Chapter 186 - It Was My Intuition
Even Old Master Tang couldn't help but chuckle. “Mr. Su, you're pulling my leg, right? How could that be possible…”
“Old Master Tang.”
Su Ming turned to him and inquired, “Have you ever come across a treasure that's been enveloped in something, making it impossible to extract?”
“Indeed we have.”
“And what's your usual approach in such cases?” Su Ming pressed on.
“We typically soak the treasure in warm water.”
“Well, let's give it a shot.”
Su Ming's suggestion was met with skepticism from the group.
Was Mr. Su serious?
If he was, the situation could become quite unmanageable.
But surely, it couldn't be.
The old men recalled their earlier bluster, and their faces paled.
If Mr. Su's claim turned out to be true, did they actually intend to hang themselves?
The thought alone was staggering.
A collective suicide of elderly gentlemen.
Observing Su Ming's earnest demeanor, Old Master Tang grasped the gravity of the situation. He quickly escorted Su Ming to the back to procure a basin of warm water. Being an auction center, where antiques and jade were routinely handled, they were well-equipped for such tasks.
All eyes were riveted on the unfolding scene.
After the treasure had been submerged for a solid half-hour, the staff gingerly retrieved it, then meticulously peeled away the encasing layers with fine tweezers.
Only after a painstaking hour did the treasure reveal its true form.
It was a severely damaged Bamboo Slip, faintly inscribed with characters.
These were unmistakably the script of the Xixia civilization!
The artifact before them was the genuine fragment of The Five Codexes!
The old men were so overwhelmed that they collapsed to the floor.
But at that moment, they were of no concern to anyone.
The entire work area was abuzz with excitement!
A fragment of The Five Codexes!
Its importance was monumental!
It was nothing short of a national treasure!
A testament to the imperial court's civilization, it confirmed the existence of a pre-Xia era.
This was far more than a mere artifact.
In essence, it was the very spine of the imperial court's civilization!
Old Master Tang's hands quivered with emotion.
Tears streamed down his face.
“I never imagined I'd have the privilege of witnessing this treasure in my lifetime… I'm truly astonished.”
Old Master Tang extended a trembling hand toward it, but ultimately, he withdrew it.
This artifact was incredibly valuable.
During the final cleanup, the cleaning crew discovered a thin bronze layer.
It appeared that the book's owner had taken great care to preserve it, but over time, it had suffered some corrosion.
This was why nothing could be seen when they subjected the artifact to an X-ray examination.
Who could have imagined that this item was, in fact, a national treasure?
Meanwhile, the auction continued unabated.
The auctioneer was still enthusiastically conducting the sale.
Suddenly, a staff member hurried up to him, causing the old gentleman to furrow his brow at the apparent lack of manners.
“You…”
Just as the old gentleman was about to reprimand him, the staffer leaned in and whispered something in his ear.
“What did you say? Repeat that!”
The old gentleman was taken aback. Forgetting the auction was still in progress, he dropped the gavel to the floor and followed the staffer in haste.
“Let me see!”
He made his way through the crowd, stepping past the fallen elders, and approached Old Master Tang directly: “Is it really true?”
Old Master Tang gave a solemn nod: “Soong, I'm afraid it is.”
Grandpa Soong was in a state of disarray. He hadn't expected the item he had dismissed as junk to be such a gem!
It was a national treasure!
“Who discovered it? And who bought this treasure?”
It was only then that Grandpa Soong came to his senses, wondering who the discerning buyer was.
“Mr. Su.”
Old Master Tang let out a sigh, filled with a sense of inadequacy.
He had lived 84 years, yet he didn't compare to a young man in his twenties.
“Mr. Su?”
Grandpa Soong was taken aback by the high regard Old Master Tang held for Su Ming.
His surprise grew upon learning that Su Ming was a young man.
“Soong, have no doubts, it was Mr. Su who found it. Several of the treasures our museum has acquired were generously donated by Mr. Su,” Old Master Tang explained, sensing Grandpa Soong's skepticism.
“You're Mr. Su?”
Grandpa Soong was astounded.
“Mr. Su, I've long heard of your accomplishments. Could you share why you decided to bid on it?”
“We're all eager to know.”
“How did you determine it was a fragment of The Five Codexes?”
“We examined it with a magnifying glass for quite some time and found nothing.”
The group of elders was buzzing with excitement. This revelation was of utmost interest to them.
Su Ming said with a smile, “Just a hunch!”
He couldn't let on that he had access to a System.
Besides, Su Ming wasn't sure if the System would vanish on the spot if he disclosed its existence.
Losing the System would be a huge setback for him.
The old timers were skeptical of his claim.
All the items previously auctioned were genuine and of immense value.
Yet, Su Ming had bid on an item that had been overlooked by everyone else.
But there was a sense among the crowd that Su Ming might be harboring an undisclosed secret.
It was someone's personal business, after all, and they couldn't very well pry.
“Mr. Su has quite the knack. He must have a keen eye for choosing girlfriends.”
“We were worried over nothing.”
“Looks like I can't let Mr. Su marry my daughter now.”
“Your daughter is over forty.”
Su Ming felt resigned.
They were still on about this.
Su Ming's find sent shockwaves through the auction hall.
Word spread like wildfire.
The auction came to an abrupt halt.
They had all underestimated a Top Grade national treasure, priced at a mere 100,000 yuan.
Their regret was palpable.
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