The Jin style of calligraphy, known throughout the world, is a phrase that praises Emperor Huizong of Song.
After all, this Jin style was his own creation.
Moreover, he was an emperor, which further enhanced his fame.
For such a renowned figure, did his works require a signature? It would be the greatest insult to him.
Upon hearing Ye Fan's words, Liu Yuan was taken aback; he had never heard this phrase before.
It wasn't that he was ignorant, but rather that he hadn't had much contact with genuine works of Emperor Huizong.
Not only that, but throughout the entire Jiang City, no authentic work by Huizong had ever appeared.
Seeing Liu Yuan's stunned reaction, Elder Lei, standing beside him, chuckled softly. "Ye Fan is correct. Authentic works of Emperor Huizong were never signed because his calligraphy itself was the best proof, a style that no one could imitate."
In such a setting, Elder Lei naturally could not openly show favoritism, so his words carried great credibility.
Hearing Elder Lei's explanation, the crowd below nodded in unison, feeling that their visit today had been truly worthwhile; they had learned something new.
Liu Yuan's expression grew increasingly displeased. He could never have imagined that he would be rebuffed by Ye Fan.
"Does Young Master Liu have any further questions? If you still have concerns, I can help you find answers."
Ye Fan said with a light smile, showing a great deal of disdain for Liu Yuan.
With a grim face, Liu Yuan snorted coldly and then sat down in frustration.
Seeing Liu Yuan's embarrassment, the others naturally had no more objections.
Subsequently, Elder Lei announced that Ye Fan had secured first place in this second round of competition.
The Liu family came in second, and Zhao Danfeng's Zhao family secured third place.
With the top three decided, the third round began immediately.
This time, only the three of them would participate, each presenting an item for mutual appraisal to determine the final rankings.
Ye Fan wore a faint smile on his face; he had prepared himself thoroughly for this appraisal gathering.
Meanwhile, Liu Yuan also sported a cold, sinister smile, with a glint of malice deep within his eyes.
Looking at Liu Yuan's demeanor, Ye Fan suddenly felt a pang of foreboding.
Though he couldn't pinpoint the source of this premonition, it was palpable.
He couldn't help but fix his gaze on Liu Yuan. At that very moment, Liu Yuan also turned to look at Ye Fan, their eyes meeting in mid-air.
"Ye Fan, today I will personally witness your downfall and ruin."
Liu Yuan murmured softly, a cold sneer curving his lips.
Observing Liu Yuan's expression, Ye Fan slightly furrowed his brows but still responded with a cold laugh, "I'll be waiting."
As Zheng Zhiyuan took the stage and announced the commencement of the third round, Ye Fan and the others began to unveil their respective items.
At this point, there was nothing left to conceal; everything would be judged on merit.
Liu Yuan presented a bronze artifact, a wine ewer from over a thousand years ago. It had four feet, a bulging belly, and was covered in black patina.
This bronze wine ewer was exquisitely crafted and, for its era, was considered a masterpiece.
Moreover, the patina it bore, a testament to the passage of time, made it even more precious.
Elder Lei gasped, merely glancing at it.
"A bronze wine ewer from the Western Zhou Dynasty, heavily patinated, the marks clearly visible, and its design remarkably novel. In the Western Zhou period, this would have been truly ahead of its time."
Elder Lei stared intently at the bronze wine ewer, his body trembling slightly.
"Today, the bronze wares circulating in the market are almost all later reproductions. Genuine pieces are exceedingly rare. Regardless of their design, if they are authentic, their value is immeasurable. And this bronze wine ewer, not only is it large in size but also preserved so perfectly, its value cannot be quantified by money alone."
Elder Lei sighed continuously, clearly overwhelmed by the impact of the bronze wine ewer.
It was important to note that most bronze wares available on the market nowadays were unearthed from ancient tombs, making pieces this well-preserved exceptionally uncommon.
Liu Yuan's face was full of triumphant smiles as he looked at Ye Fan. "Would you like to take a look as well? If you can find any flaws, perhaps you might win."
Liu Yuan was clearly targeting Ye Fan.
At this point, their animosity had reached a point where they were irreconcilable, a matter of life and death.
Seeing Liu Yuan's smugness, Ye Fan chuckled coldly, remaining silent.
There was nothing wrong with this bronze artifact, except perhaps its provenance. Aside from that, there were no other defects.
Seeing Ye Fan's silence, Liu Yuan's smile grew wider.
Next, the Zhao family presented their glazed gold goblet. Its craftsmanship was equally exquisite and unique.
While the glazed gold goblet was slightly less impressive than the bronze artifact, it was still highly valuable.
There was little to be said about the glazed gold goblet either; it was undoubtedly genuine.
Finally, Ye Fan's item was slowly brought out of the box.
It was a jade disc, about the size of a palm, intricately carved with nine soaring dragons.
These nine dragons, whether soaring, coiling, curling, or stretching, were all depicted with lifelike vitality.
Upon first sight of the artifact, Elder Lei was utterly stunned, gazing at it in shock.
Ye Fan then stated calmly, "A Nine Dragon Screen, material unknown."
After this brief statement, Ye Fan fell silent.
This Nine Dragon Screen was also something he had obtained earlier and was considered a treasure.
Apart from anything else, the lifelike depiction of the nine dragons alone spoke volumes.
However, at this moment, Liu Yuan spoke with a smile.
"What a coincidence. I also happen to have a Nine Dragon Screen in my possession, quite similar to Mr. Ye's. I wonder if they are a pair?"
As he spoke, Liu Yuan gestured, and a servant quickly stepped forward, carrying a Nine Dragon Screen.
The moment he saw the Nine Dragon Screen, Ye Fan was completely taken aback, his brow furrowed in concentration.
This Nine Dragon Screen was identical to his own, with no discernible difference.
Quickly turning back to his own piece, Ye Fan was instantly dumbfounded.
He saw that at the base of this Nine Dragon Screen, there was a faint crack.
"How is this possible?" Ye Fan's face darkened, his expression deeply troubled.
Seeing Ye Fan's reaction, Liu Yuan's smile broadened.
"What? Could it be that the Nine Dragon Screen in Mr. Ye's possession is a fake?"
"This is the final showdown of the appraisal gathering, and Mr. Ye actually presented a fake to deceive everyone? If this gets out, people will laugh him to scorn."
Liu Yuan was relentless in his accusation, giving Ye Fan no opportunity to defend himself.
Ye Fan gritted his teeth, his gaze towards Liu Yuan filled with anger.
There was no doubt that the Nine Dragon Screen in Liu Yuan's possession was genuine, while his own had been swapped.
But who exactly had swapped the artifact for Liu Yuan?
Ye Fan had always kept this Nine Dragon Screen in the secret chamber of Bo Gu Zhai. Apart from himself and Sun Yilang, no outsiders had access to it.
Could it be Sun Yilang?
Ye Fan frowned and turned to look.
He saw that Sun Yilang's face was also filled with shock. Upon seeing Ye Fan's gaze, his expression turned to one of utter terror.
"Mr. Ye, I don't know what's going on here either."
He was terrified, and even his eyes were wide with fear.
Sun Yilang's expression did not seem like a lie. If that were the case, then there could only be one explanation: there was an inside informant at Bo Gu Zhai.