Chapter 52: Selling the Goods

Chu Nan was unrelenting. He stood aside with his arms crossed, his tone rather displeased: "I am not talking about any grand principles; I have only one point: when you work, you must see the money!"

Cheng Lingyu could not help but shake her head, a hint of admiration flashing through her gaze: "Alright, Young Master Chu, name your price."

"Well, about that..." Upon hearing this, Chu Nan immediately wore a wide smile.

He rubbed his hands together, walked over to the "mountain of treasures" piled high with gold and jewelry, and began to pick and choose selectively.

Cheng Lingyu watched him quietly, her gaze carrying a bit of playful amusement.

Chu Nan circled the treasures a few times, and finally casually picked up a few ingots of gold from a pile, along with an exquisite jade bracelet and a piece of top-quality Hotan jade from the side.

Tucking them into his robe, he then patted his hands together in satisfaction: "Alright, that will do."

"Just these?" Cheng Lingyu was slightly startled, a look of unexpected surprise appearing on her face, "Young Master Chu, this place is full of gold and jewels. Won't you take a little more?"

"Enough is enough." Chu Nan waved his hand dismissively and said lazily, "Any more would be greedy. I know my limits; as long as it's enough to spend."

Cheng Lingyu stared at him, her gaze filled with a trace of complexity: "Young Master Chu, you truly are an interesting person."

Chu Nan failed to notice the emotion in her eyes and merely shrugged casually: "Your Majesty, you'd better keep this money and put it to good use."

"With the war situation pressing right now, these gold and silver treasures are what's needed to solve our immediate crisis. You must spend them where they count the most."

His casual remarks caused Cheng Lingyu's expression to tremble slightly.

She spoke slowly, her tone softening a fraction: "Young Master Chu, you trust me this much?"

Chu Nan straightened his body and looked at her earnestly: "Who else can I trust? In this world, the only one capable of running things is you."

These words landed in Cheng Lingyu's ears, warming her heart.

She lowered her gaze and said softly, "Young Master Chu, I will remember this."

"Alright then, I won't disturb you from your important matters any longer."

As he spoke, Chu Nan turned and walked toward the door.

His steps were light, and he was even humming a little tune.

Sitting behind her desk, Cheng Lingyu watched his retreating figure as it gradually grew distant.

A softness unconsciously appeared in her eyes.

"Chu Nan..." She murmured the name softly, the corners of her lips curling upward slightly.

Head Eunuch Liu carefully stepped closer: "Your Majesty, Young Master Chu has already left."

Cheng Lingyu withdrew her gaze, nodded gently, and muttered to herself in a low voice: "Someone like this—I really ought to protect him well."

After leaving the imperial palace, Chu Nan walked along the road heading home.

With the few gold ingots, the jade bracelet, and the piece of Hotan jade from the Empress tucked inside his clothes, he pondered over where to dispose of these treasures.

"Tsk, while these things are certainly valuable to talk about, they also come with quite a few problems."

Walking along, Chu Nan muttered under his breath, his tone tinged with hesitation: "If I casually cash them out in modern times, it'll be troublesome if I get targeted..."

He rubbed his chin with a slight headache.

Chu Nan was well aware of the value of these ancient treasures, but he was equally conscious of the risks behind them.

"Forget it, I'll go check out the antique market first. Maybe I can find a suitable buyer."

Having finally made up his decision, he returned to the backyard of his small shop, and passed through the restroom door back to his modern home.

After washing his face simply, he took the treasures out from his clothes, inspected them closely for a moment, and packed them into a small box. Carrying the box, he headed straight out toward the nearby antique market.

As he walked, Chu Nan observed the shops on both sides of the street, pondering inwardly: "These stalls are too casual. I'd better find a more reliable place to sell them."

Soon, his attention was caught by an exquisitely decorated auction house.

Several large characters hung on the signboard above the entrance:

"Henggutang Auction House"

"Hmm, looks quite upscale and prestigious. It should be relatively professional."

Chu Nan nodded, lifted his foot, and stepped inside.

As soon as he entered, the front desk receptionist immediately noticed him and welcomed him warmly: "Hello, sir. Are you here to view the auction items, or do you have items you wish to consign for auction?"

Chu Nan smiled slightly and raised the small box in his hand: "I'm here to consign items for auction."

Upon hearing this, the receptionist's attitude became even more respectful: "Very well, sir. Please come this way."

"We need to arrange a professional appraiser for you. Please wait a moment."

With that, she led Chu Nan into an elegantly decorated small room.

On the coffee table inside sat exquisite porcelain tea sets, and through the window, one could catch a glimpse of the main auction hall.

Chu Nan nodded inwardly: "It seems this auction house is quite professional after all."

Before long, the door was gently pushed open, and an elderly man with graying hair but a spirited demeanor walked in.

He was dressed in a dark gray Zhongshan suit, holding a set of delicate antique appraisal tools in his hand. His gaze was sharp, carrying a hint of majesty and shrewdness.

"Is this gentleman looking to consign items for auction?"

The old man's voice was deep and resonant, carrying an indescribable air of authority.

Chu Nan nodded and asked with a smile, "And you are?"

The receptionist introduced him from the side: "This is Master Ge, our auction house's chief appraiser. He is immensely experienced. You can rest assured leaving your items in his hands for appraisal."

"So it is Master Ge." Chu Nan nodded politely and then handed over the box.

"Could I trouble you to take a look and see how these items are?"

Master Ge took the box without opening it immediately.

Instead, he studied Chu Nan's expression, his gaze carrying a trace of probing exploration.

Then, he slowly opened the box.

As the lid was lifted, the treasures inside instantly emitted a dazzling radiance under the lights.

The gold ingots had a heavy texture, the jade bracelet was crystalline and translucent, and the Hotan jade was fine-grained and warm.

These items alone were already eye-catching enough.

Master Ge's eyes narrowed. He picked up the jade bracelet with utmost care and observed it closely through a magnifying glass.

Then he touched the surface of the Hotan jade, his fingertips gently brushing across its fat-like, delicate texture, and his expression gradually grew solemn.

After a long while, he put down the jade bracelet and the Hotan jade, raised his head to look at Chu Nan, his gaze filled with a complex meaning.

"Sir, if I may be so bold as to ask... where did these items come from?"

Chu Nan was startled, then awkwardly scratched the back of his head.

He certainly couldn't tell the other party that these treasures were pilfered from an ancient imperial palace, could he?

"Uh, well about that..."

Chu Nan stammered, trying to think of a reasonable excuse.

Only to find that Master Ge suddenly gave a low chuckle and waved his hand: "No need to say more. I can more or less guess where these items of yours came from."

"Huh?" Chu Nan was taken aback. Alarm bells rang in his heart, though his expression remained calm: "Master Ge, what do you mean by that?"

Master Ge narrowed his eyes slightly, wearing a half-smile as he said: "I've been in this trade for many years and have seen countless treasures."

"These items of yours are of superior quality, completely devoid of any modern counterfeit traces. They are definitely genuine, but..."

"It's rare to come across items in the present world with such a 'clean' provenance."