Movie variety show soul travels between two worlds to become a rich man

Chapter 652 Covert Warfare: A Deadly Scheme
Beneath the glass dome of Tianjin Haixin Plaza, dazzling lights illuminated the entire mall as if it were daytime. Gao Dongxu glanced at his watch; the hour hand pointed to four in the afternoon.

He leaned back wearily on the camel-colored leather sofa in the Chanel boutique. He had to admit, women were practically superhuman when they went shopping. To be honest, he was starting to regret bringing the three women along. Aside from the hour or so he spent eating lunch, he'd already been shopping with them for over three hours.

"How about this one?"

The curtain to the fitting room was gently pulled open, and Ah Ning walked out gracefully in her high-heeled sandals. Gao Dongxu's fingers, which were on the phone, paused slightly, and his gaze fixed on her as if drawn by a magnet.

A color-blocked turtleneck knit dress, with its close-fitting cut, perfectly showcases Aning's figure. The dress blends youthful vivacity with mature femininity, creating a stunning atmosphere. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it the pinnacle of the "pure and alluring" style.

Her long, straight legs, slender waist, and shapely, full hips were particularly eye-catching against the backdrop of the skirt. Coupled with her alluring yet determined gaze, her charm radiated from within, making it impossible to look away.

“Okay, I’m on my way—” Gao Dongxu said into his phone, his eyes following A Ning’s figure without blinking. She walked to the full-length mirror, turned around naturally, and admired her own beauty in the mirror.

Gao Dongxu silently gave a thumbs up, a smile of appreciation curving his lips. Seeing his praise, A Ning's lips curved slightly upward, revealing a smile that was both alluring and playful. She reached up and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear, a casual gesture that made Gao Dongxu's Adam's apple bob slightly.

"Fairy—"

Gao Dongxu hung up the phone and said with a burning gaze.

Just then, the curtains of the other two fitting rooms opened simultaneously. The twin sisters, Ruxin and Ruqing, emerged wearing matching white shirts and black suspender skirts.

With their hair tied in high ponytails and wearing white shirts, the preppy style made them look pure and lovely, while their long, beautiful legs under black suspender skirts added a touch of sexiness.

"How about it, pure or not?" the two sisters exclaimed in unison, their voices so sweet they could drip honey. They twirled in front of Gao Dongxu with perfect coordination, their skirts billowing as they revealed alluring curves of their "absolute territory."

Gao Dongxu's gaze lingered on the two sisters' consciences and the absolute territory revealed by their fluttering skirts. Looking at their long, slender, and snow-white legs, he savored the feeling and couldn't help but chuckle, "They would be even more perfect in black." He chuckled softly, his voice tinged with amusement.

She smiled charmingly and said, "No problem, I'll definitely fulfill this small request—"

"Hehe, then it's settled." Gao Dongxu laughed. "Alright, that's enough for today. I have to go to Xiguan."

The three women nodded and immediately began packing up the clothes they had tried on and liked. Gao Dongxu swiped his card to pay.

At the hotel entrance, Gao Dongxu, sitting in his car, watched as hotel staff hauled various handbags on luggage carts, and three women waved to him with beaming smiles. He couldn't help but smile back.

“Let’s go—” Gao Dongxu said to Leng Feng, turning his gaze away.

Ten minutes later, in the Xiguan Church, Gao Dongxu met Director Luo and five experts who were looking at him with curious and scrutinizing eyes.

Director Luo introduced both sides, and then Gao Dongxu was overwhelmed by the continuous barrage of questions from the five people.

"Ladies and gentlemen... all I can tell you is that this is a supernatural event. Ghosts or dark matter are just names."

I still call it a bound spirit, which is the resentment of the evil priest who was beaten to death by the people of Tianjin and hung on this tree. Its ability is to create illusions.

As for your other questions, I really can't answer them. You are the experts. I'm only responsible for providing you with research materials. Whether you believe it or not, no matter how many questions you have, tonight you will experience it for yourselves and find the answers.

Gao Dongxu reluctantly interrupted the five experts' 'interrogation' and said.

"From up here, I'd like to know how serious the electromagnetic interference is?"

"I don't know what level is considered serious, but the walkie-talkie is unusable and only makes noise," Gao Dongxu said to the expert.

The other person's eyes lit up, and they said excitedly, "Interference is good! Interference means we can capture its electromagnetic waves and use that to study how it affects the human brain to produce hallucinations..."

Looking at the five experts who had huddled together and started discussing, Gao Dongxu looked at Director Luo beside him and said with a wry smile, "If I had known it would be this troublesome, I wouldn't have bothered and would have just wiped it out."

"This is no trouble at all. If we can actually achieve results, it will be a great achievement," Director Luo said with a smile.

Just as Gao Dongxu was about to say something, he heard the phone ring. He watched as Director Luo took out his phone to answer it. Soon, Director Luo, who had been smiling, slowly became serious, his brows furrowing.

"Okay, I understand. I'll head back right away and keep an eye on Xuyuan—"

"What happened?" Gao Dongxu asked, frowning as he looked at Director Luo who had just hung up the phone.

Upon hearing Xu Yuan's name, he knew that the story of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" had officially begun. "That kid Xu Yuan has gotten himself into trouble. I don't know where he heard some dubious rumors, but he thinks that the 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' in the Palace Museum is a fake. Without any investigation or verification, he secretly wrote a report and submitted it to the 'Beijing Evening News'."

The newspaper published his article in full, along with extensive background information and a catchy headline: "Buddha Head Prodigy Solves Another Bizarre Case: Palace Museum Painting Turns Out to Be a Forgery."

Director Luo, his gaze deep and his brows furrowed, said to Gao Dongxu, "The Five Families are in an uproar, and all the major media outlets have approached the Palace Museum..."

"Why would Xu Yuan suspect that the Qingming Scroll is fake? He's not stupid. If he has a suspicion, he must have some basis for it. As far as I know, the Qingming Scroll has not been exhibited, which means he has never seen the Qingming Scroll in the Palace Museum."

So, someone provided him with information that led him to believe the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" scroll in the Forbidden City was a fake, and this person must have been someone he trusted. That's why he believed the information they gave him.

Gao Dongxu frowned as he pondered and made his deductions. Director Luo looked at Gao Dongxu with bright eyes and nodded frequently.

The "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" scroll is a top-tier national treasure, strictly preserved in the Palace Museum's art archives and not open to the general public. Unless there is a major exhibition, opening the archives requires more than a dozen procedures and approval from several departments, as well as extremely compelling reasons.

"Director Luo, is the 'Along the River During the Qingming Festival' scroll in the Palace Museum genuine or a fake?"

Upon hearing Gao Dongxu's question, Director Luo immediately frowned and said, "Of course it's true. It was confirmed by the expert panel after their evaluation."

"Director Luo, the appraisal of calligraphy and paintings is too subjective..." Gao Dongxu said calmly.

Director Luo frowned at first, pondered for a moment, then shook his head firmly and said, "There's no mistake."

“Since you are so certain that the Riverside Scene at the Forbidden City is genuine, then it is certain that Xu Yuan was tricked into this,” Gao Dongxu said calmly.

"What's the purpose?" Director Luo asked Gao Dongxu, his gaze intense.

"The goal is, of course, to replicate the Qingming Scroll. I'm certain that it won't be long before another replica of the Qingming Scroll that is so realistic that it's almost indistinguishable from the real one, and even has a more authentic lineage, will emerge."

Because of the Buddha head case, Xu Yuan gained considerable fame. In addition, he represented the Xu family in returning to the Five Families, which also meant that he represented the Five Families. You would say that such a famous rising star of the Five Families proved that the Riverside Scene at the Palace Museum was a fake, which would definitely make many people question the authenticity of the Riverside Scene at the Palace Museum.

To dispel doubts, the Riverside Scene at the Palace Museum must be re-authenticated. However, if another Riverside Scene at the Palace Museum appears, it will not be as simple as a re-authentication; it will be necessary to prove which one is the genuine article.

This is an open conspiracy. Even though you know it's a trap, you have no choice but to enter it and follow the other side's rhythm.

The other side has set up such a big trap, they must have prepared all the countermeasures, and even dug countless pits for us to fall into.

Ultimately, all the information and public opinion will conclude that the Palace Museum's item is a fake, while the other party's is genuine. Then, the other party will auction it off, making a fortune while inflicting unbearable heavy losses on the Palace Museum and the Five Families! Gao Dongxu frowned slightly, slowly reasoning, and explained the conspiracy to Director Luo so that he could prepare in advance.

"What a vicious conspiracy!" Director Luo's face turned extremely ugly; he had completely believed Gao Dongxu's reasoning.

The reason why Director Luo's face turned so ugly was that the painting "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" was indeed controversial and there were many versions of it.

Many people may not know that there are more than 30 versions of "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" worldwide, and museums in China, Taiwan, the United States, and France all have copies. So the question is, which one is the original?

Moreover, the one in the Library of Congress has an inscription by Emperor Huizong of Song dated to the second year of the Xuanhe era, which looks very much like an authentic work.

It's important to know that Emperor Huizong of Song was a great painter himself; surely he wouldn't be fooled by a forgery. However, domestic experts do not believe it to be an authentic work.

The one that is generally recognized as the authentic work is the one without a creation date or signature, which is the one in the Palace Museum's collection.

It's not because the painting in the Palace Museum is of a better or higher quality, but because the painting in the Palace Museum has an extraordinary origin.

Besides being confiscated from the last emperor, the most important point is that the inscriptions and signatures on this painting can completely connect the dynasties and times in which the painting passed through different hands, and are exactly the same as the historical records of different eras. This is why it has become the authentic work that everyone is looking forward to.

However, yes, there are still some issues. In fact, many people question the authorship of the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" scroll by Zhang Zeduan, believing that he did not paint it.

Because the Palace Museum's copy does not bear Zhang Zeduan's signature, and Zhang Zeduan died in his twenties, based on the paintings he left behind, it is impossible for him to have painted "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" with his skill level.

In short, the "Along the River During the Qingming Festival" scroll is rife with controversy and pitfalls. The Western-funded auction houses that colluded with other forces to set up a scheme using the scroll are indeed insidious and malicious.

(End of this chapter)