Chapter 26: The Auctioned Pearl King (2)

The man’s eyes lit up, and he immediately said, "I am Feng Ding. May I take a closer look at this item?"

Chang Ge Yue smiled faintly. "Please, Mr. Feng."

Feng Ding hurriedly shook his head. "The surname 'Feng' belongs to my master; I am not worthy of being called Mr. Feng. If you don't mind, please just call me Mr. Ding."

Feng Ding had tea served to Chang Ge Yue while he turned the porcelain over in his hands, tracing the painted patterns for a long time. Finally, he held it up to the sunlight to inspect it repeatedly. After much deliberation, he asked, "May I ask, young lady, is this the 'Hundred Phoenix Nesting Emperor' crafted by Master Nanguo three hundred years into the previous dynasty?"

The history of the previous dynasty spanned over two thousand years. To see a work by Master Nanguo from the three-hundred-year mark, preserved so perfectly after seventeen centuries of time, was truly rare. Mr. Ding’s breathing grew ragged; as the manager of the Zhenbao Pavilion, he lived for the world's rarest treasures.

Chang Ge Yue toyed with her teacup with a playful expression, the corners of her mouth curling slightly. "I might as well be honest with you, sir: this 'Hundred Phoenix Nesting Emperor' is—a fake."

Mr. Ding froze, then stared at the piece in his hands with disbelief. Countless people had come to the Zhenbao Pavilion with so-called "authentic works," only to be exposed by his keen eye. Yet now, a piece he had identified as genuine was being called a counterfeit by a young woman.

If anyone else had said such a thing, he would have laughed at their arrogance for trying to show off in front of him. But the person who said it was the owner of the object itself!

"Do you have any proof, young lady?" Mr. Ding asked respectfully.

Chang Ge Yue smiled. "I rely only on a story." In truth, judging by the production method and the painting technique, the piece in her hand was a near-perfect replica of Master Nanguo's original.

"Back then, Master Nanguo, who adored Lady Zhen—a favorite of the Long Emperor—created this 'Hundred Phoenix Nesting Emperor' for her birthday. He did not use ordinary porcelain as the base, but magnetic jade. Mr. Ding, you should know that when magnetic jade is first molded, it absorbs any liquid it touches. Master Nanguo utilized this trait to craft the most exquisite detail of the piece: the eyes of the phoenixes. He used his own heart's blood. This brilliance is only visible under sunlight, which is why later generations believed his works were authenticated by the sun, without ever knowing the true reason why." Chang Ge Yue smiled; she did not expect Mr. Ding to believe her, but the history itself was true.

For she was not the only one who had spent a hundred years by the Bridge of Helplessness; Lady Zhen had been there too. The only difference was that while Chang Ge Yue had been pounding medicine, Lady Zhen had been waiting for someone beyond the cycle of reincarnation.

Mr. Ding was stunned for a moment, then said, "I believe what you say, young lady. Are you planning to auction this item? Here is your number, Yuexuan Hall on the second floor. Zhenbao Pavilion will take a ten percent commission from the auction proceeds."

Chang Ge Yue took the number and left. Mr. Ding looked bewilderedly toward the inner chamber. "Master Zui, why did you use telepathy to command me to believe that woman?"

The man known as Master Zui, dressed in white, gently fanned himself with a feather fan for a long time before his lips curved into a wicked, enchanting smile. "I simply found the woman’s attire rather familiar!"

Familiar attire? Mr. Ding lowered his head, silent.

Master Zui pondered for a long while before his eyes suddenly brightened. "The woman your Ninth Prince was grinding his teeth over last night, swearing to skin alive—I believe she was also wearing white robes and a veil." Things were about to get much more interesting.