Just like the counterfeit "Luo Shen Fu Tu" from before, this painting also lacks any inscriptions or seals. It’s unclear who created it, but for so reason, Su Qingqing distinctly feels that this painting evokes a completely different emotion compared to the previous Luo Shen Fu.
The style, brushwork, and even the mood of this painting draw people in irresistibly, captivating them deeply.
"This painting—"
Breaking the silence, Su Qingqing suddenly spoke up, causing Huo Sining to tense up imdiately. She couldn’t help but look up, gazing intently at Su Qingqing.
"I think I know what this painting is about," Su Qingqing said.
Upon hearing this, Huo Sining lowered her head to scrutinize the painting once more. However, her understanding of ancient paintings was quite limited, and she lacked a lot of knowledge in this area. Therefore, despite looking at it for a long ti, she couldn’t make sense of it. So she instinctively asked, "What is this painting about?"
Su Qingqing’s eyes revealed a look of pride, as if she was delighted to finally know sothing more than Huo Sining. She deliberately dragged out her words, adding suspense: "Do you know, among the emperors throughout Huaxia’s 5000-year history, who is the most famous painter?"
Huo Sining nodded: "I know this, it’s Song Huizong Zhao Ji."
Su Qingqing nodded: "That’s right. Although Emperor Huizong was an incompetent ruler, he had exceptional talent in painting. He loved painting flowers and birds, creating his own ’academy style,’ making him one of the rare art geniuses and polymaths of ancient tis."
"Emperor Huizong established the world’s earliest imperial painting academy. He even instituted a painting examination system, setting up a painting school to train talent, thereby creating an era-defining painting style."
Huo Sining had a puzzled look on her face: "I know about this, but what does this painting have to do with Emperor Huizong you ntioned?"
Su Qingqing laughed: "This painting is definitely not an authentic piece, but the original is greatly linked to Emperor Huizong and his imperial painting academy."
"Emperor Huizong founded the academy not just for leisure. He was quite dedicated to painting art. At that ti, he personally supervised the academy, setting the topics and grading the exams each year, and even taught by himself."
"You see, this person had so much ti like in Arica, but instead of governing his nation properly, he indulged in art studies, which is utterly absurd and irrelevant," Su Qingqing mocked Emperor Huizong’s foolish behaviors while speaking.
"He was extrely strict about the painting exams at the academy, requiring realism coupled with poetic and artistic spirit, which beca the standard at that ti, aiming for completeness in brushwork and intent."
"The exam questions he set were also quite intriguing, with several classic tales—you must have heard of them."
Seeing Su Qingqing looking at her with a smile, Huo Sining couldn’t help but ask curiously, "What stories?"
"One is ’Ta Hua Gui Qu Ma Ti Xiang,’ and the other is ’Shen Shan Cang Gu Si.’
Huo Sining imdiately laughed; indeed, she knew these two stories, and as soone who went to school, most people have learned about these anecdotes.
’Ta Hua Gui Qu Ma Ti Xiang’ is a poetic line and an exam question. When candidates in the painting exam saw this topic, they either painted horses and flowers or depicted noble aristocrats and literati strolling through flower fields. However, one candidate uniquely painted a fine steed walking slowly, with bees chasing its hooves.
Similarly for ’Shen Shan Cang Gu Si,’ the painter didn’t follow ordinary thinking to paint an ancient temple. Instead, they depicted a mountain with a stream at its foot, a monk drawing water with a bucket.
Huo Sining even learned these anecdotes in Chinese literature classes, where the main idea was to educate students to learn to think from different perspectives, rather than being trapped in a fixed mold.
However, Huo Sining remained perplexed. How were Su Qingqing’s stories related to the painting in her hand?
Perhaps noticing the confusion in Huo Sining’s eyes, Su Qingqing decided not to keep her in suspense and smiled, "Do you feel like what I said doesn’t seem to have much to do with the painting in your hands?"
Huo Sining nodded.
Su Qingqing laughed, "But in fact, this painting has significant connections to those two anecdotes. The title of this painting is also a poetic line, called ’Zhu Suo Qiao Bian Mai Jiu Jia.’ Look carefully, this painting doesn’t depict a tavern, but instead, a wine curtain. The style and intent of this painting are subtle yet profoundly aningful and imaginative. Isn’t it very similar to the two poetic lines I ntioned?"
Huo Sining finally understood and realized the painting indeed aligned precisely with what Su Qingqing had said. She suddenly looked up, her eyes wide in surprise as she asked Su Qingqing, "Do you an this painting is also from that painting academy of Emperor Huizong, and that this exam question was actually authored by Emperor Huizong?"
Su Qingqing nodded, then shook her head: "Emperor Huizong indeed had such a topic as ’Zhu Suo Qiao Bian Mai Jiu Jia.’ The person who painted this was Li Tang, who excelled in landscape and figure painting, renowned for painting cattle, and was one of the ’Four Masters of the Southern Song’ alongside Liu Songnian, Ma Yuan, and Xia Gui. His authentic works would likely fetch a high price. But the piece in your hand, whether a reproduction or imagined, without a signature or seal, isn’t worth much; clearly, you’ve been tricked."
Upon hearing this, Huo Sining lowered her head again, silently.
Thinking that she was embarrassed due to her mistake, Su Qingqing laughed and comforted her:
"It’s no big deal; you’re not skilled in painting, so making a misjudgnt isn’t unusual. Over the years, I’ve also had to learn from experience, not knowing how much tuition I’ve paid in this field. In the antique trade, who hasn’t made mistakes? These are lessons from experience; after a few tries, you’ll learn to be cautious."
Huo Sining’s mouth twitched slightly. Her gaze landed on the ’Zhu Suo Qiao Bian Mai Jiu Jia’ painting Su Qingqing deed a fake, her expression turning peculiar and her eyes flashing with a mysterious light.
What Su Qingqing said might be true, thus judging by the deep purple aura enveloping this painting, Huo Sining could almost be sure that this ancient painting likely originated from that painting academy of Emperor Huizong. The painter might very well be one of the Southern Song’s Four Masters, Li Tang!
Realizing this possibility, Huo Sining felt an irony, yet Su Qingqing, standing beside her, was oblivious to Huo Sining’s unusual emotions and complex state of mind.
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