Following the security guard's invitation, Wang Guan and Yu Feibai entered with composure. Stepping past the threshold, they found themselves in a spacious lounge. The interior was elegantly decorated, featuring several Feng Shui trees and a large, oval fish tank.

At this moment, three goldfish swam slowly in the tank. They had large heads, narrow bodies, and fan-like, scissor tails, possessing a strange, ineffable beauty in their deformity.

Of course, this was not the main point. The focus was on a low tea table placed beside the fish tank, surrounded by seven or eight exquisitely woven rattan chairs. As Wang Guan and Yu Feibai walked in, seven or eight people were seated around the table, not drinking tea or chatting, but intently observing something.

However, upon hearing the movement, these individuals naturally turned to look. Seeing Wang Guan and Yu Feibai, many of them paused in surprise. Then, an elderly man, white-haired and slightly corpulent, spoke with evident hesitation, "You are...?"

Hmm, they didn't recognize them? That made things easier.

In an instant, an attendant, resembling a secretary, emerged from a corner. A hint of arrogance flickered in his eyes, though his tone remained courteous: "Gentlemen, I apologize, but this is a restricted area. If there is nothing else, please return."

"Old Kong, they are my friends."

Just then, Yu Wei, seated at the far end, quickly laughed, "They must be looking for me."

"Wrong, we are not looking for you."

At this point, Yu Feibai shook his head in rebuttal, which stunned Yu Wei and the others.

"Elder Qian, Elder Zhou, Elder Chang..."

This time, Wang Guan greeted them with a smile. Among the seven or eight people gathered around the tea table, he recognized at least half, so he wasn't worried about being treated as an unwelcome guest and driven out.

"Wang Guan, back so soon?"

Elder Zhou smiled and immediately gestured, "It's good you're here. Let me introduce someone to you..."

"Elder Zhou, don't forget me," Yu Feibai grumbled, bypassing the secretary and walking over. He curiously sized up the slightly obese old man, then immediately laughed, "No introduction needed. This elder must be Old Kong, the owner of this museum."

"You are quick-witted," Elder Zhou chuckled, then gestured toward the elder: "Brother Kong, this cheerful young man is Yu Feibai, a junior of Lingxi. His temperament is rather spirited, so you must bear with him."

"Not at all, not at all," Old Mr. Kong waved his hand gently and said with a smile, "Truly a fine specimen of a man."

"That sounds like you're saying I only look good on the surface," Yu Feibai muttered.

Everyone knew that praising someone as a 'fine specimen' upon a first meeting was surely just politeness.

But Yu Feibai felt that a person of talent was just that—talent—and that adding 'specimen' (implying superficiality) was unnecessary. After all, mere handsome looks were useless; substance was key. In short, it felt affected!

"He's complimenting you,"

Elder Qian shot him a look, a hint of embarrassment in his expression. "My management has been lax, causing Brother Kong to witness this."

"That is a pure heart!"

Old Mr. Kong’s smile grew more genuine, and he nodded in approval. "Rare, truly rare..."

Hearing this, Yu Feibai became even more annoyed. What was a 'pure heart'? In simple terms, it meant an ignorant child. Would anyone be happy if described as a naive, clueless kid?

Despite his displeasure, Yu Feibai took the lesson to heart and stopped speaking, lest he receive further setbacks. By this point, he had begun to suspect that Old Mr. Kong might have said that intentionally, as it wasn't out of the question. Instantly, he mentally labeled Old Mr. Kong as cunning and manipulative.

"And this young man?"

At the same time, Old Mr. Kong turned his attention to Wang Guan, inquiring curiously, "Also a junior of Lingxi?"

"More or less,"

Elder Zhou said with a smile, "But he seems more like a disciple."

"A disciple?" Old Mr. Kong paused, then immediately laughed, "As the saying goes, a famous teacher produces a great student. Anyone Elder Qian values must have extraordinary appraisal skills."

This was true. In more traditional fields, it wasn't just students choosing teachers; teachers also selected students. Students wished to study under renowned masters, and masters hoped to find bright, clever, and diligent pupils to instruct. In essence, it was a mutually beneficial relationship that, over time, forged the saying 'a famous teacher produces a great student.'

"He is indeed excellent, showing every sign of surpassing the master,"

At this moment, Elder Chang’s voice held a note of envy. He too had taken on a few apprentices; the earliest had been with him for twenty years and now ran his own shop, gaining some renown in Panjiayuan. Yet, he knew that this apprentice's career would likely cap there, with no possibility of surpassing him.

For a true master-disciple relationship, having a devoted student who could never surpass the teacher was, in a way, a regret. Therefore, Elder Chang was quite envious and jealous that Elder Qian had so easily taken on a disciple who could inherit his mantle and potentially surpass him, constantly sighing about his own lack of such fortune...

"Elder Chang flatters me; I still have a long way to go."

At this, Wang Guan smiled modestly, his gaze following his attention toward the table. For a moment, he seemed lost in thought.

"What is it? Found something good?"

Noticing Wang Guan's expression, Elder Zhou immediately chuckled, "Sharp eyes, comparable to Sun Wukong's Fiery Eyes."

"What good thing?"

Hearing this, Yu Feibai’s eyes lit up, and he naturally focused his gaze. On the tea table were several sets of teaware. With his eyesight, he could tell that while the teaware was nice, it was merely well-crafted artistry.

Wait, that wasn't right...

Suddenly, Yu Feibai spotted a small white porcelain bowl subtly tucked among the seven or eight teacups. He quickly examined it, feeling that the small bowl stood out distinctly among the cups, like a crane among chickens. Furthermore, under the sunlight, it emitted a faint, enduring, elegant, and reserved luster, appearing exquisitely beautiful.

"So pure white... Could it be Dehua white porcelain?"

After one look, Yu Feibai speculated, his gaze filled with the joy of encountering a worthy opponent. First, he didn't believe Elder Qian and the others would unnecessarily place an irrelevant small bowl there while drinking tea. Second, Elder Zhou had said there was something good on the table. Based on these two reasons, he naturally concluded that this small white porcelain bowl was certainly significant.

It was a pity he couldn't handle it, but just observing the bowl’s lustrous glaze, radiant like fine mutton-fat jade, was enough to make Yu Feibai impatient, stirring an urge to pick it up for research and appreciation.

"It's not Dehua white porcelain."

Simultaneously, Wang Guan shook his head in disagreement, his face thoughtful. "This level of pure whiteness has a subtle difference from Dehua white porcelain. I haven't seen a small bowl exactly like this, but I once saw a cup in Uncle De's collection."

"That cup’s glaze was crystal white, its color as warm and moist as jade, the body thin as an eggshell, and extremely light. Both the body and the color are comparable to this small bowl, so I suspect they belong to the same variety."

As he spoke, Wang Guan smiled softly, "Yongle Sweet White!"

"Ah! Is it really Yongle Sweet White?"

After a brief start, Yu Feibai’s face showed a mix of surprise and delight. Porcelain is categorized by quality, and antique dealers know that among Chinese official ware, pieces from the Ming and Qing imperial kilns are the most prized. Among Ming imperial wares, the 'Yongle Sweet White (Yongle Tianbai), Xuande Blue and White (Xuande Qinghua), and Chenghua Doucai (Chenghua Caicai)' are considered the finest.

The development of Chinese white porcelain can be traced back to the Eastern Han Dynasty, or even earlier. However, it was during the Tang Dynasty that production truly scaled up, achieving the firing of porcelain to a snow-white color. During this period, the white porcelain fired in the Tang Dynasty's Xing Kiln featured a pure white body and a lustrous glaze; the clay no longer showed the yellowish or bluish tinge sometimes present in white ware.

White porcelain continued to develop, passing through the Ding ware white porcelain of the Five Dynasties and Northern Song, and the Shufu glaze porcelain of the Yuan Dynasty. Finally, by the Yongle reign of the Ming Dynasty, the accumulated technology for white porcelain reached its peak, leading to the pioneering firing of a semi-egg-shell white porcelain. This porcelain had a thin body, a soft glaze, and a glaze color resembling powdered white sugar, hence the name 'Sweet White.'

It should be noted, however, that 'Sweet White' is a descriptive nickname. In reality, Sweet White porcelain is also called Tianbai (Filling White) porcelain, as tianbai glaze is a specific technique for manufacturing porcelain, and the two should not be confused.

"Is that really Yongle Sweet White porcelain?"

Now aware of the object's immense value, Yu Feibai grew restless, rubbing his hands together as he asked, "Can we take a look?"

"Don't be so eager; you'll invite ridicule," Elder Qian chuckled softly and shook his head, gesturing, "This is Brother Kong's treasure. We must ask his opinion first."

Yu Feibai readily complied, immediately turning to ask, "Old Mr. Kong, you don't mind us examining it, do you?"

"Of course not," Old Mr. Kong readily agreed, smiling faintly. "This is part of the collection; it will eventually be displayed for everyone. Right now, I've invited a few great connoisseurs to help verify its authenticity. I wouldn't want to mistake a fake for a treasure and become a laughingstock."

"Brother Kong worries too much,"

Elder Chang shook his head. "For such a treasure to survive intact through the ages is already rare, a phoenix feather or unicorn horn. Every piece counts; the genuine ones will prove themselves."

"Elder Chang, we haven't looked yet, don't spoil the ending," Yu Feibai expressed slight dissatisfaction, then carefully picked up the Yongle Sweet White bowl to examine it closely.

The bowl had an outwardly flared rim, and the wall was exquisitely thin—a typical form for Yongle official kiln bowls. Most importantly, the crystal-clear, brilliant body reflected light, and the white glaze was as smooth and moist as fresh cane sugar, imbuing viewers with a sense of sweetness.

"Yongle Sweet White porcelain truly lives up to its name. No wonder the Yongle Emperor was so fond of it, even preferring it over the Hetian jade bowls presented from the Northwest regions." Yu Feibai sighed, examining it repeatedly, unable to put it down.

Yu Feibai's comment had a basis in historical record. According to the Veritable Records of the Ming Dynasty (Ming Taizong Shilu), in the fourth year of Yongle, a Hui subject named Jiyasi presented a jade bowl, which the Emperor refused, ordering the Ministry of Rites to send it back with a complimentary gift. The Emperor reportedly told the Minister Zheng Ci: "The Chinese porcelain I use daily is so pure and flawless, it greatly pleases my heart; I have no need for this. Moreover, the imperial stores already possess this item, but I simply do not use it."

The Yongle Emperor felt that compared to Sweet White porcelain, even the brilliance of exquisite jade seemed vulgar. This demonstrated that in the Yongle Emperor's mind, Sweet White porcelain was far more precious than gold, silver, pearls, or jade—it was a rare treasure.

If the object was so highly valued in the Ming Dynasty, its significance in modern times is even greater; it is a coveted masterpiece sought after by collectors throughout the ages...