"Chonglou, what do you mean by this?" Ning Lang asked in a low voice, puzzled.
From what he knew of Li Chonglou, he didn't seem like someone who would be soft-hearted.
Yet today, he had shown leniency towards Zhu Tongren.
"I want to break into the Yong'an circle," Li Chonglou stated frankly, though he didn't reveal the deeper reasons.
There were two reasons why he had chosen the cheaper bottle instead of the jade thumb ring.
What was his purpose in coming here?
To make a name for himself in Yong'an's antique circle, and even spread his fame nationwide.
While it was understandable to showcase his abilities, someone like Zhu Tongren wasn't really an insider; he was merely a player.
Why pick a fight and make an enemy of a player?
If Zhu Tongren were an appraiser, the outcome would naturally be completely different.
Li Chonglou was never one to shy away from trouble; he lived life on his own terms, unyielding to pressure.
In his previous life, he had lived that way his entire existence, carefree, and without friends except for Xu Lie and his senior sister.
In this life, he had his mother, wife, senior sister, Xu Lie, and now friends like Ning Lang.
His fame was for their protection, to make the Huang family and Fan Lei hesitate, lest they truly be toyed with in the palms of these powerful figures.
Secondly, this bao fu bottle was not simple!
It was not merely an exquisite imitation of the Juren Hall.
To be precise, he had seen this item in his previous life.
It was in the hands of a supremely influential figure, someone even more formidable than Huang.
And that person happened to be the successor of Juren Hall.
Juren Hall was an imperial kiln from the Republic of China era, and also a magnificent building located within the Zhongnanhai. However, it was more closely related to a period of humiliating history.
At the time, Li Hongzhang was negotiating the Boxer Protocol with representatives of the foreign powers. Under duress from the foreign powers, he was ordered to punish Empress Dowager Cixi for declaring war.
The Qing court, naturally, would not allow Cixi to be held accountable and spared no expense to persuade the foreign powers to change their minds.
Li Hongzhang suggested building a Western-style building on the ruins of the imperial palace halls to serve as a diplomatic venue, and to show the foreigners that Cixi was not the instigator of anti-foreign sentiment. Cixi readily agreed.
However, Cixi was unwilling to build a Western-style building within the royal forbidden garden, feeling it was undignified.
Thus, imitating the Western buildings of the Old Summer Palace, she had the Haiyan Hall constructed. In 1904, the Haiyan Hall was completed.
Cixi hosted five diplomatic events at the Haiyan Hall in Zhongnanhai and received the wives of foreign ministers.
On October 26th of the same year, the new Yiluan Hall (now Huairen Hall) was completed to the north of the Haiyan Hall. This year marked Cixi's 70th birthday, and the "Complete Design Drawings for the Reconstruction of Yiluan Hall" preserved in the Qing palace bore witness to this period of history.
However, the Haiyan Hall did not bring prosperity and peace to the declining late Qing dynasty. After a mere seven years, the Qing dynasty breathed its last amidst the gunshots of the Xinhai Revolution.
Yuan Shikai, the first president of the Republic of China, used the Haiyan Hall as his office and reception area after taking power, renaming it Juren Hall.
On December 13, 1915, Yuan Shikai, who wished to experience the taste of wearing a yellow robe, established his Hongxian Dynasty in the Juren Hall. On a specially made dragon desk sat the "Stacked Feather Soaring Crown," and he, dressed in a marshal's uniform, received the felicitations of civil and military officials in the Juren Hall. However, this dynasty, which went against the tide of history, was short-lived.
There is no need to elaborate on what happened afterward.
By 1964, Juren Hall was demolished as a dangerous structure, and its porcelain art naturally became a thing of the past.
The reason Li Chonglou wanted this bao fu bottle and not the jade thumb ring was to keep it for a greater purpose.
Upon hearing this, Ning Lang appeared to understand.
The subsequent events unfolded smoothly.
After Zhu Tongren left, people's gazes naturally shifted to Li Chonglou.
This unassuming young man had made Zhu Tongren concede defeat wholeheartedly. His discerning eye had at least been verified in the fields of jade and porcelain.
In the antique collecting world, who wouldn't want to be friends with someone who possessed "fiery eyes"?
Knowing such a person could save one from making costly mistakes.
For a time, everyone surrounded Li Chonglou, showering him with praise as if he were the center of the universe.
"Master Li, you must come to my house for dinner another day. I have a few good items I'd like you to cast your eye over."
"Don't show off here. Does Master Li look like someone lacking women? What good things can one woman have? Get lost."
"I'm hosting Master Li at the Han Palace tomorrow. Please do us the honor of gracing us with your presence..."
...
In just a moment, even their forms of address had changed.
Whether genuine or feigned, on the surface, everyone showed him immense respect.
Li Chonglou had no fondness for these fickle individuals. He knew they would elevate you when they needed you and discard you when they didn't; they were very pragmatic.
However, he had come for them this time, so he remained noncommittal.
He exchanged a look with Ning Lang, signaling him to draw the crowd away.
Integrating into this circle seemed to be more than halfway successful. There was no need to dawdle with them.
As long as he could connect with the organizers of this exchange meeting, his objective would be achieved.
However, these petty individuals did not need to be offended.
Saying nothing was the best response.
"Mr. Li, my boss would like to invite you upstairs for a chat." Just then, a woman with an elegant demeanor and a graceful figure, dressed in a qipao, descended the stairs.
Her black, shoulder-length hair, naturally curly, exuded charm.
The form-fitting qipao accentuated her devilish figure, instantly capturing the attention of more than half the men present.
Many were practically gawking.
The woman wore light makeup and had a smile that was very pleasing to behold.
Even Ning Lang couldn't help but reveal a hint of approval.
Jin Jing, standing nearby, instantly paled in comparison.
She asked unnaturally, "Who is this woman?"
"Ah, her name is Li Yao. She's Yong'an's renowned 'city flower'," Ning Lang revealed with a hint of mystery. "Her boss is as famous in Yong'an as the Xiao family's matriarch. Shall we go up and meet him, Chonglou?"
"She is the organizer of this gathering."
"I'll be right back," Li Chonglou said without hesitation and headed for the stairs.
The crowd parted to let him pass.
Li Yao swayed her hips and led Li Chonglou to the second floor.
Stopping at the study door, she opened her mouth slightly and said, "Mr. Li, please go in. My boss is waiting for you inside."
With that, she gently unlocked the door and gestured.
Clearly, she intended to wait outside.
Li Chonglou entered without ceremony.
He had ventured into dragon's lairs and tiger's dens, let alone the room of a wealthy antique collector.
But as he entered, he revealed a look of astonishment.
A fragrance wafted towards him, the pure scent of Grade-1 Kalimantan Agarwood, refreshing his senses.
A woman dressed in a Buddhist robe was facing away from him, arranging incense sticks.
Her attire was simple, lacking any ostentatious embellishments, but even without seeing her face, one could sense her composure and tranquility.
Before coming up, Li Chonglou had assumed he would be meeting a prominent businessman.
He hadn't expected it to be a woman.
"Are you the one who sent for me?" Li Chonglou broke the silence.
The woman put down the incense stick in her hand and turned around, offering a smile.
She appeared to be in her thirties. Although not as young as his senior sister, she still possessed a captivating charm, and her eyes conveyed a sense of intellectualism.
"Mr. Li Chonglou, please have a seat. My name is Ren He," the woman's voice was very gentle. "I've heard a lot about your reputation, and I know about your relationship with Sister Yun."
"I took the liberty of asking Yao Yao to invite you up because I have something to entrust to you."
Ren He was straightforward, her expression and her inner thoughts both being very candid, which immediately evoked a favorable impression.
Before meeting Li Chonglou, she had heard his name mentioned several times.
Whether it was from Xiao Yun's mouth or through hearsay, she had learned about the Old Ghost incident.
What surprised her was that Yong'an, which had been so uneventful for many years, had been turned upside down by a young man in his early twenties.
Even the illegal madman Li Hanlong had been subdued by him.
She had wanted to meet Li Chonglou in person but couldn't find an opportunity.
She hadn't expected him to attend the gathering she organized today; it was indeed a coincidence that made perfect sense.
However, seeing that he had a dispute with Zhu Tongren earlier, she had held back, wanting to observe his true abilities.
Only after Zhu Tongren left did she ask Li Yao to go down and invite him up.
"Since you are Sister Yun's friend, you can speak freely," Li Chonglou nodded.
The upper echelon of Yong'an was a small circle, so Ren He knowing Xiao Yun was not surprising. Although nowadays it was advocated that women should be independent, there were still few true women of power.
Once they reached such positions, they would inevitably band together.
But what could he possibly help such a person with?
Ren He likely lacked neither money nor connections.
Otherwise, she wouldn't be able to organize gatherings for the circle.
"The reason I organized this gathering and invited so many like-minded people is for this very matter," Ren He said without prevarication. "Not long ago, I acquired a batch of antiques."
"They are of various types, but unfortunately, my own eyesight is poor, and I can only understand a few of them."
"I heard from Sister Yun that you have extraordinary abilities, and I would like to ask you to examine them for me."
"You can name your reward."
These words were spoken with extreme modesty, elevating Li Chonglou to the highest pedestal.
An ordinary person would have been overwhelmed with flattery and eagerly agreed.
Unfortunately, Li Chonglou's state of mind was such that he was indifferent to such praise.
After thinking for a few seconds, he nodded faintly. "No problem. Since you are Sister Yun's friend, consider the reward waived. It will also give me more opportunities for practice."
His words were met with admiration in the eyes of all present.
A person's humility is not judged by their words but by their attitude.
Li Chonglou, being so young yet so composed, showed how confident he was within.
Given time, his future would undoubtedly be boundless.
It was no wonder Xiao Yun spoke so highly of him.
If he truly helped her with this great favor, she would definitely find a way to thank him afterward.
However, intelligent people communicate concisely; they wouldn't dwell on this matter, nor would they offer disingenuous pleasantries.
"I have some matters to attend to. I'll have Yao Yao take you to the warehouse," Ren He said, her eyes filled with gratitude.
She walked to the door, called Li Yao in, and whispered a few instructions.
The beautiful woman then threw Li Chonglou a flirtatious glance. "Come with me."
Then, she led Li Chonglou to the warehouse on the third floor.
What was called a warehouse was actually a display room.
Various antiques of all kinds were there, covering almost all categories of antiques.
The most numerous were Thangkas and Kesi silks, adorning two walls.
There were also many porcelain pieces and calligraphy and paintings. Two middle-aged men were already engrossed in examining the items before them.
Upon hearing the sound of their arrival, one of them turned his head and glanced over.
He said coldly, "Li Yao, why did you bring such a young, impetuous fellow here?"
"You don't mean to tell me that Madam Ren wants him to re-examine these items, do you?"
His words were filled with disdain.