Let you play a corrupt official, are you saying you want to make progress?

Chapter 34: The Antique I Shattered, I’ll Compensate You

[Isn’t this strange, folks? Does it qualify as an antique? It doesn’t seem like one!].

[Is this person blind? I always thought this was just a broken bottle. It’s too absurd. Maybe my eyes have issues.].

[It’s not your eyes. It’s the merchant intentionally saying this to please Brother Xuan.].

[To please? You guys are too naive. As long as this merchant buys this thing at a high price, it’s all good. Brother Xuan is about to hit the jackpot.].

[I don’t understand. Why would they do this?].

[Hehe, you guys probably don’t understand this. Let me explain. This thing Brother Xuan has isn’t worth much, but the other party insists it’s valuable. So, he will sell it, which is like bribing him. Even if they investigate, it’s hard to prove. Don’t forget, Brother Xuan is from the Ministry of Justice.].

The online viewers were quite clever and quickly identified the clues in the conversation, realizing the situation’s essence.

[So, that’s how it is. Very clever, incredibly clever!].

[That’s amazing, I get it now, I get it.].

As some viewers uncovered the truth, more of them caught on.

Giving gifts requires finesse. If you give a gift directly, the authorities won’t accept it. But if you find a clever way, it’s a different story.

Qin Xuan continued to toy with the bottle and, seeing that Mr. Wang was sensible, he put it down.

“Alright, Mr. Wang, it seems you have an eye for valuable items. Please have a seat (since you know the rules, let’s get straight to the point),” Qin Xuan said, glancing at Mr. Wang and gesturing for him to sit down.

Mr. Wang didn’t hesitate when Qin Xuan stured for him to sit down. He understood that this meant the matter could be resolved. “This humble one is grateful for your gracious seat offer.”

On the other hand, Qin Xuan’s nephew was perplexed. He didn’t understand why a broken bottle was so valuable. Was his eyesight failing him?

“Now, please share your thoughts. Why do you want to be the agent for this tea business?” Qin Xuan inquired.

“Of course, it’s for you, sir. Minister Wang has consolidated these tea merchants, and now that you’re in charge, I want to contribute on my end as well,” Mr. Wang replied candidly.

“I see. Anything else? Is this what you tell others as well?” Qin Xuan continued, not making eye contact.

This response was truthful but not something to be openly discussed.

“Oh, the price of tea leaves is extraordinarily high nowadays, causing a lot of hardship for the common people. I’m doing this to benefit the people so they can have affordable tea. That’s the reason for my actions,” Mr. Wang stated firmly. At that moment, he portrayed himself as a merchant working for the welfare of the people.

“Good, remember, we’re not in this for minor profits. We’re here to benefit the people. This is our outward-facing approach,” Qin Xuan’s tone also softened, acknowledging that Mr. Wang was well-versed in this regard.

“Furthermore, since you’ve just taken over and considered Mr. Li’s situation, you must be extremely cautious when dealing with others. Don’t become too arrogant like him.”

“I understand, sir. Rest assured, I will do my utmost to assist you,” Mr. Wang humbly replied.

“Oh, and about this bottle, I’m quite fond of it. Could you bear to part with it? I’m willing to offer 30,000 taels for it,” Mr. Wang looked at the bottle and asked cautiously.

The key was this bottle. If Mr. Qin didn’t accept any offer, Mr. Wang wouldn’t feel at ease either.

Qin Xuan picked up the bottle and shook his head. “Mr. Wang, this bottle holds special sentimental value for this officer. I’ve always considered it a cherished family member, a close friend, or even a brother (so, you’ll have to add more).”

Mr. Wang was stunned. He wasn’t a fool. He understood that Qin Xuan was not satisfied with the initial offer of 30,000 taels.

“Hehe, Mr. Qin, I was just joking earlier. How about 80,000 taels? I’m willing to purchase it!” Mr. Wang quickly proposed.

80,000 taels was already a very good price, especially considering that tea prices weren’t particularly high at the moment, as Wang Zhi had significantly reduced profits to attract the common people.

Upon hearing this price, Qin Xuan was quite satisfied. He was about to complete the first tier of the mission. He didn’t pay directly because his nephew was present, and even though his nephew couldn’t understand, he would undoubtedly report Qin Xuan’s actions faithfully to Wang Zhi.

Wang Zhi had given him authority to test if he could handle matters as discreetly as he had before, without letting anything slip through the cracks. In simple terms, the objective was to accumulate wealth to show the Emperor that he had no other interests but money and to be cautious to avoid giving anyone any ammunition to use against him.

With these thoughts in mind, Qin Xuan rose slightly and said, “Well, Mr. Wang, I won’t sell this bottle at any price, so there’s no need to worry.”

After saying that, he walked towards the exit and said, “Mr. Wang, I have a little matter to attend to, but I’ll be back shortly. In the meantime, Zheng Cong will give you company!”

After that, Qin Xuan left, though he remained by the door.

[No way, Qin Xuan! I believed it! 80,000 taels, that’s already a fantastic price in the Ming Dynasty! Why aren’t you selling it?].

[It’s just a broken bottle. If you sell it, you’ll make a fortune!].

[I believe Qin Xuan has another plan.].

The online viewers had just started discussing this when inside the room, Mr. Wang began his act. He carefully picked up the bottle and started inspecting it.

“What a great bottle. It’s truly an exquisite piece!” Mr. Wang said, feigning excitement.

Of course, he knew the bottle wasn’t special, but if he was going to do this, he had to go all in.

“Mr. Wang, what’s so great about this old bottle? I just can’t see it,” Qin Xuan’s nephew scratched his head, showing a glimpse of his wisdom. No matter how he looked at it, it didn’t appear valuable.

“Mr. Zheng, you just don’t understand. This kind of thing is a top-quality treasure, invaluable! Oh my!” Mr. Wang excitedly introduced the bottle and then slapped it a few times before letting it fall to the ground and shatter.

With a regretful expression, Mr. Wang quickly bent down to pick up the broken pieces and said, “My apologies, my apologies! I’ve damaged Mr. Qin’s cherished item. I am entirely to blame.”

Just at that moment, Qin Xuan returned.

“Mr. Wang, what are you doing?” Qin Xuan furrowed his brows.

“Mr. Qin, I was so infatuated with this bottle, I’m willing to compensate you for it!” Mr. Wang quickly expressed.

Qin Xuan waved his hand and said, “Forget it. It’s come to this point, so let’s leave it at that.”

The online viewers, apart from being bewildered, were utterly bewildered. The chat was filled with reactions.

[“Damn! That’s so incredible. I never saw it coming.”].

[“Honestly, I gave our boss money before, and he rejected it. I remember he was always playing with a piece of jade, which looked like a common stone, probably worth less than twenty. It’s just our local flea market stuff. Now I see, our boss was trying to give me a hint, but sadly, I didn’t catch it!”].

[“Wow, it turns out there’s someone with so much worldly experience around us. We just didn’t notice!”].

[“This Mr. Wang is giving a textbook performance; I never saw it coming!”].

[“The key is that Qin Xuan, Qin Xuan was able to decipher Wang Zhi’s intentions correctly, knowing to obtain this antique.”].

[“Antiques and jade are sophisticated. Prices can be quoted freely, and even if it’s discovered to be fake later on, it can be passed off as an oversight or not recognizing it!”].