C19 Stone Gambling(1)

At ten in the morning, at the far end of Antique Street, the scene was set for the jade raw stone fair.

At that moment, the fair was bustling with people, who were continuously browsing the various stalls.

These stalls displayed numerous raw stones, each shrouded in a weathered crust, concealing their true nature. Despite today's scientific advancements, no instrument exists that can quickly discern whether jade lies beneath the surface of these stones.

Thus, purchasing raw stones carried significant risk. As the saying goes, one cut could lead to heaven or hell. If a stone yielded jade, it was like reaching paradise, but if it didn't, it was akin to falling into the abyss.

Considering the steep base price of raw stones, failing to extract jade meant the investment would simply evaporate.

While Su Hao followed Zeng Ziyuv, he noticed many people wielding magnifying glasses.

Upon inquiry, Zeng Ziyuv explained that stone gamblers meticulously inspect the surface patterns of raw stones with magnifying glasses.

A raw stone with colorful surface lines indicated high quality, increasing the likelihood of containing jade.

It was only in the presence of a stone with promising patterns and an enveloping green hue that the gamblers would pause to inquire about the price.

"Ziyuv, where's the stone appraiser you invited?" Su Hao glanced around, his curiosity piqued.

"Just up ahead!" Zeng Ziyuv pointed towards the upper left corner of the hall and led Su Hao in that direction.

There, a middle-aged man in a loose robe stood, his appearance slick and his demeanor exuding confidence and a touch of arrogance.

A short-haired young man with thick glasses stood by his side, looking up at the middle-aged man with evident admiration.

"Master Gu, we apologize for the wait," Zeng Ziyuv greeted, bowing slightly as he approached with Su Hao.

"Hmph, finally arrived, have you? My master has been waiting for quite some time. Do you have any idea how valuable his time is?" The youth with the short hair huffed before the robed middle-aged man could utter a word, his face etched with annoyance.

Countless people seek out my master every day to gamble on stones; we're hardly lacking your presence. Don't assume that offering a high price gives you the right to leave my master hanging!"

He seemed to harbor a great deal of resentment, and his face turned particularly unsightly as he spoke.

"My apologies, I ran into an old friend earlier and was held up for a bit," Zeng Ziyuv said, bowing slightly with a contrite smile.

The short-haired young man rolled his eyes, clearly unimpressed.

The middle-aged man in the robe, however, gestured dismissively and offered a light smile, "No worries. Mr. Zeng is a man of important affairs; being busy is part of the territory."

He then gestured toward the young man with short hair, "This is my apprentice, Wang Tiehzhu. He's a bit hot-headed, so please overlook his earlier remarks."

"Master Gu, you're too kind. I understand Mr. Wang's irritation at my tardiness," Zeng Ziyuv replied, shaking his head. He then brought Su Hao forward, "Master Gu, allow me to introduce my good friend, Su Hao, the fiancé of Bai Wenling, CEO of the Butterfly Loving Flower Company."

"Bai Wenling's fiancé?" Kwoo Guangkun echoed, taken aback.

Beside him, Wang Tiehzhu wore a peculiar smirk, sizing up Su Hao with a hint of sarcasm, "Ah, Mr. Su, your reputation precedes you. Shouldn't you be off indulging in wine and women or making advances on respectable ladies at this hour? What brings you here?"

In Quanzhou, no one's name is as sullied as Su Hao's.

He's a wastrel who shamelessly cavorts about, despite being betrothed. Always in pursuit of pleasure, doing nothing of substance, and staying away from home for weeks on end is par for the course.

It baffled him how such an unabashed playboy could be engaged to a woman as beautiful and talented as his fiancée.

"Tiehzhu, show some respect!" Kwoo Guangkun chided, his brow furrowed.

Wang Tiehzhu bowed his head in haste, yet his eyes brimmed with scorn and disdain for Su Hao.

Su Hao remained composed, his expression unflustered by the slight.

In his past life, his reputation had taken quite a hit, leading many to form a poor opinion of him. He had anticipated such reactions; it was all within his expectations.

He refrained from arguing because he understood that changing people's perceptions wasn't a matter of talk but of action.

Sensing the tension, Zeng Ziyuv deftly shifted the conversation. "Master Gu, the raw stone fair has started. Shall we begin the stone betting?"

Kwoo Guangkun nodded and, with Wang Tiehzhu guiding him, made his way to the stall displaying raw stones.

"Su Hao, let's join them," Zeng Ziyuv suggested, giving Su Hao a reassuring pat on the shoulder before proceeding.

As they perused the raw stones, Su Hao, with insights from his Appraisal Eye, noticed that few contained jade, and those that did were often small and of inferior quality—hardly worth the investment.

Fortunately, Kwoo Guangkun had the expertise to recognize that the stones they'd seen so far lacked promise, sparing Zeng Ziyuv from an ill-advised purchase.

About ten minutes into their exploration, Kwoo Guangkun paused at a particular stall. "Tiehzhu, hand me the magnifying glass."

"Right away, Master!" Wang Tiehzhu, sensing that Kwoo Guangkun had spotted a stone of potential value, quickly retrieved the magnifying glass from his bag.

Kwoo Guangkun examined a uniquely shaped raw stone through the magnifying glass. Zeng Ziyuv's interest was piqued; quality jade was known for its smooth, unblemished surface, unlike the rough, textured appearance of lesser stones.

The stone Kwoo Guangkun scrutinized was notably thicker on the inside, its surface exceptionally smooth, with aged veins and patterns. A subtle green hue seemed to envelop it, indicating a promising quality.

Impressed, Zeng Ziyuv couldn't help but express his admiration. "Master Gu, your eye for detail is remarkable!"

"Without a doubt," Wang Tiehzhu boasted with a proud smile, arms folded across his chest as if the accolades were for him. "My master is a renowned stone appraiser in Quanzhou, with nearly a decade of stone betting under his belt. His discerning eye has earned many a tycoon top-tier jade."

Su Hao, trailing behind, furrowed his brow. In that moment, as he scrutinized the large, impressive-looking smooth raw stone before him with his Treasure Appraisal Eye, a set of data instantly materialized.

The stone, though smooth, had been unearthed prematurely, devoid of any jade within.

The miraculous capabilities of the Treasure Appraisal Eye had been demonstrated earlier with the authentication of a Tang Bohu original, leaving Su Hao with no doubt about its assessment.

Clearly, the smooth raw stone had been extracted too soon by the digger, resulting in the jade inside not having enough time to develop fully.

With this insight, Su Hao hesitated briefly before speaking up, "Ziyuv, despite the fine appearance of this smooth raw stone, it's empty of jade. It would be a loss to purchase it."

His voice was subdued, yet Wang Tiehzhu overheard.

"Are you doubting my master's judgment?" Wang Tiehzhu's expression turned grim as he fixed a hostile glare on Su Hao.

Su Hao simply shook his head.

"Then why claim there's no jade in the stone?" Wang Tiehzhu retorted with a cold smirk.

Su Hao opened his mouth but was at a loss for words.

He certainly couldn't reveal to Wang Tiehzhu that his ability to discern the presence of jade came from his Treasure Appraisal Eye.