Married to a Master Painter 50 Years Her Senior for Just Over a Year – Female Host Allegedly Conspires With Lover to Sell Off His Works

87-year-old renowned Chinese calligrapher and painter Fan Zeng, hailed as one of the "Three Masters of Chinese Studies," is said to be worth up to 1 billion RMB (approx. 586 million MYR). In July last year, he announced his marriage to Xu Meng, a car show host and radio presenter 50 years his junior, making her his fourth wife. He shared that his third wife Nan Li had passed away nearly three years prior, causing him immense sorrow, and that a mild cerebral infarction had left his artistic career in difficulty. However, with Xu Meng by his side, he happily reported, "Ms. Xu Meng’s meticulous care has brought me complete physical and mental recovery." But just 16 months after their marriage, rumors have emerged that his wife has had affairs with multiple men and, with her lover’s help, has sold Fan Zeng’s paintings and calligraphy. His works are highly valued in the auction market, and it is claimed that she sold pieces involving sums as high as 2 billion RMB (approx. 1.17 billion MYR), shocking the Chinese art world.

This situation came to light because Fan Zeng suddenly lost contact with his disciples. Neither he nor his wife Xu Meng could be found at his Beijing mansion, where he had lived for decades, and all his calligraphy, paintings, and collected artworks had been cleared out. This has made friends and family deeply concerned, suspecting that he has been under control.

Online speculation says that the reason Xu Meng was able to sell Fan Zeng’s artworks so easily is that, from the beginning, she approached him under the instruction of his stepson, Fan Zhongda. Xu Meng’s attentive care won over Fan Zeng’s heart, allowing her to successfully become the mistress of the household. Later, she became involved with Fan Mouhua, an old acquaintance of Fan’s from his hometown, who is well-versed in the art market. He assisted in selling Fan Zeng’s works and took commissions from the sales. There are even rumors that she had improper relationships with both of them. As of now, the parties involved have not responded.