"You should also know that in overseas seminars, the attendees are generally predominantly Westerners, so running into a Chinese person is considered a rather fortunate thing," Old Mr. Kong recalled. "Sitting side by side, we naturally struck up a friendly chat. After the gathering concluded, he enthusiastically invited me over to his home..."

"I was free at the time and figured making a new friend couldn't hurt, so I readily accepted. I went straight to his house and there it was, sitting in his living room: a Chenghua Doucai 'Tianzi' Jar. Seeing it instantly thrilled me; I couldn't help but scrutinize it. The more I looked, the more I admired it, so I asked him the price."

"Initially, he shook his head and refused, stating it was a prized possession he was unwilling to part with. But I was completely possessed at that moment, begging him relentlessly, until finally, I persuaded him to let me have it. My spirits soared beyond measure then..."

At this point, Old Mr. Kong sighed deeply, "Thinking back now, it was clearly an intricately laid trap, just waiting for me to walk right into it. Later, after taking it home and dedicating myself to studying and admiring it, a sudden unease settled in my heart. Yet, I couldn't spot any flaws in the Tianzi Jar; I simply assumed I was being overly suspicious."

"Then, after about two months, I had business in London again. Once everything was settled, I planned to contact this new friend and treat him to dinner to deepen our bond. Unexpectedly, his phone line was disconnected. When I went to visit in person, I discovered he had moved out a long time ago."

Fittingly, Old Mr. Kong managed a bitter smile, "At that moment, a chill ran down my spine, and the feeling that something was wrong intensified. I went back and examined the Tianzi Jar again, but still, I couldn't discern any clue. Little Yu knew about this, and to dispel my doubts, he invited a few appraisers over to examine it, but they all concluded the piece was genuine..."

"Old Mr. Kong, please don't bring this up again," Yu Wei said, his face flushed with shame, letting out a heavy sigh. "Back then, I was so smug, and now I realize how utterly embarrassing it was."

"It’s nothing; didn't I also get fooled?" Old Mr. Kong offered comfort in return.

"So, Old Mr. Kong, you couldn't find that person either?" Yu Feibai sighed. Such a promising lead had snapped shut. However, this only underscored the cunning of Mr. Zhu the Elder. Striking once and moving on, he was slipperier than an eel.

"Right, what did that person look like?" Wang Guan asked solicitously.

"A full, bushy beard, wearing a pair of large, black-framed glasses," Old Mr. Kong frowned. "His exact age is hard to pinpoint; I’d guess around forty-five. His demeanor was quite refined, with a bit of an artistic temperament."

"That’s him... that has to be him..."

Wang Guan and Yu Feibai exchanged a look and immediately nodded in confirmation. After all, based on Ouyang’s description, the person who sold him the Yongle Blue and White Mandarin Duck Plate looked exactly like that.

"Mr. Qian, you’re right. The problem is, he might not make a move, but the moment he does, he’ll give himself away," Yu Feibai grew somewhat excited. "After investigating for so long, we finally have a tangible result."

"Don't celebrate too soon," Wang Guan was less optimistic. "Didn't Old Mr. Kong just say the man has already moved?"

"It doesn't matter," Yu Feibai chuckled. "As long as we've established the general area, any activity within that radius is bound to leave behind some trace. If we search meticulously enough, we'll find something eventually."

"That’s easy to say, but the issue is, we’re strangers in London—how do we even begin searching?" Wang Guan spread his hands. Then, a thought struck him, and he looked toward Old Mr. Kong and Yu Wei.

The reactions of the others were similar. After all, listening to Old Mr. Kong’s account, it was clear he traveled to London often, implying he must have some connections there. Furthermore, as the victim, Old Mr. Kong’s heart surely wasn't as calm as his outward appearance suggested; he would undoubtedly want to track down Mr. Zhu the Elder and bring him to justice to quell the lingering anger.

In this scenario, leveraging Old Mr. Kong's resources to find the man wouldn't be difficult.

"That’s easy to handle..."

As expected, sensing the group's intent, Old Mr. Kong nodded. "When I return, I will immediately ask people I trust to investigate this matter thoroughly. If any leads surface, I will notify you all immediately."

"We appreciate the trouble, Brother Kong," Mr. Qian said politely.

"It’s no trouble at all. Frankly, even if you hadn't brought it up, I would be doing this anyway," Old Mr. Kong admitted candidly. "Once I find him, I must confront him face-to-face and ask why he betrayed the trust I placed in him as a friend."

"What other reason could there be? Nothing more than being blinded by greed," Yu Feibai muttered quietly. The others fell silent for a moment, acknowledging the truth in his words. In the end, it all came down to money.

Mr. Qian shook his head slightly, intending to change the subject, and thus spoke up, "Feibai, what about you all? You seemed quite strange when London was mentioned earlier."

"It’s not strange; it’s just that someone wants to invite Wang Guan to London for a trip," Yu Feibai said with a smile. "A free tour, mind you—the person is footing all the bills, covering all expenses, plus round-trip airfare..."

"Such a good deal exists?" Elder Zhou inquired, smiling. "Who is willing to play the martyr? What kind of favor do they need from Wang Guan?"

A favor offered comes with an expectation. Nothing truly falls from the sky for free; in a place like China, what is advertised as 'free' is often laden with utilitarian motives—something they were all accustomed to.

"A major tycoon," Yu Feibai explained. "Wang Guan initially didn't want to go, but before returning, he received a call from my brother, who shared some news with us..."

"What? That person has gone to London?"

Elder Zhou suddenly realized something, "No wonder you all reacted that way."

"We were worried London was merely a stepping stone for that man, but now it seems it might be one of his many hideouts," Yu Feibai shook his head dramatically. "Wang Guan, I think you have no choice but to go to London."

"I never said I wouldn't go; I just wanted to know if the trip would be worthwhile," Wang Guan replied casually. "It's just a ten-hour flight, then sleep off the jet lag once we arrive. It’s hardly scaling a mountain of knives or swimming in a sea of fire. Why shouldn't I go?"

"It's good that you can go. I certainly can’t," Yu Feibai expressed a hint of regret, then explained, "In a few days, it's my grandmother’s birthday celebration, and the whole family will be gathered. I absolutely cannot miss it."

"That's only right. Please send my regards and a gift when the time comes," not only Wang Guan said this, but Mr. Qian, Elder Chang, Elder Zhou, and even Old Mr. Kong offered their congratulations, saying they would send gifts later.

Of course, since this was a private matter, the conversation shifted away after a brief mention.

"I plan to stay here a bit longer, but Little Yu is already preparing to return to the UK."

At this point, Old Mr. Kong mentioned, "Little Yu has lived in London for nearly twenty years and is very familiar with the situation there. He should be able to offer significant help..."

"Would that be too much trouble for Mr. Yu?" Wang Guan hesitated. Understanding the gravity of the situation, even if Mr. Qian hadn't asked, he had planned on making the trip himself. However, he felt he didn't know Yu Wei well enough to impose upon him.

"It's no trouble at all," Yu Wei quickly shook his head, earnestly stating, "Whether from a public or private perspective, I cannot stand idly by. I have a responsibility and an obligation to help."

Setting aside the public interest—dealing with Mr. Zhu the Elder was akin to purging a cancer from the industry, which would benefit him personally by reducing the fear of acquiring sophisticated fakes. As for his personal motive, it was understandable; even though Old Mr. Kong didn't blame him, Yu Wei felt partly responsible for the old man being deceived, so he naturally wanted to atone for it.

"In that case, we must impose upon Mr. Yu to look out for things," Wang said with a polite smile.

Having Yu Wei assist was actually the best scenario. If not, it wouldn't matter much either. Since he was going to Britain anyway, he would definitely contact Fang Mingsheng; if Fang hadn't lied, his friend in the UK should have considerable connections, which would be a major asset.

Considering everything, Wang Guan felt this trip to Britain should yield substantial results. Catching Mr. Zhu the Elder might be difficult, but at the very least, uncovering some valuable clues seemed highly probable.

While Wang Guan was lost in thought, lunch was ready, and Mr. Qian immediately stood up, ushering everyone to the dining room. The clinking of glasses and serving during the feast need not be detailed; suffice it to say, with fine food and excellent wine, the hosts and guests enjoyed themselves immensely.

After lunch, everyone gathered again in the hall, reaching a consensus on the matter of Mr. Zhu the Elder: they would join forces and work together, for the sake of all mankind… ahem, for the prosperity and flourishing of the entire field, they were determined to excise this malignant tumor. Although the prospect was bright, the path would be fraught with twists and turns, but for their common interests and goals, they were confident in accomplishing this arduous task.

Essentially, that was the gist of their discussion, which lasted until dusk. Old Mr. Kong then gently declined Elder Qian’s invitation to stay longer, bid farewell to Yu Wei, and arranged to visit again the next day.

After seeing off Old Mr. Kong and his party, Elder Zhou and Elder Chang stayed for dinner without ceremony.

Having guests earlier required a degree of restraint, but now that they were gone, Elder Chang didn't hold back at all during dinner, directly instructing Elder Qian to bring out the best vintage wine he possessed.

"What was served at noon—the Wuliangye, Jiannanchun, Maotai—you could tell they were new vintages just by tasting them," Elder Chang complained. "I remember you have aged reserves. You could fool guests at noon, but you can’t fool us tonight."

"You only care about drinking, never thinking about moderation or taking care of your health,"

Elder Qian shook his head, gesturing for Yu Feibai to fetch the wine, then turned to ask, "By the way, Wang Guan, it wasn't appropriate to ask while the guests were here—how is the situation in Luoyang? Have you resolved the issues?"

"It’s resolved," Wang Guan smiled. "We discovered an underground palace and a tomb that had been looted twice. Not only did I witness precious relics like the Mingguang Armor and the Blue Glazed Tang Sancai Horse, but I also uncovered a major secret."

"Oh? Such rich experiences in just two days?" Elder Zhou was astonished and urged him on with curiosity. "Tell us the specifics quickly."

"Well..." Wang Guan blinked. "Am I allowed to say? Elder Hou asked me not to spread it around casually."

"What secrecy? I think you're just deliberately teasing us," Elder Chang said dryly. "That talk works fine on outsiders, but don't try to show off in front of us."

"Uh..."

Wang Guan paused, then conceded that Elder Chang had a point.

The so-called classified secret held little weight in front of this group of elders. Their network of connections was far more complex than he imagined; even if he kept quiet now, they would find out later anyway.

With that realization, Wang Guan held nothing back and meticulously recounted the events of his trip to Luoyang... (To be continued) RS

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