Su Yuqing smiled faintly. "Then name your price, Mr. Mu?"
Mu Feng was about to reply when Master Xu San suddenly rushed over. "Wait! The provenance of this brush washer is unknown; it's likely stolen goods! I demand it be detained for investigation!"
He exchanged a glance with his two bodyguards, who immediately closed in to snatch the brush washer.
A cold flash crossed Mu Feng's eyes as he quickly took a step back. "Master Xu San, are you trying to rob me in broad daylight?"
"Cut the crap! In the Antique City, whatever I, Xu San, say goes!" Master Xu San sneered malevolently. "Take him down!"
Just as the bodyguards were about to make a move, Su Yuqing let out a sharp cry. "Stop!" She turned to Master Xu San, her voice icy. "Old Third Xu, do you take the Su Family for decorations?"
Cold sweat beaded on Master Xu San's forehead. "Eldest Miss Su, this brat—"
"Shut your mouth!" Su Yuqing interrupted him. "Mr. Mu is a guest of the Su Family. If you dare lay a single finger on him, Jubao Zhai won't survive another day in the Antique City!"
Master Xu San's face turned livid, but he dared not say another word, able only to glare resentfully at Mu Feng.
When Su Yuqing turned back to Mu Feng, her gentle smile returned. "Mr. Mu, shall we adjourn to Baoyun Pavilion to discuss this in detail? I guarantee no one will dare disturb you."
Mu Feng nodded. Before leaving, he cast a glance at Master Xu San, a cold smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Boss Xu, remember our wager. Would you prefer those stone lions steamed or braised?"
Amidst the jeers of the crowd, Master Xu San trembled with rage, yet could only watch helplessly as Mu Feng departed in the company of Su Yuqing.
On the walk to Baoyun Pavilion, Mu Feng's mind was in turmoil. In the span of a mere half-day, he had transformed from a penniless wretch into a fortunate man holding antiques of incalculable value. And all of this stemmed from those miraculous Mystic Pupil.
"This is just the beginning," Mu Feng vowed silently to himself. "In this lifetime, I will stand at the very peak of this world!"
Su Yuqing glanced sideways at the young man who had so suddenly risen to prominence beside her, a trace of curiosity and probing flashing in her eyes. She had a premonition that this man named Mu Feng would bring earth-shaking changes to the antique world.
Inside the VIP room of Baoyun Pavilion, sandalwood incense curled softly into the air. Mu Feng sat in a huanghuali wood armchair, his fingers tapping lightly on the armrest. Su Yuqing personally poured him a cup of Mingqian Longjing tea; the liquor was clear and the aroma intoxicating.
"Mr. Mu, please enjoy your tea." Su Yuqing pushed the celadon teacup toward him with a smile in the corners of her eyes. "Now we can properly discuss the matter of that brush washer."
Mu Feng picked up the teacup, but his gaze fell upon the landscape painting hanging in the very center of the VIP room. The Mystic Pupil activated automatically, casting a faint golden halo around the edges of the painting, where the inscription bearing the characters "Shi Tao" faintly materialized. His brows twitched slightly—this painting, hung so casually, was actually an authentic masterpiece by Shi Tao, one of the famous Four Monks of the early Qing Dynasty!
"Is Mr. Mu interested in this painting?" Su Yuqing followed his line of sight, letting out a light chuckle. "My father acquired that as an imitation a few years ago. Though it's a fake, it's quite spirited in its imitation."
"An imitation?" Mu Feng set down his teacup, stood up, and walked over to the painting. "Are you certain, Miss Su?"
Su Yuqing was slightly taken aback. "Of course. Several experts from Beijing authenticated it three years ago..."
"Their eyes failed them." Mu Feng reached out, his hand hovering an inch from the surface of the painting as he stroked the air. "Look at the vigor of these texture strokes, the gradation of the ink tones, and the brushwork of the colophon..." He pointed to a corner of the canvas. "There is a tiny vermilion seal reading 'Yuanji,' which was deliberately antiqued and concealed by later generations."
The teacup in Su Yuqing's hand gave a crisp, sharp clink. She hurried to Mu Feng's side, stopping almost shoulder-to-shoulder with him to examine it closely. A faint, elegant jasmine scent drifted into Mu Feng's nostrils.
"I... I need to ask my father to come take a look." Her voice trembled slightly as she immediately pulled out her phone and made a call.
Taking advantage of the interval, Mu Feng looked around. The dozen or so antiques displayed in the VIP room emitted various colored auras under his Mystic Pupil vision: Qing Dynasty porcelain radiated a pale cyan, Ming Dynasty furniture appeared a deep brown, and an inconspicuous bronze jue in the corner even emitted a rich golden glow, indicating a history of over three thousand years.
"This Baoyun Pavilion truly lives up to its reputation," Mu Feng sighed inwardly. "Any random piece here is a priceless treasure."
In less than ten minutes, a spirited old man rushed over, accompanied by several staff members. The old man was around seventy years of age, with a full head of silver hair and eyes that shone with sharp intelligence.
"Yuqing, what's going on?" the old man asked in a booming voice.
"Father, this Mr. Mu says our *Yellow Mountain Scroll* might be genuine," Su Yuqing introduced. "Mr. Mu Feng, this is my father, Su Wenyuan, the founder of Baoyun Pavilion."
Su Wenyuan's sharp gaze swept over Mu Feng before finally landing on the painting. "Young man, on what grounds do you assert this is an authentic Shi Tao?"
Mu Feng answered neither servilely nor overbearingly: "Old Su might as well have someone fetch an ultraviolet lamp to shine on the bottom right corner."
Su Wenyuan's brows furrowed deeply as he waved his hand to signal an assistant to bring the equipment. When the ultraviolet light shone on the designated spot on the painting, a blurred seal impression gradually materialized—it was precisely the vermilion "Yuanji" seal frequently used by Shi Tao in his later years!
"This... this..." Su Wenyuan's hands trembled slightly. "Those experts from three years ago actually..."
"Father, if it's genuine..." Su Yuqing's voice grew excited as well.
"Starting bid of at least eighty million!" Su Wenyuan took a deep breath, his expression completely altered as he turned to Mu Feng. "Mr. Mu has a discerning eye! May I ask who your mentor is?"
Mu Feng smiled indifferently. "Self-taught."
Su Wenyuan exchanged an astonished look with his daughter, then enthusiastically shook Mu Feng's hand. "Mr. Mu not only brought us a genuine piece of Song official ware today, but also helped us discover this buried treasure. How about this—we'll offer six million for your brush washer, how does that sound?"
Mu Feng felt a jolt in his heart; it was a million higher than he had expected! Yet outwardly he remained composed. "Old Su is straightforward. Deal."
"Good!" Su Wenyuan laughed heartily. "Yuqing, arrange the transfer immediately. Also, from now on, Mr. Mu is a VIP guest of our Baoyun Pavilion, and VIP seats are to be reserved for him at all auctions!"
Taking advantage of the paperwork being processed, Mu Feng excused himself to use the restroom. Once he closed the door of the stall, he finally couldn't help but punch the air. In the span of half a day, going from penniless to sitting on six million in cash—this transformation made him dizzy.
"The power of the Mystic Pupil is even greater than I imagined," Mu Feng muttered, staring at his own reflection in the mirror. "This is only the beginning."
When he returned to the VIP room, he found that besides the Su family father and daughter, several middle-aged men and women in luxurious attire had arrived. Su Yuqing immediately stepped forward to greet him. "Mr. Mu, these are important clients of our Baoyun Pavilion. Hearing that you possess such a discerning eye, they all wish to make your acquaintance."
A man wearing gold-rimmed glasses stepped forward to shake his hand. "I've long heard of Mr. Mu's great reputation. I am Liu Shirong, chairman of Huatian Group. I hear you scored a bargain on a piece of Song official ware? I wonder if you'd be willing to part with it? I'll offer six and a half million!"
"Chairman Liu, you're going too far," another lady interjected. "Mr. Mu has already agreed to sell it to our Baoyun Pavilion."