Chapter 23: Six Division Assessment (1)

Minister Niu’s mouth couldn’t help but twitch, while Zhou Bokang, who had been sitting silently with a dark expression, felt equally frustrated. 'Am I just getting caught in the crossfire here?' he thought.

“Teacher Meng, I heard that young man found an antique on your desk? You tossed it aside as a fake, and it even gathered dust?” Zhou Bokang chuckled, “Teacher Meng, it’s rare for you to misjudge something, isn’t it?”

In truth, Zhou Bokang probably would’ve been fine if he hadn’t brought it up. But the moment he did, Meng Jianlin’s forehead practically flared with anger. He nearly started cursing—'If it weren’t for that bastard son of yours, would I have lost so much face?'

Last night, several old friends had called to console him, saying it was fine to make a mistake and that he should just be more careful in the future.

Of course, their intentions were kind, but to Meng Jianlin’s ears, it sounded like mockery. He couldn’t vent his anger on these old friends, so he bottled it up inside, stewing all night with nowhere to release it. And now, Zhou Bokang just had to come along and hit the target right on the mark.

“Zhou, you little punk, what’s that supposed to mean!” Meng Jianlin exploded in rage. “Your no-good bastard son raised an even worse bastard grandson. Does that old turtle of your family know about this?”

Pfft!

Yang Ning, who had just walked in, didn’t quite grasp the situation. But upon hearing this, he couldn’t help but burst out laughing. Even Lin Manxuan discreetly covered her mouth, trying hard to suppress her amusement.

Yang Ning’s laughter immediately triggered hearty chuckles from the other elders in the room. Minister Niu, lacking any sense of shared misfortune, was more than happy to redirect the trouble elsewhere.

“Meng, what’s that supposed to mean! Don’t act all high and mighty just because you’re older. I call you ‘Teacher’ out of respect, but without it, you’re just a useless old fossil!” Zhou Bokang was equally furious, slamming the table as he roared.

“Enough!”

Meng Jianlin, his neck flushed red, was about to start cursing when Old Feng from the Calligraphy and Painting Division couldn’t stand it anymore. He waved his hand to stop them.

“Old Feng, what’s this? You’re siding with this bastard son?” Meng Jianlin might’ve been fine if he hadn’t mentioned it, but bringing it up nearly made Zhou Bokang’s nose twist in anger.

Zhou Bokang was honestly quite frustrated. Who did he offend? Why was this old fossil acting like a powder keg today, exploding at the slightest spark?

Old Feng ignored him, instead casting an appraising look at Yang Ning. It wasn’t just him—Old Zhao from the Rare Books Division and Old Xu from the Stamps and Coins Division were also eyeing Yang Ning.

“Aren’t you going to introduce yourself?” Lin Manxuan nudged him from the side.

“Greetings, esteemed teachers.”

Yang Ning bowed respectfully, clearly having rehearsed this with Lin Manxuan in the car. “My name is Yang Ning. I’m 18 years old and currently studying at Nanhu Third High School. I’ll be taking the College Entrance Examination soon. I’m here today to pass the assessment under your guidance, with the goal of representing the Lin Family Auction House in this year’s Appraisal Tournament. My abilities are limited, and I usually just enjoy reading books on antiques and jade artifacts. I fear I might not measure up in front of such esteemed teachers.”

Old Feng and Old Zhao nodded subtly. This young man seemed a bit playful, but that was understandable at his age—they couldn’t demand too much. At the very least, he didn’t come off as arrogant or entitled. If he could withstand the test, it wouldn’t hurt to give him a chance.

Old Xu said calmly, “I previously recommended Shao Feng for this, and I still stand by that choice.”

“I think young people should gain more experience, but the Appraisal Tournament is no child’s play. We need someone steady and capable,” Minister Niu said dismissively, glancing at Yang Ning before lowering his head to sip his tea.

Zhou Bokang, on the other hand, remained composed. Last night, Zhou Xuebin had badmouthed Yang Ning quite a bit, leaving Zhou Bokang with a very poor impression of him. He had already made up his mind—anyone could participate, but this kid? Not a chance.

“I’m voting in favor. The rest of you, do as you please,” Meng Jianlin said with a cheerful smile as he sipped his tea, even casting an encouraging look at Yang Ning.

This scene only deepened the dislike Zhou Bokang and Minister Niu felt toward Yang Ning.

Old Feng from the Calligraphy and Painting Division bent down and picked up a long wooden box from beside his feet. Inside the box lay a rolled-up ink painting.

Discovered Item: [Proud Sky Welcoming Cloud Plum Blossom Scroll]

Quality: Excellent

Evaluation: A modern ink painting by Li Yingying, co-chair of the Huaxia National Calligraphy and Painting Association and council member of the World Artists Association. This work possesses a certain depth, with exquisite artistry that breathes life into it. The artist has infused sincere artistic emotion and a unique style into the painting, reaching a height others cannot surpass. The work not only pursues variations in form and imagery but also carries profound cultural depth and discipline. This painting has potential for appreciation in value, estimated at 384,200 Huaxia Currency.

“What a remarkable [Proud Sky Welcoming Cloud Plum Blossom Scroll]. Truly worthy of Chairman Li’s craftsmanship,” Yang Ning couldn’t help but exclaim.

Old Feng was somewhat surprised. The [Proud Sky Welcoming Cloud Plum Blossom Scroll] was still rolled up, and he hadn’t even revealed the signature yet. He hadn’t expected this young man to pinpoint the painting’s origin so directly.

Impressive!

“Yang Ning, is it? Come, tell us about this painting,” Old Feng said with a satisfied expression. This assessment was straightforward—each division would select an item for Yang Ning to appraise.

“Chairman Li’s work—how could someone like me dare to critique it?” Yang Ning felt a bit awkward. Commenting on a piece like this? He didn’t dare show off in front of these seasoned experts. If he slipped up, it would be disastrous.

“At least he knows his limits,” Zhou Bokang said in a mocking, sarcastic tone.

“Knows his limits? Old Zhou, you’re giving him too much credit. In my opinion, he can’t even come up with anything worthwhile to say,” Minister Niu was more direct, though his words oddly struck a chord with Yang Ning.

“No worries, young man. Go ahead and speak,” Old Feng encouraged. He didn’t share their skepticism. Someone who could identify the [Proud Sky Welcoming Cloud Plum Blossom Scroll] at a glance—how could he not have something to say?

“Then I’ll make a fool of myself,” Yang Ning said.

Taking a deep breath, Yang Ning spoke seriously, “I truly don’t have the qualifications to evaluate Chairman Li’s work. However, in my view, Chairman Li has always believed that while learning to paint, one must study the ancients and tradition, but one must not solely rely on them. If you only learn from tradition, you’ll never surpass the ancients. Taking the ancients as a model for improvement is feasible, but making them the ultimate goal of a lifetime’s struggle means you’ll never outshine them.”

Pausing for a moment, Yang Ning continued, “The essence of art is innovation. Any innovative tradition is inevitably a continuation of past traditions. Innovation isn’t about fleeting trends. Facing the demands of the era and a sense of historical mission, a work must achieve a certain depth to embody vitality, allowing the artist’s sincere emotions and unique style to merge within it, reaching a height others cannot surpass. Especially in today’s world, works must not only pursue changes in form and imagery but also possess profound cultural spirit and discipline.”

Finally, Yang Ning concluded, “I believe Chairman Li has already walked a long, long way on this path. He has persistently taken steps to surpass himself. So, while many painters lament being born in the wrong era, Chairman Li has quietly become a pioneer and predecessor in their minds. This is also why other painters remain fixated on imitation, while Chairman Li has independently created masterpieces imbued with his own artistic vision, establishing himself as a grandmaster of his generation.”

The room fell silent. Yang Ning noticed that everyone present was looking at him with strange expressions, even Minister Niu, who hadn’t seemed to like him much.

“Well said!”

After a long pause, Old Feng was the first to break the silence, chuckling self-deprecatingly, “I’ve studied ink painting for most of my life, thinking I’d developed my own cultural spirit and discipline. But now, it seems I’m nothing more than a clown.”