After Being Blackened All Over the Internet, I Ruled the Military Variety Shows
Chapter 294: Only after a Thousand Strikes and a Hundred Blows Can One Achieve Fine Ink

Chapter 294: Chapter 294: Only after a Thousand Strikes and a Hundred Blows Can One Achieve Fine Ink

"Not bad writing."

"Thank you, Teacher Jiang."

Qian Yaya curiously glanced over as well, her cat-like eyes visibly widening, "Such beautiful characters!"

"It doesn’t quite resemble the Yuan Zhao style, but it looks somewhat similar," she said, touching her chin. "These characters are more elegant and fluid. Did your cousin modify the Yuan Zhao style and integrate his own flair?"

Shen Huchen honestly hadn’t studied it, "I’m not sure if it’s related to the Yuan Zhao style. My cousin asked me to copy it, so I did. I’ll look into the Yuan Zhao style when I get back, or maybe ask my cousin."

Assuming he gets the chance to see his cousin this time.

Qian Yaya, quite persistent in her calligraphy queries, unwillingly pressed on, "What was the original script you copied from? What’s it called?"

"No name, and it probably wasn’t from any famous script." Shen Huchen shook his head, feeling that the ink on the paper fan had dried enough, and efficiently put it away, "Actually... it’s nothing. You all carry on; I have to go report back."

What he didn’t mention was that he suspected the characters he copied were written by his cousin himself.

But by now, Qian Yaya’s persistent questions had left him intimidated. This girl seemed to turn into a relentless interrogator when it came to calligraphy.

Qian Yaya watched Shen Huchen’s retreating figure until he disappeared from sight, then withdrew her gaze, "Ah, I should’ve taken a photo of those characters with my phone to show my aunt later."

Jiang Lingxi glanced over at her, raising her hand to gesture towards her chin.

Reminded her, "There’s ink on your chin."

Immediately, Qian Yaya dropped her focus on the characters just written by Shen Huchen and started vigorously wiping her chin.

*

From the judges’ observation room came a soft chuckle.

Noticing everyone’s attention turning, Xu Qingmei lowered her hand from her mouth, "When Teacher Jiang suddenly asked that student Shen about his calligraphy teacher, I thought she had recognized which master’s style it was. But then she didn’t say anything more, keeping us all in suspense!"

She ended jokingly, hesitated, and looked towards Li Wanxuan, "I’m not well-versed in this field. Could you tell what font that student Shen was practicing, Miss Li?"

She actually wanted to ask Shen Yunqing but knew she couldn’t be too obvious.

Luckily, there were three full days of recording, plenty of time for chances later.

"I can’t bear the title of ’senior’ you’ve given me." Li Wanxuan replied with a smile, but her husband, Old Master Shi, could easily tell it was mere politeness, "You’re from the entertainment industry, I’m from the arts. Our circles are different, so call me Miss Li."

Faced with the camera, Xu Qingmei’s expression didn’t change at all, smiling sincerely and nodding, "It was a slip of the tongue; I apologize, Miss Li."

Only then did Li Wanxuan give her a proper look, meeting a face smiling with such genuine intent, causing her heart to skip a beat.

As expected, being an actress, if it were her, she would’ve walked away by now.

"That young girl, Qian Yaya, made quite a good analysis. The characters indeed have a hint of the Yuan Zhao style but not entirely. Honestly, I haven’t seen this style before. It’s either very niche or something Shen Huchen’s cousin created on his own."

"A self-created style?" Xu Qingmei squinted, "That would be impressive! So, does this mean Teacher Jiang knows that student Shen’s cousin?"

But rather than believing this guess, she hoped more that Shen Huchen’s calligraphy was just unpopular.

Among the seven guests thus far, it was evident that Shen Huchen seemed to come from the most prestigious background.

So naturally, Shen Huchen’s cousin wouldn’t be far behind.

Jiang Lingxi shouldn’t have such an advantage!

"I wouldn’t know." Li Wanxuan seemed like she didn’t want to continue this topic, focusing on another split-screen, "The other two guests in the brush-making area have finished too."

*

Brush-making area.

Jing Huai held the completed brush in his hand.

A bamboo handle with gray wolf hair.

He thought it was pretty good.

Normally, he wouldn’t have the patience to spend more than half a day making a single brush.

But everything becomes a matter of comparison.

He pressed his lips and looked at the brush held by the master teacher coaching them.

Same bamboo handle, but with white goat hair.

Produced ten minutes earlier by Lin Nuo.

"The joints are sturdy, the tip is well-rounded, and all four essentials are met. You can tell it’s made with care," the teacher praised with satisfaction, handing the brush back.

Lin Nuo quickly took it, "Thank you for your guidance."

Jing Huai met the teacher’s gaze and hastily passed over his brush.

"Master, this is the wolf hair brush I made."

Following the same inspection process, Jing Huai sensed the teacher’s slight frown, his own heart skipping.

"Not bad, for a first-timer in brush-making, producing a usable product is already commendable." After a pause, "Nowadays, not many young people can calm down and do this."

Jing Huai forced a smile, respectfully retrieving the brush, "It’s thanks to your teaching."

The following comforting words, he wasn’t eager to hear.

Xu Qingmei listened to the considerably different evaluations on the split-screen, still smiling but her eyes darkened slightly.

Jing Huai participating in the show was her doing, wielding her influence in front of director Chen Weiwen.

Now, in making just one brush, he couldn’t outdo Lin Nuo, indirectly making her lose face.

Honestly, the more she looked, the more unimpressive he seemed!

She averted her gaze, not even bothering to comment.

The fourth to finish was Lu Sen, creating a sheet of chengxin tang paper that Jiang Lingxi had previously touched.

After receiving a hefty appraisal from the master teacher, his arrogant demeanor quickly returned.

Now, only the ink-making and hidden task areas remained busy.

Su Yi was meticulously piecing together fragments, a slow and detailed job.

But if one compared her current speed to when she first started assembling, it was clear her efficiency had continuously improved.

The master teacher, occasionally offering guidance, noticed but didn’t remark, simply watching patiently as the young girl methodically carried on.

"I can’t do it anymore." Qian Yaya lowered the hammer, "Master, look, is this fine now? My arms really can’t lift anymore!"

"It’s passable. Are you sure you want to mold it now?"

Qian Yaya glanced at Jiang Lingxi, still calmly hammering away, hesitated but firmly nodded, "I’m sure."

If it’s usable, that’s enough; her aunt would just use it for practice anyway.

Qian Yaya went off to mold the ink, leaving only Jiang Lingxi still hammering on-site.

Xu Qingmei watched the screen, seeing that focused figure, sighing with hidden intent, "For someone as slim as Teacher Jiang, I didn’t expect her to have such strength. She must have hammered the three thousand strokes the master mentioned by now. Once the ink is usable, why strain so much? She probably won’t be able to lift her arms tomorrow."

"Only through thousands of hammerings is good ink achieved." Shen Yunqing gazed at the split-screen image, "If one can’t bear even this much, it’s better not to waste ink-making materials at all."

Hearing these straightforward words beside her, Xu Qingmei’s cheeks suddenly felt hot.

Immediately, a voice chimed in, "Mr. Shen is right; I agree."

Xu Qingmei: "..."

She hadn’t felt so publicly embarrassed in a long time!

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