Chapter 46: A Fake?

Despite there being so many people present, Li Mu had no intention of exposing him on the spot.

This fellow had brought a fake item just to make a fool of himself. While the aristocratic and noble guests present might not be able to tell, Li Mu could see it crystal clear.

If it were a genuine luminous pearl of such a size, it would likely be worth upwards of tens of millions on the market.

Yet the pearl before him was probably not even worth a few thousand!

It was unmistakably artificially synthesized.

Had it been in the past, Li Mu might never have seen a luminous pearl either, but ever since he went into the mountains with his master, the illumination tool at night was precisely the luminous pearl in his master's room.

That luminous pearl was unimaginably large, and more importantly, it was priceless and completely unavailable on the market; even with all the money in the world, one might not be able to buy it!

Placed in ancient times, probably only those within the imperial palace could use such an item.

And even then, it would have to be the emperor or the empress dowager, as ordinary imperial concubines lacked the qualification.

Of course, these were things hyped up by people, not to mention outright forgery.

A luminous pearl formulated with chemical agents carried a meager cost and would even cause harm to the human body over prolonged exposure.

Li Mu took another careful look at the bead inside the jade box and shook his head.

Even if you are trying to fool an old man, at least wipe away the synthetic glue around the luminous pearl!

Jiang Yusheng was clearly dissatisfied with Li Mu's reaction and strode right up to him.

"You brat, what on earth are you laughing at?"

In an instant, everyone's gaze turned toward Li Mu.

"I'm quite sorry, but I really couldn't hold it in just now. Your luminous pearl is just a bit too fake!"

As soon as these words were spoken, an uproar broke out at the scene!

"You're talking bullshit!"

Jiang Yusheng was like a dog whose tail had been stepped on, instantly leaping up from the ground.

This reaction was precisely what was called being blinded by shame and anger.

After all, only he himself knew whether the thing in his hands was real or fake.

Even though the people present were from prestigious families, those who had actually laid eyes on a luminous pearl could be counted on one's fingers.

This crowd certainly wouldn't be able to distinguish the genuine from the counterfeit.

Now that his little trick had been exposed by Li Mu, he had abruptly panicked.

"Li Mu, you mustn't talk nonsense!"

Standing nearby, Jiang Wan was terrified that this fellow would stir up any more trouble and gently tugged at his sleeve.

Jiang Yusheng's cold gaze at the Emperor Clubhouse remained unforgettable to Jiang Wan to this day.

Therefore, she had no wish to become excessively entangled with this fellow!

She also hoped such a scumbag wouldn't target Li Mu later on.

"You smelly beggar, can you even beg a hundred or so yuan a day? What do you know about luminous pearls?"

Following this, his eyes turned toward Yan Kuan, who was standing to the side.

The two exchanged glances before Jiang Yusheng walked over to Li Mu.

"I'd actually like to know what kind of gift you, a smelly beggar, have prepared for Grandfather!"

In truth, he had observed for a long time; this beggar must have come empty-handed.

To come to their Jiang family expecting a free meal alone—this beggar was probably the very first!

However, Li Mu had no intention of continuing to entertain him and simply grinned, laughing out loud once more.

Jiang Yusheng angrily interrupted his laughter.

"You stinky beggar, in a moment I want to see if you'll still be able to laugh!"

The people on the stage had more or less finished presenting their gifts.

At this point, Yan Kuan clapped his hands, and the secretary beside him stepped forward bearing an exquisite box.

"Elder Jiang, I wish you a life as boundless as the Eastern Sea and a longevity matching the Southern Mountain!"

When the box was opened, it turned out to contain a vase!

This vase was cloisonné, a treasure that had been deemed supremely noble from the very day it was unearthed.

Judging by its appearance, the value was likely in the high millions.

Who would have thought that this fellow surnamed Yan would be so lavish with his spending!

It was evident that Elder Jiang was extremely fond of the vase, holding it in his hands and unable to put it down, a smile blooming across his face.

Shortly after, Yan Kuan produced a gift box from behind him and handed it with both hands to Jiang Wan.

"This is a gift I prepared for you. The incident last time at... well, my actions were indeed too rash. I am apologizing to you, and I hope you can forgive me!"

Jiang Wan was momentarily choked for words. She had originally thought she could use this occasion to avoid contact with this fellow, but she never expected him to offer a public apology.

This was a rather clever move. If Jiang Wan forgave him, he could continue to maintain close ties with her.

If she did not forgive him, then she would inevitably be slapped with the label of being petty!

Furthermore, Jiang Wan's mother had already been completely won over by this man surnamed Yan.

There was simply no logical way to refuse this gesture.

A look of displeasure crossed Jiang Wan's face as she offered a faint smile.

"I had already forgotten about that matter long ago. Besides, since Li Mu saved me from the fire that day, you'd be better off giving the gift to him!"

Awkward!

Utterly awkward!

"To not keep you in suspense, today's gift also serves a purpose. Inside here is a piece of calligraphy given by Wang Xizhi to his beloved wife, and I hope Elder Jiang will grant me the opportunity to propose to Miss Jiang!"

Li Mu's expression shifted.

Was this guy out of his mind or something?

How could his skin possibly be several times thicker than a pig's hide?

He and Jiang Wan were already betrothed, yet while he was standing right here, this fellow actually dared to rashly propose to the Jiang family?

And as for the gift he presented—a piece of calligraphy written by Wang Xizhi to his beloved wife?

Li Mu vaguely remembered that Wang Xizhi had only ever written a single piece of calligraphy for his wife, and the genuine artifact was currently hanging in his master's room.

Could the calligraphy in this guy's hand possibly be fake?

Proposing with a piece of counterfeit calligraphy—aside from this fool, there was probably no second person in this world!

"Did I hear that correctly? The gift Young Master Yan brought is actually a piece of calligraphy given by Wang Xizhi to his beloved wife?"

"That's right! You must know that Wang Xizhi's works are exceedingly rare treasures!"

"Elder Jiang, I wonder if we might have the honor of taking a look at this calligraphy?"

Everyone began chattering excitedly. One had to realize that such items were priceless and unavailable, and all genuine pieces could likely only be seen inside museums!

A complacent smile surfaced on Yan Kuan's face.

"My father accidentally acquired this item some time ago. Since everyone wishes to see it, I shall open it!"

As he spoke, he eagerly unwrapped the item. Once a gift had already been unwrapped, the Jiang family would feel too embarrassed not to accept it!

Elder Jiang's body leaned forward slightly, his eyes fixed intently on the scroll before him.

With a rustling sound, the scroll unrolled, revealing handwriting as fluid as flowing clouds and moving water.

Just looking at it gave one a sense of delightful harmony.

This truly was a peerless masterpiece of the ages!

"Looking at the flow of these brushstrokes, this must truly be an authentic work by Wang Xizhi! I never imagined I would witness such a divine masterpiece here today!"

"Who is to say otherwise? If not for the blessing of Young Master Yan, we probably would never have laid eyes on it in our lifetimes!"

Excitement bloomed across Elder Jiang's face as well!

However, the matter of Jiang Wan's marriage still required further deliberation.

"Look at that beggar's face! He's probably never laid eyes on such a fine treasure in his life!"

"Indeed, what kind of expression is that beggar even making?"