Chapter 68

"Amidst the charming scenery of the day, leaning against the twelve railings, the universe seems to float like a duckweed..."

The universe is vast, yet the author regards it as a mere duckweed, revealing not only his lofty and free-spirited nature but also his genuine feelings at the moment of unity with nature, which leaves readers captivated and yearning.

This piece of calligraphy is actually Mi Fu's "Water Tune: Ode to the Mid-Autumn Festival." This person is quite interesting; although he was imitating Wang Xizhi's calligraphy and writing Wang Xizhi's name, he used his own poem, clearly showing that his imitation was a pretense and his intention was to tease others.

This is only in modern times that fewer people know Mi Fu's poetry, otherwise, this piece of calligraphy would not have been sold under Wang Xizhi's name.

When it comes to "Water Tune: Ode to the Mid-Autumn Festival," more people are familiar with Su Dongpo's version, while Mi Fu's version is less known.

Mi Fu was a calligrapher of the Northern Song Dynasty, known for his high talent and aloof personality, with a peculiar habit of cleanliness. He often dressed in the style of the Tang Dynasty and collected many unusual stones. His calligraphy and painting were unique, and he excelled in painting withered trees, bamboo, and rocks, often introducing new ideas. He also painted landscapes, creating a style of ink and wash cloud mountains, where mist and clouds blend, creating a simple and natural beauty.

He was skilled in poetry, calligraphy, and appraisal. He was proficient in various scripts, including seal, clerical, regular, running, and cursive, and his imitations of ancient calligraphy were so lifelike that they could pass for the originals. He was one of the Four Masters of the Song Dynasty and held positions such as a proofreader, a calligraphy and painting doctor, and a secretary of the Ministry of Rites.

There are many interesting stories about him in history, but at this moment, Zhang Tianyuan had no time to tell the others about Mi Fu's stories. The key was that this piece of calligraphy was somehow related to Zhao Danfeng's parents, and he needed to take a closer look.

"This auction is happening today, why don't we just bid on this piece of calligraphy?" Liu Mengxun looked at the time on the billboard and said.

Zhang Tianyuan shook his head and said, "We can't afford it. There are very few surviving works by Wang Xizhi. His 'Letter of Peace' was sold for 308 million RMB at the 2010 autumn auction of China Guardian. This cursive script 'Letter of Peace' by Wang Xizhi, also known as 'Letter to Jiang Dao,' is actually a later imitation. If it were the original, how much do you think it would be worth?"

"This isn't an imitation by Mi Fu, and it's his own poem, so it should be easy to authenticate. It probably won't be that expensive," Liu Mengxun said.

Zhang Tianyuan thought for a moment and said, "Actually, in 2002, Mi Fu's late masterpiece 'Yanshan Ming' was successfully auctioned in the capital for about 300 million RMB, setting a world record for Chinese art auctions at the time. This piece would likely be worth over a billion RMB now, considering the value of money back then."

"What should we do? Should we just give up? This is a clue for Danfeng to find her parents, and it's the only one we have right now," Liu Mengxun frowned.

"Let's go in and see first. If it doesn't work out, I'll have our company bid on it. After all, something like this can be a treasure for our store, and it would be a good investment," Mou Ying suggested.

"Ah, I thought I was quite wealthy, but now I realize I'm nothing. I can't even afford a piece of calligraphy," Xu Gang shrugged, feeling a bit helpless.

"Liu Mengxun, why don't you have your grandfather bid on it? For him, 300 million is just a drop in the bucket. Internationally, it wouldn't even buy a good football player," Zhang Tianyuan said with a smile.

"That's possible, but my grandfather has a bit of a temper and might not be willing to bid for something like this," Liu Mengxun wanted to help Zhao Danfeng but didn't have the money herself.

Zhang Tianyuan smiled, pulled Liu Mengxun aside, and whispered about the Three Pure Ones golden statues.

"Are you serious?" Liu Mengxun asked loudly.

"Why would I lie to you?"

"Alright, I'll call my grandfather right away. There won't be any problem. As long as you have those things, my grandfather wouldn't mind spending a billion RMB, let alone bidding on Mi Fu's calligraphy. At his age, what he cares about most is living longer," Liu Mengxun was overjoyed. She thought her trip to Shenlu Valley would be in vain, but now she had a pleasant surprise.

She quickly took out her phone and called her grandfather. After a brief conversation, she managed to secure his approval.

"My grandfather said he's willing to bid on Mi Fu's calligraphy, and even the 300 million RMB 'Letter of Peace' by Wang Xizhi. He's given me the authority to withdraw up to 500 million RMB from my card, so there's no problem," Liu Mengxun said with a smile.

"Great, let's go to the auction. This piece is likely the highlight of today, so it probably hasn't started yet," Zhang Tianyuan sighed with relief but also felt a bit helpless. He always said he wanted to pursue Liu Mengxun, but now he realized he was far behind. His total net worth was probably less than 100 million RMB, while she could casually spend 400 to 500 million RMB. Her resolve and courage were something he couldn't match.

However, after feeling helpless, he became even more determined. Money, after all, was just a matter of time. He had gone from being penniless to having a net worth of over 100 million RMB in just a few months. Who knew what the future held?

The group entered the auction venue. The auction had been going on for some time, but Mi Fu's calligraphy hadn't been brought out yet. As Zhang Tianyuan had said, it was the highlight and wouldn't be shown so early, so they still had time.

This was Zhang Tianyuan's first time at an auction. He had only seen them on TV before, and he didn't realize how complicated it was. After going through a lot of procedures, they finally got their bidding paddles, which they would use to place bids.

They sat in the last row, as they weren't planning to buy anything else and were only there for Mi Fu's calligraphy.

The auction soon reached its most critical moment, and Mi Fu's calligraphy was brought out.

The auctioneer tapped the gavel and said, "This piece, 'Water Tune: Ode to the Mid-Autumn Festival,' has been authenticated as a work by the great Northern Song calligrapher and painter Mi Fu, imitating Wang Xizhi. The starting bid is 10 million RMB, with a minimum increment of 1 million RMB, and no upper limit. Bidding now begins!"

Whether it was by Wang Xizhi or Mi Fu, this piece was undoubtedly a treasure. For calligraphy enthusiasts, it was priceless.

"15 million RMB!"

"20 million RMB!"

"22 million RMB!"

"30 million RMB!"

...

The price rose rapidly, making Zhang Tianyuan nervous. He realized how crazy people could get at auctions. Sometimes, the items being auctioned might not be worth the price, but in the frenzied atmosphere, they often fetched much more than their actual value.

Fortunately, after reaching 30 million RMB, the price began to rise more slowly.

"35 million RMB once! 35 million RMB twice! This is Mi Fu's calligraphy, and his works are highly sought after today. Paper money may depreciate, but this will not. Even as a collection, it's a good investment," the auctioneer was clearly trying to drive up the price, as the more money they made, the more commission they earned.

"36 million RMB!" Liu Mengxun finally bid.

"Oh, the lady over there has bid 36 million RMB. You are beautiful and have good taste. Is there anyone willing to bid higher? Remember, this is a genuine piece by Mi Fu, and it's the only one in existence!"

"37 million RMB!" A wealthy-looking woman bid a higher price, and she was the one who had previously bid 35 million RMB.

"38 million RMB!" Liu Mengxun calmly followed, as her grandfather had given her a limit of 500 million RMB, and she could use it freely.

The woman hesitated for a moment before gritting her teeth and bidding, "39 million RMB!"

"40 million RMB!" Liu Mengxun bid without hesitation.

"Hey, do you think that woman is a shill?" Xu Gang asked the group.

"No," Zhang Tianyuan said firmly.

"How can you be so sure? Do you know her?" Xu Gang asked.

"Yes, I do know her, and I know her very well," Zhang Tianyuan clenched his teeth, recalling a painful past, then shook his head to clear his mind.

Mou Ying looked at Zhang Tianyuan and sighed, "Old classmate, you still can't let go. It's been so long, why do you still care about such a woman?"

"Was she your brother's girlfriend in college?" Xu Gang finally guessed correctly.

Hearing this, Lan Fenghuang and Liu Mengxun both looked at the woman, who was indeed very beautiful, no wonder she had attracted Zhang Tianyuan.

"Yes, it's her, but it doesn't matter anymore. I've completely forgotten about her," Zhang Tianyuan shrugged, looking relaxed, but everyone could sense that he still cared, indicating that he had once been deeply in love with her and was understandably devastated when she left him, leading him to hide in the internet cafe.

While listening to Zhang Tianyuan, Liu Mengxun forgot to bid, and the woman raised the price to 41 million RMB. The auctioneer was about to hammer it down.

Feeling she had won, the woman turned to look at Liu Mengxun with a smug expression, not noticing Zhang Tianyuan, but focusing on Liu Mengxun.

The woman was beautiful but dressed in a somewhat vulgar manner, rich but lacking in elegance, like a peony. In contrast, Liu Mengxun had a refined and ethereal quality, more like a lotus untouched by the world.

Both women had their own charms, and it was a rare sight to see two such beauties competing at an auction, especially at an antique auction.

Seeing the woman's challenging gaze and Zhang Tianyuan's slightly troubled expression, Liu Mengxun felt a surge of anger. She stood up and loudly declared, "I bid 50 million RMB!"