Chapter 45: 020 Green Tassel enters the temple hall, the true Liang style_3
Translator: 549690339
After finishing, he smiled and explained, “Miss Wanxuan’s birthday is coming up soon, Mr. Ren instructed me to keep an eye on an item to give her for her birthday.”
While speaking, he suddenly saw Bai Lian, the secretary-general coughed abruptly, then stopped talking.
Ren Wanxuan and Chen Zhu sat to one side, both attending an auction for the first time, unable to contain their excitement and studying the items at the auction. Hearing the secretary-general’s voice, Wanxuan said indifferently, “Why keep buying these? I haven’t even worn what you got me last time.”
The secretary-general just smiled and did not say much, “It’s naturally needed.’
“700.” A dull voice rose from the third floor.
Upon hearing this voice, Bai Lian couldn’t help but glance at the third floor.
It sounded so much like a tapeworm.
The bid had abruptly soared from 500 to 7 million.
7 million for a collector-grade Red Tourmaline wasn’t particularly expensive.
But it had already exceeded the Ren Family’s estimate, and the secretary-general looked questioningly at Ren Qian.
Ren Qian shook his head, “Forget it. With the guest on the third floor, it’s unlikely anyone else will compete.”
The Ren Family didn’t have the capital to compete with them.
And so, the Red Tourmaline was taken by the guest on the third floor.
One auction item followed another, and Bai Lian paid no further attention, nor did the private room on the third floor make another bid.
In the meantime, Ren Qian had bid on another piece of calligraphy.
When the final auction item appeared, everyone, including Ji Heng, sat up straight, eyes glued to the auction stage.
Ren Wanxuan also stopped sending photos in the group chat.
It was nine thirty.
The auctioneer, dressed in a long Chinese-style dress, smiled gracefully, “I know why everyone is here, and believe me, this final auction item will not disappoint.”
Saying this, she reached behind her and drew aside the red cloth.
A carefully preserved piece of calligraphy appeared before everyone, a poem written with unrestrained flourish—
“Where the old general’s soul returns, today he drinks in revel.” “Long Pavilion ten miles short, cold armor’s blood not cool.”
“From here, the path diverges, sash of blue enters the hall.”
“Long spear against the tide, the pen sharp to test its might.”
‘Long Pavilion Sending Off the Troops’”
The poem was not long, but each character was written with varying speed and emphasis, switching between hidden and exposed strokes, straight and curved lines, the carefree ease after each stroke penetrated the paper, making each character seem to leap alive with vibrant vitality, as if imbued with the warmth of life.
Behind her, Wanxuan muttered in astonishment, “Sash of blue enters the hall… So this is the true Liang script.”
No one could feel the bursting vitality emanating from the calligraphy more than the auctioneer. For a moment, it was as if she could see a woman in white, freely dancing her brush across the paper, completing the work effortlessly.
“Because the handwriting is in Liang script and the signature carries Liang Zewen’s personal seal, our auction house believed it to be Liangs original work,” the auctioneer took a deep breath, stripping away her emotions and said seriously, “After historical scholars had appraised it, it was verified that the poem was written by his sister for Bai Zhongyu when he went off to the military. We all know the historical military genius Bai Zhongyu, who topped the imperial examinations at 15, aced them at 18, and after his father’s death, left his writing at 20 to join the army, taking up arms and heading to the battlefield. His sister hoped he would return home safely and resume his career in the palace. Since he did not return, she wanted to throw away this piece of calligraphy, but according to historical records, it was retrieved by her teacher, meaning that Liang Zewen left us this unique and historically significant calligraphic treasure…”
The auctioneer continued to elaborate.
In the private room, Bai Lian rested her chin on the windowsill, quietly gazing at the nearly yellowed calligraphy.
A millennium-old authentic piece, preserved to the present day, seemed to allow one to glimpse through the letters a thousand years of fleeting beauty.
Upon hearing the starting bid of 50 million: .
She watched so intently that she did not hear Ji Heng calling her several times.
Ren Qian had a good impression of Bai Lian and, seeing her staring blankly at the calligraphy, chuckled in surprise, “Bai, do you also study Liang script? What do you think this piece of calligraphy will sell for in the end?”
Hearing Ren Qian’s words, Wanxuan also snapped back to reality, giving Bai Lian a sidelong glance.
She didn’t understand why Ren Qian would ask Bai Lian such a question, as the Ji Family member didn’t seem the type to study Liang script.
Bai Lian tilted her head, withdrawing her gaze from the calligraphy to lazily return to her vocabulary revision, “The calligraphy lacks force. She was young when she wrote it, and had not yet trained enough strength in her wrist, the starting bid is too high.”
“The starting bid is too high?” Wanxuan, already unpleased because Ren Qian regarded Bai Lian so highly, attending the auction and even inviting a member from the Ji Family and on top of that Bai Lian acting as if she knew everything, now had the audacity to casually critique the disciple of Liang Zewen, “Do you even know who she is? Not to mention her other accomplishments, half the calligraphy world are her fans. You couldn’t reach a tenth of her skill even if you practiced for a hundred years, let alone saying she lacks wrist strength.. If you don’t understand, can you not go back and read more books?”