Chapter 1 The Aftermath
As the old man and his subordinates fled in disgrace, Ye Fan let out a cold snort, "Don't think you're safe just because you escaped. Wait for us in court."
...
The farce concluded with Tianyin Pavilion emerging victorious.
The onlookers dispersed after a flurry of discussion.
Shen Tianyin ordered the doors to be closed before heading to the basement with Ye Fan and Ji Nanshan.
This was the most secretive part of Tianyin Pavilion, unknown even to Ji Nanshan until now.
The space, spanning several tens of square meters, housed numerous items, with an appraisal table prominently placed in the center, equipped with all the necessary tools for antique appraisal.
A dozen or so items lay quietly on the appraisal table.
"Are these the items?"
Ye Fan frowned upon seeing the objects.
Shen Tianyin nodded, "These were acquired this afternoon. After appraisal by Old Master Ji and several other appraisers, no issues were found. However, given the Antique Association's insistence, there must be something wrong with them."
Ye Fan turned to Ji Nanshan, "Did Old Master Ji appraise them?"
Ji Nanshan sighed, a look of apology on his face, "Brother Ye, I am truly old now, my eyes are dim. I didn't detect any problems with these items. This is all my fault."
His heart was filled with remorse. Fortunately, Ye Fan had come to their rescue today. Had Tianyin Pavilion been shut down, Ji Nanshan feared he would have lived with this guilt forever.
Seeing Ji Nanshan's apologetic expression, Ye Fan sighed, "In the field of appraisal, no one can guarantee they won't make a mistake. Old Master Ji need not be so hard on himself."
Saying so, he carefully examined the dozen or so items.
From the surface alone, these items appeared flawless, with their craftsmanship and materials being perfectly in line.
However, upon examining their true nature with his divine eyes, Ye Fan discovered the problem.
He noticed numerous cracks on these items.
"These seem to be pieced together from fragments."
Frowning, Ye Fan picked up a porcelain vase.
Its glaze was exquisite, its texture fine, and even its patterns were lifelike.
When he flicked the vase, it emitted a muffled sound.
"I can confirm that this porcelain vase is composed of multiple broken porcelain pieces joined together. The glaze on top was added later. The craftsmanship is extremely meticulous, making it difficult to discern its authenticity."
This statement stunned both Shen Tianyin and Ji Nanshan.
"I never imagined they would be assembled from porcelain fragments. It's truly unbelievable."
Such techniques had existed since ancient times, but were rarely seen in modern times due to advanced technology, which easily detected them.
However, these items had employed superior methods to perfectly conceal the flaws!
"Where were these items acquired? I suspect the seller meticulously designed this plan targeting Tianyin Pavilion, otherwise, not all items would be like this."
Ye Fan's gaze swept over the remaining items, his brow furrowed as he spoke in a deep voice.
Shen Tianyin, equally concerned, replied, "An old man came to sell them this afternoon. We had never seen him before. We paid twenty million."
Having spent twenty million on a dozen fakes, the loss was not just financial, but also a blow to Tianyin Pavilion's reputation.
"This explains everything. That old man was likely a lure deployed by the Jiangcheng Antique Association. Their objective was to sell these items to Tianyin Pavilion. Once successful, the Antique Association would immediately send people to seal Tianyin Pavilion under the guise of investigating for fakes. A flawless, seamless operation."
Upon careful consideration, the entire sequence of events became clear.
"How dare the Antique Association! This is outrageous!"
Ji Nanshan was furious. Having been in Jiangcheng for so many years, he had never suffered such a humiliation!
"Why is the Antique Association targeting Tianyin Pavilion? We have no past grievances or recent conflicts with them. Why would they do this?"
Shen Tianyin's face was grim, her eyes filled with a chilling glint.
But Ye Fan shook his head, "I'm not concerned with these matters. Instead, I'm wondering how many such items there are and where they came from. If it were just one or two, I could understand. But so many assembled items could not have been produced by the Antique Association alone."
To piece together so many treasures would require fragments from numerous objects of the same period. The Antique Association alone could not possibly procure so many.
Shen Tianyin and Ji Nanshan were simultaneously taken aback, "You mean there's an entire industry behind this, specializing in producing such items?"
Indeed, she was the second young lady of the Shen family, grasping the implication immediately.
Ye Fan nodded heavily, "I hope I'm overthinking this. However, since these items have appeared on the market, they must not be allowed to circulate further. Send someone to investigate that old man's information. Finding him will surely yield useful clues."
With Shen Tianyin's status, finding the old man would not be difficult.
"Alright, I'll send people to investigate immediately."
Shen Tianyin quickly departed, while Ji Nanshan frowned and asked, "Brother Ye, although we've taken a slight hit in this matter, the mastermind behind such a vast operation is likely no ordinary person. If we investigate rashly, will it...?"
A seasoned elder, Ji Nanshan's thoughts and concerns naturally went much further than Ye Fan's.
Such a colossal entity, if angered, could put all of them in danger.
Ye Fan narrowed his eyes, gazing out the window with profound depth.
After a long pause, his lips parted, his voice chillingly cold.
"Since we've entered the antique trade, we must uphold its rules. If no one is willing to be the enforcer, I am willing to lay down my life to maintain peace in this profession."
He then turned to Ji Nanshan.
"Old Master Ji, someone must bear the risks..."
Ye Fan's words resonated within Ji Nanshan like a thunderous bell, causing his body to tremble violently. He stood stunned, unmoving for a long time.
Ye Fan's words echoed endlessly in his mind.
Yes, someone had to bear the risks. If one lacked even this much courage, what right did they have to speak of appraisal?
Ten minutes later, Shen Tianyin rushed in, "We've found him. He's a former associate of Taoran Pavilion, named Jiang Zhong. He's currently renting a place near Taoran Pavilion. Let's go find him now."
Having been swindled out of twenty million, how could Shen Tianyin let this matter slide? Thus, she would absolutely not stand idly by.
Ye Fan raised his hand to stop her, "Don't alert them yet. Let's devise a plan first. Old Master Ji's words were very sensible. Since the other party can manage such a vast industry, their capabilities are naturally extraordinary. If we make one mistake, we might fall into their trap..."