"Uncle De, the production and crafting of the Mao Porcelain back in the day required the combined efforts of a great assembly of ceramic masters to develop meticulously. For one person to unravel the secrets of its artistry and successfully reproduce it—that’s hardly realistic."

Understanding Gao Dequan's reservations, Wang Guan’s eyes flickered as he suggested, "However, as they say, a hero needs helpers. If one person can't do it, you can rope in a few others."

"Find help." Gao Dequan’s eyes brightened.

"Exactly."

Wang Guan nodded. "I recall there were two primary locations where the Mao Porcelain was produced; one of them was the Porcelain Capital. Even though, for various reasons, porcelain production eventually ceased and all the technical documentation was destroyed, the current masters in the Porcelain Capital should still retain some impressions. Why not seek out a few relevant individuals? Working together, you might just manage to figure something out."

"That's a good idea, but..." Gao Dequan remained hesitant.

At this point, Wang Guan began to faintly understand. It seemed that whatever Su Wenyi was discussing with Gao Dequan involved more than simply replicating a batch of Mao Porcelain for Old Master Su's birthday banquet. There might be a deeper layer of commercial collaboration involved.

Realizing this, Wang Guan smiled and said no more.

Simultaneously, Yu Feibai suddenly interjected, "Uncle De, so you’re going to be quite busy over the next few months, aren't you?"

"That is true. Even setting aside Su Wenyi's commission, with the year-end approaching, I indeed have a lot on my plate. Why, do you need something?" Gao Dequan nodded, looking puzzled.

"Mmm, in a few days, I need to head to Shudu." Yu Feibai’s eyes held a smile, his expression radiating an indescribable exuberance.

"The results are out?"

Gao Dequan paused for a brief moment, then instantly grasped the situation, laughing, "Congratulations, congratulations."

"Congratulations for what?" Wang Guan looked somewhat confused.

Gao Dequan chuckled, "Congratulations to his father, for another promotion, right?"

"It was just an equal transfer. He hasn't been there for a few years, and now he’s been reassigned to Shudu again. Running between the two places—I can’t stand it," Yu Feibai complained.

"It's different. I recall your father's military rank was something like... if he was moved from the central government to a local post, he’d certainly be the top man there."

Gao Dequan conjectured, and noticing Yu Feibai didn't refute him, he laughed heartily, "You say it's not a promotion? In ancient times, that would make him a regional lord, guarding a territory."

"Let's drop this topic. If he knew, he'd lecture me again for exaggerating." Yu Feibai waved his hand, then suddenly broke into a grin, "Uncle De, there is something I need to discuss with you."

"Go ahead."

Gao Dequan smiled. "Oh, are you going to see him? Do you want me to help you pick out a few gifts?"

"No, I already selected the gifts. A natural Kui Xing inkstone for shadow stones, and the antique ink stick from a renowned Qing Dynasty master that Wang Guan transferred to me. They are excellent items; he’s sure to like them."

Yu Feibai chuckled. "Actually, what I wanted was, could you perhaps let Wang Guan accompany me on the trip?"

"What?"

Wang Guan was astonished. "What does this have to do with me?"

Gao Dequan was equally perplexed. "Feibai, you aren't a little girl, and you often travel all over the country. You’ve been to Shudu before, haven't you? Why would you need company?"

"It's different." Yu Feibai shifted slightly, rubbing his hands, and grinned sheepishly. "You two must know, the Songxian Bridge Antique Art City in Shudu is one of the top ten antique markets in China. It holds many treasures, a great place to snag a bargain. But my luck there seems to be rather poor..."

In an instant, Wang Guan and Gao Dequan understood, both struggling to hide their amusement.

"So, all this fuss, you just want to piggyback on Wang Guan's good luck," Gao Dequan said with a knowing half-smile. "Quite a fine scheme you've cooked up."

"Mainly, I’ve been completely fooled at Songxian Bridge before; I need to get my money back."

Yu Feibai shamelessly pleaded, "Wang Guan, just come along with me. Don't worry, I’ll cover all the food and lodging along the way. If you want any special services, I can also..."

"Slap!"

Gao Dequan delivered a light smack, laughing as he chided, "You reckless boy, what are you saying? Don't corrupt the young man."

"Ahem..."

Wang Guan's face flushed slightly, and truth be told, he felt a faint stirring of interest.

Of course, Wang Guan would never admit that he was moved by the mention of special services; he was simply extremely intrigued upon hearing that the Songxian Bridge Art City in Shudu was one of the top ten antique markets in China.

In the midst of the awkwardness, his phone suddenly rang. Wang Guan quickly pulled it out, only to see an unfamiliar number. He felt a bit puzzled and deliberately delayed answering for about ten seconds. Seeing the ringing continue, he finally picked up.

"Hello!" Wang Guan tested the waters. "May I ask who this is..."

"Mr. Wang? This is..." The other party introduced himself, then got straight to the point. "Actually, it’s like this: I am extremely interested in that Li Ink stick you possess. Why don't we set a time to meet and discuss this..."

"I'm sorry, but I have no intention of selling it!" Wang Guan frowned slightly, politely declining. Afterward, they exchanged a few more pleasantries, but when he heard the caller continue talking incessantly, Wang Guan decisively hung up.

Wang Guan had assumed this would bring him peace. Unexpectedly, this call was merely the prelude. For the next ten-plus minutes, his phone rang nonstop.

The callers included strangers as well as CEOs and entrepreneurs he had met at various exchange events. Wang Guan busied himself answering them one by one, discovering that every call was about purchasing the Li Ink stick.

Having no choice, Wang Guan had to politely refuse each one, but as soon as one call ended, within less than a second, another call would cut in, becoming increasingly vexing.

Yu Feibai, watching from the sidelines, couldn't bear it anymore and suggested, "Wang Guan, why don't you just turn your phone off?"

"Good idea!"

Wang Guan immediately complied, turning off his phone, and even removing the battery.

Suddenly, the world fell silent.

"Don't think you'll find peace just by turning off your phone. This is only the beginning."

Gao Dequan, who had heard everything clearly, understood the situation and chuckled softly. "Believe it or not, even if you swapped out your SIM card, they could still track you down to your doorstep."

"That's right. As the saying goes, the monk may escape, but the temple cannot," Yu Feibai chimed in with a smile. "If those people found out you possess peerless treasures like the Zitan sunken wood beads, it would be like flies sensing rotten flesh—they would swarm you in droves. That's when it will be truly noisy and chaotic."

A mere dozen calls had made Wang Guan feel completely overwhelmed. The thought of dozens of people showing up at his door... picturing the scene, Wang Guan instinctively shivered.

"It seems I need to hide for a bit."

In an instant, Wang Guan clapped his hands, speaking earnestly, "Uncle De, can I take a few days off?"

"It's not that serious. They’ll bother you for a few days at most. If they see you are resolute, they naturally won't keep pestering you. Feibai is intentionally scaring you so you'll accompany him to Shudu."

Gao Dequan laughed. "However, if you want to go, that's fine too. While you are young, it's good to go out and experience things. Seeing the antique market atmosphere, which is different from the Porcelain Capital, will be beneficial for you both."

......................... A word of thanks to our readers "Kaixin Luoba" and "Wuliao de Xianren" for their generous tips. I hit a wall today. I woke up past eight this morning and just sat there half the day, managing to churn out only a thousand characters. So, writing a book without stored drafts is tough; having drafts stored is even more tragic. Only outputting, no income—it’s draining my reserves. My heart aches. Please send some votes for comfort. C