Chapter Fifteen: Ten Million

"Two million?..." Zhu Senlin and Old Su were the first to gape in astonishment, their mouths hanging open in disbelief!

Zhu Senlin, Old Su, Ma Dong, and Chen Xingguo—none of these men were easy prey. If Master Zhao was willing to offer two million right off the bat, then this miniature carving must be worth at least five or six million!

Such a sum was staggering. Even for Zhu Senlin, it was an unexpected windfall. He hadn’t gotten the better of any deals that day and had been feeling somewhat disgruntled. The most valuable items were out of his price range, and even if he could afford them, he couldn't match Mr. Wang's deep pockets. The remaining pieces offered little opportunity for competition with Ma Dong and Chen Xingguo, their prices already close to market value; there was no profit to be made, only the risk of loss. Disappointed, he hadn’t expected Zhang Can to bring him such a delightful surprise!

Zhang Can had already made it clear—Zhu Senlin owned half of this piece. Now, Zhu knew he couldn’t protest; as long as he kept quiet, Zhang Can would honor his word and split it evenly. To gain a million in cash for nothing—it was impossible not to be elated.

Moreover, this miniature carving might fetch an even higher price. Zhu Senlin was growing more and more pleased, glancing at Zhang Can and noticing that he didn’t even look excited at the two-million offer. Clearly, Zhang Can understood the true value of the piece. To have outshone such seasoned experts, he must know what he held in his hands. Zhu kept his mouth shut, trusting Zhang Can to handle things. At the very least, he’d walk away with a million!

Sun Tianzhi, on the other hand, was feeling the sting. No matter how much he regretted it, once the item was sold, it was gone. He’d let Zhang Can walk away with it for a mere thousand, and now it had soared to two million. How could he not be pained by that?

He’d had this brush pot in his possession for at least two months but had never examined it closely. Even his own expert appraisers had looked it over, and none had seen anything amiss. Clearly, fortune simply wasn’t on his side!

Mr. Wang was also stunned. This ivory miniature was worth at least twenty million, and with his connections, perhaps even more. He hadn’t expected this young man to stumble upon such incredible luck!

That Zhang Can had, by sheer chance, acquired a piece that could rival the Fish-Gut Sword he himself had bought for ten million was something Mr. Wang had never imagined.

Everyone present shared the same thought: Zhang Can had struck gold!

Others could only envy him, but Old Su was caught in a storm of emotions, feeling deeply unsettled. He’d believed Zhu Senlin would leave empty-handed today and didn’t mind, as long as Zhang Can didn’t steal the spotlight. But now, it was clear that was only wishful thinking. Even if the price didn’t go any higher, this miniature was already worth at least two million!

Worse still, Zhang Can was currying favor with Zhu Senlin, insisting he take half. That was nearly a million in cash handed to Zhu for nothing. Looking at Stone Studio’s yearly profit, it barely cleared a million; Zhang Can had just made him that in an instant, and perhaps more. It seemed likely that, on returning, Zhu Senlin would invite Zhang Can to join his establishment.

What strange luck did Zhang Can have? It was as if he were possessed—his eye for value surpassed even the most renowned provincial appraisers in the city. Mr. Wang and Chen Xingguo’s mentors were famous in their own right, yet they hadn’t spotted this brush pot’s secret!

It had been only days since Old Su had masterminded a trap that left Zhang Can ruined—how could someone who'd lost everything turn things around so quickly, and so powerfully that Old Su was left reeling?

Zhang Can, meanwhile, maintained his calm, gentle smile, saying nothing. He neither accepted nor declined Master Zhao’s two-million offer. In Zhu Senlin’s opinion, two million was plenty; it was like making a million out of thin air, so why not take it?

Still, the brush pot had been Zhang Can’s purchase. Though he’d promised Zhu half, Zhu was too embarrassed to say much, leaving the decision to Zhang Can.

Mr. Wang remained silent. He knew that if he tried to raise the price or show too much interest, Zhang Can would likely seize the opportunity for a higher bargain. Even within this brief encounter, Mr. Wang sensed there was something special about Zhang Can. Simply offering two million wouldn’t be enough to sway him.

Unable to contain himself, Master Zhao asked again, “Little Zhang, what do you say to two million? That’s a high price, you know. Ask around in Jin City—very few can pay that much!”

Zhang Can smiled lightly. Master Zhao was obviously trying to bolster his own position. Smiling, he replied, “Master Zhao, business is a matter of mutual agreement. No one is forcing anyone’s hand here, right? I think I’ll keep this ivory miniature for my own collection.”

It was a clear refusal. Master Zhao was momentarily taken aback, but before he could reply, Mr. Wang stepped forward, raising a hand to stop him. Smiling at Zhang Can, he said, “Little Zhang, forgive me for prying, but let’s set aside the price for now. I just want to know—how did you discover the hidden miniature inside this brush pot?”

Mr. Wang’s question echoed the curiosity of the other appraisers present. All of them were experienced, with sharp eyes, yet none had noticed the secret. How had Zhang Can spotted it?

Had any of them found the hidden mechanism, it wouldn’t be surprising. But that none of these esteemed experts had, and instead it was an unknown young man, was embarrassing for them all.

Zhang Can glanced at Zhu Senlin and Old Su—Zhu was exhilarated, Old Su resentful and chagrined, though no one paid him any mind.

Zhang Can knew his newfound ability, the Black-and-White Eye, was something to keep quiet about. Better to make a fortune silently. Yet, his grudge against Old Su could not be ignored. With a twist of thought, he made up his mind.

Hatred is a powerful motivator—like King Goujian sleeping on brushwood to nurse his vengeance. Had it not been for his hatred, he would have been reduced to nothing.

What Zhang Can most wanted was to see Old Su lose everything, to be ruined and left a penniless outcast. Achieving this would be difficult, but Zhang Can was determined to try.

Though Old Su didn’t have Zhang Can’s special ability, he was an old hand with a keen eye. Even if he couldn’t see through things, it wouldn’t be easy to trick him into losing his fortune. Old Su was always cautious, never risking money unless he was certain of success.

Zhang Can steadied himself. Dealing with Old Su required patience; haste would only spoil things. While this incident hadn’t destroyed Old Su, it was a blow nonetheless.

He glanced at Mr. Wang, then replied with a faint smile, “It was nothing, really. I just noticed a difference in color at the base of the brush pot and traces of wax, which suggested someone had sealed it up. Then, looking inside, the depth seemed off, and that made me suspicious.”

Zhang Can’s answer was understated, but to those present—Ma Dong, Chen Xingguo, Zhu Senlin, Sun Tianzhi, Mr. Wang—it sounded almost unbelievable. Their appraisers were all well-known experts, and none had found the clue. No matter how calmly Zhang Can explained it, it struck them as odd.

Only Zhu Senlin was convinced Zhang Can was a master in disguise. Otherwise, how could such luck strike again and again? Once was coincidence, but repeatedly? He resolved to bring Zhang Can into his own circle as soon as possible.

Mr. Wang seemed thoughtful, then nodded. “This business is all about a keen eye, Little Zhang. Not bad, not bad!”

Just as everyone’s focus had shifted from the price to Zhang Can’s abilities, Mr. Wang suddenly brought the conversation back around.

“One million! I’ll give you one million for it, Little Zhang. I’d like to make your acquaintance.”

With those words, the entire room was stunned. Even Zhang Can was momentarily taken aback. He’d expected the price to rise, but not for Mr. Wang to jump straight to a million more after a few questions—an increase of eight hundred thousand. No matter how prepared he’d been, the offer of a million was shocking.

Zhu Senlin nearly dropped his jaw in amazement.

If the price was one million, his share would be five hundred thousand—a pure profit, without spending a penny. It was like winning the lottery, the kind of thing that only happens in dreams!

Though Zhu Senlin was a business owner, his entire net worth barely exceeded ten million. This windfall represented a third of his assets. To receive so much for nothing—how could he not be overjoyed?

Zhang Can stole a glance at Old Su, who had lost all composure, sweat beading on his brow. The million-dollar offer was a crushing blow.

Zhang Can, after a moment’s surprise, regained his calm and said mildly, “Mr. Wang, perhaps we should discuss this another time. It’s really not about the price for me…”

“What? You’re not satisfied with the price?” Mr. Wang was momentarily at a loss. Truth be told, he’d raised the bid to a million for a reason. Even with his wealth, he wouldn’t throw money away lightly. He trusted his own judgement—in this line of work, ability and discernment were everything. He wanted to make a friend of Zhang Can, whose abilities had left the other appraisers in the room in the shade, despite his youth.

“Very well, one million it is!”

In his excitement, Zhu Senlin could no longer restrain himself and immediately accepted Mr. Wang’s offer. With a million on the table, there was nothing to be dissatisfied about—opportunities like this didn’t come twice!

Zhang Can gave a wry smile and shrugged. “Old Zhu, if you want to decide, so be it. Who could say no to money?”

Mr. Wang waved his hand with a smile. “Good, one million! I’ll transfer it right away.”

He opened his laptop again, logging into his online banking as he waited. Then he unbuttoned his shirt, pulled a pendant from around his neck, and carefully placed it on the table. Glancing around, he said, “Little Zhang, esteemed masters, since we have a moment, why don’t you take a look at my pendant and tell me what you think?”