musicians of old

Chapter 811 Unknown

“I would never joke with you like that! I’ve been investigating Leicester for over five years, and I decided to start this in my second month after officially joining the newspaper!”

Seeing that the heavy door was closed, Miss McAdam's expression softened slightly, but she didn't stop talking as she quickly pulled a stack of manila file folders from her handbag.

“You mean, there’s something wrong with Leridge, and a big problem at that.” Fanning stared into her blue eyes.

"That's right, are you surprised?"

“Not surprising, but everything requires evidence. Moreover, the situation is different for someone like Leridge. Whether the evidence is strong enough and whether he can 'live' in the spotlight are all questions.”

“I have the evidence right now! But you’re right, it’s in just as dangerous a situation as I am.”

"You think it's no longer dangerous if you expose it to me?" Fan Ning raised an eyebrow and asked rhetorically.

Miss McAdam understood Fanning's unspoken meaning but didn't know how to answer the question. She sighed, "My survival until now is all fate, and the outcome today is also fate. In the situation just now, there was no other choice. If it were any other person who had passed me by, I probably would have just relied on my intuition and randomly picked someone to ask for help. The outcome would have been entirely determined by their position and character. But I still believe in fate. I can only believe in fate."

Fanning remained silent.

"This covert struggle isn't something I'm doing alone, but it's not a large group either. A few people have joined over time, and a few have died along the way due to various 'accidents.' We're being extremely cautious, investigating slowly, gathering evidence slowly, preserving evidence separately in the early stages, minimizing overlap, and patiently waiting for a ripe opportunity to strike. But I'm well aware of my limitations. Despite the careful and covert nature of our actions, given the long timeframe and wide scope involved, it's impossible for Leicester, with his alertness and methods, not to have noticed anything!"

“No wonder the guards closed the museum doors tonight; I’ve been wondering about that.” Fan Ning finally understood the reason and frowned at the other person. “Then you’re in a very troublesome situation. When the auction ends at midnight, they probably won’t let suspicious people go so easily. Or rather, in your plan, you didn’t expect this auction to ‘end normally at midnight’?”

The female reporter nodded and pulled a stack of documents from a file folder to show him: "We have a basic understanding of the money-making methods and criminal activities behind Lelic's case, and for the first time today, we have completely gathered all the scattered evidence together."

Fan Ning quickly selected the important passages to read.

As expected
Over the past few years, as an observer or colleague, I have noticed that the shady dealings I have observed are not just my overthinking.

It's not just the Van der Schaaf Collection that's the problem; the entire Vienna art market is rotten to the core!

Similar to what Fanning had imagined, this person first engaged in large-scale illegal acquisitions. For example, by bribing the Imperial Art Foundation to issue false devaluation reports, or by colluding with gangsters and unscrupulous factory owners to create debt crises, thereby indirectly coercing bankrupt nobles or merchants to sell their artworks at low prices. Then, a huge money laundering chain emerged, involving the substitution of genuine works, black market distribution, and transnational smuggling, with a large amount of illegal income ending up in the pockets of unknown individuals.

Finally, some of this money was laundered through fake auctions at museums, some was transferred across borders, and some was "compensated" in the form of "penalties" to officials who facilitated the chain of interests.

Every year, an astonishing amount of tax revenue is fraudulently offset by using poverty homes or other "charitable activities" to obtain policy benefits!

The artists who poured their hearts into the cause, and the generous donors who contributed real money, were likely unaware of this. Fanning also understood why Miss McAdam had chosen such a high-risk approach, bringing the evidence directly to tonight's event.

It's not just a problem with Leridge; it involves a huge interest group, including members of the royal family and other powerful figures.

If you were to report this through official channels, whether anonymously or officially, whether the evidence is original or a copy, it would be a complete joke. Even an "anonymous report" would be a joke. Only today, with the entire city watching, will the news be impossible to suppress! It will spread throughout the empire overnight.

"Aren't you afraid of these people retaliating collectively?" Fan Ning asked.

"That depends on whether they are more united and have more people, or whether the anger of the public, whose sympathy has been exploited for years, intensifies after the matter is exposed."

Miss McAdam's gaze was unwavering, but her words were earnest: "Mr. Fanning, I'm sorry to have dragged you into this, but I really need your help. Could you please hide the file folder for me temporarily?"

"The guards outside have probably already started searching what they consider 'suspicious individuals,' including several of my companions. They are indeed carrying some 'innocent incriminating materials,' and confiscating and controlling them will only lull the guards into a false sense of security. If I go out, I'll likely be searched as well. I must avoid the first wave of heightened vigilance. As for whether they'll suspect me here, that will require more time and effort to verify. In this time gap, I need to find an opportunity to contact the chief hammer-wielder of your collection."

You mean Miss Nancy?

"Yes, do you know anything about her actual situation?"

"The real situation?" Fan Ning shook his head. He and Nancy were just working together and getting paid to work at a museum.

Like today, during the day, everyone was at the Langevni Gospel House cooperating with Lelic's "charity performance." The two of them happened to be in the same area playing with the children and chatted for quite a while, which seemed to be the first time they had ever done so much.

"This collection originally belonged to Nancy."

"What!?"

“Not entirely certain, but don’t you think it’s a little odd that such a young girl is here as the chief hammer bearer?” Miss McAdam said.

"The Esterházy family bankruptcy case five years ago was full of suspicious points. Their wine, grain and art businesses suddenly plummeted. Subsequently, there were many strange things about the notarization by the church, the transfer of ownership of art venues, and the creditors' application for compulsory guardianship. Before I expose the evidence, I must first ask Nancy to further verify this matter and see if I can fill in this gap."

If even the collection itself is of questionable origin, then exposing the curator, Leridge, would be even more impactful.

“I can help you with this.” Fan Ning nodded slightly, took the file folder from her hand, and locked it in an inconspicuous compartment in a storage wall. “After the first wave of trouble has passed, you can come back to retrieve it when the time is right. But I want to remind you of something.”

"If you rush onto the stage with the evidence, will the guards give you a chance to finish speaking? Besides, with everyone watching from a distance, how much of the evidence can you see clearly on the spot? Will there be an opportunity to examine the evidence closely and confront each other afterward? Everything is uncertain!"