Chapter 4

Wu Daglang walked with his head down, searching his mind for fragments of memories related to the great disaster that had brought the Wu family to the brink of ruin.

It was a rainy day more than a month ago, and the Wu family's painting studio had little business.

Wu Chengzhi, the father of Wu Haogu, was doing the accounts. Wu Haogu was copying a painting titled "Huang Family's Prosperity" — a term referring to the lavish style of bird-and-flower paintings by the father and son artists Huang Quan and Huang Jucan from the Five Dynasties and early Northern Song periods. Their style was highly favored by the royal family and became the standard for the Northern Song painting academy. The term "Huang Family's Prosperity" also referred to the works of the Huang family, including original pieces, copies, and imitations.

The Wu family's painting studio had two genuine "Huang Family's Prosperity" paintings, as well as four high-quality imitations and copies that were almost indistinguishable from the originals.

It's worth noting that high-quality imitations and copies were also extremely valuable in the Northern Song dynasty. Due to the lack of advanced photography and printing technology, it was extremely difficult to copy famous paintings. Ordinary painters did not even have access to the originals or high-quality copies to copy from.

Therefore, good imitations and copies not only had high aesthetic value but were also used for learning calligraphy and painting, which typically started with imitation and copying.

Copying involves writing or painting according to the original, while imitation involves tracing over the original with thin paper (or silk). Both methods have their strengths and weaknesses. Copying makes it easier to learn brush techniques and strokes, but it is harder to learn the structure. Imitation makes it easier to learn the structure, but it is harder to learn the brush techniques and strokes. In terms of difficulty, imitation is easier than copying. However, both are essential skills for painters and calligraphers.

Thus, truly good imitations and copies were very valuable.

In the Northern Song capital of Kaifeng, good imitations and copies were considered "almost genuine" works. Many items sent to the palace by the painting and calligraphy officials were also "almost genuine"...

The genuine works, which were even more authentic, were so expensive that the Song imperial family could hardly afford a few sheets.

So when the doors of the Wu family's painting studio were knocked open by the eunuchs Liu Ai and Liang Shicheng from the Imperial Academy of Calligraphy and Painting, neither Wu Chengzhi nor Wu Haogu realized the impending disaster.

It wasn't until they demanded a refund for seven paintings and calligraphy pieces that the situation became clear!

These seven pieces included three calligraphy works and four paintings. The calligraphy works were Yang Shaoshi's "The Immortal's Daily Life," Liu Shaoshi's cursive script "The Sixteenth Day," and a fan face by Cai Zhonghui with a poem by Du Mu titled "Spring in the South of the Yangtze."

Yang Shaoshi, also known as Yang Ningshi, was a Tang Dynasty scholar who later served in the Later Liang, Later Tang, Later Jin, Later Han, and Later Zhou dynasties, eventually becoming the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. He was known as "Yang Shaoshi" and was a famous calligrapher of the Five Dynasties. His works were already considered treasures in the Song Dynasty, with each character worth a thousand gold.

The "The Immortal's Daily Life" that Wu Chengzhi sent to the palace was not genuine, but it was likely a copy made by a famous artist from the early Song Dynasty.

Liu Shaoshi, also known as Liu Gongquan, was another famous calligrapher who served as the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince. His genuine works were already considered top-tier in the Northern Song Dynasty, and Wu Chengzhi could not obtain them. Emperor Zhezong (Zhao Xu) of the Song Dynasty could not afford them either. Therefore, the calligraphy piece Wu Chengzhi sent to the palace was a high-quality copy, likely made by a famous calligrapher.

Cai Zhonghui, also known as Cai Xiang, was another famous calligrapher whose genuine works were extremely valuable and rare during the Yuanfeng period of the Northern Song Dynasty. The fan face Wu Chengzhi sent to the palace was a high-quality imitation, with about 90% of Cai Xiang's calligraphy skills. Wu Chengzhi believed it was likely a masterpiece by Mi Fu.

The four paintings were "Snowy Landscape and Cold Forest" by Fan Kuan, "Traveling in the Mountains" by Guan Tong, "Summer Mountains" by Dong Yuan, and "The Heavenly Maiden Scattering Flowers" by Zhang Fang. These four paintings were also copies, but they were among the best.

Since these were high-quality works sold to the Song imperial family, Wu Chengzhi did not dare to ask for less. The total price for the seven works was 51,000 strings of coins!

However, not all of the 51,000 strings of coins went to Wu Chengzhi. The eunuchs and officials who handled the transactions took their cut. The actual amount Wu Chengzhi received was around 27,000 strings of coins. However, according to the records of the Contract and Voucher Office under the Imperial Household Department, the Wu family's painting studio received the full 51,000 strings of coins.

This meant that the Wu family had to refund the full 51,000 strings of coins...

Such a large sum was difficult to raise, and the deadline given by the palace was very tight, leaving no time for the Wu family to sell their collection. Therefore, Wu Chengzhi had to pawn some of the genuine masterpieces he had in his possession, along with the cash he had on hand, and managed to pay 33,000 strings of coins by the deadline.

As a result, the Imperial Household Department immediately issued a warrant to the Royal City Office to arrest Wu Chengzhi and Wu Haogu, and they were taken to the Kaifeng Prefecture prison. The Wu family was also given two months to pay the remaining 18,000 strings of coins, or their property would be confiscated and they would be punished...

By now, more than half of the two-month deadline had passed, and Wu Haogu had not managed to raise a single coin.

The Wu family's painting studio had no business, and the efforts to sell their collection through the official and private brokers on Panlou Street had yielded no results.

This was truly a desperate situation!

Clearly, the people who had framed the Wu family had already informed the painting and calligraphy industry on Panlou Street not to provide any assistance to the Wu family's painting studio!

Without being able to sell the paintings, how could Wu Haogu raise the 18,000 strings of coins?

"Wu Daglang is here!"

Someone suddenly shouted, interrupting Wu Haogu's thoughts. He looked up and saw that he had reached the intersection of Panlou Street and Muxing Street. The southwest corner of the intersection was the famous Sang Family Entertainment District, and the northwest corner was the Inner Entertainment District.

The entertainment districts, also known as "Wazi," were venues with different performance areas, each named after a tent. The tents had stages for performances and were surrounded by railings, hence the name "Goulou."

The Goulou offered various performances such as wrestling, shadow plays, operas, puppet shows, ballads, acrobatics, music, magic, and more. They also sold medicine and food, provided services like fortune-telling, laundry, and mending, and had gambling areas. They were similar to modern shopping and entertainment centers.

Among the dozens of large and small entertainment districts in Kaifeng, the largest and most prosperous was the Sang Family Entertainment District. The Wu family's small painting studio was located directly opposite the Sang Family Entertainment District, facing the Inner Entertainment District. It was truly in the prime location of Kaifeng!

At this moment, the food stalls in front of the Wu family's painting studio had already been closed early, and a large group of ruffians were blocking the entrance. Many passersby and merchants from Panlou Street were watching, and there were occasional arguments.

Wu Haogu quickly sped up and reached the front of the shop, only to see a group of ruffians blocking the closed doors of the painting studio and shouting insults.

At this moment, a tall and muscular man walked toward Wu Daglang. He was dressed in black, with a wide belt around his waist, and his face was full of tough muscles. His eyes exuded a fierce aura.

Wu Haogu immediately recognized him as "Zhao Tieniu."

"Wu Daglang!" Zhao Tieniu shouted, "You've been released from the Kaifeng Prefecture prison, but why haven't you shown up? Are you too ashamed to come back to Panlou Street after selling so many fakes?"

"Zhao Dagong," Wu Haogu replied with a bow, "What does the painting and calligraphy business on Panlou Street have to do with you? Why are you blocking the entrance to our painting studio?"

Zhao Tieniu was a ruffian leader, not a cultured person, and he had no real connection to the painting and calligraphy business.

Ruffians were essentially thugs who roamed in groups, causing trouble, but not committing serious crimes that would result in execution or exile. The authorities could not do much about them, and ordinary people dared not provoke them.

Zhao Tieniu, being large and strong, was a minor military officer and had trained in wrestling with Lin Laohu, a famous wrestler from the Sang Family Entertainment District. Therefore, he was rarely defeated in fights and became a leader among the ruffians. The entire Panlou Street was his "territory," and merchants who set up stalls there had to pay him protection money.

However, he could only extort money from small vendors. Large businesses like the Panlou, Sang Family Entertainment District, and Inner Entertainment District, with their strong backing, ignored him. Even the Wu family's painting studio, which dealt in paintings, calligraphy, antiques, and incense, did not pay him any heed.

These businesses served the nobility and had connections that Zhao Tieniu could not afford to provoke. Even the Wu family, now in trouble, was not someone Zhao Tieniu could easily manipulate.

Zhao Tieniu just laughed coldly and took a scroll from one of his ruffians, waving it in front of Wu Haogu. "Your father, who specializes in selling fake paintings, sold a 'Guardian Deity' painting to the owner of the Wan family shop on Muxing Street three months ago, claiming it was a genuine work by Zhang Fang and demanding 8,000 strings of coins. Is that true?"

"Yes," Wu Haogu admitted, remembering the transaction.

In the Song Dynasty, contracts and vouchers were common for large transactions, which required official seals. The painting and calligraphy businesses on Panlou Street would also use contracts for large transactions. The "Guardian Deity" painting that Wu Chengzhi sold to the owner of the Wan family shop three months ago had a contract. Therefore, Wu Haogu could not deny it.

However, in Wu Haogu's memory, the "Guardian Deity" painting was indeed a genuine work by Zhang Fang... at least 80% likely to be genuine! Therefore, in the contract, Wu Chengzhi had promised to refund the money if it was fake, but not the full amount, only 90%.

Zhao Tieniu chuckled and took out a contract from his pocket, throwing it in front of Wu Haogu. "It's written in black and white. If it's fake, you must refund the money. Even if we take this to the Kaifeng Prefecture, we will win the case. Wu Daglang, are you trying to deny it? 8,000 strings of coins at 90% is 7,200 strings. When will you pay?"