Li Chonglou never expected that the person selling items to Huang Yongshou would be Jiang Tao.
What a coincidence.
It was highly likely he'd stolen his grandfather's collection again.
It seemed the birthday banquet hadn't curbed him, but rather made him worse.
He wondered what Grandfather Jiang would think if he saw this.
Shortly after Huang Yongshou ushered the two into the Confucian Temple, Lü Yunxu arrived at the entrance in an Audi A8, driving herself.
Dressed in a beige OL suit with her hair tied up high, she looked like a powerful business woman.
As soon as she got out of the car, she asked, "Brother Li, are they here?"
"Inside."
"The formidable Lü Yunxu," Li Chonglou introduced. "Xu Lie, my friend."
Lü Yunxu took the initiative to shake hands with Xu Lie.
She had met many people, but few possessed Xu Lie's vibrant spirit and imposing aura.
For Li Chonglou to introduce him so solemnly, he couldn't possibly be ordinary.
Xu Lie's eyes also flashed with sharp intelligence.
Lü Yunxu frequently appeared on television and in magazines, making her a household name. As soon as she stated her name, he recognized her instantly.
The daughter of the richest man. Judging by her address and attitude towards Li Chonglou, it made him once again marvel at Li Chonglou's capabilities.
"You go inside with Brother Xu to find Huang Yongshou, and video call me with your earphones on. Whatever I say, you say," Li Chonglou instructed. "No matter what he's selling, buy it all!"
Afterward, he told Xu Lie to open his phone and record the entire process from start to finish, just in case.
Lü Yunxu complied, activating her video and following behind Xu Lie.
Huang Yongshou and the others were waiting inside a jewelry store selling turquoise and amber accessories.
The owner, a middle-aged woman, was seated in the shop, brewing tea.
Huang Yongshou sat opposite the proprietress, winking at her frequently. They seemed to be old flames.
Jiang Tao, with an anxious look on his face, asked, "Mr. Huang, why aren't they here yet?"
"They're coming, they're coming. Please, Brother Xu, have a seat."
As soon as he spoke, Huang Yongshou's brow twitched. Seeing Xu Lie enter, he quickly offered his seat.
The beating he received that morning was a vivid memory.
Zhuzi was still lying in the hospital.
His knee was still swollen.
He dared not offend such a formidable person in the slightest.
Xu Lie ignored him and proceeded to film with his phone. Lü Yunxu casually sat next to Huang Yongshou.
Huang Yongshou, with his keen eyes, immediately recognized her as the real financier. He asked with a hint of confusion, "Miss, you seem somewhat familiar to me?"
"You're Lü… Lü Yunxu? The eldest daughter of the Lü Group, the richest man's daughter!" As he spoke, Jiang Tao looked at his phone and exclaimed.
Lü Yunxu's demeanor and appearance had already caught his attention from outside the door.
However, he had truly failed to connect her with the aloof, heavenly goddess.
It was only after checking Lü Yunxu's photo on his phone that he dared to be certain.
Upon hearing this, Huang Yongshou's eyes lit up, and he fawned, "You're much prettier in person than on television, and your aura..."
As he said this, his heart suddenly sank. He muttered to himself, "Oh my god."
Li Chonglou could actually enlist this influential figure. What kind of divine connection was this?
Thinking about how he had blindly stirred up trouble in Donglin, he felt utterly terrified.
Fortunately, Li Chonglou hadn't bothered him. Otherwise, he could imagine how miserable his fate would have been.
At that moment, he cursed Zhao Yecheng profusely in his mind.
Chen Zhenghe and the proprietress quickly served tea and water, showing great hospitality.
In their eyes, Lü Yunxu was a lofty goddess, and being able to interact with her would be a source of boasting for them in the future.
Li Chonglou, hidden behind the phone, intently stared at a pendant on Chen Zhenghe's chest, his eyes gleaming.
He instructed calmly, "Yunxu, ask them to show the goods."
"Where are the goods?" Lü Yunxu asked, repeating Li Chonglou's words.
Her attitude was proud and indifferent, completely unwilling to deal with them.
This made Huang Yongshou extremely awkward.
"Yes, yes…"
Jiang Tao's face trembled with excitement. He took out a small jade censer from his bag and carefully placed it on the table. "This is a treasure cherished by my grandfather. Miss Lü, please take a look."
The censer was entirely carved from white jade, clear and translucent.
It had a pair of ears and two rings shaped like phoenix heads, with lotus pods carved on them, showing some color staining, and movable rings attached to the inner ears.
The body of the censer was adorned with auspicious patterns, and the lid had a round bead knob.
The three feet were decorated with beast patterns.
It was about twenty-odd centimeters in diameter and around ten centimeters high.
Lü Yunxu did not touch the censer. She slowly rotated the phone around the censer's body.
Since Li Chonglou wasn't showing his face and had changed his alias, he wasn't afraid of them seeing.
"A jade censer with chrysanthemum patterns, a round bead knob, and three feet, with earth staining. The condition is relatively complete. Judging by the era, it should be from the Guangxu period of the Qing Dynasty. What do you plan to sell it for?" Lü Yunxu repeated Li Chonglou's words.
"Professional!" Jiang Tao gave a thumbs-up.
After just a few glances through the phone, she could accurately name the item.
It was exactly as the elder gentleman had said.
The person behind Lü Yunxu's phone was definitely extraordinary.
"The person video chatting with you is Boss Li, right?" Huang Yongshou asked cautiously, with reverence in his eyes.
Lü Yunxu nodded faintly.
Jiang Tao sneered, "Tsk tsk, both surnamed Li, and yet one is in heaven and the other is in hell."
"What do you mean?" Lü Yunxu's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"It's nothing. I just suddenly thought of a good-for-nothing surnamed Li." Jiang Tao's eyes flickered with malice. His sneer turned into a fawning smile. "Miss Lü, you can name the price. Consider it making a friend. My name is Jiang Tao."
"Do you not understand the rules?" Lü Yunxu asked sternly after a few seconds.
Li Chonglou, behind the phone, had a stern expression, neither happy nor sad.
Jiang Tao was naturally referring to him.
People are neither noble nor humble; it is the heart that determines their worth.
If he knew that he was this Boss Li, he wondered what his expression would be.
"Miss Lü, please calm your anger. Young Master Jiang is not familiar with the industry. Please don't take offense."
Huang Yongshou's heart jolted. He mediated and gestured, "He told me the price before coming. It's this much."
The antique trade had its own rules.
If the seller didn't state a price, the buyer would never offer one first.
This was to prevent the seller from pretending to sell antiques while actually trying to gauge the price.
If the seller asked for too high a price, the buyer had the right to not make an offer.
Jiang Tao was a wastrel and didn't understand these nuances.
"Twenty!"
Lü Yunxu quoted the price as Li Chonglou instructed.
Normally, in such a straightforward transaction, there wouldn't be any bargains to be had, as everyone involved was discerning.
The Jiang family's collections had clear origins and provenance.
He was determined to get this censer, but he didn't want Jiang Tao to profit even a single cent more.
"This… it's cut in half. Miss Lü, you're not short of money. Can you add a bit more?" Huang Yongshou asked with a troubled expression.
The actual value of this censer was around four hundred thousand yuan. The price of five hundred thousand was set to allow room for Lü Yunxu to bargain.
Jiang Tao had promised him a 10% commission.
Who knew that this blow would cut the price in half? Wouldn't his commission be gone?
"No, twenty is fine. Deal!"
Jiang Tao's eyes darted. He stopped Huang Yongshou and said submissively, "I wouldn't sell it for less than forty to anyone else."
"But Miss Lü is not an ordinary person. It is my honor to sell to you."
"Our Jiang family has many more antiques. If you're interested, let's set a time, and I'll bring a few more items for you."
From the moment he recognized Lü Yunxu, he had started to hatch a plan.
Why do banks prefer to lend to the rich?
There are always people who add splendor to splendor, but rarely those who offer charcoal in the snow.
One must give to receive.
The Jiang family was merely a third-rate family. In terms of assets and status, they were no match for the Lü Group.
They were not on the same level at all.
Having struck gold today and met this richest man's daughter, he realized an opportunity had presented itself.
As long as he could establish a connection, perhaps he could soar to the heavens from now on. Losing two or three hundred thousand yuan was nothing.
"Agree to it!" Li Chonglou couldn't have asked for more.
How could Jiang Tao's intentions be hidden from his eyes?
His life of hardship and torment in his previous life was all thanks to this person.
Although his fate had changed in this life, he was still being troubled by him repeatedly, and his hatred only grew stronger.
Since he was proactively offering benefits, what reason was there not to accept?
"Alright, let me know if you have other items." Lü Yunxu handed him her business card.
After transferring the money and receiving the jade censer, she left the jewelry store with Xu Lie.
Inside the shop, Jiang Tao carefully put the business card into his pocket.
Two hundred thousand yuan was enough to accomplish that task.
As long as he got the item, and with a financier like Lü Yunxu to take over, a steady stream of wealth wouldn't be a problem.
"Young Master Jiang, my commission you promised..." Huang Yongshou asked timidly.
"Why the hurry, Mr. Huang? There'll be plenty more after tonight. Are you worried I'll welsh on this small sum?" Jiang Tao's eyes filled with greed.
Outside the Confucian Temple.
Lü Yunxu had Xu Lie get into the back seat and asked, "Brother Li, shall we return to the hospital?"
"No, go to West Street."
Li Chonglou replied calmly, "There are three Yaozhou kiln porcelain pieces there. I'll trade them for this censer."
Those three porcelain pieces were originally items he had found and sold to Lü Yunxu.
He had intended to sell them and return the money to his mother-in-law.
But he had changed his mind.
Because during the appraisal just now, Tian Lingli had sent him a very important message.
Lü Yunxu nodded upon hearing this and remained silent for a moment, as if wanting to say something but hesitating.
Li Chonglou noticed this and said, "Just say what's on your mind. Brother Xu is not an outsider."
"That Jiang Tao, you have a grudge against him, right?" Lü Yunxu asked, gathering her courage. "I don't understand, with your abilities, why would you stoop to being a son-in-law in the Jiang family and endure their mistreatment?"
"Are you investigating me?" Li Chonglou's brow furrowed, and he grunted with displeasure.
"It's my father..."
Last night, after returning home, she discovered her father had someone investigate Li Chonglou's background.
It was likely a reaction to what he heard at the appraisal event.
She then learned that Li Chonglou was actually a son-in-law in a third-rate family.
This Jiang Tao today was the eldest grandson of the Jiang family, which was why Li Chonglou had asked her to step forward.
"Never mind."
Li Chonglou could easily guess the reason and replied calmly, "My master taught me to repay enmity and requite kindness."
"Jiang Tao has indeed caused me trouble more than once, but Jiang Yuxin saved my mother. That is a great kindness."
Upon hearing this, Lü Yunxu could not hide the envy in her eyes.
She sighed softly, "She is truly fortunate to have cultivated such blessings in her past life."
Li Chonglou knew what Lü Yunxu was implying, but he deliberately played dumb.
For a moment, silence fell in the car.
It wasn't until they returned to Donglin that the atmosphere returned to normal.
Lü Yunxu did not load the items into the car. Instead, she chose to store them all in Donglin and arrange for a vehicle to pick them up the day before the auction.
It was both convenient and safe.
After handing the jade censer to Li Chonglou, Lü Yunxu suggested, "Brother Li, if you're free now, why don't you come back to the company with me?"
"I have professional photographers and technical staff there. How about we get the appraisal video done?"
"Okay!"
Li Chonglou had originally intended to use a live broadcast for the appraisal, but since Lü Yunxu's company was more professional, it saved him trouble.
The three got into the car, preparing to return to the Lü Group.
This time, Xu Lie was driving, and both Li Chonglou and Lü Yunxu sat in the back.
As the car drove out of an intersection, it was waiting at a traffic light.
Suddenly, Xu Lie shouted a warning, "Watch out!"
At the same time, he slammed the accelerator to the floor, and with a roar, collided with the car in front.