Liu Shao and Chen Chao stood there stunned. They knew very well that the man in front of them was the overall person in charge here.
Even Chen Shi’an was dumbfounded. After all, he was someone with some status and face in Tongzhou. To be shouted at like this in front of everyone made it hard to keep his dignity.
But seeing that the other party was the auction’s general manager, Chen Shi’an had no choice but to swallow his anger and speak.
“Manager Lu, what’s wrong?”
“What’s wrong? Get out right now!” Manager Lu gave Chen Shi’an no face at all, or rather, he could not give him any.
“My father is…”
“Get them out! Throw them outside!” The general manager was furious. Immediately, seven or eight strong men grabbed Chen Chao and Liu Shao and tossed them out the door.
Even Chen Shi’an was directly driven outside.
“What’s going on?” Liu Shao looked completely confused.
At that moment, Liu Shao’s father was also escorted out.
Although these two had some status and influence in Tongzhou, compared to the Ye family, they were insignificant.
“Dad, what’s this about?”
Slap. Chen Shi’an directly slapped Chen Chao across the face.
Liu Shao’s father kicked Liu Shao even harder.
“You two little brats, who exactly did you offend?” Chen Shi’an trembled with rage. This was the first time he had been so humiliated, actually being “escorted” out.
This loss of face was massive.
Everyone present were prominent figures in Tongzhou, yet he had been thrown out in public.
One could imagine how huge the disgrace was. He still cared about his reputation.
Thinking of this, Chen Shi’an raised his hand and slapped Chen Chao several more times.
Chen Chao looked utterly wronged. He had not offended anyone!
Naturally, neither Chen Chao nor Liu Shao thought it could be because of Luo Chen.
Could Luo Chen really have such influence here?
They thought about it and knew it was impossible.
The auction began. There were various antiques, calligraphy and paintings, and even some rare heavenly materials and earthly treasures.
At that moment, a beautiful waitress was pouring tea in the private room. Luo Chen, Ye Zhengtian and the others sat in their chairs watching the auction below.
“Mr Luo, please help with this small matter. That person will arrive shortly.” Ye Zhengtian did not beat around the bush and directly stated the purpose of this visit.
“No problem.” Luo Chen took a sip of tea, put down the cup and replied.
Luo Chen understood that the help Ye Zhengtian mentioned was to expose the person beside him. After all, that person had tricked Ye Zhengtian badly last time.
“He has actually been with me for more than ten years. I never suspected him. If it were not for you noticing the issue on the high-speed train last time, Mr Luo, I would probably still be kept in the dark even now.”
Ye Zhengtian gave a bitter smile. With his position and status, he could still be deceived. It was truly embarrassing to say.
Sure enough, not long after, a man in his fifties wearing a cyan long robe walked in.
The old man looked very refined and scholarly. After entering, he gave a slight bow, then sat down without waiting for an invitation.
“Old Ye, who is this?” Tang Zhonghe asked.
In fact, Tang Zhonghe had noticed Luo Chen as soon as he entered. But after following Ye Zhengtian for more than ten years, everyone around Ye Zhengtian knew each other. How could a strange young man suddenly appear this time?
“This is a new friend I have made. He happens to have exceptional skill in appraising antiques. I brought him along today to take advantage of the opportunity.” Ye Zhengtian spoke calmly.
Tang Zhonghe smiled slightly, but his inner attitude changed instantly.
An appraiser?
Then Tang Zhonghe sneered inwardly. Had Old Ye gone senile?
To actually find a young man to act as an appraiser?
In the appraisal profession, with Tang Zhonghe’s decades of experience, he had never seen any young kid capable of doing this job.
After all, appraising antiques required accumulated knowledge and professional expertise in the field.
His current level came from decades of relentless study and research.
So Tang Zhonghe did not take Luo Chen seriously at all.
Still, on the surface, Tang Zhonghe pretended to be very friendly and greeted him.
“Pleased to meet you, pleased to meet you.”
“You’re too polite.” Luo Chen only replied with this faint sentence.
Seeing Luo Chen so indifferent, Tang Zhonghe grew even more displeased. He was a senior in the appraisal field, yet this young man gave him no respect at all. That was really going too far.
Hmph, pretending to be so lofty. Daring to act arrogant in front of me?
Just based on a young brat like you, can you really tell real from fake, good from bad?
If you could tell, wouldn’t that mean all my years have been wasted?
Tang Zhonghe felt dissatisfied inside, but he calmly drank a sip of tea without showing it.
Soon after, the item being auctioned below was a wine vessel from the Warring States period. As soon as it appeared, Luo Chen sensed through the Taihuang Scripture’s aura that it was a fake, not genuine.
So Luo Chen gave Ye Zhengtian a slight signal.
At that moment, Tang Zhonghe spoke.
“Old Ye, this piece should be genuine. You can bid on it.”
“Alright, Shuang’er, bid.” Ye Zhengtian remained calm and placed a bid.
Next came an earthen jar from the Western Zhou period.
Luo Chen sensed this one too. Fake.
Yet Tang Zhonghe still urged Ye Zhengtian to bid.
In a row, they won two fake items, and several million seemed to have been thrown away just like that.
However, Ye Zhengtian was not foolish.
With the Ye family’s power, after winning those two items, they were delivered almost immediately, unlike others who had to wait a long time.
Once in hand, Ye Zhengtian immediately sent them to a professional appraisal centre for high-tech expert verification.
That was how these auctions worked. Even if you bought a fake, you could only blame your own bad luck. It was essentially a form of gambling.
Soon the appraisal results were sent directly to Ye Zhengtian’s phone.
Ye Zhengtian looked at his phone and already knew the answer in his heart.
The next item below was a seal unearthed from the Western Zhou period.
“Teacher Tang, what do you think of this piece?”
“I think the quality shows it’s eighty percent likely fake, Old Ye. You had better not bid.” Tang Zhonghe reminded him.
At that moment, Luo Chen spoke.
“It’s genuine. You can bid.”
“Hehe, young friend, with my decades of experience in this field, do you think I would misjudge? This item is definitely fake.” Tang Zhonghe showed an arrogant expression, looking at Luo Chen with thick disdain.
“How about we bid anyway?” Ye Zhengtian said.
“Old Ye, absolutely not. This thing is definitely fake.”
“As for that young friend over there, don’t talk nonsense or make wild claims. You should know that this piece will cost nearly three million if you win it. If it turns out fake after appraisal, I would like to see how you explain it to Old Ye.” Tang Zhonghe showed clear displeasure.
“I say it’s real.” Luo Chen replied calmly.