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墨書 Inktalez
If I remember correctly, Ling Xin's boyfriend is named Ma Congyun. Ling Xin has spoken affectionately about her boyfriend; although her views are subjective, one can infer from her scarce objective evaluations that Ma Congyun is a diligent and hardworking young man, not someone who would commit murder and then pose the body in grotesque ways. Bai Tang returned to her room and immediately called Ling Xin, not mentioning that Ma Congyun had been arrested but subtly inquiring about his situation to reassure her that he was not the murderer.
After hanging up with Ling Xin, Bai Tang called Tian Yuan.
"Did you ask about Ma Congyun? He is definitely not the murderer of the first two cases, but he is likely the murderer of the third case," Tian Yuan replied.
"How so?" Bai Tang asked, puzzled.
"The crime scene of the third murder appears similar to the first two, but there are some discrepancies in details. Old Chen believes that the murderer imitated the killings after reading reports about the first two cases to confuse the police and evade responsibility. Unfortunately, newspapers cannot cover every detail, and this approach can be described as 'drawing a tiger but ending up with a dog,' which quickly led Old Chen and his team to determine something was off and trace back to catch the murderer."
"But Ma Congyun doesn't seem like someone who would kill."
"One should not judge by appearances. Both Ma Congyun and the victim are from Magic City, and Old Chen also found out that they were business rivals. The victim was a manager in the marketing department of Bunri Group, while Ma Congyun's company has been suppressed by Bunri Group to the point of near bankruptcy. Ma Congyun came to the capital seeking help for his company, only for the victim to arrive shortly after and poach all of Ma Congyun's assistants and sales channels. With his company cornered, it is very likely that he harbored resentment and killed the victim."
"Ma Congyun does have significant suspicion, but I hope you can investigate further. I have a feeling he is not the killer," Bai Tang defended Ma Congyun.
"Alright. This is not an issue; we will ensure that no innocent person is wrongfully accused in our investigation."
"Thank you."
"Do you know Ma Congyun?"
"I don't know him personally. I've only heard his name; he is my college classmate's boyfriend, and his conflict with Bunri Group also stems from my classmate. He himself is quite innocent." The people from Neon Country are shameless; Ling Xin has already left Ma Congyun to return to her hometown, yet they still refuse to let up, insisting on driving him to despair. Hmph, what kind of character!
Panjiayuan Antique Market is a vast marketplace covering 48,500 square meters. Located at the southeast corner of Beijing's Third Ring Road, it is the largest antique market in China, attracting vendors from over twenty-four provinces and municipalities as well as various ethnic groups such as Han and Hui. The market primarily deals in jewelry, antique furniture, stationery supplies, ancient books and paintings, old publications, and daily necessities. It is an excellent place for purchasing and appreciating antiques, crafts, collectibles, and decorations. Within the market is the Capital University Gem Identification Center, which can provide authoritative certificates or consultations for jewelry on-site. Some liken it to a museum due to its rich history; it has long been known as "Ghost Market." Before liberation, Panjiayuan was merely a village outside Beijing known as Panjiayao. A kiln owner named Pan opened a brick kiln here that quickly became popular and well-known; even people from one or two hundred miles away came to buy bricks from him. Thus, Panjiayao grew larger until at its peak there were two or three hundred people working there amidst bustling traffic. Other kilns failed due to poor management and closed down one after another. Eventually, a village formed near Panjiayao named after the kiln site. Later on, since people in the capital often referred to kilns as "yaozi," it was renamed Panjiayuan. After 1990, an antique market gradually developed here within just a few years into China's largest hub for antiques and second-hand goods, attracting numerous treasure hunters and tourists. Today, "Panjiayuan" has become synonymous with antique markets rather than just a street or geographical name.
Bai Tang wandered slowly through the market, surrounded by a dazzling array of antique furniture, the Four Treasures of the Study, ancient books and paintings, old publications, agate and jade, ceramics, coins from around the world, bamboo and bone carvings, shadow puppets and masks, Buddhist artifacts, ethnic clothing and accessories, Cultural Revolution relics, and more. She was in awe; there were snuff bottles from Hengshui, New Year paintings from Yangliuqing, embroidery from Jiangsu, wood carvings from Dongyang, stone sculptures from Quyang, shadow puppets from Shandong, porcelain and crystal ornaments from Jiangxi, Yixing Zisha teapots from Yixing, bronze wares from Shaanxi, clothing from Yunnan, Buddhist supplies from Tibet, white jade from Xinjiang, and earthenware from Taiwan... Bai Tang packed each item into her travel bag, making the vendors in the market beam with delight. "A wealthy customer like you is here; my goods are even better and cheaper!"
"I thought you wouldn't come today," Zhang Feng said as he saw Bai Tang approaching with a large bag swaying on her back. He quickly went to greet her.
"Hehe, I took some time to browse around the market," Bai Tang replied with an embarrassed smile.
"What did you buy?" Seeing her bulging travel bag made it clear that she had purchased quite a bit!
"I bought whatever caught my eye," Bai Tang answered. In reality, she had bought much more than that; many items were hidden in her backpack under the guise of her travel bag.
"It shouldn't be too late!" Bai Tang looked up at the sun; it was slightly to the west but only around three or four in the afternoon.
"Not late at all! Let's go inside the shop!" Zhang Feng invited Bai Tang into his antique store.
The shop was still called "Jixiang Zhai," a two-story establishment. The first floor displayed various crafts and replicas, with only a few antiques that weren't worth much money. The valuable items were all on the second floor along with a small reception area.
"What would you like to drink?"
"In such an ancient and rustic environment, of course tea!" Bai Tang replied with a smile. In that moment, her elegance made Zhang Feng feel as if he were looking at an ancient nobleman.
"Let's have Gongfu tea!" Zhang Feng took out a set of Yixing Zisha teaware.
"Thank you for your trouble." Bai Tang didn't know much about tea tasting or how to brew tea.
"Did you bring your things?" Zhang Feng set down his teacup and looked at Bai Tang with eager anticipation.
Bai Tang twitched her lips and took out a bronze incense burner from her travel bag, handing it to Zhang Feng.
"Xuande Furnace?" Zhang Feng was surprised, but thinking about how Bai Tang's items were never ordinary, he quickly reached out to take it, realizing that this furnace might indeed be a Ming Xuande Furnace, rather than a Qing Dynasty or early Republic imitation.
"...The entire body is smooth and plain, showcasing the pure beauty of the bronze. The quality of the bronze is excellent, heavy in hand. The shape of the furnace is regular, sturdy yet delicate and exquisite, with a warm patina and hidden treasures within... 'The wonder of the Xuande Furnace lies in its jewel-like luster and calm exterior,' I have an 80% certainty that this is a genuine Ming Xuande Furnace; the remaining 20% still needs dating verification." Zhang Feng's voice was excited; a real Ming Xuande Furnace was a treasure among antiques, worth a fortune! Bai Tang truly never disappointed him.
"This price..." Zhang Feng didn't know how to price it. The genuine Ming Xuande Furnaces are extremely rare today, considered priceless treasures. In past international auctions, the highest transaction price reached over 36 million, while the lowest was over 10 million. The quality and preservation of this furnace Bai Tang offered surpassed those auctioned items, so the price couldn't be low.
Before coming here, Bai Tang had looked up information about Ming Xuande Furnaces and knew the market auction prices. She said, "Just give me 30 million."
"Then I've made a profit." Zhang Feng couldn't contain his joy and quickly transferred the money to Bai Tang using his phone. Then he held the Xuande Furnace in his hands, unable to take his eyes off it. "This 'De' character is missing a horizontal line, perfectly matching the 9+1=perfect mark of the Xuande Furnace..."
Bai Tang waited until she received a text notification that the money had arrived before standing up. "I've given you the item; I'm going out to browse some more."
"I'll accompany you!" Zhang Feng stood up.
"No need; enjoy your furnace." Zhang Feng's gaze was glued to the Xuande Furnace, clearly reluctant to part with it.
"No worries; since the furnace is already mine, I can admire it anytime." Zhang Feng understood priorities; he wouldn't let a sesame seed slip away for a watermelon. Bai Tang was much more important than the Xuande Furnace; getting on her good side could lead to treasures of equal value.
"Alright then!"
Bai Tang waited for Zhang Feng to carefully place the Xuande Furnace into his safe before they both exited Fortune Pavilion.
"Where do you want to go?" Zhang Feng asked for Bai Tang's opinion.
Bai Tang tilted her head and said, "I find gambling on stones quite interesting. I want to give it a try."
"Gambling on stones?" Zhang Feng replied, "I have a friend who specializes in jade business. He has a lot of raw stones, and the odds are better there. I'll take you over."
Zhang Feng led Bai Tang towards the north gate of the market, where there were many jade shops on a street. When they arrived at their destination, they found a crowd gathered outside the shop. They pushed through the crowd and went inside, where indeed someone was gambling on stones. The owner of the stone was haggling with the boss over the price for cutting the stone.
"The industry rule is fifty yuan per cut, no bargaining."
The stone owner gritted his teeth and said, "Fifty it is; just cut it open."
"Are you sure?"
"Sure."
The boss took two fist-sized raw stones to the professional cutting machine to prepare for cutting.
"My boss is my friend, named Jiang Zhengze, a professional cutting Master. A few years ago, he also gambled on stones. At first, he made money, but then he lost continuously and nearly ended up ruining his family. After learning his lesson, he settled down and became a jade shop owner. Now he only gambles once in a while when he's in the mood, and it's always for amounts under ten thousand." Zhang Feng introduced the boss's story to Bai Tang and continued, "Gambling on stones is similar to appraising antiques; it relies on experience and insight. However, unlike antique appraisal, there's a saying in the gambling stone industry: 'Even gods can't tell what's inside an inch of jade.' Until the rough material is opened up, no one knows what's inside; it's mostly based on luck. It's said that it's thirty percent skill and seventy percent luck. Without luck, no matter how good your insight is, you'll ultimately lose everything..."
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