Ye Fan's expression was calm, and even his tone was relaxed, clearly showing that he didn't take the people's provocations to heart.
The middle-aged man frowned and scoffed, "Mr. Ye, we naturally know what you said. But you also mentioned that jade cicadas can be worn by the dead, and also by the living. Why are you so certain this is a cicada worn by the deceased? Unless, Mr. Ye, you personally saw this jade cicada taken from a dead person's mouth?"
The middle-aged man's words immediately drew a burst of laughter.
But Ye Fan shot him a disdainful glance. "With your intelligence, you probably couldn't figure it out in a lifetime."
Ye Fan shook his head and then pointed at the jade cicada.
"If it were an item for wearing, the jade cicada would necessarily have a hole for a string to pass through for wearing. But look at this cicada; it is complete, with no holes whatsoever, making it impossible to wear. Therefore, it can only be a burial jade."
When people appraise objects, they often overlook the most superficial details.
Just like with this jade cicada, such an obvious principle, and these people hadn't discovered it.
Ye Fan's words made the middle-aged man's face flush with embarrassment. He had indeed not noticed if the jade cicada was complete.
At that moment, his mind had been focused on how to deal with Ye Fan.
But the man beside him said coldly, "Even if this is a burial jade, how can you be sure it's a mouth-filling jade? You know, burial objects and mouth-filling jades are two different concepts."
The man continued to babble incessantly, refusing to let go.
"One does not weep until they see the coffin," Ye Fan said coldly, then looked at the man.
"This jade cicada is exquisitely carved, with smooth and powerful strokes, and a distinct sharpness. This is the typical 'Han Eight Strokes' technique. Ancient texts record that 'Han Eight Strokes' jade cicadas are definitely mouth-filling jades because their craftsmanship is simple, their lines are bold, and their sharpness is evident. When placed in the mouth of the deceased, they could allow the deceased to communicate with heaven and earth, and their souls to revive."
"Therefore, I dare to assert that this jade cicada must be a mouth-filling jade, and specifically from the Han Dynasty."
Ye Fan's explanation left the man completely speechless.
He had heard of Han Eight Strokes jade cicadas, but he had never actually seen one.
He never expected that his first encounter would lead to so much trouble.
"How about it? Young Master Wu? Is Mr. Ye's answer satisfactory?"
Ye Fan turned to look at Wu Liuding, his face tinged with coldness.
Hearing Ye Fan's words, although Wu Liuding was extremely unwilling to admit it, he had no way to argue.
He let out a cold laugh, turned around, and returned to his seat.
Seeing Wu Liuding's defeat, Ye Fan finally showed a satisfied smile. "This Han Eight Strokes mouth-filling cicada has been appraised. If everyone likes this type of burial object, feel free to bid a high price for it. However, once you obtain it, you cannot easily display it in public, as it is very easy to be investigated."
Burial objects, or grave goods, were prohibited from circulation in the market. Once caught, one might end up eating prison food for a long time.
Hearing Ye Fan's words, the middle-aged man on stage had a somber expression. He had thought this jade cicada would fetch a good price, but in the end, Ye Fan had seen through it, completely disrupting their meticulously planned auction.
No one present was foolish enough to spend money to buy a grave good.
Ultimately, the jade cicada failed to sell.
Although the middle-aged man was furious, he suppressed his anger and forced a smile onto his face.
"This jade cicada was merely an appetizer. Since it's a grave good, we naturally won't continue to auction it. We'll wait until later to hand over this artifact to the state."
The middle-aged man put on a magnanimous air and then continued with a smile, "Next, let us proceed with the auction of the second item."
Saying that, a helper brought up a large chest, about half a person's height.
Two helpers carried it with difficulty, showing that the item was heavy. Even with two people carrying it, they were still panting.
"Everyone, this second auction item is something our antique association worked tirelessly to acquire. It can be said to be unparalleled in the world."
The middle-aged man's face was filled with an excited smile. Then, he personally stepped forward and opened the chest.
Following that, the item inside was revealed.
Inside the chest were more than a dozen clods of earth. However, what was shocking was that these earth fragments were all painted with pictures.
"Is this a mural?"
Ye Fan frowned and said in a deep voice.
Seeing Ye Fan's shocked expression, the middle-aged man on stage immediately showed a proud smile.
"Mr. Ye is correct. These are indeed murals, and they were excavated from an ancient tomb. There are thirteen pieces in total, which can be pieced together to form a set of murals. They are exceptionally valuable, possessing not only great historical value but also significant collection value."
The middle-aged man was beaming with joy and pride.
Such items were different from porcelain or jade.
Generally, murals from tombs would be weathered and could not be preserved. Therefore, in recent years, very few murals have been able to be presented to the world.
Murals as clear as the ones presented by the Jiangcheng Antique Association were even rarer.
Moreover, since no one had ever presented murals before, there were no laws stipulating that murals were grave goods and could not be bought or sold.
This way, even if the origin of the murals were acknowledged, no one would pursue it.
"Can these murals be put together? So we can all have a good look."
Someone suggested.
The middle-aged man smiled and nodded. "Naturally. If everyone doesn't have a good look, they probably won't bid to buy it."
Saying that, he ordered people to come forward and piece together the murals bit by bit. Finally, the thirteen fragments came together as one.
"This is a hunting scene."
Looking at the picture, Liu Piaoxu murmured softly.
On the mural, a man was riding a tall horse, drawing a bow with an arrow nocked, dressed in casual attire, with an excited smile on his face.
Behind him followed more than a dozen attendants, also riding horses and carrying equipment.
The figures were painted vividly and lifelike.
Generally speaking, murals of this quality would only be found in the tombs of princes and nobles.
"This mural looks a bit familiar."
Ye Fan frowned slightly, staring at the mural and said in a deep voice.
This time, he lowered his voice completely. Before he could figure out what this mural was, he would not speak carelessly.
Liu Piaoxu was slightly stunned and looked at him suspiciously. "You've seen it before?"
How could this be possible? Murals were from tombs. If Ye Fan had seen it, there could only be one possibility: he had been to this tomb before.
But this was absolutely impossible.
Ye Fan slowly closed his eyes, trying hard to recall.
In his past and present lives, all the murals and paintings he had seen flashed through his mind.
Suddenly, a painting he had seen in his previous life made Ye Fan's body freeze.
"So that's why it looked so familiar. The Jiangcheng Antique Association is truly insidious."
Ye Fan muttered in a low voice.
Not hearing what she said, Liu Piaoxu asked him by his ear, "Have you found anything?"
From Ye Fan's expression, she knew he must have discovered something.
But this man was too tight-lipped. He would not speak easily unless it was critical.
At this moment, the middle-aged man on stage looked at Ye Fan with a challenging gaze. "Mr. Ye, do you have any insights into this mural?"