The corridor was entirely constructed of wood, with a hip-and-gable roof, extending for at least several dozen meters in length and about four to five meters in width.
Supported by redwood pillars, there were also wooden latticework beneath the eaves. Both sides of the corridor were adorned with various calligraphies and paintings, displayed at varying heights.
Numerous spotlights were installed on the ceiling of the corridor, illuminating it brightly.
Yan Yuhe introduced, "The 'Insightful Eye for Pearls' challenge tests the appraiser's discernment, primarily focusing on calligraphy and paintings. Each piece has a number. As appraisers walk through the corridor and reach the end, they need to write down the number, artist, and era of each piece. Ultimately, rankings are determined by accuracy and quantity..."
She paused here and added, "Only thirty people will advance from the first round, and each appraiser has thirty minutes in the corridor."
The Fatty was taken aback, "That's at least a hundred pieces, isn't it? Can they all be seen in thirty minutes?"
As he spoke, he also asked, "Are those paintings all originals?"
Yan Yuhe nodded, "The calligraphy and paintings are all collections lent by the organizers of the Appraisal Convention."
Wow!
I took a deep breath, this indeed broadened my horizons!
Over a hundred original paintings and calligraphies, even ordinary museums might not have so many.
This Appraisal Convention truly lived up to its name, no wonder so many people came from afar.
Even if not participating, just to witness this grand event was well worth the trip.
The Fatty pursed his lips, his eyes gleaming, "Master Xiang, if all these paintings were sold at Panjiayuan, how much would they fetch?"
I said with a wry smile, "Probably enough for you to spend a lifetime."
"My horizons have been broadened! This time, they truly have been!" the Fatty exclaimed. "Miss Yan, those people in black suits outside when we came in, were they all security personnel?"
Yan Yuhe nodded, "That's right. For security, we've hired top-tier security companies in the country, and they are even cooperating with multiple companies."
"It must cost a lot to hold an Appraisal Convention, right?" the Fatty asked again.
Yan Yuhe smiled without speaking.
I sighed inwardly, these four major families of Guangbei are truly not ordinary in wealth.
The spot for the Appraisal Convention was secured for me by Wu Tingxiu, and it seems she put in a lot of effort.
Looking at the dazzling and colorful corridor, I felt an urge to try.
Everyone here has been in the antique industry for many years. To compete with these people is an unparalleled feeling.
Similarly, this will allow me to gain a clear understanding of my own abilities.
All along, I haven't been sure about the level of my appraisal skills.
This is a good opportunity to get a general understanding of my capabilities.
After the organizers explained the rules, many contestants, according to their contestant numbers, began to enter the corridor one after another.
Yan Yuhe also stood up and said, "Mr. Xiang, I have a few things to attend to, so I'll take my leave. If you have any questions, you can find me at any time."
I nodded, "Alright, thank you, Miss Yan."
"Mr. Xiang, you're too kind," she said with a smile and then left us.
The Fatty sidled up to me and asked how many chances I had in this round.
I couldn't say for sure, and could only reply, "I'll know once I get inside."
"Master Xiang, please don't hold back this time, let them see the might of our Guangling appraisers," the Fatty urged.
I gave him a suspicious look, "Since when did you become a Guangling person?"
"Well, it's like marry a chicken, follow the chicken... no, this isn't like following a chicken, it's like following a dog. You're from Guangling, so naturally I am too..."
"You're the one who follows dogs! I think you're a dog's mouth that can't spew ivory," I said, annoyed. The fatty never says anything good.
About an hour later, a staff member found me.
"May I ask if you are Mr. Xiang Fei?"
"I am."
"Please prepare yourself, you will enter the corridor shortly."
"Okay."
I took a deep breath and glanced at the Fatty, who was holding a fruit platter. "Master Xiang, good luck!"
I shook my head helplessly.
When it was my turn to enter the corridor, I noticed someone in front of me. This person was about thirty years old. Yan Yuhe had told me earlier that this was the eldest son of the Kong family, named Kong Wen, I believe.
I initially thought he would take at least ten to fifteen minutes to come out, but to my surprise, less than seven or eight minutes after he entered the corridor, the staff signaled that I could go in.
I hadn't expected him to be so fast.
Breathing out, I entered the corridor.
I had been worried about whether I could pass this first round, but as soon as I saw the paintings and calligraphies, my heart settled.
While they said over a hundred pieces, in fact, many of them were by the same artist.
The group numbered 1-10 were all by Pu Ru.
Pu Ru was a painter as famous as Zhang Daqian, his landscape paintings were very artistic, leading to the saying "Southern Zhang, Northern Pu."
Speaking of Pu Ru, one must mention his background.
He was a royal noble, devoted to literature and art since childhood, studied in Berlin, and was also a doctor of astronomy and biology.
In the early years of the Republic of China, Pu Ru returned to China and lived in seclusion at Jietai Temple, devoting himself wholeheartedly to calligraphy and painting, detached from worldly affairs.
Pu Ru even collaborated with Zhang Daqian on paintings, with one painting and the other providing inscriptions, truly a double marvel of the South and North.
As I went through them, there were basically no paintings or calligraphies I didn't recognize. Moreover, I had seen many of them before. Although they were all fakes then, I was familiar with the general style.
This is where my father's insistence on me memorizing the pen names of famous people in my childhood truly paid off, greatly aiding my ability to appreciate paintings and calligraphies.
By looking at the signatures and the style, one could quickly determine the artist.
First, the style would be used to determine the era, then the pen name would be used to pinpoint the calligrapher or painter of that era, thus making it easy to arrive at the conclusion.
As I continued, admiring them like an art exhibition, I soon noticed a particular painting.
Upon seeing this painting, I was stunned.
It was a "Beauty Portrait," and specifically, Tang Bohu's "Beauty Portrait," but it was a replica.
That wasn't the main point; the reason I was stunned was that this "Beauty Portrait" was the one I had artificially aged in Shangdu!
Back in Shangdu, I had taken this painting to haggle with Mao Jieming, learned the whereabouts of Mao Guizhi, and later gave this painting to Yuan Jin, the owner of the calligraphy and painting shop.
After all, this painting was done by Yuan Jin. Although I had artificially aged it, it was a return to perfection.
How did this painting end up here?
What was going on?
Could it be that Yuan Jin sold it to someone else?
It was quite possible.
Thinking about this, I felt a mix of amusement and distress.
Didn't anyone in the organizing committee of the Appraisal Convention notice it was a fake?
Yan Yuhe had said that the corridor for the "Insightful Eye for Pearls" in the first round contained only authentic pieces.
It now seemed that wasn't entirely true!
Soon, I reached the end. A staff member led me to a lounge, where paper and pen were prepared, all intended for me to write down my answers.
This gave me a feeling of returning to school for an exam...