Museum Director Cui had no idea that Elder Qian had long decided to send Wang Guan to Taiwan, and this was merely giving the matter a gentle push. Seeing how smoothly things were progressing, he was naturally delighted and offered the warmest welcome to Wang Guan's trip to Taiwan.

In Director Cui's mind, he wished Wang Guan would depart for Taiwan sooner so that once the contract was signed, there would be no further variables. This would prevent anyone from following his own misguided path and going directly to Elder Qian to lobby for influence...

After finalizing the arrangements for the Taiwan trip, Director Cui tactfully excused himself to report the outcome to Taipei.

Simultaneously, Wang Guan seized the opportunity to present a painting to Elder Qian for his appreciation.

"A dragon painting!"

After a brief glance, Elder Qian showed some surprise: "It appears to be an ancient piece. Complete ancient dragon paintings that have survived are quite rare."

"This is her ancestral heirloom."

At this point, Wang Guan gestured toward Tao Li and said with a smile, "It’s said to have been left behind by Cai Qian, the Pirate King who dominated the Fujian-Zhejiang area during the mid-Qing Dynasty. It seems rather credible, so I brought it for your inspection."

"Pirate King Cai Qian?"

For a moment, Elder Qian seemed thoughtful: "Perhaps it’s more than 'rather credible.' Have you uncovered another treasure?"

Having spent considerable time together, Elder Qian naturally understood Wang Guan's disposition; bringing someone along, plus a painting, suggested the matter was far from simple.

"Elder Qian, your guess is spot on," Wang Guan replied with an expression of deep admiration.

"It's not that my guess is accurate, but rather... a lesson learned from past experience." Elder Qian shook his head and asked with a smile, "Since you've made a discovery, are you going to excavate it? Or perhaps you already have?"

"If only we could dig it out," Wang Guan sighed. "Cai Qian once ruled as king in Húwěi, Taiwan, and thus buried his treasure in the nearby waters. In this situation, we are utterly helpless."

"Hmm?"

At Wang Guan's prompt, Elder Qian saw the nautical chart revealed on the back of the dragon painting and frowned slightly: "This is certainly a nuisance..."

"It's not a nuisance; it’s a huge problem," Wang Guan scratched his head. "We investigated and found that Húwěi in the Qing Dynasty corresponds to present-day Tamsui Town near Taipei. Without a credible pretext, it will be extremely difficult for an external vessel to approach that area, right?"

"No pretext is needed," Elder Qian stated firmly. "Because before you even get close, you'll be turned back. Furthermore, after two centuries, whether the items are still there is another question."

"Exactly so."

Wang Guan strongly agreed, while Gao Zhuang and Tao Li beside him also sighed softly.

Meanwhile, Wang Guan refused to give up: "Elder Qian, is there truly no other way?"

"There is," Elder Qian mused after a moment of thought. "You can apply for a treasure excavation permit. Whatever you unearth, you give the majority to the Taiwan authorities, and the rest is yours."

Hearing this, Gao Zhuang and Tao Li naturally knitted their brows, weighing the pros and cons.

"Well, that's the fallback plan," Wang Guan nodded, indicating this was the necessary course if nothing else worked.

"This suggests you have an alternative plan?"

At this, Gao Zhuang and Tao Li quickly turned their attention to Wang Guan, as the matter concerned their own interests, and human nature is prone to some greed. If they could bypass the Taiwanese authorities and secure the treasure directly, that would be best.

"I have one idea I'd like to pursue," Wang Guan nodded, then suddenly smiled. "Allow me to keep you in suspense. Once we arrive in Taiwan, we'll assess the specific situation before deciding."

Appropriately, despite their intense curiosity, Gao Zhuang and Tao Li dared not press further. To do so would imply a lack of trust in Wang Guan. Moreover, to be perfectly honest, in this predicament, they had no recourse but to trust Wang Guan, no matter their internal doubts.

Soon after, that very evening, after dinner, Wang Guan arranged for Gao Zhuang and Tao Li to rest in the guest rooms and then proceeded to Elder Qian's study. Elder Qian had anticipated his visit and had prepared hot tea waiting for him.

"You've worked hard during this time."

Motioning for Wang Guan to sit, Elder Qian praised him. "Running around constantly, you must be tired."

"Not overly tired," Wang Guan shook his head and smiled. "I’ve met many people and made some new friends; it’s been fulfilling."

It had only been a little over half a month, yet Wang Guan had rapidly risen to prominence within the industry. Although this fame was somewhat superficial and mostly rooted in pleasantries, it was undeniable that his name had made an impression on many people. At the very least, they knew of him now; he was no longer an unknown nobody.

Of course, some criticism, doubt, envy, jealousy, and resentment were the natural consequences of being pushed forward so quickly. Regarding this, neither Wang Guan nor Elder Qian paid much mind.

In Elder Qian's view, Wang Guan's abilities were sufficient to support such renown. Moreover, given Wang Guan's modest character, he was unlikely to become complacent just because he was famous. Furthermore, once one becomes a celebrity, maintaining that status requires continuous effort. Otherwise, once people perceive you as lagging or outdated, labels like 'talent exhausted' or 'fame undeserved' will quickly be attached.

Thus, sometimes fame is not just an encouragement but an invisible spur.

"Fulfilling is good," Elder Qian smiled appropriately. "Speaking of which, you haven't been to Taiwan yet, have you?"

"Correct."

Wang Guan sighed slightly. "I wanted to go before, but I lacked the funds. Later, when I had money, the opportunity wasn't right." "Now that the opportunity has arrived, you mustn't just sightsee and forget the main business," Elder Qian said softly. "The matter of the treasure exhibition is easily managed; you can handle it casually. Mr. Zhu Da's business is the absolute priority."

"I understand," Wang Guan nodded gravely. "Is it confirmed that Mr. Zhu Da is currently in Taiwan?"

"Confirmed," Elder Qian said solemnly. "Not only is he in Taiwan, but he is also planning a major operation."

"A major operation?" Wang Guan was slightly startled, suddenly recalling Meng Jian’s activities in Hong Kong, seemingly promoting a museum. An understanding began to dawn on him.

"Precisely, a grand-scale plan."

As he spoke, Elder Qian also showed a hint of awe. "A transaction worth billions—not just domestically, but even globally, such a deal is exceedingly rare."

"Billions?" Wang Guan was stunned, utterly speechless and finding it hard to believe.

"You heard correctly; one hundred billion," Elder Qian sighed. "If you added up the entire annual transaction volume of all major domestic auction houses, it might amount to this figure. And that is just the transaction volume, not the profit."

Wang Guan grasped Elder Qian's meaning: transaction volume is merely the cumulative realized prices of auctioned items; no matter how large the number, it doesn't represent the auctioneers' profit. However, Mr. Zhu Da's undertaking is different; it involves pure profit. A business yielding pure profit in the hundreds of billions—one could surmise that worldwide, it's a faster way to make money than drug trafficking or robbing banks.

"Of course, given the sheer size of the sum, it's not easily settled," Elder Qian said softly at this moment. "And until the deal is finalized, even if he knew you were in Taiwan, he probably wouldn't have time to deal with you. This is your opportunity."

"Understood."

Wang Guan was deeply convinced, yet a hint of hesitation surfaced. "Once I arrive, where should I begin my inquiries?"

"I have already made arrangements," Elder Qian smiled. "When you reach Taiwan, contact this person directly..."

As he spoke, Elder Qian handed Wang Guan a business card and instructed him, "For the first few days, you must remain patient and cooperate with Director Cui on the exhibition matters. Afterward, you can quietly find an opportunity to approach..."

"I understand..."

After hearing Elder Qian's thorough instructions, Wang Guan immediately felt reassured.

After all, arriving in Taiwan as a newcomer, unfamiliar with the place, finding Mr. Zhu Da amidst the vast populace would certainly be asking too much. But with help, it was different; he was confident he could track down Mr. Zhu Da, and then... then what would happen would be decided then. As long as he captured the man, everything else would be manageable.

That night, Wang Guan and Elder Qian held a long, private discussion, retiring to their rooms only late into the night.

Over the next two days, Wang Guan focused on preparations for the Taiwan trip. On the third morning, accompanied by Director Cui, Wang Guan and his party departed for Taipei.

After over three hours of flight time, the flight landed smoothly at Taoyuan Airport. Following another forty minutes or so by car, they finally reached downtown Taipei. Director Cui, being considerate, first took Wang Guan and the others to check into a hotel, allowing them a day to rest before discussing business the next day.

Wang Guan didn't mind this arrangement. After settling into the hotel, he immediately called Elder Qian to report his safe arrival. Then, he scrolled through his contact list, finally selecting a rarely used phone number tucked away in a corner.

Pressing the dial button, Wang Guan waited patiently, wondering if the number had expired. If it had, many things would become much more complicated.

As Wang Guan pondered this, the call connected, and a voice, blending delight and astonishment, answered: "My goodness, what a rarity! Did the sun rise in the west today, or did you dial the wrong number?"

"No, it’s you I’m looking for," Wang Guan chuckled lightly, skipping the pleasantries. "I'm in Taipei!"

"Seriously?"

In an instant, the other person sounded overjoyed. "Don't tell me you're just fooling around."

"Why would I fool you? There’s no benefit," Wang Guan laughed. "I'm at a hotel in the Taipei city area. Come see for yourself. That is, provided... you are also in Taiwan."

"Of course, I'm in Taiwan, right here in Taipei." After inquiring about the hotel name, the person was direct and decisive: "Wait half an hour, and I’ll be right over..."

With that, the person decisively hung up, presumably rushing over. It didn't even take half an hour; merely twenty minutes later, a young man dressed in a loud floral shirt, checkered trousers, sporting large sunglasses, and escorted by several bodyguards, appeared before Wang Guan.

"Big Brother, it really is you!"

Upon seeing Wang Guan, the person immediately removed his sunglasses and approached with a beaming smile—it was the arrogant young master, Cai Peng. Following the incidents in Macau and Hong Kong, their relationship had actually become quite solid.

In Wang Guan's subconscious, arriving in Taiwan, he knew he had to contact this lucky star...