Regardless of what Master Chu thought, Prefect Leng was already convinced that the painting of fish playing among lotus flowers in his hand was a forgery made by Sanlang himself.
He glanced at Master Chu and sighed, "Master Chu, you saw it too. Boss Jiang's brother painted on the spot, and the two paintings are so similar. They are both fakes, not genuine works by Master Hua!"
Master Chu turned to look at Prefect Leng, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes.
“Your Excellency, this young master’s painting skills are indeed remarkable. His ability to imitate Master Hua’s Fish and Lotus Painting does not mean that the painting in your hand is a forgery, nor does it mean that Boss Jiang is innocent! My relatives and friends can all testify that this painting has been treasured in my family for more than 20 years. Now it has suddenly come into the hands of this young master. Aren’t you all curious?”
Before Magistrate Leng could speak, Sanlang said, "That's right, this painting is a copy of Master Hua's work. The real Fish Playing Among Lotuses is not mine; it's in my teacher's hands."
Master Chu's eyes lit up with excitement as he hurriedly said, "Did you hear that? He said the original is in his teacher's hands! Prefect, it was they who stole my painting and then gave it away!"
Sanlang said expressionlessly, "How dare you, as a teacher, make such a slanderous accusation? Is the original painting of fish playing among lotus flowers by Master Hua yours? Do you dare to swear a solemn oath on behalf of your closest relatives?"
Master Chu's face turned pale, then red, then pale again. He glared at Sanlang and roared, "You brat, how dare you speak here? I suppose your teacher is a shameless scoundrel with no real reputation, otherwise he wouldn't have taught such an arrogant brat!"
Upon hearing this, Sanlang was filled with rage. "You dare to bully me because I'm young, and you even dare to insult my teacher? This is outrageous!"
Just as he was about to lose his temper, an old man suddenly walked in through the door.
The old man was over sixty years old, with a thin face and bright eyes. His blue robe accentuated his scholarly elegance, and his dignified bearing made him impossible to ignore.
"Teacher!" Saburo cried out with immense grievance, rushing over to hug the old man's arm, his eyes reddening.
Mr. Xunmei patted Sanlang's head and laughed, "So you can't even bear being wronged?"
Sanlang pouted and remained silent, glaring at Master Chu with hostility in his eyes, his meaning unspoken.
Jiang Shan and Fu Qiyuan both stepped forward and bowed, and Mr. Xunmei also clasped his hands and bowed to Prefect Leng in the court.
Seeing that Fu Qiyuan was bowing deeply to Mr. Xunmei with great respect, Prefect Leng shifted his position somewhat uncomfortably and returned the bow with clasped hands.
Mr. Xunmei glanced around the hall and laughed, "This is the first time I've heard someone say that I am a shameless coward with no real reputation and that the students I teach are all arrogant fools. I am truly horrified!"
He said this, but his face showed no sign of fear.
Master Chu, with a sullen face and his nose in the air, gave Mr. Xunmei a cold snort, fully expressing his disdain through his words and actions.
What can a decrepit old man do to cause trouble?
Sanlang grinned, revealing a sinister, conspiracy-themed smirk at Master Chu.
Mr. Xunmei picked up Sanlang's new painting, looked at it, and commented: "It lacks a bit of spirit compared to the previous one; the brushstrokes were too hasty!"
Sanlang blushed and lowered his head.
Mr. Xunmei patted Sanlang's shoulder reassuringly, then turned to ask Master Chu, "You say that painting of fish playing among lotus flowers is yours? In that case, let me ask you, in what year did Master Hua paint that picture? Where did you obtain it? And how much is it worth?"
Master Chu's expression changed slightly. He glanced at the group of relatives and friends listening outside the door, pursed his lips, and gritted his teeth, saying, "That painting was bought by me more than twenty years ago from a merchant from out of town. Its value is... its value is two hundred... five... no, it's worth a thousand taels!"
Mr. Xunmei stroked his beard and shook his head, saying, "Twenty years ago, a thousand taels of silver could buy one of the Hua family's genuine works, let alone treasures from the previous dynasty, and even a one-for-one deal!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Jiang Shan laughed out loud, quite unkindly. The gentleman also knew about the buy-one-get-one-free offer, probably because he had been poisoned by Sanlang.
Everyone realized that the old man's words had a hidden meaning!
Master Chu's face turned pale and then red. He said anxiously and flusteredly, "It's not one thousand taels, I remembered wrong, it's two hundred taels! Yes, it's two hundred taels!"
Mr. Xunmei, with his hands behind his back, said with a smile, "Master Hua's works were only given to those he trusted most during his lifetime, and each of them swore an oath that the paintings they received would only be given to those who were destined to receive them, and would never be exchanged for money!"
Master Chu's persona crumbled instantly, and he exclaimed in shock and anger, "Nonsense! You think you can just say whatever you want? Who do you think you are to the Hua family?!"
Mr. Xunmei stopped laughing, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and said seriously, "What a coincidence! The Master Hua you mentioned is my late teacher. Eight or nine out of ten of his works are in my possession! So, can my words stand?"
An uproar erupted both inside and outside the hall.
Master Chu staggered back a step, his face pale and his eyes filled with terror as he looked at Master Xun, stammering, "Impossible, this is impossible! How could you possibly be a disciple of Master Hua? He only ever took one disciple in his life, and he passed on all his knowledge to that disciple. How could it be someone as unknown as you? I don't believe it! This can't be true!"
Most people already believed Mr. Xunmei when he said such a thing! His young apprentice, who was only ten years old, had already shown such extraordinary talent; it turned out he was a disciple of Master Hua!
That makes sense!
Prefect Leng could no longer remain seated. He lifted his robe and descended from the hall, bowing once more to Mr. Xunmei, his face beaming with smiles, and asked, "May I ask how I should address you, sir?"
No wonder Lord Fu bowed so deeply; he must be an important person!
Thank goodness he didn't do anything rude.
Mr. Xunmei raised his hand slightly and said slowly, "My surname is Cheng, and my ancestral home is Luzhou."
Prefect Leng smiled and tried to ingratiate himself: "So, Mr. Cheng is from Luzhou. Luzhou is known for its talented scholars. Back in the day, Grand Tutor Cheng... went to the capital, Luzhou... his surname was Cheng... you are Grand Tutor Cheng!"
Prefect Leng roared out a thunderous voice, striking the scholars present with utter shock.
What kind of person is someone in the world today who can be called a Grand Tutor?
No, he's not the Grand Tutor now, he's the Imperial Tutor!
The former Grand Tutor, now the Imperial Preceptor, is right before my eyes!
Master Chu stiffly shifted his gaze from Prefect Leng to Mr. Xunmei's face, his lips trembling violently. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground.
Sanlang glanced at Master Chu with disdain, snorted, and looked at Mr. Xunmei with pride and admiration in his eyes.
Jiang Shan sighed inwardly. The gentleman's disguise had finally been exposed!
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