As Wang Guan discovered the flaw in the Yongzheng polychrome celestial vase, he couldn't help but fall into deep thought: how could he discreetly expose the object's true nature? Furthermore, who sent it, and what was their motive? Wang Guan was even more curious: since the item was an exquisite piece, perfectly capable of passing as genuine, why claim it was a replica?

"Eh, wait a moment."

Just then, Elder Yan seemed to notice something, declaring firmly, "There's an issue with this piece; no wonder they called it a fake."

"Elder Yan, what's wrong with it?" The others started, hurriedly pressing for details.

"What an astonishing replica."

Elder Yan shook his head, sounding somewhat surprised and doubtful. "Good heavens, it's copied so convincingly; it almost fooled me. If the base mark read 'Made in the Qianlong Period of the Great Qing,' it probably would have passed."

"Elder Yan, don't keep us in suspense," Hao Baolai urged. "Please tell us how it’s wrong."

"The painting is incorrect."

Elder Yan explained, "You must know that Emperor Yongzheng was a meticulous man. Official kiln porcelains were truly made according to imperial decree—the Emperor would issue edicts guiding their production. Anything that didn't meet his standards wouldn't even be admitted into the palace."

"I won't discuss the paste or the glaze for now; let's focus only on the painting on the vase." Elder Yan pointed to the dense foliage and abundant peaches decorating the celestial vase. "Have you noticed? The painting is completely..."

What was meant by "completely" was that the entire design wrapped around the body of the vase, leaving virtually no blank space.

"So what?" Hao Baolai and the others were utterly confused. To their eyes, the pattern on the vase was magnificent and elegant. The peaches were rosy pink, the branches rendered in black-brown enamel, interlacing to show a hard edge amidst softness, possessing a rich three-dimensional layered beauty. Nothing seemed amiss.

"Too little 'left white' (negative space)."

At this, Wang Guan’s eyes flashed, and he smiled slightly. "Emperor Yongzheng was quite aloof and reserved—to put it bluntly, somewhat solitary in his tastes. Therefore, almost all porcelain from the Yongzheng period features delicate, dignified brushwork, leaning towards elegance and enduring charm. This means there needed to be sufficient blank space to convey that refined meaning."

"But this design of nine peaches and five bats is so ornate; that's the style of the Qianlong period," Wang Guan chuckled. "That's why Elder Yan said if it carried a 'Made in the Qianlong Period of the Great Qing' mark, it would be appropriate."

"There's one more thing. Don't ever assume the painter made a mistake. You have to understand that the design on the porcelain, how it should be drawn, and how much space it should occupy—all of that was personally finalized by Emperor Yongzheng, then executed by master painters from the Imperial Workshop. There would absolutely be no errors. If there were a mistake, it would likely have been smashed after firing, making it impossible to survive until now."

As he spoke, Wang Guan's own mind was filled with confusion. After all, he was certain this polychrome celestial vase was the work of Master Zhu Da, identifiable by Master Zhu Da's unique hidden mark. The question was, given Master Zhu Da’s skill, how could such a glaring flaw exist? It was bizarre!

"Exactly so."

Elder Yan highly affirmed Wang Guan's explanation, then gazed at the vase before him with a touch of lament. "But speaking of which, the imitation is incredibly realistic; it's definitely the handiwork of a master. The puzzle is, why would a master's work contain such an obvious flaw?"

Elder Yan was utterly baffled, which was precisely the problem perplexing Wang Guan as well.

"Elder Yan, please don't overthink it," Hao Baolai said with a laugh. "A flaw is better than no flaw; if there were no flaw, it would be the real thing."

While the others showed no particular reaction to this statement, Gao Dequan’s heart skipped a beat, and he nudged Wang Guan discreetly. "What do you think?"

"We'll discuss it later..." Wang Guan whispered back, then suddenly murmured to himself, "I wonder who sent it. Whoever could identify it as a replica is likely an expert too."

"That's right."

Hearing this, Elder Yan also grew curious. "Who sent the gift?"

In an instant, the middle-aged man looked troubled, naturally turning his gaze toward the unmoving, statuesque Old Master Su.

"Even though it's a replica, it’s still a very precious item," Old Master Su smiled. "Good fortune and longevity—a very auspicious meaning. I'm also curious who sent it."

"It was someone named Meng Jian," the middle-aged man quickly replied.

"Meng Jian?"

Wang Guan froze, suddenly having a strong premonition that this person had already left.

"You know him?" Elder Yan asked curiously, looking at Gao Dequan and then Hao Baolai. Their faces showed such surprise that it was easy to guess they might know someone named Meng Jian.

"Elder Yan, you met him too," Hao Baolai reminded him. "Yesterday at the Huangcheng Temple..., that young man."

"Oh, him," Elder Yan realized with a start, then sighed wistfully. "I'm truly getting old; I don't recognize many of the young generation of connoisseurs."

"Elder Yan, you are a senior master; you don't need to know them; it’s enough that they know you," Hao Baolai said with a smile. "Besides, you still have us. Actually, I'm quite young too..."

For a moment, everyone laughed. They held a degree of admiration, as it took audacity to utter such a 'mythical' claim.

Meanwhile, upon hearing Elder Yan confirm the piece was a fake, the middle-aged man was quite disappointed. He had hoped to uncover something significant among the gifts; it turned out to be just a fleeting wish. Nevertheless, he had certainly done his duty diligently and received praise from Old Master Su. The middle-aged man was pleased and immediately took the vase away to continue appraising the other gifts.

After a small interlude... well, for many people, it truly was just a small interlude.

Of course, Wang Guan certainly didn't see it that way. On the contrary, he kept mulling over the matter, right up until after dinner, as he took Hao Baolai's yacht back to Shanghai, the incident still weighing on his mind.

"Wang Guan..."

Moreover, Wang Guan wasn't the only one preoccupied. Once aboard the yacht, Gao Dequan immediately asked, "Is there a problem with that Yongzheng polychrome Peony Motif Celestial Vase?"

"Yes, a big one," Wang Guan nodded. "It's Master Zhu Da's masterpiece."

"What?" Gao Dequan was startled at first, then quickly shook his head. "Impossible. How could Master Zhu Da's work have such a huge flaw?"

"That's what I've been contemplating," Wang Guan replied, pulling out his phone and displaying the evidence.

When examining the celestial vase earlier, he had taken a few photos, one of which zoomed in on a minute detail of the design. This detail proved he wasn't lying.

The picture was remarkably clear, showing where two branches intertwined. It looked perfectly normal on the surface, but when Wang Guan adjusted the photo's angle slightly, a seal script character for 'Zhu' materialized clearly.

"It really is real."

Despite being mentally prepared, Gao Dequan couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment. "This is too strange..."

"Indeed, very strange," Wang Guan frowned. "You must know that Master Zhu Da was an extremely proud, even arrogant man. His pursuit of perfection likely surpassed that of Emperors Yongzheng and Qianlong combined."

"With that temperament, how could he tolerate his own work having a flaw?"

"That makes sense," Gao Dequan agreed. "Forget such a large defect; he probably would have smashed it over even a minor imperfection, never allowing it to exist in the world."

"But I'm even more curious how that man named Meng Jian obtained the polychrome celestial vase," Wang Guan sighed. "It's a pity he left so early; I really wanted to ask him about it."

"Ask what?"

At that moment, Hao Baolai emerged from the cabin, chuckling. "Wang Guan, I truly must thank you today. Later, without any argument, you can pick anything you like from my private collection."

"Heh heh, thank you, Uncle Hao," Wang Guan replied, not declining. He never refused an opportunity to closely examine various treasures.

"Don't be so polite; it's a fair exchange."

Despite his words, Hao Baolai gave a serious reminder. "A prior declaration: you can choose anything, but there is one 'Treasury Guardian' piece you absolutely cannot touch..."

"Wang Guan, don't hesitate, just pick that Treasury Guardian piece," Gao Dequan suggested with a mischievous grin.

"You wicked, unscrupulous friend! I shouldn't have taken you to see the collection in the first place..." Hao Baolai lamented dramatically.

Amidst a burst of laughter, the yacht returned safely to shore. Hao Baolai kept his word and drove them straight to his residence—a villa on the outskirts of the city with a touch of garden style, its interior décor utterly luxurious.

Hao Baolai's collection room was located in a very spacious area on the lower level of the villa. Passing through a heavily secured anti-theft door, Wang Guan felt as if he had entered a small museum. Inside, countless items were displayed: jade, ceramics, paintings, ancient texts, carvings in ivory, horn, and wood, among others. However, the sheer variety did not translate to clutter. On the contrary, every piece was arranged in an orderly, safe manner, with some items even encased under transparent glass domes.

"Huh, seems like there are quite a few new additions," Gao Dequan remarked while looking around, a hint of pleasant surprise in his expression.

"Of course," Hao Baolai said proudly. "As you said, a collection cannot remain static; it should flow like rivers and streams to maintain vitality. So during this time, I've not only bought many things but also frequently exchanged them with others..."

"Yes, yes," Gao Dequan agreed. "But judgment is key. Otherwise, whether you're buying or trading, you'll end up being fooled and losing out."

"Don't look down on me," Hao Baolai scoffed. "I am an expert now..."

"Uncle Hao, where is your Treasury Guardian piece?"

Wang Guan interrupted their banter, curiously looking around. He wasn't genuinely trying to covet Hao Baolai's favorite collection; he simply wanted the experience of viewing it.

"Heh heh, something that important is definitely kept more concealed," Hao Baolai replied without pretense, walking straight to a corner and pushing aside an oil painting hanging on the wall. Beneath it was something resembling an LCD screen.

Simultaneously, Hao Baolai placed his hand on the screen. After a few didi sounds, the light flickered, and the floor in the center of the room suddenly cracked open, slowly revealing a square pillar... (To be continued)