Chapter 48 Blind to the Jewel

"This is just some junk picked up by a beggar. Someone will clear it away shortly. I am so sorry it has offended your eyes!"

Wang Yurou had been in contact with the antique business alongside her father since childhood, which was why she was eventually married into the Lu family. She possessed a rather discerning eye for antiques.

Standing nearby, Jiang Yusheng walked up to Wang Yurou with an ingratiating smile, wanting to reach out and hold the beauty's hand. However, she subtly and smoothly evaded his touch.

"You call this junk?"

If his eyes weren't deceiving him, this box had some serious age to it. It probably took centuries of weathering to acquire its current patina. Moreover, the wood material itself looked extremely precious.

If he guessed correctly, this must be the legendary golden nanmu from several centuries ago!

Golden nanmu was already priceless to begin with, compounded by the baptism of time. This box alone was probably worth an astronomical sum in the tens of millions.

Who would have thought such a magnificent treasure would be treated as mere trash by them?

Wang Yurou signaled her servant to hand over her magnifying glass, then squatted down on the ground to begin examining the two items before her.

"Madam Lu, what are you doing? Someone will dispose of these things soon enough. How could we ever let you dirty your own hands?"

Jiang Yusheng's eyes were practically glued to her, and he almost drooled. Being the closest person to Wang Yurou, the subtle curves of the woman's figure were displayed right before his eyes.

Yet, Wang Yurou ignored him completely, studying the box with utmost concentration.

A strip of gold-stamped dragon patterns caught her attention. Because of the erosion of time, it could only be faintly discerned through the magnifying glass.

Items like this were generally reserved exclusively for imperial use; even the concubines in the inner palace lacked such a privilege. Who else could possibly have dragon motifs carved onto their personal belongings besides the Emperor?

"Elder Jiang, who gave you this box?"

Hearing Wang Yurou speak, Jiang Yusheng hurriedly stepped forward and shook his head.

"Madam Lu, you jest. Everyone attending today is a person of high standing and prestige—who would ever use such street-market trash to hold a gift?"

If word of this got out, it would be a total disgrace to the Jiang family.

As they spoke, a maid picked up the box from the floor, preparing to throw it away.

Wang Yurou sneered inwardly.

The Jiang family members in front of her were truly complete fools. This was clearly a priceless treasure, yet they dismissed it as garbage!

"Wait!"

She snatched the box away, and upon opening it, her entire body trembled slightly. She rubbed her eyes in disbelief.

How could this item possibly turn up here?

One had to know that the poem inscribed upon it had been casually composed by Emperor Qianlong, and subsequently polished by his ministers. Upon receiving such a lovely short poem, he had been overjoyed and commissioned the finest painters in the imperial palace to create an exquisite folding fan adorned with a painting. This very fan had kept Emperor Qianlong delighted for a long time, and there was even a period when he refused to be parted from it.

Never in her wildest dreams did she expect to lay eyes on this item today!

Feeling weak in the knees, she immediately took out her phone and photographed the fan from every possible angle.

If she could bring this item back to the auction house, the negative publicity regarding the counterfeit items that had surfaced a few days ago would be completely swept away. Furthermore, for any true collector, getting to witness such a peerless treasure made dying on the spot a willing sacrifice.

Jiang Yusheng stepped up to her.

"Madam Lu, let's just throw this thing away. Don't let it soil your hands, such fair and delicate hands—"

Before he could finish his sentence, Wang Yurou violently slapped his hand away!

"Don't touch such a noble object with your filthy hands! I want to know whose property this actually is!"

Li Mu stepped forward.

"It's mine!"

Looking at the man before him, the scene at the Emperor Club flashed through her mind once again.

Wang Yurou's face flushed even redder, especially when she recalled how she had knelt before him begging for mercy... She almost wished Li Mu had treated her even more ruthlessly that day.

"This piece of trash was just picked up by this beggar! Who else besides him would treat such a broken thing like a treasure?"

"Shut up! Mister Li, is this fan for sale? I am willing to offer seventy million!"

How much?

Seventy million?

An item picked straight out of a garbage dump was actually worth this much?

The expressions of everyone present shifted instantly. Earlier, seeing how poorly dressed he was, they hadn't bothered to pay him any mind. But how could a plain, unremarkable young man casually pull out something worth tens of millions?

A look of astonishment also appeared on Jiang Wan's face.

As for Hai Yan, her expression flickered between red and pale. Could it be that despite her vast experience in reading people, she had truly misjudged someone today?

Jiang Yusheng, who had originally intended to thoroughly humiliate Li Mu, now looked ashen-faced.

He felt like a complete clown just now!

"Impossible! How could someone like him pick a priceless treasure out of a garbage heap? He must have stolen this!"

A murmur of uproar swept through the crowd.

That's right—for a lowlife like him, obtaining such a high-end item certainly meant his methods were shady!

Jiang Yusheng opened his mouth to say more, but the very next second, he was violently hoisted into the air by Ye Tianming.

"What are you doing? Let me down this instant!"

"Let you down? Ever since I walked in, you've been targeting me. Did you really think I had no idea what games you were playing?"

"As a member of the Jiang family, you stood by coldly and indifferently when your own sister was in danger. Do you even have the right to call yourself a man?"

Another wave of commotion rippled through the crowd!

They hadn't expected such history between Li Mu and Jiang Yusheng.

"Grandpa, save me! Brother Kuan, save me!"

Jiang Wan stood nearby, wanting to step forward and intervene, but the words stuck in her throat, refusing to come out!

Because at this very moment, Li Mu was exuding an aura entirely different from his usual demeanor. Though the fellow was normally all smiles, right now a decisive and formidable murderous intent radiated from him. Enveloped by this oppressive aura, even Jiang Wan did not dare to step forward and persuade him otherwise.

"Today, I'm going to teach you that there are people you simply cannot afford to offend!"

As he spoke, he exerted slight force with his hands, and Jiang Yusheng was plunged headfirst straight into a trash can.

Surrounding refuse spilled over his face, and some even entered his mouth. A wave of foul stench assaulted his nostrils, causing his stomach to heave violently, though he managed to keep from vomiting.

Jiang Yusheng hung suspended in the trash can, letting out continuous, miserable wails.

The surrounding guests turned their backs; scenes like this were best not watched for long, lest they lose their appetites for the delicacies served later.

After about three minutes, Jiang Yusheng was finally hauled out of the trash can.

By then, he was barely breathing, his face turned a bruised eggplant color.

Jiang Yusheng's parents glared viciously at Li Mu. How dared a lowly beggar treat their son in such a manner?

"Don't look at me like that. Instead of glaring, you'd better spend some time keeping your dutiful son in check! Stop letting him go about with blind eyes, offending people he has no business crossing!"