As Li Chonglou's hand left the edge of the box, a layer of yellowish-brown wood was revealed – the base wood where the paint had peeled off. The lacquer surface had been ravaged by time, and the underlying base plaster could no longer withstand the erosion of wind and frost, having cracked and fallen away. What had initially appeared dirty, after Li Chonglou’s gentle handling a few times, had its dust wiped away, revealing a base color no different from ordinary wood.
However, there was a black vein on the wood.
"Is this kid just being dramatic? That's just ordinary wood!"
"He's clearly still bitter about being outwitted by Tu Shao and is spouting nonsense, daring to say anything."
"Truly ignorant and shameless, yet he dares to sit as an equal to the great Master Chen Haiqiang. I'd rather bury myself under the table."
...
Soon, many people reacted, scoffing and mocking. Tu Hong, with a sinister grin, sneered, "Lame dog, keep weaving your tales! You actually think you can connect this broken basin to rosewood?"
"Or perhaps even more valuable agarwood?"
"Utterly absurd!"
He was no amateur; among his subordinates, two were very knowledgeable about wood. Although they were far away, the color of the wood was unmistakable. He quickly ran through all valuable woods in his mind, ruling them out without a doubt. If the raw material wasn't valuable, what other worth could it have besides the damaged lacquer craftsmanship? Tu Hong welcomed Li Chonglou's fabricated story. The more outrageous it was, the harder he could crush him later. With so many fools present, a little instigation could even embarrass Ning Lang today. Thinking of what his father dared not do, which he was about to accomplish, Tu Hong felt a surge of satisfaction.
Beside Li Chonglou, Chen Haiqiang also wore a look of disdain. "Kid, you might fool others, but can you fool me?"
"Wood like this is found everywhere. Don't pretend to know what you don't."
"It's too late to make up stories now!" His implication was that Li Chonglou couldn't even concoct a story about a broken Afghan jade, let alone try to fabricate one in front of him. He dared not provoke Zeng Wang, but he didn't care about Li Chonglou. It was the perfect opportunity to step on him in front of everyone to showcase his knowledge and skills. It was also a way to show his loyalty to Tu Hong. Perhaps he could gain Tu Hong's favor and latch onto the powerful West City Ghost, becoming unstoppable in Yong'an thereafter. As for Ning Lang, he had known him for a long time, but they were not of the same caliber, and he couldn't get along with him. Ning Lang was too proud, so it was better not to bother.
"Brother, why don't you just swallow your pride for now and think of another way?" Ning Lang said softly, his eyes filled with worry. "There's no need to trap yourself by fabricating a story. That will only stir up trouble."
His thoughts were reasonable. Although he had a feud with Old Ghost, that was a matter for their lifetimes. If he were humiliated by Tu Hong today, it would truly be beneath him. His initial desire for revenge had now shifted to preserving his dignity. After all, even he, who had studied antiques for so many years, couldn't discern anything special about the wood in Li Chonglou's hands.
"Brother Ning, just watch the show!" Li Chonglou was not provoked by their words, but smiled faintly. He then turned to Chen Haiqiang and said, "You think you're worthy of being my equal?"
"Truly, it is a case of petty men holding sway, casting a pall over the land!"
"Your inability to understand this wood is due to your lack of talent and knowledge, not because it isn't precious!"
Each word was like a blade, leaving Chen Haiqiang’s old face flushed red with just a few sentences. He trembled with anger. Before he could retort, Li Chonglou's gaze shifted to Tu Hong, his tone still sharp. "Miss Tu, calling you ignorant is an understatement."
"In my eyes, you are truly blind!"
"Not even a single one of your useless subordinates can open their dog-like eyes."
Tu Hong's face contorted with rage. One of his subordinates, unable to contain himself, stood up and pointed at Li Chonglou, about to curse, "You..."
As soon as he spoke, Li Chonglou's shout silenced him. "What about me!"
"You are not fit to speak to me."
"A bunch of ignoramuses, with no knowledge of history, who haven't even watched a play."
"During the Northern Song Dynasty, the Yang family generals were ordered to campaign against Liao. Yang Zongbao was blocked by the Heavenly Gate Formation."
"Following the guidance of a Taoist priest, he ventured into Muzu Village to seek Dragon-Subduing Wood!"
"Dragon-Subduing Wood is a spiritually potent innate wood in Buddhism, found in remote, uninhabited mountainous ranges north of the Yellow River."
"It grows extremely slowly, its wood as fine and dense as rosewood, smooth and fine, not easily broken."
"If forcibly broken, the fracture would be as sharp as a knife."
"What makes it most precious is the dragon-like veins within its wood, which is this black vein called the dragon's sinew!"
"Dragon-Subduing Wood has been a precious medicinal material since ancient times, capable of treating wind-related ailments, mental confusion, and even expelling toxins."
"The Heavenly Gate Formation was broken precisely because of it!"
"And this lacquered ingot-shaped盘 (pan - dish/tray), is a ritual vessel made from Dragon-Subduing Wood, used exclusively for imperial sacrifices."
"Tu Hong, I called you blind, do you dare to deny it?"
Li Chonglou's tone was unhurried, but his final sentence struck like a thunderclap. It sent Tu Hong collapsing into his chair, her face a mixture of green and white, utterly lost. Chen Haiqiang's eyes bulged as he stared intently at the tray, speechless.
"You're talking nonsense!" Tu Hong's subordinate, however, gritted his teeth and shouted at Li Chonglou, "Just because you say it's Dragon-Subduing Wood, it is? How can you prove it?"
What Dragon-Subduing Wood? It was clearly fabricated. And the story of Mu Guiying leading the army was from opera, not history. Li Chonglou was actually using it to prove the existence of Dragon-Subduing Wood – wasn't that absurd?
"Do I need to prove anything to an imbecile like you, who is blind as well?" Li Chonglou's lips curled slightly, his tone filled with contempt. This was them learning on the fly.
"Perhaps adding me isn't enough to prove it?" Just as the subordinate was about to say more, Ning Lang coldly interjected. When he spoke, Zeng Wang, who had been watching, could no longer remain a spectator. After all, they had business dealings. In the realm of antiques, he needed Ning Lang's support. Seeing this, he immediately waved his hand and said, "Regarding this Dragon-Subduing Wood, I have indeed heard of it, but it is too mysterious, so I have never seen it with my own eyes."
"However, I once heard a senior monk say that the characteristic of Dragon-Subduing Wood is its dense wood without growth rings, and a winding dragon's sinew in the center."
"It's exactly as Master Li said."
"Therefore, I believe this is indeed Dragon-Subduing Wood!"
"Master Li's discerning eye has found such a significant treasure here, truly making this old Zeng admire him wholeheartedly." As he spoke, a hint of sourness permeated the entire venue. Everyone listened with their mouths agape. Zeng Wang himself confirmed it was Dragon-Subduing Wood, and that Li Chonglou had found a huge bargain. What else was there to say? It was Dragon-Subduing Wood.
"Oh my, I didn't expect that fellow named Li to be such a dark horse, even Chairman Lang and President Zeng are supporting him… I have no choice but to believe it."
"Perhaps our perspectives are just too narrow, and we don't even know about Dragon-Subduing Wood. How embarrassing."
"I must seek more advice from Master Li later. He's so young yet so capable, clearly a legendary antique genius."
...
Instantly, those who had questioned him changed their tune, showing admiration. Chen Haiqiang's face grew paler, his eyes a mixture of shame and anger. No longer able to bear staying, he fled the scene under the contemptuous gazes of the crowd.
"Lame dog, you've got guts! You just wait! Watch out for getting run over by a car when you leave!" Tu Hong, seeing this, knew that staying would only be further humiliation. He left in disgrace with his subordinates. Zeng Wang didn't stop them. After all, there was always someone better. Even if Chen Haiqiang left, there were still Li Chonglou and Ning Lang. As for Tu Hong, that effeminate dandy, he never thought much of him. If not for Old Ghost's sake, he wouldn't even have the right to enter his exhibition. It was better that he left. This incident further solidified Li Chonglou's capabilities and status.
Many people at the scene began to shout "Master Li," their voices rising wave after wave. Li Chonglou was too lazy to bother with these turncoats, closing his eyes indifferently, not even bothering to look. Ning Lang, however, couldn't help but be curious. He took the tray and asked, "Brother, is this Dragon-Subduing Wood really that magical?"
This small tray alone managed to drive away Chen Haiqiang and Tu Hong. Was it more valuable than agarwood?
"I made it up." Li Chonglou said calmly, without opening his eyes.
"What?" Ning Lang could hardly believe his ears. Fortunately, his composure was strong, or he would have lost his composure. He had believed it completely and was prepared to ask Li Chonglou about Dragon-Subduing Wood when he got back. Who knew he would say "made it up." This...
For a moment, a sense of great disorientation washed over Ning Lang, leaving him somewhat bewildered.
"They can make things up, but I can't? Whether it's a white cat or a black cat, as long as it achieves the goal, it's a good cat. This tray is yours now, and you'll pay for it." Li Chonglou opened his eyes, a hint of cunning in them.
Ning Lang's forehead broke out in a cold sweat. "You're incredible, I surrender!" This meant he had just bought a broken lacquered wooden tray for three million. In the end, Old Zeng still got the better deal. However, on second thought, three million wasn't much to him, but getting this victory was incredibly satisfying. Not only did he make Tu Hong, that little bastard, flee, but he also outmaneuvered Old Zeng. Perhaps, if he returned the tray to Old Zeng later, he could even extort a profit.
Ning Lang was no easy character, with many wicked thoughts brewing in his mind. Otherwise, how could he be called Chairman Lang? At this moment, he was already contemplating how to get his three million back, and even earn some interest. However, all this was no longer Li Chonglou's concern. He had helped them save face; he wasn't bothered with the money. As for the remaining half of the appraisal fair, he had made up his mind not to speak again. Since everyone called him a master, he could act profound without anyone daring to say anything. As for being asked to call white deer a horse and help Zeng Wang make money, that was a pipe dream.
Originally, he had thought about leaving like Chen Haiqiang and the others, but the fake item that was the grand finale still piqued his curiosity. Therefore, he decided to stay and "broaden his horizons." After all, he had already watched this farce for so long, there was no harm in staying a little longer. In the following few exhibits, Li Chonglou almost kept his eyes closed the entire time, too lazy to participate. Ning Lang also felt embarrassed to make things up, so he only said a few words briefly before stopping. Fortunately, many people had already been brainwashed by Zeng Wang and didn't need much explanation; they just needed to pay. The atmosphere was no worse than before.
Finally, after nearly an hour, the grand finale was presented on the exhibition stage, carried by two beautiful hostesses. Only then did Li Chonglou slowly open his eyes and take a sip of water.