A moment of silence was followed by a clamor from the surroundings.
Tang Jingde's excited face turned slightly red.
"I can be completely certain that the Yohen Tenmoku is genuine. This kind of porcelain cannot be replicated by technological means even now, and the firing of such porcelain is entirely up to fate. It might take ages to produce even one piece."
"Moreover, this is an artifact from the Tang Dynasty, completely rewriting the timeline of the Yohen Tenmoku's appearance. Its historical significance is immense."
"And if you look closely, you'll find some fine inscriptions beneath the Yohen Tenmoku. These are not later embellishments but were written in the 'Feibai' style before firing."
"That was the most popular style during the Tang Dynasty. Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, was fond of this calligraphy, and his name is inscribed below."
"This has not yet been historically verified. If there is conclusive evidence, its value could increase tenfold."
The surrounding people were all pushing to get closer, but Lin Xiaotian shouted, "If you all want to see it, wait until I place it in the display case. You can examine it however you wish. Remember, this is a product of our Mingyue Pavilion, absolutely genuine."
After speaking, he cast a triumphant glance at Chu Nianxue.
Chu Nianxue's face turned slightly red.
The display cases here were made of unique tempered glass, which even a sledgehammer might not be able to break.
After all, any antique displayed in this area was worth a fortune, and the glass was even more robust than that used in banks.
After the Yohen Tenmoku was placed inside.
Ye Wenqiang, who had been standing there dumbfounded, finally reacted.
He felt like spitting blood, his eyes filled with intense frustration. He shouted loudly, "I arranged for someone to place this pair of dragon tables as an exhibit!"
"Li Tian can vouch for me; he personally handled it."
"Now you must return those ancient artifacts to me!"
The surrounding crowd let out a collective gasp.
Many people's eyes showed mockery.
They no longer looked down on Lin Xiaotian but harbored a fervent admiration.
Cracking the Eight Treasures Exquisite Lock in three seconds was an unprecedented feat in history.
By retrieving this priceless Yohen Tenmoku and offering it for free viewing, Mingyue Pavilion's reputation had reached its zenith.
Ye Wenqiang, however, rushed forward in anger.
Lin Xiaotian didn't stop him. He casually took out a cigarette, smiling, but before he could light it, the cigarette was snatched away.
He looked and saw Chu Nianxue appearing somewhat displeased.
"No smoking, it's bad for your lungs."
"Alright, whatever my wife says goes. But I deserve a kiss as a reward." With that, he quickly pecked her fair, delicate cheek.
Chu Nianxue's pretty face flushed pink, adding a touch of radiance to her already exquisite beauty.
Meanwhile, before Ye Wenqiang could get close, he was grabbed by the collar by the portly supervisor, who said with anger in his eyes, "Get this scoundrel out of here! Our biggest exhibition in Songzhou absolutely does not allow such a disgrace."
"He saw a treasure and wanted to claim it as his own. But any item brought out in full view of everyone belongs to Mingyue Pavilion."
"Throw him into the trash can outside, headfirst. That's where he belongs."
Ye Wenqiang struggled furiously, but he was no match for the security guards.
"You're going too far! That was originally my property. Anyone with a brain can see that the pair of dragon tables was something I provided."
But no matter how much he shouted, no one paid him any attention.
His face contorted into a look of ferocious malice, and he roared at Lin Xiaotian, "I will kill you! I will make you wish you were dead and couldn't die!"
"Now return the Yohen Tenmoku to me, and I might spare your life. Otherwise, you will surely die."
Lin Xiaotian flicked out a wisp of spiritual energy.
Ye Wenqiang's shouting abruptly ceased.
No one paid him any further attention; all eyes were fixed on the Yohen Tenmoku.
The painting of Zhong Kui Subduing Ghosts seemed to have become a mere backdrop.
However, there were also those who appreciated calligraphy.
Even Lin Xiaotian and his companions were pushed to the side, but there was no need to worry about the items being lost, as cameras were watching from above.
The portly supervisor then approached, looking puzzled, "Manager Chu, have your items not arrived yet?"
Chu Nianxue was slightly taken aback. "The antiques I arranged for were delivered early this morning, around four o'clock. Have they not arrived yet?"
She had intended to ask the supervisor earlier why other display booths had already set up their items, while theirs remained empty.
The only exhibit on the platform was the painting of Zhong Kui Subduing Ghosts, which Tang Jingde had brought from home.
But before she could speak, these events had unfolded.
The portly supervisor immediately shook his head. "Manager Chu, I thought you would be bringing the items yourself. After all, every year, Old Master Tang personally comes to the store and places each item."
"You should quickly call the transport vehicle from your company. Something might have happened."
"Perhaps someone is deliberately making things difficult for you."
The person he referred to was naturally Ye Wenqiang.
Chu Nianxue took out her phone and quickly made a call. The result was no answer. Her face turned as cold as ice. After making several more calls and checking the street cameras, she discovered that the vehicle was parked in front of the Yiliang Hotel and had not come to the exhibition hall at all.
"Manager Chu, the antiques have disappeared. The items we prepared were taken from a corner where the cameras couldn't see," the secretary said, her voice trembling.
These antiques were mostly brought back by Lin Xiaotian, the most valuable batch among all the collected items.
There were over fifty pieces in total.
There was no need to worry about the complete loss of these antiques, as it would be difficult to move such a large collection in this era. However, the critical issue was the delay of today's exhibition.
They couldn't possibly display only two items on this grand stage.
Tang Jingde was also pushed out by the crowd. Hearing the conversation, he immediately said, "I'll have someone bring some of my collections over right away. We can't leave the display empty, or it will lead to unfavorable rumors about Mingyue Pavilion."
"Especially with Ye Wenqiang involved; he's not a good person."
Chu Nianxue, however, gave a wry smile and shook her head. "Old Master Tang, if we use your items to fill the gap, there will certainly be rumors. After all, the antiques you collect are all renowned."
"People will say that Mingyue Pavilion has nothing else to offer besides these two treasures."
And precisely what she feared was happening.
Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted, "Does Mingyue Pavilion only have these two items?"
With so many people gathered, it was impossible to tell who had shouted it.