I put down the phone and went to the warehouse to check on the preparation of the raw stones.
There were two warehouses in total, divided into clear material zones, semi-gambling material zones, premium zones, and gambling material and kilogram material zones.
The clear materials and semi-gambling materials, along with premium items, were in one warehouse, while the fully gambled materials and kilogram materials were in another.
Four security guards stood at the entrance of the warehouse, with another four inside. The area had been placed under strict protection, and unauthorized personnel were strictly forbidden from entering.
I saw that all the clear materials were displayed in a row of tempered glass cabinets. Dozens of spotlights illuminated them from above, casting alluring, multi-colored halos on the jade. Anyone seeing this scene would be captivated and reluctant to leave.
There were more than thirty clear materials of various sizes, some weighing forty to fifty catties, others only a few hundred grams. Regardless of size, each was a rare treasure, even a unique piece in the world.
Coincidentally, Xiao Hong was also here. She was rehearsing with a group of hostesses. Tomorrow, VIP guests would be primarily received here, serving as the company's showcase. The quality of service would directly impact the company's image.
Upon seeing me arrive, Xiao Hong only paused for a moment before continuing her work, leading the group in their training.
Their posture, smiles, gestures, and walking styles all had strict standards, allowing no room for error.
I didn't disturb them and withdrew to check the other warehouse.
This warehouse was also divided into three areas. Our transaction process here differed from that of the young master. We couldn't take physical items out; instead, we had to take bid forms with numbers to the main venue, fill in our bid prices, and place them in the bid boxes.
The bid boxes were arranged according to the zones of the two warehouses, with one bid box corresponding to each area.
This followed the rules of the Myanmar jade public auction, where each raw stone had a reserve price. Bidders wrote their own prices, and the highest bidder won.
The young master's scale was smaller, following the same rules as a gambling stone shop: pick a stone and ask for the price at the counter. This had a drawback: if the other party arbitrarily raised the price, gamblers could only grudgingly pay more, which was unfair.
The reserve price was transparent, and the bidding power was in one's own hands. You could bid a reasonable price and abandon it if it exceeded that.
Computers were not in use at that time, so everything had to be recorded in paper ledgers, which was much more cumbersome than bidding at the counter.
But rules were rules, and however cumbersome, they had to be followed.
For transactions, fairness was paramount.
Quite a few security guards were also on duty in the gambling material zone. Our warehouse space was large enough that even if twice as many guests arrived tomorrow as at the young master's venue, there wouldn't be crowding. Our staff could handle it completely.
At this moment, my phone rang again. This time it was Lan Ya calling. She asked me to prepare to go to the hotel where our reception banquet would be held. It was scheduled to begin in an hour, and we needed to get there first.
Wen Siqiang hadn't returned yet, so I went with the two of them.
The banquet was at the hotel where Bo Gang was staying. They could come down directly. Qing Ge would be picked up by Da Kui, while guests from Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou would be picked up by the tour company's minibuses.
Jinglei was driving, and Lan Ya was busy finalizing arrangements for the reception vehicles. Today, they hadn't met anyone at the airport; everyone had been eagerly picked up by the young master's people.
There could be no further mistakes tonight. Lan Ya had instructed them to write each car's nameplate and stand in the hotel lobby waiting for guests.
Just then, my phone rang. Speak of the devil, it was the young master.
He said, "A group of old Burmese came today and didn't buy a single stone. They were just there to cause trouble. Are they your people?"
I smiled and said, "I didn't expect the illustrious young master to be so incompetent, unable to handle a few old Burmese, and yet blame me. You've really disappointed me."
The young master: "Stop beating around the bush. If these people weren't sent by you, then I'll change my surname to Kang!"
"Since you're so sure, then hurry up and change it. Or how about changing it to Li? I'll reluctantly accept you. I truly know nothing about this, not even heard of it. I was with you all day, how come I didn't see it?"
The young master: "Besides you, who else would be so eager to disrupt my transactions? And targeting only customers of clear materials. If they aren't your people, they must be crazy!"
I said, "Since you're so certain, why don't you ask them yourself if they were instructed by me? If they say yes, I won't say a word. I'll cover your losses for the clear materials you haven't sold."
The young master: "Good! You said it. These few people haven't left yet. If I can get them to confess, you'll buy all my clear materials! It's not much, only seven or eight hundred million, not a large sum for you, is it?"
I gasped. Seven or eight hundred million. The young master wasn't exaggerating. However, if it turned out they were Qing Ge's people, it wouldn't just be a matter of us buying his clear materials; it would directly affect the opening tomorrow.
Wen Siqiang still had no news. Could it be true, as the young master said, that they were all detained at the scene?
As soon as the young master hung up, Wen Siqiang's call came in. Wen Siqiang, panting, said, "Qing Ge's people are being targeted by the young master. They're gathering forces to surround them. Should we fight or flee?"
I said, "Don't fight. Find a way to slip away immediately. Remember, head straight to Zhongmian Street. There are many Burmese there, making it easier to blend in and escape. Absolutely do not come to the winery."
Wen Siqiang acknowledged and quickly hung up to notify them.
I told the two women, "You two go to the hotel. Drop me off, and I'll take a taxi to the timber company."
The hotel banquet couldn't be delayed, and something also shouldn't happen at the young master's end. I had to go and see.
Jinglei said worriedly, "It's dangerous for you to go alone. Should I ask Da Kui to go with you?"
I said, "There's no time. Da Kui also has to look after the winery. I can go alone."
Jinglei pulled the car over, and I opened the door, got out, and let them leave.
I hailed a taxi, told him the address, and called Wen Siqiang to ask what was happening. He said the young master had many people, and several of them had already started fighting with them.
These people were definitely capable fighters, but they were too few in number. Ten people against the young master's hundreds was a significant disadvantage.
I told Wen Siqiang to create some chaos to distract them.
Wen Siqiang understood and quickly hung up.
Even if I had known, I couldn't have gone to the scene. Going there would be equivalent to telling the young master that I had instigated this.
The taxi arrived very quickly. Within a few minutes, I was at the entrance of Kang Gong Company. I asked the driver to stop on the side, telling him not to drive further in, that I would get off here.
Many people were exiting the main entrance, and it was somewhat chaotic. It was likely that the fighting inside had made them lose any desire to linger.
Suddenly, crackling explosion sounds erupted from inside, like firecrackers during Chinese New Year. But it wasn't Spring Festival or any holiday, so such sounds were rather abrupt.
The explosions continued for a while, but there were no firecracker sparks in the sky. Instead, thick plumes of smoke rose.
I heard shouts from the courtyard, and a large crowd poured out of the entrance, fleeing in panic.