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Since one doesn't strike a smiling face, and Pang Yue was so polite, he downed the entire cup. Wang Guan and Yu Feibai couldn't possibly just take a small sip; naturally, they had to play along to the end.

Putting the potent fire of the Baijiu aside for a moment, upon careful tasting, Wang Guan found this Royal Kiln Xifeng Wine to be quite agreeable. Its mellow elegance, rich body, clean and crisp finish, and long-lingering aftertaste proved worthy of its reputation as one of the great northern spirits.

Of course, after one cup, the sentiment had been conveyed, and Pang Yue dared not show any more bravado. After all, this was a high-proof spirit; no matter how good it tasted, one couldn't simply treat it like water.

Yet, it had to be admitted that after the toast, the atmosphere at the table had become somewhat cordial.

At least, that's what Pang Yue felt. Since he was treating them, he naturally assumed the role of host, urging everyone to eat while skillfully initiating conversation, filling the air with cheerful small talk.

For a businessman, being smooth with words is a fundamental skill. Pang Yue was certainly adept; he could discuss everything from national affairs and fresh local happenings to the trivial gossip of neighbors—it didn't matter if the topic held depth, the goal was simply to bring a smile to everyone's face.

However, all feasts must eventually conclude, and before they knew it, dinner was drawing to a close. Pang Yue returned after settling the bill, bid them farewell with a promise to meet again the next day, and then departed by car.

Seeing this, Yu Feibai was slightly surprised: "Huh, I thought he'd ask us about the package. I didn't expect him to hold back..."

"That just means he's smart," Wang Guan replied with a faint smile. "He knows that even if he asks, we might not tell him the truth—we might just lie to fob him off. So, he decided not to ask at all."

"Why bother lying to him? If he asked, I'd tell him," Yu Feibai scoffed. "It's just a genealogy record; there’s no need to hide it. Although, even if I said that, he might not believe me."

"It's only human nature," Wang Guan chuckled, then turned back. "Qinyue, have you found lodging? We're staying at a nearby hotel. Why don't you join us? It’s good to have company for security."

"Sounds good."

Qinyue nodded, signaled her bodyguard-driver to bring the car over, and then, along with Wang Guan and Yu Feibai, settled into the hotel for the night. The next morning, they proceeded as planned to Pang Yue’s antique shop.

Pang Yue had mentioned his antique business was just a small operation, and he hadn't lied.

Upon arriving, Wang Guan surveyed the shop. It was indeed small, perhaps only about ten square meters. Inside, there were two glass display cases filled with inexpensive jade jewelry and some gold and silver items.

By Yu Feibai's estimation, the total value of the items inside wouldn't exceed ten thousand. This suggested Pang Yue didn't rely on this shop for profit; perhaps it was merely a front, and lā xiān (smuggling/courier work) was his true trade.

"Good morning, everyone."

Pang Yue had been waiting for some time and greeted Wang Guan and the others with a broad smile as they arrived. "Have you had breakfast? Would you like to grab something at a teahouse first?"

"No need, we've already eaten," Yu Feibai waved his hand and said directly. "Let's get in the car. Lead the way to where you mentioned."

"Right then."

Pang Yue was efficient, quickly closing and locking up the shop before getting into the car to guide them. Having helped many people with lā xiān, he understood the buyer's eagerness and certainly didn't want to waste time and invite irritation.

However, the destination seemed quite remote. After leaving the outskirts of the county town, they drove steadily uphill, passing several small towns before turning onto a country lane. Just as Wang Guan and the others assumed Pang Yue would stop in a small mountain village, they were quite surprised: the country lane was merely a shortcut.

The real destination was a bustling, thriving small town. It appeared to be located at the intersection boundary of two cities, a key transportation hub where traffic was constant, naturally fueling the town’s economic prosperity.

Following Pang Yue’s guidance, Wang Guan and the group arrived in the town, feeling immersed in a commercial center. Around them was not only the flow of vehicles but also a tide of pedestrians. Car horns, recorded advertisements blaring from shops, and the chatter of the crowd mixed and intertwined, forming a vibrant, boisterous clamor—intensely lively.

Fortunately, as this was just a small town and not a true metropolis, the loud noises immediately faded once they left that main street. They then entered a narrow alleyway, and Pang Yue signaled them to stop at the very end.

"Is this it?"

Everyone was somewhat surprised and stopped their cars to observe their surroundings. At the end of the alley stood a rather spacious courtyard, containing a three-story building of considerable size. The yard, front and back, was planted with numerous flowers, grasses, and fruit trees, presenting an air of affluent leisure.

To be fair, such architecture wouldn't be out of place even in a big city, let alone in a small town, where it likely qualified as a 'mansion' in the eyes of the locals.

"This is the place," Pang Yue confirmed with a chuckle. Then he called out loudly, "Grandpa Jin, is Grandpa Jin home?"

"...Who is it?"

A moment later, an elderly man emerged slowly from the three-story building. He didn't look exceptionally old, but the wrinkles on his face were deep, suggesting a life spent enduring sun and wind—perfectly matching the image of a hard-working old farmer in everyone's mind. Yet, this simple-looking elder was the owner of this grand residence, which was somewhat unexpected.

The old man paid no mind to what others were thinking. As he reached the entrance of the courtyard, perhaps due to poor eyesight, he squinted to make out the visitors. He immediately broke into a wide grin. "Oh, it's little Pang! Hurry inside..."

As he spoke, Grandpa Jin casually opened the main gate, glancing at Wang Guan and the others as he did so, his smile widening even further. "Don't be shy, everyone come in."

"Grandpa Jin," Pang Yue began as they entered, "these are my friends. They heard you have a treasure at home and wanted to come take a look. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all, certainly don't mind," Grandpa Jin said quickly, clearly delighted. He instinctively reached for the smoking pipe hanging at his waist, skillfully stuffed it with tobacco, lit it, and began puffing clouds of smoke.

Meanwhile, everyone proceeded into the living room of the house. The interior decoration was decent; all manner of modern home appliances were present, and the furniture included large, soft, comfortable leather sofas. In short, regardless of whether the layout was ideal, these items were certainly not cheap.

"Everyone, please sit, please sit!"

At Grandpa Jin’s urging, Wang Guan and the others sat down, then fell silent, looking toward Pang Yue. It was more appropriate for him to lead the proceedings in a matter like this.

Pang Yue lived up to expectations, smilingly asking directly, "Grandpa Jin, that item you showed me a few days ago, is it still here?"

"It is," Grandpa Jin replied, exhaling a puff of smoke and nodding cheerfully. "You all sit tight; I'll go fetch it."

Seeing Grandpa Jin leave, Yu Feibai immediately nudged Wang Guan's shoulder and whispered, "Something feels off."

"What feels off?" Wang Guan looked puzzled.

"Lots of things feel off..." Yu Feibai paused, then murmured, "I thought people with Luangjiao would either be major collectors or simple villagers. I never expected it would be this elderly gentleman."

"What's so strange about that?" Wang Guan dismissed it casually. "Maybe it's an heirloom passed down through generations."

"Perhaps," Yu Feibai frowned. "But seeing his appearance gives me a very weird feeling."

"Actually, I understand what you mean," Wang Guan said with a light smile. "Don't you think Grandpa Jin’s appearance doesn't match this mansion? Are you suggesting he wasn't allowed to struggle for most of his life and then finally achieve success through his own efforts? That’s quite an inspiring story; you should show basic respect and not jump to negative assumptions."

"Tch, hearing you say that, I know you thought the same thing," Yu Feibai retorted with disdain.

As the two were murmuring to each other, Grandpa Jin returned to the hall, holding a box—a very ancient-looking box, perfectly circular, resembling several large pancakes stacked together.

In this situation, Qinyue, the person directly concerned, remained relatively calm. After all, she had seen many potential Luangjiao items over time; she wouldn't get overly excited before confirming its authenticity.

In contrast, Yu Feibai was quite curious and couldn't help but ask, "Is this the thing?"

As he spoke, he reached out to take it. Grandpa Jin was direct; seeing a hand reaching out, he handed over the round box immediately.

"It's not very heavy."

After receiving the box, Yu Feibai weighed it slightly, then impatiently opened it. Instantly, everyone's gaze focused on the contents. Inside, there was indeed a bluish-white, gelatinous substance.

"Is this really Luangjiao?"

At this point, Yu Feibai reached out and poked the substance in the box, finding that it was indeed pliable and elastic. Most importantly, the warm luster of pale blue-white resembled the descriptions of Luangjiao in historical documents.

Of course, it was only similar. Whether it was authentic Luangjiao, Yu Feibai truly couldn't say. After observing it for a moment, he immediately turned the box over to Qinyue beside him, inviting her to make her own judgment.

Qinyue observed it closely for a moment, her eyebrows slightly furrowed. "Regarding Luangjiao, I only know its name, but I've never seen a real specimen. However, Luangjiao being able to be rejoined is its greatest characteristic. If we could take a small sample to verify..."

"That won't do," Grandpa Jin interrupted hurriedly. "Once you buy it, you can do whatever you want with it. But you can’t tamper with it before buying. If you decide against it and damage it, then I won't be able to sell it."

It was a very down-to-earth reason, one that allowed no rebuttal. At this, Yu Feibai and Qinyue fell silent, looking toward Wang Guan in unspoken agreement, and gently placed the box in front of him.

Seeing this, Pang Yue was somewhat surprised, yet also understood. He mused that Wang Guan’s eyesight must be quite good, otherwise, the other two wouldn't defer to him and let his opinion take precedence.