The Versatile Master Artist

Two things are cause and effect for each other.

“Oil Painting” thinks that an artist is about to collapse, and it’s very hard not to collapse.

Even if you are the world’s number one Damien Hirst, it’s hard to escape this rule.

In short, after Tang Ning’s significant rise in value this time.

The “Oil Painting” magazine is still willing to maintain its five-star recommendation unchanged, giving investors a relatively optimistic evaluation, which is already very reassuring for buyers.

“But now, I feel it is very necessary to retract that statement. Five stars are not high for an heir selected personally by Mr. Cao Xuan. I’m afraid I have to congratulate everyone who bought your paintings at today’s auction; just this statement from Teacher Cao Xuan will instantly increase the value of your works by 10%.”

“I believe that after Sir Brown receives the press release I sent back, you will become like your master Cao Xuan, one of the few six-star artists we have.”

According to the rules.

Before the board of “Oil Painting” made decisions, reporters shouldn’t say anything that might greatly affect market price fluctuations.

For minor characters like Detective Cat, a phone call from Miss Elina can directly elevate them to two and a half stars.

Five-star, six-star artists.

In total, you can’t find thirty of them in the buyers’ sector.

The change in the star rating of such a level of a great painter, with the golden signboard and credibility endorsement of the “Oil Painting” magazine.

Can instantly trigger a billion-dollar financial wave in the investment market.

Even when Miss Ilina’s aunt was still alive, elevating anyone to a six-star recommendation required the unanimous approval of the board of directors.

But the reporter still exceptionally spoke his mind.

The formal successor selected by Elder Cao is worthy of this favor by the “Oil Painting” magazine.

The board won’t obstructably intervene in such matters at such a time.

It is now a crucial period for the restructuring and power struggle of the “Oil Painting” magazine, and the board would be crazy to offend Mr. Cao Xuan, a cultural symbol with such significant symbolic meaning.

Think about the degree to which Sir Brown knows how to behave.

The reporter felt that the chairman might even seize the occasion of Elder Cao announcing the successor.

To elevate Cao Xuan to the seven-star blood recommendation seat that has been vacant for half a century since Andy Warhol was shot in 1967, as a goodwill gesture.

The former “Oil Painting” magazine was very high and cold, unwilling to chase the financial highlights in the art market.

During the warm-up and preparation stage of this Xiangjiang spring auction, he received the interview task, planning to conduct a cover interview with Tang Ning after the auction. This implied a goodwill gesture towards Tang Ning and, more importantly, towards Cao Xuan behind Tang Ning.

Everyone lifts the sedan chair together.

I give you a hand, you also give me face.

Do not expect Master Cao to stand on Sir Brown’s side in the fight between the Ilyena family and “Oil Painting” magazine.

As long as he quietly sits in that Jiangnan garden’s small courtyard doing his academic research.

Everyone getting along peacefully is great.

“A master and apprentice, both six stars. I think this is also a kind of inheritance and succession, right?”

The reporter turned his head to the camera, opened his hands to the readers watching the video: “If this doesn’t count as outstanding, what does? Art history didn’t remember who Andy Warhol’s apprentice or Picasso’s son was. But I think history will indeed remember Cao Xuan and Lady Tang Ning as a legendary duo.”

“I thought of what the title of our cover story should be—[Legend: Like the Master, Like the Disciple]”

“Ahem.”

Lady Tang Ning cleared her throat, temporarily interrupting the journalist’s passionate speech.

“Uh, actually, the old man hasn’t formally announced, for me, um… to take up the brush from him.”

The female artist looked at the astonished look of the reporter, reluctantly shrugged: “At least for now, right this moment, not yet.”

“You say…”

“But it’s only a matter of time. Whether the old man explicitly says it or not, what’s the difference? I must be the most suitable one.”

For some reason, Tang Ning’s tone revealed a hint of apparent dissatisfaction.

“I’m afraid, Miss Tang Ning, strictly speaking, there is still a significant difference. At least the confidence of art investors would be different, you know what I mean.”

The reporter paused for a few seconds.

He was a seasoned journalist.

The reporter suddenly discovered that Tang Ning seemed to have some unusual emotional fluctuations when talking about the successor issue.

Hmm?

Interesting.

All sectors of society had long believed that Tang Ning taking over Elder Cao was a sure thing.

But now—

“Besides me, who else? What’s the difference whether the old man explicitly says it or not?”

The reporter pondered the subtle difference in the tone of the middle-aged woman in front of him.

His first reaction was, could it be that Elder Cao had suddenly passed away?

No, that’s not right.

Mr. Cao Xuan had quite a few public activities this year, he went to Southeast Asia at the beginning of the year, and will also give a speech at the European Art Annual Conference later.

He’s always been very healthy, no bad rumors at all.

So,

perhaps within Teacher Cao’s circle, it’s not as peaceful as he thought, and the issue of the successor—might encounter more twists and turns?

His heart skipped a beat.

He originally thought he was interviewing a touching drama of a master leading a master, unexpectedly, he might have unearthed an intense imperial struggle within an art sect.

This realization was simply… fantastic!

The scene of master successors competing is no less interesting and topical than the battles for heritage among the mansions on Tai Ping Mountain in Xiangjiang.

Picasso’s wife, lover, illegitimate children, and legitimate children, fighting around, cursing and cursing, with various acts like gun swallowing and hanging disputes over visitation rights, being expelled from the family from the day Old Bi passed away, has been gossiped about in art media up to today.

Different autobiographies from various perspectives have been published in a pile.

Could this scene be about to repeat in 2017?

The art circle emphasizes inheritance heavily, and the Asian art circle especially values inheritance.

The meaning and benefits behind the title of Cao Xuan’s successor are certainly no less than Picasso’s inheritance.

“May I ask, your senior brother Mr. Lin Tao…”

The reporter pondered on which disciple made Master Cao suddenly have other thoughts.

The most likely would be Lin Tao.

The eldest, and a signboard of the Central Academy of Fine Arts, which as the most prestigious art academy in Dongxia, is entangled with various relationships, might have the notion to push Professor Lin Tao out to succeed.

Thinking this way, should he go home and clear his stock holdings, then hold some paintings by Lin Tao?

Hmm, it’s also possible that it was the fourth junior brother Liu Ziming, Mr. Liu.

Rumor has it that the two youngest disciples of Cao Xuan have always had the ambition to succeed, currently, Tang Ning’s achievements are higher, but the fourth disciple Liu Ziming also has personal advantages.

Although he’s Malaysian, the only disciple Elder Cao took in from overseas, he is also the one with the best family background among the senior brothers.

The few inner disciples accepted under Elder Cao’s tutelage mostly come from scholarly backgrounds, none with particularly poor family situations.

But this Mr. Liu is exceptionally well-off.

He is the third son of the old Malaysian Chinese Ship King family and a cultured person who loves art over commerce. Although the enormous shipping group has long been inherited by his brothers, he is definitely a wealthy and generous uncle.

The underlying logic of the art industry is that wealth equals strength.

If he intends to, there’s no saying he’s already out of the war of succession.

“You might have misunderstood.”

Tang Ning saw the dazed look in the reporter’s eyes and knew he was overthinking it.

The woman shook her head in an annoyed manner: “Senior brothers and sisters are great, they also spoil me, they won’t fight with me. It’s just the old man is getting old, like a child sometimes, what he says doesn’t count. This gives some people ideas they shouldn’t have.”

She has been perplexed by one thing lately.

Back at the birthday banquet, he clearly had already taken her hand, not to mention the outside world, even Tang Ning herself believed at that moment that she was Elder Cao’s successor.

Why did he suddenly have the thought to recruit another disciple?

Insane.

To take a kid not yet of age into the master’s gate.

Is he worthy?