C5 The Jade Ring of Emperor Qianlong

Yuh Wenming spoke with a blend of reason and charm that put everyone at ease, earning him the warm regard of those gathered.

Many were even prepared to support Yuh Wenming against Jiaang Han, regardless of the item's value, simply because Jiaang Han was so disagreeable.

His actions had crossed the line one too many times.

Moreover, without the connection to Fifth Master's crew, they would have little reason to show Jiaang Han any respect.

"Alright, young man, proceed as you wish. Today, I, the Fifth Master, stake my reputation to ensure fairness and justice. Rest assured, no harm will come to you," the Fifth Master declared, choosing not to call out Yuh Wenming's oversight of the 20,000 yuan, but instead setting the tone for him.

This young man was either genuinely skilled or a master of persuasion—either way, he was someone to watch.

Should Yuh Wenming prove to be truly talented, the Fifth Master was open to mentoring a junior to work for him.

While Jiaang Han was competent, his approach was often too rigid, failing to achieve the desired outcomes.

Without the Fifth Master's influence, Jiaang Han would likely have faced retribution long ago.

With the Fifth Master's endorsement, all the stallholders agreed to give Yuh Wenming a fair chance.

After bowing in gratitude to the crowd, Yuh Wenming smiled and said, "Let's begin! Master Qi, please set your honest price. I may not have much money, but I don't want to feel like I've shortchanged you."

Master Qi, the elder by his side, looked at Yuh Wenming with appreciation.

Today's outcome, win or lose, would surely bring a buzz to his stall, potentially raising the value of his merchandise.

"Go ahead, young man, take your time. I assure you, I won't inflate the price," Master Qi promised.

With Master Qi's assurance, Yuh Wenming turned his attention to Jiaang Han, noticing he had already started selecting items.

Yuh Wenming's eyes casually caught Jiaang Han's hand returning the ring to its place.

A surge of elation filled Yuh Wenming; that ring was the only genuine, valuable piece at the stall—the rest were mere imitations.

Yuh Wenming reached out to grab the blue and white porcelain bottle, a replica of the Ru Kiln blue and white porcelain from the Soong Dynasty. The signs of artificial aging were unmistakable. Jiaang Han quickly clutched the porcelain bottle to his chest, a triumphant smirk playing across his face as he eyed Yuh Wenming.

Yuh Wenming simply smiled and asked, "Brother Jiaang Han, have you made up your mind?"

"Hmph, pick whatever you want. Let's see if you can find anything of value," Jiaang Han replied nonchalantly.

He knew all too well that Master Qi's stall was stocked with nothing but forgeries. Since they were all fakes, the only thing that mattered was the individual value of each imitation. And the most valuable piece at the stall, he believed, was the Ru Kiln blue and white porcelain now in his possession.

Yuh Wenming gave a slight nod, casually rummaging through the items before seizing a yellowed jade ring and presenting it for all to see. Instantly, the crowd erupted into murmurs.

"Why did he choose that? The jade ring looks yellowed and dull, clearly a reject. It's probably worth no more than a hundred yuan. Does this young man even know what he's doing? He chose so carelessly."

"Yeah, that jade ring isn't even as good as the one Old Man Qi has."

"Exactly, young man, you should take the one from Old Man Qi. That one is more valuable than what you've got."

Yuh Wenming, however, gently scraped the ring in his hand, revealing that the surface wax had nearly become one with the ring itself. Without applying significant force, the wax wouldn't come off. This gave Yuh Wenming the assurance he needed; the jade ring's value was undoubtedly higher than the blue and white porcelain. If it turned out to be an emperor's ring, then it would indeed be a treasure.

A flicker of disappointment crossed the Fifth Master's face as he watched Yuh Wenming choose the yellowed ring, assuming the young man was acting rashly and lacked the makings of greatness.

Jiaang Han's smugness only grew when he noticed Yuh Wenming had picked up the jade ring he had previously discarded.

"Yuh Wenming, you'd better scrape together 20,000 yuan fast, or you'll be carried out of here horizontally," Jiaang Han sneered with self-satisfaction. Yuh Wenming gave him a dismissive glance and approached Master Qi. "Sir, how much would you say this ring is worth?"

Master Qi regarded Yuh Wenming with a look of sympathy. "Young man, aren't you going to look a bit more closely?"

Truth be told, he was well aware of the value of the items at hand, but he couldn't stand Jiaang Han's smug arrogance.

Yuh Wenming simply shook his head. "Please, just give me a price. I think it's quite nice!"

Master Qi, seeing that Yuh Wenming was resolute, let out a soft sigh. "This trinket isn't worth much. Pay what you think is fair. It's 21 yuan at cost."

Without hesitation, Yuh Wenming handed over eight hundred yuan. "Sir, I know it's tough for you. If I come out on top against Jiaang Han today, I'll be sure to thank you. After all, it's a win of twenty thousand yuan!"

Master Qi shook his head. "Winning would be your good fortune, young man. If not, it's simply a matter of fate."

Jiaang Han, not to be outdone, quickly produced two thousand yuan and handed it to Master Qi. The Blue and White Porcelain's high price was capped at two thousand yuan, not a yuan more.

Yuh Wenming and Jiaang Han then presented their items to Fifth Master for appraisal.

"Excuse me, may I join in?" a voice called out just as Fifth Master was about to examine the items.

Everyone turned to see an elderly man in a Sun Yat-sen suit approaching. Their faces registered shock and awe as they recognized him.

"Professor Yuan!"

"You've arrived."

"Professor Yuan is a titan of the Antiques Realm. With his presence, tonight's contest just got a lot more interesting!"

"Indeed, with the old master here, we're guaranteed a fair and square competition."

Yuh Wenming's face involuntarily twitched at the sight of Professor Yuan. This man was a close friend of the late Wenn Zheming, a fellow giant in the world of antiques.

Master Wenn Zheming's death coincided with the day Yuh Wenming was struck by a car.

Yuh Wenming's memory system retained all his past life's memories, including a conversation with the venerable Tai Mountain about the Antiques Realm's future just moments before his passing.

Yuh Wenming's recognition of Lord Fifth was due to previous encounters with him and his associates.

Yet, the presence of Yuen Chong caused a flutter in Yuh Wenming's heart, a lingering sentiment from Wenn Zheming.

Yuh Wenming's eyes even began to glisten.

Upon noticing Yuh Wenming's dampened eyes, Yuen Chong expressed mild surprise, then reassured with a smile, "Young man, there's no need for concern. I pride myself on being just, so don't be troubled."

Yuh Wenming responded with a smile, "The joy of meeting Old Tai Mountain has me quite stirred!"

"Hahaha, I've spent a lifetime amidst antiques. You must have a keen interest in them as well, young man!"

"Here, let this old man have a look!"