"So it's Meiyu Appraisal Pavilion. Hmm, wait, isn't that Old Master Hong, the chief appraiser from Moyu Jewelry?"
"Are you stupid? Meiyu Appraisal Pavilion and Moyu Jewelry have the same owner, the sole proprietor Zhao Hongwen, the richest man Zhao."
"He's probably here out of consideration for Young Master Zhao. Young Master Zhao is Old Master Hong's junior boss."
Xiao Longyang naturally recognized the old man. Old Master Hong wasn't someone easily invited. He was a man who wouldn't bow to money.
"So it's Old Master Hong. My apologies."
Xiao Longyang had tried to invite Old Master Hong for appraisal before, but the man was unmoved by money. Such integrity naturally deserved his respect.
"So you recognize me too. You're too kind."
Old Master Hong replied politely and then looked in a certain direction.
Everyone followed Old Master Hong's gaze.
That spot was precisely where everyone had been occasionally looking, the seat where Young Master Zhao was sitting.
"Junior boss."
Old Master Hong, who was usually stern with others, greeted Zhao Yunhai with a smile.
He didn't bow to money because the Zhao Corporation gave him more than enough to live comfortably, without having to do things he disliked for a living.
With the backing of the Zhao Corporation, Old Master Hong naturally appeared even more refined and noble in public.
Zhao Yunhai didn't stand up; he merely gave a faint nod, which served as a greeting.
He didn't know everyone. He didn't know all his employees.
However, it was rare for a senior employee not to know the boss, unless that senior employee didn't intend to stay long.
Old Master Hong's heart was filled with excitement at receiving a nod from Young Master Zhao.
Meanwhile, Lin Suyun's heart churned with frustration, seeing Xiao Longyang stake the Lin family's reputation as a bet in public. Her face was extremely displeased.
Old Madam Lin pointed a trembling finger at Xiao Longyang.
"The son-in-law is turning on his master. Does he think he can do whatever he wants now that outsiders are here?"
"Don't worry, old madam, this is absolutely genuine."
Xiao Longyang confidently guaranteed.
At this moment, Xiao Longyang hadn't carefully examined the jade pendant in his hand. If he had, he might have noticed something amiss.
But he was too overconfident in his own abilities.
Then again, the jade pendant had been with him the whole time, with no possibility of anything happening to it.
"Could the jade pendant in his hand actually be real?"
Yang Hui asked softly, seeing Xiao Longyang's confident demeanor.
"What's real cannot be faked, and what's fake cannot be made real. The real item is with me!"
Zhao Yunhai flipped his palm, revealing a jade pendant identical to the one in Xiao Longyang's hand.
"Xiao Yan, come closer." Zhao Yunhai beckoned to Yang Yan.
There's a kind of swagger where one can draw everyone's attention just by sitting there without speaking.
"What is it, brother-in-law?"
Yang Yan, now accustomed to calling him brother-in-law, obediently leaned in.
"Later, you do it like this... like this..."
As Zhao Yunhai explained, Yang Yan's eyes grew brighter, and he nodded repeatedly.
"I understand, brother-in-law. Just watch."
Yang Yan took the jade pendant from his brother-in-law, then stood by Sister Hui, quietly awaiting his cue.
"Young Master Zhao, do you think this item is real or fake?"
Old Master Hong, in front of everyone, respectfully asked Zhao Shao.
If Zhao Shao said it was real, then even if it was fake, he could declare it real.
If Zhao Shao said it was fake, it would mean that even this son-in-law was someone Zhao Shao disliked, and even if it were real, he could declare it fake.
The reason he stepped forward was not to authenticate Xiao Longyang's item, but because Zhao Shao was Lin Suyun's cousin.
This identity was what mattered most to him. He worked for the Zhao Corporation, and pleasing Zhao Shao was certainly not bowing for money.
This was his duty.
Lin Suyun's husband, Xiao Longyang, was being publicly accused. Even with his status as a son-in-law, if there was even a slight connection to Zhao Shao, it was worth him stepping in to take a look.
Old Master Hong's actions left everyone speechless. After all, he was the junior boss. A smile was only natural.
On the contrary, Xiao Longyang was filled with disappointment. He hadn't expected the renowned Old Master Hong to be no different.
He didn't consider that the man was his boss. Did he really think he could live without working, just pretending to be noble and starve?
"Although I can't examine it closely, having seen so many such items over the years, I can discern a thing or two."
"Even without handling it, I know this is a fake."
Zhao Yunhai looked meaningfully at Old Master Hong and said slowly, "Truth and falsehood, falsehood and truth, it still requires the experienced Old Master Hong to discern it."
Old Master Hong was no fool. As he grew more astute, he naturally understood the hidden meaning and regretted stepping forward.
Young Master Zhao was at odds with this son-in-law, Xiao Longyang.
Damn it, he should have realized this earlier.
Old Master Hong was filled with remorse, but everyone's eyes were already on him.
Zhao Yunhai's words had effectively settled the matter.
Even if the jade pendant in Xiao Longyang's hand was ninety-nine percent real, these people could twist the truth and declare it fake.
What is authority? What Zhao Shao said was authority.
Luoyang was once an ancient capital. The local influential figures living there knew what the Zhao Corporation represented.
It represented strength, wealth, and power.
Luoyang was gifted to the Yang family by the Zhao Corporation back then, which was why no Zhao family members lived there.
However, with a single word from the Zhao Corporation, they could instantly reclaim everything the Yang family possessed.
"I knew it. Since Zhao Shao, such an important figure, says it's fake, how dare a mere son-in-law try to deceive Old Madam Lin with a fake item? What a disgrace to the family."
"What Zhao Shao says is definitely true. With Zhao Shao's family background, he could play with these items every day and wouldn't need to deceive us."
These onlookers began to speak incessantly, provoking and mocking Xiao Longyang to curry favor with Zhao Shao.
"It hasn't been appraised yet, how do you know if it's real or fake?"
Xiao Longyang snorted coldly. A bunch of blind fools. He walked directly to Old Master Hong.
"I still hope Old Master Hong can state the facts."
Zhao Yunhai was just a dandy who knew nothing. To think he thought the man was so impressive. Ha, nothing special.
"Of course, I will. You don't need to remind me."
Old Master Hong, very professionally, had someone beside him bring out the appraisal tools and began to examine the jade pendant in front of everyone.
As soon as he touched it, Old Master Hong's eyes narrowed. He looked at Xiao Longyang with great surprise.
"What? Just say it directly, no need to hold back."
Xiao Longyang thought the old man had recognized the value of the jade pendant and was in shock. He spread his hands out, saying proudly,
"Heh..." Old Master Hong sneered and casually tossed the jade pendant onto a nearby table.
"Then I shall say it. This jade pendant is as fake as it can be."
"On the market, it's worth no more than twenty to thirty yuan."
Xiao Longyang's face stiffened. He immediately retorted loudly without thinking.
"That's impossible! I see you old fellow are clearly biased towards Zhao Yunhai. He says it's fake, so you say it's fake!"
"I think you're clearly twisting the truth!"
"Slap!"
"Shut up, Xiao Longyang! I am so disappointed in you."
Lin Suyun, unable to bear it any longer, slapped Xiao Longyang across the face again.
Still not appeased, she slapped him again.