Imperial Treasure

Chapter 621 - 404: Siheyuan

------

Under the red brick and tiled roof, a man dressed in a black suit carefully observed the trio of Sui Yi as they approached, his gaze meticulously scanning over them.

In their line of work, observing words and expressions to understand people inside and out was both an instinct and a skill; first, assess the people!

Not to mention Lin Yun and Xu Zhengmao—an experienced manager who had helped Sui Yi establish Sui Tang Square and a high-level elite whose resume was impressive enough to catch the eye of any top CEO—their aura was clearly evident.

As for Sui Yi... there was no need to mention his temperament; just looking at his handsome features, you could tell he was no ordinary person.

Second, assess the car!

The vehicle Sui Yi and his companions arrived in had just been purchased by Sui Yi a few days ago. It was understated and steady in appearance with a pure black color—a vehicle that could easily fetch the price of two central city apartments in the bustling Capital City.

Third, assess the clothes...

Well, the clothes were not exactly outstanding—the brands were unrecognizable. However, the materials were not ordinary, and the young girl’s simple and plain outfit highlighted her beauty all the more.

In fact, this third point became quite unimportant after meeting the first two criteria.

Of course, if it were an ordinary occasion, it would have been those without much substance but full of pretense that primarily judged by clothes first, car second, and people last...

If the first criterion of clothes were not met, they would start to look down on others...

This was the difference in foundation.

After evaluating these three points, the respectful man took the invitation to check, then bowed slightly, "Inside please, honored guests."

Sui Yi nodded, and just as they were about to enter, they heard some noise. Turning to look, they saw a luxurious RV parked at the front, surrounded by a throng of media personnel, with various flashes of cameras going off...

"Qiao Yu, Qiao Yu.."

"Please tell us about your invitation to today’s event..."

Seeing the commotion, it was obvious she was a celebrity... Lin Yun was somewhat surprised and said, "Young boss, it’s Qiao Yu... I didn’t expect her to be here as well."

"I’m more curious about where those media came from," Sui Yi said indifferently. For a martial artist with such overwhelming presence, this indeed posed an interesting question.

"Reporters, especially entertainment reporters, are recognized worldwide as more terrifying entities than ninjas," Xu Zhengmao complained somewhat.

Lin Yun agreed completely and turned to the middle-aged man to ask, "Did you also invite celebrities today?"

"Yes, there are quite a few celebrities... including Qiao Yu," the man replied in a well-mannered way, revealing no further information. Sui Yi and his companions were not star chasers. Seeing celebrities yet being able to continue on their way, they simply turned and entered.

In fact, Qiao Yu’s fame was quite significant—she ranked among the first-rate in the entertainment industry. Although she was not yet considered a top figure, with seven or eight million social media followers, she naturally had significant interview value, hence the reporters’ reluctance to let her go. Qiao Yu, the astute one, skillfully gave a few diplomatically crafted statements before her assistants and bodyguards escorted her inside...

Of course, her invitation also needed to be checked.

Once inside, Qiao Yu took off her sunglasses and said softly, "Who was that woman just now? She looks unfamiliar; is she a celebrity?"

"It doesn’t seem like it... even if she is, she’s inferior. I guess she must have latched onto someone important," an assistant remarked while helping her with her attire.

Why would they think Sui Yi could be from the entertainment industry? First, from a distance, they could see she was young and beautiful. Someone so young and beautiful couldn’t possibly be a business magnate, right?

Second, if not a magnate, then the magnate’s mistress? Unlikely, as typically those of such status would have been brought into the venue by the magnate himself and not enter alone, especially with an entourage.

Third, she could be a wealthy young lady of significant family stature, but entertainment industry folks are usually sensitive to such figures. If she were indeed a well-known heiress, it would be odd for them not to recognize her...

So after much deliberation, they assumed she must be some entertainment industry starlet, though they hadn’t gotten a clear look at her face just then.

"Really~" Qiao Yu didn’t care much, simply murmuring softly, "Is Pu Qinghan also here?"

"Yes.."

"Hehe"

The cold laughter floated amidst the crisp and seductive clicking of high heels, dispersing along with the trailing scent of Chanel perfume into the air...

Meanwhile, Sui Yi and his companions had entered the venue, walked through the western-style villa’s corridor, and quickly entered the courtyard houses.

This was a three-section courtyard with two yards, the first being the entrance.

At first glance, the layout of the building seemed simple, but with its pavilions, corridors, and meandering paths, it could utterly confound you; not to mention that the courtyard itself housed at least thirty rooms along with various special areas. Without a guide, guests could easily get lost, especially in the garden.

Lush greenery and serene waters, elegant pavilions, and ancient charm, winding corridors with a long and storied past.

The courtyard was not crowded, everything was just right, including some food and hosting tables and chairs. The blend of modern leisure with ancient nobility was refreshing.

Stepping into this place, Sui Yi seemingly returned to that bygone era’s sense of sight. Walking on the green brick pavement, she passed by several attendants bowing in greeting. They also came across many well-dressed, elegant socialites who, finding Sui Yi unrecognizable, were surprised by her demeanor and looks, giving her scarce opportunity to go unnoticed. Sui Yi, upon receiving their gazes, would nod in acknowledgment...

Sui Yi’s response to the greetings was natural, as if she wasn’t pressured by such events at all...

Lin Yun knew all about his boss’s background and that she had not been schooled in any banquet etiquette, yet remarkably, she showed no aversion to such events, and even...

She faintly felt that these socialites were not as good as her own boss.

Xu Zhengmao walked behind, affirming Lin Yun’s idea.

It was not just a matter of being inferior, they were completely crushed.

He could tell by the slight changes in the expressions and gazes of these socialites that they were curious about Sui Yi, but didn’t dare to approach.

Their bigger guess was—that this was a distinguished guest from somewhere.

However, Sui Yi did not linger in the courtyard, but instead turned to say a few words to the two men and then walked on. Lin Yun and Xu Zhengmao simultaneously fell a few steps behind, discreetly holding their wine glasses and appreciating the view, and soon they were surrounded just as subtly by those socialites.

Did you really think these people came just to appreciate the antiques? Half and half, perhaps, with the other half being the expansion and maintenance of their social circle... These connections are precious assets in the business world.

Sui Yi did not like socializing, so naturally, she could only let the two of them take over.

Meanwhile, Sui Yi had already walked into the main hall of the house, which was big and had been converted into an exhibition hall—an interesting one too. The hall was not small and had even been converted into several small exhibition spaces, complete with stairs, for the house was a three-story mansion. The first floor was an exhibition hall, but what the second and third floors were used for, Sui Yi didn’t know. She saw some guests quietly appreciating antiques in the main hall and, without saying a word, walked to the side to look at the famous paintings on the wall...

She had come to meet the owner of Duke Zheng’s Mansion, that is, the current Duke Zheng.

But speaking of which, she wasn’t someone with a significant background herself; why would they see you? The only chance would be the exhibition’s ceremony later on—now, it was better for her to appreciate these precious antiques...

Sui Yi, on her own, was not very conspicuous, even if she was extremely beautiful or had an exceptional presence. A few extra glances from others were enough since most of the people here were wealthy and had extraordinary backgrounds. They wouldn’t act rashly, and besides, beauties were nothing but a dime a dozen to them... what of it?

So, Sui Yi had half an hour of peace and her mood became quite calm, to the point that she didn’t think much of meeting Duke Zheng... After all, she wasn’t in a hurry to meet Duke Zheng to begin with.

If they could meet, then so be it; if not, it was simply fate. It wasn’t something she could force or pursuit too hard.

Of course, this attitude was something she couldn’t share with her subordinates, otherwise... hehe~

As she looked around, Sui Yi suddenly paused her steps in front of an exhibit case.

Inside the bulletproof glass case was a piece of jade pendant.

Why did Sui Yi stop?

One, it was fake.

Two, the real one was with her.

Three, this fake was even listed as a core exhibit item.

The label on it also marked it as the Warring States Jade Pendant—Misty the Pearl.

Clearly, the people at Duke Zheng’s Mansion were not ignorant, but it was a simple chess move gone wrong, especially when it came to distinguishing between the fake and the real.

There were also four security guards patrolling back and forth nearby.

Sui Yi stood there looking, her eyebrows slightly furrowed...

It seemed that one of the focuses of this exhibition was related to Misty the Pearl.

If it turned out to be fake... then the exhibition would become a joke.

Sui Yi stood still watching when suddenly a conversation between a young man and woman reached her ears.

"Is this Misty the Pearl? It’s said to be Spirit Jade that protects the carrier from all evils and grants longevity," the woman’s voice was gentle and pleasant, with a faint fragrance in the air.

It wasn’t just the aroma of flowers, but a distinctive perfume scent.

"Hmm... indeed, it’s a fine piece of jade, and its historical value isn’t low either, or Duke Zheng’s Mansion wouldn’t make it a centerpiece of the exhibition, and there’s even an auction later..." The man’s voice was smooth as jade, his intonation rising and falling in measure, and while soothing to the ear, his words were interrupted by a louder voice coming from behind.

"Hehehe! Is that Miss Sui?"

This manner of greeting was distasteful, particularly when the two saw the person himself...

Wasn’t that Wealthy Mr. Niu, known for being rich and foolish?

The two lost much of their interest immediately and turned to leave...

"Hello... Mr. Niu."

This voice made both of them reconsider their thoughts of leaving, and they gazed at the woman’s back.

However, in just that moment of hesitation, the man suddenly saw them, and his eyes widened.

"Hi~~~ Young Master Cao, Miss Cao..."

Since their last meeting at the public trading platform in Red Mountain Park, the wealthy man with an abundance of cash looked overjoyed, his jowls quivering as if he wanted to beat drums and gongs to show his excitement.

But Sui Yi soon noticed that this man had even more joy than the ultimate joy.

Sui Yi turned to look.

While the two young men and women had an imposing air, they couldn’t help but show a hint of helpless and slightly regretful indifference following Mr. Niu’s behavior, which violated the elegant etiquette they were taught. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation. Mobile users please go to m.qidian.com to read.)