Facing the old man's aggressive pressure, Ye Fan's expression grew colder, and his fighting spirit surged.
Seeing that Ye Fan intended to make a move, Lu Sheng became a little anxious.
This was, after all, the territory of the Xinyue斋. He knew Ye Fan's skills, but his purpose here was to bring Xinyue斋 under his wing. If they were to start fighting, he feared the two sides would become irreconcilable.
In fact, even Lu Sheng couldn't quite understand why Ye Fan, who was always thoughtful and cautious, would be provoked into anger by Old Boss Chen's few words today? Even willing to fight him?
But Ye Fan deliberately acted furious, while he himself could not. He had to stop this fight!
Quickly grabbing Ye Fan, Lu Sheng persuaded him respectfully.
"Brother Ye, please calm your anger for a moment. This elder is the main boss of Xinyue斋, Old Chen. Old Chen is quite righteous and has a good reputation in Taiping Town. It's just that today we came to deal with Mr. Zhao, which angered Old Chen. As long as things are explained clearly, I believe Old Chen will not hold grudges."
These words not only praised Old Chen but also gave Ye Fan an opportunity to back down.
Hearing Lu Sheng's words, Ye Fan narrowed his eyes and glanced at him. Although his expression did not change, he secretly admired this young man's growing maturity in knowing how to suppress his anger at such a crucial moment.
It wasn't that Ye Fan wanted to confront Old Chen head-on, but rather that in this situation, his attitude had to be strong.
Only then could his subsequent plans proceed.
Seeing Ye Fan's expression gradually return to normal, Lu Sheng turned around and looked at Old Chen.
As a prominent figure in Taiping Town, Lu Sheng's reputation was well-known.
"Old Chen, our purpose in coming here this time is mainly to appraise an item. However, this item is too precious and requires Old Chen's personal appraisal. But this Mr. Zhao is extremely arrogant and condescending, and he threatened to make us leave horizontally. Brother Ye's action was out of helplessness. All of you present have witnessed this. Therefore, we are not afraid even if Mr. Zhao wakes up. However, if the matter escalates, I fear this treasure in our hands will slip through Xinyue斋's grasp. So, please, Old Chen, think it through."
Lu Sheng's words were perfectly timed, not only giving Old Chen face but also clarifying the stakes.
As long as Old Chen was not foolish, he should know how to handle this matter.
As expected, upon hearing Lu Sheng's words, Old Chen frowned slightly, his eyes showing hesitation.
If what Lu Sheng said was true, a treasure like that was something one might not encounter for years.
He naturally knew of Lu Sheng's reputation, and since Lu Sheng could say so, it was evident that the item was of considerable value.
After a brief moment of contemplation, Old Chen finally nodded, then looked at Ye Fan: "The previous matter was likely a misunderstanding. Once cleared up, it's fine. I am somewhat aware of the character of Xinyue斋's appraisers. I will definitely exercise stricter control in the future to prevent such incidents from happening again."
Being able to make Old Chen yield like this showed that Ye Fan and his group had succeeded.
Then, looking at Ye Fan, Old Chen continued with a smile: "Since you two trust Xinyue斋, please come to the inner hall to talk."
Saying this, he led Ye Fan and the others to the inner hall.
This inner hall was much smaller than the outer hall, and the decor inside was even more luxurious.
"Tsk tsk, rosewood furniture. Old Chen, your Xinyue斋 is truly magnificent!"
Even Ye Fan, upon seeing it, couldn't help but feel a sense of shock.
Rosewood, in the antique collector's circle, was by no means cheaper than gold. Yet, the tables and chairs in the inner hall were all made of rosewood, which spoke volumes about Xinyue斋's wealth and influence.
Hearing Ye Fan's words, Old Chen smiled slightly and did not respond.
"May I know what treasure you have brought? There are no outsiders here anymore, so please take it out for me to see."
Looking at Old Chen's calm expression, Ye Fan smiled slightly and then glanced at Lu Sheng.
Seeing Ye Fan's gaze, Lu Sheng immediately understood and took out his phone to make a call.
"After all, it's a treasure, so it can't be worn casually. Please wait a moment, Old Chen."
With a slight smile to Old Chen, Ye Fan began to close his eyes and rest.
Lu Sheng, on the other hand, got up and walked to the door, waiting for the item to be delivered.
During this time, Old Chen was quite indifferent and did not offer any tea, clearly not holding much hope for the item Ye Fan and the others mentioned.
As an old connoisseur of antiques, Old Chen had spent his entire life dedicated to the study of antiques, and his interpersonal skills were relatively lacking.
Ye Fan was not annoyed by Old Chen's behavior; the old man was clearly a straightforward person, and such people were easier to deal with.
Ye Fan was confident that he could bring this Xinyue斋 under his ownership.
In just over ten minutes, Zhang Hao walked in with two boxes.
"Young Master Ye, the items have arrived."
Lu Sheng took them and placed them on the coffee table.
Ye Fan nodded indifferently, then signaled Lu Sheng to open the boxes.
Old Chen's expression remained calm, and he didn't even lift his eyelids, looking indifferently at the boxes before him.
In his opinion, Ye Fan was so young and had no reputation, so he wouldn't have any treasures.
Having been immersed in the antique industry for so many years, he had seen many treasures, but true treasures were few and far between.
Treasures were not like common vegetables; they weren't everywhere.
However, as the boxes were opened, revealing the items within, even Old Chen, with his deep composure, couldn't help but be stunned, and then his body instantly straightened up.
These two items were deliberately kept by Ye Fan and not sent back with Shen Bao.
Previously, Ye Fan already had a plan to use these two items to find himself a stable place.
Within the two boxes were bronze artifacts, covered in patina, but without any signs of decay, only the marks of time.
Old Chen's gaze gradually became fervent, and his body even trembled slightly.
"Bronze artifacts. You actually have bronze artifacts, and such exquisitely crafted ones."
Unable to contain his inner excitement any longer, Old Chen spoke with a tremble.
"Bronze 'gu', bronze 'zhi', both are mid-Shang Dynasty artifacts, truly the pinnacle of Shang Dynasty bronze craftsmanship, and they are perfectly preserved without any damage."
Ye Fan said calmly, his expression becoming increasingly serene, his tone even more indifferent, as if these two items had nothing to do with him.
Old Chen still kept his head bowed, staring at these two artifacts, not speaking a word.
In his opinion, these two items were indeed supreme treasures, and his mind was already deeply captivated.
Lu Sheng, on the other hand, frowned in confusion.
"Young Master Ye, these two old items look quite similar to me. How exactly do you differentiate between the bronze 'gu' and bronze 'zhi' you mentioned earlier?"
After all, he was not a professional antique dealer, so Lu Sheng did not understand bronze artifacts, hence his question.
Hearing his question, Ye Fan smiled slightly and looked up at Old Chen.
"With Old Chen present, how could I dare to show off my limited knowledge? Let Old Chen explain."