C17 Final Item

Qi Xiao turned to find Lin Cheng, the one who had bumped into him. Dressed in a tailored suit with his hair returned to its natural black, Lin Cheng was toasting and chatting with someone.

With a sneer, Lin Cheng gave Qi Xiao a once-over. "Well, if it isn't the Qi family scion! Still sporting the same old look, huh? Run out of money for new clothes? Just say the word, and I'll spot you some cash!"

Qi Xiao merely frowned and ignored him, helping himself to another drink. Today's treasure evaluation convention was fraught with potential complications, and tangling with Lin Cheng could easily lead to trouble.

Lin Cheng, mistaking Qi Xiao's silence for fear, sneered even more and turned to his companion. "See that guy? That's the fool who tried to call off his engagement with my Lin family. Last time I saw him, he was in the same ragged clothes!"

His voice carried, drawing the curious glances of many nearby. They snickered as they saw Qi Xiao's clothes, which indeed looked as shabby as Lin Cheng had described.

Lin Cheng's companion, his hair slick with grease and sporting a smug grin, chimed in, "Lin, you might be wrong there. Perhaps he's just attached to that outfit? Could be he's been wearing it for over a decade!"

Lin Cheng burst into laughter at the comment.

Qi Xiao shot Lin Cheng a cold glance. Feeling a sudden chill, Lin Cheng remembered how Qi Xiao had put Chen Jinbai in his place and instinctively stepped back. "What are you going to do? This is Xue family turf, and your little parlor tricks won't impress anyone here!"

Qi Xiao's lips curled into a silent, dismissive smile as he turned away to focus on the stage appraisal.

Lin Cheng breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that Qi Xiao wasn't going to retaliate. Yet the thought of being intimidated by just a look from Qi Xiao left him feeling humiliated, and he scrambled for another jab to sideline Qi Xiao once more.

"Quit gawking, you hick. This kind of high-end treasure evaluation event isn't for the likes of you! And tell me, did you sneak in here just to mooch some food and drinks?"

Lin Cheng grew more convinced by his own reasoning. How could a nobody like Qi Xiao possibly have the credentials to attend a treasure evaluation convention hosted by the illustrious Xue family?

He was about to summon security to throw Qi Xiao out when his companion interjected:

"Not necessarily. Our dear Qi Xiao has become a stooge for the Xue family, so naturally, he's allowed in."

Lin Cheng asked, puzzled, "What are you talking about?"

With a sardonic glance at Qi Xiao, his companion explained:

"Oh, nothing much. My girlfriend used to work here at the A Hotel, but she got the boot yesterday, all thanks to Young Master Qi here!"

Qi Xiao recognized the man—it was Chen Jing's boyfriend. Talk about a small world!

"Is that so?"

Lin Cheng was taken aback. He couldn't fathom why the Xue family, with its vast empire, would dismiss one of their own over a small fry like Qi Xiao. He chalked it up to mere coincidence.

"So, Young Master Qi has stooped to playing lapdog for others? No wonder he managed to get in here. I'm impressed!"

The pair continued to rib and ridicule Qi Xiao, and the onlookers, seeing Qi Xiao's silence, assumed he was cowed and scorned him accordingly.

Qi Xiao, however, was solely focused on the appraisal, eager to spot any other treasures that might warrant his bid. He had no time to waste on these two jesters.

"Alright, let's move on to the grand finale of our treasure evaluation convention! We have three exceptional items to close the event, starting with this bronze cauldron!"

The convention was drawing to a close, and the final items were making their debut.

Lin Cheng noticed Qi Xiao's intense concentration on the appraisal and sneered:

"You're out of your depth here. You wouldn't understand the value of these items even if you stared all day, much less afford them!"

Qi Xiao, feeling a twinge of disappointment at not finding anything appealing, retorted without thinking:

"It's all junk."

Lin Cheng and his companion burst into laughter at the remark.

"Hahaha! Brother Chang, did you catch that? He called those rare treasures garbage!"

"I can't stop laughing. How can someone in rags presume to critique at a treasure evaluation convention? Must be out of their mind!"

If there were indeed an assassin, this would be the perfect opportunity.

Qi Xiao momentarily tuned out Lin Cheng and Xue Rensheng's banter, refocusing his attention on Xue Rensheng.

The ancient bronze cauldron, once used for sacrifices, fetched a high price of eight million yuan. But when the next item was presented for appraisal, even Qi Xiao was taken aback.

"This piece is the legendary work of the painting immortal, Qianqiu."

He was aware it was a Qianqiu painting, just not that it was this particular one.

As the scroll unfurled on stage, the "Thousand Mountains Aglow" painting came to life on the canvas.

The audience, preempting the host's introduction, gasped in awe, some even recognizing and whispering the name of the painting.

No wonder—the painting's renown was unparalleled.

With the painting's unveiling, Lin Cheng and his companion forgot to scoff at Qi Xiao, their attention captivated by the artwork.

The host began:

"Qianqiu was one of the most celebrated painters of ancient times, revered as the 'Painting Immortal.' This piece is his signature work, said to have summoned mountains and birds in its creation, enveloping the surroundings in a misty, celestial realm."

"Let's now invite the esteemed appraiser, Mr. Liu Dongfeng, to evaluate it!"

Following the succinct introduction, the host called upon Liu Dongfeng to verify the painting's authenticity.

Qi Xiao, almost speaking to himself, remarked:

"It's certainly genuine, though it's a pity that only half of it is authentic."

Lin Cheng, unable to hide his disdain, retorted:

"Oh please, what would a filthy beggar like you know? This is a treasure from the Xue family's collection. Even if it were a copy, the idea that half of it could be original is ludicrous. Do you even know how to bluff?"

Upon hearing the name "Thousand Mountains Aglow," Liu Dongfeng couldn't contain his excitement. To witness such a legendary masterpiece up close was a rare privilege.

He delicately ran his fingers over the paper, scrutinizing it through a magnifying glass, and finally, with trembling excitement, confirmed its authenticity.

With a tremulous hand, Liu Dongfeng set aside the magnifying glass and fixed his gaze intently on the painting.

"This is undoubtedly authentic!"

The room was instantly abuzz with astonishment.

"Hear that? Even Master Liu confirms it's authentic. What's with the act now?"

Lin Cheng shot Qi Xiao a smug look, exchanging winks and sneers with Brother Chang.

But Liu Dongfeng's next words recaptured everyone's attention.

"Unfortunately..."

Lin Cheng's face, still twisted in mockery, suddenly seized up.

Liu Dongfeng, a portrait of regret, caressed the paper and revealed:

"Indeed, this piece is authentic, but only the first half. The true 'Thousand Sunshine' depicts the morning sun, not the setting sun. The original was partially destroyed by fire, and someone continued the latter half with an evening sun to conceal the burn marks."

After placing the scroll down, Liu Dongfeng returned to his seat, his eyes reluctantly parting from the artwork. Yet, Qi Xiao caught a subtle movement of Liu's hand.

Qi Xiao's eyes narrowed, noting the detail.

Lin Cheng was stunned by Liu Dongfeng's revelation, echoing Qi Xiao's earlier assessment.

His friend scoffed, "A fluke, like a blind cat stumbling upon a dead rat."

Snapping out of his shock, Lin Cheng chimed in.

"Exactly, a blind cat finding a dead rat! No way you got it right on the first try—it must've been a wild guess!"

As the next artifact was presented, Qi Xiao's focus shifted entirely to the stage.

"Now, we present the final piece of this treasure evaluation convention—the pièce de résistance!"

The host announced as an assistant brought up a tray shrouded in cloth.

"This item is unquestionably a treasure, yet its provenance, worth, and even purpose remain mysteries."

With that, the host unveiled the red cloth to reveal an antique pine and crane jade carving nestled on the tray. The carving was modest in size, barely taller than a palm, but the intricacy of its patterns brought the pine and crane to life.

"All we know about this jade carving is that it was crafted by a Daoist known as Zhao Chen. Beyond that, its story is unknown. We invite our appraisers to examine it closely!"

The staff member passed the jade slip to Liu Dongfeng, who, despite his inner doubts, cradled the jade carving with meticulous care and began examining it closely through a magnifying glass.

The appraisal stretched on for an extraordinary length of time. Liu Dongfeng employed a variety of techniques to scrutinize the carving, his expression growing increasingly grave with each passing moment.

At last, he gently set the jade carving down and announced confidently, "Indeed, judging by its era, this jade carving is authentic to the ancient Han Dynasty. The quality of the jade is delicate and translucent—a truly exceptional find!"

A collective gasp rippled through the audience. A genuine artifact from the ancient Han Dynasty? The value of such an item was immeasurable!

Yet, just as the excitement peaked, an incongruous voice cut through the buzz of the crowd.

"Hold on, this item is a fake!"

All eyes turned toward the source of the interruption, landing on a young man in tattered clothing.

It was none other than Qi Xiao!