"What are you panicking about!"
Xu Zhongding roared, "Even if it's gold, it's not too much, and it might not be worth eight hundred thousand."
"Yes, sir." The shop assistants replied so, but their hearts grew more uneasy.
Regardless of whether the gold hidden inside was worth eight hundred thousand, one thing couldn't be explained: Xu Zhongding hadn't seen the mystery within the screen, yet Li Yang had.
Just this alone, anyone could tell the difference in their eyesight.
This wouldn't have been a big deal, but they had mocked Li Yang so much just now, and soon many people would mock them.
Especially for those of them who aspired to walk the path of antiques, they had almost tied their fate to Xu Zhongding for life.
If Xu Zhongding's reputation was ruined, and the antique shop's business declined, some of them would surely be fired, let alone the chance to become apprentices and make a comeback.
Seeing Li Yang's electric drill widening the stone's surface, Xu Zhongding started to panic. He quickly winked at a nearby shop assistant and whispered, "You go."
"Yes."
The shop assistant narrowed his small eyes and immediately pretended to slip and fall, lunging towards Li Yang. "Ouch!"
"Not good!" Everyone was startled and shouted.
Just as the shop assistant was about to bump into Li Yang, Li Yang, as if he had eyes in the back of his head, swung his arm back without turning his head, knocking him away.
"What, ah!" Xu Zhongding was waiting to watch the show, but unexpectedly, the shop assistant was sent flying back and crashed into him.
With a thud, both their heads buzzed, and they were in too much pain to speak.
Li Yang curled his lips and smiled, "Boss Xu, are you mistreating your employees? They can't even stand steady in broad daylight."
"Don't talk nonsense," Xu Zhongding gritted his teeth, still in pain as he clutched his head.
Li Yang smiled, returned the electric drill to the kind person who had lent it, and then pushed aside the ten pieces on the screen's surface, revealing a whole expanse of gold.
At this moment, everyone understood, "This isn't gold, it looks like gilded paper. We got excited for nothing."
"What do you know? Gilded paper was very expensive in the past. Wealthy calligraphers were reluctant to write on such paper. Something wrapped in so much gilded paper must be extraordinary."
"That makes sense, but what exactly is it? Mr. Li, please hurry and unwrap it for us to see!"
"Everyone, please don't rush. Good things always take time." Li Yang smiled, patted the stone fragments off the paper, and then slowly unfolded it.
Soon, everyone saw a tiger's head, and then a person dressed in ancient attire. "Is this a relief carving?"
"Nonsense, who can't see this is a relief carving? And it's made of white marble. The question is, what is its origin."
"Exactly, white marble isn't a particularly expensive material. Buying such an item for eight hundred thousand might not be profitable." Xu Zhongding gritted his teeth, still trying to save face.
Li Yang smiled, "You're right. However, it's not difficult to identify the origin of this relief carving. I believe many people present have heard of the 'Twelve Zodiac Animals' from Wang Chuzhi's tomb, right?"
"Ah?" At this remark, the scene was filled with surprise.
Some young people didn't understand, "Mr. Li, who is Wang Chuzhi?"
"Wang Chuzhi was a warlord from the late Tang Dynasty to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, a regional lord. He was not very famous, so most people don't know him. However, his tomb contained many treasures, and the 'Twelve Zodiac Animals' is a relief carving on the walls of his tomb," Li Yang said loudly, "It's a pity that when our experts began the excavation, Wang Chuzhi's tomb had already been plundered by tomb robbers, and many treasures were stolen."
"Generally speaking, tomb robbers wouldn't move such heavy objects as relief carvings. But because the relief carvings in Wang Chuzhi's tomb were exceptionally exquisite, they were also stolen."
"Now, this zodiac tiger relief carving should be one of the pieces stolen from the 'Twelve Zodiac Animals' back then."
"Oh, now I understand." Everyone immediately understood.
Some people had already crowded around Li Yang, smiling obsequiously and saying, "Mr. Li, are you selling this? Give us a price!"
"Yes, Mr. Li, I like it so much, ten million, will you sell it to me?"
"This is hilarious! One of the two door god relief carvings from the entrance of Wang Chuzhi's tomb was auctioned at a Western auction, and the price was quite astonishing. You want to buy this zodiac tiger for ten million?" A rather portly boss walked over and said to Li Yang, "Mr. Li, he thinks you don't know its value and is trying to trick you!"
"Why don't you sell it to me? I'll offer fifty million."
"I'll offer sixty million!"
"One hundred and twenty million, and no one else competes with me!" Suddenly, a deep voice came.
Everyone was astonished; the price was too aggressive.
Turning their heads, everyone was surprised again. It was the former president of the Jiangcheng Jade Appraisal Association, Old President Feng. "President Feng, why are you here?"
"There's no hope now. With President Feng making a move, we definitely have no chance with this national treasure-level artifact."
"Yes, it's already two hundred million. President Feng, I won't compete with you. Please go ahead."
"Thank you all for your regard." President Feng cupped his hands to everyone and smiled, then looked at Li Yang and said, "Mr. Li, we meet again. What a coincidence."
"Hello, President Feng." Li Yang's lips curved slightly, and he smiled.
President Feng said, "Mr. Li, this zodiac tiger is of great importance and cannot be lost. I will buy it for two hundred million. Can you do me the favor?"
"No problem, that's the price." Li Yang nodded.
President Feng said joyfully, "Thank you!"
With that, he immediately crouched down and carefully rewrapped the relief carving with gilded paper, worried that the air might damage it. Then, he made a phone call to have the money transferred to Li Yang and simultaneously called for people to come and pick up the item.
"Grandpa, is it really the zodiac tiger stolen from Wang Chuzhi's tomb?" About half an hour later, a girl with twin ponytails, wearing a light green shirt and white leather shoes, ran over breathlessly and asked.
President Feng smiled and said, "Of course it's real."
"Let me see." The twin-tailed girl's clear eyes immediately lit up, and a hint of excitement flashed across her fair, melon-seed-shaped face. She immediately bent down to open the gilded paper.
President Feng caught her small hand and said, "Don't be in a hurry. It's not too late to look after we put it in the collection room."
"Yes, yes, I was too eager." The little girl stuck out her tongue and smiled sheepishly. Her gaze swept across everyone's faces, and she looked at Xu Zhongding and said, "Ah, I know you, Boss Xu, a very capable folk appraiser."
"You discovered this zodiac tiger relief carving, right?"