Chapter 2453: Chapter 44: Mr. Shanju's Seal
Chapter 2453: Chapter 44: Mr. Shanju’s Seal
When Shu Yu walked up onto the covered bridge, she happened to see Senior Brother Qiao opening up the painting.
For some reason, a bad premonition suddenly flashed through her mind.
The next moment, she heard that tall student burst into loud laughter. “This is your painting? Everyone, take a good look at this—what even is this? All red and green, and nothing but balls.”
Everyone crowded over to look, and their expressions turned into barely suppressed chuckles.
Senior Brother Qiao and Senior Brother Yan also fell silent for a moment when they saw it. They were just thinking how to explain, when suddenly they heard two sharp gasps.
“This seal, this seal…”
Seal? What seal?
Senior Brother Qiao couldn’t help glancing down. The first seal he saw was the Mountain Master’s, and the second seal…
His eyes suddenly went wide. Wasn’t that—wasn’t that Mr. Shanju’s seal?
Why would Mr. Shanju’s seal be on it?
That tall student noticed it too, and immediately demanded, “You’re just a little girl, and yet you’re already resorting to such fame-chasing tricks. You even dare forge Mr. Shanju’s seal—aren’t you afraid people will condemn you when this spreads?”
“Shut up. You don’t understand a thing and you’re here cursing others—do you really have the nerve to call yourself a man of letters?” Senior Brother Yan shot back at once.
“You…”
The tall student sneered, “Then ask her, where did this seal come from?”
“The seal is real, of course,” Senior Brother Qiao said firmly. Mianmian was still so young, she definitely wouldn’t be forging seals. And the people around her, even less so—whether it was the Mountain Master or the county magistrate, none of them were reckless.
So this seal was absolutely genuine.
Senior Brother Qiao crouched down again, suppressing his excitement as he asked in a low voice, “Mianmian, do you know Mr. Shanju?”
“What Mr. Shanju?”
Senior Brother Qiao pointed at Mr. Shanju’s seal on the painting. “This seal here—who stamped it?”
“Me,” Mianmian replied proudly.
Senior Brother Qiao asked again, “Then where did you get this seal from?”
“My father.” Mianmian lifted her chest and said, “These two seals were kept in my father’s drawer.”
She paid no mind to Senior Brother Qiao’s stunned expression and said with great pride, “Father said I could stamp them however I like. He dotes on me the most.”
Senior Brother Yan’s hands were trembling a little now, and the others were even more astonished as they listened.
Someone asked, “Who is your father?”
“My father is the Mountain Master.”
Mountain Master? Which Mountain Master? From where?
Wait.
Everyone looked toward Senior Brother Qiao and Senior Brother Yan. If they remembered correctly, these two seemed to be students of Zhenglu Academy, and they’d just called this little girl “junior sister,” hadn’t they?
So, the Mountain Master father this little girl mentioned was—was Zhenglu Academy’s Mountain Master, Meng Yunzheng?
What had they just heard? Meng Yunzheng’s drawer held Mr. Shanju’s seal, and he even let his daughter play with it?
They might, like that tall student, suspect the girl had someone forge the seal for fun, but they would never suspect Meng Yunzheng of forging a seal.
He was the legendary top scorer who swept all six titles and then resolutely resigned from office; the youngest Mountain Master who swore a military order to found an academy and, within three years, produced several Advanced Scholars.
A man like that—why would he forge Mr. Shanju’s seal? Would he need to?
No need at all!!
So there was only one truth.
This girl’s father, the Mountain Master of Zhenglu Academy, the top scorer Master Top Scorer who took all six titles four years ago, was none other than the long-renowned Mr. Shanju whose every painting was worth a thousand taels, and who hadn’t produced a new work in years!!