At this moment, hearing Wang Guan mention taking friends to a banquet, Old Mr. Kong was also somewhat surprised, but quickly dismissed it, laughing, "Of course, no problem. More people will only make it livelier; I imagine Mr. Smith will be even happier."

"Smith?" In an instant, Wang Guan grew wary. "A foreigner?"

"Yes, an American."

Old Mr. Kong chuckled, "He’s from the Metropolitan Museum of Art in America. In a way, he’s one of our colleagues."

"Really?"

Wang Guan’s interest immediately piqued upon hearing that.

One had to know that the Metropolitan Museum of Art in America was famously counted among the world’s most renowned museums, alongside the British Museum and the Louvre.

Its collection was immensely rich, encompassing artifacts from all over the world, naturally including precious antiques from China.

Of course, Chinese items only constituted a portion of the collection; the majority comprised pieces from Egypt, Babylon, Greece and Rome, Europe, and Africa.

This included architecture, sculptures, paintings, sketches, weaponry, musical instruments, and more, spanning various historical periods, amounting to nearly three million pieces of art.

Three million—that was no small figure, naturally cementing its status as one of the world’s top three museums.

However, this was not the focus for Wang Guan. The focus was that someone from the Met had sought him out; their objective was surely not simple.

A person should know their own worth. Before the majority of the touring exhibition treasures were publicly revealed to be his, Wang Guan considered himself merely an obscure figure.

Even if he possessed some minor renown within the circle, he certainly wasn't internationally famous.

This meant that the person’s objective was likely still related to the treasures.

With this thought, Wang Guan immediately smiled, "Since we are colleagues, then we certainly must exchange notes properly."

Regardless of Mr. Smith’s objective, he would have to test the waters first.

Only then would the full story be revealed.

Simultaneously, having received Wang Guan’s affirmative reply, Old Mr. Kong was quite satisfied.

After viewing numerous treasures, as noon approached, he invited Wang Guan to leave the museum and head towards a prestigious restaurant in Shanghai.

Naturally, upon leaving, Wang Guan also called Lu Chongming and Song Youdao, and the group proceeded grandly to the restaurant.

It was in a private room at the restaurant that they met Mr. Smith.

He was tall, with dark golden hair and powerfully built limbs, fitting the common image of an American.

However, powerful limbs did not equate to a simple mind.

On the contrary, Mr. Smith, around fifty years old and sporting gold-rimmed glasses, exuded an air of refined scholarly grace, much like an academic.

Indeed, as Old Mr. Kong introduced him, the man had published several books in America; he was truly a scholar.

For a person of learning, respect transcends national borders; they are esteemed everywhere.

After understanding Mr. Smith’s background, Wang Guan and the others were naturally not arrogant but greeted him courteously.

They received an equally warm response.

Fortunately, it was only the custom of a handshake and not an embrace, which would have been somewhat overwhelming.

Another noteworthy point was that since Mr. Smith dared to approach them, he must possess some understanding of Chinese culture. He might not be a complete sinophile like Mr. Anderson, but he could manage basic Chinese, allowing for direct communication between the parties.

Since they were all peers in the field, the content of their discussion naturally revolved around the antiques of the world.

Through their exchange, the strengths and weaknesses of each person became evident.

Mr. Smith specialized in European and American artifacts and naturally lacked deep knowledge of Eastern items, whereas Wang Guan was the exact opposite: an expert on Chinese items but utterly lost concerning foreign pieces.

Only Old Mr. Kong was truly learned in both Eastern and Western disciplines, thoroughly versed in the antiques of various countries with considerable achievement.

Unexpectedly, the rugged-looking Song Youdao did not disappoint his given name (“Youdao,” implying having a way/understanding); he had actually studied Western oil painting and literature, and even if only theoretically, he possessed unique viewpoints that drew high praise from Mr. Smith.

Song Youdao was profusely modest, yet the slight self-satisfaction flickering in his eyes was clear for everyone to see.

But the man possessed that capability; being proud was warranted. This was genuine skill—you had to respect it.

It was precisely thanks to Song Youdao and Old Mr. Kong that the atmosphere at the table remained harmonious throughout, only breaking up after lunch concluded and everyone took their leave.

On the way back, Lu Chongming expressed surprise, "Wang Guan, didn't you say that Mr. Smith had ulterior motives? He certainly didn't seem like it."

"When did I say he had ulterior motives?" Wang Guan laughed wryly. "I merely suggested he might have an agenda and asked you all to help screen him. I didn't expect the man to be so composed, not letting slip a single hint."

"First meeting, second meeting builds acquaintance."

At this point, Song Youdao mused, "In my opinion, Mr. Smith definitely has a master guiding him behind the scenes, understanding our Chinese custom of befriending people. Today was just initial contact; he'll proceed gradually later on."

"That makes sense."

Wang Guan strongly agreed.

During casual conversation, they returned to the hotel.

After brewing a pot of strong tea to clear the lingering effects of the midday wine, Lu Chongming spoke up, "Wang Guan, I have to head back soon. Thank you for taking care of me these past two days."

"So soon?" Wang Guan was a little surprised.

"I took leave, and it's time to return. If I delay too long, my master will scold me."

Lu Chongming smiled, "And I still need to take this stone tablet back to the village."

"Mm."

Wang Guan nodded gently, his gaze following the direction of the tablet.

Come to think of it, after bringing the item back, he hadn't seriously examined it yet. He felt a certain curiosity—did the object really have a connection to Lu Zigang?

"Who knows? I’m quite skeptical myself," Lu Chongming remarked casually. "After all, the tablet's material is common, inexpensive granite, yet our founding master was a renowned grandmaster of jade carving. Not just now, but the jade pieces carved by his hand back then were incredibly valuable and rare. Logically, he shouldn't have bothered with common stone..."

"However, the village elders swore by the connection, and everyone was willing to believe it related to the founding master, so no one dug too deep." Lu Chongming smiled. "I was the same; I never obsessed over it, preferring to keep the sentiment alive."

"A smart choice," Song Youdao praised highly. "Some things are like that; if you believe it is, then it is. There’s no need to worry about what others think."

"Although that statement is somewhat biased, it does hold truth," Wang Guan agreed, but his eyes held a scrutinizing look as he carefully observed the tablet, experiencing a subtle, inexplicable feeling unintentionally.

"Hmm?" Wang Guan paused slightly, then fell into thought.

Just as he was about to begin a serious study, his phone rang. Looking down, he saw it was the director of the Shanghai Museum.

Assuming there was some trouble, Wang Guan quickly answered.

However, after a brief exchange, he realized this person, much like Old Mr. Kong, was acting as a matchmaker—or rather, wanted to help introduce someone.

"Mr. Piero from the Louvre in France?" Wang Guan’s expression turned strange. "He wants to invite me to dinner?"

"Yes, and Mr. Wood from the British Museum also asked me to convey his regards..." the voice on the other end said smilingly. "Vice Curator Wang, don't worry too much; this is just normal networking, nothing more to it."

"Normal?" Wang Guan mumbled. "I didn't feel this way before. Why am I suddenly so sought-after?"

Of course, Wang Guan vaguely understood the reason.

The replacement of the Holy Grail with the Confucius's Sacred Traces Scroll had likely made those who were waiting to see what happened unable to sit still, forcing them to surface.

However, Wang Guan had no intention of letting them off easily. He responded diplomatically, "I apologize, but I have other pressing matters that will take two or three days... Please relay to them that I will discuss things once I have concluded my business."

As he spoke, Wang Guan hung up the phone and turned back. "Brother Chongming, how about I take refuge at your place for a while?"

"What's wrong?" Lu Chongming was surprised. "Did something happen that you need to hide out from?"

"Troublesome things," Wang Guan admitted frankly. "Shanghai truly lives up to its name as an international metropolis. The exhibition has barely started, and all sorts of strange characters are popping up. Due to some personal connections, it’s hard to refuse them outright without being impolite, so I need an excuse to step away. More importantly, I want to hold out for a better price and keep some people guessing."

"It seems the news about the treasures has spread abroad," Lu Chongming realized with a smile. "That's good! Tickets for overseas exhibitions are more expensive. If you organize a world tour, you'll surely make a fortune."

"Perhaps. We'll see when the time comes," Wang Guan shook his head. "Regardless of what it is, making them wait will allow us to maintain the upper hand, which is advantageous."

"That's certainly true," Song Youdao agreed. "Right now, others are seeking you out. Even if they realize you are intentionally slighting them, they can do nothing. In fact, they have to tread carefully to avoid letting someone else seize the opportunity first..."

"Exactly, that's it," Wang Guan strongly affirmed, then smiled, "Let's go now before we get cornered and it becomes awkward to refuse face-to-face."

As he spoke, with Song Youdao’s help, the two men managed to carry the stone tablet out, then got into the car heading towards Taicang.

Wang Guan's prediction proved correct. Shortly after they left, several foreigners arrived, but upon hearing he had left Shanghai on business, they immediately groaned, shook their heads, and began reporting back on their phones.

Meanwhile, Wang Guan and the others had already driven out of Shanghai and were nearly reaching Taicang.

But their destination was not the city center, but Lu Chongming's hometown, dozens of kilometers outside the city limits.

It was a place of beautiful scenery, clear mountains, and pure waters.

With green walls and grey tiles, lush greenery, and several rivers winding around it, one could occasionally spot bamboo rafts and small boats drifting lazily on the water, imbued with the charm of a Jiangnan water town.

In this age where reinforced concrete buildings are increasingly pervasive, perhaps only in the mountain villages can one truly appreciate the authentic allure of the Jiangnan water country.

"We're here."

At this moment, Lu Chongming gestured, a broad smile on his face. "It’s right there..." 〖Novel Network∷Fast Updates∷No Pop-ups∷Pure Text∷www.〗RT