“That’s right, but I already know the seller and what items were sold. I also know they were all sold through Master Qiu’s hands. What I want to know is where they ended up.”

Zhou Cheng felt the two matters were quite different.

The buyer connected to Grandmother Yu’s vase remained shrouded in mystery. No, everything related to Xu Zhongyi’s family was like that – obscured and unclear, waiting for the day when the truth would come to light.

He just wanted to inquire about the items Yuan Han had sold, to see if it would be convenient to buy them back.

Unlike the vase situation, the items Yuan Han sold had flowed from the mainland into the Hong Kong market. It wasn’t particularly secretive – Xia Xiaolan had personally witnessed a Tianhuang seal being auctioned, which was now in Tang Yuanyue’s possession!

“Oh, please continue, Mr. Zhou. If it doesn’t violate our business principles, I can certainly help with this small matter.”

Master Qiu’s attitude greatly displeased Du Zhaohui.

This was preferential treatment.

They would tell Zhou Cheng when he asked for information, but when he inquired about a vase, they repeatedly deflected!

Why?

Did getting information to depend on looks?

“Last winter, someone sold paintings, seals, and several ancient books at Boss Ding’s stationery shop in the capital. Among them was a Tianhuang small seal with the inscription ‘Heaven Official’s Blessing,’ which was bought by Tang Yuanyue of Hong Kong’s Yuhua Group. I believe Master Qiu must remember these items.”

Master Qiu nodded, “Yes, I remember.”

He naturally knew where items sold through his hands went and who the specific buyers were.

However, Zhou Cheng wasn’t the first person to inquire about these items. The first was someone from Young Master Du’s circle.

Master Qiu couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Zhou, did you need to contact me just for these few items? They shouldn’t be stolen goods, right? Boss Ding’s stationery shop made legitimate purchases.”

“They could be considered stolen goods, or not. Since the victim hasn’t filed a report, I can’t overstep my bounds. But legitimate purchases… please don’t joke about that.”

Antiques could certainly be traded.

But for legitimate purchases, did Boss Ding have that qualification?

Selling to state-operated cultural relics stores was the proper way to conduct business.

The items in state-owned cultural relics stores weren’t premium pieces. Common people sold them cheaply, while the stores sold them at higher prices, mainly targeting foreign visitors to China.

Master Qiu’s business was anything but legitimate. If not for premium items, they wouldn’t appear in Hong Kong auctions.

With auction prices exceeding 100,000 Hong Kong dollars, what level of antiques and cultural relics was Master Qiu dealing with?

Du Zhaohui had tried many times to meet Master Qiu without success, but when Zhou Cheng mentioned he was from the Zhou family in the capital, Master Qiu had no choice but to meet him… This was partly because, despite Master Qiu’s modest demeanor, his business couldn’t bear scrutiny.

Master Qiu didn’t want to waste words with Zhou Cheng.

He tapped the table, and after a while, someone brought paper and a pen. As Master Qiu called out names, the other person wrote them down.

“Tianhuang seal with ‘Heaven Official’s Blessing,’ purchased by Yuhua Group’s Tang Yuanyue… Qiu Ying painting, purchased by Cheng Rong Group’s Du Zhaoqi…”

Du Zhaohui’s ears perked up immediately.

Why was Zhou Cheng looking for these items? Could it be like the vase situation – was he searching on behalf of Xia Xiaolan?

Tang Yuanyue had one piece.

That good-for-nothing Tang Yuanyue probably didn’t even know about this yet, or he would have already sent it to curry favor with Xia Xiaolan!

Du Zhaoqi had a painting too, but that would be harder to obtain. Du Zhaohui secretly hoped Zhou Cheng would beat up Du Zhaoqi and take the painting by force.

Master Qiu made a list and pushed it toward Zhou Cheng.

“We still have a chicken blood stone seal from the same batch, which should be among the items Mr. Zhou is looking for. Since these are ‘stolen goods’ Mr. Zhou is investigating, we’ll return this one. Mr. Zhou can collect it from Boss Ding’s shop in three days. As for the items already sold…”

Zhou Cheng cupped his hands, “Master Qiu, this is more than enough. I won’t let you bear any losses for the items already sold.”

Zhou Cheng himself felt today’s business had gone unusually smoothly.

Master Qiu was more reasonable than he had imagined. Getting back one chicken blood stone seal was an unexpected bonus.

Master Qiu hadn’t mentioned a price for the chicken blood stone seal, and Zhou Cheng didn’t insist on paying. The Tianhuang seal sold to Tang Yuanyue alone had already earned Master Qiu several times the total value of this batch of items.

Zhou Cheng had learned from Boss Ding that Yuan Han had sold a pile of items for just 8,000 yuan!

Yuan Han might have thought it was a good deal, getting so much money for his ex-wife’s “worthless” paintings and calligraphy as if he’d found free money.

But now, how much were these items worth?

One Tianhuang seal was bought by Tang Yuanyue for 150,000 Hong Kong dollars.

One Qiu Ying painting was purchased by Du Zhaoqi for 400,000 Hong Kong dollars.

According to Master Qiu’s list, excluding the unsold chicken blood stone seal, these items had sold for a total of over a million Hong Kong dollars. The most valuable were two paintings, one for 400,000 and another for 250,000.

No wonder Ye Xiaoqiong refused to cooperate.

Their family heirlooms had been sold cheaply by Yuan Han, and buying them back would cost over a million Hong Kong dollars.

How could Ye Xiaoqiong afford such a sum?

Without running their own business, with the salary of an ordinary Hong Kong office worker, saving up a million Hong Kong dollars would be extremely difficult… Without being in company management, it would take twenty or thirty years to save every penny.

And in twenty or thirty years, even if these items remained with their current buyers, would they still be worth the same price?

Zhou Cheng cupped his hands, “Your business is truly prosperous!”

Not every deal could make this much money.

The profits still had to be distributed among various parties.

However, Master Qiu’s role as a major broker was indeed highly profitable.

No wonder Master Qiu had so readily agreed to meet Zhou Cheng. Even if such a business had to stop temporarily, the lost profits would be substantial. Looking at the items from Ye Xiaoqiong’s family, in such a short time, some had already reached Southeast Asia and beyond – Master Qiu’s sales network exceeded Zhou Cheng’s initial expectations.

“I’m glad Mr. Zhou is satisfied. I can only help this much. To be honest, in our line of work, we prefer not to deal with people like you, Mr. Zhou.”

Master Qiu spoke frankly, and Zhou Cheng understood completely.

“I understand. Master Qiu has done me a great favor, and I won’t trouble you again. Thank you very much.”

They had reached an understanding.

Du Zhaohui watched in confusion.

How could Master Qiu become so accommodating upon meeting Zhou Cheng? In Master Qiu’s eyes, was Zhou Cheng the only person who mattered, while someone with the Du surname didn’t deserve any face?

Before Du Zhaohui could speak, Master Qiu stood up, “Please forgive my poor hospitality. It’s getting late, and the sea breeze is picking up. I won’t see you both off.”

Master Qiu coughed twice. On the swaying fishing boat deck, his figure indeed looked excessively frail.

He wasn’t in good health.

Earlier, even Du Zhaohui had eaten plenty of shrimp and crab shells, but Master Qiu seemed to eat very little.

Another boat came over, and Master Qiu boarded it to leave. Du Zhaohui finally slapped the table, “He’s just leaving like that?”

Zhou Cheng glanced at him, “What else? Did you expect him to treat you to a late-night snack?”