Chapter Five: More Treasures? All Counterfeit!

Seeing that the gentleman on the other end was about to blow a fuse, Cheng Ziqiu immediately intervened. "Now, now, sir, please don't get agitated!"

The man’s angry roaring finally ceased, but soon, his voice crackled through again. "Argh! What? You think you can just pull a plot twist on me? Do you think I'm some kind of fool to be toyed with?"

Cheng Ziqiu pushed up the non-prescription glasses he was wearing, pondered for a long moment, and then said with profound meaning, "Sir, if I were you, I’d be grateful that this item is a fake. If it were authentic, given its caliber, owning it would be like keeping a giant panda as a pet!"

A giant panda! That’s the creature that lands you in prison for life!

"Hah!" The man let out a cold laugh, then surprisingly adjusted his camera to reveal his true face.

Behind the scenes in the streaming studio, a staff member gasped. It wasn't for any other reason than the fact that he recognized the man on the video call.

He had a portly physique, a prominent belly, and facial features that were neither flat nor particularly defined—a look that instantly felt awkward to anyone watching a heavy-set person. Around his neck hung a thick, gaudy gold chain. Despite his unremarkable appearance and tacky attire, this was Liu Bin, a real estate developer who had risen to prominence recently. He was the quintessential nouveau riche, incredibly wealthy. Once a man like that has money, he starts looking for something different to play with. Some choose women, some choose sports, and others choose... antiques.

This Liu Bin had chosen antiques. Through introductions, he had acquired quite a collection in a very short time.

"Don't think you can fool me just because you think I don't know the trade," Liu Bin said, pulling out another box and placing it on the table. "I spent tens of millions on this piece; it cannot be fake. Besides, even if it were real, it wouldn't land me in prison. This isn't even the most expensive item I own."

With that, he placed his hand on the newly retrieved box. He opened it halfway, hesitated, closed the lid, and then put on a pair of gloves before proceeding.

Seeing this, Cheng Ziqiu couldn't help but sit up straight. Regardless of what was inside, the sheer gravity of this preparation was enough to command respect. Liu Bin opened the box and took out a circular jade disc. The surface was somewhat dull and grayish, yet it possessed an indescribable luster.

The jade disc bore some intricate patterns. "Holy cow! Sir, move a bit closer; let me see those patterns on the jade," Cheng Ziqiu exclaimed.

"Stunned, aren't you? This piece cost me over fifty million," Liu Bin said triumphantly.

"Wow, as expected of a real estate mogul—he's absolutely loaded."
"He's just a nouveau riche! Why play with anything else if you have to play with antiques?"

Back at the studio, several staff members were watching the feed and chatting. "Hey, do you think his item is real or fake?" one of them asked.
"It must be real, right? It cost fifty million."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Cheng Ziqiu, on the screen, remarked, "Incredible, simply incredible. This jade pendant—no, this item should be called a *jue*."

It was circular in shape but had a subtle gap—a design representing the philosophy that while the heavens have fifty manifestations, the Great Expansion leaves forty-nine, leaving one thin thread of hope. Ancient people were superstitious, and most firmly believed that jade could shield its owner from disaster. If a life-threatening calamity occurred, the jade would shatter, granting the person a chance to survive. That gap represented the thread of life left for the owner of the jade.

"Not only is the style of this *jue* exquisite, but the patterns are also extremely sophisticated. If I’m not mistaken, these carvings depict the legend of the Phoenix Singing on Mount Qishan."

As soon as these words were spoken, the man stood up in excitement, pacing back and forth in front of the camera several times. He clapped his hands together in delight.

"That's right, that's right! You really do have some talent; that's exactly what the seller told me," Liu Bin said. "The Phoenix Singing on Mount Qishan—this *jue* is a token passed down by the Zhou Dynasty emperors."

Cheng Ziqiu pushed up his glasses again and swallowed twice. "Uh, sir, don't be too quick to celebrate. This *jue*... it’s also artificially aged."

Cheng Ziqiu's words were like a bolt from the blue, hitting Liu Bin squarely on the head. "You, you, you! I'm warning you, don't talk nonsense!" Liu Bin roared, slamming the table.

Cheng Ziqiu turned to ask a staff member for a glass of water, taking a slow, calm sip. After setting the glass down, he continued, "I suspect that the person who sold you this *jue* and the merchant who sold you that bronze tripod, if not the same person, are at the very least inextricably linked."

"Whoosh!" As soon as this was said, the studio backend erupted.
"Boss, tens of thousands of people have suddenly flooded into the stream!"
"We're trending! We're trending!"

"What! What do you mean?" Liu Bin asked, his eyes turning red, though it was unclear whether from rage or terror.

"I mean, sir, it's possible you've been set up," Cheng Ziqiu stated. "While the artificial aging technique on this *jue* is more complex than that of the bronze tripod—since it retains a certain luster to pass as a high-end ornament—the craftsmanship behind the aging process undoubtedly comes from the same source."

"Boom!" This news was like a thunderclap, echoing throughout various similar channels on the streaming platform and spreading rapidly. Viewers poured in, and even other streamers began entering the room upon hearing the news.

After voicing his conjecture, Cheng Ziqiu remained silent, letting Liu Bin digest the information. Just then, an animation of a large yacht appeared on the public screen.

"Thank you, 'Chaoyuan Antiquities Appraisal,' for the large yacht."
"Oh, a fellow streamer, are you? So you agree with my assessment?"

Immediately after, two more large yachts were gifted.

"Ziqiu, Ziqiu, the authorities are requesting a connection."

The voice from the backend came through his earpiece. Cheng Ziqiu was stunned. He hadn't said anything inappropriate! He was just appraising antiques truthfully; how had he attracted the attention of the authorities?

"The authorities suspect that Liu Bin's collection is linked to a massive international grave-robbing and forgery case."
"Prepare yourself. You must accept this connection."

Cheng Ziqiu nodded slightly, signaling that he was ready to bring the authorities into the stream. "I have received a connection request from the authorities," Cheng Ziqiu announced. "Director, patch them through."

The screen split from two feeds into three. Two officers in uniform appeared on camera.

"Mr. Liu, hello. We are officers from the relevant department. Could you tell us the specific circumstances regarding how you acquired these antiques?"

Liu Bin froze. He never expected that simply trying to find a streamer to appraise his treasures—and show them off a bit—would end up bringing the authorities to his door.