In the Ming Dynasty 1498, my restaurant connects two worlds.

Chapter 97 A Few Things About the Two Worlds in the Capital

Song Xiaoyi thought about it and realized that made sense. No matter who it was, just because he didn't understand it didn't mean that Wu Lao and the others didn't understand it. Besides, what the Hongzhi Emperor had collected into the "Collection of Ancient and Modern Works" could not be an ordinary item.

I'll take it!

"Come here, these are Wu Xiaoxian's works: 'Iron Flute,' 'Ten Thousand Miles of the Yangtze River,' 'Fisherman's Joy,' and 'Spring in Wuling.' Wu Xiaoxian's real name was Wu Wei, courtesy name Shiying, and he is also in my Wuying Hall."

"Here, take all of Lin Liang and Lin Yishan's works: 'Birds Gathering in Shrubs,' 'Two Eagles,' 'Eagles and Geese in Snow,' 'Geese in Reeds,' and 'Birds Gathering in Autumn Forest.' It's a pity that Lin Yishan passed away so young; otherwise, he could have created a few more."

"And here, Shen Zhou's..."

'

"Here, Tang Bohu's teacher, Zhou Chen..."

'

Later, Song Xiaoyi mechanically followed Zhu You, collecting piles of things with great enthusiasm. Eventually, he even felt embarrassed and asked, "Brother Zhu, are you really not keeping any for yourself?"

"There's no use keeping them. After I pass away, these collections will eventually be sold off by Zhao'er or stolen by eunuchs, and most likely they will end up in the hands of people like Yan Song."

66

'

After finishing up on the first floor, Zhu Youtang led Song Xiaoyi up to the second floor.

The second floor clearly had more treasures than the first! Song Xiaoyi glanced at them briefly and saw over a dozen Xuande censers alone! Other Xuande porcelain included a covered jar with polychrome fish and seaweed design, a large blue-and-white bowl with ten lobed rim and fish and seaweed design, a blue-and-white elephant-ear vase with cloud and dragon design, a blue-and-white stem cup with sea and cloud dragon design, a stem cup with underglaze red three-fish design, and a large blue-and-white bowl depicting the Queen Mother of the West visiting a garden...

Continuing upwards, on the third floor, there are blue and white porcelain plum vases with ruyi-shaped shoulders and floral and fruit designs from the Yongle period, vases with peony designs and dragon-ear handles, large blue and white porcelain jars with nine dragon designs, blue and white porcelain cups with a "pressed-hand" design, and blue and white porcelain cups with lotus petal designs and chicken-heart designs.

Further up, on the fourth floor, are Yuan Dynasty pieces: a large Yuan blue-and-white porcelain jar depicting Guiguzi descending the mountain, and a Yuan blue-and-white porcelain plum vase depicting Xiao He chasing Han Xin under the moon.

On the fifth floor, there are Northern Song Dynasty Ru ware celadon-glazed washer, Northern Song Dynasty Ru ware celadon-glazed teacup, and a complete set of one hundred volumes of rare ancient books, including the "Collected Works of Wang Wengong"!

Sixth floor, Tang Dynasty...

The seventh floor, dating back to the Five Dynasties period and earlier...

What a windfall! When we get back to the modern era, this is enough to hold a small auction.

Modern-day Beijing.

Upon application by the National Museum of China, the Ministry of Culture sent a letter to Dejia Auction House, suggesting that the auction be suspended due to disputes over the origin and actual ownership of the ancient Chinese artifacts consigned by Xiao Rizi Guo.

As many art sellers withdrew their items from the auction, and many prominent figures publicly stated that they would not participate in the bidding, the Dejia Auction ended quietly and hastily.

The online uproar did not gradually subside until the end of the month.

Mr. Wu acquired Qiu Ying's work "Songjiadu, Moling" for 15 yuan through an old comrade-in-arms.

The "Cursive Script Couplet for the Donglin Academy Gate," authenticated as a genuine work by Zhu Zhishan, was finally sold for 6000 million yuan. A few days later, news circulated in the collecting world that the so-called genuine work by Zhu Zhishan, the "Cursive Script Couplet for the Donglin Academy Gate," was actually a forgery by Zhu Zhishan's grandson, Wu Yingmao, and several pieces of compelling evidence were cited to prove this.

During an exchange within the industry, the buyer brought the auctioned item to Mr. Wu for further appraisal. In addition to online evidence, Mr. Wu pointed out several new pieces of evidence proving that the work was created by Wu Yingmao.

Although Wu Yingmao's works still have collectible value, this value has been greatly reduced. The buyer of the "Cursive Script Couplet for the Mountain Gate of Donglin Academy" filed a lawsuit with the Haiding Court in Beijing, demanding that Dejia Auction House bear responsibility and refund the money and return the goods in accordance with the "Auction Law".

Amidst the chaos, Dejia Auction House finally remembered to retrieve the surveillance footage from the International Hotel. The footage showed that Mr. Wu led Wu Fei and three others into the preview hall. After waiting for a while, Xiao Liu came forward to greet them, and after a brief exchange, they went directly to the second-floor calligraphy and painting exhibition hall.

In the calligraphy and painting exhibition hall, the first thing Mr. Wu and his entourage appreciated was the "Cursive Script Couplet for the Mountain Gate of Donglin Academy" hanging on the pillar directly in front!

During this process, Old Wu made a stomping motion with his cane, and Xiao Liu's expression became somewhat unnatural. After saying a few words, Xiao Liu left.

The general manager summoned Liu Neng and his son to his office. The cold light from the screen illuminated their pale faces. Their fingertips tapped the table, and their voices were filled with suppressed anger. "The surveillance footage is here. Tell me, what exactly happened?"

"What did you say? You went up to greet Old Wu as soon as he came in, and then Old Wu glared at you and gave you a cold shoulder?!"

""

"What's going on!?"

"The woman who came in with Mr. Wu glanced at the couplet and said it wasn't a genuine work by Zhu Zhishan. I replied to that, and Mr. Wu immediately got angry, saying, 'What? She says it's not a genuine work, so it's not a genuine work!'"

"So you come back and start distorting the facts and making baseless accusations?"

"So this is how you ended up?"

"Why didn't you report it promptly? If you had reported it truthfully earlier, this wouldn't have happened!"

"More trouble than they're worth!"

"And you, Lao Liu! This isn't the kind of protection you show! Where's your brain? Why didn't you check the security footage back then?!"

"What's that woman's identity? Have you found out?"

"No information found."

"What about the man?"

"That man is the actual owner of the three pieces of yellow-glazed imperial porcelain. Do you remember the uproar about the 'Ode to the Gold Powder of the Six Dynasties' a while ago? The 'Ode to the Gold Powder of the Six Dynasties' in China was donated by him."

"Find a way to locate them—"

'

"

"Get out! All of you get out! Just seeing you father and son annoys me!"

"Xiao Bai! Come in here for a moment!"

"General Manager, what are your orders?"

"Please contact Wu Fei again for me. Wu Dalei should be calmed down by now, right?"

"Do we still have to apologize?"

"What are you going to do if you don't apologize?! Tell me, it's obvious someone is pointing out your mistake, and you're just ignoring their kindness and trying to manipulate them!"

"Utterly foolish!"

The courtyard house of Mr. Wu in Beijing.

After fulfilling Song Xiaoyi's request, Old Wu personally called Song Xiaoyi, and Wu Yunqiu answered.

"Hello, who is this?" Having traveled to the modern world so many times, Wu Yunqiu had learned how to answer the phone.

"Ancestor, it's you."

-

"Old Wu, are you looking for Xiao Yi? Xiao Yi has set off for the capital, and his return is uncertain. I don't know when he will be back."

"Ancestor, it's the painting 'Songjia Ferry in Moling' that you saw at the preview. I've already taken a picture of it. Xiao Yi instructed me to take a picture of it before returning to Jinling and give it to Qiu Shifu to make a copy."

Even though he was a powerful figure back then, and could refuse to communicate with the general manager of Dejia Auction House, Old Wu could only speak cautiously in front of his own ancestor, Wu Yunqiu.

When Qiu Ying is mentioned, I used to be able to talk eloquently about appreciating his paintings, but now that I know Qiu Ying is also my ancestor, I'm so embarrassed that I don't know how to address him.

"You can send someone to deliver it. Xiao Yi said that if you have a good reason to be away for three to five days, you can come in person and practice Wu's Xuanhe mounting techniques while you're at it."

"Alright! Ancestor, I'll arrange it right away!"