Chapter 99: Orchid And Bamboo Painting
“Wen San’er, stop the cart.”
“Cao Ye, do you have any instructions? Tell me, and I’ll handle it for you.”
“???? ” Cao Weida felt strange in his heart. Why did Wen San’er seem to have a bit of a lapdog vibe?
“No need, I saw an acquaintance.” He took out a union bond and handed it over. “Here, you go do your thing.”
“Alright, then you go ahead. I’ll head out first.” Wen San’er took the money with some regret and pulled the cart away.
Cao Weida: “.”
What the hell are you regretting?
What he didn’t know was that although Wen San’er was illiterate, he still had a bit of knowledge.
He knew what kind of person Xu Jin’ge was. Could Cao Weida, whom even Master Xu had to invite proactively, be an ordinary nobody?
He mainly wanted to show his presence in front of Cao Weida, to see if he could latch onto a thigh or something.
Cao Weida naturally didn’t know any of this. Even if he did, he would just smile and let it go.
Not to mention that mysterious gate person ability, even without such mystical power, he was too lazy to have much interaction with Wen San.
Wen San couldn’t be called cold-hearted, but he also couldn’t be called a man who repays every kindness.
It was clear from the TV series that Wen San’s so-called gratitude was mostly just lip service and short-term emotions, more like the simple and random repayment of a lowly little person.
This couldn’t be blamed on Wen San. He was just a common street folk, with his abilities and vision right there.
It couldn’t be said that Wen San was wrong, but Cao Weida had no obligation to teach him.
Xu Jin’ge was good to Wen San because Wen San had saved him twice, but Wen San hadn’t saved Cao Weida!
“Master Bai, greetings!” Cao Weida walked over with a smile and greeted him.
That’s right, this person was Bai Lianqi from 《Wolf Smoke Beiping》, a downfallen bannerman descendant and prodigal.
“And you are?” Bai Lianqi was a bit doubtful. He racked his brain but couldn’t remember where he had seen him.
“I’m Cao Weida, sergeant at the police station.”
“Oh, so you’re the boss, Cao Ye, greetings!” Bai Lianqi’s face immediately lit up with a smile. He respectfully cupped his hands and cautiously asked: “Cao Ye, you’re looking for me for”
“It’s almost mealtime. There’s a wonton stall right next to us. Shall we eat and talk?”
“Since the boss invites me, Bai must give face.” Bai Lianqi couldn’t help but secretly swallow his saliva. He hadn’t eaten wonton in a long time.
Speaking of which, it was shameful. His ancestors had been glorious, but by his generation, the family fortune had long been squandered. He could only rely on his house slave Dezi selling tanghulu to maintain livelihood.
Although life was tough, it was still barely sustainable.
But ever since the little devils entered the city and Beiping fell, business became increasingly difficult. One person working to feed two was getting harder and harder.
Moreover, these days, the people couldn’t even eat their fill, so who had spare money to buy tanghulu?
Sometimes they were even forced to eat glaring-eye food!
What is glaring-eye food?
It’s the leftovers from various banquets and restaurants thrown into a big pot. Diners use chopsticks to pick, whatever you grab is what you get, one copper coin per chopstick!
If you got a meatball, it could make him excitedly burst into tears, showing just how dire the situation was.
Now, hearing someone invite him to eat wonton, his mouth uncontrollably secreted saliva like crazy.
“Boss, two bowls of wonton.” Seeing Dezi next to Bai Lianqi with his Adam’s apple bobbing nonstop, Cao Weida smiled faintly: “Three bowls of wonton.”
“Master Bai, please sit.”
“Hey, boss, you’re too polite. This makes me embarrassed.” Seeing that Cao Weida even invited Dezi, Bai Lianqi felt a bit awkward. As a descendant of bannermen, he still retained some pride.
Dezi was very tempted but sensibly refused: “Cao Ye, no need. I’m not hungry. You eat with my master.”
“Hey, it’s no big deal. Don’t stand on ceremony. Sit and eat. This man doesn’t lack this bit.” They were about to swindle the other out of a big sum soon, so they couldn’t be too stingy, right?
“Thank you, thank you Cao Ye.” Bai Lianqi gratefully cupped his hands and called to Dezi: “Since Cao Ye has spoken, just sit.”
After calling Dezi, Bai Lianqi sat down reservedly and cautiously asked: “Cao Ye, what can I do for you?”
“It’s not a big deal.” Cao Weida took out a cigarette and offered one: “Have one?”
“Then I’ll take one.” Bai Lianqi happily accepted it, sniffed it hard under his nose, looking blissed out like he’d taken drugs. “First, a wisp of sweet tobacco’s natural fragrance, mixed with a bit of sunlight after drying, like the scent of freshly cut wheat fields swaying in the wind, not harsh or strong, but with a fresh sweetness of grass and wood. Good smoke, good smoke!”
“.” Looking at Bai Lianqi’s outfit that didn’t match his temperament, clearly downfallen to this extent, yet still describing a cigarette so eloquently, Cao Weida couldn’t help but rant wildly in his heart. As expected of a bannerman descendant used to luxury, he could talk eloquently even about a single cigarette.
He couldn’t help but curiously sniff it under his nose too. Damn, why couldn’t he smell anything?
Could it be that Cao Ye’s knowledge was too shallow?
“Master Bai truly lives up to being a bannerman descendant. Your knowledge is different from ordinary people. Impressive!”
“Hey, it’s just some minor skills, not worth mentioning.” His mouth was modest, but the happy look on his face couldn’t be suppressed.
The two lit their cigarettes, and Cao Weida exhaled smoke as he said:
“To be honest with you, I used to be a farmer. My ancestors for eight generations were too. I haven’t read much, can’t compare to a high-born like you, but I just like to dabble in elegance and collect some copybooks, calligraphy and paintings, and such.”
“I just saw you carrying a long package, like calligraphy and paintings. I got excited and want to appraise it, to broaden my knowledge.”
Bai Lianqi beamed with joy at the praise, thinking to himself that this Cao Ye looked extraordinary and was a sergeant, so he must have some money.
Inside the black cloth was indeed a painting, which he had found on the beam while cleaning the house a few days ago. He was just thinking of selling it.
His ancestors were high-born, and they had been wealthy. Though downfallen now, he cared about face the most and loved hearing flattery.
Cao Weida spoke nicely, flattering and coaxing, which tickled his heart.
“No problem, no problem. Speaking of shame, with the family downfall, most famous calligraphy and paintings have been sold off. And with these times, the world is too chaotic. There’s not much left at home.”
“You’re right, this is indeed a painting, hidden by my ancestors. Take a look.”
With that, he pushed the calligraphy and painting toward Cao Weida.
“Then thank you, Master Bai!” Cao Weida smilingly took it and, before opening the box, tossed the cigarette on the ground and stamped it out.
Bai Lianqi felt a pang of heartache but was very satisfied with Cao Weida’s action.
Paper items like inscribed calligraphy and paintings most taboo open flames. One careless spark could greatly reduce their value.
Carefully unfolding the calligraphy and painting bit by bit, it was a 33*100 scroll painting. The lines were graceful, the brushwork elegant and refined. At the foot of the mountain, a cluster of orchids leaned against several green bamboos stalks, with weeds growing thick below, accentuating the bamboo’s elegance and the orchid’s purity in an exceptionally beautiful way.
Especially this ancient painting full of antique flavor, exuding a sense of spirit, dignity, and simplicity.
Cao Weida couldn’t help but praise aloud. The painting was just too beautiful.
He had no artistic talent, but that didn’t stop him from appreciating beauty.
Compared to Eastern paintings, those so-called Western oil paintings, to be blunt, Cao Weida truly couldn’t appreciate them. He felt they were no different from children’s scribbles.
“Master Bai, I’d like to ask you something.”
“Cao Ye, you’re too polite. Go ahead.”
Cao Weida pointed to the seal and signature with two names. “Who are this Ma Xianglan and Wang Zhideng?”
“This…” Bai Lianqi was stumped. How would he know who Ma Xianglan and Wang Zhideng were?
“Master Bai, you don’t know either?” Before Bai Lianqi’s face could turn awkward, Cao Weida regretfully said: “You’re a high-born, though downfallen now, you were wealthy before and must have broad knowledge of these things.
If even you haven’t heard of them, it seems this painting isn’t from any famous person. What a pity.”
“Ah yes, not any famous person. I was busy admiring the likes of Wu Daozi and Yan Liben before, so I really didn’t remember anyone with slightly less fame.” Bai Lianqi felt extremely embarrassed, his toes practically digging out a two-bedroom apartment, but he had to go along with Cao Weida’s words.
What else could he do?
Admit his knowledge was shallow?
Did Bai Lianqi not care about face?
But he immediately added: “Though not too famous, they must have some minor renown, or else they wouldn’t have caught my ancestor’s eye.”
“Look at this wooden box—it’s genuine golden nanmu!”
Cao Weida chuckled inwardly. Of course he knew the painting’s author was famous. Ma Xianglan was one of the eight beauties of Qinhuai from late Ming and early Qing!
The other signature Wang Zhideng, he wasn’t too familiar with, but having curiously searched on Baidu while watching the TV series, he vaguely remembered he was a famous literati, poet, calligrapher or something, and had an unforgettable love story with Ma Xianglan.
Ma Xianglan’s paintings were rare to begin with, so their collection value was very high.
Plus a Wang Zhideng, paired with a tragic love story, made the collection value even higher.
In the original drama, this prodigal didn’t recognize its worth and sold it for only fifty silver dollars. Jubao Pavilion’s shopkeeper Chen Mingze acquired it but didn’t understand it either, so he consulted Luo Yunxuan, history professor at Yanjing University, and learned the painting was worth at least 3000 silver dollars.
That Chen Mingze was greedy too and sold the painting to the Japanese Sato.
But that Chen Mingze didn’t get a good end either, ultimately ending up with family ruin and death. Quite celebratory!
Thinking of modern times, with foreign museums or private collections full of China artifacts, Cao Weida felt infuriated.
Those who sell out national cultural relics for personal gain should end up like that!
“I don’t know about fame, but this painting is really pretty.” Cao Weida stroked the scroll painting, unable to hide his delight as he said:
“Master Bai, to be honest, we don’t know if it has collection value, but I really like this painting. Would you consider parting with it? I’ll offer sixty silver dollars!”
How could China’s ancestral scroll painting fall into the little devils’ hands? Better to get it cheap himself than let Bai Lianqi sell it off cheaply to the little devils.
