“The finest scenery in the four suburbs of Luoyang belongs to Longmen; among the ten temples of Longmen, the most worthy of a visit is Xiangshan Temple…”

Despite Fang Mingsheng being a major tycoon, he couldn’t deny his inclination toward refinement. Whether it was genuine taste or merely aping it, the man could effortlessly quote poetry and literature, and indeed possessed an air of elegance.

“There are many places named Xiangshan across China, and quite a few have temples on them. Some of the more famous ones include the Xiangshan Temple in the capital, the Xiangshan Temple in Pingdingshan, and the Xiangshan Temple at Longmen.”

It was evident that Fang Mingsheng knew quite a bit about Xiangshan Temple, perhaps having researched it thoroughly: “The name Xiangshan originates from Buddhist scriptures. According to records, near the Buddha’s birthplace, there was a mountain named Xiangshan, which was the place where the Great Compassionate Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva achieved enlightenment. As Buddhism spread, the name Xiangshan also arrived in China, leading to its proliferation everywhere…”

“So that’s the origin.”

At this point, Yu Feibai showed interest: “I only knew that Bai Juyi often resided at Xiangshan Temple in his later years, which is why he took the moniker Xiangshan Jushi (Hermit of Fragrant Mountain). I never realized the term ‘Xiangshan’ had such a background.”

“Heh, a master at the Xiangshan Temple told me about this,” Fang Mingsheng explained. This detail alone suggested his wide social circle. Wang Guan speculated that Fang Mingsheng had likely visited every famous temple nestled in celebrated mountains and rivers, and was probably a regular at many of them.

Chatting and laughing, the group started walking down the mountain, preparing to take a car back to the Mangshan camp.

However, as the saying goes, coincidence makes the story interesting. Just as they reached the foot of the mountain and were about to open the car doors, Yu Feibai happened to glance over and exclaimed in shock: “Elder Tan…”

No way, them again?

The others looked over in amazement and saw Elder Tan approaching rapidly, clearly furious. Upon spotting Wang Guan and the others, a thin, strained smile managed to appear on his face: “Have you finished your visit?”

“Yes, we were just heading back.”

A thought struck Yu Feibai, and he probed carefully: “Elder Tan, has the person you were waiting for stood you up again?”

“Exactly.”

Bringing it up only stoked the elder’s anger. His face flushed with humiliation and rage: “We clearly agreed to meet first at the White Horse Temple, but they never showed. Then, we rescheduled to meet at the Longmen Grottoes. Still no sign. This is clearly intentional mockery.”

“Huh?”

Hearing this, Wang Guan was surprised: “Couldn’t you call to find out what was happening? Perhaps they were genuinely delayed by something; that wouldn’t be unheard of.”

“The phone wouldn't connect…”

Elder Tan, after all, was advanced in years; his temper flared quickly but also subsided fast. Perhaps realizing his outburst, he forced himself to calm down, then shook his head: “Forget it. Just assume the old man was muddled. I’ve been made a fool of, but there’s no real loss…”

Even as he said this, the indignation burning in the elder’s eyes was clearly perceptible to everyone.

“Elder Tan, please try to calm your temper,” Wang Guan naturally advised, then asked, “We are heading back to Mangshan now. If you are going home, we can give you a ride.”

“No, no need…”

Elder Tan repeatedly shook his head, genuinely refusing. People still value their dignity; one couldn’t trouble others repeatedly like this. Only someone with skin thicker than a city wall could pull that off. Elder Tan preferred to take a separate ride home rather than inconvenience Wang Guan and his companions again.

“Elder Tan, there’s no need to be polite.”

At this moment, Tang Qinghua smiled: “Come with us. I’d like to discuss a few items with you and hear about their provenance and how you acquired them. That would be excellent material for promotion.”

With Tang Qinghua having put it that way, Elder Tan stopped insisting. He rejoined the group and got into the car heading north out of Luoyang City.

Along the way, Elder Tan spoke about his collecting experiences and insights. While lacking dramatic flair, his stories were grounded and sincere. Of course, having collected things his whole life, Elder Tan certainly had stories of lucky finds—when he spoke of those, his face flushed slightly, reminiscing excitedly…

Just as Elder Tan was getting into the swing of his storytelling, a melodious and spirited ringtone broke the air.

Noticing his mobile phone ringing, the elder paused, then pulled out his phone with an apologetic look. His brows immediately knitted together in a deep V. After a moment’s thought, he simply pressed the reject button and resumed his narrative.

“I remember back in ’98, the collecting craze was just starting to show its initial sprouts, just getting off the ground, nothing like the massive trend it is now,” Elder Tan said with a faint smile. “I hadn't retired yet; on a business trip to…”

Before the elder could mention where he had traveled, the annoying ringtone sounded twice more.

Elder Tan frowned deeply, looked at the caller ID, and hung up without hesitation again. Even a clay figure has a bit of fire in it, let alone Elder Tan, who already felt he’d been played. They hadn't answered his calls earlier; why should he answer theirs now?

Seeing this, Wang Guan and the others understood that the caller must be the person who had twice stood him up. Frankly, this person was rather bizarre, and no one knew the reason for repeatedly missing appointments. One time could be an accident, but doing it twice strongly suggested deliberate intent, making Elder Tan’s anger understandable.

Of course, this was Elder Tan’s private matter, so the group didn't press the issue.

After rejecting the calls, Elder Tan fiddled with his phone, a look of hesitation crossing his face. He seemed to regret something slightly, indicating that the caller might have something important to discuss. However, having just refused to answer, calling back immediately would mean losing face. Elder Tan simply couldn't bring himself to do it, which left him hesitant. Since he fell silent, the others felt awkward speaking, and the atmosphere in the car soon became subdued.

Fortunately, the silence didn't last long, as the car soon pulled into a residential area in the northern suburbs of Luoyang. Under Wang Guan’s soft guidance, the driver navigated the turns and stopped right in front of Elder Tan’s villa.

“Ah!”

Feeling the car stop, Elder Tan snapped back to attention. Looking out the window, he realized they had arrived home and offered a grateful smile: “Thank you, thank you. I’ve troubled you all.”

“Not at all, it’s our pleasure…”

As they spoke, Yu Feibai, sitting beside him, opened the car door, ready to let Elder Tan out. But in that very instant, he caught sight of two or three figures standing near the lush trees by the villa entrance. Their presence had been obscured by the foliage, causing the group in the car to miss them entirely.

“What is it?”

Seeing Yu Feibai lingering by the open door, Wang Guan naturally found it strange and urged him, “Step aside for a moment and let Elder Tan get out.”

“Oh!”

Yu Feibai refocused, moved aside two steps, then turned back with a smile: “Elder Tan, you have visitors.”

“Visitors?” Elder Tan paused. After stepping out, his face filled with surprise, and he couldn't help but exclaim: “What are you all doing here?”

“Elder Ta…”

It wasn't just Elder Tan who was startled; the two or three people standing nearby were equally taken aback, their eyes flashing with vigilance. The leader was a man in his late thirties or early forties, with an extremely ordinary appearance. Toss this man into a crowd, and you’d probably lose sight of him instantly.

Despite his common looks, a closer inspection revealed a certain sharpness in his eyes. He was now sweeping Wang Guan’s group with that keen gaze, asking pointedly, “Elder Tan, who are these people?”

“My friends.”

Elder Tan explained casually, then, remembering the earlier events, his righteous indignation flared: “How dare you still show up! You made me run back and forth all over the place. If I hadn't run into friends by chance and hitched a ride, I would have been worn out by you people.”

“Elder Tan.”

Seeing the elder’s angry demeanor, the man naturally offered a conciliatory smile, trying to placate him: “We know we were wrong, Elder. That’s why we came directly to your door to apologize in person.”

“Hmph.”

Elder Tan’s lingering anger hadn't evaporated; he still had a belly full of frustration that couldn't be easily brushed away by a few sweet words. However, being elderly, he wasn't completely oblivious, and he noticed that the three men each held a leather briefcase. He immediately set aside his anger and urgently inquired: “Are the items you mentioned inside those cases?”

“…They are!”

The leading man hesitated. Based on his experience and judgment, he could tell that Wang Guan and his companions were clearly people of wealth and status, unlikely to be troublemakers. Seeing this as an opportunity not to be missed, the man nodded firmly: “Elder Tan, we brought what you wanted. Let’s go inside and discuss the details, shall we?”

“Good.”

Hearing this, Elder Tan nodded enthusiastically, quickly opening the wrought-iron gate to his home, intending to usher the men in. But just as he did so, he realized something was amiss.

Yes, something was definitely wrong…

Elder Tan’s gaze swept over Wang Guan’s group, and he immediately recognized the mistake he was about to make. While guests must be warmly received, one couldn't simply dismiss the friends who had offered him rides two or three times.

In an instant, Elder Tan managed an awkward smile, quickly turned back to Wang Guan and his group, thanked them again, and politely invited them, “If you aren’t in a hurry to leave, why not come in for a cup of tea and a rest?”

Anyone should have recognized this as mere politeness—not something to be taken literally. Yet, someone decided to break convention and readily agreed: “That sounds good! I’m actually quite thirsty…”

Only someone as shamelessly thick-skinned as Yu Feibai could take such an invitation and run with it.

“Feibai,” Wang Guan said helplessly, softly. “We have other matters to attend to; we should leave now.”

“It’s not a big deal; we won’t miss the time for a cup of tea…” As he spoke, Yu Feibai’s eyes darted towards the leather briefcases held by the visitors. What scheme he was hatching was already obvious.

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