Ou Yangcen was very curious about Madam Xu, but since she had already passed away, asking more about who she was before she passed away was impolite and meaningless.

“Budai, go close the door,” Ou Yangcen ordered.

“Okay.”

Zhou Budai quickly did what he was asked to do.

Liu Man felt that Ou Yangcen was about to say things related to the calligraphy exhibit and did not want to be overheard. Reality proved her right.

Ou Yangcen said that he was suddenly called into a meeting by the calligraphy association this afternoon, which was why he didn’t go pick them up. The meeting was, naturally, about the calligraphy exhibit tomorrow. It was a “planning beforehand” meeting.

The fortunate thing about having a calligraphy expert as her teacher was now Liu Man could learn who were the five judges for the face-to-face round.

The five people were each experts in five different areas: the running script, cursive script, official script, seal characters, and the clerical script.

Ou Yangcen was originally invited to be the cursive script expert, but because his apprentice, Zhou Budai, was a contestant too, he rejected the invitation to avoid any suspicion of cheating.

The four judges that were first mentioned were all familiar to Su Yi. When Ou Yangcen mentioned the fifth judge, who was an expert in the clerical script, he paused, his expression complex, “For clothe clerical script, they found Su Xuezhen.”

Su Yu’s expression immediately changed. His smile disappeared, and his posture was no longer relaxed. He heavily hammered the arm of the chair and denounced, “Why did they choose him specifically this year?”

“In the younger generation, Su Xuezhen’s accomplishment in the clerical script area is the most prominent. At the end of last year, he also joined the calligraphy association,” the “younger” generation Ou Yangcen referred to as were people who were now 50-60 years old. People who could join the National Calligraphy Association could definitely be called real calligraphists, and the value of their work would also rise by a lot.”

Su Yi was also a member of the calligraphy association.

“Su Xuezhen’s works in clerical script are now very valuable and are deeply worshipped by investors. Last year, he established the Xizhen Academy that copies ancient academies, and he teaches his students calligraphy and literature.”

Su Yi mocked, “He just wants to be on the news.”

Now that he was this old and had so many accomplishments, he was no longer so concerned over his material possessions and his physical comfort. He did not care at all whether anyone wanted to buy his work. He only wrote to satisfy his own senses; to entertain himself and be happy was all he wanted.

However, nowadays, this entire society focuses on money, including the calligraphy circle. People often judged how good a calligraphist was by weighing how much a work of his was worth.

“You are still biased when it comes to him. Let’s not mention what he had done in the past. He had learned everything about the clerical script from you, and he added his own thoughts onto the fundamentals that you had taught him, making it so that his work is similar to and dissimilar to your work. To be honest, his work is quite good, but I still like your clerical script better.”

Ou Yangcen had always felt as if something was missing from Su Xuezhen’s works. They weren’t complete.

Su Yi did not take Ou Yangcen’s words seriously, “No matter how good his works are, they cannot make up for the flaws in his personality. He is no longer related to me in any way.”

“He’s not related to you, but your young apprentice will be facing him tomorrow.”

“Today is different from the days thirty years ago,” Su Yi snorted, “I’m here to watch in person. Let’s see if he dares to play tricks again under my eyes.”

Liu Man was very confused as she listened to the conversation between the two elders. She could guess, however, that Su Xuezhen used to be Professor Su’s apprentice.

Zhou Budai could not understand their conversation, either. In his mind, Su Xuezhen was a renowned calligraphist, and his calligraphy skills could not be doubted. His Xizhen Academy had an extremely good reputation in Gudu. There were long, long lines during both times it openly looked for new students, and the academy was very popular.

So, what exactly happened thirty years ago?

After seeing Ou Yangcen and his apprentice off, Su Yi repeatedly thought it over before finally deciding to reveal everything to Liu Man.

Sure enough, as Liu Man had predicted, Su Xuezhen was Su Yi’s apprentice; however, he had already been disowned by Su Yi thirty years ago. Besides, both of their last names were “Su”. They shared the tiniest blood relation. Su Xuezhen counted as Su Yi’s very distant relative, and they shared the same pedigree.

Everything started thirty-four years ago. At that time, the middle-aged Su Yi was already an accomplished calligraphist and had already become a professor at Capital University. He had already taken in his first apprentice — Fang Huaiyuan.

And Su Xuezhen was only a Freshman at Capital University, one that could not be more mediocre, and he took Su Yi’s calligraphy elective. When Su Yi was reviewing his students’ classwork, he discovered Su Xuezhen’s words and thought that Su Xuezhen had potential. He felt close to Su Xuezhen since they shared the same last name, and so he told Su Xuezhen to come to his office. Su Xuezhen had a similar experience as Liu Man when he became Su Yi’s apprentice.

It was only after they became mentor and apprentice did the two realize that they were distant relatives. A branch of the Su family moved to the west-north part of China a few hundred years ago. Su Yi exclaimed that this must be fate and the intention of God, so he put even more effort into teaching Su Xuezhen.

At that time, Su Yi only had two apprentices. Fang Huaiyuan was seven years older than Su Xuezhen and was the first one to become Su Yi’s apprentice. Su Xuezhen naturally had to call him “Shixiong” to be respectful. As a Shixiong, Fang Huaiyuan really cared for Su Xuezhen. Whenever their teacher was too busy, he would answer all the questions Su Xuezhen had, and he would also show his work to Su Xuezhen so he could study and learn. Su Xuezhen was very grateful towards him.

TL’s Note: “Shixiong” is how a younger apprentice calls an older male apprentice with the same mentor.

It looked like a peaceful picture, with both apprentices being happy with each other.

And like this, four year had passed. The National Calligraphy and Carving Exhibit that only comes once in four years was open for signups. There was an unspoken rule in the calligraphy industry: there could only be one apprentice from each mentor who could sign up for this exhibit.

Fang Huaiyuan and Su Xuezhen were both very outstanding students. Su Yi hesitated for quite a moment before he chose to send in Fang Huaiyuan’s work. He told Su Xuezhen the old-fashioned story about how Kong Ru, a four-year-old in ancient China, was able to give his pear to someone more in need. Su Yi said that Fang Huaiyuan had already been his apprentice for seven years, and he had been very hardworking and diligent. It was time for him to finish his apprenticeship. Su Yi also said that Su Xuezhen was still young, and there was another opportunity for him in four years.

On the outside, Su Xuezhen smiled and said it was all right.

But in his mind, he really couldn’t agree with Su Yi’s decision.

Fang Huaiyuan delicately prepared his work that he was going to hand in to the exhibit a month before signups were open. He also chose to hand in his clerical script work.

Back then, there was nothing like delivery companies. To send a package, one must go to the post office.

At that time, Fang Huaiyuan had already started working. After he graduated, he stayed in Capital University and worked for the administration. His work time clashed with the post office’s time.

Su Xuezhen took the initiative to make an offer and help him send the package to the post office.

Fang Huaiyuan trusted him and handed his work to him.

However, Su Xuezhen did something so immoral that Su Yi still could not forgive him today. He replaced Fang Huaiyuan’s work with his own clerical script.

When Su Yi and Fang Huaiyuan learned about it, Su Xuezhen’s work had already passed the first round and had successfully entered the exhibit.

In front of Fang Huaiyuan, Su Yi berated Su Xuezhen and asked him why he did what he did. Su Xuezhen said as if he did the right thing, “I clearly am more talented than Shixiong, but you took away my right to sign up for the exhibit just because I’m young and was late to become your apprentice. This is unfair for me! Some people who self-studied and don’t even have mentors can successfully sign up, but why can’t I? If I knew this earlier, I wouldn’t have even become your apprentice!”

Su Yi, with his violent temper, exploded right on the spot. He wanted to spank Su Xuezhen.

Fang Huaiyuan hurriedly pulled him back.

Su Yi pointed at Su Xuezhen angrily, “Get away from me. From now on, I will not recognize you as my apprentice.”

Translated by: Sydney

Edited by: Michael