Chapter 10, Fang Wanqu.

Gu Qing thought, will Old Fang recognize Lu Li

They all secretly took note of Gu Qing's appearance to avoid inadvertently offending each other

However, Gu Qing's intuition suggested that since Lu Li had such a courtyard by the river, there would be people who recognized her

However, he received the painting and immediately opened it out of curiosity

Gu Qing then dipped a wooden stick into a potion and dripped it onto the exposed corner, causing this layer of drawing paper to gradually separate from the paper underneath

Thus, this counterfeit painting is merely a favor done in passing

The potion is colorless and tasteless, and does not harm the ink and colors.

Mr. Fang was very pleased to see Gu Qing, and when he saw Gu Qing take out a painting, he couldn't stop smiling, yet he complained, "Since you have come, you shouldn't spend so extravagantly"

In this painting of autumn in the mountains, the red lips of the remaining washerwomen are all rendered with the same technique, with variations in ink depth that are strikingly similar. Therefore, if that slight nuance in ink depth is deepened, and is once noticed by Gu Qing, it would be a significant flaw.

Gu Qing admired the true painting for a while with satisfaction. The mountain scenery and figures were identical to those in the earlier fake painting, yet the essence and charm between the two were immeasurably different.

Although the true painting has now been revealed, it is not easy to take action. Gu Qing thus put away the true painting, took out some unused rice paper, mounted the fake painting onto it, and added some ink charm of his own.

Randomly unroll the scroll and lay the painting flat on the table

This painting, even if placed in the courtyards of the Lu family, would be sufficient to ward off evil spirits. Gu Qing is not very familiar with the market for antique calligraphy and paintings in this world, but if it were to be sold for three to five thousand taels of silver, there would definitely be buyers.

Generally speaking, a master of painting, regardless of the technique employed, will not exhibit any differences in the depth of ink unless it is done intentionally

Therefore, after Gu Qing reported his name, he was able to pass without obstruction

Certainly, for the average person, the difference between a fake painting and a genuine one is, at most, a perception that the genuine painting appears somewhat more aesthetically pleasing; they would not have an experience akin to that of Gu Qing.

He is indeed not skilled in appreciating calligraphy and paintings, but this painting is truly pleasing to the eye

Master Fang said, "Wanqu, have you discerned the truth?"

Finally, her gaze fell upon Gu Qing, and her lively eyes were filled with curiosity as she asked, "Did you draw this?"

Old Fang scolded, "Do not speak nonsense. You cannot even write properly, how can you discern the authenticity and quality of a painting?"

Gu Qingxin knew that if it were not for the sharp tool like the red fish, given his long absence from practice, it would be difficult for him to complete such a delicate task in one go

Even if people recognize it as a fake painting, they will still purchase it

With the aid of the potion, Gu Qing easily peeled away the top layer of the fake painting. After resting for a moment, Gu Qing scrutinized the canvas for a while before once again taking up the knife

Following the same pattern, what is unveiled this time is a layer of white paper. It is precisely because of this layer of white paper that the superficial fake painting and the genuine painting are separated, ensuring that the genuine painting remains unharmed

He needs to assess the value of the gift well, so that he can reciprocate appropriately later

During the days of interaction with Gu Qing, Elder Fang was well aware that the other party possessed knowledge and cultivation that were not commensurate with their age, along with an indescribable air of elegance. Thus, when such a person presented a gift, it was naturally not an ordinary matter

The young girl smiled slightly and said, "Grandfather, although this painting is a fake, it is far more valuable than the one Xu Zhizhou sent you the day before yesterday, which was Shen Weizhou's 'Autumn Sunset on the Plain.' This painting is a copy of the 'Autumn Scene in the Mountain Retreat' by the greatest painter of the past two hundred years, Wang Lu. What is rare is that it captures both form and spirit; if it weren't for the overly fresh brushwork, one might say it was created by Wang Lu himself, and it would be hard for anyone to dispute that. It can be said that the calligraphy and paintings people usually send you, whether in technique or spirit, cannot compare to this painting." This painting is a copy of the 'Autumn Scene in the Mountain Retreat' by the greatest painter of the past two hundred years, Wang Lu. What is rare is that it captures both form and spirit; if it weren't for the overly fresh brushwork, one might say it was created by Wang Lu himself, and it would be hard for anyone to dispute that. It can be said that the calligraphy and paintings people usually send you, whether in technique or spirit, cannot compare to this painting.

This is a fake painting

He already possessed the ability of a master painter. Upon seeing the Autumn Scene in the Mountain Dwelling, he captured its essence, adding only a few strokes, yet it was as if he had brought the dragon to life with a single touch.

Gu Qing could not help but think of Lu Li. Given Lu Li's generosity and the enormous wealth that Gu Qing could not quite assess, along with their somewhat tenuous friendship, he offered a price of 8,000 taels of silver, which Lu Li might very well accept. Moreover, selling to Lu Li would not cause any trouble; selling to others, however, would be another matter altogether

A light and graceful footstep emerged from behind the screen, and Gu Qing saw a young girl of marriageable age walk out from behind the screen. She approached Old Master Fang with a gentle smile and said, "Grandfather, you do not understand calligraphy and painting, so let me show you.

Since he moved in here, no one has approached Gu Qing for a conversation, and Gu Qing has not heard anyone mention Lu Li

The surrounding servants clearly observed this scene, understanding that the master held this young man in high regard. Many talented individuals visited regularly, yet none had ever been treated by the master in such a manner

The residence of Fang occupies a much larger area than that of Gu Qing, featuring rockeries and flowing water, long corridors, and small bridges, creating a captivating scenery. This is sufficient to highlight the extraordinary status of Old Fang, and it can be inferred that among the people living by the river, Old Fang's status is also not low

Famous paintings are not only valuable when they are genuine; those replicas that are capable of deceiving the eye are equally sought after. If the creator of the replica is more renowned than the original artist, and the replica possesses both form and spirit, it can even be sold for a price higher than that of the genuine article

Of course, this also requires the creation of a good story. A significant part of the value of antiques and paintings lies in the stories behind them

The imitation painting merely resembled the original in skill, but now it possesses both form and spirit. However, those who are knowledgeable will certainly be able to discern that this is a counterfeit.

At this moment, even if the painting is fake, he must insist that it is real; otherwise, it would greatly hurt Gu Qing's feelings

Although he has been resurrected many times, Gu Qing still hates death

Mr. Fang regarded Gu Qing as a friend, which is why he looked at the gift in front of Gu Qing without any reservations

As soon as she finished speaking, she snatched the painting from the old man's hands, gazed at it for a long time, her delicate brows furrowing and relaxing, and finally closed the painting.

The place where the elderly man lived was not far from Gu Qing. Gu Qing stepped out with the newly framed fake painting and soon arrived at the elderly man's residence

After all, Gu Qing does not love money, but the feeling of having a lot of money is still enjoyable, especially the preference for earning money without any trouble

Memories of unveiling paintings surged to the forefront of my mind, and Gu Qing's demeanor changed accordingly, becoming solemn and dignified. Slowly, she drew out the red fish, then with a flick of her wrist, the blade glinted, and the corners of the paper were revealed.

The fake painting is even thinner than a cicada's wing when compared to plain paper, thus when applied to the genuine painting, it is almost imperceptible. The red lips of the washerwoman were precisely where the true painting slightly showed through, which allowed Gu Qing to detect the flaw

The elderly gentleman's surname is Fang, and his given name is Ruoyu. He has long since instructed the doorman.

Since Gu Qing had doubts in her heart, she was naturally able to discover other flaws

He has seen too many people die out of curiosity

Gu Qing first prepared the purchased items, and soon after, he produced the potion

This is a matter of great curiosity, yet Gu Qing restrained the impulse to seek out the secret

Gu Qing put in this effort not to sell counterfeit paintings, but rather because he thought that since it was his first time visiting someone, he should bring a gift

Old Fang gazed at this painting for a long time, and finally managed to utter a single word, "Good"

The elderly do not lack money, buying expensive gifts holds little significance; what is more important is that Gu Qing herself is unwilling to part with them