Yueming Tea House.
After President Li had spoken with Liu Qing on the phone, he already had a plan in mind. He then returned to the private room with long strides and an energetic spirit:
"Director Lin, Little Director Zhang, sorry to have kept you waiting."
"It's no problem at all," Lin Chuan waved his hand, smiling, "Today it's us who have troubled President Li. It's only right that we should wait."
"You're too kind, Director Lin."
President Li seated himself, laughing heartily.
Lin Chuan took a sip of tea and immediately passed the 'Fengtian One Tael' coin back to President Li: "President Li, we've already looked at the stove, hairpin, and fan earlier, and now only this coin remains."
President Li took the coin, glanced at Lin Chuan and the Little Landlady, then fixed his gaze back on the coin that had his nerves trembling.
He slightly furrowed his brows and summarized the origin of the coin.
Next, he began analyzing its appearance:
"Director Lin, look at its patina, silver-gray with a bias toward black around the edges, a result of silver oxidation, while the center is brighter and smoother, making it a rare gem among coins!"
"So it's genuine?"
Lin Chuan's eyes lit up at this.
"Ah..."
President Li heaved a sigh and shook his head, "Director Lin, you may not know, this 'Fengtian One Tael' coin is a sample minted in 1903, and there's only one in the world, which is currently on public display at the Hongxi Art Museum. Thus, any circulating in the market are fakes."
Lin Chuan's acting skills surged as his expression quickly fell into dejection, yet he seemed somewhat reluctant to accept this, "President Li, please take another close look. If it is a sample minting, could there be a second one produced?"
"There's currently no evidence to prove the existence of a second 'Fengtian One Tael,'" President Li shook his head, "The one you have here is a top-grade imitation."
"Thank you, President Li, for your time today."
Lin Chuan let out a sigh, taking the coin back and sipping his tea in resignation, a mixture of dissatisfaction and indignation playing across his face. He patted the Little Landlady's hand, ready to stand up and leave.
"Director Lin."
President Li called out, stopping Lin Chuan.
"Yes, President Li, what advice do you have?" asked Lin Chuan with a smile.
"If I may ask so boldly, how much did you pay for that 'Fengtian One Tael' just now?" inquired President Li.
Holding the coin, Lin Chuan replied somewhat sheepishly, "One hundred and twenty thousand."
Hiss!
President Li took a sharp breath, then said, "Director Lin, I have a friend who is keen on collecting these coins. If Lin Chuan wants to minimize his loss, would you be willing to sell it for twenty thousand?"
"Twenty thousand?" Lin Chuan was taken aback.
"That's right, just to make a friend," President Li smiled.
Lin Chuan held the coin, looked at it again, and shook his head, "President Li, this was the first high-value item I bought back. It was a misjudgment, and so I'd like to keep it for myself as a lesson learned."
"Do you have an ideal price in mind, Director Lin?" President Li probed.
Anyone who has bargained knows that when the other side provides a reason for refusal, it usually means the price isn't right.
Time to raise the offer!
The corners of Lin Chuan's mouth tilted up slightly in a self-deprecating smile, "Don't laugh at me, President Li. When I first acquired this coin, I compared it against photos of 'Fengtian One Tael' for a long time before I was sure. I originally thought it could be worth at least ten million, but now I've truly embarrassed myself."
President Li's smile twitched as he thought to himself, You sure have big dreams! Using just a photograph for comparison and expecting to make millions, but damned if you didn't almost fool them!
President Li thought for a moment and smiled, "In the realm of antiques, it all comes down to the character 'play.' There are not many people who play with the boldness that Director Lin does."
"I'm just a novice in the presence of an expert," Lin Chuan responded with a smile.
After pondering for a short while, President Li added, "Director Lin, I'm by no means a master in the antiques circle and can only say I've just scratched the surface when it comes to appraisal. The identification of this coin may not be entirely accurate. I will take a few pictures of this coin and then consult a few master friends for a thorough examination. How does that sound?"
"This..."
Lin Chuan was somewhat hesitant.
At this moment, Little Landlady joined the conversation, "Chairman, if those masters identify it as a genuine piece, we could make a fortune!"
"Exactly, that's the idea!" President Li laughed heartily, hurriedly chiming in.
"Fine!"
Lin Chuan glanced at President Li, looking at this proxy for Liu Qing, and revealed a slight smile.
President Li took the photographs meticulously, not overlooking any detail.
He even brought out a precise ruler and a weighing device to record the diameter and weight of the coin.
Despite all this, President Li still felt a bit regretful, because he couldn't take the coin directly for appraisal.
"Take care, President Li."
Lin Chuan smiled, intending to keep this coin in his hand at all times; it was the most important lure in this scheme.
By the time he stepped out of Yueming Tea House, it was already noon.
In the alleys, the midday sun resembled golden fine sand, sprinkling upon the stone slabs and tiles, seeping through the gaps in the leaves, and dotting the ground with a mottled play of light and shadow. A gentle breeze rustled through the leaves, bringing a hint of coolness, and in a corner, several cats lazily lounged in the sun, napping.
"Chairman, do you really think they'll believe that this coin is the 'Fengtian One Tael'?" Little Landlady asked, her eyebrows knitted in curiosity.
"Of course,"
Lin Chuan said with a smile, his confidence evident on his handsome face, which seemed particularly dazzling in the sunlight.
"Forty million-plus, will they really take the bait that easily?" Little Landlady asked naturally as she looped her arm through Lin Chuan's.
"In the antiques circle, in the jadeite circle, making a fortune can happen overnight, just as bankruptcy can,"
Lin Chuan said, ruffling Little Landlady's hair first.
The fraud was now set in motion.
Liu Qing and President Li had already been ensnared.
As long as they went to get the 'Fengtian One Tael' coin appraised with its photographs, they would soon be unable to extricate themselves.
Even if they suspected a trap, they couldn't resist such temptation.
In the Virtual World of 'Fraud Salesman' and 'Antique Forgery,' Lin Chuan had seen too many such people.
It's not that they lacked intelligence.
On the contrary, they were calculating and shrewd.
But when faced with a vast profit, they would throw caution to the wind.
—For a 100% profit, they would dare to trample all human laws; with a 300% profit, they would dare commit any crime, even risking the noose.
And the 'Fengtian One Tael' counterfeit that Lin Chuan had crafted was convincing enough to deceive even masters.
"Chairman, I remember you mentioned last time that Liu Qing might be connected to the factory area. How does the antiques circle relate to the factory area?" Little Landlady asked, pursing her lips, unable to fathom the intricacies.
Lin Chuan countered, "Why can't they be connected?"
"I don't understand," Little Landlady shook her head.
Lin Chuan looked around, checking to make sure they were alone, before he began to explain, "The factory areas in the Myanmar area, like the fifteen fraudsters I caught last time, most of them engage in telecommunications fraud. The money they acquire from fraud isn't clean and cannot be circulated openly on the market, so they need to launder it."
"Launder money?"
Little Landlady furrowed her brows.
Lin Chuan nodded, continuing, "There are many ways to launder money, such as jewelry trade, stock appreciation, antique auctions, and so on. A large factory complex isn't just comprised of the Cheating Sect and the Eight Generals that we know about within the factory's premises, but also various gangs active outside. It's a complete industry chain."
Little Landlady nodded with a look of half-understanding.
"So what we're facing now is probably not just Liu Qing, but a whole large fraud syndicate," Lin Chuan paused, turning to look at Little Landlady as he spoke.
"Should we call the police?" Little Landlady asked.
"We don't have any evidence yet. It's hard to trace."
Lin Chuan shook his head.
"So isn't it very dangerous?" Little Landlady pouted.
"Mhm."
Lin Chuan warned, "It's very dangerous; you need to be careful and not go out alone."
"Director..."
"What is it?"
"But I sleep alone," Little Landlady pursed her lips, raising her eyes to look at Lin Chuan with a hint of a smile, her clear autumn-water-like eyes sparkling with light.
Lin Chuan immediately covered himself with both hands, "Help, a college girl is robbing me of my virtue!"
"Hmph!"
Little Landlady pouted.
Lin Chuan tapped Little Landlady's forehead, smiling, "Let's go, let's have lunch first."
"What about the coin?"
"We'll find a master appraiser later. President Li and the others will approach us on their own this afternoon or evening," Lin Chuan smiled.
Elsewhere.
After leaving Yueming Tea House, President Li quickly got into his BMW X5 and rushed to meet with Liu Qing at the highest speed.
A Tea House in an alleyway.
The storefront was small and decorated with antique charm; there were a few pots of green plants around, with sandalwood incense burning, giving it a secluded and elegant atmosphere.
President Li looked around before quickly entering the Tea House, pushing open a wooden door to a private room.
"Sister Liu."
Seated in the room was none other than Liu Qing.
"Did you bring the Fengtian One Tael?"
Liu Qing, dressed in a cheongsam and sitting gracefully, looked up as President Li entered, asking about the "Fengtian One Tael" as her first question.
"No, I bluffed him by saying it was a high-quality replica. The kid believed it and doesn't want to sell anymore; he wants to keep it for his collection," President Li sat down, poured himself a cup of tea, and immediately downed it without caring what kind it was.
It was evident that he was a bit anxious.
"Keep it for his collection? Can he really keep it?" Liu Qing laughed lightly, "You took the photos, didn't you?"
"Took them!"
President Li immediately took out a tablet, placing photos of the "Fengtian One Tael" in front of Liu Qing and listed the data for its weight and diameter.
Liu Qing didn't speak.
She fixated on the weight and diameter, nodding her head as the measurements matched virtually those of the one in Hongxi Art Museum.
Then.
Liu Qing shifted her gaze to the tablet.
Picture after picture of Lin Chuan's "Fengtian One Tael" coin details flooded her vision.
Although she was mainly involved in antique forgery scams, her knowledge in the field of antiques was quite profound, with an exceptional eye for details.
After only one look, her heart began to pound with excitement, her pupils dilated, her mouth agape, her face a mix of surprise and thrill as her breath quickened.
Yes!
The coin was too authentic!
From the wear and tear, the patina, to the tarnished color of the silver – there was no trace of forgery.
Just like the one worth forty-six million lying silently in the Hongxi Art Museum, it was identical!
Sss!
Liu Qing couldn't help but take a deep breath to calm her excitement.
Yes, a full forty-six million right in front of her eyes – how could she not be excited?
"I dare not make a premature judgment," Liu Qing put down the tablet, taking a while before she finally made her statement.
"I'm not presuming either, but it looks so much alike," President Li said, his face radiating excitement.
"We'll wait for a master who once had the honor of handling the real 'Fengtian One Tael' to come," Liu Qing took a deep breath, calming herself before saying.
"Alright!" President Li responded.
Soon after, an elderly master with white hair but in good spirits entered the room.
He was the master Liu Qing had mentioned.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Liu Qing got straight to the point, "Master, please take a look at this coin and determine its authenticity for us."
Then.
Liu Qing placed the tablet in front of the old man, sliding photos for him herself.
The master scrutinized each one thoroughly, even more meticulously than Liu Qing had done.
He left no detail of any photo unchecked.
After a long moment, the master said in awe, "The second 'Fengtian One Tael' has appeared!"
Liu Qing and President Li's eyes widened simultaneously!
The second Fengtian One Tael!
Sss!
Meaning that the coin in Lin Chuan's hands was real!
Absolutely real!
Worth a full forty-six million!

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