The idiom yī mù liǎo rán (clear at a glance) was apt for Wang Guan's current situation. At first glance, the true nature of these porcelain pieces seemed entirely within his grasp. There were certainly fakes among them, but the genuine articles were hardly worth mentioning; what held his focus were the counterfeits.

As he examined one fake after another, Wang Guan soon detected something unusual. It was a yellow-glazed porcelain plate, specifically a Hongzhi-era chicken-oil yellow plate. Hidden within the base of the plate was a secret mark belonging to Master Zhu.

It was well-known that yellow had always been the exclusive color of the emperor; yellow-glazed porcelain was strictly court ware during the Ming and Qing dynasties, absolutely forbidden for common use. Even if private kilns were permitted to use gold paint, they could not use yellow glaze.

However, the technique for yellow glaze was notoriously difficult to achieve successfully. Even during the Yongle and Xuande periods, when porcelain craftsmanship was quite mature, yellow-glazed ware was rare. According to historical records, Yongle yellow glaze was pale, the glaze layer thin, lacking any sense of richness or luster; currently, only excavated pieces had been seen, with no extant examples known.

The situation was similar for Xuande yellow glaze, with most existing examples being unearthed artifacts. Following Xuande, the Ming Dynasty entered a "dark thirty years" gap in its porcelain history, only truly recovering during the Chenghua reign.

After Chenghua came the Hongzhi period, which coincided with the "Hongzhi Restoration" in Ming history. The nation's strength grew day by day, and yellow-glazed porcelain consequently rose in prominence, becoming the most celebrated variety and representing the peak of yellow glaze firing achievements throughout the entire Ming Dynasty.

The yellow glaze of this era was applied to the porcelain body using a pouring technique, hence it was called jiāo huáng (poured yellow). Because its hue was delicate, elegant, and shone brightly like chicken fat, it was also known as jiāo huáng or jī yóu huáng (chicken-oil yellow).

Yellow ware was generally used for ritualistic offerings, not intended as mere ornamentation. Yet, thanks to the meticulous work of the artisans, these pieces turned out unexpectedly beautiful and grand, perfectly aligning with popular aesthetic tastes. Furthermore, due to their extreme scarcity, their value inevitably soared, making them prime targets eagerly pursued by major collectors at auctions.

The situation now mirrored that expectation; Wang Guan noticed many people in attendance frequently gazing at the yellow-glazed plate, clearly contemplating a purchase. Yet, these individuals were unaware that this seemingly authentic plate was, in fact, a forgery.

Why would Master Zhu’s forgery be displayed among these items?

It is necessary to clarify something here: this gathering, especially the items on display in the hall, were not arranged by the organizers, but brought by the invited guests themselves. In essence, this was truly a third-party platform; the organizers merely provided various services and never inquired about the provenance or ultimate destination of these objects.

A very shrewd approach—in this scenario, even if something went wrong, the organizers could wash their hands of it entirely, or at least significantly mitigate their liability.

Of course, the most crucial factor was that such a platform earned a degree of trust. Otherwise, if the hosts acted as both judges and contestants, everyone would naturally worry about hidden traps set by the organizers.

Regardless, seeing this particular item here confirmed for Wang Guan that Master Zhu was aboard this very ship. While his heart surged with surprise and excitement, he strove to maintain composure and resumed his search through the crowd.

This time, Wang Guan did not rely solely on his naked eye; he directly engaged his esoteric ability, enveloping the crowd in the main hall. If the range of his ability hadn't been limited, he would have tried to penetrate the entire cruise liner.

At this moment, Wang Guan began meticulously screening individuals one by one, searching for anyone else who, like him, had undergone careful disguise and makeup. However, the results of this screening caused his brow to immediately furrow.

For reasons unknown, there were numerous people in the crowd who were clearly disguised.

It was understandable that some wore wigs—middle-aged baldness could indeed be embarrassing, so a little concealment was hardly questionable. For the elderly, wearing dentures due to age was perfectly normal.

As for the bust padding on the beautiful women...

Ahem, he had accidentally glanced in the wrong direction. Wang Guan offered a silent penance and quickly shifted his focus. Surely Master Zhu wasn't a woman? He began concentrating specifically on those who seemed unremarkable apart from wearing fake hairpieces and glued-on false beards.

Upon closer inspection, Wang Guan began to discern a pattern. These individuals might not be Master Zhu himself, nor his accomplices, but they were certainly not benign visitors. Judging by their darting eyes, their constant state of alert reaction, and the subtle scars visible on their bodies, these people were likely figures from the underworld. Their presence at this gathering suggested they were here to fence stolen goods.

This realization brought a measure of disappointment. There were too many of them, and he couldn't definitively pinpoint which one was Master Zhu. However, amid the disappointment, he hadn't come away empty-handed; in fact, there was an unexpected bonus.

The main reason was that while using his ability to scrutinize the people, Wang Guan had simultaneously scanned the exhibited items. Under the influence of his special power, he had a clear understanding of the authenticity and quality of these objects.

As the saying goes, within ten paces, there must be fragrant grass; among all people under heaven, how could there not be rare excellence!

At this moment, Wang Guan understood the true meaning of this saying more deeply. No matter how mixed the quality of the items in the hall, if one took the time to excavate diligently, gold could always be found amidst the gravel.

"Incredible..."

As Wang Guan murmured softly, Old Man Fang patted his shoulder and quietly asked, "Made any discoveries?"

"Uh!"

Wang Guan snapped back to attention, preparing to speak, but instantly changed his mind: "There are too many items; it’s difficult to appraise them all."

The primary issue was that explaining his insight would be difficult; seeing the truth of every piece instantly was simply too miraculous. Moreover, Wang Guan worried that Master Zhu might be watching nearby, making it unwise to pick up and closely examine the yellow-glazed plate for fear of drawing attention.

Wang Guan had already resolved his strategy: when the items officially went to auction, whoever displayed the most excitement or the most abnormal emotional response would likely be the primary suspect.

"Mmm."

Old Man Fang was not surprised by Wang Guan's reply and nodded. He spoke softly, "No rush, we have plenty of time to look slowly. If necessary, we can devise another plan when we get back."

"Right."

That, of course, was the last resort. The best outcome would be catching Master Zhu right there on the ship, or failing that, capturing one of his associates. Otherwise, once Master Zhu left Taiwan, tracking him down would become exceedingly difficult.

Solving the problem in one go...

With this conviction, Wang Guan continued to examine the porcelain while secretly monitoring those who bore the strongest resemblance to Master Zhu.

As he juggled these tasks, time slowly passed. Two hours later, the flow of people in the hall began to surge again. At Old Man Fang's signal, Wang Guan followed. This time, however, it was not for further viewing but to proceed to a space configured like an auction room.

After two or three hours of appraisal, everyone had formed a preliminary judgment on the quality of the displayed items; whether those judgments were accurate would depend on the skill of each appraiser.

The main event had officially begun. There were professional auctioneers and dedicated bidding instruments; all equipment was arranged exactly like that of major world auction houses, leaving no room for error.

Of course, unlike formal auction houses, the commission charged here was relatively high. This was understandable; the organizers had worked hard to arrange the gathering and provided many high-quality services; they couldn't invest for nothing and needed to turn a profit. The cost was passed down to the attendees—this profit point naturally came from the auction commission and various hidden revenues.

Everyone found this acceptable. After all, the world bustles for profit; in today's utilitarian society, who would engage in business without expected gain?

Without further preamble, after everyone was seated, attendants began bringing out the lots.

The opening items were luxury goods such as jewelry, precious ornaments, or rare wines. These hardly required detailed mention, as older wealthy individuals were generally less interested in such things. It was the guests in their twenties and thirties who frequently bid, competing intensely.

The reason was twofold: first, these items aligned better with the tastes of the younger demographic; second, these younger attendees were acutely aware that the items would become progressively more valuable later on. When the real financial showdown began, they knew they couldn't compete; thus, they decided to strike first, lest they lose even the chance to bid later, which would be embarrassing.

However, it must be said that the frequent bidding from these younger millionaires successfully whipped up the atmosphere of the auction, lending it a certain rising heat and liveliness. This was precisely what the organizers hoped to see, as a feverish atmosphere easily influenced people's rationality, causing them to press harder during competition.

It is well-known that astronomical prices frequently emerge from intense competition. An object of modest value might see its price multiply several times because bidders had developed a personal conflict and refused to yield. Although such instances were not common, they certainly occurred often enough. Whenever this happened, it was a scene warmly welcomed by the organizers.

At this moment, signs of this dynamic were appearing in the auction hall. Mainly, the younger wealthy bidders lacked the composure of their middle-aged and elderly counterparts, possessing instead a surplus of fiery impulsiveness. Stirred up by the auctioneer's baiting, they would often make a hasty, high bid on impulse. Even if they regretted it afterward, saving face became paramount, forcing them to swallow the bitter pill.

Amidst the flurry, the luxury items were finally auctioned off. The next item to appear was a painting, a Western oil painting. The image depicted a portrait: a woman with a gentle smile and an air of great kindness, beside her a plump infant. The woman held the baby in her left arm, while her right hand was poised in a gesture ready to caress, conveying the warm radiance of a mother protecting her child.

Undoubtedly, this was the most common religious theme in Western art: a Madonna and Child. However, this particular depiction possessed a certain unusual quality that captured the attention of many, making them stir with interest.

"Madonna of the Scroll."

At the same time, Old Man Fang whispered, "It is supposedly a replica of a genuine Da Vinci, but some experts and scholars believe that even if this painting wasn't entirely done by Da Vinci's own hand, parts of it at least bear his mark. Some even think this painting is a work by Da Vinci."

"If it's the original, wouldn't the price shatter all records?" Wang Guan asked with some curiosity.