Chapter 110: Rare Treasures Emerge, Priceless Gems!

“Just a stroke of luck—there’s no need for you to take it to heart, Elder He.” Su Zheng smiled modestly.

“Remarkable! Master Su’s skill in appraising treasures truly wins my wholehearted admiration!” He Ruijing said with a look of deep respect.

If earlier Su Zheng’s identification of the double-eared vase as a fake was perhaps due to his knowledge of Song Dynasty ceramics, then sensing a hidden secret sealed within the porcelain stopper of the vase was something else entirely. This completely elevated He Ruijing’s view of Su Zheng, regarding him as a connoisseur surpassing his own level.

Apart from describing Su Zheng’s skill as almost supernatural, He Ruijing couldn’t think of a more fitting word.

“Since Elder He has already seen this, why don’t we just open it right here and take a look?” Su Zheng said with a slight pause, deciding to break open the vase on the spot.

“What’s he up to now? Quick, help me get closer to see!” Chen Jianguo said urgently, signaling Chen Muxue to support him toward the counter.

The thought that there might be other hidden treasures inside the vase made Chen Jianguo’s body tremble with excitement.

Of course, besides him, Chen Xiong and Feng Qingyuan were shaking as well.

Both were somewhat surprised and secretly uneasy.

The double-eared vase was brought by them. If something valuable was found inside, it would be like personally delivering a gift to someone else. Could there be a fate more humiliating than that?

“Could it be that other treasures are sealed inside the double-eared vase?”

“Not necessarily treasures; maybe tools accidentally left by the craftsman back then, hehe…”

“Brains are a wonderful thing—too bad you don’t have any! Didn’t Elder He and Mr. Su both say there’s a hidden secret inside?”

“Right, I suddenly feel Mr. Su is the youngest treasure appraisal genius I’ve ever met—no, a true master!”

“…”

The curious crowd gradually moved closer, filled with anticipation and curiosity about what might be concealed inside the vase.

With a decisive motion, Su Zheng lifted the vase and applied a little pressure with his hands, shattering a large piece.

Inside the belly of the vase, two objects were revealed.

Su Zheng was somewhat surprised to see there were actually two items.

Before the vase was broken, he had only sensed a strong vitality emanating from within, connected somehow to the red jade pendant he wore, and expected to find something corresponding to the yin energy contained in that pendant.

He had not anticipated there would be other objects sealed inside as well.

“Oh my heavens! This… this is impossible!” He Ruijing’s eyes suddenly widened, his breath growing rapid when he caught sight of one of the objects.

It was a piece of yellowed rice paper, faintly inscribed with many characters and stamped seals, rolled up about the length of a plastic ruler.

He Ruijing trembled as he reached out to pick up the yellowed scroll but immediately looked to Su Zheng for permission with an anxious expression.

After all, the double-eared vase now belonged to Su Zheng, and without his consent, He Ruijing’s remaining shred of reason told him not to touch it recklessly.

“Let’s take it out and have a look,” Su Zheng nodded slightly, though his mind was focused on the other object connected to the red jade pendant rather than the yellowed scroll.

“This is…” He Ruijing carefully unrolled the aged paper, and upon seeing its contents, he froze in place.

His expression shifted from shock to ecstatic joy. “The authentic Lantingji Xu! This is the genuine Lantingji Xu, no doubt about it!”

The overwhelming impact shook He Ruijing’s lips and made his hands tremble as if he were holding a treasure weighing thousands of pounds, overwhelmed with excitement.

“What?! The authentic Lantingji Xu? How is that possible?”

“No way! Oh my god, am I dreaming?”

“If this is true, today is more than a worthwhile trip—it’s a blessing of three lifetimes to witness the true Lantingji Xu in existence, hahaha!”

“Just look at Elder He’s expression—it must be genuine! A national treasure of the Xia Kingdom reemerges! A priceless relic that collectors have sought for decades finally appears!”

“…”

The crowd erupted in excitement at He Ruijing’s exclamations and unusual demeanor.

Every antique enthusiast knew that the authentic Lantingji Xu, frequently recorded in the historical annals of the Xia Kingdom, had long been lost to history—only heard of, never seen. Yet today, it unexpectedly surfaced inside a Song Dynasty double-eared sealed belly vase!

The Lantingji Xu is hailed as the finest running script in the world, revered by generations of calligraphers.

Legend has it that Wang Xizhi composed it in one continuous brushstroke after drinking wine. Though he rewrote it many times later, none matched the brilliance of that drunken creation.

He once lamented, “This was divine inspiration; how could mortal skill compare?” Thus, he treasured it as a family heirloom passed down through generations.

Later, Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty obtained this masterpiece and admired it his entire life, yet felt it was never enough. Historical records say that after his death, he ordered it to be buried with him, causing it to vanish from the world.

Since then, various theories about the whereabouts of the true Lantingji Xu have circulated.

Some say it was stolen by Wen Tao during the looting of the Zhao Mausoleum; others claim it was never buried in Zhao Mausoleum but in Emperor Gaozong’s tomb; still others believe that when buried with Emperor Taizong, his sister swapped the original with a forgery, and the genuine scroll remained in the human realm.

The stories are endless.

Yet, no one could have imagined that the authentic Lantingji Xu would have been hidden inside a Song Dynasty double-eared sealed belly vase, remaining unknown for centuries.

“Hehehe…” Chen Jianguo was overjoyed upon learning what treasure was concealed inside the vase.

He felt as if a gold ingot had suddenly fallen from the sky and hit him.

This vase now belonged to Su Zheng, and with Su Zheng’s ownership, it effectively belonged to the Chen family. Such a peerless treasure could easily fetch hundreds of millions!

No—hundreds of millions wouldn’t suffice; this artifact was priceless!

“Elder He, may I ask—what is the estimated value of this authentic Lantingji Xu?” Chen Jianguo eagerly stepped forward, no longer needing Chen Muxue’s support. He looked revitalized, clear-headed, and full of vigor.

“Well…” He Ruijing gently placed the yellowed scroll on the counter, cautioning the crowd to step back before explaining with a troubled expression:

“Sorry, if it were any other artifact, I could roughly estimate its value, but this rare treasure… strictly speaking, it’s simply priceless!”

A priceless treasure—the authentic Lantingji Xu!