Divine Eye Appraisal: Starting with a Lucky Pickup of a Beautiful CEO's Family Heirloom

The afternoon sun slanted into the backyard of Jianzhen Pavilion.

Wen Zhaoye squatted against the wall, holding a powerful flashlight, and was counting the newly arrived pieces of raw jade.

Having only been open for a few days, the supply channels were still unstable, and most of the materials were obtained from a few old wholesalers in Jiangcheng.

The phone rang.

He put down the flashlight, took it out and looked—it was Sun Bo'an.

"Old Sun."

"Are you in the shop?" Sun Bo'an's voice sounded off, more anxious than usual. As he spoke, the sound of pouring water came through the microphone, as if he had just picked up a teacup and then put it down.

"I'm here, what's up?"

"Bao Dequan sent a report to the Jade Association through someone, claiming that you stole several items while working at Yu Mantang and requesting the association to launch an investigation to blacklist you."

Wen Zhaoye paused in his actions.

He placed the high-powered flashlight on the stone, stood up, and took two steps toward the middle of the yard.

"When did this happen?"

"This morning, an old friend of mine who works in the association's office called me and said that the materials have been submitted and the association is already relaying the message that they may open an investigation."

Sun Bo settled down for a moment, and Wen Zhaoye heard the sound of tea being poured into a cup and then splashing out over the microphone—this old man's heart was not at peace either.

"He has connections," Sun Bo'an said in a low voice. "The deputy director in charge of investigations in the association is named Wang Ming. He was the one who handled the case files of the Warring States Jade Disc case three years ago. Bao Dequan's move was probably not his own idea."

Wen Zhaoye remained silent.

The case of the jade disc from the Warring States period.

It's another case involving a jade disc from the Warring States period.

He leaned against the trunk of a sycamore tree in the courtyard, his fingers unconsciously stroking the corner of the newspaper in his pocket—"March 17th, people from the provincial capital have arrived."

This clue, which he first saw in the newspaper at Sun Bo'an's house, had been stuck in his mind like a thorn.

When Bao Dequan was detained, he didn't cause such a commotion, but after being released on bail, he started to fight back.

This is not the work of a shop owner.

How could someone about to go to jail have the energy and resources to cultivate relationships with the association's vice chairman?

For the first time, Wen Zhaoye clearly felt that what he had stepped into was not the dying struggle of a jade shop owner, but a net that had been woven much earlier.

"Mr. Sun, how long will the investigation take?"

"The procedure is seven days. During these seven days, the association will issue an internal notice instructing all member companies to suspend cooperation with you. To put it bluntly, you won't be able to sell anything."

Wen Zhaoye remained silent for a few seconds.

Seven days.

He knew what those seven days meant.

Jianzhen Pavilion had just opened, and its working capital relied entirely on the money he had earned from gambling on jade.

If a store doesn't sell a single item in seven days, its cash flow will dry up.

Even more seriously, once the ban is issued, it will be almost impossible for him to do legitimate business in the Jiangcheng jade industry.

"I understand," he said.

Sun Bo'an sighed on the other end of the line: "Be careful. Bao Dequan definitely has someone backing him."

After hanging up the phone, Wen Zhaoye stood in the yard, looking at the pile of waste materials at the base of the wall.

Those were a few pieces of raw jade that he had casually bought when he was buying goods in the provincial capital. They were all in poor condition, and the open areas were all grayish-white, looking like scraps left over from the mine.

He didn't have high hopes at the time; he just picked up a few pieces because they were cheap, to practice with.

But now, as his gaze fell upon the scrap, a glimmer of light suddenly flashed in his divine eyes.

He walked over and squatted down.

Within the three outer layers, the characters on two of them shimmered between the cracks in the stone—the outer layer was 1.2 centimeters thick, with an intact internal structure, suggesting the possibility of high-grade icy jadeite.

Wen Zhaoye's pupils contracted slightly.

He bent down, picked up a piece, and weighed it in his palm.

The black leather weighs over three pounds, has a rough surface, and the openings are all grayish-white and misty.

It wouldn't even get a second glance from anyone who knows their stuff.

But the Divine Eye told him—there was something inside.

He placed the piece of scrap on the table next to the stone-cutting machine, dusted off his hands, and looked up towards the provincial capital.

Jiangcheng is too small.

Bao Dequan forced him to leave Jiangcheng not because he was in Bao Dequan's way—but because he had found out things he shouldn't have in Jiangcheng.

The case of the jade disc from the Warring States period.

Qian Bohong.

Lin.

He suddenly realized something: Bao Dequan didn't want to blacklist him, but rather to force him to leave Jiangcheng.

Jiangcheng was the only way for him to find his father.

Wen Zhaoye took out his phone, opened his contacts, and found Qin Fei's name.

He hesitated for two seconds, then pressed the dial button.

The phone rang three times before the other end answered.

"Wen Zhaoye?"

"Officer Qin, I have a question for you."

"Speak." Qin Fei's voice was crisp and efficient, and the sound of keyboard typing could be heard in the background, indicating that she was in an office.

"Is the investigation file for the Warring States jade disc case, from three years ago, still in the archives?"

There was a two-second silence on the other end of the phone.

Why are you looking into this?

"Bao Dequan just submitted a report to the Jade Association, accusing me of theft. The deputy director in charge of the investigation is named Wang Ming, who was in charge of the case file three years ago."

Qin Fei didn't say anything.

Wen Zhaoye continued, "I now suspect that someone is pulling strings behind Bao Dequan's back. How could someone released on bail have the ability to influence the association's vice chairman?"

There was silence on the other end of the phone for a few more seconds.

Then Qin Fei's voice came: "Wait for me for ten minutes."

"Can you help me investigate?"

"I'm not helping you." Qin Fei paused. "Bao Dequan's submission of the report materials already involves perjury and framing. I have the right to access the relevant historical case files."

Wen Zhaoye's lips twitched slightly: "Then I'll have to trouble Officer Qin."

"Wait."

The phone hangs up.

Wen Zhaoye put his phone back in his pocket and glanced again at the piece of scrap on the table.

The stone weighs over three pounds, with a rough outer skin, but inside lies a high-quality icy jadeite.

He suddenly laughed.

Bao Dequan wanted to force him to leave with a blacklist order, but he still held a trump card that no one knew about—his eyes.

Seven days.

Within seven days, he not only had to gain a foothold in Jiangcheng, but also had to unearth the case files of the Warring States Jade Disc case.

He glanced back at the clock hanging on the wall of the shop.

3:20 PM.

It's still early to reach the ten minutes Qin Fei mentioned.

He walked to the stone-cutting machine, moved the piece of scrap onto it, and secured it.

As soon as the motor was turned on, the sound of the grinding wheel spinning at high speed echoed in the backyard.

He took a deep breath and pressed the blade down. Scraps of the outer casing flew everywhere, and a cloud of grayish-white powder rose in the sunlight.

He stared at the cut surface, and the words in his divine eye appeared frame by frame—the fog layer was not thick enough, the internal structure was complete, and the flesh was about to be revealed.

When the blade cut to the third centimeter, a faint green tinge seeped out from the cut.

Wen Zhaoye stopped the machine and wiped the cut surface clean with a towel.

Beneath the grayish-white outer shell, a uniform pale green area is revealed—the water is clear and the structure is dense, without any cotton-like fibers or cracks.

It's a high-grade icy jadeite, not imperial green, but its pure texture makes it more than enough for making bracelets.

He reached out and touched the cut surface; the touch was cool and smooth.

"Tsk." He chuckled, his voice carrying an indescribable quality. "If Bao Dequan knew that I could find high-grade ice jade from any scrap I picked up, I wonder if he would be so angry that he would smash up the association's door."

He was preparing to make the second cut when his phone vibrated.

Qin Fei sent a message: "The original case file of the Warring States Jade Disc case is still in the archives. But I need you to come in person."

Wen Zhaoye looked at the message, and the smile on his lips disappeared.

He put down the stone in his hand, wiped the dust off his hands, and went to the tap in the yard to rinse his hands.

The water was very cold.

He turned on the tap, shook the water droplets off his hands, then bent down to pick up the cut piece of scrap from the counter and weighed it in his hand.

"It seems—" he casually wiped his face with his sleeve, "that I'll have to go and meet that Director Wang in person."