Chapter 33: Humiliation

This was, of course, a fake.

I had specifically gone to the Laofushan antique market beforehand to find a master forger. I described the characteristics of the Golden Silkworm Slough as Liao Xiaoqin had told me, and had him rush it for me in a single day.

Xiao Sanpi and his cronies could never have recognized it as a forgery.

For one, back when the expedition to the Yunnan ancient tomb took place, only a few big shots from the Nine Nether Hall had seen the Golden Silkworm Slough inside the coffin with their own eyes. The likes of Xiao Sanpi were merely heads of the Chang City branch under the Nine Nether Hall; they had never even descended into a tomb. At most, they might have heard of the item, but they had no idea what it actually looked like.

For another, they were all under the influence of sandalwood incense, dizzy and seeing double. Even if there had been a top-tier antique appraiser among them, in that state, they wouldn't have been able to discern the truth.

After Xiao Yao displayed it for everyone to see, she handed it back to me and clapped her hands.

"I’ll spare your miserable lives so you can deliver a message to your superiors. Whether it’s me, Liao Xiaoqin, or the Golden Silkworm Slough, we will be waiting in Chang City. Tell them to come and get it as soon as possible. They have one month; past that, it’s off the table."

Afterward, she pointed her slender finger at the mess of food and drink on the floor and turned to instruct me.

"If you break someone else's things, you have to pay for them. Don't forget to leave some money for the farm owner."

I nodded. "Understood!"

Xiao Yao didn't even glance at them again as she turned and walked out.

The hall was deathly silent. You could have heard a pin drop. The aura of Liao Xiaoqin’s name, combined with Xiao Yao’s superb performance, felt like a mountain crushing ants, suppressing them until they couldn't utter a word.

I squatted down, looked at the terrified Xiao Sanpi, and patted his face.

"Relax! My sister-in-law said to pass the message; she doesn't care to dirty her hands with you."

"However, today is a good day. We need a souvenir."

I began to strip them of their clothes. Stark naked.

Then, I gathered them all together and arranged them by height, just like posing for a graduation photo.

I shouted toward the outside, "Master Mao! Come out and take the picture!"

Fatty Dong, who had already put on makeup and was dressed as a middle-aged photographer, walked in trembling. His expression was fearful, and his voice quivered.

"Boss, I don't want the deposit anymore. I'm not taking this job, okay? I'm so scared..."

I replied coldly, "Stop the nonsense! Just take the picture!"

Fatty Dong wore a mournful look, his voice on the verge of tears. "I've never taken a photo like this before..."

I glared at him.

Fatty Dong swallowed hard, gripped the camera, forced his trembling hands to steady, and snapped away.

I left a thousand yuan on the coffee table as compensation for the farm owner, then turned to Fatty Dong and said, "Let's go!"

We strode out. Before we even left the premises, Fatty Dong nearly burst out laughing. Fortunately, I shot him a fierce look, and he managed to hold it in.

Xiao Yao was waiting for us outside. We quickly left the Riverside Farm, turned onto a side road, got into our rented car, and headed back to the city.

Fatty Dong finally couldn't hold it in anymore. As he drove, he laughed manically.

"Little Meng, this Daoist has been around for years. I've had plenty of feuds and brawls, but I've never felt this good! Hahaha... so happy! So satisfying! What a rush!"

I was deeply impressed by Xiao Yao’s performance and gave her a thumbs-up. "Xiao Yao, you were amazing!"

Xiao Yao had already removed her makeup. She lifted her chin and asked me smugly, "Are you convinced?!"

That was the very question I had asked her the first time we met, after I had pinned her to the ground. I never imagined it would later become the girl's catchphrase for me.

I laughed. "Convinced... How is the old man doing?"

At the mention of the old man, Xiao Yao’s expression brightened, and she explained with animation.

"Dr. Xu’s medical skills are truly incredible! In just a few days, the swelling in my master’s abdomen has gone down, and he’s coughing up less blood. He can even get out of bed and walk on his own now. We expect he can be discharged in about a week."

I asked again, "Is the money enough?"

Xiao Yao replied, "Yes! Dr. Xu is a very kind person. His fees aren't high, so I think there will even be some left over. Brother, once my master is out of the hospital, I’ll work hard at my street stall to earn money and pay you back."

I ruffled her hair. "Don't talk like a stranger! Your brother might not have much money right now, but I’m not exactly strapped for cash. Pay what back?"

That wasn't just bragging. I had just been too busy lately. Once things quieted down, not to mention tomb raiding, just flipping a few antiques would ensure I never had to worry about food and drink.

Fatty Dong chimed in while driving.

"Exactly! Little Meng has so many skills; would he be short on this little bit of money?"

"Besides, a little girl like you, spending all day scamming people at a street stall—it’s fine if you run into a broad-minded guy like me, but what if you meet someone as narrow-minded and powerful as Little Meng? You’d be done for!"

Hearing this, Xiao Yao’s pretty face went blank, and she retorted, "Who’s scamming people? I earn my money through honest performing! The only person I ever really scammed was you, and that was just a fake jade pendant!"

Fatty Dong’s copper-bell eyes went wide. "What did you say?!"

Xiao Yao frowned. "A fake jade pendant! I needed money urgently to buy a calf back then, so I took the pendant to an antique shop. They said it was a replica and worth nothing. Otherwise, how could I have kept it until now?"

Fatty Dong was annoyed. "Don't talk nonsense! My master said this is an ancient Han dynasty jade. It’s not only priceless, but it was once worn by our founding master and possesses supreme magical power. Before the old man died, he repeatedly instructed me never to sell it and to pass it down for generations!"

Xiao Yao curled her lip. "Well, that’s what the antique shop said."

Fatty Dong: "..."

I said, "Let me see it."

Fatty Dong took the pendant from around his neck and handed it to me, his expression full of tension.

This was the first time I had handled the item since we got it back. I took only a single glance before putting the pendant back around his neck.

Fatty Dong let out a sigh of relief. "See? Even Little Meng thinks it’s real, and he’s a master appraiser!"

I didn't speak.

Fatty Dong kept on rambling. "Don't just sit there in silence; hurry up and explain! Slap that antique shop in the face! They were just trying to trick Xiao Yao into selling the jade cheap. There isn't a single honest person in the antique business!"

"Little Meng, are you mute? If you’re still breathing, say something!"

I had no choice but to reply, "It’s fake!"

*Screech!*

Fatty Dong slammed on the brakes. He stared at me, dumbfounded, the muscles in his fat face twitching, his voice trembling.

"You... you better not be joking..."

I explained to him, "The blood-staining is unnatural; it's a surface stain formed by burying animal blood with the jade. The patterns are imitations of antiquity. Authentic ancient Han jade is usually carved with rotary tools, leaving delicate and smooth traces, but the one you have shows parallel grinding marks—it was definitely polished with power tools. The patina has a 'thief’s luster,' lacking a warm and restrained quality. It was most likely polished repeatedly with wax."

"In summary, it’s a fake ancient Han jade made from Nanyang jade."

Fatty Dong: "..."

Seeing that he looked devastated, I patted his shoulder to console him. "Just pretend it’s real since it was passed down by your master. In a few hundred years, it’ll be an antique anyway."

Fatty Dong gritted his teeth. "I don't believe you! It's real, no matter what!"

He slammed on the gas, and the car sped forward.

The guy didn't say another word for the rest of the trip. He hadn't been this upset when the pendant was lost before, so why was he acting like this now that it had been appraised as fake?

It wasn't until later that I understood the reason.

Xiao Yao and I exchanged glances, not daring to provoke him further.

We dropped Xiao Yao off at Jiayan Road first, then went to a photo studio to print the photos, requesting an express order for extra copies.

The next morning, before dawn, we secretly went to the vicinity of several Jiguang Pharmacy branches. Like putting up flyers, we plastered the photos of Xiao Sanpi and his group’s naked "family portrait" all over the streets and alleys.

If we wanted to humiliate the Nine Nether Hall, we might as well go all the way!

After finishing this, we returned to the incense shop. Just as we were about to rest, the phone suddenly rang.

I looked at the number, and my heart skipped a beat.

It was Liao Xiaoqin calling!

Before we parted, she had said that unless it involved life-or-death situations or other major matters, we must never contact each other.

What could have happened?!

I hurriedly picked up the phone. "Sister-in-law!"

Liao Xiaoqin’s tone was solemn and icy.

"What exactly did you do in Chang City?!"

She usually maintained a calm, nonchalant attitude toward everything, as if she could deflect any issue with ease.

This state of hers was extremely rare!