Hearing this, even with some mental preparation, Song Youdao was stunned.

The main reason was that Wang Guan was too low-key, and the media focused more on the treasures themselves, with large segments reporting on how exquisitely marvelous the artifacts were, only briefly mentioning Wang Guan in passing, which naturally led people to overlook him.

Song Youdao was one such person; even when he occasionally saw the name Wang Guan, he assumed it was a common name and didn't associate it with the Wang Guan he knew. Only now did he realize how strange the world could be—what you thought was impossible often turned out to be the very truth.

"You've kept quite a low profile," Song Youdao exclaimed, full of emotion at that moment. "Why didn't you say anything sooner? You made me waste a trip to Hefei and spend several thousand yuan unnecessarily just to secure tickets."

"Alright, alright, it's all my fault," Wang Guan chuckled. "See, I came to apologize. Later, when the items are displayed, you can examine them as much as you like; even handling them is fine."

"That's what I was waiting for," Song Youdao declared decisively.

In truth, it wasn't just Song Youdao who felt this way; the museum staff harbored similar sentiments. Being close to the source offered the best advantage; how could they possibly pass up such a rare opportunity to appraise the collection firsthand?

Soon after, the vehicle carrying the rare and precious artifacts arrived, escorted by specialized security personnel. While the situation might differ elsewhere, in mainland China, very few people dared to target an armed transport vehicle. After all, the state had its boundaries, especially concerning finance and transportation—trespassing into that forbidden zone would invariably lead to dire consequences.

Of course, when the crowds nearby saw several vehicles entering through the back gate, they immediately realized the treasures must have arrived. Instantly, they swarmed toward the entrance, but they were a step too late. As the vehicles pulled in, museum staff swiftly and firmly locked the main doors, blocking the rushing throngs outside.

"Open up, hurry and open the gates!"

"We beg for tickets! We won't leave without tickets..."

"Please, just one ticket, I'm begging!"

For a time, the area outside the gates was in utter chaos, but it failed to disturb Wang Guan and the others inside.

At this moment, everyone gathered around the vehicles but remained cautious, making no sudden moves. This was because several armed security guards carrying firearms jumped out of the vehicles. They required joint signatures from Wang Guan and the museum director before they could even begin unloading the cargo. And it wasn't just a single signature; they needed a mutual confirmation signature for every single item received.

There was no alternative; the objects were too precious. Both Wang Guan’s side and the Shanghai Museum were too prudent to be careless, demanding repeated confirmation before daring to transfer custody. Any misstep or error would result in losses neither party could bear. Because of this meticulous process, it took nearly half an hour just to finish unloading everything.

"Something's not right."

Just then, the elderly expert looked up. "One item is missing."

"What?"

Hearing this, everyone tensed up immediately.

After all, it was common knowledge that every single piece in this batch of treasures was priceless beyond measure.

Before the exhibition even began, there had been proposals to insure the artifacts, but no insurance company dared to take on the business. The objects were simply too valuable; rough estimates placed the value far above a hundred million, and no one was sure where the ceiling truly lay—they were just too treasured. If anything truly went wrong, the immense compensation required was enough to make anyone balk.

Now that the elderly expert declared an item missing, a wave of anxiety swept through the group.

"That cup," the elderly expert stated shrewdly. "The cup that can turn the wine red—why isn't it listed on the manifest?"

"Please don't worry, sir. Nothing is missing," Wang Guan replied calmly at this point, smiling leisurely. "As for that cup, we've taken it back for rotation."

"Rotation?"

For a moment, everyone was taken aback, slightly confused by the term.

"Heh, forgive me for sounding presumptuous," Wang Guan said, adopting a serious tone. "The collection at our Xiyi Museum might be a bit more advanced than everyone imagines. After three exhibitions, we feel that the public's expectations haven't risen as high as before. Therefore, we plan to exchange some items to ensure everyone fully experiences a sense of novelty."

"Novelty."

Instantly, many eyes lit up. No one was foolish; they understood that if the Xiyi Museum dared to swap items, the replacements must be treasures on the same level as the ones currently displayed, otherwise, they wouldn't have the nerve to present them.

Thinking of this, the elderly expert asked eagerly, "Then what are the rotating items?"

"They are stored separately," Wang Guan said with a slight smile. "It's a secret for now. We'll give everyone a surprise tomorrow. Rest assured, you absolutely won't be disappointed. Naturally, since the items aren't here, the museum bears no responsibility for them."

"What could it be?" the elderly expert probed curiously.

"A painting," Wang Guan offered cryptically, then smiled. "Don't rush, you'll see it tomorrow. For now, let's focus on properly securing these treasures."

Seeing that Wang Guan would not reveal more, others had no choice. Moreover, at his reminder, their attention returned to the artifacts before them. Tomorrow would come soon enough; the current treasures were more than enough for their admiration.

"Quick, move the items inside! Be extremely careful, do not let them get bumped!"

Even though every box was packed tightly with sufficient anti-shock foam plastic, the team of workers dared not show the slightest negligence. Whether lifting or supporting, they carefully maneuvered the objects into the exhibition hall.

Next came the preliminary arrangement. Displaying the items first, then adjusting them to their optimal viewing positions—this too was a discipline. Artifacts placed harmoniously were pleasing to the eye; if scattered haphazardly, even the finest objects would leave a poor impression.

Of course, while attending to the primary task, the staff couldn't help harboring some selfish desires, hoping to get a close-up look at the treasures. Such an opportunity was incredibly rare, and no one would miss it.

It could be said that at this moment, every staff member in the museum had gathered; even those who didn't need to work insisted on coming to witness the spectacle instead of taking leave.

Wang Guan was accustomed to this scene. The current situation was minor compared to the spectacle during the Forbidden City exhibition. The internal viewing at the Forbidden City alone took an entire day, only concluding when a group of experts and scholars had personally handled and examined everything before finally departing, still wanting more.

The situation now was similar. Once the items were displayed, a crowd gathered around each treasure, some exclaiming in awe, others clicking their tongues in wonder, refusing to disperse for a long time.

"Incredible."

After viewing the Zhong Kui Capturing Ghosts Scroll, Song Youdao shook his head, his face filled with astonishment. Lu Chongming, meanwhile, had long since made his way to the Yellow Jade Thumb Ring, which he had held onto since picking it up.

However, most people were concentrated near the Chixiao, Gongbu, Longque Dao, and Tang Dao blades, admiring the exquisite etchings on their surfaces. Everyone seemed eager to try them out but strictly adhered to the principle of not touching them.

As connoisseurs, they understood that allowing others to touch artifacts during an exhibition was the biggest taboo. They knew that with so many hands around, if someone lacked care or acted negligently, the objects could be ruined. This wasn't fear-mongering; countless precedents had led museums to establish this strict guideline.

However, those who favored swords and blades tended to be younger. The older experts and scholars were naturally more interested in the Shengtao Cup, the Youxian Pillow, and the Wuse Brush. As for the Lianzhu Curtain, it was instantly monopolized by a group of female staff members upon its reveal, creating such a dense circle that no one else could get near.

Everyone had their own preferences; aesthetic tastes varied widely.

For instance, after examining the paintings, Song Youdao moved directly to the Changhua Stone Ball, admiring the interplay of light and shadow created by the swirling black and white patterns, which naturally filled him with wonder.

After scrutinizing it for a moment, Song Youdao seemed lost in thought and couldn't resist pulling Wang Guan aside to ask in a low voice, "By the way, didn't you acquire a piece of frozen Changhua stone back then? It also had mixed black and white coloring. How is that piece now?"

"Far away, yet right before your eyes," Wang Guan did not hide anything, gesturing subtly with his chin. "You've seen it; it's right there on display."

"Indeed..."

Song Youdao sighed. "I misjudged it. I truly misjudged it."

Back then, upon discovering the mixed colors of the black and white Changhua stone, he had concluded its value wouldn't be high. But who could have guessed that after the stone was ground and polished into a sphere, the waste product would transform into a rare treasure that commanded such awe?

"Uncle Song, don't be dejected. It was just luck," Wang Guan said humbly.

Of course, with Song Youdao’s straightforward personality and open mind, after a moment of lament, he put aside his feelings and shifted his focus, engaging with the other treasures with gusto.

Everyone was so absorbed in the marvels of the artifacts that they lost track of time. Evening arrived in what felt like an instant.

As the lamps were lit, everyone finally snapped back to reality. Following the elderly expert’s signal, they carefully re-crated each treasure, moved them into the highly secured vault, assigned diligent guards, and then finally invited Wang Guan and the others to dinner.

There's no need to detail the banquet, which was, needless to say, lively with toasts and exchanges. Afterward, everyone dispersed, only to gather again at the museum the following morning for the final preparations before the public exhibition.

It wasn't just them who arrived early; countless people were already swarming outside the museum gates. Whether they had tickets or not, they were piled up outside the main entrance. Those with tickets were obviously there to visit. Those without tickets were hoping to slip in through the crowd or perhaps intercept someone returning a ticket, desperately hoping for a chance to enter.

A scene of this magnitude naturally required media coverage. Dozens of cameras, big and small, had already aimed their lenses at the dense crowd. Who would miss such prime material? Some major online portals had been following the story since the exhibition’s inception, creating a serialized feature that tracked the journey from Beijing to Shanghai. The immense positive response and attention naturally attracted many competitors, all rushing to grab a piece of this lucrative cake—it was truly a feast for the media.

Regardless, precisely at eight in the morning, the museum opened its doors. Guards stood ready on either side, while the entrance featured long railings, allowing only one person through at a time for ticket inspection before entry... (To be continued)