Starting with vegetable greenhouses in 1988

Chapter 260 Accident
On the morning of May 8th.

The bluestone path in front of Rongbaozhai was glistening with the light rain from last night, and the air was still filled with the fragrance of locust blossoms wafting from the depths of the alley.

A white Volga sedan was parked steadily next to the open space, standing out among the bicycles.

Li Zhe got out of the car, dressed in a sharp black suit, looking clean and neat.

Hong San followed closely behind, climbing out of the passenger seat. His gray jacket wasn't fully zipped up, revealing a shirt underneath printed with the words "Temple of Heaven, Beijing." He rubbed his hands together and leaned close to Li Zhe: "Brother, let's go in. My cousin told me that today, besides Mr. Qi Gong, there are also several well-known appraisers. They can help us make a selection."

The two entered the main hall of Rongbaozhai and were about to walk towards the side hall for calligraphy and painting appraisal when they were stopped at the door by staff members wearing dark blue jackets.

"Comrades, we're busy inside, so we can't let you into the side hall for the time being." The staff member's voice was not loud, but it carried a hint of unquestionable politeness.

Just as Hong San was about to speak, he heard hurried footsteps coming from inside. Zheng Yanbo ran out with slightly curly long hair and a familiar smile on his face. He waved to the staff and said, "This is my friend. We've arranged to meet to discuss business."

As he spoke, he led the two inside, not forgetting to lower his voice and instruct them: "Keep your voices down. Mr. Qi Gong and Mr. Wang Shixiang are looking at calligraphy and paintings inside. They are both prominent figures in the industry. Don't disturb them."

As soon as he finished speaking, he strode inside, his back ramrod straight, like a student afraid of missing class.

Li Zhe and Hong San exchanged a glance and quietly followed him inside.

The side room was softly lit, with several beautifully framed paintings and calligraphy hanging on the walls, and the air was filled with the scent of ink and a faint aroma of tea.

A group of people surrounded an elderly man with gray hair around a table not far away. He was wearing a light gray Zhongshan suit with his collar neatly tied. He had round-framed glasses on his nose, and his eyes behind the lenses shone with a gentle light. He also held a folding fan in his hand and would fan himself gently from time to time.

Li Zhe's heart skipped a beat; this must be Mr. Qi Gong.

Standing beside the old man was a gentleman in a dark brown long gown with a goatee, holding a polished magnifying glass in his hand, his eyes intently fixed on the calligraphy and paintings on the table.

Hong San leaned close to Li Zhe's ear and whispered, "This is Mr. Wang Shixiang, who specializes in classical furniture and cultural relic appraisal, and is also an expert in calligraphy and painting appreciation."

Li Zhe nodded and quietly stood aside.

A cream-colored silk cloth was laid on the octagonal table, and a calligraphy and painting were placed on it.

Mr. Qi Gong bent down and carefully examined the painting, occasionally brushing his fingers lightly along the edge of the paper, and said softly, "The brushwork of this painting is quite smooth, and the ink is also even. However, the characters in the signature are a bit stiff. It should be a work from the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty. Although it has some collection value, it cannot be considered a treasure."

Upon hearing this, Mr. Wang Shixiang quickly moved closer, placed the magnifying glass steadily above the drawing paper, squinted and examined it for a moment, then straightened up and nodded in agreement: "Mr. Yuanbai is right. Look at the color of this seal. It lacks the warm and mellow feeling of age, and the edges are a bit blurry. It is indeed the style of the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, and the brocade used for mounting is also a common dark pattern style of that period."

Zheng Yanbo stood at the very edge, his eyes fixed on the painting, afraid of missing any detail. He would occasionally nod, as if he was carefully digesting the comments from the two gentlemen.

Li Zhe and Hong San stood not far away, listening with great interest even though they didn't quite understand.

Mr. Qi Gong and Mr. Wang Shixiang then viewed several more paintings and calligraphies, including small pieces from the Ming Dynasty and calligraphy from the Qing Dynasty. Mr. Qi Gong analyzed each piece stroke by stroke, while Mr. Wang Shixiang used a magnifying glass to examine the details, from the aging of the paper to the composition of the ink. The two worked together very well.

During this time, Zheng Yanbo offered the two gentlemen tea and invited them to rest.

The tea is top-quality Longjing, with a clear tea soup and a rich aroma.

Mr. Qi Gong took a sip of tea, put down his teacup, and said with a smile, "Although these works may not be considered rare treasures, they each have their own unique characteristics. It is a pleasure to appreciate them with Brother Shixiang."

Mr. Wang Shixiang responded with a smile: "I have learned a lot from exchanging ideas with Mr. Yuan Bai. I hadn't noticed the subtle changes in the brushwork of that Qing Dynasty calligraphy before."

After resting for a while, Zheng Yanbo walked over to Li Zhe, gently patted his arm, and then led him to Mr. Qi Gong. He said respectfully, "Mr. Qi Gong, this is Mr. Li Zhe. He wants to collect two paintings that Rongbaozhai has recently acquired. One is Mr. Qi Baishi's 'Ink Shrimp' and the other is Mr. Zhang Daqian's 'Qingcheng Landscape'. He would like to ask you to help him appraise them and issue an appraisal certificate."

Upon hearing that there was a work by Qi Baishi, Mr. Qi Gong's eyes softened instantly, and he smiled and said, "Oh? It's Mr. Baishi's 'Ink Shrimp Painting'? I must take a good look. Brother Shixiang, please come and take a look too."

Zheng Yanbo quickly turned around, took out an exquisite wooden box from the inner room, carefully opened it, and first took out Qi Baishi's "Ink Shrimp Painting".

When the painting is unfolded, several ink shrimp on the paper appear lifelike, their bodies translucent like solidified fat, their whiskers delicate and lively, as if they are about to leap off the paper into the water at any moment. This is a typical lively style of Qi Baishi in his later years.

Mr. Qi Gong leaned forward, his fingertips hovering lightly above the painting, carefully observing the ink layers on the shrimp's body. He then turned the painting over to check the signature and seal, and a look of approval gradually appeared on his face.

He slowly said, "The brushwork of this 'Ink Shrimp Painting' is the style of Mr. Qi Baishi in his later years, when he had reached a state of consummate skill."

Look at how naturally the light and dark ink blends on the shrimp's body, and how the eyes are dotted with burnt ink, giving it a lively feel; and the signature "Qi Da" is written with bold yet lively strokes, exactly the same as the calligraphy that Mr. Qi Baishi wrote for me in person when I met him in my early years.

The seal's engraving is neat and powerful, and the ink is early cinnabar ink, with a warm color and a textured feel that comes with age. This is indeed an authentic work by Mr. Qi Baishi and is worthy of collection.

Mr. Wang Shixiang took the magnifying glass and carefully examined the lines of the shrimp whiskers and the details of the seal. He then nodded in agreement: "Mr. Yuanbai is right! I have seen a painting of 'One Hundred Shrimp' by Mr. Baishi from the same period in a private collector's house before. The brushwork and ink color are exactly the same as this one."

Especially the lines of the shrimp whiskers; seemingly delicate, each stroke actually reveals considerable skill, something that could only be achieved with decades of experience. This painting is undoubtedly authentic; a certificate of authenticity is no problem.

Upon hearing this, Li Zhe's tense shoulders relaxed instantly, and an uncontrollable smile appeared on his face. He quickly cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, Mr. Qi Gong, and thank you, Mr. Wang! I feel at ease knowing that you two gentlemen have given me your approval."

Mr. Qi Gong smiled and nodded: "It is a blessing for Mr. Qi Baishi's work to be collected by someone who understands and loves painting. I will write the certificate of authentication later, and I will definitely explain the characteristics and value of this painting clearly."

Upon hearing this, Li Zhe was overjoyed.

Upon seeing this, Zheng Yanbo quickly took out another painting—Zhang Daqian's "Landscape of Qingcheng Mountain"—and carefully unfolded it.

In the painting, the mountains are painted with a rich, vibrant green, the rock walls have a warm ochre hue, and the temple walls at the foot of the mountains are bright yellow. The colors are intense yet layered, which is indeed the style of Mr. Zhang Daqian in his early years.

Mr. Qi Gong's gaze fell on the painting, but he was not as focused as when he looked at "Ink Shrimp". He merely glanced at the colors and lines of the painting, without commenting on the authenticity of the painting or mentioning its stylistic features.

After a moment of silence, he said to Zheng Yanbo, "You should ask Rongbaozhai's professional appraisal team to examine this painting more carefully. I have other collections to appraise today, so I won't comment on this work, and it's inconvenient for me to issue an appraisal certificate."

Mr. Wang Shixiang also saw through Mr. Qi Gong's attitude and added at the right time: "It's not that we are unwilling to help, but each appraiser has their own area of ​​expertise. We don't study Mr. Zhang Daqian's works much on a regular basis, so it would be irresponsible of us to make a hasty evaluation or issue an appraisal certificate. Rongbaozhai has a team that specializes in modern and contemporary Chinese painting and calligraphy, and their opinions will be more professional."

Although Li Zhe was somewhat disappointed, seeing Mr. Qi Gong's resolute attitude, he did not press the matter further and quickly said, "It's alright. I'm already very satisfied that we can confirm that Mr. Baishi's work is genuine. Thank you both."

Subsequently, Mr. Qi Gong took the pen and paper from Zheng Yanbo and carefully wrote down his appraisal opinion.

In the article, he described in detail the brushwork and ink characteristics of "Ink Shrimp Painting", mentioned Mr. Qi Baishi's creative style and the artistic value of the painting, and specially wrote "Respectfully appraised as an authentic work of Mr. Baishi, Qi Gong" in neat and powerful handwriting.

After writing it down, he carefully checked it again before handing the certificate to Li Zhe: "Keep this safe. This certificate will help you better preserve and pass on this work."

Li Zhe took the certificate with both hands, carefully folded it as if it were a precious treasure, and put it into his inner pocket.

Mr. Qi Gong glanced at the other collections on the table and said to Li Zhe and Hong San, "Brother Shixiang and I will continue to appreciate these collections, so we won't keep you any longer. If you have any questions about Mr. Baishi's works in the future, you can come and discuss them again."

Li Zhe nodded quickly, "I won't disturb you two any longer. I will definitely visit you to express my gratitude when I have the chance." After saying that, he and Hong San followed Zheng Yanbo out of the side hall.

Upon arriving at the front hall, Li Zhe readily took out foreign exchange certificates to pay for the "Ink Shrimp Painting".

Zheng Yanbo carefully rolled up the "Ink Shrimp Painting," wrapped it tightly in soft brocade, and then placed it in a specially made wooden box that was moisture-proof and insect-proof. He handed it to Li Zhe and said, "Mr. Li, this wooden box is made of camphor wood. It can prevent insects and moisture. You can keep it safe."

Li Zhe took the wooden box and suddenly remembered what had just happened. He couldn't help but ask Zheng Yanbo, "Brother Zheng, I noticed that Mr. Qi Gong and Mr. Wang Shixiang's attitudes toward the 'Qingcheng Landscape Painting' were quite subtle. They are clearly works by famous artists, so why were they unwilling to help with the authentication?"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Yanbo slapped his forehead, a look of regret on his face: "Oh dear, it's all my fault! I was so busy getting the two gentlemen to appraise it for you that I forgot about this!"

He looked around, then lowered his voice and said to Li Zhe, "You're in the manufacturing industry, so you probably don't pay much attention to these old stories in the art world. Although Mr. Qi Gong would refer to Zhang Daqian as 'Mr. Daqian,' he didn't truly agree with some of his practices—"

When Zhang Daqian was copying murals at the Mogao Grottoes in Dunhuang, he damaged some of the original murals in order to facilitate the copying process... This happened many years ago, and there are many different accounts, so I can't make a judgment.

However, Mr. Qi Gong always valued the preservation of cultural relics and was quite averse to this kind of behavior, which is probably why he didn't want to help with the authentication.

Li Zhe frowned, listening intently: "Is that so?" He only knew that Zhang Daqian was a good painter, but he had never heard of these past events.

Zheng Yanbo continued, "That's probably the reason—he probably felt that authenticating Zhang Daqian's work was tantamount to condoning the other party's act of damaging cultural relics. If I had thought of this earlier, I wouldn't have rashly taken out the 'Qingcheng Landscape Painting'."

Li Zhe suddenly realized what was going on. He nodded gently, "So that's the reason! Let's talk about it next time." He looked down at the wooden box in his arms, and the regret in his heart disappeared. Being able to obtain an authentic work by Mr. Qi Baishi and learn about such a past event, this trip to Rongbaozhai was more rewarding than he had expected.

Hong San, who had been listening intently, couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow, I never imagined there were so many intricacies behind authenticating calligraphy and paintings! I've really learned something new today!"

Zheng Yanbo said with a smile, "Mr. Li, if you want to collect paintings by famous artists again in the future, you can come to me anytime."

Li Zhe quickly thanked him, then bid farewell to Zheng Yanbo with Hong San, and left Rongbaozhai carrying the wooden box containing the "Ink Shrimp Painting".

The sun was shining brightly, and the fragrance of locust blossoms wafted in on the gentle breeze. Li Zhe sat in the Volga sedan, looking down at the wooden box in his arms, a smile involuntarily creeping onto his lips.

With this authentic work by Mr. Qi Baishi, plus the authentication certificate by Mr. Qi Gong, it's like having another treasure that can be passed down from generation to generation.

……

the next morning.

Flower Market Street, a market for flowers, birds, insects, and fish.

The market was already bustling with activity. At the entrance, there was a canvas sunshade, and under the sunshade, all kinds of potted plants and flowers were displayed, from the delicate roses to the elegant orchids, and then to the glossy green vines, one pot after another, crowded together.

Most of the stall owners were wearing slightly worn blue cloth jackets, holding watering cans in their hands and watering the flowers and plants from time to time, while constantly shouting, "Freshly arrived jasmine! Come closer and smell it, the fragrance can circulate three times around the alley!"

"Asparagus fern on sale at a low price! Having one at home will give you more energy to read!"

The aisle in the middle of the market was bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder. There were middle-aged women carrying vegetable baskets and buying flowers along the way, old men in Zhongshan suits and reading glasses carefully selecting bonsai trees, and young girls chattering around the daisy stall.

The air was filled with the damp scent of earth, the fragrance of flowers and grass, and the faint fishy smell wafting from a goldfish stall in the distance. The lively sounds and fresh scents mingled together.

In the bustling crowd, a man and a woman walked slowly hand in hand. The man was tall and upright, wearing a light gray shirt. He was 21-year-old Li Zhe.

The girl beside him was wearing a white dress, her long black hair tied in a ponytail, her skin was fair, and her long legs were faintly visible under the hem of the dress. She was his girlfriend, Wang Ting.

Wang Ting was on vacation today, so Li Zhe made a special trip to meet her. On the one hand, he wanted to help her relax, and on the other hand, he was thinking of buying some potted plants and a fish tank to raise some fish to bring more life to the large courtyard house.

The two walked along with the flow of people, enjoying the sights as they went.

Soon I heard the sound of splashing water. Looking up, I saw a row of stalls displaying glass fish tanks of all sizes. Goldfish and red carp swam around in the water, their colorful scales shimmering in the light.

Li Zhe was immediately drawn to it and quickly pulled Wang Ting over.

In a large fish tank at the far end of the stall, two silver arowanas were swimming slowly. Their long, silvery-gray bodies and fins spread out like thin gauze. They swam with an elegant yet powerful posture. Several brightly colored parrotfish were also swimming around them. Li Zhe couldn't take his eyes off them.

"Boss, are these silver arowanas easy to keep?" Li Zhe squatted in front of the fish tank and asked, pointing at the silver arowana.

The stall owner, a man in his fifties, was holding a small net bag and said with a smile, "Young man, these fish look healthy, but raising them will take some effort."

The water must be allowed to stand completely before changing it, and each time you change the water, you can't replace all of it; you have to leave half of the old water, otherwise the fish may not adapt well. You also need to keep an eye on the water to see if it's cloudy; if the water is too cloudy, it's time to change it.

I need to make this clear to you, so you don't die and then come back to me.

As Li Zhe listened, his brows furrowed slightly.

He recalled the scene of raising fish in later generations, where various types of filters were placed in the fish tank to keep the water clear, and there were also thermostats and LED lights, making it very convenient to adjust the water temperature and provide supplemental lighting for the fish. When changing the water, a water pump was used, and it could be done in half an hour.

But he still raises fish using the "traditional method." Without these convenient devices, he has to carry buckets of water and let it sit for a while before changing the water, and he also has to manually clean the residue in the fish tank. He is not a diligent person and hates this kind of tedious and time-consuming work the most.

After pondering for a while, he could only give up helplessly: "Grandpa, I'll take another look." After saying that, he took one last reluctant look at the silver dragonfish before pulling Wang Ting away.

Wang Ting noticed the slight disappointment on his face, reached out and hugged his arm, gently shaking it: "Let's go look at potted plants, maybe we can find one you like."

Li Zhe smiled and nodded, then followed Wang Ting toward the potted plant area.

Not far along, a bonsai pine tree caught Li Zhe's eye. The pine tree wasn't very tall, only about two feet high. Its trunk was strong and vigorous, and its brown bark had natural textures, as if it were etched with the marks of time. The branches were pruned in a neat and orderly manner, and the emerald green needles were dense and glossy. If you looked closely, you could even see tiny dewdrops hanging on the pine needles.

Wang Ting asked, "Boss, how much is this pine tree?"

The stall owner chuckled, “Hey, you have a good eye! This is an old black pine tree, almost ten years old. It looks elegant and impressive on the stone table in the yard. I’ll sell it to you cheaply, for 100 yuan.”

Wang Ting frowned: "Boss, this is too expensive."

The shopkeeper waved his hand: "Young lady, I really didn't ask for a high price. This is only in the market. If you take it to a showroom to sell, it will cost at least a thousand or eight hundred."

Wang Ting didn't believe him at all. After haggling for a while, she finally settled on fifty yuan.

Even so, Wang Ting still felt it was expensive.

Li Zhe thought it was alright, not because he was stupid and had too much money, but because this kind of thing wouldn't be cheap in later generations, with masterpieces by famous artists selling for tens of thousands of yuan a pot.

Of course, Li Zhe never intended to dabble in this; he just liked it.

After buying the old black pine tree, the two continued walking.

Wang Ting stopped in front of a stall next to her. The stall had several pots of hydrangeas in full bloom, and one of them, a light purple one, was the one that suited her taste best.

The hydrangea flowers are large and round, with layers of petals. The color gradually lightens from the center of the flower to the edges of the petals. The emerald green leaves are oval, which makes the flowers even more beautiful.

Wang Ting squatted down in front of the flowerpot and gently touched the petals: "Look how beautiful this hydrangea is. It would be especially beautiful if it were placed in the yard."

Li Zhe walked over, saw her happy expression, and said with a smile, "If you like it, buy it. It'll make a perfect pair with my pine tree."

After we paid, the stall owner even found a small cloth bag, wrapped up the small shovel and rake for loosening the soil, and handed them over, smiling as he said, "These tools are very useful; they make loosening the soil much easier."

The two thanked him and happily left the market carrying the potted plant.

The white Volga was parked on the roadside at the market entrance. He opened the trunk, carefully placed the two potted plants inside, and then carefully placed a cloth underneath, afraid that they would be damaged by the bumps on the road.

As Li Zhe started the car, he asked, "Tingting, what do you want to eat?"

"Hmm..." Wang Ting thought for a moment, "Let's go to Quanjude, it's been a while since we've had Peking duck."

"Okay, let's go to the Heping branch then, the environment there is better." With that, he drove along the street towards the Quanjude Heping branch.

The car traveled for about ten minutes before arriving at its destination.

From afar, you can see the iconic building of Quanjude Heping Store—a six-story modern building with two white stone pillars hanging at the entrance and the three red characters "Quanjude" suspended in the middle.

Two strings of red lanterns, each about half a person's height, hung at the entrance. The lanterns were printed with the golden character "duck". When the wind blew, the lanterns swayed gently, and the red tassels fluttered along with them, creating a festive atmosphere.

Groups of diners stood waiting at the door. Some were well-dressed middle-aged men with briefcases in their hands, chatting quietly with their companions; others were families with children, the little ones clinging to the door frame, peering curiously into the restaurant.

As Li Zhe parked his car and was about to get out, he suddenly caught a glimpse of two people standing in the open space in front of the store. He recognized one of the men—it was his cousin, Wang Jianjun.

Wang Jianjun was wearing a blue work shirt with the cuffs casually rolled up. He was tilting his head and talking to the girl next to him, with a smile on his face.

Looking at the girl again, she had short, neat hair that revealed her smooth forehead. She was wearing a blue denim outfit, had a tall and slender figure, and healthy tan skin. It turned out to be Bai Xiaoyan, a police officer from Jianguomen Police Station!

Li Zhe suddenly felt uneasy. Why would these two appear alone at the entrance of Quanjude?
(End of this chapter)