"What do you mean by that?" Brother Lang's left eye twitched, his tone laced with displeasure.
He hadn't felt displeased when Li Chonglou hit his subordinate.
Because he was well aware of the nature of his underlings. That's why he had asked Changbi to bring Li Chonglou back for questioning.
To assign blame or to harbor resentment.
He also hadn't been displeased when Changbi was hit, because he could tell Li Chonglou was no ordinary person.
Steadfast as a mountain, treating him as an equal without any hint of impropriety.
Changbi's rash action was his own humiliation.
But at this moment, he was extremely displeased.
Being in this line of work was not his desire.
If it weren't for his family's revenge, he would have become a professor or scholar in his lifetime, instead of a hoodlum leader bearing the title of Brother Lang to project toughness.
But life, as it turns out, is often unreasonable.
Heaven forced him to become a leader of rogues.
Yet, he refused to admit defeat. Thus, he never did the things other hoodlum leaders did; he didn't frequent nightclubs and disliked wine and women.
He was only devoted to antiques, incense, and books.
Especially antiques and history, he believed he had a profound understanding of them.
In all of Yong'an, he was second to none.
Yet now, he was being mocked by a young man barely over twenty years old. Even with his extraordinary composure, he couldn't help but feel disturbed.
Everyone has their temper. The key is whether what others touch upon is something they care about.
Clearly, Li Chonglou had struck a nerve.
"The literal meaning," Li Chonglou said unhurriedly, walking towards Brother Lang. He brought his hand from behind his back and pointed at the Zhengde stove in the latter's hand. "The Zhengde stove originated from Emperor Zhengde of the Ming Dynasty. Unlike its prototype, the Xuande stove, it is heavy, rigorous, dignified, and grand, exclusively for royal use."
"After the Ming Dynasty fell and the Qing Dynasty was established, during the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns, bronze censers became highly popular due to social customs and religious and political needs."
"Consequently, Qing imitations of Zhengde stoves, bearing the Zhengde stove's shape but marked with Xuande dates, began to appear."
"This was because the Xuande stove had too great a reputation in history and high social recognition."
"The bottom of these usually bore the inscription 'Made in the Xuande Year of the Great Ming' in a needle-tip seal script. However, these inscriptions possessed a calligraphic structure unique to the Qing Dynasty."
"This is a significant difference from the inscriptions on genuine Xuande stoves."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Dongxu's eyes widened, and he looked at Li Chonglou with admiration.
As expected of someone from a pawnshop, he had explained something completely unknown to Zhang Dongxu with just a few words.
He would need to research what a Xuande stove was later.
After all, he couldn't possibly become Li Chonglou's disciple without understanding anything.
Unlike Zhang Dongxu, Brother Lang's face gradually revealed a cold smile. "I admit what you've said is correct. It also proves that the Zhengde stove in my hand is genuine."
"I never claimed it was made in the Ming Dynasty; it is a Qing imitation. How can it be described as rotten on the inside?"
He had initially thought Li Chonglou had some skill, but now it seemed he was merely putting on a show.
He was trying to criticize his discernment to increase his standing in Brother Lang's eyes.
Young people were still young, too arrogant.
What kind of people hadn't he met?
From all walks of life, all sorts of people.
How many dared to play games with him?
If Li Chonglou couldn't provide a proper explanation today, he would show him how the title of Brother Lang was earned.
Whether his brothers were right or wrong was one matter, but the insult from an outsider would be repaid tenfold.
"You only see one aspect, not the other!" To his surprise, Li Chonglou did not falter. Instead, his eyes gleamed as he met Brother Lang's gaze, refusing to yield.
He continued speaking eloquently, "Antiques are born from culture. I believe you would agree with this."
"Indeed," Brother Lang nodded.
"But when it comes to value, it is an unchanging truth in the world: rarity drives value," Li Chonglou added. "When the Xuande stove was first created, three thousand pieces were made from refined copper. Over a thousand years, they were hidden in unknown places, making them exceedingly precious."
"The Zhengde stove, however, was refined from red copper, making it inherently less valuable than the Xuande stove."
"Not to mention being hard to find. Furthermore, it is a Qing imitation Zhengde stove."
"This is the first point."
"Secondly, even among Qing imitations of Zhengde stoves, there are outstanding pieces."
"As I said, most of the imitation stoves from the Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong reigns were marked with Ming Dynasty dates. However, a very small number of stoves were marked with their own contemporary dates."
"At that time, those stoves were not popular."
"But times have changed, and the world has transformed."
"What do you think?"
As Li Chonglou spoke, Brother Lang's expression suddenly turned complex.
The confidence in his eyes slowly vanished, replaced by a mixture of emotions.
His hand, holding the Zhengde stove, began to tremble involuntarily.
Outsiders watch for the spectacle; insiders look for the substance.
Li Chonglou had made his point. If Brother Lang still didn't understand, then his years of experience had been wasted.
In an instant, the confidence he had accumulated over many years was greatly shaken.
If it were an ordinary person, it might not matter.
After all, fools were common in this world; many were unaware of their own emotional shifts.
But Brother Lang was precisely among the clear-headed minority.
It was extremely uncomfortable, leaving him dizzy.
Fortunately, his extensive experience and encounters with major events allowed him to suppress his emotions and ask, "I admit you are right."
"But you've said so much, can you produce a Qing imitation Zhengde stove with its contemporary mark?"
Hearing this, Li Chonglou felt a surge of admiration.
Brother Lang was indeed extraordinary, having instantly broken free from his logical trap.
As Brother Lang had surmised, the reason Li Chonglou had directly touched his sore spot was to make him submit.
To win him over for his own use.
There were two ways to establish a connection with someone: one was to share common goals and demonstrate one's strength and value.
The other was to subdue them forcefully.
Li Chonglou had no time for a slow approach, so he chose the second method.
By subduing Brother Lang, he would have ample manpower to help him find his mother and wife.
"I cannot produce a Zhengde stove, but as rarity commands value, I possess a treasure that money cannot buy!" Li Chonglou said calmly, with a slight smile.
"Really?" Brother Lang's attention was immediately captivated by the treasure.
No enthusiast of antiques could be otherwise.
Li Chonglou knew this well.
Without further ado, he took out the crescent-shaped ivory carving, only a palm and a half long, from his pocket.
He dangled it before Brother Lang.
This left Brother Lang dumbfounded, his eyes bulging.
"This… is this something from the Qing imperial court?" As expected of an expert, he recognized its general origin at a glance.
"That's right. It came from a large tomb. Moreover, ivory products are prohibited from trade, so you can't buy it even with money. You wouldn't object to calling it a treasure, would you?" Li Chonglou said, sitting down in the chair with a decisive posture.
At this point, he was no longer an adversary but a guest.
If he didn't have this much confidence, his two lifetimes would have been lived in vain.
As expected, Brother Lang, seeing him sit down, immediately followed suit and began to prepare the tea, setting out to brew some.
His movements were as familiar as if two old friends were meeting.
There was no sense of awkwardness.
This scene left Zhang Dongxu wide-eyed and utterly impressed.
In an instant, he had befriended the magnate of Nancheng. What kind of divine being was this future master?
Li Chonglou caught a glimpse of Zhang Dongxu's expression out of the corner of his eye and smiled faintly inwardly.
He didn't just want to be friends with Brother Lang; he wanted to completely subdue him for his own purposes.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am known as Brother Lang in the underworld, but my real name is Ning Lang. I was blind just now and treated you with disrespect." Brother Lang washed the tea bowls, brewed the tea, and offered them to Li Chonglou with both hands, showing respect. Then he asked, "May I know your esteemed surname and given name?"
"My surname is Li, and my given name is Chonglou," Li Chonglou said frankly. "And you don't need to call me 'Mister'."
"I have been immersed in antiques for decades, examining hundreds of thousands of pieces, and I have never misjudged one."
"There are some things I only say to fellow enthusiasts. If you were an outsider, I wouldn't say another word to you!"
Hearing this, Ning Lang's eyes widened, and he wore a wry smile.
He took Li Chonglou's words as bragging.
After all, the person before him looked at most twenty-three or twenty-four years old.
Yet he claimed to have been immersed for decades and examined hundreds of thousands of pieces.
This was an exaggeration beyond belief.
As far as he knew, there was a renowned expert in Qin Prefecture named Lu Weishen, a famous master nationwide. Even he wouldn't dare be this boastful.
However, Li Chonglou spoke with such gravitas and presented such authentic items.
For a moment, he couldn't determine what kind of person Li Chonglou truly was.
"Mr. Li, I have a humble request. Could you sell me this ivory carving?" Ning Lang set aside his judgment of Li Chonglou's character and got straight to the point, pointing at the ivory.
The reason he changed his attitude so drastically and treated Li Chonglou with such courtesy, as a distinguished guest, was his desire to purchase this ivory carving.
A lover of treasures, upon seeing a treasure, would be feigning if they didn't take a step towards it.
He was not feigning his love; his entire life, aside from basic living, had been dedicated to antiques.
It was only natural for greed to arise.
"No," Li Chonglou said, taking a sip of tea. His single word was like pouring cold water.
This left Ning Lang rolling his eyes.
"Trading ivory is illegal, and I am a law-abiding citizen."
Li Chonglou put down his teacup and pushed the ivory towards Ning Lang. "However, you and I share similar interests. Although we've just met, we seem to have a good rapport."
"Furthermore, I did assault your subordinates. Regardless of whether they were right or wrong, I must take responsibility."
"This ivory carving was obtained because of your subordinates, so gifting it to you now is not unjust."
In an instant, the situation dramatically changed.
The speed of this shift in power left Ning Lang stunned, almost unable to react.
He froze for a good three seconds before realizing that Li Chonglou intended to give him the ivory carving.
Without any polite refusal, he snatched the item.
He gripped it tightly.
"Hold it gently. That opening smile on it, be careful it doesn't peel off," Li Chonglou reminded him with a smile.
Ivory carvings were different from jade carvings; their material was inherently brittle. Years of weathering had caused cracks, requiring meticulous care and preservation.
Li Chonglou actually disliked animal products.
Even if they were treasures, they were ultimately cruel.
Moreover, with his current pursuit of his mother and wife's whereabouts, he had no time to care for and maintain it.
Gifting it to Ning Lang was killing two birds with one stone.
"Brother, your grand gesture has truly overwhelmed me!" Ning Lang nodded repeatedly, forcefully maintaining his composure. "Tell me, what do you want me to do? As long as it's within my capabilities, I will not refuse in the slightest!"
It was so comfortable speaking with someone intelligent.
With Ning Lang's experience, how could he not see the underlying intention behind Li Chonglou's gift?
Li Chonglou's boldness shocked him. Such a person could only be befriended, not made an enemy.
Since that was the case, why not be forthright!