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Water possesses a powerful capacity for purification, along with the noble virtue of self-sacrifice for the benefit of others.

In Wang Guan's view, this was an extremely rare spirit of dedication.

Alright, perhaps that's a bit overly philosophical.

At the very least, water is the source of all human life; that statement certainly holds true, especially in the Northwest where water is a rather precious resource.

For someone accustomed to living in the south, this environment took some getting used to.

Of course, Jiuquan wasn't as desperately short of water as people might imagine.

After all, with the Black River, Shule River, and Halteng River systems flowing nearby, water resources were quite abundant.

However, conserving water and cherishing it should remain a fundamental principle everywhere.

Thus, Wang Guan had first wiped the ashy-grey surface of the circular stone with a towel before placing it in the water to soak; the difference in sequence saved at least one cup of water.

Don't underestimate a cup of water; in the desert, it could save a life.

Speaking of which, Wang Guan didn't usually possess such lofty awareness, but after spending a few days in Jiuquan and seeing how diligently everyone practiced frugality, he began to emulate them—a clear demonstration that environment truly can change a person.

After tossing the circular stone into the water, Wang Guan turned back and smiled, "There, that's only a few small items.

Compared to your collection, it's a drop in the ocean.

Is there any need to be sad for so long?" "What drop in the ocean? My collection isn't nearly that substantial." Yu Feibai retorted with annoyance, "You wouldn't feel the pinch since it isn't your property." "They're all new jades anyway; just buy replacements." Wang Guan shrugged, "You aren't short on cash now, are you?" That was certainly the truth.

Under Tang Qinghua’s management, the gold and silver from Wang Zhi's treasure had been sold, and a massive sum had been transferred into Yu Feibai's bank account, meaning China had just welcomed another billionaire.

Mentioning this, Yu Feibai indeed stopped feeling dejected, a smile spreading across his face. "That's true.

What are a few jade ornaments? I can buy an entire mineral vein later, and have as much as I want." Clearly, Yu Feibai had not forgotten his ambition for the 'King of Hetian Jade' plan.

Before, without funds, it was merely a plan; now that he had the money, he was eager to put it into action.

As he spoke, he stroked his chin, "Speaking of which, we aren't that far from Hetian now.

Are you interested in going over to check the situation out?" "Forget it." Wang Guan spread his hands. "We’re under house arrest now.

There are likely only two routes: either stay here or return to the capital.

We can't even get to Dunhuang, let alone Hetian." "That’s true." Yu Feibai thought for a moment, then couldn't help but sigh. "What rotten luck..." Just as he spoke, a cell phone rang.

Wang Guan didn't look up, as it was Yu Feibai's phone.

He casually pulled out his own to check.

Seeing that it was Yu Fangkai calling, he answered it as a courtesy. "Brother, it's me..." After a brief exchange, Yu Feibai's expression froze.

Astonished, he said, "Really? Alright, we'll be right there." "What's going on?" Wang Guan felt curious, and before he could ask more, Yu Feibai dragged him outside. "There's a discovery, at the hotel where that person was staying.

His suitcase is still there.

Perhaps he didn't have time to take it, or maybe he left it intentionally..." As Yu Feibai explained, the two hurried towards the hotel.

At that moment, the room was filled with people; a squad of police officers was maintaining order, preventing unauthorized personnel from entering.

However, upon seeing the two arrive, the officers immediately cleared a path for them.

Simultaneously, Yu Fangkai waved them over, saying, "Come take a look.

There's something here meant for you." "Something for us?" This time, both Wang Guan and Yu Feibai were quite surprised and quickly walked over.

They soon saw what Yu Fangkai had indicated: a letter, pieced together using cut-out characters from newspapers.

The letter was short, only eight characters, and the phrasing was slightly disjointed, but the meaning was perfectly clear. "A small lesson, Yang Pass solitary plank road!" Wang Guan murmured, and after a moment’s thought, he understood the implied threat.

The subtext was simply that the attack they suffered was just a minor warning.

If they knew what was good for them, they should each go their separate ways—one on the broad public road, the other on the narrow private bridge—and let bygones be bygones.

Otherwise, things wouldn't end so simply.

It wasn't just Wang Guan; Yu Feibai was equally sharp and naturally grasped the letter's meaning.

A surge of anger instantly flared up, and he ground his teeth, "Threatening us? Is this a threat?" "Enough, what's the point in getting angry?" In contrast, Wang Guan remained remarkably calm. "If threats worked, what would we need the police for? Besides, you yourself said they are nothing but rats lurking in the gutter, incapable of ever showing their faces in the open.

That's why they resort to these petty tricks in the shadows.

If they truly had the backbone, they would have thrown actual bombs yesterday, not just alcohol bottles..." "Wang Guan is absolutely right." At this point, Yu Fangkai nodded approvingly. "They certainly know your background; they know that if you were seriously harmed, this matter would never be dropped.

Not worldwide, perhaps, but certainly not within the entirety of China—there would be no place left for them to hide." Persuaded by the two, Yu Feibai gradually calmed down and then asked, "The item was hidden beforehand, right?" "No.

Looking at the surveillance footage, he only returned to the hotel and placed the item under the bed after you had visited and left.

Clearly, that's when they started plotting to deal with you." Yu Fangkai explained, snorting dismissively. "They're meticulous, having calculated that we would thoroughly search this room after you were attacked.

But the person was extremely cautious, leaving absolutely no trace whatsoever." Logically, since the person had stayed there for several days, he should have left something behind—a used toothbrush, a tissue, or even shed hair or fingerprints.

But the hotel staff were conscientious; after the guest checked out, they meticulously cleaned the room, leaving nothing behind.

Furthermore, the person returned later and wiped down every surface that might retain fingerprints, while the letter itself was constructed from cut newspaper clippings, leaving zero identifiable marks.

All of this frustrated the veteran officers, who lamented that criminals these days were becoming smarter, making their own jobs increasingly difficult. "Oh, right.

Besides this letter, there is also this large plate." At this moment, Yu Fangkai pointed to a large plate on the table, signaling, "This was presumably intended for Ouyang, but for some reason, the person didn't take it and left it behind instead." "What other reason could there be? Provocation, obviously." Yu Feibai's eyes flashed, and he immediately waved towards Wang Guan. "Wang Guan, it's your turn.

This is the puzzle they left for you to solve." "What puzzle? They probably just left it because it was too big and cumbersome to carry while trying to escape quickly." Wang Guan said casually. "Traveling light helps you get away faster." This logic seemed sound, and others agreed, but with the object there, Wang Guan certainly needed to examine it.

Even knowing it was a fake, he needed to study exactly where the forgery lay. "Yes, it's this Blue-and-White large dish." Just then, Ouyang arrived, and a complex expression crossed his face as he saw the large dish.

At this stage, it was completely certain the item was a fake.

Otherwise, the perpetrator wasn't foolish enough to casually discard a treasure whose value was well-known.

They only abandoned it because they knew it was worthless. "Yongle Blue-and-White Lychee and Songbird Large Dish." Yu Feibai approached the bedside, gazing at the dish, nearly sixty centimeters in diameter.

Even knowing it was counterfeit, he couldn't help but sigh, "If this were genuine, it would absolutely be a peerless treasure." Yu Feibai was correct; any large vessel inherently held high value, and moreover, the design—the pattern of lychee and songbirds—carried a profound symbolic meaning.

Because shou (songbird, ) is a homophone for shòu (longevity, ), and dai (ribbon, ) is a homophone for dài (era/generation, ), the songbird became a symbol of longevity in people's minds.

Thus, this dish was undoubtedly an object meant for celebrating a birthday.

It might even have been specifically commissioned by the Imperial Kiln for the Yongle Emperor’s birthday celebration.

That was Ouyang’s initial belief, and he must have been greatly disheartened to learn it was a fake.

At this point, Yu Feibai scrutinized the dish for a long time before letting out a slight sigh. "It is truly beautiful.

The blue-and-white decoration is dignified and elegant, and the lines of the vessel are remarkably soft and flowing.

The paste is fine, the body pure white, and the thickness appropriate—both nimble and substantial." "The glaze is thick, fine, smooth, lustrous, and even, and because the blue pigment used is Sumali Qing cobalt material, there is a natural diffusion effect during firing.

Under the right heat, it achieves a rich, intense blue, like sapphire, with an elegant yet deep color, dazzlingly vibrant and clearly layered.

When you run your hand over it, you can feel the subtle unevenness." As he spoke, Yu Feibai lightly traced the blue-and-white pattern on the dish, filled with emotion. "Every aspect of the craftsmanship aligns perfectly with the period characteristics of Yongle Blue-and-White.

If it were me, I’m afraid I would have been fooled too." "Exactly, exactly." Ouyang was in complete agreement.

He then carefully turned the dish over and pointed to the line of staples on the base, indicating, "Look here.

The staples are very old, and the slight rust seems entirely natural, not artificially aged." "The staples don't need artificial aging." At the same time, Wang Guan smiled and explained, "Never mind the other characteristics of this dish; using staples as your basis for identification is inherently unreliable." "That's right.

Staples from different periods do indeed have their own characteristics." Yu Feibai spoke fluently, adding, "The iron staples used during the Ming Dynasty were large and thick, rusting easily.

During the Qing Dynasty, copper staples were used, and they were comparatively smaller." From their shape, Yu Feibai continued, "the staples on this dish are clearly from the Qing Dynasty." "This creates a common misconception, making people think the item was passed down to the Qing period, accidentally cracked in half, and then taken to a craftsman to be stapled.

In that scenario, someone might believe the dish is Ming while the staples are Qing—a clear continuity error, making it seem highly credible, right?" (To be continued...)