Zhuang Rui was taken aback. The so-called important artifacts referred to bronze tripods, and they had to be bronze tripods of considerable size. These things were very rare. Even tomb raiders had a hard time getting their hands on bronze tripods and usually smashed them to take them away.
For example, the Simuwu Ding, which was unearthed in 1939 in the Wujia Baishu Cemetery in Wuguan Village, Yinxu, is 133 cm high, 110 cm long, and weighs 875 kg. Its shape is very majestic and it is known as the king of ding (tripod cauldrons).
Such objects cannot be measured in monetary terms; they are priceless national treasures, just like the Terracotta Army. A foreign museum once offered the country one hundred million US dollars for each terracotta warrior, but it was rejected without question.
The small man replied, "It's not big, but it's very intact, with inscriptions, from the Shang and Zhou dynasties. It's an old family heirloom; I wouldn't be selling it if I weren't short of money lately..."
"Not many people dare to take on this..."
Zhuang Rui tapped his right index finger unconsciously on the table. Buying small items might not matter if he got caught, but if it really involved national treasures, his uncle might skin him alive before the police even came knocking.
"Let's talk about it later. If the boss is still interested after this is over, we can get in touch again..."
The short man smiled, stood up, and this time truly took his leave.
After the man surnamed Ren left, Zhao Hanxuan said to Zhuang Rui with a worried expression, "Boss, those two bronze jue are fine, but let's forget about the important artifacts..."
Zhao Hanxuan was no novice in the antique business. Although he didn't collect bronzes, he knew that the discovery of every important artifact with an inscription would shock the entire antique and archaeological community.
The tomb from which such important artifacts were unearthed must undoubtedly be a royal tomb. If there are inscriptions on the bronze tripod, it will be even more troublesome. Even if Zhuang Rui buys it and nothing goes wrong, he will not dare to reveal it.
Because such a large tomb, once robbed, will definitely be thoroughly investigated. If Zhuang Rui dares to bring it out, he will be courting death. Don't underestimate the capabilities of the relevant domestic departments.
Such items are usually smuggled overseas and sold to collectors in Hong Kong, Macau, or other places who appreciate Chinese art.
"Old Zhao, this man is no ordinary person. Forget about the important artifacts, I don't even want these two bronze wine vessels anymore..."
Zhuang Rui and Zhao Hanxuan had different ideas. He had personally witnessed tomb raiders and had heard Professor Meng talk about many tomb raiding incidents. He knew that ordinary tomb raiders could not obtain complete bronze tripods.
The fact that this short guy had it could only mean one thing: he was backed by an organized tomb raiding gang. If he were just a lone tomb raider, Zhuang Rui wouldn't care.
But what Zhuang Rui feared most was getting involved with these gangs. These people were all after money, not their lives. Just thinking about what happened in Shaanxi made Zhuang Rui's legs tremble a little.
Zhuang Rui sat there pondering for a long time before finally raising his head and saying, "Monkey, let's put this matter aside for now. There are some things we'd better not touch, or we might get into huge trouble..."
Chapter 675 Trouble (Part 2)
Ouyang Wan often taught Zhuang Rui not to rely on his maternal grandfather's power to do illegal things. The current situation perfectly illustrates this point; it is an example of abusing power for personal gain.
Zhuang Rui believed that if he bought this item, even if any problems arose in the future and the police tracked him down, Ouyang Jun would probably be able to help him resolve the situation.
However, Zhuang Rui still gave up the opportunity to buy these two cheap items. He has his own principles, and at least he rarely goes against his mother's words. It's not like the museum can't open without these two things.
Although he wasn't involved in politics, Zhuang Rui often overheard Ouyang Jun gossiping about who was in power and who was out of power. When someone was in power, everyone would come to congratulate them, but if they lost power, even the smallest things would likely be used against them.
"Brother Zhuang, are you sure you don't want it anymore?"
The monkey was somewhat surprised. Just now, Zhuang Rui had said that he should find someone to buy it for him. How could he suddenly decide not to buy it?
Monkey hasn't been wasting his time at Panjiayuan. He knows a thing or two about the value of these two bronze jue (wine vessels). If someone likes them, they could easily make two or three hundred thousand yuan by reselling them.
"Of course not, I'll avoid dealing with this person in the future..."
Zhuang Rui nodded, and fearing the monkey wouldn't understand, he continued, "In this grave-robbing business, some people are lone wolves, doing small jobs. They're released after a year or two at most, and they don't go around badmouthing people. But this guy just now had such a heavy weapon. When it was unearthed, it would take five or six people to move it. It must have been a gang operation. If they've committed a crime, they'll have to search every inch of it. Otherwise, they might end up getting themselves into trouble instead of getting the meat they wanted..."
Putting aside the possibility of being charged with receiving stolen goods, Zhuang Rui knew that anything he bought with money would definitely be confiscated by the state, and he certainly didn't want to risk that.
The monkey, used to being wild, was startled by Zhuang Rui's words and quickly nodded, saying, "I understand, Brother Zhuang. Don't worry, I definitely won't associate with that person again..."
"Alright, go back and close the door. It's my treat today. Let's go out for a meal, then find a place to sing karaoke. Hmm, you can bring your family members..."
Zhuang Rui checked the time; it was already 6:30. He figured that by the time he got home, the women would have already finished dinner. He thought he might as well invite the employees of "Xuanrui Zhai" to have dinner together.
"Brother Zhuang, um, are unmarried people considered family members?"
The monkey, standing nearby, asked timidly, "Recently, I've been getting really close to a divorced young woman who lives in that neighborhood. In the words I told Nobita, 'Don't let my skinny appearance fool you, I'm all muscle.'"
"Fine, take it with you. You're asking me about this, you monkey. Can't you be a little more sensible?"
Zhuang Rui chuckled and cursed, then walked out of the teahouse first. Old Zhao was in the back settling the bill and getting an invoice; it was all just shop expenses anyway. ...
"Xiao Zhuang, I won't go. My wife's cooking is still the best. You young people go and have some fun..."
When this was mentioned back at the shop, Master Ge shook his head. He said he always got home at seven o'clock sharp every day, and his wife would have dinner ready for him.
Moreover, in the past two months, Master Ge has made a lot of money with his skills, and his son and grandson have become much more attentive, allowing the old man to enjoy the happiness of family life.
"Well, I'm not going either. My son is taking his college entrance exams soon, and I need to go home to take care of him..."
Zhao Hanxuan wasn't interested in eating or drinking; what could be more important than educating the next generation?
Master Ge and Zhao Hanxuan were both unwilling to go, but Monkey Daxiong and two other employees were overjoyed.
Although Monkey and Da Xiong have decent incomes, they lack confidence. They usually just take walks around the neighborhood and have never actually been to any entertainment venues. As for their two buddies, they earn two or three thousand yuan a month, which isn't even enough to go to a bar in Houhai for one night.
"Alright, Nobita, take them to eat first, then find a place to sing karaoke or something. Just don't cause any trouble..."
Seeing that Lao Zhao wasn't going, Zhuang Rui didn't want to go either. Anyone would feel a little awkward around their boss, so he took out eight thousand yuan and tossed it to Da Xiong. ...
"Xiao Zhuang, have you eaten yet?"
After picking up Qin Xuanbing and looking at antiques, Zhuang Rui was a bit hungry after a whole afternoon of running around. He went straight to the dining room when he got back to the courtyard house, only to find Zhang Ma clearing the table. Qin Xuanbing and the others were not there; they must have eaten and gone back to their rooms.
"Aunt Zhang, I haven't eaten yet. I'm actually quite hungry right now..."
Seeing Zhang Ma putting on her apron and heading to the kitchen, Zhuang Rui quickly said, "Hey, Zhang Ma, you don't need to cook anymore. Is there any leftover food? I'll just eat something..."
Aunt Zhang shook her head and said, "That won't do, how can we eat leftovers..."
At Zhuang Rui's house, Ouyang Wan set a rule that everyone would eat the same food. The leftovers were reserved for Bai Shi.
Of course, these leftovers were just extra meals for the white lion. As for the white lion's regular meals, they consisted of fresh beef and mutton, which cost several thousand yuan a month.
"No, Aunt Zhang, I ate plenty of leftovers when I was little. We came from a poor family, so don't bother. I can take care of it myself..."
Zhuang Rui invited Zhang Ma and Li Sao over mainly so they could help his mother with some chores and chat in their spare time. He didn't have the habit of ordering the elderly around. He went into the kitchen and saw that there was half a fish and a bowl of fish soup left. He turned on the gas to heat it up, then ladled out a bowl of rice and took it to the dining room to eat.
"You silly child, when it's mealtime, can't you eat out by yourself?"
When Ouyang Wan heard the noise from the kitchen, she came in and saw Zhuang Rui wolfing down his food. She couldn't help but scold her son.
"Hey Mom, we used to eat plenty of leftovers, so what's the big deal..."
Zhuang Rui said nonchalantly, "Back when we were in school, when I and Liu Chuan came home from school, we would rummage through drawers and cupboards to find whatever we could eat."
As the saying goes, "a little dirt won't hurt you," but modern people talk about health all the time, even peeling apples before eating them, yet they have more health problems than anyone else.
“My child, we didn’t have the means back then, and I’m so sorry for you two siblings…”
After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Ouyang Wan also fell into deep thought. She wondered if her decades of striving for excellence had been the right thing to do. For a moment, the only sound in the restaurant was Zhuang Rui finishing his rice and drinking the fish soup.
"Mom, aren't we doing just fine now? If you feel lonely, you can go stay with Grandpa for a few days. If that doesn't work, I'll bring Nannan back, and in a couple of years, he can go to school with Yaya..."
Upon seeing his mother, Zhuang Rui was reminded of the past and quickly changed the subject. He had been pondering this for some time now: should he find his mother a companion?
No matter how filial the children are, they can't satisfy the emotional needs of the elderly. Ouyang Wan is only in her fifties, not very old. Life is generally better now, and she can probably live another thirty years. Zhuang Rui doesn't want his mother to be lonely like this.
However, Zhuang Rui could only think about this in his heart and did not dare to bring it up. When he was studying and working in Zhonghai, some of his uncles and aunts had mentioned these things, wanting to introduce Ouyang Wan to a companion, but she refused them all.
Zhuang Min had mentioned it once, but was scolded by Ouyang Wan. Zhuang Rui thought that if there was a chance in the future, he would ask Zhang Ma and Li Sao to talk to her, which might be more effective.
"Well, next time your brother-in-law comes to Beijing, have him bring Nannan along. It's been a month or so since we've seen her..."
Speaking of her granddaughter, Ouyang Wan really missed her. Last month, Zhuang Min took Nannan back home, and Ouyang Wan felt uncomfortable for several days. That girl was someone she had raised since she was little.
"It's easy. My brother-in-law will be here the day after tomorrow. I'll have my sister come too. Let's both stay in Beijing for a while..."
Zhuang Rui nodded in agreement. Zhao Guodong's auto repair shop had basically monopolized the auto repair business around the national highway, and he had hired several skilled mechanics. His two apprentices were also capable of managing their own businesses.
Zhao Guodong is much more relaxed now than before. He rarely crawls under cars with tools anymore, and spends a lot of time in Zhuang Rui's jade processing workshop every day.
"Let's not talk about your sister anymore, Xiao Rui. It's not that I'm criticizing you, but the engagement is already set. When are you going to get the marriage certificate and have a proper ceremony? Xuanbing is a good girl. She's all alone in Beijing, so don't let her suffer... Besides, you're not young anymore. It's better to have a child sooner rather than later, while I'm still as nimble as I am and can help you take care of the baby..."
Ouyang Wan suddenly changed the subject to Zhuang Rui. After getting to know him over the past few days, Ouyang Wan was very satisfied with this prospective daughter-in-law, who came from a prominent family but was not spoiled.
In Zhuang Rui's grandmother's words, she has a slim waist and a round bottom, and is sure to give birth to several big, fat boys.
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui put his arm around his mother's shoulder, laughed, and said, "Mom, don't worry. I've been busy with the museum lately. After the museum opens, I'll be going back to school soon. Before I start graduate school, I'll definitely get married and give you a big, healthy grandson next year..."
Zhuang Rui had indeed considered this matter. After finishing this busy period, he planned to get a marriage certificate with Qin Xuanbing first, and then go to Hainan to take wedding photos. This is a once-in-a-lifetime event, and he couldn't let himself or Qin Xuanbing suffer.
Ouyang Wan tapped her son on the head, laughed, and said, "You're such a grown man, yet you're still so shameless. Can you handle this all by yourself? You should ask Xuanbing's opinion first. I think that child is quite opinionated; maybe he doesn't want to have children so early..."
"Don't worry, Mom. In this family, who's in charge? Your son's word counts..."
Zhuang Rui patted his chest as if to express his determination, but he didn't hear the faint footsteps coming from the restaurant entrance. ...
After dinner, Ouyang Wan went to the front yard to find Zhang Ma and the others to go dancing in the park. Zhuang Rui returned to the back yard and saw Qin Xuanbing sitting at her desk surfing the internet. He asked curiously, "Xuanbing, why aren't you with your sister-in-law? Didn't you say you'd sleep with her today?"
"My sister-in-law is asleep, so I came back..."
Xu Qing has been particularly sleepy since becoming pregnant, and she sleeps very soundly. However, it's only a little past eight o'clock now, and Qin Xuanbing can't possibly be asleep that early.
"Zhuang Rui, you're the one in charge of our family, but I want to wait three years before having a child. What do you suggest?"
Qin Xuanbing's words startled Zhuang Rui. It turned out that his wife had overheard what he was saying to his mother.
"Well, I'll make the decisions on big things, like when Bush will visit China. As for small things like when to have children, you can decide, okay?"
Zhuang Rui shamelessly moved closer to Qin Xuanbing, and suddenly hugged her around the waist, his large hands roaming over her chest.
Chapter 675 Trouble (Part 2)
"No, no... mmm..."
Just as Qin Xuanbing was about to resist, Zhuang Rui silenced her with a kiss. Her body gradually responded to the touch of Zhuang Rui's seemingly magical hands, and she involuntarily wrapped her arms around his neck.
Before long, Qin Xuanbing was already gazing seductively and panting heavily, her legs wrapped around Zhuang Rui's waist. Feeling the hard object coming from her lower body, she almost collapsed.
Zhuang Rui suddenly stopped what he was doing and whispered in Qin Xuanbing's ear, "Baby, do we still want the baby?"
"Yes, yes... Rui, I want it..."
Unable to resist the teasing, Qin Xuanbing had completely forgotten about having a child three years later, and besides, she had only been teasing Zhuang Rui on purpose.
Having been running around these past few days, Zhuang Rui hadn't been intimate with Qin Xuanbing for a long time. He quickly stripped the girl in his arms like a little lamb and carried her to the bathroom.
"I just won't answer your calls, no matter how many times you call. Don't you want to smash your phone in front of you?"
Suddenly, Zhuang Rui's phone rang in his casual pants pocket. This usually annoying music sounded even more annoying to Zhuang Rui this time. He took out his phone and looked at it, but it only made him feel more annoyed.