The wedding was livestreamed by the sister, revealing his identity as a Taoist priest.

Jiangcheng, Lanting Private Club.

Pei Jingchuan leaned back on the leather sofa and loosened his tie with one hand.

The eldest grandson of the He family, the second young master of the Lu family, and the Zhou family member sat opposite them, their faces gloomy.

"The first betrothal gift was purely by chance."

Pei Jingchuan flicked away the cigarette ash, his voice resolute.

"That guy surnamed Chen isn't from the mountains at all; he's a smuggler. Normal people can't get their hands on things like ebony and star paper."

Young Master Lu twirled the prayer beads and nodded in agreement.

"That makes sense. Nouveau riche who want to get into the circle always have to spend a lot of money to package themselves."

"I just received confirmation."

Pei Jingchuan leaned forward and tossed a gold-embossed invitation onto the coffee table.

"Shen Nianqing went to Qingcheng with Zhou Dechang and Ji Jingshan. There was a national-level ancient lantern exhibition there."

The eldest grandson of the He family's eyes lit up.

"Chase after them?"

Pei Jingchuan let out a cold laugh.

"The highlight of this antique lantern exhibition is a top-tier replica made with rare materials. I had it appraised, and the starting price is nine figures. I plan to go and bid for it, and then present it to Nianqing in public."

He scanned the three men with a sharp gaze.

"They got a good deal with the first dowry, but I wonder what that mountain folk have to offer to compete with the Pei family's financial resources in the second aspect."

The Zhou family member slapped his thigh.

"Brother Pei is so awesome! He'll just bury him in money! Let him know just how strong the barriers in this industry are!"

Qingcheng International Convention and Exhibition Center.

A black Rolls-Royce stopped at the end of the red carpet. The car door opened.

Shen Nianqing got out of the car.

She wore a moon-white, modern Chinese-style long dress, and her long hair was tied up with a plain wooden hairpin.

She wore no extra jewelry, and her whole demeanor exuded a cool and aloof aura.

Gu Xinglu followed closely behind, looking around.

Chen Xiaoyu held up her phone, while Lin Keke held a fill light.

The live stream had just started when the number of viewers instantly exceeded 300,000, with the numbers soaring at a rate of 10,000 per second.

[Number 1, number 1, number 1!]

[My sister-in-law looks so beautiful! Her outfit today is absolutely stunning!]

[Hey streamer, where's your brother? The whole internet is looking for him! Where is he working now?!]

Don't ask anymore, the answer is always the same: working in the mountains. A god-like worker!

Where am I today? It looks very upscale.

Chen Xiaoyu looked at the screen and cleared her throat.

"Guys, we're in Qingcheng today, attending an ancient lantern exhibition. I don't really know what's on display, but just come along with your sister-in-law and broaden your horizons."

Lin Keke moved closer to the camera.

"Everyone, today we're focusing on keeping you company and seeing what the world of the wealthy is really like."

Inside the convention center's main gate, a group of people quickly came out to greet them.

Leading the way were Zhou Dechang and Ji Jingshan.

The two national treasures were dressed in formal attire today and looked remarkably energetic.

Walking in the middle of them was an elderly man dressed in a Tang suit.

The old man was slightly plump, holding two walnuts with thick patinas, and his face was ruddy.

Zhou Dechang strode forward and nodded slightly to Shen Nianqing.

"Miss Shen, you must be tired from your journey. Old Ji insisted on dragging you here and making you go through all that trouble."

Shen Nianqing responded with a faint smile.

"Mr. Zhou, you're too kind. It's an honor for Nianqing to have you visit."

Ji Jingshan pointed to the elderly man in the middle wearing a Tang suit and introduced him.

"This is Fang Shouye, the former curator of Qingcheng Museum and the chief expert in the national appraisal of bronzes and ancient lamps."

Fang Shouye looked Shen Nianqing up and down and nodded repeatedly.

"Seeing is believing. Miss Shen's demeanor is remarkable; no wonder those two divine artifacts recognized her as their master."

Chen Xiaoyu's camera faithfully captured this scene.

Another one!

[Fang Shouye? I searched him, and his Baidu Baike (Chinese Wikipedia) entry is so long it never ends! And he's a national-level figure!]

Good grief, this livestream should probably be renamed "National Treasure Old Men's Meeting" from now on.

[Three titans came to pick up Shen Nianqing? With this kind of entourage, even the top stars in the Chinese entertainment industry would have to take a backseat!]

I'm getting more and more curious about Chen Shidu's identity. What kind of deity has descended to earth?!

Upon entering the exhibition hall, the lights were dimmed.

The display stand features antique lamps from various dynasties.

Bronze long-handled lamp, gold and silver inlaid Boshan incense burner lamp, Tang Dynasty tricolor lotus lamp.

Each piece exudes a profound sense of history.

Fang Shouye personally walked in front, acting as the commentator.

"Although this Western Han Dynasty Changxin Palace Lamp is another piece unearthed from the same period, its craftsmanship is equally superb."

Fang Shouye pointed to the glass display case.

"Its smoke extraction design is two thousand years ahead of the West."

Shen Nianqing stopped to watch and listened attentively.

Not far away, the exhibition hall doors opened again.

Pei Jingchuan strode in with several assistants.

He changed into a bespoke suit, and his hair was neatly combed.

The three eldest grandsons of the He family followed behind, looking menacing.

Pei Jingchuan walked straight to Shen Nianqing's side and stood there.

"Nianqing. What a coincidence."

Shen Nianqing turned her head, glanced at him, and said nothing.

Gu Xinglu rolled her eyes.

"Young Master Pei is so free, you're everywhere."

Pei Jingchuan ignored Gu Xingluo and stared directly at Shen Nianqing.

"I heard there's a rare, top-of-the-line piece made from a limited-edition material at this exhibition. I've brought enough funds; if you like it, I'll take a picture of it and give it to you."

Shen Nianqing spoke in a flat tone.

"unnecessary."

Pei Jingchuan chuckled softly.

"Nianqing, the first betrothal gift was indeed unexpected, but the foundation of a relationship cannot be built on just one or two antiques."

"The depth of your capital is the key to determining your future. Can your fiancé come up with a nine-figure sum to buy a lamp?"

Chen Xiaoyu gripped her phone tightly.

This guy is too arrogant.

The live stream chat was flooded with question marks.

Who is this guy? Why is he acting so pretentious?

Pei Jingchuan of the Pei family in Beijing! A true tycoon! His family's assets are worth hundreds of billions!

Nine figures for a lamp? Poverty limits my imagination.

[My brother is in danger! This is a classic case of capitalist superiority!]

Fang Shouye frowned.

"Who is this?"

"The Pei family of the capital, Pei Jingchuan."

Pei Jingchuan handed over a business card, his tone arrogant.

"Mr. Fang, it's an honor to meet you. I'm very interested in the grand finale of this collection. No matter the starting price, the Pei family will buy it all."

Fang Shouye did not accept the business card.

He put his hands behind his back and spoke coldly.

"Exhibitions aren't about money, they're about connections. If Young Master Pei wants to see the grand finale, come on in."

At the far end of the exhibition hall is a separate circular exhibition area.

A huge bulletproof glass dome was placed in the center.

The cover was made of black velvet.

The crowd gradually gathered. All eyes were fixed on the black cloth.

Fang Shouye walked to the booth and looked around.

"Everyone."

Fang Shouye's voice was loud and clear, echoing throughout the entire exhibition hall.

"The highlight of this exhibition is not an unearthed artifact."

The entire audience erupted in uproar.

Not an unearthed cultural relic?

So how do we make it the grand finale?

Fang Shouye raised his hand and grabbed a corner of the black cloth.

"This artifact is a supreme Taoist relic that I have painstakingly replicated over thirty years, using materials that are extremely rare and unique throughout the world."

The exhibition hall was deathly silent.

Gu Xingluo's eyes widened.

"A counterfeit? A counterfeit can be the grand finale?"

Pei Jingchuan stood there, stunned.

He had prepared nine figures in funds to bid on the final item, but it turned out to be a fake.

[A counterfeit as the grand finale? Has the old man gone mad?!]