In the Ming Dynasty 1498, my restaurant connects two worlds.

Taking advantage of the moment when everyone was shocked, Song Xiaoyi pulled Zhu'er aside, signaled the teachers to make way, moved the chairs, and put the three tables together. Then, she and Zhu'er went to the side hall and brought over three more tables to put together.

Together with Mr. Wu, Tian Si took the napkins to wipe their trembling hands, put on gloves, and continued to slowly unroll the scroll with the help of Dean Teng.

As the scroll unfurled, Tian Si, who hadn't been surprised when he entered, now read with unusual excitement: "The Right Clan of Minshan, the Grand Marshal of the Imperial Secretariat; their Jade Seal was erected to soar to the heavens, their Golden Talisman was passed down through generations. Their positions are established in high esteem..."

In the hall, only gasps could be heard.

"It's Tang Yin's 'Ode to the Splendor of the Six Dynasties'! His name is recorded in history, but we've never seen the original before. Now we finally see the real thing!" Wang Fengqi, curator of the Suzhou Museum, muttered to himself as he looked at the painting. "Am I dreaming? This is unbelievable!"

The scroll was too long. Although there were six tables side by side, the front still had to be rolled up after the back was unrolled. This task had to be done by Mr. Wu, who was wearing gloves. All the experts consciously put their hands behind their backs, afraid that they might accidentally touch it in their excitement.

"Written by Tang Yin of Wu County in the seventh month of the year Wuwu (1498) at the Song residence in Taoye Ferry, Yingtian Prefecture! The seventh month of the year Wuwu! 1498! Written at the Song residence in Taoye Ferry! Isn't this the place!"

The historical record that "Ode to the Golden Powder of the Six Dynasties" was written in the Ma family mansion of Ma Fantai is actually a misconception!

"Zhu Yunming's appreciation poem, complete with all seals!"

"Wen Bi's appreciation essay by Wen Zhengming is correct and complete, with the seal intact!"

"Feng Qi, come and take a look."

"Gu Lan's appreciation article! With a seal! Indeed, it's from the same time as the old man's 'Chickens Pecking Rice' painting!"

"What?! That's impossible!"

"Mr. Wu, what's impossible?"

"Look, this is Qiu Ying's (Qiu Shifu's) appreciation article! Three seals!"

"Historical accounts suggest Qiu Ying was born around 1503—how is that possible!"

"The signature is also from the seventh month of the year Wu-Wu!"

"A fake?"

"It's not a fake! How could there be such a fake? Those scholars must have made a mistake. Look, Qiu Ying's calligraphy is rather childish; he was at most six or seven years old when he wrote it."

"A six- or seven-year-old child already has writing skills? And a seal? That doesn't make sense!"

"Shouldn't Qiu Ying, who was six or seven years old, still be in Taicang, Suzhou? How did he end up in Nanjing?"

"If this is genuine, how many people are being slapped in the face?"

"Look at this entry about Qiu Ying's life. In 1498, when Qiu Ying was 7 years old, his family suffered a sudden misfortune. He and his mother, Song, fled by boat to Taoye Ferry in Yingtian Prefecture. There, they were recognized by a distant uncle and settled in the Song family mansion. There, they met Zhu Yunming, Tang Bohu, and others who were staying at Taoye Ferry. Zhu Yunming took them in as his disciples!" A curator used his mobile phone to search for an entry about Qiu Ying's life and read it aloud.

"This article about Qiu Ying's life was actually written in 2008, ten years ago!"

"Why don't I remember anything about this?"

"That makes sense then!"

"Wait a minute!" Old Wu suddenly pressed down on a corner of the scroll. "If Qiu Ying had seal carving at the age of seven, his mother, Song, must have a distinguished background. Xiao Yi, were there any female relatives in the Song family who were skilled in painting?"

"I don't really remember Xiao Yi. I only remember that there were a lot of calligraphy and paintings in my house when I was a child."

"..."

"So, it seems that Qiu Ying's courtesy name, Shifu, was given to him by Zhu Yunming?"

Everyone was excitedly discussing the matter, each offering their own opinion.

"Xiao Yi! Do you have a family genealogy? Qiu Ying's birth mother's surname was Song. So your ancestors were related to Qiu Ying in this way!"

"Mr. Wu, we couldn't find Xiao Yi's family tree. I don't remember seeing him when I was a child."

"This Song Mansion was once home to Qiu Ying, Zhu Yunming, Tang Bohu, and Wen Zhengming; it's also the birthplace of 'The Ode to the Golden Powder of the Six Dynasties'!"

"I, Wang Fengqi, actually had a meal here!"

"Hahaha, that's great! That's really great! Feng Qi, stop fooling around and come and see Wen Zhengming's calligraphy."

"No need to look, it must be genuine!"

"Dean Teng kept saying he'd treat us to an unforgettable dinner, and it really is! I'll never forget it, not even when I die!"

"The grand finale dish, what a wonderful grand finale dish!"

"Yes, we've actually witnessed the legendary 'Ode to the Splendor of the Six Dynasties' come to life!"

"What a pity! What a pity! What a real shame!"

"Old Wang, what's the point of your crazy antics?"

"I regret that I can't afford it! I regret that it's not my turn at the Suzhou Museum! Ah~"

"This time you do have some self-awareness."

"This would be a prized possession anywhere..."

"Speaking of which, Tang Bohu's 'Ode to the Golden Powder of the Six Dynasties' has already been published, so how far away is Zhu Yunming's 'Talented Man of the Fireworks Cave'?"

How many copies of Tang Bohu's "Running Script Seven-Character Ancient Poem Scroll" were sold at the China Guardian Autumn Auction in November two years ago?

"With commissions, it must be close to 60 million, right? But the 'Running Script Seven Ancient Poems Scroll' can't compare to this."

"That's true."

"And what about 'Summer Retreat in the Stone Forest' at last year's China Guardian Autumn Auction, which sold for over 80 million?"

"It also seems a bit lacking, mainly because it lacks a sense of historical depth."

"Although this painting, 'Ode to the Golden Powder of the Six Dynasties,' lacks the collector's seals of later generations, it contains poems and essays of appreciation from Zhu Zhishan, Wen Zhengming, Gu Lan, and Qiu Ying. Crucially, all the seals are intact. Most importantly, is this perhaps the earliest extant record of a work by Qiu Ying?"

"At least two hundred million."

"Shh~"

......

After the final dish was tasted, the experts began a heated discussion. Its value was immeasurable, and it seemed that only the Nanjing Museum and the National Museum of China could preserve this treasure. Nanjing only had the advantage of its geographical location.

"The Ode to the Golden Powder of the Six Dynasties was written in Nanjing, and it is about Nanjing, so of course it should be kept in the Nanjing Museum."

"Hey, Old Vine, you're jumping to that conclusion a bit hastily!"

"Not at all hasty!"

"Xiao Yi, what are your plans?" After appraising the item, Old Wu looked up at Song Xiao Yi. "Perhaps we were a bit hasty and should ask the host's opinion? But Xiao Yi, you must have your own reasons for bringing it out at this time."

With a determined look, Song Xiaoyi surveyed the crowd, cleared his throat, and said, "Director Tian, ​​Elder Wu, Dean Teng, and all the experts, regardless of the authenticity of this 'Ode to the Golden Powder of the Six Dynasties,' my primary intention in presenting it today is to donate it to the country, without asking for any money."

hum-

The experts exchanged surprised glances.

"This young man, this painting is priceless, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it a national treasure, and he decided to donate it without any conditions or consultation?!"

"The younger generation is truly formidable!"

"..."

"Everyone, please be quiet and listen to what Young Friend Song has to say."

Once the hall quieted down again, Song Xiaoyi continued, "Considering the historical significance of this painting, it could be considered a national treasure, right? Logically, donating it to the National Museum would be most appropriate. However, 'Ode to the Golden Powder of the Six Dynasties' describes the history and culture of Jinling (Nanjing), and it was indeed written at Taoye Ferry in Nanjing. Therefore, according to this logic, donating it to the Jinling Museum is also appropriate."

"Two thoughts were tug at my mind: should I donate it to the Nanjing Museum? Or to the National Museum of China? Faced with this dilemma, Xiao Yi had a third idea: could I donate it directly to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage, so that the state could coordinate and allocate the exhibition location and time?"