Big Data Cultivation
/ Big Data Cultivation Chapter 966
Chapter 966: Chapter 966: Imperial Secret Police? Chapter 966: Chapter 966: Imperial Secret Police? “He actually refuses to sell it to me?” Yang Yuxin felt it odd but at this stage, she would not rashly exert her influence–since she had asked a friend for help, the other party would certainly understand her background.
Understanding her background and still insisting not to sell the stone bowl, at this point, she could no longer arbitrarily apply pressure.
The so-called leveraging of status is sufficient once; any more becomes cliche and more likely to provoke a backlash.
However, her resolve to acquire it was unwavering. Without mentioning anything else, as long as Master Feng found it valuable, she was determined to contest for it.
Thus, she had to adopt a different approach, entrusting some professionals to investigate Smith's real situation.
In a short time, she learned: Smith kept an exceptionally low profile in the Imperial Capital and had a very small social circle.
Although there were a few impressive figures behind him, he could not integrate into the relevant circles–or rather, he had no interest in doing so.
On the contrary, some people, eager to ingratiate themselves with the figures behind him, took the initiative to approach him, trying to get a bit closer to him. Thus, while his reputation in the circles of the Imperial Capital was not very loud, he was rather reserved.
As Yang Yuxin was learning about the other party, Smith heard that a very influential person was investigating him, which left him somewhat panicked.
In the Imperial Capital, there is never a shortage of people with enormous energy, but for Smith, who normally engaged in no illegal activities, he wouldn't be subject to any investigation; there were not many who had the qualifications to take targeted actions against him, and even fewer could be described as “hugely influential.”
He quickly found out that it was the Gu Family who had initiated the investigation against him–given his network of information, he couldn't ascertain exactly who from the Gu Family has started probing.
But this was already frightening enough–it was the Gu Family, after all.
With this realization, Smith could no longer afford to be nonchalant–within the circles of the Imperial Capital, no one dared to play it cool; he found a middleman to arrange a meeting with the buyer.
Yang Yuxin met with him the very next morning–arranging a last-minute meeting in the Imperial Capital was very discourteous and lacked propriety.
In a tea house, upon meeting Yang Yuxin and learning that the other party was the widowed daughter-in-law of the Gu family, Smith's heart didn't relax much, but rather, it grew more tense.
Because he knew very well that if he angered Eldest Gu, it wasn't very serious, as his status was out there for all to see; likely, he wouldn't bother with such trivialities and had no interest in making a fuss. However, when it came to some relatives of the Gu Family, that was a different matter.
These people acted with little consideration, and if you didn't give them face, you might very well face relentless pursuit.
Especially this Gu Laosan's wife–her husband had died and her life was set in this way without much to look forward to, naturally, she would act more as she pleased.
So his demeanor was very proper; upon meeting Yang Yuxin, he politely asked others to leave the room.
Everyone was about to leave, but Yang Yuxin stopped Feng Jun, “You stay.”
Others didn't give it much thought; the young man was tall and handsome and could have been a movie actor. It was perfectly normal for Director Yang to like this type–it was well-known that she was a widow, and the circles of the Imperial Capital were highly tolerant of these things.
How many marriages there were due to political reasons, and the couples pursued their own pleasures after the marriage–who would gossip about it?
As long as Yang Yuxin didn't brazenly flaunt her love with Feng Jun everywhere, even if Eldest Gu saw him, he wouldn't say anything.
Smith also naturally ignored this “male pet”; in fact, he felt it better for Feng Jun to be present–otherwise, being alone in a room with a man, Yang Yuxin might feel insecure, and having such a strong man by her side was good.
Once everyone had withdrawn, he gave a formal bow and spoke very politely, “Sister, you've really scared me. I truly never expected that a great deity such as yourself would be the customer wanting to buy the Stone Lamp. For my prior neglect, you must forgive me.”
“It's not something that would scare you,” Yang Yuxin spoke calmly, “I just hope to buy the Stone Lamp in your hands at a reasonable price. A little overpricing doesn't matter; I won't mind… you have to make a profit, after all.”
The expression on Smith's face immediately turned as bitter as could be, “Sister, it's not that I don't want to sell it to you. I would love to have a connection with a great deity such as you, but the problem is… the Stone Lamp is really not in my possession.”
At his words, Yang Yuxin's expression darkened and she stared at him coldly for a good ten seconds before speaking slowly, “I'm not very fond of jokes, you know. Previously you said that you just didn't have the disposal rights.”
“Where would I have known that it was you who wanted to buy it?” Smith immediately lamented, “I can't just tell the truth to anyone who asks… that's how it is with antiquities.”
Yang Yuxin looked at him coldly, “I said, I don't like jokes… Well then, to whom did you sell the Stone Lamp?”
Smith hesitated for a moment, then coughed, “Here's the thing, I heard you, sister, are fond of collecting coins…”
While speaking, he took out a small brocade box, “This is a little token of my heart, I hope you like it.”
Yang Yuxin didn't even glance at the brocade box, continuing to look at him indifferently, “Do you think I'm here to blow on the wind?”
Smith's mouth twitched, and with a determined heart, “I have a fellow collector who possesses a 'Zhining Yuanbao' coin. Within two days, I will persuade him to part with it. How does that sound?”
Zhi Ning Yuanbao… Yang Yuxin was slightly stupefied for a moment, then she looked at him again, annoyance clearly on her face, “Is the person who bought your stone bowl hard to mess with? Or are you deliberately making a fool of me?”
“This…” Smith grinned awkwardly for a while before sighing, “Where would I get the courage to make a fool of you? I really don't know where that person went, so please, can I beg you to let it go?”
Yang Yuxin's expression turned cold, “I need to confirm… Is this your final answer?”
Smith hesitated, but still answered with a stiff neck, “That Zhi Ning Yuanbao, I will have it delivered to your residence.”
At the raising of Yang Yuxin's brows, just as she was about to stand up, she heard Feng Jun clear his throat, “Mr. Smith, perhaps you should think carefully about whether it's worthwhile to protect that person's secret.”
Smith glanced at him dismissively, thinking to himself, how dare this lackey interrupt our conversation?
However, the next moment, he realized that Yang Yuxin did not rebuke the man. His heart stirred slightly, so he answered formally, “I really apologize, brother, but I have unspeakable difficulties.”
Feng Jun looked at him indifferently, “Let me take a guess, and if I'm right, don't deny it… Smuggled overseas?”
“Absolutely not!” Smith shook his head, answering decisively, “My mother came from overseas; I know what it's like abroad. No matter how unworthy I am, I would not do something so despicable as to let cultural relics flow out of the country.”
“Then it is…” Feng Jun's eyes narrowed, speaking slowly, “that person has very formidable means?”
Smith hesitated before turning to Yang Yuxin, “Sister, who is this friend?”
Yang Yuxin replied impassively, “His words are my words… Also, if you want to be friends with him, you'll have to make more effort.”
Shock flashed through Smith's eyes–Who is this person? His words seemed even more influential than Yang Yuxin's?
Could it be… He didn't dare to continue the thought.
He pondered for a long while before tentatively asking, “How should I address this brother?”
“You don't need to ask,” Yang Yuxin waved her hand, speaking impatiently, “Just say whether you are willing to tell us or not… I remind you, offending me might not be a big deal, but if he's not happy, there's no hiding place for you in the vast lands of Huaxia!”
Smith became even more convinced that this handsome young man might be one of the legendary Imperial Secret Police and bravely spoke up, “It's not that I don't want to tell, but I truly dare not… The means of that person are extremely formidable, beyond your imagination!”
“Hehe,” Feng Jun laughed, with a flick of his hand, a Fortune Tree began to levitate and drift toward him.
This was a Fortune Tree used for decoration in the room; the plant wasn't too large, but the diameter of the pot was half a meter, and the tree was about one meter eighty tall, floating slowly and leisurely, landing softly in his hand.
There's no need to discuss how heavy the pot with the plant and soil was; just this display of his ability was frightening enough.
Feng Jun balanced the Fortune Tree on one hand and smiled at the other party, “Is it this formidable?”
Smith's eyes widened in shock as he gazed at him, “You… do the Imperial Secret Police have such talents?”
Feng Jun frowned slightly, displeased, “Why are you the one asking all the time? Answer me directly… Is it really that difficult?”
Smith fell silent, taking a long time before he sighed, “Why drag me, a mere mortal, into a fight amongst deities?”
“You're mistaken,” Feng Jun responded seriously, “It's not us deities fighting, but the original owner of this item intended to sell it to me. You stepped in and forcefully seized the item from the original owner… Now, are you telling me you're innocent?”
As he spoke, he became angrier, pointing at the other party, “I rarely threaten people because I'm accustomed to taking action. Now I must tell you… you are not innocent; you've provoked me. Don't continue to test my patience.”
“What does this have to do with me!” panicked, Smith shouted loudly, “It's merely a matter of someone commissioning me to buy this Stone Lamp. I bought it with money; it just passed through my hands.”
Feng Jun scoffed, tossing his hand, the Fortune Tree floated back leisurely and landed steadily in its original place, “So being a middleman makes you innocent?”
Yang Yuxin also snorted lightly, “This object, the way you obtained it is unlawful, how much did you pay?”
Smith hesitated, then honestly replied, “Tw… two hundred thousand.”
“Heh,” Feng Jun laughed in anger, it was both pitiful and hateful, “I don't know much about antiques… how much for Zhi Ning Yuanbao?”
“Priceless,” Yang Yuxin answered crisply, “The key is no one is selling. If someone were selling, twenty million would be the starting price, and it's normal to go for hundreds of millions.”
Feng Jun looked at Smith with amusement, “You go through the trouble of dealing with collections worth tens of millions, all to conceal the whereabouts of the Stone Lamp… Do you think this is something you could buy for two hundred thousand?”
Smith was speechless–this logic indeed did not hold.
After a long silence, he sighed dejectedly, then turned to Feng Jun with a cupped fist salute, “I don't know which sect this master hails from?”
Chapter end
|
Report
|
|
Donate
Oh o, this user has not set a donation button.
|
