I had been contemplating how to obtain the Qin Mirror, never expecting it to be so effortless.
Truth be told, I owed it all to Fatty.
If it weren't for that guy, I might not have known how to proceed.
If it were anyone else, I would have certainly expressed my gratitude. But for that damned fatty, I knew he'd boast about his involvement if I brought it up.
So, I decided not to mention a word. After all, I had already given him a sum of money when I asked him to keep an eye on Bi Zhengxiang before.
That money would serve as his compensation.
Upon returning to the hotel, I safely stored the Qin Mirror. Alone in my room, I took out the business card Sister Ying had given me earlier.
The card bore only a name and a phone number.
"Fu Honglang?"
It sounded like a man's name. I wondered what this person did for a living.
Sister Ying had told me not to seek him out unless absolutely necessary.
Did that statement carry a hidden meaning?
Or perhaps Sister Ying thought my chances of finding the Qin Mirror were slim and was concerned for my safety when she said it?
That was quite possible.
If Fatty hadn't stumbled upon the Qin Mirror's whereabouts by chance, finding such an item would have been rather difficult.
However, now that I had found it, it was time to contact this person.
I pulled out my phone and dialed the number on the card.
The phone rang for a long time without an answer. I tried twice more, with the same result.
Could he be occupied with something? Hence not answering?
With that thought, I decided to try again tomorrow.
Just as I put down my phone, a ringtone sounded. I initially assumed it was him calling back.
But when I picked it up, I saw it was Wu Tingxiu calling.
"I heard you went to Yanjing?" Wu Tingxiu asked.
"I came for something. What's up?"
"I've found someone who can decipher the map."
Logically, Wu Tingxiu should have been delighted that someone was found to decipher the map. However, judging by her tone, she didn't seem to be.
"Who is it?"
"You've met this person before..."
Her words piqued my curiosity.
After a moment, she said on the phone, "Yan Hongguang, the former owner of Anyuantang."
"Him?" I was somewhat surprised.
"Yes, precisely him."
"So, you're suggesting I find him to help decipher the map?" I asked.
"I know you have some past issues with him, so I'm unsure now."
"Who told you I had issues with him?"
Wu Tingxiu paused and said, "Weren't you working for a woman named An Ying? Back then, An Ying was involved in counterfeiting and fraud. The incident caused a huge stir throughout the city, and it was Yan Hongguang who eventually resolved it..."
"There was indeed such an incident, but that doesn't mean I have any animosity towards Yan Hongguang," I replied. "In fact, far from having any ill will, we have some acquaintance."
"Really?" Wu Tingxiu's voice on the phone sounded somewhat excited.
"It's not so much that I have an acquaintance with him, but rather that my father had some dealings with him back in the day. As for whether he'll do me this favor, I can't say for sure."
"As long as you don't have any grudges with him, this matter becomes much easier," Wu Tingxiu said. "You can go and try to contact him. If he's willing to help, let him name his price."
I gave a wry smile. "Ms. Wu, he's the head of one of the four great antique families in Guangbei. Do you think money will make him help you?"
My question left Wu Tingxiu speechless.
This woman was always talking about money, as if money was the solution to everything.
"How about this," I proposed. "I'll go and try to see if he's willing to help. If he agrees, that would be best. If not, we'll figure something else out then."
"Alright, I'll have to trouble you to make this trip. Do you still have the card I gave you last time? I'll transfer some more money to you later."
"Wait..." I quickly interjected. "I lost that card. If you want to transfer money, just send it to my card directly."
"Okay, send me your card number later, and I'll transfer some to you first. Call me if you need more."
"Alright, Ms. Wu," I said, a little amused.
"Money is all I have right now, so..."
"You don't need to say too much. We're friends. It would actually be better if you mentioned money less often."
Hearing me say that, Wu Tingxiu seemed very pleased. She said on the phone, "Xiang Fei, thank you."
"Just send me some travel expenses. I've heard business at Anyuantang has been quite good lately. Once Anyuantang is officially operating, I'll have my own income, and I won't need your sponsorship then," I joked.
"That's a separate matter. If I'm asking you to do something, I shouldn't make you pay."
Seeing her persistence, I didn't have much else to say. After hanging up, I sent her my card number.
It was past nine in the evening when Fatty returned to the hotel.
Upon his return, he was full of energy, as if he had taken stimulants.
I asked him what was going on. He replied, "My master is truly amazing! Master Xiang, I'm going to strike it lucky this time!"
I asked him what he meant. Fatty then told me that