Wow!
His words ignited the entire venue.
Many stood up, cursing, "You dare to publicly slander the entire Qin Province antique circle, who do you think you are!"
"Bluffing, still talking tough on the brink of death, does a mere box deserve to be called a real treasure?"
"If you have the guts, explain it properly, instead of spewing nonsense here."
…
Li Zhonglou's words were audacious to the extreme.
The antique circle was notoriously exclusive. Everyone present had earned their reputation through decades of hard work to gain entry.
Yet, in Li Zhonglou's mouth, they were described as ignorant and blind.
His words had trampled the entire circle underfoot.
How could they tolerate this?
Cao Zhi's face turned ashen, and he roared, "You little bastard, it has nothing to do with me if you pass off trash as treasure."
"But you dare to scorn the Qin Province antique circle. Is it Miss Lu who gives you the courage?"
"If you don't kneel and apologize in front of everyone today, do you believe you'll walk out of this manor alive!"
Tang Xiuzhu watched, relishing the misfortune.
Arrogance begets disaster.
Li Zhonglou was incredibly bold; it seemed he wouldn't get out of this easily.
He chimed in with a cold laugh, "Li Zhonglou, your words are indeed too much. The Qin Province antique circle isn't just Elder Qin and Director Cao; we also have President Lu."
"Each of them is a renowned figure, a famous collecting master."
"Let alone if you misidentified it, even if you didn't, you shouldn't be this rude!"
"I've tolerated you repeatedly out of respect for Yunxu, but you're ungrateful, not only shaming yourself but also the Lu family!"
Upon hearing this, Lu Yunxu showed a helpless expression, her beautiful eyes struggling.
She hadn't expected Li Zhonglou to speak so carelessly.
Mocking the entire Qin Province Antique Association in public had sparked widespread outrage.
Even she was powerless to fix it.
Why go to such lengths for an inconspicuous box?
"You're talking to me about etiquette?"
Li Zhonglou was unfazed, meeting Tang Xiuzhu's gaze. "The one who kept provoking was Cao Zhi."
"What? You people in high society, do you not need to respect someone like me from the lower strata?"
"Since everyone believes I misidentified it, I'll make a bet with you!"
"Bring the box over. If I can prove it's a treasure, it belongs to Lu Yunxu."
"If I truly misidentified it and can't explain it properly."
"I will kneel on the spot and publicly apologize to the entire Qin Province antique circle, and I will never step foot in the antique circle again!"
"Do you dare?"
His words were deafening, like thunder.
The crowd exchanged bewildered glances.
Another bet?
Even now, he still had the nerve to bet.
He had won against Qin Muyang last time, and now he wanted to turn the tables again?
He was courting death.
This was clearly a gambler!
"You..." Tang Xiuzhu's pupils contracted sharply, his face filled with disbelief.
He couldn't refute Li Zhonglou's words; it was indeed Cao Zhi who had provoked first.
But why the sudden push for a bet?
Could that dilapidated box truly have a hidden secret?
He was naturally suspicious, and Li Zhonglou's words tightened his heart.
This batch of goods had been jointly appraised by Cao Zhi and several experts beforehand, and that box was indeed just an ordinary old piece of furniture.
The scriptures on it were unverified.
There were no inscriptions, signatures, or any other markings.
Although the item was old, it lacked any lineage or craftsmanship, hence its value was no more than a thousand.
On what grounds was Li Zhonglou so confident?
Yes, it must be a provocation!
If he refused, not only would the antique association lose face, but Tang Xiuzhu himself would be rumored to be afraid of Li Zhonglou.
What a scheme!
Unfortunately, this pauper underestimated the calculating minds of the upper class.
To provoke him was to seek death!
"Young Master Tang, bet with him and let him die with clarity," Cao Zhi sneered.
He had personally handled the box, and it was definitely not a valuable item.
He eagerly awaited the sight of Li Zhonglou kneeling like a cur.
"Fine, I'll grant your wish." Tang Xiuzhu's eyes flashed with malevolence, and he instructed a hostess to deliver the box to Lu Yunxu.
Lu Yunxu held it as if it were a hot potato, unsure whether to take it or put it down.
Although she found Li Zhonglou's arrogance somewhat irritating,
he was her guest. If he truly misidentified the item and was forced to kneel and apologize publicly, she would lose face as well.
"Brother Li, oh Brother Li, what are you up to? Should I trust you?" Lu Yunxu's expression was complex, her heart churning.
"Li Zhonglou, the item is yours. Everyone is waiting," Tang Xiuzhu reminded her with a squint.
"What's the rush."
Li Zhonglou gently stroked the surface of the box with one hand and let out a long sigh. "You might as well listen to them explain the origins of those items first."
"This is your territory, and I can't escape anyway."
Cao Zhi snorted, "On the brink of death, and you still want to stall."
"Director Cao, he's right. Since he can't escape, there's no need to rush," Tang Xiuzhu said with a sinister smile, stopping him with a gesture.
If Li Zhonglou readily admitted defeat and knelt, it would be less amusing.
Since he still wanted to cling to life, let it be as he wished.
The torment would be far worse than the actual consequence.
Every minute would feel like an eternity.
He wanted to watch Li Zhonglou become impatient, panic-stricken, and finally despair.
"Since Young Master Tang has spoken, let him enjoy this last moment of appreciating antiques. He probably won't have the chance again," Cao Zhi said, understanding the implication, with a sinister grin.
The others naturally had no objections and began revealing the secrets of their own bets.
Lu Yunxu, however, had no interest in what others were saying.
She sighed, "Brother Li, I shouldn't have dragged you into this mess."
"It's too late for anything now."
"The Tang Xiuzhu father and son are already eyeing my father covetously. With this incident, they'll undoubtedly seize the opportunity to stir up trouble."
"It's likely that even the previous Sweet White Glaze incident will be overturned..."
What use was it to blame Li Zhonglou now?
Even if she were foolish, she could see that there was something fishy about this situation, and Li Zhonglou was clearly being targeted.
She didn't know what Tang Xiuzhu intended.
But she was in a mess now.
If the man with the triangular eyes hadn't personally admitted that the Sweet White Glaze was fake, even she would have started to suspect if Li Zhonglou had orchestrated the affair with Elder Qin.
"You can lack faith in me,"
Li Zhonglou took the box from Lu Yunxu's arms and said calmly, "But you must have it in this."
"No matter what Tang Xiuzhu and Cao Zhi are planning, tonight they will fail miserably in their attempt to snatch victory!"
Hearing this, a glimmer of hope appeared in Lu Yunxu's dim eyes. "Are you saying this box truly holds something extraordinary?"
She suddenly realized that she had been so worried that she had forgotten to think.
Li Zhonglou's demeanor didn't seem like he was faking it.
That kind of confidence emanating from his bones, she, standing so close, couldn't possibly fail to sense it.
Although he had always been high-profile and arrogant, thinking back now, he was actually provoking Tang Xiuzhu to give the box to her.
But how could this box, which everyone else deemed worthless, turn the tide?
Had she wronged him?
Various possibilities swirled in Lu Yunxu's mind, her emotions in turmoil.
At this point, how much worse could it get?
"Just wait and see," Li Zhonglou said with a faint smile.
His expression was unfathomable.