Chapter 540 - 540: Impossible! This Artifact Cannot Be Genuine!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
“Good heavens!” Luo Feng exclaimed, nearly unrecognizable in his astonishment.
This discovery was simply staggering. Overwhelming, even.
It was, in fact, utterly unbelievable!
“What just happened? Why did the host curse out of the blue?” someone queried.
“Judging by his expression, he appears ecstatic!” another noted.
“What is this calligraphy piece? Whose work is it, and what’s its value?”
“It appears to be a ‘You Mu Tie’!”
“Don’t hesitate, assert it confidently. This is it!” “Hold your horses, the piece is clearly counterfeit!” “Exactly, it’s predominantly fake!”
“No, it’s not just predominantly fake, it is fake!”
“Why then, does the host seem so excited? I have a hunch it might be authentic!”
“Stop dreaming. It’s impossible for a genuine piece to exist – the real ones were obliterated by the atomic bomb!”
“Really? How have I never heard of this before?”
“In art school, a professor once mentioned that ‘You Mu Tie’ was the last remaining original work by Wang Xizhi. A collector from the ‘Land of Cherry Blossoms’, who tragically lived in Hiroshima, had collected it. When the atomic bomb hit, the collector was killed, and naturally, the ‘You Mu Tie’ was believed to have been destroyed with him.”
“Was it that tragic?”
At this moment, Luo Feng, managing to contain his enthusiasm, declared, “Indeed, the collector perished, but the ‘You Mu Tie’ survived. This is it!”
“Host, are you suggesting that this is an authentic piece?”
“Given his jubilant demeanor, I’m beginning to suspect this might indeed be genuine!”
“That seems exceedingly improbable! The odds are just too low!”
Luo Feng countered, “The odds are indeed minuscule, but this ‘You Mu Tie’ is,
in fact, genuine!”
Prior to the emergence of the ‘Preface to the Orchid Pavilion’, the only recognized original work of Wang Xizhi was this ‘You Mu Tie’. Other pieces were simply later imitations.
Before Hiroshima was bombed, Japan had hosted a poetry meeting in the literary world, where numerous Wang Xizhi’s replicas, held by different individuals, were showcased.
The ‘You Mu Tie’, however, stole the limelight. Its presentation led many scholars at the meeting to declare it an original piece by Wang Xizhi, thus establishing its position as the only authentic work left by the great calligrapher. Its value, therefore, was immeasurable.
Nevertheless, following the bombing of Hiroshima, rumors spread that this priceless artifact was destroyed. The news was received with great regret by everyone.
Yet today, this artifact mysteriously surfaced in this basement. If its worth lay in tens of billions, then it couldn’t possibly be a forgery. It is indeed an authentic piece by Wang Xizhi.
The appearance of this artifact also revealed the identity of its last keeper: Ando Manzou. A private collector and businessman from Japan of the last century, he had strong ties with China. Despite being a low-key character in the business world, he rose to fame after buying the ‘You Mu Tie’ for a vast sum at the poetry meeting. Though the ‘You Mu Tie’ was preserved, Manzou was not.
At this moment, City Lord Fujii had sighed more times than he could count. Ever since their descent into the basement, his sighs hadn’t ceased. The marvelous artifacts they discovered all now belonged to Luo Feng. At first, he was fine with that. But the final revelation of the ‘You Mu Tie’ was a critical blow, almost causing him to faint.
“Lord, we’ve almost finished here, let’s head back upstairs,” suggested Luo Feng, suppressing a chuckle at the sight of Fujii’s crestfallen expression. The officials had wanted him to spice up their variety show and attract viewers to their city, but they hadn’t realized what a demanding task inviting Luo Feng would turn out to be.
Their invitation had cost them a significant portion of their underground artifact treasury. Originally, these artifacts were theirs, but now that Luo Feng had discovered them, they had transferred ownership.
Unless the officials of the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ were ready to lose face, go back on their words, and brazenly refuse to give Luo Feng these artifacts.
“Alright… let’s head back upstairs,” agreed Fujii, appearing somewhat unsteady but still managing a strained smile.
Emerging from the basement, they were met with a lively scene. Luo Feng was besieged by journalists who were eager to interview him.
He was inundated with questions, to which he patiently responded one by one.
Then he took out his phone and dialed Long Jianfei.
Upon learning of the recent development, Long Jianfei was left dumbfounded. Luo Feng’s achievement was beyond astounding. Being casually invited by Japan only to discover an authentic piece of Wang Xizhi’s work was incredible.
The cost Fujii had paid to promote his city was immense.
But technically speaking, it wasn’t a massive investment. He hadn’t actually spent much money. It was Luo Feng who, using his abilities, had brought their city to prominence.
After summarizing the incident to Long Jianfei over the phone, Luo Feng reassured, “You don’t need to rush over, I’m just keeping you informed!”
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