After all, just as Shopkeeper Xie said, the broken stele wasn't some precious treasure; likely, very few people would bother collecting it. Otherwise, it would have sat in the shop for quite some time, and if someone wanted it, they would have bought it long ago, rather than waiting until now.

"If you knew nobody wanted it, why bother bringing it over to sell?" Song Youdao was also a bit perplexed.

"The stele must have been a bonus item."

At this moment, Shopkeeper Xie, brimming with confidence, inquired, "Brother, does your village have anything like an ancient bridge?"

"Uh..." Lu Chongming was startled, then nodded. "Yes, there are small rivers flowing before and after the village, so two stone arch bridges were built. They're said to be several hundred years old. And this broken stele was placed near the stone bridge behind the village. When I was little, we often played around the stone bridge and the stele."

"That explains it." Shopkeeper Xie immediately smiled. "Call back home now and check. I estimate those two stone bridges have already been stolen and carted away."

"What?" Lu Chongming was stunned. After a slight hesitation, he pulled out his phone and dialed his village.

"I have heard whispers of such things before." While Lu Chongming was on the phone, Song Youdao frowned. "Especially in the Jiangnan region, with its small bridges and flowing waters, there are numerous ancient bridges. Some greedy individuals are frantically trafficking these ancient structures. It seems Brother Lu's hometown has also suffered this blight."

"They won't even spare ancient bridges?" Wang Guan exclaimed in surprise. "Who would buy stolen items like that?"

"Stone bridges are also a type of ancient architecture; there are always some people who will be interested," Shopkeeper Xie explained. "Some extremely wealthy individuals buy them to decorate their courtyards—they feel ancient bridges possess true charm. Government-funded reconstructions of ancient sites prefer to 'restore the ancient with the ancient.' In any case, they only focus on buying and never inquire about the item's origin."

Song Youdao nodded in agreement. "That's just how the world works; demand creates supply. When there's profit to be made, some people will commit such questionable acts."

"Exactly, exactly..." As Shopkeeper Xie nodded, Lu Chongming finished his call. He walked over, forcing a bitter smile. "It's true. It's not just the stone stele. Several stone lions have also mysteriously vanished."

"Despicable!" Wang Guan couldn't help but sigh. "Is no one managing this?"

"It's not that no one cares, but it's difficult to manage," Shopkeeper Xie sighed wryly. "Some stone bridges aren't deemed important, aren't listed on the local cultural protection registry, and lack dedicated caretakers. Naturally, they are easily stolen. Even if a report is filed later, without sufficient leads, the police can't track them down, and the case usually ends unresolved."

This was an acutely real problem, leaving everyone feeling helpless. Society was like this, filled with countless issues that were hard to resolve, perhaps even impossible. With no recourse, they could only move past it. Otherwise, dwelling on every detail might solve nothing, but instead, bring trouble upon themselves.

The situation was thus. After a moment of silence, Lu Chongming spoke up. "Shopkeeper Xie, I'll buy the stele. How much?"

"What money? Since you are the rightful owner, just take it away. Absolutely do not mention payment." Since the item wasn't worth much, Shopkeeper Xie was happy to do a favor. Of course, no matter how much Shopkeeper Xie demurred, Lu Chongming still pressed a few hundred yuan into his hand. Seeing that refusal was futile, Shopkeeper Xie accepted one bill by way of a safekeeping fee and returned the rest.

Don't assume Shopkeeper Xie lost out; in reality, this represents the highest realm of business acumen. At least on the soil of China, commerce and personal relationships are always intertwined. Take two shops selling the exact same goods: if the owner of one is kinder, frequently chats with customers, and overlooks small change, they quickly build rapport. Meanwhile, if a new shop opens next door, even if its goods are slightly better quality, customers still prefer the old shop. They feel as if buying from the new place would be letting the old owner down, creating an inexplicable sense of guilt that drives their decision—this is the power of renqing (human connection).

Shopkeeper Xie was cultivating this connection now, sacrificing minor profit for a potential long-term customer. His foresight was admirable, the mark of a seasoned merchant who had run his shop for over a decade. This was an open strategy (yangmou); even knowing Shopkeeper Xie's objective, Lu Chongming intended to accept the favor. After all, the stele was more than just stone; it carried the memories of his childhood. Seeing it, he couldn't possibly remain indifferent; he had to take it back. Regardless, exchanging money for goods meant a happy resolution for all parties—a mutually beneficial transaction.

Following this interlude, the relationship between the group genuinely warmed considerably. At the very least, when Shopkeeper Xie invited them into the inner room for tea, no one refused. During this time, Shopkeeper Xie brought out many fine items for them to inspect and appraise. Wang Guan was adept at social graces, praising the strengths of the items extravagantly while glossing over defects, naturally leaving Shopkeeper Xie beaming and in high spirits. However, even the "good" items were relative; none truly caught Wang Guan's eye. Lu Chongming, perhaps out of a desire to reciprocate the goodwill, purchased a very unique jade paperweight. Shopkeeper Xie was naturally delighted, validating the success of his business strategy.

Subsequently, Wang Guan and the others took their leave. They hailed a taxi, loaded the stele into the vehicle, and drove off in the Mercedes.

Not long after, the car stopped at the hotel where Wang Guan was staying. This lodging was arranged by the Shanghai team—quite upscale and comfortable, and crucially, free of charge, which left him feeling very content.

"What a shame you’ve already checked in; otherwise, you could have moved over and stayed with us," Wang Guan chuckled. He waved his hand, presented his room card, and with the help of the hotel staff, had the stele moved into the elevator and all the way up to his room.

It was a presidential suite—its extravagance need not be detailed; it was luxurious to the extreme. So, when a broken, weathered stone stele suddenly appeared on the transparent floor, even Lu Chongming felt a bit embarrassed and quickly covered it with newspaper. Wang Guan, however, was unconcerned, casually saying, "Just leave it there for now; we'll deal with it later. As for now, let's go. I'll take you to see something."

"See what?" Song Youdao looked confused.

Lu Chongming's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "Have the items been shipped over yet?"

"They're on the outskirts of Shanghai, currently in transit," Wang Guan replied with a smile. "It's not far; let's go take a look."

"Alright." Lu Chongming nodded without hesitation, pulling the bewildered Song Youdao along. After leaving the grand hotel, they walked past two more streets until a building symbolizing the round heavens over square earth appeared before them. Seen from afar, the circular roof juxtaposed with the arched line above the entrance made the entire structure resemble an ancient Chinese bronze vessel.

"The Shanghai Museum!" Song Youdao exclaimed in surprise at first glance. "Why are we coming here?"

"Heh, don't ask too many questions." Wang Guan waved towards the side. "Come on, we'll use the back entrance."

Following Wang Guan's gesture, the three walked briskly over. The museum's main entrance was already sealed off. This was unavoidable; the Treasure Exhibition started the next day, requiring the venue to close for final adjustments to prevent any errors. Despite this, a crowd had gathered before the main doors at that moment. Leaning closer, they heard that these were people who couldn't secure tickets for the exhibition, currently negotiating with the ticket staff.

"It is indeed lively," Wang Guan observed. Seeing this scene, he realized Song Youdao hadn't exaggerated; many people from the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions had indeed flocked here for the Treasure Exhibition—certainly more than anticipated. Still, there was nothing to be done; the schedule was set and difficult to change. After five days in Shanghai, the next stop would be Fujian Province, which might attract visitors from Taiwan.

Wang Guan mused silently, but his actions were swift. He bypassed the main entrance and headed towards the rear, where a guard was stationed. However, after presenting an identification card, he passed through unimpeded.

Upon entering the museum lobby, Song Youdao could no longer suppress his curiosity and cautiously inquired, "Wang Guan, do you know someone at the museum? Or perhaps you work here? How do you have a pass?"

"Uncle Song, he doesn't work at the museum; he's cooperating with them," Lu Chongming interjected with a smile. "Don't worry; you'll understand everything once we get inside."

As they spoke, the three entered the museum's exhibition hall. Shanghai’s museum was vast, spanning four floors. Each level displayed numerous artifacts, with the most famous undoubtedly being the Bronze Ware Special Exhibition Hall on the first floor. The collection of bronzes primarily consisted of renowned pieces with traceable provenance from several great Jiangnan collectors since the late Qing Dynasty, such as the famous Da Ke Ding and De Fang Ding. Naturally, besides bronzes, the museum also housed rich collections of calligraphy, paintings, ceramics, jade, stone carvings, and oracle bone inscriptions. In summary, the museum, with its sheer volume and exquisite quality of artifacts, enjoyed high renown both domestically and internationally, holding the reputation of being half the treasure trove of the artifact world.

However, Wang Guan was not here for the permanent collection. Upon entering the first-floor hall, a group of staff members could be seen meticulously packing items away, clearing sufficient space.

"Xiao Wang, you've arrived." Seeing Wang Guan and the others enter, an elderly expert in charge of site coordination walked over, asking with a smile, "Have the items arrived?"

"Yes, they're just coming," Wang Guan replied cheerfully. "You should have people ready to receive them."

"Already prepared," the old expert said, almost impatiently. "You inspect things at your leisure. I'll wait outside. If you have any comments, tell me later, and we will certainly make adjustments until you are satisfied..." As he spoke, the old expert truly led a few people outside to wait.

At this point, Song Youdao vaguely began to understand, but more so, he was shocked. "Wang Guan, you are..."

"Uncle Song, allow me to reintroduce myself." Wang Guan smiled warmly and handed over a business card. "I am the Deputy Director of the Xiyi Museum, and one of the individuals responsible for this Treasure Exhibition. Please extend your patronage in the future."

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