Chapter 185 - National Treasure
“Shut up!” barked Old Master Tang.
The elderly men fell silent in an instant.
Su Ming understood the dynamics at play.
Old Master Tang was a figure of authority.
On the way over, he had casually mentioned his background.
He served as the honorary president for several museums and had unfettered access to their collections.
The group of old men trailing him were avid antique enthusiasts.
They were keen on antiques and thus heeded Old Master Tang's commands without question, careful not to cross him.
“Zhu Da's paintings are highly valuable, with a particularly high success rate in transactions,” noted Old Master Tang with a nod.
His voice carried a tone of admiration, yet it was clear that the painting was beneath his personal interest.
Eventually, the painting sold for over 80 million to an envious buyer.
Su Ming had anticipated a dull auction experience.
But with Old Master Tang's commentary, he found it rather engaging.
Before long, another item was presented.
“Ladies and gentlemen, we're confident this is a fine piece, but its provenance is unknown. All we know is that it's an ancient artifact,” the auctioneer announced with a sigh and a shake of his head. “I'm committed to honesty and won't deceive you. If it appeals to you, feel free to bid and add it to your collection.”
The crowd's enthusiasm waned upon hearing this; the provenance of an antique was crucial.
“I've examined this item myself,” Old Master Tang chimed in, nodding. “Regrettably, I couldn't determine its origin either, though its antiquity is certain.”
Su Ming nodded in agreement.
An item with noble ties would be highly valuable, whereas something from the common folk would be of little worth.
“Let's start the bidding at 100,000!” announced the auctioneer, clearly lacking confidence in the piece.
Suddenly, Su Ming's mind was alerted by the System: “Precious treasure detected!”
He was taken aback; it was the first time the System had issued such a prompt!
Eagerly, Su Ming widened his eyes and activated the scanner to inspect the item.
It was a fragment of the ancient text, The Five Codexes.
Su Ming was momentarily frozen in shock.
He was looking at the long-lost The Five Codexes, a text he had encountered in his historical studies.
The civilization of the imperial court has a rich and extensive history spanning thousands of years. Throughout this time, many ancient texts have been lost, with The Five Codexes standing out as one of the most notable.
It served as a testament to the imperial court's rich cultural heritage!
Yet, it has now vanished from history!
Who would have guessed that the object before them was, in fact, a long-lost ancient tome!
“It seems that nobody here is willing to take a gamble.”
The auctioneer shook his head, about to dismiss the lot, when Su Ming abruptly hit the button before him.
The elderly gentlemen were taken aback.
Old Master Tang shared their astonishment.
“Mr. Su, please don't joke around. I've examined this item; it's not worth the asking price.”
The group of elders desperately attempted to dissuade Su Ming.
Old Master Tang blinked, his reaction more subdued than the flustered elders.
“Mr. Su, what makes you interested in this item?”
“I have a premonition that it's a gem.”
Su Ming offered a cryptic smile.
The elders around him were left agape.
A gem?
How did we overlook it?
We may be advanced in years, but we pride ourselves on our ability to spot treasures.
“Did we really fail to recognize its value?”
“It seems inconceivable…”
“One person might be mistaken, but if all of us are wrong, it's a disgrace worthy of death.”
“Absolutely!”
Su Ming overheard their exchange.
Well then!
He hadn't come to the auction to witness a bidding war, but rather a murder scene!
No, more like a mass suicide!
“VIP seat number one bids 110,000. Will anyone raise the bid?”
“110,000 for the first time!”
“110,000 for the second time!”
“110,000 for the third time! Sold!”
With the final strike of the gavel, the item was officially sold.
Unable to contain his excitement over such a find, Su Ming stood up and made his exit.
The elders were left bewildered. Could it truly be a valuable piece?
They hurried after Su Ming.
But upon seeing the dark object…
Their enthusiasm quickly waned.
To the elders, it looked nothing more than a pancake.
Even if it was a relic from millennia past.
It remained, unmistakably, a pancake.
To think, 110,000 spent on an ancient pancake…
“You must be the buyer, am I correct?”
The staff member chuckled, handing over the auction item to Su Ming while simultaneously accepting the payment.
The intermediary fee was handled by them, leaving Su Ming uninvolved.
Old Master Tang stood to the side, giving a knowing wink.
Despite his brief acquaintance with Su Ming, Old Master Tang could see the young man's composure and poise, far from someone impulsive.
“Mr. Su, I'm quite intrigued. What prompted you to purchase this?”
“A hunch,” Su Ming replied with a blink.
He activated the scan once more.
The Five Codexes were concealed beneath layers of debris, simply in need of a good cleaning!
The scan's revelations brought clarity to Su Ming.
It all made sense now.
“A hunch?”
“Mr. Su, any chance your hunch includes marrying my granddaughter?”
“Enough! Is this really the time for such talk?”
“I'm worried sick; my granddaughter is 18 and still unwed!”
“Enough! My granddaughter is 19, still unmarried, and I'm not fretting. Why are you so worked up over yours at 18?”
Su Ming tuned out the old men's squabbling.
He gently set the auction item down on a flat surface.
“If I'm not mistaken, this could be the remnants of The Five Codexes.”
“What?!”
The statement left the old men utterly astonished.
“Impossible, impossible!”
“Absolutely impossible!”
“How can you say that? It looks like nothing more than a cake. How could it possibly be the remnants of The Five Codexes?”
“Mr. Su, The Five Codexes are ancient texts predating the establishment of the Xia Dynasty, composed of bamboo slips. How could this item be a few bamboo slips?”
“Exactly!”
The old men vehemently shook their heads in disbelief.
We acknowledge you possess many treasures.
We also recognize your wealth.
But to suggest this item is truly a fragment of The Five Codexes, we'd remain skeptical even under threat of violence!
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