Chapter 74 - Discerning True from False

“Damn, rich people!”

Standing to the side, Xiao Yifeng was taken aback by the beautiful “royal sister” who casually bid two million.

And Du Wenxing, dressed in a suit, lifted the corner of his mouth in a peculiar smile and said, “Five million.

I will take this painting.”

“Du Wenxing, you…”

Qin Wanting’s face immediately darkened, her eyes glaring at Du Wenxing with some anger.

“Wanting, I said we were just competing fairly.”

Qin Wanting, filled with rage, her ample chest heaving slightly, glanced at the ink bamboo painting and ultimately gave up unwillingly.

In a contest of wealth, she was simply no match for Du Wenxing, so continuing the competition was pointless.

“Young Master Du, the painting is now yours,” Manager Dong said with a beaming smile to Du Wenxing.

“Wanting, don’t be angry,” Du Wenxing said, looking at Qin Wanting.

“Du Wenxing, our relationship isn’t that close, so please address me as Miss Qin,” Qin Wanting said with a face that was slightly ice-cold.

“Wanting, do you know what I intend to do with this painting?” Du Wenxing asked, his eyes lingering on Qin Wanting.

“That has nothing to do with me,” she said with an indifferent tone.

“I’ve heard that Elder Qin is very fond of paintings by famous people.

I plan to give this ink bamboo painting to Elder Qin.”

Qin Wanting was taken aback, asking Du Wenxing, “You want to give it to my grandfather?”

“Exactly.

Moreover, I plan to ask Elder Qin for your hand in marriage,” Du Wenxing said, his lips curling into a meaningful smile.

At that, Qin Wanting’s complexion changed, and she appeared incredibly upset, her chest rising and falling.

Taking a deep breath, Qin Wanting suppressed the fury in her heart and said in a deep voice, “Du Wenxing, you might as well not waste your effort.

I will never marry you.”

“Wanting, I believe you will eventually become my woman, and only I, Du Wenxing, am worthy of you.

Tomorrow, I will take this painting and visit your grandfather,” Du Wenxing said with full confidence.

“If you don’t want to make a fool of yourself, it would be best not to give this painting away as a gift,”

A light voice arose, reaching the ears of the few people in Treasure Trove Pavilion, and as their gazes swept over, they saw a young man standing in the pavilion, holding a copper statue and smiling.

If it weren’t for Xiao Yifeng’s remark just now, they would have completely overlooked his presence, mistaking him for just an ordinary employee of Treasure Trove Pavilion.

“What do you mean by that, kid?”

Du Wenxing’s eyes were cold as he stared at Xiao Yifeng with a hint of hostility, while Qin Wanting and Manager Dong both looked at Xiao Yifeng with a touch of confusion.

Xiao Yifeng, still wearing a smile, said, “Young Master, this so-called painting by Master Wentong you’re holding is actually just a copied painting.

If you take it out as a gift, especially as a marriage proposal, I’m afraid you’ll be the laughingstock.”

Upon Xiao Yifeng’s words, the expressions of Qin Wanting, Du Wenxing, and Manager Dong all changed, particularly Manager Dong and Du Wenxing, whose faces fell, both fixing their gaze on Xiao Yifeng.

Du Wenxing directly snapped, “What nonsense are you spouting, kid?”

Manager Dong’s face was equally ugly as he looked at Xiao Yifeng and said, “Young man, do you realize that your words are slandering and tarnishing the reputation of the Treasure Trove Pavilion?

I can sue you for that.”

Qin Wanting watched Xiao Yifeng with great interest.

Xiao Yifeng smiled indifferently, “I’m always very honest, I never lie.

Indeed, this ink bamboo painting is a copy.

It’s just that the technique of the master who made the copy is very skilled, and since the original painting is from the Song Dynasty, naturally you couldn’t tell.”

At this moment, Qin Wanting glanced at the ink bamboo painting and said to Xiao Yifeng, “Are you claiming that this ink bamboo painting is a copy of Master Wentong’s work, created by someone from the Song Dynasty era?”

“Exactly, the lady is smart,” Xiao Yifeng nodded in agreement.

“Impossible, this painting, whether in style or structure, comports exactly with Master Wentong’s works, and there’s also Master Wentong’s seal as proof.

How could it be fake?

Where are you from, boy, to dare to slander the reputation of the Treasure Trove Pavilion like this?

Someone, throw him out.”

Immediately, several clerks charged out, their gazes fixed on Xiao Yifeng.

“Determining the authenticity of this painting is simple, it’s all in the seal.

If you truly believe this painting is an authentic work of Master Wentong, then allow me to test its authenticity,” Xiao Yifeng offered.

Du Wenxing swept Xiao Yifeng with a cold gaze, “Kid, I paid five million for this painting, you just want to test it like that?

If you happen to damage it, can you afford the compensation?”

“Are you scared, afraid that you’ve spent five million on a fake that will embarrass you?” Xiao Yifeng taunted.

“You, boy…” Du Wenxing’s face turned cold, his eyes flickering with intense anger as he stared at Xiao Yifeng.

“I think, since this brother is so certain, why not let him try?

If anything goes wrong, I, Qin Wanting, will take full responsibility.”

At that, Qin Wanting spoke up on her own initiative.

Manager Dong’s eyes turned shrewdly as he said, “Fine, young man, I’ll let you test it.

If this painting is real, I’ll make sure you taste what it’s like to be in jail.” Manager Dong looked at Xiao Yifeng with a somber face.

Xiao Yifeng put down the bronze figurine he was holding, walked up to the ink painting, and took out a Zippo lighter.

With a flick, a flame sprang up.

“What are you doing?”

Manager Dong and Du Wenxing’s faces both changed.

“Don’t worry, I’m not going to burn the painting.”

As Xiao Yifeng spoke, he spread out the painting and placed the lighter directly underneath it, with the flame right under the seal.

He controlled it so well that the flame would not damage the painting.

Yet under the high temperature of the flame, the red seal that bore the name “Wentong” began to change.

Qin Wanting and the onlookers watched in astonishment as the seal altered before their eyes.

Five minutes later, the original seal that bore the name “Wentong” had completely transformed.

The top layer of the seal had vanished, revealing its true form: another red seal, but this time, it bore the name “Chengyun.”

“This…

How is this possible?”

Seeing this, Manager Dong’s face immediately changed, displaying complete disbelief.

Du Wenxing’s expression also shifted, his face becoming very dark.

“So, do you understand now?

This painting was not done by Master Wentong, but by a person named Chengyun, who made the copy.

It’s just that someone later used a special method to make the seal appear as Master Wentong’s, and since the painting itself is a work from the Song Dynasty, and the copy by Chengyun was very lifelike, that’s why it was mistaken for an authentic piece by Master Wentong,” Xiao Yifeng said as he put away the lighter, a devilish smile on his lips.

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