1198: Legendary Artists

Legendary Artists

What?!1

An amateur's artwork?

Young Master Lu was nothing but a fool with money?

That was the ultimate insult to both Lu Changwei and Tao Qianli. The audacity that it presented was repugnant!

Needless to say, the hundreds of people present turned their eyes towards Chen Xiaobei, horrified by this anarchist who completely disregarded every circumstance and the capacity of the people he was casting his aspersions on!

None of them would have had the pluck to do such a thing!

"What, it's him indeed! Has he gone mad?"

Miao Yiyue, whose attention was also averted by that statement, recognized Chen Xiaobei but he said nothing about it. After all, the madness that Chen Xiaobei had just committed was enough to stir the public's anger. Lu Changwei's mockery of him was enough to throw Miao Yiyue off and he was in no mood to get tangled up in Chen Xiaobei's business. 

Now, it was not that Miao Yiyue wasn't a loyal man, but because his relationship with Chen Xiaobei was one that had been built in only one meeting – there was no friendship to speak of! Of course, he did not want to have any part of this hullabaloo!

In the midst of all the bewilderment, the superficial femme fatale sitting next to Chen Xiaobei suddenly shouted, "Hey kid! Did you leave your brains at home? How dare you say such outrageous things here? You stay away from me! I don't want to get dragged into this!"

The woman screamed and jerked as far away from Chen Xiaobei as she could, looking terrified. "Master Tao, everyone! I don't know this kid! We are both complete strangers!"

"You squirmy little maggot! What the hell do you think you're doing? How dare you run your mouth like that over here?! Are you sick of being alive?"

Before Lu Changwei got the chance to trumpet his acquisition of the Sumukhwa, Chen Xiaobei suddenly barged in on his blowout!

How could a man like him accept such discredit? Lu Changwei's eyes bore into Chen Xiaobei as if he wanted to eat him alive.

Wei Ruilong and Qin Luo watched with glee at Lu Changwei's frustration. Like many of the younger Silver Plume nobles, they often suffered from Lu Changwei's subjection and exploitation.

On this fateful day, someone actually stood up and called Lu Changwei a rich fool and though it was nothing other than just a simple criticism, it was enough to help them vent their spite! Both nobles gave Chen Xiaobei a mental thumbs up, but they also grieved for him – crossing Lu Changwei was no different from digging your own grave!

If it were not for where they were at the moment, Lu Changwei would have already raised his hand at Chen Xiaobei.

"Young Master Lu, please don't be mad!" Tao Qianli stood up and said, "I was sitting next to this young man just now. I assure you he's not the impulsive type. I'm sure he has his reasons for saying such things! Why don't you give him a chance to explain himself?"

"…"

A fire was raging inside of Lu Changwei. How could he have just retreated like that?

And so, the brat announced in a haughty tone, "Master Tao is modest and magnanimous. But this shithead is a bully! This Sumukhwa is a masterpiece that could shake the whole North Wilderness! How dare you claim that it is an amateur's artwork?! If I let him speak, only god knows what kind of atrocities would come out of that filthy hole of his!"

Chen Xiaobei responded to all this with a shrug. "I was just saying the truth. It was not my intention to offend anyone. Just look at Master Tao. He is calm and composed! But look at the other one. He just barks incessantly but in actual fact knows nothing!"

"F*ck you! Who's barking?" The veins in Lu Changwei's eyes looked like they were about to pop out.

"Do you have to ask? Everyone's looking at it."

Chen Xiaobei looked right back at him.

"You…" Lu Changwei could feel the blood coursing through his veins. If he shouted at Chen Xiaobei again, he would be inadvertently admitting to being the one who was barking.

"Young Master Lu, you need to calm down. Let this young man say what he has to say!" Tao Qianli spoke again. "Right now, he said that you're foolish and called me an amateur. If you don't let him talk, people might think that you and I have something to hide. We'll listen to what he has to say then we'll know who's right and who's wrong! Don't you think so?"

"I…"

Lu Changewei was in quite the fix but he was also not insensible.

Of course, Tao Qianli was angry but he did not let it show. By allowing Chen Xiaobei to speak, he could find the faults in Chen Xiaobei's speech so that everyone would eventually know that Chen Xiaobei was in the wrong.

Admittedly, the older the ginger, the hotter the spice.

Compared to Lu Changwei's aggressive barking, Tao Qianli's method was the best way to still preserve the dignity.

Once Lu Changewei understood that, he suppressed his anger and said, "Hey kid! Master Tao wants to hear your explanation! I give you three minutes to speak! But let me warn you, if you're unable to give us a clear rationale, a year from now on, this very day will be your commemoration!"

An ultimatum! A blatant ultimatum!

If Chen Xiaobei could not make good sense of his statement, Lu Changwei would certainly put him to death!

"Alright. Since you guys keep pestering me, allow me to educate you!" Chen Xiaobei left his seat and walked up the stage. "This painting is called A Ride that Carries Victory, right?"

"That's right."

Tao Qianli nodded. He looked calm but he was actually very irritated. Whoever in this hall would not have known the name of the painting?

"Have you met the ancient general?" Chen Xiaobei looked at the old man and asked. 

"I've never seen him in person. I've only watched him in films and documentaries," Tao Qianli replied confidently.

"Then, have you seen the ancient war?" Chen Xiaobei asked.

"…" Tao Qianli could not help but roll his eyes.

If he had, would he still be alive today? Of course he had only seen them in films!

"Exactly! If you've never seen it before, then how could you possibly draw it well?" Chen Xiaobei asked.

Tao Qianli's lips twitched. He was on the verge of exploding. "Young man! Now, you're just being unreasonable! Have the people who drew portraits of Buddha seen him before? Have the people who drew hell been there? If that's your reason for calling me an amateur, then no one will take your word for it!

"Don't get too worked up, Master Tao!" Chen Xiaobei gave him a small smile. "I'm just trying to make a comparison here! To ordinary folks, you are a master! But, to the legendary artists, you are just an amateur!"

Tao Qianli smiled in a condescending manner while retorting, "So, do mean that you've seen the legendary artists that drew ancient wars and generals?"

Chen Xiaobei shook his head honestly. "Nope. But my teacher has!"

"Your teacher? Who is that?" Tao Qianli asked.

"You won't know even if I told you!" A smile spread across Chen Xiaobei's face. "But I have a copy of my teacher's painting with me. If you're not afraid to be proven wrong, I can take it out to show you!"

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