Chapter 357: Master Shan

Chapter 356: Box Number Twelve Meng Yunzheng's words made Shu Yu and Zhao Xi become serious. Shu Yu was unfamiliar with the rules of the black market, so she could only ask them, "Once the painting is photographed by the other party, when will the black market deliver it to them? When would be the best time for us to take action?" Meng Yunzheng was painting, so to avoid distracting him, Shu Yu turned her head and asked Zhao Xi. Zhao Xi said, "Once a customer in the private box photographs an auction item, the black market will deliver the item to the buyer's box half an hour later. If the buyer is not interested in the subsequent auction items, they can choose to leave after receiving the item. If they are interested, they can stay in the box and wait until the entire auction is over before leaving." When the buyer leaves, the black market will provide several escorts to accompany them until they are safely outside. Shu Yu said, "Half an hour later? It has already been fifteen minutes since the painting was photographed, right? If they receive the painting soon and prepare to leave, we won't have enough time..." She looked at Meng Yunzheng, who was still painting. Despite his speed, it would still take some time. Shu Yu pursed her lips and said, "No, I have to go back to the third floor and find a way to keep an eye on the people in that box. If they get the painting and are ready to leave, we need to intervene. Master Meng, I'm counting on you with the painting." Meng Yunzheng nodded, his movements becoming faster and faster. "Okay, which box are you in on the third floor? After I finish the painting, I'll come find you. What does the painting look like now? Where are the damages and stains? Yuan Shanchuan should know the most about it, so I'll ask him to remember it, and I'll make a fake." "Box number twelve," Shu Yu said, then nodded at the two of them and quickly walked towards the third floor. The buyer's box was still quiet, but the two people in her designated box on the third floor were already on edge. Finally seeing Shu Yu return, Da Niu let out a sigh of relief and quickly approached her, saying, "Why did it take you so long? I thought something happened to you." Shu Yu placed the hat she had in her hands on the table. She had asked a clerk for it when she went upstairs. "I ran into a couple of friends just now. It's fortunate because we need their help for this matter. I discussed it with them, which is why I came back late." Yuan Shanchuan asked upon hearing that someone was helping, "Are they reliable?" This was no small matter. Shu Yu nodded, "They are reliable. They are people known to the big shot." Da Niu let out a breath, feeling relieved. The pressure on him was immense. It was incredibly difficult for the three of them to steal such an important piece of evidence in the black market. Shu Yu handed a set of clothes to Yuan Shanchuan. "Fourth Uncle, these are clothes I borrowed from my friend. Change into them." The clothes she had originally prepared for Yuan Shanchuan were too big. If he were to wear them like that, it would be highly suspicious. Fortunately, Zhao Xi and Yuan Shanchuan were of similar height, and the spare clothes Zhao Xi had happened to fit Yuan Shanchuan perfectly. Yuan Shanchuan quickly went behind a screen to change. He had lost a lot of weight recently, so the clothes were still a bit loose on him, but much better than before. After fastening the belt, it wouldn't be a problem. When he came out, he saw Shu Yu pressing down the blinds on the window, keeping an eye on that box. "Ah Yu, what do we do next?" "We watch the other party for now. We can't let them leave the black market for the time being. We'll wait for my two friends to arrive."

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Chapter 355: Are You Shanjian? Shu Yu squinted her eyes, still not voicing her speculation, when she heard Zhao Xi's slightly smug voice beside her. "That painting was indeed painted by Ah Yun." Shu Yu looked at him abruptly. "You painted it? Are you Shanjian?" Damn, a talented artist worth a fortune was right next to her? She suddenly remembered the promotional flyers she had asked Meng Yunzheng to help paint before the shop opened. At that time, she had thought he was incredibly skilled, able to outline a beautiful portrait with just a few strokes. It turns out he was a master. Oh, right. All those flyers she had made were already handed out. Shu Yu felt an overwhelming sense of missing out on billions and wanted to beat her chest and stamp her feet in regret. How did she let so much money slip through her fingers for nothing? She was clearly in desperate need of money. Though her mind was in turmoil, Shu Yu remained outwardly calm. Zhao Xi observed her for a while but didn't see a hint of astonishment on her face, which left him disappointed. He had touched his ankle earlier, and it was fine. It just stung a bit when he was bumped into, but he hadn't sprained it. After washing his hands, Zhao Xi began grinding ink for Meng Yunzheng. "We don't necessarily need to paint the exact same one. You can paint another piece, as long as it's by Shanju and hasn't been shown before. The buyer on the third floor seems to have a great admiration for Shanjian. Maybe they'll agree to the switch." "They won't," Meng Yunzheng replied swiftly without looking up. "As you mentioned earlier, the other party is determined to obtain that specific painting. Initially, we thought it was because they simply liked the artwork itself. But now, I suspect there's more to it." Shu Yu immediately caught on. "Are you saying that the other party might also know that the painting contains incriminating evidence, and they deliberately bid on it?" "No way," Zhao Xi interjected. Meng Yunzheng nodded. "The other party's bid far exceeded the value of the painting itself, and during the auction, their focus was solely on winning the painting, regardless of the price. Transactions in the black market, especially auctions, are crucial. The prepared auction items are listed and sent to regular clients' residences a month in advance. So, people like you, who are visiting for the first time, might not be aware of the auction items. But young masters from families like the Ding and Jiang households would have received the information early and prepared the appropriate silver to bid on their desired items." Meng Yunzheng naturally knew about this through other channels. That's why he appeared at the black market, ready to bid on the item he wanted. However, at that time, the painting was not included in the list of auction items he received. It was dropped by Yuan Shanchuan in the black market just over half a month ago. It is likely that the list was changed and distributed to the regular clients a month ago. And Meng Yunzheng and Shu Yu had missed it. "So, they will undoubtedly be more cautious now, to prevent any accidents with that painting," Shu Yu frowned. "And it seems like the buyer in the private room on the third floor is not a good person." Meng Yunzheng smiled faintly. It's hard to judge whether someone is good or bad. Shu Yu didn't know, but he was somewhat aware of the underlying secrets. This piece of incriminating evidence likely implicated more than just the former county magistrate. That's why various factions were secretly competing and resorting to frequent tactics. But now, it had fallen under their watchful eyes, and they held the final say.

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Chapter 354: Bait and Switch Zhao Xi lowered his curtain hat and was about to speak when his mouth froze open in shock as he looked at Meng Yunzheng. "How did you know she is...?" Meng Yunzheng glanced at him with a sideways glance. "Isn't it hard to guess?" No, it's not hard, right? Meng Yunzheng poured a glass of water for Shu Yu and gestured for her to sit before asking, "How did Miss Lu end up here? And how did she recognize Zhao Xi?" "There's a long story behind it, but let's put it aside for now. I have something important to discuss." Shu Yu didn't want to dwell on old memories and small talk, so she went straight to the point. She had a serious expression on her face, and Meng Yunzheng couldn't help but sit up straighter. Zhao Xi had initially wanted to complain about Shu Yu's forceful collision, but her words immediately captured his attention. Sitting on the side, Zhao Xi massaged his shoulder and foot, listening intently to Shu Yu. Shu Yu began, "You're aware of the painting that was stolen just now, right?" Meng Yunzheng and Zhao Xi exchanged glances. "Yes, we know." It was the painting Meng Yunzheng had painted. Shu Yu continued, "Then you should also know that Lord Xiang is looking for my uncle. He believes my uncle took a painting that serves as evidence of his guilt, right?" Zhao Xi hadn't fully grasped the situation yet, but Meng Yunzheng immediately understood. "Are you saying that the painting that was stolen just now is the one Lord Xiang was looking for? The one that contains evidence against the former county magistrate?" Shu Yu nodded, and Zhao Xi's eyes widened. Could it be this much of a coincidence? Shu Yu explained, "I just met my uncle. Contrary to what Lord Xiang suspects, he didn't collude with the former county magistrate to hide the evidence. We couldn't find him because he has been trapped in the black market all this time. He did take the painting with him initially, but it ended up in the black market by a twist of fate. And then, the black market greedily took it away." Zhao Xi was at a loss for words, and Meng Yunzheng seemed deep in thought. After a moment, he said, "Putting everything else aside, our priority now is to retrieve that painting." "Yes, but unfortunately, when I deliberately caused a commotion outside that private room, no one came out. We don't know the identity of the person who took the painting. It's a bit challenging," Shu Yu replied. Zhao Xi twitched at the corner of his mouth. So, you bumped into me so forcefully for this? Meng Yunzheng nodded. "Indeed, it's a difficult situation." He furrowed his brow, contemplating for a while before suggesting, "How about we try the bait and switch method?" "Bait and switch? How do we do that?" Shu Yu asked. Meng Yunzheng picked up a curtain hat nearby and put it on, saying to her, "Just wait a moment." Then he went out, and Shu Yu could hear him speaking with the assistants outside. After a short while, Meng Yunzheng returned with a box in his hands. Shu Yu looked at the box curiously, and she saw Meng Yunzheng remove the curtain hat and take out the contents of the box one by one. Zhao Xi and Shu Yu, in perfect synchronization, tidied up the table and laid out the scroll. Shu Yu stared blankly for a while before finally reacting and asking, "Are you planning to paint a similar painting on the spot to replace it?" "Mhm." Shu Yu frowned. "I know you're skilled in painting, and it would be fine under normal circumstances. But this is the black market, and it's easy to detect authenticity. Moreover, the painting you just created is significantly different from the one a year ago. It's not easy to pull off a bait and switch." Besides, unless he had seen that painting or had a quick glance at it on the second floor, it would be impossible to recreate it identically, right? Huh? Wait a minute. Shu Yu suddenly looked at him suspiciously. With Meng Yunzheng's cautious nature, it's unlikely he would do something that she found unbelievable. Unless...

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Chapter 353: Recognizing Each Other Then, they collided heavily. "Ah..." Zhao Xi exclaimed, stumbling backward and almost falling into the door of the private room. Although the door remained shut, Zhao Xi ended up on the ground, and his curtain hat nearly fell off. Even without the hat falling off, Shu Yu immediately recognized his face when it was momentarily revealed, combined with his surprised exclamation. She confirmed his identity right away. She quickly squatted down to help him, saying, "Are you alright?" "I bumped into you with such force to see if you're alright. I mean, why were you walking so fast? Are you in a hurry to be reincarnated? Tsk..." Zhao Xi groaned, not just from the pain in his shoulder from the collision but also from hitting his head. He twisted his foot while trying to regain his balance, making it an unfortunate accident. Shu Yu saw the shop assistants coming over, so she hurriedly leaned in closer to Zhao Xi and whispered, "Doctor Zhao, it's me." Startled, Zhao Xi looked at the middle-aged man in front of him. "You... you..." Two shop assistants reached them and asked with concern, "Sir, are you alright?" Zhao Xi suddenly snapped out of his daze. He glanced at Shu Yu in front of him, taking in her completely different appearance from before, and remembered how she had disguised herself with sideburns last time. He couldn't help but gulp. Why was it that she recognized him twice, but he couldn't recognize her at all? Was his disguise really that bad? Shu Yu tried to help him up, apologizing as she did so, "I'm sorry. Are you injured? My private room is just ahead. I happen to have some excellent medicinal liniment for injuries. Would you like to come over and sit down, apply some medicine?" Zhao Xi looked at her with mixed feelings, and the two shop assistants asked him, "Sir, do you need any assistance? Shall we call a doctor?" Taking a deep breath, Zhao Xi waved his hand at them and said, "No need." Then he looked at Shu Yu and whispered, "Sir, I don't need your liniment. I have my own. Just help me downstairs. And explain the situation to my master, so he doesn't think I caused trouble outside and got injured, and wants to punish me." Shu Yu's eyes lit up slightly, realizing that Meng Yunzheng must be here. Without hesitation, she agreed, "Alright, no problem. I will explain everything to your master and make sure he doesn't blame you." The two shop assistants, seeing that they had reached an agreement, stepped back, clearing the way. Shu Yu immediately reached out to support Zhao Xi and began guiding him step by step towards the staircase. Before leaving, she glanced at the private room in front of her. Despite the loud impact and commotion, no one came to open the door. While Shu Yu had expected this, she still felt somewhat disappointed. Letting out a sigh, she helped Zhao Xi downstairs, heading towards a certain private room on the second floor. Both of them remained silent throughout the journey. It was clear that this was not the appropriate time for conversation. They reached the door of the private room, and Zhao Xi knocked lightly, softly calling out, "Master." The door was opened, and Meng Yunzheng looked up, noticing an unfamiliar man alongside Zhao Xi. A hint of surprise flashed across his face, but he quickly regained his composure. He then moved aside, silently gesturing for the two to enter. Meng Yunzheng closed the door again, secured the latch, and without waiting for Zhao Xi to speak, he asked, "Miss Lu?"

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Chapter 352: The Brave Prevail When Paths Cross Yuan Shanchuan was momentarily surprised but immediately became interested. "Oh? Really? Da Niu, tell me what has happened in the family during my absence." Da Niu began recounting the events that had taken place since Shu Yu's return. He mentioned how the plot by the Ruans to sell the twins had failed, how Da Ya had successfully divorced and escaped the deception, and how Zhang Shu had faced consequences for his actions. He also mentioned how Second Uncle's leg had been treated and how the clothing store had flourished under Second Aunt's skilled hands. The garments from Yiren Pavilion were highly favored by the ladies of prominent families in the county town. The more Yuan Shanchuan listened, the more astonished he became. He hadn't expected such earth-shattering changes to occur in Da Niu's family in just over a month. Da Niu, too, was growing increasingly shocked as he recounted the events. He hadn't thought about it in detail before, but now he realized that Shu Yu had been the driving force behind all the improvements in Second Uncle's family. It was Shu Yu who had proposed opening the store, insisted on helping Da Ya divorce and handled the arrangements, exposed the Ruans' plot, and funded the treatment for Second Uncle's leg. Not only that, even Third Uncle's employment had been arranged by Shu Yu. And now, even their visit to the black market today. Shu Yu had taken measured steps and made steady progress, displaying maturity and decisiveness. On the other hand, Yuan Shanchuan, who had limited exposure to the world, felt a sense of surprise and wonder. As the eldest grandson of the Lu family, Da Niu felt... deeply ashamed. Yuan Shanchuan turned his head and saw the deeply affected expression on Da Niu's face. After a moment of contemplation, he reached out and patted his shoulder, saying, "You're doing well too; it's just that your upbringing was different from Shu Yu's." Wasn't he the same? If he hadn't experienced so many things, he might be even less capable than Da Niu. But now, seeing Shu Yu's accomplishments, he couldn't help but feel a tinge of bitterness. Both of them fell into silent reflection. Meanwhile, Shu Yu had already reached the corridor on the third floor. There was a shop assistant stationed there to attend to any customer needs, providing convenient service whenever required. As Shu Yu stepped out, the assistant approached and asked, "Do you have any instructions, sir?" Shu Yu shook her head. "No." She waved her hand, and the assistant stepped back, no longer asking further questions. Shu Yu sighed and casually glanced at the private room, its door tightly shut. It was incredibly challenging to catch a glimpse of the person inside. Deciding to give it a try, she began walking in that direction. To her surprise, after only a few steps, she saw a person wearing a curtain hat walking towards her. Shu Yu took a quick glance at the person and immediately focused on their clothes. Hmm... They looked familiar. Wasn't this the same outfit that Zhao Xi was wearing when she bumped into him at the staircase earlier? Could this person be Zhao Xi? But the clothes Zhao Xi wore were relatively common, and based on the clothing alone, it was difficult to be sure. Shu Yu observed the person's walking posture, which seemed quite familiar. She decided to give it a try. If it turned out to be Zhao Xi, that would be perfect. If not, she would continue searching. With that in mind, Shu Yu slowed her pace. Zhao Xi also maintained his steady gait, especially when he noticed the middle-aged man approaching from the opposite direction, whom he seemed to have seen somewhere before. He even hesitated for a moment, contemplating whether he should turn back to the private room on the second floor. However, leaving abruptly at this moment would raise suspicions. So, Zhao Xi continued walking with a composed demeanor, as if nothing had happened. Just as he was about to reach the entrance of the auctioned scroll's private room, Shu Yu suddenly quickened her pace and charged towards him.

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Chapter 351: Like an Heir to the Family Business Zhao Xi called out again, then stopped as he had expected. As he predicted, the painting was snatched away by the person in the third-floor private room. The auction price was 12,000 taels. Zhao Xi grinned and turned to Meng Yunzheng. "The guest in the third-floor private room must be an avid admirer of yours. Offering such a price is a sign of true love for you." He had estimated that this painting wasn't Ah Yun's best work. If it were on the market, 5,000 taels would be considered a high price. Even in the black market, it wouldn't exceed 12,000 taels. The bidder didn't hesitate at all when offering the price. Not only would he go up to 12,000 taels, but Zhao Xi speculated that if someone else had bid, he would have continued to raise the price. Zhao Xi was intrigued and wanted to know who the person was. However, they were here for business and should keep a low profile, avoiding unnecessary attention. So Zhao Xi remained seated properly in the private room, waiting for the next auction item to be brought up on stage. However, he didn't stay in the private room for too long. Perhaps due to drinking too much tea, he urgently needed to use the restroom. He told Meng Yunzheng, "I'll go downstairs for a moment and be back soon." After speaking, he picked up the nearby curtain hat, put it on, and hurried away. Due to the special status of the guests on the second and third floors, the black market had prepared curtain hats. If a guest wanted one, it would be provided to ensure privacy while entering and exiting the private rooms. When Shu Yu went upstairs earlier, she was in a hurry to take Yuan Shanchuan to the room to rest and didn't plan on bidding for any items, so the absence of a curtain hat was not a big issue. But both Meng Yunzheng and Zhao Xi were interested in bidding for items, so Zhao Xi took the curtain hat and left the room. He didn't waste much time and returned after finishing his business. However, when he stood at the staircase on the second floor, Zhao Xi couldn't help but glance in the direction of the third floor. He didn't do anything else; he was just trying his luck, hoping to catch a glimpse of the person who bought the painting. It shouldn't be a problem to find out who loved Ah Yun so deeply. After hesitating for a moment, Zhao Xi lifted his foot and walked towards the third floor. At the same time, in the private room on the third floor, Shu Yu turned her head and said to Yuan Shanchuan and Da Niu, "You two stay here; I'm going out to take a look." Da Niu immediately became nervous. "Ah Yu, what are you planning to do?" "Don't worry, I know what kind of place this is, and I won't cause any trouble. I just want to see if I have a chance to meet the person who bought the painting." Yuan Shanchuan frowned and said, "The black market doesn't disclose the identity of buyers. They value customer privacy here." "I know, so I'm just going for a stroll, looking for an opportunity. I don't have any intention to make a move in the black market." Shu Yu straightened her clothes and confidently went out. The door to the private room closed again, leaving only the two of them inside. Yuan Shanchuan then spoke up, "Da Niu, where did Ah Yu grow up before?" "Huh?" Da Niu was taken aback. "Fourth Uncle, why do you ask?" "Nothing, I just feel that she doesn't seem like a child raised in a farmer's family like us. She seems more like a young lady from a wealthy household... No, more like a young master who has inherited the family business." Da Niu pondered for a moment and thought that the description by his fourth uncle was quite fitting. "Ah Yu hasn't mentioned her past life much, but she's indeed very independent. Ever since she returned, Second Uncle's family has been doing well, and they even opened a shop in the county town."

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 Chapter 350: The Certainty of Success

 Chapter 349: Shu Yu's Plan