GHLCS Chapter40

As soon as this person saw Kuromiya Keiko, he started to curse: “You Japanese who don’t know the value of things! This is a priceless antique! Where did you invite this fake expert to say that this is worthless?! You must give me an explanation today!”

 

His voice was harsh and loud, like a broken gong, grating on the ears. The consulate fell silent in an instant, with hundreds of eyes fixed on the man.

 

Seeing that the situation was not good, several guards were about to come up and take the person away, but they saw Kuromiya Keiko put away her smile, put on a slightly arrogant attitude, wave her hand, and ask, “Sir, may I ask your name?”

 

“No need to worry about my name, my surname is Pang!”

 

Kuromiya Keiko walked forward slowly, her tone calm but firm. “Mr. Pang, there’s a saying in China: ‘Treat each other with courtesy.’ But with your version of courtesy, no matter how valuable your items are, I could easily have you thrown out. However, since you seem unconvinced, now that everyone is here, you might as well take it out and show us. If it truly turns out to be a mistake in the appraisal…”

 

She snapped her fingers, and a waiter came up with a bottle of wine. “I’ll drink this bottle of wine to make amends for you.”

 

Mr. Pang is actually a rough man. When he heard the woman say this, he was also very confident: “Fine! It’s a deal! If I’m wrong, you can pour this wine on my head!”

 

As soon as he finished speaking, Mr. Pang swiftly opened the brocade box and revealed the treasure inside to everyone. It was a celadon pillow adorned with an image of ‘Hanshan Shide Zi’ and a poem in cursive script. He continued to boast, “Look, everyone, open your eyes! This is the pillow that Empress Dowager Cixi used when she was buried. It was lost after the Eastern Tomb robbers raided the tomb. This is top-quality celadon. Although it’s new, the imperial gift and the person who used it—can it not be considered a priceless treasure?”

 

He spoke with such seriousness that many people began to whisper among themselves, their voices laced with doubt. The Eastern Tomb robbery had shocked the entire country, and the wealth of Empress Dowager Cixi’s coffin was equally astounding. However, the whereabouts of the treasures remained a mystery. If this item were genuine, it would undoubtedly be of immense value.

 

Unexpectedly, Kuromiya Keiko chuckled and laughed very impolitely.

 

Mr. Pang felt insulted and angrily said, “What are you laughing at? Don’t you believe it?”

 

Kuromiya Keiko walked up, swiftly snatched the pillow from Mr. Pang’s hand, and casually examined it as she spoke. “When it comes to celadon, I’ll admit, this piece of yours is indeed quite good; it must have been made by a reputable kiln. However, in the palace of the former Qing Dynasty, even the items used by the empresses would have been made of green jade, let alone the ‘old Buddha[mfn]The old Buddha was referring to Empress Dowager Cixi[/mfn]’ you mentioned.”

 

She circled around Mr. Pang, her lips curling with sarcasm. “Besides, even if you’re going to make up a story, it should at least be believable. Haven’t you read the records written by the eunuch Li Lianying? When the old Buddha was buried, there was a green lotus leaf placed on her head and a pink tourmaline lotus under her feet. Who knows which wandering ghost might have used this pillow of yours?”

 

Mr. Pang was left utterly confused by her words. He had only heard all of this from the antique dealer who sold him the items—how could he, an uneducated old man, know so much? Frustrated, he could only stammer, “You, you, you… just because you say it’s not true, does that mean it’s not true?”

 

Kuromiya Keiko held the pillow with one hand, the item teetering on the verge of falling to the ground as she shifted her grip. “Do you understand the poem inscribed on it? ‘A few layers of mandarin duck quilts are wrinkled with red waves. I can feel the golden hairpins clasping with each other.’ This is from Ouyang Xiu’s ‘Ode to the Pillow,’ describing the sound of golden hairpins clinking against a porcelain pillow during an intimate moment with a famous courtesan. Now, tell me, which shameless person would place a pillow with such vulgar imagery into a coffin as a burial companion? Mr. Pang, I’m sorry, but this item of yours is at best a gift from a nobleman to his lover from the past. We really can’t afford it.”

 

“Hahaha! Hahahaha!” Bursts of laughter broke out in the crowd.

 

After finishing her words, Kuromiya Keiko’s hand trembled slightly, and the porcelain pillow slipped from her grasp, shattering into pieces upon hitting the ground. She covered her mouth in a feigned panic, then quickly turned around and said, “Aiya, I’m so sorry, I dropped it, Kenji. Quickly, go to the warehouse and bring the pink porcelain baby pillow I no longer want. Give it to Mr. Pang—it’s much more valuable. I’m sure Mr. Pang will appreciate it.”

 

This insult struck a nerve, and seeing that he was about to be thrown out, Mr. Pang finally gave up and shouted, “You’re just a Japanese woman! You don’t know anything! Don’t listen to her nonsense!”

 

Kuromiya Keiko yawned lazily, but her back tensed the moment she heard his words. When she lifted her gaze, her piercing, eagle-eyed stare seemed to intimidate Mr. Pang, causing him, the grown man to flinch in fear.

 

She raised a finger and shook it left and right: “Then I will correct your last mistake. Kuromiya Keiko is the name I changed after I came to Japan. My real name is Wenhui, and my last name is—”

 

As if she was going to say something shocking, she stretched her neck like a goddess who could not be violated. She picked up the bottle of wine, walked to Mr. Pang, and poured the wine over his head, leaving not a drop. Every word she said was sonorous and powerful. “I am from the Aisin-Gioro clan.”

 

Mr. Pang shut up completely, and his mouth was still open when he was dragged out.

 

The farce only added to the fun, and soon the scene was cleaned up, and the butterfly continued to fly around like pollinators.

 

Xu Hang was also shocked by her last sentence. It turned out that she was not Japanese but a Manchu noblewoman from the Qing Dynasty.

 

The Aisin Gioro clan is indeed a name of true nobility. Even the last emperor was merely a puppet under the Japanese, so it’s not surprising that she, a descendant of royal lineage, would align herself with the Japanese.

 

The music changed its rhythm, the lights dimmed and then lit up again, and then the auction began.

 

Duan Yelin originally wanted to bring Xu Hang here to show him the rhino horn. If he liked it, he would buy it. However, he did not expect that since the auction began, Xu Hang’s eyes had been fixed on Kuromiya Keiko, as if there was something charming about her.

 

Duan Yelin was so angry, and he became jealous.

 

He reached out his long arm and pressed Xu Hang’s shoulder: “What are you looking at so intently?”

 

Xu Hang turned his head back: “Nothing.” It was a very perfunctory answer.

 

In order to create suspense, the emcee on the stage would turn off all the lights in the venue before displaying each piece of the collection. They would only light up again ten seconds later before displaying the next piece.

 

Just as the lights went out again, Duan Yelin lifted Xu Hang’s waist, causing Xu Hang to let out a soft gasp, which was immediately silenced by a pair of lips pressing against his mouth.

 

The place was crowded, and with the lights still out, no one knew when they would come back on. Xu Hang, ever cautious, subtly pushed Duan Yelin away. However, Duan Yelin seemed oddly excited, his lips grazing the corners of Xu Hang’s mouth, causing a slight sting. It was clear that he was deliberately trying to make Xu Hang feel his jealousy.

 

As time passed, Xu Hang’s panic grew. Duan Yelin showed no intention of letting go, continuing to press his lips firmly against Xu Hang’s, his tongue weaving around his, moving back and forth with relentless intensity.

 

The lights suddenly came on, and just before that, Duan Yelin suddenly separated from Xu Hang and stood in line.

 

Xu Hang lowered his head to wipe the water from his mouth. Duan Yelin was satisfied and said in a low voice, “Don’t look at others like that, I will…”

 

“Bang”!

 

A gunshot hit the floor next to Duan Yelin.

 

“Ahhhh!” The people at the scene were so scared that their hearts were pounding.

 

Duan Yelin was quick to grab Xu Hang and dash to the side!

 

There was another “bang”! This time it hit the chandelier, and the entire venue fell into darkness!

 

“Murder! Help!”

 

“Run! Where is the door?!”

 

The scene began to become chaotic, with people pushing and bumping into each other. One could hear the sounds of bottles breaking, disorderly footsteps, and tables and chairs overturned.

 

Duan Yelin became alert like a police dog, his eyes suddenly fierce as he hid in the dark, holding Xu Hang tightly. He called out sharply, “Qiao Song!”

 

Qiao Song groped over in the darkness when he heard the sound: “Commander! I’m here!”

 

“You follow him, protect him, and take him to a safe place to hide! I’m going to catch the killer!”

 

After Duan Yelin gave the instructions, he drew the gun from his waist and rushed into the darkness.