task is to find out the authenticity of his "Shanyin Postscript"!
Duanmu Ci nodded, then went upstairs to his study. In a secluded corner, he took out a sandalwood box, then went downstairs. Without a doubt, the precious item was inside that box.
The moment the box was opened, Xun Yong almost immediately determined its authenticity. "This must be real!" he said with absolute certainty, even with an air of unwavering certainty.
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