Wang Guan felt a touch of disappointment upon hearing that the person in question was merely a fisherman. But then it occurred to him that Mr. Zhu Da operated with extreme secrecy and caution; it was unlikely his whereabouts would be revealed so easily, and he soon relaxed.

At that moment, Wang Guan asked no further questions, but carefully lifted the blue and white porcelain platter, placing it on the central table to prepare for a meticulous inspection of its authenticity. Even though he was inwardly convinced it was a fake produced by Mr. Zhu Da, he knew he still had to examine it properly—it was a matter of professional attitude that could not be overlooked.

“Old Yu…”

However, just as Wang Guan began his close look, several other people entered the storeroom from outside. One of them appeared to be a colleague of Section Chief Yu. Seeing Section Chief Yu there, the newcomer paused briefly before greeting him naturally.

“Director Nian!”

Section Chief Yu turned around and immediately called out the title with great deference. It was evident the person arriving was his superior.

“Mm.”

Director Nian gave a slight nod, naturally noticed Wang Guan, glanced at Section Chief Yu—showing no sign of displeasure, but rather a knowing, silent smile—then turned back to make introductions: “Old Yu, come meet Boss Fang.”

“Section Chief Yu, a pleasure to make your acquaintance,” Boss Fang replied smoothly, immediately stepping forward to shake hands and offer greetings.

“Section Chief Yu, I trust you’ll look after me in the future.” Boss Fang offered a perfunctory smile, then abruptly moved past Section Chief Yu, his expression turning quite astonished: “Wang Guan, what are you doing here?”

It wasn't just Boss Fang who was surprised; Wang Guan was equally taken aback, marveling at how the world was so small, never expecting to run into Fang Mingsheng right here.

Wang Guan inwardly shook his head, yet maintained a composed facade, casually remarking, “If Boss Fang can come, can’t I?”

“Of course not,” Fang Mingsheng replied, shaking his head. A flicker crossed his eyes before he smiled again: “It’s just that I never imagined your purpose here is the same as mine.”

“What do you mean?” Wang Guan paused, then realized, his surprise mounting: “Boss Fang, you came here for this Yongle Blue and White Imperial Dragon-Patterned Litchi Platter as well?”

“Exactly.” Fang Mingsheng admitted generously: “I was wrapping up some business in Jieyang yesterday and happened to hear about this platter, so I came over to see for myself.”

“Oh.”

Wang Guan smiled, also noticing that standing beside Fang Mingsheng was not just his usual bodyguard entourage, but also a man around fifty, dressed in a silk white changshan, possessing a calm and reserved demeanor. Vaguely, Wang Guan suspected this man was the expert Fang Mingsheng had brought along to appraise the platter.

Sensing Wang Guan’s gaze, Fang Mingsheng smoothly seized the opportunity to introduce him: “Wang Guan, this is Mr. Gu, the foremost porcelain appraisal master in Jieyang…”

“Boss Fang overpraises me; I wouldn’t dare claim to be the foremost,” Mr. Gu waved a hand, displaying considerable humility. That was the way of things in the current climate: those with genuine skill understood their own limitations and never spoke too broadly. It was the half-baked practitioners who, fearful of others discovering their inadequacies, habitually exaggerated their abilities.

Amidst his modesty, Mr. Gu naturally took a moment to size up Wang Guan, a degree of curiosity evident in his eyes.

“Mr. Gu, this is Wang Guan…”

At this point, Fang Mingsheng continued the introduction, his tone layered with meaning: “Don’t let his youth fool you; he is very capable. In fact, the treasures he currently possesses are enough to make anyone envious.”

“Boss Fang always likes to joke,” Wang Guan deftly brushed off the comment, then presented his business card. He smiled warmly: “Senior Gu, if you ever have time to visit the capital, please do look me up.”

“…Shiyi Ge!” Upon reading the card, Mr. Gu immediately recognized Wang Guan as a colleague in the field. He then broke into a wide smile: “Truly a talented young man. We should certainly look out for one another…”

After a few pleasantries, Mr. Gu’s attention naturally shifted to the blue and white platter on the table.

“Yongle Blue and White…”

At this moment, Fang Mingsheng examined the platter closely, his eyes growing brighter the longer he looked. Finally, he couldn't help but exclaim in admiration: “It truly lives up to its reputation; it’s absolutely magnificent. Though it’s a massive platter, I find it exceptionally elegant and exquisite.”

“That speaks volumes about the skill of the drafting artisans,”

At the same time, Mr. Gu smiled: “The draftsmen at the Imperial Kiln were, in the eyes of an insider, absolutely the equal of any great painter. Indeed, during the Qing Dynasty, those who decorated high-quality porcelain were themselves esteemed court painters. For example, Giuseppe Castiglione and Pan Tingzhang, among others, painted directly onto porcelain at the Emperor’s command.”

Wang Guan nodded softly, knowing Mr. Gu was entirely correct. Court painters in the Qing period certainly held such ‘concurrent positions,’ which was one reason why the finest porcelains from the Three Emperors period commanded such exorbitant prices. The provenance of famous artisans and famous paintings was certainly a contributing factor.

This Yongle blue and white platter was much the same; the person who painted the underglaze blue patterns must have been a master of profound skill. Across the immense surface of the platter, the blue and white decoration was finely delineated, especially the litchi fruit at the center and the paradise flycatcher—not only were the branches and leaves perfectly distinct, but the fine strands of the bird’s feathers and down were rendered with microscopic precision.

The piece was large in scale, yet the decoration was natural and delicate. The blue color was rich and vibrant, the patterns exhibiting the characteristic diffusion and bleed of ink wash painting. Its form was regular and refined, its style honest and ancient, the lines rounded and soft, the overall appearance both beautiful and striking—unquestionably a pinnacle representative work of Chinese blue and white porcelain.

This assessment came from Mr. Gu’s lips, clearly indicating that after his appraisal, he deemed the platter genuine—a national treasure of rare quality, highly worthy of possession.

Wang Guan found it difficult to offer a definitive judgment on this. After all, were he to appraise it based purely on his true abilities, he suspected he would reach the exact same conclusion and commit the following statement to writing:

Yongle Blue and White Litchi and Paradise Flycatcher Platter: The body is white and smooth, the underglaze blue coloring rich and deep… all craftsmanship conforms to the characteristics of the period. Authenticated as a superior blue and white porcelain piece from the Ming Yongle era. Due to its immense size and unparalleled uniqueness, estimated value: XXXXXXXX yuan.

If it were put up for a major auction, those Xs might well multiply to nine.

Of course, life rarely offers such clean scenarios. While Fang Mingsheng and Mr. Gu were examining the platter, Wang Guan had already used his special ability to conduct a detailed scan, confirming the piece was indeed a fake. Furthermore, on a cluster of blue and white motifs along the inner curve of the platter, there was an inconspicuous yet perfectly clear hidden mark.

Seeing this, Wang Guan became certain that the object was truly the work of Mr. Zhu Da. Or, perhaps, the reason it was intercepted so easily by the Haidou was precisely because Mr. Zhu Da had intentionally let it slip.

The motive, as Wang Guan suspected, was pure rivalry. You confiscated a large platter from me in the Northwest? Fine, I’ll send you another one. This was definitely a gift, not a sale.

After all, the money earned from auctioning such an item would have to be turned over to the national treasury.

In other words, if Wang Guan hadn't coincidentally overheard the news from Feng Hui and rushed over, the item would have been auctioned as planned, potentially defrauding whomever purchased it. No matter who was swindled, once the item sold, it would undoubtedly cause an industry sensation. By then, even if Wang Guan and the others discovered the truth, it would be too late.

Of course, even if he knew someone had been taken advantage of, Wang Guan likely wouldn't have cared much unless it was himself. But Elder Qian and the others would certainly be deeply upset. This was a difference in outlook; Wang Guan still held a degree of self-centeredness, unlike Elder Qian and his peers who prioritized the bigger picture and possessed a sense of civic responsibility.

Throughout history, there has always been a select few who feel the burden of the world rests upon their shoulders, instinctively taking on responsibility commensurate with their abilities, without needing external prompting. Examples included the crackdown operation against Mr. Zhu Da twenty years ago, or the current urgent pursuit of leads upon discovering that Mr. Zhu Da was resurfacing.

Perhaps Mr. Zhu Da understood the psychology of Elder Qian and his circle, which is why he devised this self-defeating trap. Even if it caused no actual physical harm to Elder Qian’s group, it could certainly sour their mood.

However, that was the result of Wang Guan’s post-hoc analysis. At this very moment, he felt intensely conflicted: should he expose the true nature of this Yongle blue and white platter?

It was no wonder Wang Guan hesitated. If only Mr. Gu hadn't been present, it would be simple enough to contradict him. But Mr. Gu had just declared the piece genuine; to immediately call it a fake would be a direct slap in the face. Yet, remaining silent and watching the piece go to auction as genuine felt unbearable.

This was a fake being passed off as real, potentially involving tens of millions. In China, regardless of how wealthy a person might be, few could afford to ignore such a colossal sum.

Perhaps such people existed, but Wang Guan was certainly not one of them. And Wang Guan tended to project his own feelings onto others; he imagined that if he personally lost tens of millions, he might even contemplate suicide by slamming his head into a wall, concluding others felt similarly.

With that thought, Wang Guan finally decided to speak, though not directly. He chose a more roundabout approach, politely asking, “Senior Gu, have you ever heard of Mr. Zhu Da?”

Wang Guan had made his decision: If Mr. Gu knew of Mr. Zhu Da, he would proceed with a full explanation. If Mr. Gu was entirely unaware of Zhu Da’s background, he would simply pretend he had asked nothing.

“Mr. Zhu Da…”

At this, Mr. Gu’s eyes flickered, and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. That expression left Wang Guan uncertain whether he knew of the man or not.

“Wait a moment.”

However, Wang Guan had miscalculated one person. Just then, Fang Mingsheng’s expression shifted dramatically, and his voice dropped: “Wang Guan, you said this piece is Mr. Zhu Da’s… fake?”

“Boss Fang knows Mr. Zhu Da?” Wang Guan sounded somewhat surprised.

“How could I not know…” Fang Mingsheng’s face was grim, a look of mixed regret and anguish spreading across it. It was highly possible he himself had been swindled before.

Naturally, as it was hardly a glorious incident, Fang Mingsheng was reluctant to elaborate, only asking cautiously, “Wang Guan, are you certain this is that man’s counterfeit?”

“I wouldn’t say so without some degree of certainty,” Wang Guan replied with a slight smile. “Since Boss Fang knows Mr. Zhu Da, you should be familiar with his unique hidden mark. Look here…”

As he spoke, Wang Guan produced a high-powered magnifying glass, gesturing for Fang Mingsheng to look closer. Fang Mingsheng leaned in, immediately gasped in shock, and then exclaimed with palpable anger: “That’s right, it really is a fake!”

“Boss Fang, don’t jump to conclusions. It might just be a coincidence.”