Seeing that Zhuang Rui was about to get up, Officer Miao's pretty face grew increasingly grim. She had strongly recommended Zhuang Rui for this operation, and the higher-ups, not wanting to refuse her request and after careful consideration, deemed him indeed very suitable, which was why they decided on him. However, she hadn't expected him to be so unyielding, refusing to listen to anything she said, which made Officer Miao feel extremely embarrassed.
"Alright, Officer Miao, I have to go now. Miss, the bill..."
Zhuang Rui raised his hand. He did have something to do; he had made an appointment with Gu Yun. His mind was already in the courtyard, and he didn't want to waste time with the two police elites.
“Zhuang Rui, you dare to leave! Do you believe I’ll go to your grandfather’s place in Yuquan Mountain and complain that you don’t support our investigation? The moment you leave, I’ll go there.”
Miao Feifei finally couldn't hold back and exploded. Fortunately, there weren't many people in the Western restaurant in the morning, but the attention of the waiters was also drawn over, and the waiter who was walking over to pay the bill hesitated and didn't come over.
"Hey, Miao Feifei, are you being unreasonable?"
Zhuang Rui was getting angry. He stood up, looking like he was about to leave. "It's been over half a century since we entered the new society, and they're still conscripting men? Do they think I'm easy to bully?"
"I'm not going to be reasonable anymore, go ahead and try leaving?"
Miao Feifei gave him a "go ahead and leave if you dare" look, but Zhuang Rui knew that this girl was definitely capable of doing what she said. If he really left today, she might actually go to Yuquan Mountain to complain.
Zhuang Rui knew his grandfather's temper quite well; he always put national affairs first. If Miao Feifei added fuel to the fire with her words, his grandfather would surely scold him. Helpless, Zhuang Rui could only sit back down dejectedly.
"Tell me, what exactly happened? But let's get this straight: even if I hear about your case, I have the right not to get involved. Miao Feifei, I'm not afraid of your nonsense. Don't try to threaten me with your old man!"
Zhuang Rui said irritably that Miao Feifei had come to him for help, which was most likely related to a cultural relic case. This was the last thing Zhuang Rui wanted to get involved in. Once a cultural relic case was involved, it would almost certainly be related to a tomb raiding gang. Zhuang Rui still had psychological trauma from what happened a few months ago.
"Let me first inform Mr. Zhuang about the case. It's like this: not long ago, a tomb raiding case occurred in Sanmenxia City, Henan Province..."
As Director Wu recounted the story, a major tomb-robbing case that had alarmed the Ministry of Public Security and prompted them to send special personnel to oversee the investigation gradually came to light for Zhuang Rui.
It turns out that just three months ago, when the criminal investigation team of the Sanmenxia Public Security Bureau was interrogating a smuggler, the criminal revealed that he had heard that "someone was digging up an ancient tomb in Xinghui Township." You have to understand, this township has 30 villages and 2,900 households, so who and where did they dig up the ancient tomb? The police had far too little information.
At that time, the detectives from the branch office disguised themselves as hunters and conducted a search in that township. They eventually found signs of tomb raiding near a newly completed two-story building in the northern part of Shangling Village: a new mound of earth more than 1 meter high, with a pit about 10 meters deep underneath, and obvious digging marks, indicating that some items had probably already been stolen.
In order to catch the criminals and recover the cultural relics, the detectives waited for three days and three nights in the dead of winter. At around 1 a.m. on the fourth day, they finally spotted a suspicious figure. The man was carrying a hunting rifle and loitering near the pit. The detectives went up and the two sides confronted each other with guns. The man, feeling guilty, had no choice but to surrender. He was originally a lookout. The people in the pit heard the warning from above and obediently climbed out of the pit. The police recovered some of the stolen cultural relics from the scene.
After the case was successfully solved, people learned that the stolen cultural relics recovered were only the tip of the iceberg. The ancient tomb that this group of tomb raiders had excavated was actually the tomb of the rulers of the State of Guo, which contained at least tens of thousands of precious artifacts, and thousands of precious cultural relics had already been lost.
After the incident was reported, it immediately alarmed the provincial, municipal, and Ministry of Public Security departments. Special personnel dispatched by the Ministry of Public Security quickly arrived at the scene and interrogated the tomb raiders.
After several days of intensive interrogation, the tomb raiders confessed to all their crimes and named some of their accomplices. However, they could not explain their suppliers, the people who paid for the artifacts, because even they themselves did not know the origins of those people.
However, one person provided a clue: approximately several hundred cultural relics had ended up in Beijing and other places, but the person did not know the specifics. After receiving this clue, the Beijing police got busy and, through investigations from various channels, have now obtained some leads.
"Director Wu, now that you have the leads, go ahead and investigate. This matter doesn't seem to have anything to do with me, does it?"
When Zhuang Rui heard that the case was indeed related to tomb raiders, he had already made up his mind: no matter how much you talk about it, I won't get involved.
Chapter 344 Case Details (Part 2)
"Mr. Zhuang, it's like this. According to our intelligence, these cultural relics are very likely to have entered the black market for cultural relics in Beijing, and will be auctioned soon. We would like to invite Mr. Zhuang to participate in this black market auction. We don't need you to do anything; you just need to help us identify whether any of the cultural relics auctioned on the black market are from the batch in Henan..."
Seeing that Zhuang Rui was again trying to evade responsibility, Director Wu quickly explained the situation. He was actually quite annoyed. Why did Xiao Miao have to choose this young man when there were so many well-known cultural relics experts in Beijing? Although he had heard some of Zhuang Rui's achievements, Director Wu was still somewhat skeptical of Zhuang Rui's expertise in antiques.
"Hey, since you guys have the information, why don't you just raid that black market and call it a day? The black market is illegal anyway, you have every right to exercise your authority..."
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui felt a little relieved. At least he wasn't going to have to deal with tomb raiders anymore. Having experienced a black market auction once, Zhuang Rui knew very well that those who ran black markets were all extremely well-connected. More importantly, to ensure their reputation, the security of the black market was not a major concern.
However, Zhuang Rui was still somewhat reluctant. If it were to go to the black market to find treasures, that would be fine, but as a police informant, it felt so awkward to be asked to appraise cultural relics. There were plenty of cultural relic experts in Beijing, why did they have to choose him?
"Mr. Zhuang, the location of these black markets for cultural relics is usually chosen on short notice. We have no way of knowing where the antiques are usually hidden, and it's also difficult to determine whether such black markets are illegal. We just want to determine whether those unearthed cultural relics will appear in the auction, and then follow that lead to investigate further..."
Director Wu patiently explained to Zhuang Rui, almost saying that they didn't care about the black market for cultural relics. This kind of black market is indeed very difficult to investigate. Firstly, the people who run the black market have connections, and often a group of people are arrested but released after a couple of days.
Secondly, it's difficult to convict this kind of behavior. Selling cultural relics? They wouldn't admit it; we call it an exchange among collectors. Tax evasion? That's the business of the industry and commerce bureau and the tax bureau. Why are you police meddling in other people's business?
Therefore, the black market for cultural relics in Beijing's antique circles is almost a semi-public place. Many famous collectors and experts have gone to those places to hunt for items. Even if they are caught, as long as what you buy is not a national second-class cultural relic or bronze, the police do not even have the right to confiscate it. As a result, the police often turn a blind eye to this black market.
Just over a month ago, Fatty Jin invited Zhuang Rui to the black market for antiques, but Zhuang Rui was busy at the time. Otherwise, he would have had the opportunity to get in touch with the black market in Beijing's circles long ago.
"Director Wu, is it just to help you observe whether those stolen cultural relics from Henan will appear on the black market?"
After listening to Director Wu's explanation, Zhuang Rui was somewhat tempted, because going to the black market wasn't dangerous, and he might even be able to find some items.
"Yes, if you agree, I will give you the relevant information about the stolen cultural relics. If those relics appear on the black market, just let us know after the black market closes."
Director Wu answered Zhuang Rui's question with certainty: what they needed to do was follow the clues and find the mastermind behind the theft of cultural relics, rather than causing trouble for the black market. In fact, they already had information about the black market's mastermind, but they couldn't do anything about it.
"Director Wu, there are so many experts in cultural relic appraisal in Beijing, why did you choose someone like me, a newcomer?"
When Zhuang Rui asked this question, he glanced at Miao Feifei, guessing that she was probably the one who spread the rumor.
Sure enough, Director Wu glanced at Officer Miao and said, "We've all seen Mr. Zhuang's amateur treasure appraisal shows in Jinan. Professionally speaking, there's nothing wrong with it. Besides, Xiao Miao is also going into the black market this time. You're about the same age, so..."
Director Wu didn't have time to watch any amateur antique appraisal shows. Miao Feifei told him about it, but Director Wu inquired about Zhuang Rui through his friends in the antique business and learned that he had recently found a valuable piece of pottery in Panjiayuan, so he must have some skill.
Besides, these days those qigong masters have long been exposed. Without some real evidence, they wouldn't dare to go on TV.
"Miao Feifei, you're going too?"
Zhuang Rui frowned upon hearing this. This police officer had an excessive sense of justice; what if something went wrong? That would be troublesome.
However, Zhuang Rui never expected that even if he, the expert, didn't go, Officer Miao would still go.
Actually, the police had already selected an experienced expert as the candidate, who was willing to cooperate with the police operation. However, Miao Feifei refused. Although she was attractive enough to arouse people's fantasies, she was not interested in playing the role of a mistress. No way! That's why Zhuang Rui was chosen instead.
Normally, there's no need for Officer Miao to be involved in this kind of thing. It's not like she's doing anything on the black market, so why would she need to be there? However, this case is being handled by the Ministry of Public Security, so it's a high-level case, and the rewards for the investigators are naturally quite generous.
If the case is solved in the future, Officer Miao's deeds of disguising himself and infiltrating the enemy's ranks will naturally be widely publicized and can be used as a basis for his promotion. Moreover, since there is no danger, the benefits that are so easily obtained will naturally fall on Deputy Captain Miao.
However, Officer Miao didn't think that much about it; she didn't care at all whether she would receive merit or not.
It's true that Miao Feifei has been working in the criminal investigation team for the past few months, but all her work has been logistical support. She's always dealing with things like what's missing in the office or arranging meals for the night shift staff—all of this falls under her responsibility. She's been feeling quite stifled for a while now, so naturally, she's taking the initiative and handling it herself.
Why are you frowning? Just tell me if you're going or not.
Miao Feifei was very displeased when she saw Zhuang Rui frown immediately after hearing the news of her departure.
"I'm not going!"
Zhuang Rui glared at her. What, trying to scare his buddy?
"Zhuang Rui, just consider it a personal favor. I didn't ask you for anything, so don't hold back. I was the one who got your white lion's city dog license, and you're already turning your back on me?"
Seeing Zhuang Rui's curt reply, Miao Feifei softened and then said, "Isn't your courtyard house almost finished? Why don't you find a few good antiques to display? We don't care about the things you buy on the black market."
Hearing Miao Feifei say this, Zhuang Rui began to hesitate. To be honest, he also wanted to go to the antique black market in Beijing to see what it was like. He was now considered a collector, and although he had found many good things in the past, he had sold them all because he was short of money. The things he had left at home were a bit too shabby, with only a Longshan black pottery and a restored Jun kiln porcelain. He needed to find some better items.
Nowadays, the first choice for antique collectors is items auctioned by reputable auction houses, as their authenticity is more guaranteed. The second choice is antique markets, but while there are many genuine items there, there are even more fakes. It's basically a matter of luck, like a blind cat finding a dead mouse.
The black market for antiques is different. The antiques that can be auctioned here have all been appraised by some professionals. Although it cannot be guaranteed that they are 100% genuine, there are far more genuine items than in the antique market, and the prices are cheaper than in auction houses. Therefore, this is the place that antique lovers like to go.
After considering it for a while, Zhuang Rui said, "Going there isn't impossible, but I don't know where the black market is, and I've never been there before. I wonder if anyone will invite me?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Director Wu quickly replied, "Don't worry about that. Mr. Zhuang, you are quite famous in the Beijing antique world now. We can have someone who has participated in the black market suggest that you want to participate, and the person organizing the black market will definitely contact you."
Zhuang Rui nodded after hearing this and said, "Alright, I can go, but I have one condition: Officer Miao can only watch and not speak in the black market. Otherwise, I'd rather not go."
"Zhuang Rui, are you a police officer or am I?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Miao Feifei immediately glared at him, but then softened her tone and said, "Alright, it's just to see if there are any stolen antiques there. I'll just look and not say anything, okay? But if you want to buy anything, you'll have to prepare some money yourself. Our investigation funds are very tight, and we don't have any money for you."
Miao Feifei's words made Zhuang Rui both amused and exasperated. He hadn't expected the police to pay for his purchases anyway; there was no such thing as a free lunch. He nodded and said, "Okay, let's leave it at that. I really do have something to do today. Call me after you've set a time."
"Mr. Zhuang, the time and place of this black market event cannot be determined at the moment. They are set by the organizers and will contact you directly by phone when the event takes place."
Director Wu's words startled Zhuang Rui for a moment, but upon reflection, they made sense. If the police had everything under control, even if the black market boss had a powerful background, he probably wouldn't be able to continue operating after being caught red-handed several times.
"Zhuang Rui, you promised, didn't you? When the black market calls, you have to let me know immediately..."
Miao Feifei seemed even busier than Zhuang Rui. After finishing her speech, she pulled Director Wu away.
"Hey, I'm telling you, you won't even pay me when you ask me for a favor?"
It wasn't until the two left the Western restaurant that Zhuang Rui realized that this woman had tricked him again.
Chapter 345 Mansion
"Damn it, that brat!"
After asking the waiter for the bill, Zhuang Rui realized that Miao Feifei had also ordered a black pepper steak to be delivered directly to the police station at noon. Needless to say, the bill was naturally charged to him.
Zhuang Rui wasn't really angry with her. Among Zhuang Rui's friends, apart from other people's wives, he rarely had female friends. Therefore, Zhuang Rui cherished his friendship with Officer Miao. Of course, they were just boyfriend and girlfriend. Did he need to explain? Okay, it was just a pure friendship.
After leaving the restaurant, Zhuang Rui drove towards the courtyard. Looking at the bustling traffic outside the car window, Zhuang Rui felt a sense of belonging to the place. In terms of climate, Beijing and Pengcheng are quite similar, but the rich cultural heritage of old Beijing is incomparable to that of Pengcheng.
Driving on the streets of Beijing, the modern roads and the ancient buildings that occasionally appear on the sidewalks create a strange feeling. The ancient city and modern civilization are intertwined harmoniously. The white-collar workers hurrying to work and the elderly walking their birds with cages are also vivid scenes.
As the car entered the cultural protection zone, Zhuang Rui deliberately slowed down. The road leading into the protection zone was not very wide, but a sense of historical vicissitudes and cultural atmosphere was palpable. Every time he passed through this place, Zhuang Rui felt a sense of simplicity and profoundness.
It was a little past ten in the morning, and vendors had set up stalls on both sides of the road. Many foreigners were there, chatting with the vendors about prices. The tall brick and red tile walls, the branches and leaves that occasionally peeked out from the courtyards, and the dark green moss in the shadows at the corners of the road all revealed the accumulation and sedimentation of history in this place.
This time, Zhuang Rui didn't park at the alley entrance, but drove directly to the side gate. Through the car window, he could see that the shacks that had been illegally built by some small vendors had all been demolished, replaced by an antique corner tower with upturned eaves on both sides, resembling ox horns.
Perhaps due to a warning from the reserve's leadership, or perhaps because the location under this corner tower is somewhat remote, extending a bit from the main street, and without shacks, the stalls couldn't be placed close to the roadside, the vendors didn't set up their stalls here, leaving a large open space. "Huh? Wasn't it agreed that this would be converted into a garage?"
Zhuang Rui was a little puzzled. He didn't see any side door open. The corner tower was still surrounded by the same blue brick walls as the surrounding area. After thinking for a moment, Zhuang Rui parked the car next to the corner tower, opened the car door, and got out.
"This...this is a roller shutter door?"
Stepping off the train and standing beneath the corner tower, Zhuang Rui realized that the wall he had been looking at from afar was actually a roller shutter door. He wondered what method Gu Yun had used to make it look exactly like the surrounding walls; from a distance, it was difficult to tell the difference between the two.
"Hey kid, what are you doing? This is a private area. If you touch me again, I'll unleash my dogs on you!"
The sudden sound startled Zhuang Rui. He turned around and saw Gu Yun standing a dozen meters away, looking at him with a wicked grin.
"Brother Gu, open the roller shutter first, I'll park the car inside..."
Zhuang Rui was eager to see his new home. After all, he had spent over 80 million yuan on this house, so he had high expectations for it.
Gu Yun smiled, walked closer to Zhuang Rui, tossed him a remote control slightly smaller than a matchbox, and said, "Hang it on your car keys. Oh, and after you park, come out quickly. Don't enter the yard through that gate. I'll take you to the front gate..."
"Alright!" Zhuang Rui was also excited. He opened the roller shutter door with the remote control and parked the car inside. The garage was quite large, big enough to fit five or six Grand Cherokee models. Even if he added more cars in the future, the garage would still be enough.
"Stop looking. That door is fingerprint-controlled. I'll set it up for you later so it can only be opened with your own fingerprint. That way, no one will be able to enter the inner yard from the garage. By the way, this security door was custom-made for me. It can only be verified by five people's fingerprints. It's a lot of trouble to cancel it. You'll have to think carefully about who gets access..."
Gu Yun also entered the garage and saw Zhuang Rui staring at the side door. She explained to him that although this cultural preservation area was very strict about security, it was always better to have good security measures in such a large house than to be caught unprepared.
"Fingerprint control?"
Zhuang Rui wandered around the heavy gate with some curiosity. He seemed to have only seen this term in movies, and he didn't expect it to be applied to ordinary people so quickly.
"Let's go, it's your house anyway, you're sure to see plenty of sights."