Chapter 661: Chapter 731, Kill
Ink and brush at the ready.
Fang Yi stood opposite Kong Mubai, with a table before each of them and a piece of pure white xuan paper laid out, awaiting their strokes.
Soone was grinding ink for Kong Mubai, while on Fang Yi’s side, it was still Xiaoxin. The girl was grinding with extre ticulousness, sparing no effort and doing it with the utmost care.
Before even starting to write, Kong Mubai looked towards Fang Yi, his lips slowly curling up into a smile with an ambiguous aning.
The ink was quickly readied, and Kong Mubai began to write. His strokes were forceful as if blown by a strong wind, each line on the white xuan paper revealed a vigorous ink stroke, his writing flowing like rain, truly with the style of a master.
Even Wang Zhuo, upon seeing his student displaying such style, nodded slightly, clearly very appreciative. However, when he looked towards Fang Yi, there was a slight astonishnt as Fang Yi still had not made a move.
Fang Yi stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his calm expression revealing nothing. He was in no rush, letting Kong Mubai go first.
Below the stage, the audience once again began to discuss.
“What is Fang Yi up to, not making a move yet?”
“He’s just consecutively defeated Jian Song and Song He, these two young masters. Looking at him now, it’s hard to tell if he’s feigning composure or he’s confident.”
“Who knows what tricks this guy has up his sleeve…”
While the audience chattered, the gaze shifted to Song Hongye and Bai Rou. By now, several empty wine bottles had accumulated on the glass table between the two won. Both won’s faces were flushed from drinking, but instead of showing signs of drunkenness, they were all the more spirited and invigorated.
“This guy…” Bai Rou, losing her ladylike image, took a swig of red wine and teased, “That Kong Mubai is Master Wang’s student, can he really do it?”
Song Hongye said, “It’s already this late, and you’re still wondering if he can make it? Please, don’t look down on others with ‘dog eyes’ if you would.”
Bai Rou retorted, “You’re the one with ‘dog eyes’.”
Song Hongye replied, “It’s just a taphor, why are you flying off the handle, crazy woman.”
Bai Rou instantly glared with her beautiful eyes: “Mad woman!”
“Crazy woman.”
“Mad woman.”
“…”
The two won’s verbal brawl was truly horrifying, thick with the sll of gunpowder, to the point of drawing everyone’s attention.
Two n fighting, what’s there to see? It was far more interesting to witness a feud between two won, especially when one was the daughter of the Song Family, and the other, the daughter of the Bai Family—a rare spectacle indeed.
However, after arguing briefly, the won realized they were the focus of everyone’s gaze, and with a pact of silence, they both shouted at the sa ti, “What are you looking at? Nothing to see here!”
Such harmony, such coordination, they imdiately sent the onlookers packing with their scolding.
But their quarrel did not stop, it just beca a little quieter.
Upstairs, Zhang Qingfeng and Wang Shuo stood solemnly, their gazes fixed on the stage. Wang Shuo’s expression was sowhat ugly, while Zhang Qingfeng, on the other hand, was smiling, exuding kindness and compassion.
Zhang Qingfeng said, “Senior brother, this is the man you didn’t have high hopes for. How do you think he perford just now, did he disappoint you?”
Wang Shuo responded in a deep voice, “Junior brother, what’s the point of your words? The outco is not yet decided, speaking like this now is premature.”
Zhang Qingfeng stroking his long beard, chuckled, “That’s also true. With the support of the young man known as ‘Little Calculator,’ maybe he will lose indeed, but that’s not guaranteed.”
The term ‘Little Calculator’ imdiately darkened Wang Shuo’s expression further, making him look even more displeased.
On the stage, Kong Mubai had briskly finished writing an article on the xuan paper, picked it up, and blew on it, to make the ink dry faster.
Kong Mubai respectfully said to Wang Zhuo, “Teacher, your student has finished. Please, take a look.”
Wang Zhuo nodded and walked over with his hands clasped behind his back. After observing for a mont, he mused, “Is this the ‘Preface to the Orchid Pavilion Collection’?”
Kong Mubai replied, “Indeed, it is.”
Wang Zhuo praised, “The brushwork is strong and expressive, capturing both form and spirit. It already has much flavor, not bad, not bad…”
Receiving such praise, Kong Mubai did not show a smug expression. The previous attempt of Song He had been a warning, so he didn’t display pride on his face, only in his heart.
Kong Mubai looked toward Fang Yi, his gaze unintentionally exuding a touch more arrogance, as if he was looking down on Fang Yi.
“Since Song He and the others didn’t manage to slap your face, let , Kong Mubai, do it,” Kong Mubai thought to himself. Seeing Fang Yi had not yet started writing, he couldn’t help urging, “Fang Yi, why have you not begun to write?”
Fang Yi lifted his eyelids and glanced at Kong Mubai, saying, “The brushwork is strong and expressive, indeed full of form and spirit, yes, truly full of form and spirit. Your calligraphy is indeed not bad.” These words seed to be a complete praise for Kong Mubai.
However, in an instant, Kong Mubai’s face darkened and rage simred in his eyes.
“Full of form and spirit” was Wang Zhuo’s highest complint to him, and now Fang Yi was using it as a weapon to attack him. How could Kong Mubai tolerate this?
Looking at Wang Zhuo, his face was also a bit unsightly, quite embarrassed. He highly appreciated Fang Yi and didn’t want his casual praise for Kong Mubai to be used to attack him.
“Old Master Wang, I was not targeting you,” Fang Yi said, easing Wang Zhuo’s expression sowhat.
But Kong Mubai couldn’t restrain himself, and snapped, “Fang Yi, you’ve dawdled for so long and not written a single character. What right do you have to criticize ?”
Fang Yi smiled and picked up the brush.
No need for words, only action.
The brush moved like a dragon or serpent, the ink like a beating heart.
In the blink of an eye, a bold character erged stark against the pristine white rice paper.
With the ink still wet, Fang Yi pinched a corner of the rice paper and gave it a light flick, much more nonchalantly than Kong Mubai’s air drying, and Kong Mubai understood Fang Yi’s gesture all too well, his face growing even uglier.
It was clear he was being deliberately humiliated!
Wang Zhuo focused his eyes on the rice paper, and when he saw the character, a surge of emotion cleared the haze from his eyes, revealing a bright, clear light. He was obviously touched.
Wang Zhuo clapped his hands forcefully, exclaiming, “Good, a fine character!”
Seeing his own teacher praising Fang Yi like this, Kong Mubai let out a dissatisfied grunt, “It’s just a character for ‘kill’. What’s so remarkable about that? I really don’t see what’s good about it.”
However, his words only drew an angry glare from Wang Zhuo, who retorted with four words, “A frog in a well.”
Kong Mubai: “…”
Song He stepped forward, humbly saying, “Old Master Wang, I also don’t think this ‘kill’ character is anything special.”
Jian Song hesitated and didn’t step forward.
As for Zhao Liyu, he simply smiled gently, maintaining his silence. Only Song He stood by Kong Mubai’s side, since they were on the sa front.
At that mont, the always-silent accountant suddenly looked towards Song He and Kong Mubai and said, “Bring your fathers here, let them appraise and see for themselves what’s good about this ‘kill’ character.”
“…”
The two n were simultaneously speechless.
Just then, two middle-aged n quickly stepped forward from below the stage, each pulling Song He and Kong Mubai back, then smiling at the accountant, they said, “The accountant is right; this ‘kill’ character is indeed powerful and spirited, surely a fine character.”
The other middle-aged man also agreed, “Not bad, it is indeed a good character.”
Gah!
Song He and Kong Mubai were both dumbfounded at the sa ti—how could it be that even their own fathers were siding with the opposition? Were they really their own flesh and blood?
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