Bai Hanyan tossed a file bag in front of me. I hesitated for a moment before picking it up, only to find it filled with photographs.
I took the photos out and examined them carefully, realizing that each one depicted an antique artifact.
These were no ordinary artifacts; they were all of significant provenance, with at least a dozen of them.
Among them was the Xuande censer I had aged myself.
“All these items were sold by An Ying, and each one fetched a considerable price…”
Bai Hanyan took a deep breath and stared at me, saying, “Every object in these photos is a fake.”
Hearing this, I couldn’t help but gasp.
If what she said was true, then the prices these items sold for were simply incalculable!
“An Ying’s appearance not only disrupted the antique market in Guangling but also swindled many people… There are quite a few looking for her now, and you should know what her actions imply,” Bai Hanyan said.
I certainly knew what it implied. According to the unwritten rules of the antique world, this was called manufacturing and selling fakes.
It wasn't a big deal to sell fakes in the antique circle, but manufacturing and selling them was a grave offense.
Furthermore, the artifacts An Ying handled were of extremely high value, with any single one easily worth over a million!
The sheer amount of money involved could only be described as outrageous.
Yet, I still found it hard to believe that Sister Ying would be that kind of person.
Why would she do this?
For money?
“Xiang Fei, do you have anything to say?” Bai Hanyan asked me.
I took a deep breath and placed the photos on the table, saying, “I’m not sure if what you’re saying is true, but…”
Before I could finish, she interrupted me, “Are you still defending her? If it weren't for my father, would I be sitting here talking to you this much?”
“Mr. Bai?” I frowned slightly.
Bai Hanyan crossed her arms and leaned back on the sofa, looking as if she couldn't be bothered with me.
A moment later, her phone rang. She went out to take a call and, upon returning, asked me to follow her.
I had no idea where she was taking me, but at this point, I had no other choice.
Leaving the villa, I followed Bai Hanyan into a “bullet-head” minivan.
Thirty minutes later, the car stopped in front of a mountain resort.
As we got out, I noticed quite a few sedans already parked there, at least a dozen.
Several men in black suits guarded the entrance. As Bai Hanyan led me over, they all greeted her.
We passed through a courtyard and walked down a corridor for about seven or eight minutes before reaching a grand hall.
As soon as we reached the entrance, we could hear many voices from inside, seemingly discussing something.
The moment Bai Hanyan and I entered, all eyes turned towards us.
There were at least a dozen people in the hall. The center was empty, with Taishi chairs placed on both sides, most of which were occupied.
At the innermost position stood a larger redwood desk, with Bai Zhujing seated beside it.
After entering, Bai Hanyan walked over to Bai Zhujing and whispered something in his ear.
During this time, Bai Zhujing glanced at me.
Soon, Bai Hanyan arranged a seat for me towards the back.
I didn't understand why she brought me here.
What were all these people gathered for?
As soon as I sat down, someone spoke, “Mr. Bai, still no news about An Ying?”
Bai Zhujing said, “Everyone, please be patient. I've already sent people to investigate…”
“Investigate? It's been over a month, and they still haven't found her. I think we should just call the police!”
“Exactly, this An person should be arrested!”
“Didn’t they say her father is still in the hospital? Can she really abandon her father?”
“People have already been dispatched to keep an eye on them…”
The crowd chattered incessantly, like a noisy marketplace.
Bai Zhujing raised his hand to signal, and only then did they quiet down.
“Right now, there is no conclusive evidence proving that An Ying was manufacturing fakes. Even if we call the police, they cannot issue an arrest warrant for her…” Bai Zhujing stated.
A man with dark skin, wearing a jade pendant around his neck, stood up and said, “Then let's follow the rules of the Jianghu! I don’t believe we won’t find her!”
“Old Zhu, don’t be impulsive,” a man in a Tang suit advised from the side.
“Impulsive? Damn it, she swindled over four million from me! You tell me not to be impulsive? If I find her, I’ll skin her alive!”
Now I understood. Everyone present here was someone who had bought fakes from Sister Ying!
The man surnamed Zhu had a ruffian-like demeanor, and his every word was laced with profanity. It was clear he wasn’t a good person.
“Didn’t they say her subordinates were all detained?” the man surnamed Zhu asked. “Haven’t they interrogated them to find out where that woman is?”
A man wearing a blue-striped polo shirt said, “The father and son surnamed Hong are still in the hospital. It’s questionable whether the elder one will make it through the night. The younger one is also not doing well…”
The man paused and continued, “It seems they really don’t know An Ying’s whereabouts.”
Hearing this, my heart sank.
He was talking about Uncle Hong and Hong Yunpeng?
I suddenly recalled Bai Hanyan's words earlier: “You’re only in my hands now. If you fell into someone else's, you might not be so lucky!”
I instinctively glanced at Bai Hanyan, who was sitting beside me. She raised an eyebrow at me, seeming to have guessed what I was thinking.
My father had told me that the antique world was a mixed bag, filled with all sorts of people.
Examples of brothers turning against each other and engaging in fratricide for profit were not uncommon.
Many of the people present here had clearly been involved in shady dealings.
And Sister Ying had swindled money from these people?
Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but gasp.
“Didn’t they say she has a younger brother? Have they found him?” the man surnamed Zhu asked.
As soon as he said this, Bai Zhujing looked towards me.
His gaze drew the attention of everyone else, and their eyes also turned towards me.
For a moment, I felt my heart pounding in my throat.
The man surnamed Zhu stared at me intently, his brows furrowed.
“Xiang Fei, why don’t you tell everyone,” Bai Zhujing said.
Hearing his words, I instinctively swallowed.
I knew that at this point, there was no escaping. I could only try to explain that I was unaware of anything.
Slowly standing up, I suppressed my inner tension and scanned the crowd, saying, “I also don’t know where Sister Ying is…”
As soon as I finished speaking, most of the gazes directed at me were filled with murderous intent!
“I’m just an employee… As for what Sister Ying did, I have no knowledge of it.”
The hall was unnervingly quiet. I could even feel my voice echoing slightly.
“If I knew what Sister Ying had done, I wouldn’t be here…”