They were now in the outskirts of Hangzhou. Lu Zigang followed Professor Tang and realized they were outside a sizable hot spring hotel, with luxury cars parked all along the street. This private auction would last three days, and today was the final day. Lu Zigang didn’t feel they had arrived late – good items were always saved for the last day, and if the antiques weren’t of sufficient quality, the National Museum wouldn’t include them in their collection anyway.
Entering the warm hotel lobby, Lu Zigang felt he had come back to life. Following Professor Tang closely into the venue on the top floor, he instinctively looked around.
“Do you have acquaintances coming?” Professor Tang noticed his small movements and asked with a smile.
“Uh, I know an antique shop owner here…” Lu Zigang said halfway before smiling awkwardly, obviously not thinking he could see the Silent House boss here. Because the antiques in the Silent House felt so magical to him, incomparable to ordinary antiques.
“Oh, maybe you’ll run into him – after all, he’s local.” Professor Tang said casually, not taking it seriously. After all, this was the final day’s auction, and unqualified people couldn’t even get invitations for this last day. Just an antique shop owner – probably the value of one item here could buy several of his shops. Professor Tang didn’t mind, as he had already spotted several acquaintances and hurried over with a smile to chat.
Lu Zigang scratched his head, also thinking it would be best not to encounter him. And that Young Master Hu had better not come either. If the Boss appeared, it would mean the antiques here were suspicious, and he didn’t want complications – that would be too terrifying. Thinking of his past entanglements with the Boss and Young Master Hu – the Kunwu Blade, Wordless Stele, Dragon Pattern Bell, Liubo Chess – he had almost been mysteriously eliminated in that mansion!
Shivering involuntarily, Lu Zigang quickly pushed those bad memories back. Professor Tang was chatting with his old friends, and he couldn’t very well join in. The venue was extremely well-arranged with various antique flavors. Tables and treasure cabinets displayed various ornaments – though replicas, they were exquisitely made with understated luxury. The auction attendees weren’t numerous, just seventy to eighty people, mostly middle-aged and elderly, with occasional young juniors like himself brought by elders to observe.
As Lu Zigang surveyed the venue, he actually spotted an acquaintance – Chen Miao, whom he had encountered at the Liubo Chess mansion, who owned a private library specializing in collecting rare ancient books. Their eyes met briefly before looking away. The other person had recognized him too but showed no intention of acknowledging him, obviously wanting to erase that memory. Lu Zigang didn’t mind and noticed refreshments in a corner of the venue. Having rushed to catch an early flight without eating much, he walked over. He was grateful his flight timing had been perfect – any later and they might not have been able to land due to the heavy snow in Hangzhou.
Just as he had picked some pastries and put them on a plate, Lu Zigang turned around and saw the Silent House Boss leaning against the window with his eyes closed. Due to the angle earlier, the other person had been blocked by heavy curtains, so he hadn’t seen him. Lu Zigang was stunned – the Silent House Boss was really here? Did this mean the antiques at this auction were suspicious? Should he turn around and leave immediately for safety?
“King of Qi… King of Qi?”
He opened his eyes and found himself in a military tent. Night had fallen, and the phoenix-fish bronze lamp on the lacquered table before him flickered dimly, its light so weak that the face of the person sitting across from him was somewhat blurred.
Dreaming again? King of Qi? Was this calling him?
“King of Qi, Wu She has left…” The person across from him, seeing he had come to his senses, began reporting military affairs.
Hearing these words and the orderly patrol steps of soldiers outside the tent, distant memories slowly awakened in his mind.
This should be when he went by the name Han Xin, around 203 BC, when he had pacified the Qi state and been enfeoffed by Liu Bang as King of Qi. Xiang Yu had secretly sent Wu She to persuade him to rebel against Han and ally with Chu, agreeing to divide the realm three ways. Of course he had firmly refused.
In fact, his original goal had only been to support a Qin royal to overthrow Emperor Er Shi Hu Hai, but the latter had killed all his brothers, leaving him no choice. He could only join Xiang Yu, then transfer to Liu Bang. Later, when Xiang Yu massacred Xianyang, his dissatisfaction with the latter reached its peak – how could he possibly cooperate with him?
“King of Qi, I have studied physiognomy and understand a thing or two.” The person across suddenly changed topics, lowering his voice extremely. He gathered his thoughts. His memory of this period was somewhat unclear. He had lived in this world far too long – many of the people he’d met, things he’d done, words he’d spoken had been crushed to powder by time’s wheel. He pressed his temples hard, and after a long while remembered this person was named Kuai Che, a debater from Fanyang and one of his strategist ministers at the time.
“Physiognomy?” He heard himself laugh with interest. “How is your physiognomy skill, sir?”
“Whether people are noble or base depends on bone structure and appearance. Whether worried or happy depends on facial expression and complexion. Whether successful or failed depends on having decisive judgment. Using these three points to read people, one can be infallible.” Kuai Che leaned forward with an air of profound mystery.
Only then could he see Kuai Che’s face clearly – pale and beardless, thin in build, with eyes flowing with intelligent light. He smiled faintly: “Oh? Then how do you see my fate, sir?”
Kuai Che’s deep eyes looked directly at him. After a long time, he slowly said: “The King of Qi’s physiognomy suggests at most being enfeoffed as a vassal, and there will even be threats to life… Strange, but His Majesty the King of Qi’s spine suggests incomparable nobility… The two contradict each other – truly peculiar…”
He slightly narrowed his eyes. If Fu Su had successfully ascended the throne back then, becoming a mere prince or vassal would certainly have been no problem – the Gan family was originally a noble clan. As for threats to life? He had already experienced that once.
He took a deep breath, listening to this strategist renowned for eloquence continue his discourse, now beginning to persuade him to maintain his army and establish independence.
And he had to admit that in his long life, this moment was when he came closest to that tempting throne of imperial power.
If he wanted, he could sit on it – it was just that simple.
But he didn’t want to.
“…Having destroyed Wei, conquered Zhao, intimidated Yan, and pacified Qi, Your Highness’s achievements are incomparable, beyond reward or enfeoffment. Joining Chu, the Chu king won’t trust you; returning to Han, the Han king will be alarmed. Though Your Highness holds a ministerial position, you have the power to pressure the sovereign. Your reputation exceeds all under heaven – this subordinate is deeply worried…”
Perhaps Lu Zigang’s gaze was too intense, causing the Boss to open his eyes from the chaotic dream. He looked at Lu Zigang with some surprise and slightly curved his lips: “Didn’t expect you to come too.”
“Oh, I just got off the plane at noon, was thinking of visiting your place tomorrow if I had time.” Lu Zigang hurriedly explained, ashamed of his earlier thought of retreat, but then was almost overwhelmed with curiosity. “Boss, what caught your eye this time? Come on, tell me! That way I can give Professor Tang a heads up to avoid bidding competition.” Actually, Professor Tang’s current conversations with those acquaintances were mostly about such advance communication. The auction invitation had already listed some collections. Though such advance discussions couldn’t eliminate competitors’ intentions, they could at least provide some understanding.
The Boss raised an eyebrow. Before he could say anything, he suddenly seemed to sense something and looked toward the venue entrance, his expression changing slightly.
Lu Zigang followed his gaze and his expression changed too. Because he saw the person he least wanted to see – Young Master Hu – walking expressionlessly into the venue. The unique white hair and red eyes, plus the small red bird on his shoulder looking around, made him unmistakable. If Lu Zigang’s thought of leaving had only flashed through his mind before, now he really wanted to go. As he had feared, he knew that events in Hangzhou shouldn’t be interfered with!
But strangely, Young Master Hu had also come with someone. Leading was a middle-aged gentleman, refined and scholarly, leaning on a walking stick with some leg inconvenience. Lu Zigang recognized him as the director of a Hangzhou museum, having seen him at some meetings before. And beside this director, standing shoulder to shoulder with him, was a young man.
Lu Zigang frowned because this person looked very familiar. After brief recollection, he remembered this man had deep connections with the Boss – during the White Marsh Brush incident, he was also the one whose past-life memories were awakened, apparently a doctor.
The director first greeted several acquaintances but didn’t linger, walking straight toward the corner where the Boss and Lu Zigang stood. Lu Zigang quickly put down his pastries and wiped his hands, but saw the director wasn’t coming for him at all.
“Haha, Boss, I knew you’d be here too! This time I’ve set my sights on that set of celadon carved flower secret-color porcelain cups and saucers – you can’t compete with me for them!” The director laughed heartily, not waiting for the Boss’s response before turning to greet others. This behavior obviously showed great regard for the Boss, drawing curious glances from some people. But seeing he was just a young man, they paid little attention.
The director was overly nervous. He had specially gone to the Silent House today but found it empty. This had worried him greatly – he had originally wanted to give the Boss a ride and bond on the way so he wouldn’t compete for the items he wanted. But when leaving, he happened to encounter the Doctor and Hu Hai. The director knew the Boss and Doctor were good friends, so without much thought, the three came together. What he didn’t know was that this Doctor’s core had long been replaced by another soul and was no longer the simple doctor of the past.
The director left after saying his piece, but Fu Su and Hu Hai didn’t follow. The Boss looked at Fu Su before him with mixed feelings and sighed lightly: “Didn’t expect you to come too.”
Lu Zigang felt something odd hearing this. He had just said these words, but now hearing them again from the Boss’s mouth, they carried an indescribable complex meaning. Lu Zigang rubbed his hands, feeling his palms starting to sweat. Should he step away?
Fu Su smiled upon hearing this: “Just wanted to see you, nothing else.” He paused slightly here, his gaze falling on the rabbit doll ears protruding from the Boss’s coat pocket, his smile deepening: “By my count, it’s been almost a year since we last met.”
“Almost a year?” The Boss was momentarily stunned. His concept of time was completely different from others. A year wasn’t very long for him. In the Silent House, time seemed both stopped and flying by – the last confrontational meeting with Fu Su seemed like just a blink ago. Gathering himself, the Boss looked toward the director mingling in the distance and tilted his chin: “You know the director?”
“Don’t know him – he seems to know this body. But don’t worry, I could have gotten in today without coming with the director. Just a coincidence.” Fu Su spoke truthfully, because Hu Hai also had connections in the antique world – getting a mere invitation was easy for him. Fu Su spoke no differently from ordinary people; naturally, his slightly archaic speech patterns wouldn’t be appropriate in normal settings – this was adapting to local customs.