Upon hearing Wang Guan mention spending seven million on an item, Elder Qian immediately became exceptionally interested. He set aside his book and ushered Wang Guan into his study, carefully unrolling the scroll onto the desk for examination.

"The Dwelling in the Rich Mountains." With his profound experience, Elder Qian recognized the provenance from the inscription as soon as the scroll was opened. He smiled and remarked, "This painting, much like the Along the River During the Qingming Festival, has numerous versions. However, for you to spend such a large sum on it, it must be the work of a master."

"You guessed correctly, Elder," Wang Guan smiled brightly. "This is a replica by Wang Hui, one of the 'Four Wangs,' who was known in the early Qing dynasty as the Sage of Painting."

"Is it truly his?" Elder Qian showed a flicker of surprise and delight. "Is it the one that was lost overseas?"

As he spoke, Elder Qian gently unrolled the scroll halfway. After just a brief glance, his brow furrowed, and he asked in a low voice, "How did this painting come into your possession?"

"Elder Qian, is there something wrong with this painting?"

Wang Guan looked taken aback. "I examined it thoroughly, and I felt certain it was an authentic piece by Wang Hui."

"It’s not the work that’s wrong, it’s this painting…" Elder Qian hesitated, then suddenly seemed to understand, letting out a soft sigh. "Jia’s family sold it to you, didn't they?"

"Uh…"

Wang Guan immediately grasped the implication and cautiously inquired, "Elder Qian, is this a prized collection belonging to one of your friends?"

In truth, while at the Shiyi Pavilion, Wang Guan had vaguely suspected that the young man, Jia Qin, was an unfilial descendant selling off ancestral treasures. That was why he had sighed in melancholy, knowing another great collector had passed away. Seeing Elder Qian's reaction now only solidified his guess.

"Something like that," Elder Qian sighed softly. "More of a casual acquaintance, but we did interact frequently during major holidays…"

After his sigh, Elder Qian waved his hand dismissively. "There’s no need to examine the painting further. It is indeed a replica by Wang Hui. Seven million was a fair price; years ago, someone offered ten million, and he wasn't willing to part with it then."

"Elder Qian,"

Wang Guan paused, then decided to speak plainly. "The person who sold it to me was a young man, about my age. After the transaction, he invited me to his home tomorrow."

"...Go then."

Elder Qian was momentarily stunned, then spoke with a wistful tone. "Some things, falling into your hands, are better than falling into others'."

"Mmm."

Wang Guan nodded quietly, realizing Elder Qian had lost the desire to look at the painting. He quickly put it away and changed the subject.

Despite the shift, Elder Qian still seemed listless. Suddenly, he clapped Wang Guan on the shoulder and encouraged him, "Work hard to earn money. Not too much, just ten or twenty billion before you turn forty should suffice."

"What?" Wang Guan was completely bewildered.

Elder Qian smiled, making no move to explain, and walked out to the back garden to water his plants.

It took a moment for Wang Guan to process the words, and he couldn't help but gasp. "Ten or twenty billion? How vast his collection must be! What I saw in his house was just the tip of the iceberg… Wait, is that unit RMB, or dollars? Or Euros?"

Wang Guan shook his head in wonder, feeling for the first time the immense gap between himself and the great collectors. The complacency he had felt earlier instantly vanished, replaced by fierce determination fueled by having a tangible goal to pursue.

The next morning, Wang Guan drove to the address provided by Jia Qin, feeling refreshed and energetic. However, upon arrival, he realized Jia Qin hadn't invited him alone.

Seeing the row of cars parked in front of the villa, Wang Guan knew he had quite a few competitors today.

"I knew it. There couldn't be such a simple stroke of luck…" Wang Guan steadied himself and managed a calm smile before being led by a servant into the main hall.

As he entered, Wang Guan’s eyes scanned the room and spotted several familiar faces. Not necessarily close friends, but people he had crossed paths with—nodding acquaintances. Among them was an elder gentleman wearing a dark red Tang suit, idly turning two iron balls in his hand.

Seeing Wang Guan, the elder man seemed slightly surprised and called out, "Why are you here too?"

"Elder Chang, if you can come, how could I not?" Wang Guan smiled, exchanged nods with the other acquaintances, and then walked toward Elder Chang, the chief consultant of the Rong Bao Zhai gallery.

"If you can make it, coming to watch the excitement is fine," Elder Chang replied, his tone carrying a subtle hint of meaning. Wang Guan understood the underlying implication: with him present, Wang Guan’s trip would likely be fruitless.

Wang Guan merely smiled, unconcerned by the psychological tactic. He who takes such things seriously first loses. After sitting down near Elder Chang, he surveyed the surroundings; Jia Qin hadn't appeared yet, perhaps waiting for everyone to arrive.

A servant brought tea, which Wang Guan politely accepted, taking a small sip. Then, Elder Chang next to him inquired, "Kid, I haven't seen you in Beijing recently. Where have you been frolicking?"

"Hong Kong," Wang Guan put down his cup and replied with a smile. "Went shopping with my girlfriend."

"Nonsense." Elder Chang certainly didn't believe him. His gaze swept over Wang Guan, and his eyes suddenly lit up. "That jade thumb ring you’re wearing looks quite unique. Hand it over for me to see."

Wang Guan instinctively covered the yellow jade ring with his hand. This was advice from Elder Qian: jade nourishes man, and man shapes jade; jade pieces must be handled often to allow the jade and the heart to communicate, filling it with spiritual energy. Therefore, Wang Guan constantly wore and polished it. After all, as a professional expert, it felt improper to appear in public without wearing something that signified his status.

Unexpectedly, Elder Chang’s eyes were sharp enough to notice the ring’s unusual quality immediately.

However, Wang Guan didn't admit anything, merely chuckling lightly. "It’s just ordinary yellow dragon jade, something I wear to pass the time. I wouldn't dare show it off and risk making Elder Chang laugh."

"Cut the act." Elder Chang squinted. Old and cunning as he was, he wouldn't be easily fooled. He knew Wang Guan wouldn't treasure something ordinary so highly.

Just as Elder Chang was about to adopt a more demanding stance and reach for the ring, another person entered the hall. It was an elder with a silver beard and white hair, radiating vigor, dressed in loose clothing and soft cloth shoes—very casual.

"Elder Zeng!"

The moment they saw him, many in the hall stood up to greet him. Of course, venerated seniors like Elder Chang merely nodded in acknowledgment, needing no such formality.

Seeing this, Wang Guan rose with the flow, and after a moment's thought, whispered to Elder Chang, "Elder Chang, that Elder Zeng, is he the chief consultant for Jiade Auction House?"

The collecting circles in Beijing were both large and small; even if one hadn't met certain people, they would have heard of them, allowing for easy connection through comparison.

"Yes, that’s him," Elder Chang confirmed.

Although both held the title of chief consultant, representing different auction houses—and according to the logic that rivals should be sworn enemies—one would expect Elder Chang and Elder Zeng to at least avoid each other. However, the opposite was true. Seeing Elder Chang present, Elder Zeng cheerfully walked over and greeted him enthusiastically.

Elder Chang also smiled, waving Wang Guan aside to allow Elder Zeng to sit next to him. Being respectful of elders, Wang Guan didn't mind and simply pulled up a nearby chair to sit down.

After some pleasantries, Elder Zeng suddenly smiled and asked, "Brother Chang, what treasure did Rong Bao acquire?"

The question seemed random, but Elder Chang understood immediately. He hesitated slightly before answering softly, "Nothing much, just a piece of Yuan Dynasty porcelain."

"Oh." Elder Zeng nodded slightly. "Is it that copper-red glazed piece?"

"How did you know?" Elder Chang was momentarily startled, then realized. "Did Jiade acquire that egg-white glazed one?"

"Mmm."

Elder Zeng confirmed, though his expression showed little joy. Elder Chang felt similarly. Since they knew so much about the Jia family's possessions, it meant they had some connection with the late Elder Jia. Therefore, seeing the Jia family begin to sell off Elder Jia's lifetime collection after his passing brought neither of them any happiness.

After a moment of silence, Elder Chang turned back to Wang Guan. "Wang Guan, what object did you acquire?"

By now, Wang Guan understood the implication of their exchange and had no intention of hiding anything. He stated frankly, "Wang Hui's replica of the Dwelling in the Rich Mountains."

"That’s a good piece too," Elder Chang sighed, then resumed inquiring of others.

This was clearly an exchange of intelligence, and none present were fools; they all cooperated. Each person had bought items offered by Jia Qin at a relatively high price, which was the prerequisite for receiving the invitation.

Furthermore, through this quiet discussion, Wang Guan realized that while the items Jia Qin was selling were valuable, he likely still held superior treasures. Inviting everyone now was merely an attempt to create an environment similar to a small auction, maximizing his profit.

Of course, knowing this, it was still an inescapable overt maneuver. Given the diverse statuses of those present—chief consultants from major auction houses, independent antique dealers, and wealthy collectors—it was virtually impossible to unite and reach a consensus.

While they were whispering amongst themselves, Jia Qin finally walked in with an apologetic smile. "I sincerely apologize for keeping everyone waiting."

"Not at all, we only just arrived."

After a few polite exchanges, Jia Qin smiled again. "Now that everyone is here, I trust you all know the purpose. There are quite a few items, and it’s inconvenient to bring them all out here. Please follow me to take a look."

As he spoke, Jia Qin led the way. Wang Guan and the others followed without hesitation, winding through corridors until they reached a vast room.

The room was immense, with rows upon rows of shelving neatly arranged in different zones. At a glance, the shelves were laden with countless objects, resembling a miniature museum.

Jia Qin then announced, "As you can see, there’s a lot of material. I’m too lazy to sell it piece by piece…"

"What do you mean?"

In an instant, everyone looked surprised. They weren't selling by the piece? Were they going to sell by weight?

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