Chapter 106: Misjudged the Situation

“Hmph! Still dreaming, huh? Fine, just say it—what do you want?” Chen Xiong sneered, utterly contemptuous. He was certain he wouldn’t lose and patiently retorted.

“Slap yourself three times, saying 'I am a useless wretch,' and add one hundred and fifty million,” Su Zheng said coldly, a trace of disgust in his indifferent gaze.

“You... you worthless bastard, what nerve you have! Hmph! Just wait to die!” Chen Xiong growled fiercely, truly enraged. Su Zheng’s terms alone were enough to ignite his fury.

Though confident of victory, Chen Xiong couldn’t afford to lose face—after all, by seniority, he was the elder. Yet, the thought of wielding the Wan Jin Order to harness the Li family’s power and ultimately decide Su Zheng’s fate made him agree with intense anger.

“That’s not all. You, under the same terms, will do the same. Understand?” Su Zheng turned to Feng Qingyuan again.

Today, Su Wenli was absent due to other matters; otherwise, Su Zheng would have included that woman too.

“Su Zheng, I really don’t understand where you get your confidence. Should I call you foolish, or just plain stupid? Fine, I accept. When you lose, see how I deal with you!” Feng Qingyuan gritted his teeth in anger, agreeing as he waited for Su Zheng’s downfall.

“This is serious. Looks like things are about to get intense!”

“That kid has the Wan Jin Order? Tsk tsk... probably stolen. I’m tempted to tell the Li family, hehe...”

“This is classic asking for trouble. Dancing around now, but soon he’ll be crying!”

“Pfft, crying won’t help. He’ll lose money and probably won’t have a place left in Qingyang!”

“...”

The crowd buzzed with chatter, all stunned by Su Zheng’s audacity. No one doubted the authenticity of the double-eared vase so far.

The owner himself dared to make such a bet, even rushing headfirst into danger. Was this not sheer madness?

“Su Zheng, stop this nonsense!” Chen Xuemei’s lovely face flushed with panic, worry and anxiety deep in her eyes.

“Trust me. You’ll see soon enough,” Su Zheng reassured her, a faint smile gracing his calm face, as though the entire affair was none of his concern.

“Mu Xue, leave him be. Let him make his own mess. This guy just wants to drive me crazy—cough... cough...”

Chen Jianguo was no longer concerned about Su Zheng’s fate. His attention was fixed on He Ruijing, who was carefully examining the double-eared vase.

He believed the verdict would come soon.

“Old He, is there a result?” Chen Xiong was the first to ask eagerly when He Ruijing put down his magnifying glass.

“Hmm. The glaze is thick and creamy, with a soft, precious sheen; the jade-like texture is full-bodied; the crackle shows a light yellow hue. The rim of the piece has the characteristic purple iron foot. No mistake—it is indeed a Song Dynasty official kiln’s celadon double-eared vase!” He Ruijing’s eyes lingered on the artifact as he gave his expert appraisal.

“Ugh!” Chen Jianguo’s heart sank. His eyes rolled back, nearly fainting.

“Dad! Dad, are you okay?!” Chen Muxue hurriedly patted his back and pressed his chest, helping him regain breath.

But as Chen Jianguo came to, his expression was one of utter despair. It was over.

Even a master like He Ruijing had confirmed it. Could it be fake?

Especially now, without proof and with the flaw discovered in his possession, there was no denying it. The thought of paying one hundred and fifty million felt worse than death; his face drained of color, lips trembling uncontrollably.

“Hehe... Thank you, Old He, for your personal expertise,” Chen Xiong said with joy, then gave Feng Qingyuan a knowing look. The latter immediately understood and coldly stared at Su Zheng.

“Satisfied now? Hand over the Wan Jin Order. Also, promptly arrange the one hundred and fifty million compensation. We have other matters—we don’t have time to waste with your stalling!”

The crowd erupted with chatter, many having anticipated this outcome.

“What nonsense—refusing to admit defeat until Old He personally confirms the appraisal. Now you can’t deny it, huh?”

“Pathetic. Just now it was about money, but now it’s much more serious.”

“This guy’s hopeless. Poor girl—she married such a fool. Her life is over.”

“Look at him still smiling. I don’t get it!”

“...”

More and more onlookers gathered, shaking their heads at Su Zheng’s calm and composed smile amid the storm.

“Hey, you’re being reckless. Ambition isn’t bad, but it needs limits.”

He Ruijing turned, sighed, and shook his head at Su Zheng before encouraging him:

“Gather more experience next time. There will be a day when the clouds part and the moon shines bright. Don’t lose heart.”

Though Su Zheng lost the bet and it wasn’t his concern, as the final arbiter, He Ruijing felt a twinge of guilt.

“Old He, thank you for your kindness. But sometimes, no matter how much experience one has, mistakes happen. Some fakes are truly indistinguishable from the genuine,” Su Zheng replied with a smile, calm and unflustered, casually hinting.

“Oh? Young friend, do you still insist this is a fake? On what basis?”

He Ruijing, steadier than Wu Rongsheng, was momentarily taken aback, then smiled and asked.

“Old He, you must have seen the ‘hairline crack’ patterns on authentic Song Dynasty porcelain, right?” Su Zheng asked, still smiling faintly.

“Uh!”

Now it was He Ruijing’s turn to freeze. He furrowed his brows and, without replying, quickly turned back to examine the double-eared vase.

For a master like him, it wasn’t ignorance but sometimes just needing a reminder.

Su Zheng spared his dignity by not outright contradicting his appraisal but pointing out where the problem lay.

Soon, He Ruijing’s body stiffened as he inspected the vase again, his expression growing darker and darker.

“Old He, are you... alright? Feeling unwell?” Chen Xiong, Feng Qingyuan, and Wu Rongsheng gathered nearby, whispering uneasily.

He Ruijing’s face now showed remorse and self-reproach—he had indeed found an issue with the vase!

This unsettled them while simultaneously impressing them.

Especially Feng Qingyuan, who was adamant that their collection was genuine. His father detested fakes and had always paid handsomely for authoritative appraisals.

“Unbelievable. Truly unbelievable. This old man has made a mistake!” He Ruijing’s voice rang out.