So he specifically instructed Tang Ke not to reveal the origin of the painting, but to say that Tang Ke found it himself. This made Tang Ke feel very embarrassed, as he felt that he was taking advantage of someone else's treasure and claiming credit for it.
Sure enough, after speaking to Duanmu Ci, Tang Yijin turned to Tang Ke and said, "The painting 'Autumn Mountains and Bright Moon with Reading' that you gave me is a masterpiece by Dong Qichang! Even Emperor Kangxi praised it, and Emperor Qianlong wrote a poem in its inscription, but it was later lost during the Boxer Rebellion. I've been searching for it all these years, but unfortunately, I've never been able to find it. I never expected that you would find it. Not bad, not bad!"
Tang Yijin came from a poor family and had worked for some long-established aristocratic families in Jiangnan when he was young. He longed for the atmosphere of those families that had been in official positions for generations and that passed down their literary and scholarly traditions. After he became rich, he also wanted to wash away the dirt on his trousers, so he began to pursue the class and taste of high society.
Firstly, regarding clothing, aside from a few specific brands, he wears nothing else, and even has a persistent desire for shoes that are only worn by the nobility. As for taste, Tang Yijin began to focus on collecting calligraphy and paintings, hoping to elevate the Tang family's cultural refinement and completely shed any trace of vulgarity.
The painting and calligraphy that Tang Ke sent perfectly satisfied his special psychological need, so how could Old Master Tang not praise it highly? As for buying paintings and calligraphy being expensive? Hehe—Old Master Tang, the richest man in Haishan, humbly said that anything that can be solved with money is not a problem!
Regardless of how brilliant and shrewd Mr. Tang was in his youth, he is now in his eighties. Throughout history, no matter how brilliant or ambitious a ruler was in his youth, he would almost always become senile by this age; this is true in all times and places. And Mr. Tang's senility is manifested in his fondness for people who can cater to his "taste."
While Old Master Tang was praising Tang Ke, Tang Jingchang and his son Tang Rui were seething with hatred. After their failure at Heyuan, all their efforts had amounted to nothing more than a landscape painting by a Southern School literati of the Qing Dynasty. How could such a modest work by a Qing Dynasty literati possibly compare to the masterpiece of Dong Qichang, a great calligrapher and painter of the Ming Dynasty?
It's a complete and utter annihilation!
Then, Tang Rui and his son were also instantly killed...
However, Tang Rui wasn't too worried. After all, the gift was only one aspect of today's struggle, and Tang Rui's side was not to be underestimated.
Just wait and see—
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p: Thank you to reader [Zhuge Jiafei] for the generous donation!
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