Chapter 395 An Unexpected Turn

Master Yun looked toward the other decorated tent and called out excitedly, "Which one of you is Miss Gu? Please, have her come over at once! I must ask Miss Gu about this painting technique!"

Su Chen quickly replied from behind him, "I’ll go get her."

A master beside him cleared his throat. "Master Yun, when you’re finished with the painting, please let us have a closer look. We still have to give our scores."

Master Yun sheepishly handed over the painting. "Here, you all have a look."

He craned his neck, looking toward the other tent, as Su Chen walked to the edge of their platform and waved for Gu Fei.

The color had already drained from Qin Ying’s face. She had faintly overheard Master Yun’s excited shouts from moments before.

She was well aware of the quality of her own painting. While it was good, it was merely conventional. Master Yun had critiqued her work in the past, offering little in the way of praise. He had once even remarked that her painting was too technical.

Now, seeing Su Chen wave Gu Fei over, her expression soured further. Steeling herself, she followed them.

Gu Fei followed Su Chen over. Master Yun looked her up and down, then suddenly clapped his hands. "To think there is such a divinely talented woman in this world! No wonder you have such an ingenious mind, to innovate a new painting style and create such a masterpiece."

Gu Fei’s face reddened, and she said in a low voice, "I am unworthy of such high praise, Master."

Master Yun suddenly bowed deeply to Gu Fei. "I am willing to become your student to learn this new painting technique. I wonder if Miss Gu would be willing to accept me?"

Standing not far away, Qin Ying felt as if she had been struck by lightning. ’Even Master Yun wants to be her student? Doesn’t that mean Gu Fei’s painting is far superior to mine?’

Gu Fei quickly curtsied to Master Yun. "I am not worthy."

"If Master Yun wishes to learn this painting technique, we can simply discuss it together. Please, Master Yun, do not speak of being a student. I am not worthy of such a title."

Master Yun straightened up, his expression serious. "In learning, age does not matter. The one who has achieved mastery is the teacher."

"You know something I do not. If I learn from you, then I am naturally your student."

Gu Fei had no choice but to bow again. "I was also hoping to ask for your guidance, Master. Why don’t we simply learn from each other?"

Master Yun didn’t press the matter further. He just nodded and looked at Gu Fei eagerly. "I don’t know where you live, miss. I’d like to visit to ask for your instruction."

Gu Fei replied, "My family owns the Youjian Inn in the city, on Furong Street. The master can find me there whenever he is free."

Master Yun was even more astonished to hear this. ’She runs an inn? This Miss Gu is a merchant?’

That made her all the more remarkable.

While the two of them were speaking, the other masters had finished viewing the painting and awarded their scores.

Two of the masters, agreeing completely with Master Yun, also gave it a perfect ten. The rest gave it nines. This was mainly because Master Yun was considered an authority in the art world; with him praising it so highly, giving it a low score would be tantamount to admitting their own lack of artistic judgment.

As for Qin Ying, most of the masters gave her painting eight points, with a few giving it nine.

Qin Ying stood to the side, her lips pressed into a thin line, watching as a young master tallied their respective scores.

When the scores were tallied, due to the low scores the first two masters had given Gu Fei, it turned out that their final scores were identical: eighty-two points each.

Qin Ying had been devastated, certain she had lost, but seeing that their scores were tied, she breathed a sigh of relief.

Her arrogance returning, she looked at Gu Fei. "Miss Gu, our scores are tied. What do you propose we do now?"

Gu Fei said calmly, "It’s quite simple. We just need to ask another highly respected and mutually recognized master to cast a deciding score."