"There are drinks in the car; grab one if you’re thirsty." At the appropriate moment, Wang Guan said irritably, "Hurry up and get in the car; Elder Hou is still waiting for us." "Got it, let's go then." Of course, Yu Feibai wasn't someone who didn't know propriety.

Persuaded by Wang Guan, he obediently nodded, preparing to slide into the vehicle. "Wait!" Just then, Elder Tan’s eyes flickered, and he suddenly spoke, "He’s quite right.

No matter how rushed we are, there should always be time to come in for a cup of tea..." A few people present were momentarily surprised.

After all, Elder Tan's words were clearly an endorsement and an invitation. "Elder Tan." It was fine for Wang Guan and the others, but the other few frowned.

Although they said nothing, their opposition was quite evident.

In their view, the fewer people who knew about this matter, the better; they did not want irrelevant parties involved.

However, Elder Tan had his own thoughts.

He said calmly, "A guest has arrived at our doorstep; not inviting them in for tea would be extremely impolite.

I am hosting friends now.

You can either come in with us, or you can come back another day." As he spoke, Elder Tan grasped Yu Feibai with his left hand and pulled Wang Guan up with his right, leading the two inside.

The plot took a sudden turn, and Yu Feibai was naturally pleased.

Without the slightest hesitation, he followed Elder Tan's steps into the villa courtyard.

As for Wang Guan, it was difficult to struggle free, so he could only move along half-reluctantly.

In truth, everyone understood that this was likely Elder Tan’s retaliation.

After all, they had been out since early morning, spending over an hour first at Baima Temple and then two hours waiting at the Longmen Grottoes.

How could Elder Tan not be angry at being trifled with like this? Furthermore, Elder Tan had accurately anticipated their motives.

Since these people had brought the items themselves, they wouldn't leave so easily.

This was the perfect opportunity to strike back for being slighted and kept waiting. "Brother Da, what do we do now?" Just as Elder Tan predicted, seeing this situation, the group couldn't help but whisper among themselves, consulting quietly. "I already said it, the old man is definitely fine; there's no need for so many tricks..." "What, are you questioning me?" Brother Da shot a sharp look over.

The underlings beside him immediately fell silent, freezing in place, and stopped speaking. "But you're also right," Brother Da pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "I investigated this old man’s background thoroughly.

He used to work at the Cultural Bureau and is now retired.

His children run small businesses; they have money but no major connections, and he especially loves antiques—this is a good score for us." "Brother Da is right.

Keeping the item in my hands makes me uneasy; we need to move it quickly to feel safe," an underling agreed. "Once we get the money, we’ll head to another province to enjoy ourselves for a few months before returning when everything is quiet, and then we can get back to work." "Mm," Brother Da nodded lightly, then frowned, "I don't know what's going on lately.

The heat has suddenly intensified.

I wonder who stirred up big trouble.

If it weren't for this, we wouldn't need to rush the sale; such a fine item...

Someone would definitely pay a high price for it...

For now, we have to settle for this old man." "Let's go!" As they spoke, Brother Da immediately gestured to his underlings and cautiously entered the villa, arriving in the living room.

At this very moment, Elder Tan was indeed brewing tea.

The water had boiled and was being poured into an exquisite ceramic pot, sending wisps of steam drifting upwards, carrying with them a refined, subtle fragrance. "You all sit down too," Seeing Brother Da and his men enter, Elder Tan's eyes revealed a hint of satisfaction—the expression of victory.

However, he also understood the principle of moderation, knowing he couldn't continue picking at them.

Instead, he politely invited them over, "Have some tea." Elder Tan poured a few cups of tea and handed them over, which slightly eased the discontent of Brother Da’s group.

But seeing Wang Guan and the others present, they couldn't say much, remaining silent, planning to discuss serious business with Elder Tan after Wang Guan’s party left.

However, while they remained quiet, Yu Feibai pressed his advantage.

After a quick glance, he casually smiled, "Elder Tan, I recall you mentioned yesterday you were raising funds to purchase a treasured artifact; is this it?" "Uh..." Elder Tan paused, not expecting Yu Feibai to inquire about this matter.

After a slight hesitation, he frankly nodded, "You are correct; it is this item." Since the topic was broached, Elder Tan couldn't hide it.

He spoke directly, signaling, "Since you’ve brought the item, please take it out for me to examine.

I have the funds ready.

If the item is genuine, we can transact immediately." "Elder Tan," Hearing this, Brother Da was first delighted, then filled with hesitation again.

The main reason was that Wang Guan and the others were nearby, which he found quite conspicuous and was reluctant to show the item. "What, are you afraid we’ll snatch it away?" At this point, Yu Feibai laughed, "Elder Tan, it’s not that we are being presumptuous.

You should have a fairly clear understanding of Wang Guan's discerning eye.

When judging whether something is good or bad, a single person can sometimes overlook things.

Having one or two more pairs of eyes to assist might help catch any oversights." "Hmm?" Elder Tan was momentarily swayed.

He also had to admit that what Yu Feibai said held considerable weight.

Seeing clearly from the outside often surpasses the view from within; being too close to a situation can lead to generalizing.

He himself had misjudged things in his early years when examining items alone.

Thinking of this, Elder Tan nodded lightly and immediately turned around, "Stop dawdling.

If it’s truly a good item, why would you fear others looking at it? Otherwise, perhaps the photos you showed me were forged, and there is no such thing at all..." As he spoke, Elder Tan's face was filled with suspicion.

Don't blame him for being cautious; anyone who had been played twice in a row would likely harbor similar doubts.

Seeing Elder Tan’s questioning gaze, Brother Da, being sharp, understood the cause and effect in a flash of thought and immediately felt a pang of regret.

He should have just made the transaction near Baima Temple.

Instead, he went through this unnecessary elaborate step, mimicking scenes from movies and TV shows for security.

Now, it seemed like lifting a rock only to drop it on his own foot.

While regretting it, Brother Da accepted his bad luck.

After exchanging a look with his underling, he directly nodded, "Since Elder Tan says so, we will show the item." "But let's make one thing clear upfront: the item is absolutely genuine, but the price won't be cheap." Saying this, Brother Da took the lead in opening the leather case in his hands, and Wang Guan and the others naturally focused their gazes. "Oh!" At first glance, Wang Guan and the others were quite astonished.

Inside the case was a helmet—an ancient suit of armor's helmet.

The color was very ancient, even showing specks of rust, clearly indicating a very old artifact.

While Wang Guan and the others were marveling, Brother Da’s underling wasn't idle.

He opened the other case and then took out steel armor plates one by one, assembling them awkwardly.

After about five or six minutes of fussing, these men managed to piece together an imposing set of ancient armor radiating an aura of antique martial prowess on a nearby stand. "This is..." Seeing this item, Wang Guan and the others couldn't sit still and rose one after another to gather around and examine it. "Mingguang Armor!" Suddenly, Yu Feibai noticed the round shield-like fittings on the chest and back of the armor and blurted out, "This is Mingguang Armor, the most famous ancient Mingguang Armor." "Mingguang Armor?" At the same time, Wang Guan mused thoughtfully, "The Mingguang Armor known as the 'Iron Ferocious Beast'?" "That’s right, it is," Yu Feibai exclaimed, a mixture of surprise and joy in his voice. "I once saw a replica of Mingguang Armor; the structure is just like this—it has a helmet, pauldrons, greaves, and a cuirass.

Especially on the front and back of the cuirass, there are shield-shaped round guards.

These round guards are usually made of metals like bronze or iron and are polished until they gleam, resembling mirrors." "When worn on the battlefield, the shining round guards would cast a dazzling bright light due to the sun's rays, hence the name Mingguang Armor," At this moment, Yu Feibai continued while examining the ancient armor, "Of course, some say that because the oval plates on the front and back of the cuirass resemble Han Dynasty mirrors, and Han mirrors often bear inscriptions like 'Seeing the Sun's Light' or 'The World is Great and Bright,' the two characters 'Ming Guang' (Bright Light) were used to name this armor." "It seems the craftsmanship for this thing was lost after the Five Dynasties period.

Or perhaps there wasn't enough steel or iron plates to forge such an item.

It's also possible that by the Song Dynasty, the status of military officials had plummeted, and such armor was no longer necessary." Yu Feibai sighed, "Whatever the case, this is a fine piece.

If it’s genuine, it is absolutely a treasure." "It is absolutely genuine; it took us a great deal of effort to...

acquire it." Initially, Brother Da was displeased about showing the item in public, but now, seeing Yu Feibai praise it endlessly, his attitude changed immediately.

He felt the more people appreciated it, the more its value would be completely realized. "How did you acquire it?" Yu Feibai asked curiously. "That...

there are rules in our line of work; we cannot reveal the source of the item," Brother Da shook his head. "If you want to buy it, buy it.

If not, then forget it.

Why ask so many questions? Elder Tan, we have brought the item.

After you examine it and find no issues, we can discuss the specific price." "No rush, let me finish looking first," Elder Tan’s eyes also revealed a glint of pleasant surprise as he gazed, captivated, at the Mingguang Armor, then cautiously reached out to touch it, feeling its texture. "Beautiful, truly beautiful." Although the Mingguang Armor had lost its dazzling sheen after weathering the years, its grand and heavy presence held everyone spellbound.

However, from the details of the armor in sections, everyone could tell that the equipment must have been quite magnificent in its day.

The outer edges of the helmet’s side guards curled upwards, and the spaulders were shaped like dragon heads.

The breastplate split into two parts, left and right, adorned with raised circular embellishments.

They connected to the backplate via straps at the upper edge.

The waist belt straps met a circular ring on the horizontal belt at the breastplate, partially revealing a circular stomach guard.

The abdominal plate was patterned like mountain waves, appearing exquisitely beautiful.

One could easily imagine that wearing such ornate armor while mounted on a tall horse passing through a bustling city would have been an unparalleled magnet for attention.

(To be continued) RT