"Oh? Why does Brother Lin say this is a counterfeit?" Du Shancheng felt that Lin Hai wouldn't speak nonsense.

Using Du Shancheng's years of experience in appraisal, he believed the calligraphy to be authentic.

Moreover, he had specifically placed it in the room because the old chief particularly loved calligraphy and serene settings.

If it were really a counterfeit, it absolutely could not be displayed here.

"Although I don't understand calligraphy, I can tell from another perspective."

Lin Hai walked over to the piece of calligraphy, pointed at it, and said with a smile, "The imitation is very good, nearly deceiving to the eye, but the one who wrote this, their body was failing, and I estimate they didn't live much longer after writing it."

Seeing Du Shancheng's even more puzzled look, Lin Hai continued to explain leisurely and with a smile, "In the art of calligraphy and painting, there's an essential energy that flows within, determined by where each person speaks from, their living environment, and their pulse."

"For example, from a person's pulse, I can roughly determine whether someone was born in the south or the north."

"People who have lived in the north for a long time tend to have a colder pulse."

"But what does this have to do with the authenticity of the calligraphy?" Du Shancheng became even more confused.

Lin Hai laughed lightly, what he said before was just a preamble to explain, he knew that someone as highly educated as Du Shancheng usually liked to delve into the roots of issues, and if not clearly explained, could be mistaken for spouting nonsense.

"This calligrapher, I have somewhat understood, is supposed to be from the south in ancient times."

"Moreover, this calligrapher's style is supposed to be bold and profound. Through history, this person has been loyal and steadfast, a rare and distinguished calligrapher."

Hearing this, Du Shancheng nodded, indeed, this great calligrapher had stepped forward in the nation's moment of crisis and ultimately sacrificed his life for the country, truly a person of unparalleled loyalty.

"However, observing this piece of calligraphy now, although the handwriting imitates extremely closely, according to my observations, the person who wrote this had weak essential energy, likely nearing the end of their life."

"Besides that, differences in pulse can also determine a person's strength in their brush strokes."

"This individual should be a northener with a colder pulse."

"In appreciating calligraphy, besides looking at the shape of the characters, one must also look at the 'bones' and the righteousness of the characters."

Du Shancheng suddenly realized, the calligrapher was a southerner, so this must be a counterfeit!

Although he had seen many calligraphers and experienced connoisseurs determine the authenticity of calligraphy and antiques, he had not thought that medical knowledge could also offer a unique perspective.

This opened his eyes wide, and he saw Lin Hai in a new light once again.

Lin Hai, dressed in plain clothes, unremarkable in appearance, showed no signs of extraordinariness, but the more so, Du Shancheng believed he was exactly the type of person who possessed brilliant skills yet remained low-profile.

"The old chief is also upright and detests counterfeits and imitations, Brother Lin, thank you for this."

Du Shancheng quickly ordered the calligraphy to be taken down and replaced with a common landscape painting.

He originally planned to take a chance, but now he felt even more confident.

Actually, Lin Hai himself was the most unsure inside; if his judgement was incorrect, he would be hugely embarrassed.

"The old chief will arrive here soon, please wait a moment, Brother Lin," Du Shancheng said to Lin Hai even more courteously.

An hour later, Lin Hai finally saw a group of five people arrive.

Among the five, an old man with white hair yet vigorous spirit caught the attention.

This person appeared immensely dignified and had a robust posture, involuntarily commanding awe.

However, Lin Hai noticed that although the elder's steps seemed firm, they were actually weak, indicating severe depletion of essential energy.

Essential energy needs to flow from the lower dantian to the lower limbs; Lin Hai deduced that the elder's ailment might be located in the lower abdomen, where the human lower dantian resides.

"Old chief, you've arrived," Du Shancheng promptly went up to greet him.

"Shancheng, it has been two years since I last saw you, I hear you've been doing well locally," the Chief said in a loud and clear voice.

After finishing, his gaze involuntarily turned towards Lin Hai.

Lin Hai was helping to move a stool, and the moment he turned, it caused the Chief's pupils to suddenly constrict.

"Chief, this is the Brother Lin I mentioned to you on the phone," Du Shancheng hurriedly introduced as he noticed the Chief looking at Lin Hai.

Lin Hai brought over the stool: "Hello Chief, please have a seat."

The Chief smiled and nodded, meticulously sizing up Lin Hai from head to toe, his tiger-like eyes seemingly deep in thought.

The four people accompanying the Chief curiously observed Lin Hai, wondering if this was the Divine Doctor Lin? He didn't look the part, too young.

In everyone's minds, such divine doctors should be white-bearded, hunched-over figures with a lifetime of medical experience.

"Brother Lin, may I ask what your relation is to Lin Dapao?" The Chief suddenly asked, looking Lin Hai in the eyes.

Those eyes, as if they could see through one's heart.

Lin Hai was puzzled.

Who is Lin Dapao? He had no idea who that was.

He did know that Xia Chuqing's father was called Xia Xiaopao.

"I don't know him, Chief," Lin Hai shook his head.

"You resemble him greatly, both your features and the way you moved when you turned to carry the stool earlier, very much like him back in the day," the Chief stroked his beard, apparently reminiscing.

"Brother Lin, may I ask where you are from?" the Chief asked again.

The people in the room were perplexed; wasn't the Chief here for recuperation and treatment? Why was he inquiring about personal details?

Lin Hai shook his head: "I am an orphan."

"Oh…"

The Chief did not say anything further.

Du Shancheng's expression changed; it was the first time he learned that Lin Hai was an orphan, surprised, he had thought Lin Hai belonged to a line of Imperial Physicians.

Among the four accompanying the Chief, a middle-aged man's face changed, whispering to the Chief: "Chief, this standard is of a quack doctor, letting such a person handle your disease, I fear it might…"

The Chief waved his hand, cutting him off.

Lin Hai naturally heard this, the man must be the Chief's personal physician.

Colleagues meeting each other surely wouldn't have good relations, naturally competing over jobs, this mindset was understandable, although Lin Hai disdained such attitudes.

"Chief, who is Lin Dapao?" Lin Hai took the initiative to ask back.

He felt he had vaguely heard this name somewhere before.

"Lin Dapao, was also an eccentric back in his days, although he had no medical skill, he still knew how to cure illnesses and had saved my life once. Unfortunately, later on, due to a mistake, he was imprisoned."

After listening to the Chief, Lin Hai suddenly remembered something.

When he was heading to the South Heavenly Gate in Zhonghai, Han Chongtian had mentioned that Yanjing's Lin Family had a strong man known as Lin Dabang, who was said to have been imprisoned later.

And Lin Dapao was Lin Dabang's brother, wasn't he reported missing? How had it turned into a mistake?

"What mistake did he commit?" Lin Hai inquired further.

The Chief pondered for a moment before slowly responding: "Massacre, one hundred thirty-seven people, wiped out by him in a single night."

"Hisss—" Lin Hai took a sharp breath.

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