Chapter 1262 - The Princess Slaps the Crowd to Prove the Painting's Ownership
Chapter 1262: The Princess Slaps the Crowd to Prove the Painting’s Ownership
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Danny was tall and burly. Now, with his height advantage, he looked down at Xia Wanyuan with disdain in his eyes.
To be honest, the first time she saw Danny, although Xia Wanyuan felt that this person was not as amazing as the rumors said, he was still a talented person.
However, people would always change. They were probably affected by some environment. At this age, they should enjoy life and be respected by the world.
However, now, in Xia Wanyuan’s eyes, Danny was no longer worthy of his title as a master painter.
Xia Wanyuan met Danny’s gaze and looked back.
“I’m afraid Master Danny can’t define if it’s my painting, right?”
“Mrs. Jun, back then, you also wanted to become Master Danny’s disciple. He can be considered half your master. Is your current attitude how you would treat your respected master?” Seeing Master Danny come out to argue with Xia Wanyuan, Li Qingxue seemed to have found a backer and immediately leaned towards Master Danny.
The corners of Xia Wanyuan’s lips curled up slightly.
“A person who can cooperate with his disciple to steal someone else’s painting is probably not worthy of being called my teacher. If it were you, would you acknowledge a person who stole your painting as a teacher?”
Back then, Xia Wanyuan had long discovered that the painting had been changed, but Xia Wanyuan had never planned to acknowledge a foreigner as her master, so she did not pursue this matter.
However, Danny treated her concession as a reason for him to push his luck. Then he could not blame Xia Wanyuan for being rude.
Xia Wanyuan’s words quickly changed the expressions of everyone present.
Master Danny was so glorious in the international painting industry, but now, he was pointed at the nose and called a thief. At this moment, Danny’s face was already red with anger.
“You!” In his anger, Danny even pointed at Xia Wanyuan, his arms trembling.
Xia Wanyuan glanced at him and retracted her gaze, then explained to everyone.
“I’ll give everyone an explanation for the truth of this matter later. Let’s not discuss this now.”
Xia Wanyuan had an inexplicable credibility. She said not to discuss this anymore, and everyone subconsciously followed her thoughts and stopped discussing.
However, Danny was flustered by Xia Wanyuan’s sudden words.
Sensing everyone’s secretly sizing him up, Danny was even more depressed. Everyone had already continued to walk into the exhibition hall, but Danny was still standing on the spot, trembling with anger.
Xia Wanyuan stood at the side and watched the show without any psychological burden. Glancing at Danny’s flushed face, Xia Wanyuan shook her head gently.
After internal discussion in the museum, it was decided that the museum would release the real painting today for everyone to admire and study.
The most important thing was to compare with Xia Wanyuan and see whose hand this painting came from.
The staff carried the painting out of the glass display cabinet.
This was a painting of agriculture, but the entire style was very different from the styles of various painters in Chinese history. That was why the museum determined that it belonged to a painting of a Han Country painter.
Although the entire painting was drawn of working in the countryside, the strokes were magnanimous. It was enough to prove that the painter must be a broad-minded person who cared about the world.
Under his pen, these laborers seemed to have transformed into diligent representatives. Every move was filled with strength.
Everyone surrounded this painting and admired it carefully. The more they looked at it, the more they felt that the person who could draw this painting must be an indomitable man.
“The artistic conception of this painting is too open. It vividly depicts the entire farming scene. Every detail is showing everyone the joy of spring plowing.”
“Indeed, this painter’s skills are quite superb. Every move is filled with strength. He’s too amazing.”
Everyone exclaimed as they watched.
Xia Wanyuan stood at the side and looked at the painting in front of her. It was as if she had returned to her previous life.
This painting was drawn in the first year of the Great Xia Dynasty’s restoration.
At that time, they had just recovered their country and had a lot of things to do.
Coincidentally, it was the spring plowing season. She led the civil and military officials to the countryside in the suburbs and sowed the first wave of seeds that year with the farmers.
At that time, it was time to restore the country and the weather was good that day. Looking at the vast rivers and mountains in front of him and the hardworking people,
Xia Wanyuan stood on the field and felt the aura of life. The boldness that came from the world immediately made her have the urge to draw.
Hence, she got her subordinates to move the table to the field.
With the beautiful rivers and mountains in front of her, Xia Wanyuan drew this painting of “Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains”.
However, she did not sign or name the painting at that time, so there was no information that could prove the time and place on the painting in front of her.
After the England Museum obtained this painting, they named it “Spring Plow” according to the content of the entire painting. Actually, the meaning was completely different from Xia Wanyuan’s original intention for painting.
Listening to the experts’ endless discussion, Li Qingxue, who was about to break down, finally had some confidence.
She looked at Xia Wanyuan mockingly. “Please, Mrs. Jun. Didn’t you say that this painting is your own? Then give us evidence and let everyone see. What right do you have to say that?”
Facing Li Qingxue’s provocation, Xia Wanyuan did not panic at all. She looked at the experts in front of her.
“Let me ask everyone first. Do you think the personal style of this painting is clear? If we talk about imitation, can we imitate the charm?”
Everyone quickly shook their heads. Professor Charles stood up and expressed his opinion.
“Logically speaking, a painting can reach the level of pretending to be real, but even Western oil paintings can’t do this, let alone a series of landscape paintings with meaning as the core. Even if it can be similar, the spirit might not be similar.”
Everyone echoed.
“I agree. The brush strokes of this painting are talkative. If you want to copy it, with all due respect, no one can do it.”
“Besides, there are many places in this painting that we can’t explain with many painting methods we know now. It must have been lost.”
“Okay.” After hearing everyone’s answer, Xia Wanyuan nodded. “Don’t you all want to know why I said that I drew this painting?”
“Tell me.” Professor Charles could not believe it himself. He was actually looking forward to Xia Wanyuan’s answer, although he did not know where this anticipation came from.
“If I draw an identical painting on the spot, won’t you know if it’s mine?” Xia Wanyuan said quietly.
Everyone discussed. This was a good idea.
Li Qingxue could not wait to see Xia Wanyuan fail. “Mrs. Jun, you’re really confident in your painting skills.”
Xia Wanyuan ignored Li Qingxue and looked at Lu Li beside her. “Go and get the bag in the car.”
“Okay.” Lu Li nodded and quickly ran out.
Soon, she walked in with a big bag.
When Xia Wanyuan took out the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone one by one from her big bag, Lu Li finally understood what Xia Wanyuan had brought out this morning.
Everyone stood quietly at the side, wanting to see if Xia Wanyuan could do it.
At this moment, in the global live-stream, the live-stream signal that had been interrupted for an unknown period of time was connected again.
[F*ck, is there something wrong with this stupid live-stream?? It stopped broadcasting for a few hours, and now it’s connected again?? Are they playing with us like monkeys?]
[ What is Xia Wanyuan doing? Drawing? Could it be that she wants to copy that ancient painting to prove that it’s hers? This method is too trashy. ]
[The person in front, as a painting student, I want to say that you underestimated that ancient painting that can be placed in England’s museum. It’s impossible for that painting to be completely copied.]
The live-stream was filled with discussions, and the museum was silent.
Because Xia Wanyuan had begun to draw.
She did not care how many people were around her. Anyway, as long as she calmed down and did things, others could not affect her.
The brush landed on the paper.
Xia Wanyuan immersed herself in that scene back then.
The cries of insects and birds filled her ears. Her face was illuminated by the warm spring sunlight, and there was the smell of soil being renovated in the air.
Not far away, the farmers were driving the old bull and planting seeds in the ground. The seeds were scattered into the ground. After a spring rain, they would grow into a large green seedling of hope.
Other than the scene in front of her, Xia Wanyuan’s heart also formed a scene.
She thought of the wars in the past ten years, of her comrades who had sacrificed themselves, and of the joy of finally being able to restore the country after all the bloodshed.
At this moment, she was stepping on her country and her country was in her heart.
The white clouds stretched out in the sky, and the sunlight above her head was dazzling. The entire world seemed to be in her control.
At this moment, the emotions in her chest surged out and gathered at the tip of the brush.
At this moment, Xia Wanyuan was no longer painting a spring plow. She was only using this pen to describe the endless hope in her heart when she participated in the spring plowing after returning to the country.
Everyone stood beside Xia Wanyuan. From the initial doubts, to the end,
They watched as Xia Wanyuan’s brush danced on the paper, watched as she slowly dyed the scene of spring plowing with vitality, and watched as she used all sorts of unheard-of painting methods to recklessly render the paper.
Everyone fell silent.
Before the painting was done, these industry insiders had already seen through it.
That aura and spirit were really replicated by Xia Wanyuan.
Li Qingxue stood at the side and watched Xia Wanyuan draw. Sensing the change in everyone’s expressions, she panicked a little, so she pulled the sleeve of the person beside her.
“Professor, what do you think of Xia Wanyuan’s painting?”
The professor from Cambridge University had already turned white. He stroked his completely white beard. “I really didn’t expect China to have such a powerful young woman. She’s right. This painting did come from her.”
“What?!” Li Qingxue could not suppress the excitement in her heart and exclaimed softly.
The sudden appearance of this voice in the quiet venue attracted everyone’s attention. Everyone’s eyes were filled with condemnation, as if they were blaming Li Qingxue for breaking this perfect atmosphere.
Li Qingxue’s expression was already extremely ugly.
Looking at Xia Wanyuan calmly painting, Li Qingxue could not tell what she was feeling.
She had always looked down on Xia Wanyuan and felt that Xia Wanyuan had only had such a smooth journey because of Jun Shiling’s support.
However, Xia Wanyuan’s performance today made her begin to doubt Lady York’s words.
Was Xia Wanyuan really a small celebrity who had never seen the world?? How could a small celebrity make so many professors praise her?
Just as Li Qingxue was letting her imagination run wild, Xia Wanyuan had already placed the last stroke.
Everyone was about to go forward and admire it carefully when Xia Wanyuan thought for a while and wrote the name of the painting.
“Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains”,
Seeing this name, everyone was a little stunned, but now, everyone could tell that the painting in the exhibition hall was also Xia Wanyuan’s own painting. She could choose any name she wanted.
“Miss Xia, is the original name of this painting called ‘Ten Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains’?”
Professor Charles was too curious and finally could not help but ask this question.
Xia Wanyuan nodded. “Yes.”
Charles asked curiously for the reason, and Xia Wanyuan explained the scene of this painting to him.
Of course, Xia Wanyuan did not reveal her information. She only said that at that time, the spring planting scene reminded her of thousands of miles of rivers and mountains, which was why this painting existed.
Charles pondered for a while, then looked at Xia Wanyuan’s painting. The more he looked at it, the brighter his eyes became. This meant that he realized that Xia Wanyuan was really right.
The “Spring Plough” they had originally chosen was indeed too petty, and it was very different from the artistic conception of the painting itself. After Xia Wanyuan’s nomination, the entire scene was vast enough.
“That’s amazing.” Charles was no longer looking at Xia Wanyuan with hostility. He had even enthusiastically invited Xia Wanyuan to visit Cambridge University, but she had rejected him.
The museum originally thought that they would win for sure, but at this moment, they had to admit that they had mistaken the information of the painting.
This painting indeed belonged to Xia Wanyuan.
The staff came over and whispered a few words to Li Qingxue. Although Li Qingxue looked unhappy, she still suppressed a smile and looked at Xia Wanyuan.
“Mrs. Jun, thank you for helping our museum prove the real owner of the painting. If you don’t mind, our museum hopes to keep your painting permanently. Is that okay?”
To everyone’s surprise, Xia Wanyuan rejected her.
Li Qingxue gritted her teeth. “Miss Xia, please reconsider. This is England’s museum. To be able to collect the works of a living painter is an absolute affirmation of the painter.”
After all, everything in England’s museum was a world treasure. Few people in the world could have such treatment if their works were still hidden here when they were alive.