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Looking back, Mr. Gu understood Curator Yu’s intentions upon realizing who was asking the questions.

If this blue-and-white dish turned out to be fake, tens of millions would have gone down the drain. Even though the money wasn't Curator Yu's, it would still affect his official record, making him naturally extra concerned.

Of course, understanding didn't mean Mr. Gu had a choice. It was better to overturn his previous judgment now and nip the danger in the bud than to wait until the auction revealed the piece was a forgery. Though doing so was somewhat embarrassing, it was certainly better than being scorned later.

Thinking of this, Mr. Gu felt a touch of relief that Wang Guan had shown up. Otherwise, if Fang Mingsheng had actually believed his advice and bought the dish, only to discover it was a fake later, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

At the opportune moment, Mr. Gu solidified his resolve and stated without hesitation, "Curator Yu, I truly apologize. Due to a moment of my own carelessness and oversight, I mistakenly took a fake for an authentic piece. I offer my most sincere apologies for this..."

Mr. Gu could only apologize; he dared not mention compensating for the loss. After all, for an item worth tens of millions, unless he planned to bankrupt himself, he truly couldn't afford to pay.

Meanwhile, Curator Yu desperately wanted to retort that if apologies were useful, why would the police even exist? But constrained by his superior's presence, he couldn't complain; his expression merely darkened considerably.

Most importantly, the person who pointed out the item was a fake was Wang Guan, and Wang Guan was someone he had brought along. If the matter were thoroughly investigated, wouldn't he also share the responsibility?

It had to be said that officials’ thoughts were often complicated. Curator Yu grew more anxious the more he thought, so he simply asked, "Section Chief Nian, how do you think we should handle this matter?"

If Section Chief Nian gave an instruction, things would be much easier to manage. Regardless of the final outcome, Curator Yu could always shift the blame to the leadership's decision, claiming it had nothing to do with him.

However, Curator Yu was clever, and Section Chief Nian was certainly no fool. Hearing this, he understood Curator Yu's petty calculation and smiled benignly, "This is easy to handle; just follow the procedure."

This statement was tantamount to saying nothing. Procedure? What procedure? For those within the system, a superior's word was the procedure. If the superior remained silent, it clearly meant they didn't want to get involved. Thus, Curator Yu felt helpless and dared not ask further. After all, pressing the issue would imply using the leader as a scapegoat.

Since ancient times, it had always been the subordinate covering for the superior; those who dared to use their leaders as shields often met tragic ends. Curator Yu naturally would not take such a risk, and his mood soured completely.

"Curator Yu needn't fret so much."

Just then, Wang Guan smiled and said, "Please wait patiently for a moment. I imagine a higher department will arrive soon to take this item away."

"Oh?" Curator Yu looked genuinely surprised upon hearing this, followed by a contemplative expression. His eyes darted around, lost in thought about some unknown implication. At this moment, Wang Guan had no time to consider his thoughts; after taking a few more photos with his phone, he prepared to take his leave, feeling satisfied.

"Young man, wait..."

At that moment, Mr. Gu invited him, "It is rare for us to meet by chance. Brother Wang, would you honor us by joining us for a cup of tea, so we may fulfill our duties as hosts?"

"This..." Wang Guan had intended to refuse, but sensing the pleading look in Mr. Gu’s eyes, he immediately understood a bit more and readily nodded, "Would this be too much of an imposition?"

"Not at all, not an imposition in the slightest."

Seeing Wang Guan agree, Mr. Gu was delighted. He continued his invitation, "Section Chief Nian, Curator Yu, if you two have no other pressing matters, please join us for a drink."

If even Wang Guan understood Mr. Gu's intentions, then two officials who had navigated the government machinery for many years certainly grasped the situation crystal clear.

Of course, after glancing at the unperturbed Fang Mingsheng, they deliberated briefly but saw no reason to refuse, nodding in agreement.

Seeing this, Mr. Gu knew his main objective had been largely achieved. He instantly looked overjoyed and eagerly led the way. Under his direction, they cheerfully walked out and then drove to a luxurious hotel in the city center.

As the saying goes, one is reluctant to criticize after accepting hospitality. Thanks to Mr. Gu's enthusiastic hosting, although nothing was explicitly stated, everyone understood what was expected of them. Mr. Gu’s slip-up would absolutely not be disclosed by them.

However, Mr. Gu had also incurred considerable favors that he would likely have to repay in the future. Regardless, the matter seemed resolved. Wang Guan excused himself again, but this time it was Fang Mingsheng who detained him.

"You've just arrived; why the rush to leave?" Fang Mingsheng laughed. "The scenery here is excellent, and there's also Chaozhou wood carving and Jieyang jade. Don't you want to take a look?"

"I'd certainly like to see them, but..."

Wang Guan remained somewhat guarded around Fang Mingsheng, as he hadn't forgotten that this man still coveted his Zitan Yin Chen Mu beads. He was about to find a casual excuse to brush him off.

However, just then, Fang Mingsheng whispered softly, "You are tracing Mr. Zhu Da, aren't you? I happen to have one of his items. Wouldn't you like to see it?"

"What?" Wang Guan froze, then looked skeptical. "Really?"

"It cost me ninety million; do you think it's fake?"

As he spoke, a shadow of gloom crossed Fang Mingsheng's eyes, suppressed anger surging beneath. One could imagine that if Mr. Zhu Da dared to appear before him, he would likely commit murder on the spot.

Wang Guan believed him and softly asked, "What item is it?"

"I don't wish to elaborate. If you want to know, follow me."

Fang Mingsheng left the words hanging and turned to his car. Wang Guan hesitated slightly, but considering his current connections and backing, he wasn't afraid of Fang Mingsheng plotting against him, so he followed.

As a local magnate, Fang Mingsheng's car was naturally extravagant. Not only was the space spacious, but its performance was exceptional; when speeding, one could barely feel any vibration.

The interior featured soft leather sofas, a small wine rack, and, crucially, air conditioning. In this scorching summer, reclining on the soft, comfortable seats, feeling the cool breeze, and savoring a glass of iced wine was indeed a rare pleasure.

Wang Guan accepted the wine without ceremony, took a sip, and asked curiously, "Boss Fang, how did you cross paths with Mr. Zhu Da?"

This was a veiled question; the underlying implication was, how could you be so unlucky to be swindled by Mr. Zhu Da?

"That was a few months ago."

Mentioning this matter, Fang Mingsheng’s expression was understandably grim, but he recounted the facts: "I went to Shanghai to attend the birthday banquet for the Su family patriarch. I recall you attended that as well..."

"Yes."

Wang Guan nodded. He had indeed seen Fang Mingsheng at the banquet but hadn't engaged in conversation.

"After the banquet ended, I was preparing to return by yacht. Unexpectedly, we encountered a fishing boat mid-journey, and there were quite a few people from the banquet aboard. I naturally found it strange, so I stopped the yacht and sent someone to inquire. That's how I learned someone had salvaged some precious porcelain from the seabed."

At this point, Fang Mingsheng was clearly annoyed. "I didn't know it was Mr. Zhu Da's trap at the time, so I boarded the fishing boat to see for myself. There were indeed many salvaged ceramics on the boat, but the most valuable item was..."

"And then you bought it?" Wang Guan stated with certainty.

"Exactly. Several people were vying for it, and my accompanying appraiser also deemed the item genuine. I didn't overthink it and placed a high bid to secure it."

Fang Mingsheng was full of remorse at this point. "After buying it and bringing it back, I naturally gathered everyone for appreciation. However, an old senior examined it and quietly informed me that it was a fake—a masterpiece by the master forger, Mr. Zhu Da..."

"The Celestial Bureau (Tian Xian Ju); it’s impossible to guard against."

Wang Guan sighed slightly and then asked curiously, "By the way, who was that senior?"

"Old Man Zeng."

Fang Mingsheng's expression held a degree of reverence. "The most low-key grand collector in Guangdong Province. Most people have rarely heard of him, but those who do are well aware of his capabilities. It was thanks to his fiery golden eyes that I realized I had been deceived."

"Oh."

Wang Guan blinked. He truly hadn't heard of this person and realized he needed to ask Elder Qian about him later.

"When Old Man Zeng told me it was a fake, I was naturally skeptical. But when he pointed out the hidden mark and the flaw within it, I finally awoke as if from a dream."

Fang Mingsheng ground his teeth, saying fiercely, "Mr. Zhu Da, I swear eternal enmity with him."

"It wouldn't be too late to say that after finding the man first..." Wang Guan muttered inwardly, certainly not voicing it aloud, lest Fang Mingsheng become enraged and refuse to show him the fake.

Fortunately, Fang Mingsheng also realized he had lost his composure. He gathered his thoughts and, in turn, asked, "Wang Guan, since you are tracing Mr. Zhu Da, do you have any leads?"

"None."

Wang Guan shook his head. "However, when I was in the Northwest, I ruined one of his operations, and I received a warning. Then, I inadvertently heard there was a blue-and-white dish here, so I hurried over to take a look."

"Is that so."

Fang Mingsheng was somewhat disappointed but found it normal. After all, he had learned through connections about Mr. Zhu Da's mysterious nature and knew that finding clues about his whereabouts wouldn't be easy.

Despite his disappointment, Fang Mingsheng kept his promise and took Wang Guan to his residence.

To be honest, Wang Guan wasn't sure if this villa was Fang Mingsheng's actual home. Given Fang Mingsheng's wealth, it was entirely plausible for him to own villas in major cities across the country as 'temporary palaces' (Xing Gong).

For instance, at the foot of Longhu Mountain, or perhaps here in Jieyang...

That’s right; Wang Guan was currently in Jieyang, renowned as the Jade Capital of Asia and the homeland of gold and jade. More precisely, he was in a luxurious villa nestled by the mountains and water in the suburbs of Jieyang.

Following Fang Mingsheng’s lead, Wang Guan entered the villa, confirming it was indeed one of his 'palaces' because, apart from the servants, his family was nowhere to be seen...

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