C23 Powerful Appraisal

"Hold on, I know someone who can vouch for me. You can't just take me away."

The staff member, upon hearing Yuh Wenming's claim of having a witness, gave him a skeptical smile, as if challenging him to prove it.

Patting his pocket, Yuh Wenming found a business card he vaguely remembered picking up from Zhang Xinyue's desk.

It was a stroke of luck that he had grabbed a business card; without it, he wouldn't have known how to reach her.

"Could you please call this number and just mention my name to her?"

To avoid any suspicion of trying to fix his story, he needed them to make the call to Zhang Xinyue independently.

The staff member took the card, dialed the number, and stepped aside to talk.

Over the phone, things could get muddled, and if the person was in cahoots with Yuh Wenming, it could be a ploy to draw her out.

Within seconds, the staff member returned to Yuh Wenming's side and announced, "She's on her way. I can't believe you're acquainted with someone from the Antiques Protecting Bureau."

Yuh Wenming, unsure of Zhang Xinyue's other affiliations, remained silent for the moment.

"Stay put. With all these people around, there's no chance you can run."

He delivered a fierce kick to the small vendor, sending him sprawling to the ground.

By now, the vendor had to recognize Yuh Wenming's capabilities and couldn't help but ask, "Are you with the Antiques Protecting Bureau?"

Yuh Wenming remained silent, his gaze shifting away.

The staff member kept a watchful eye on them, then seemed to have a realization: "You insist he's one of your own. What's his name?"

Buying antiques didn't require disclosing his name, and he was caught off guard. "Well... We have so many people working for us, it's impossible to know everyone."

"Ridiculous. Just look around this room. Are you saying you don't recognize him?"

The staff member then questioned the other underlings about Yuh Wenming. None of them knew him.

The fact that the underlings, familiar with the Antiques Protecting Bureau, didn't recognize Yuh Wenming was enough evidence that he wasn't affiliated with the people confronting him.

"Go ahead and untie his ropes. I'm confident he's not one of them."

A staff member approached Yuh Wenming and released the ropes binding his hands.

"I've been telling you, I'm not with them. Why won't you believe me?"

Upon hearing Yuh Wenming's plea, they decided to wait for Zhang Xinyue's arrival.

Zhang Xinyue, having heard about Yuh Wenming's predicament, had not only changed into her professional attire but also brought her work ID.

She drove to the farmhouse and immediately spotted Yuh Wenming, detained nearby.

A staff member halted Zhang Xinyue, requesting her work ID before allowing her through.

She rummaged through her pocket, retrieved her work ID, and presented it to them.

After scrutinizing the ID and verifying it against Zhang Xinyue herself, he relaxed. "Director Zhang, is he with you?"

At a loss for what to do with Yuh Wenming, Zhang Xinyue could only offer an awkward smile and stepped beside him.

"How did they capture you? I had just released you."

Scratching his head, Yuh Wenming chuckled, "Take a look at the antiques they've seized. I'm the one who tracked them down."

"What? You mean those items were confiscated because of your tip?"

If the items were indeed antiques, the staff was required to keep all of them, without allowing any to be removed.

Upon examining the antiques closely with the naked eye, he found no anomalies.

"Nothing seems amiss. I believe these have just been excavated. To determine their exact period, we'll need a thorough analysis."

While the staff could ascertain the authenticity with a visual inspection, they couldn't identify the specifics.

Yuh Wenming stepped forward, picked up an antique, and weighed it in his hand, remarking, "What are you looking at? This isn't just any recent find."

Zhang Xinyue, having risen to the position of director at the Antiques Protecting Bureau, was a testament to her exceptional skills, far beyond the reach of the average person.

"Take a closer look," Yuh Wenming suggested. "Normal bronze vessels should have some imperfections, since they were crafted for practical use."

However, the vessels before them were devoid of any wear marks, strongly suggesting they were likely hand-polished.

In essence, the vessels were impeccable forgeries, to the point where they even neglected to include the characteristic blemishes.

Upon hearing Yuh Wenming's analysis, Zhang Xinyue picked up the bronze vessels once more, examining them closely. "You're right. I missed that."

Her initial inspection had been cursory; she hadn't focused her full attention on the details.

Yuh Wenming sighed and turned his attention to the other antiques nearby, noting a mix of genuine pieces and fakes.

Mixing them together was a classic ploy to deceive buyers.

"Here's an authentic piece," he pointed out. "This bronze statue, despite its aged appearance, bears the marks of time."

Naturally, they couldn't just remove those marks; doing so would strip the statue of its value and its purpose as a historical artifact.

Zhang Xinyue watched Yuh Wenming with a tilted head, impressed by his ability to discern antiques without any instruments. Clearly, he possessed genuine expertise.

The staff, recognizing Yuh Wenming as Zhang Xinyue's associate, approached her. "Director Zhang, we'll take our leave now."

Without a connection, there was no reason for him to linger. His only option was to depart promptly.

He waved his hand, signaling his eagerness to exit the scene.

"Do you need assistance transporting these items to your bureau? The farmhouse isn't secure, and their people could return at any moment."

Yuh Wenming was aware of the potential danger, considering they had a boss who could pose a threat. He shook his head, "Let's move on and check elsewhere."

He was brief, eager to determine if they could safely remove the artifacts.

A vehicle had pulled up outside; Zhang Xinyue had arrived in the Antiques Protecting Bureau's car, which was already laden with numerous boxes.

To prevent any bumps or damage, they carefully packed the breakable items into the car's soft cases, while the more durable goods were set aside.

Once they were both seated in the car, Zhang Xinyue finally exhaled a sigh of relief. "Haha, we've scored so many treasures, and it's all thanks to you this time."

She had thought their outing was merely a life-saving venture, never anticipating the bounty of valuable items they would acquire.