911: Chapter 96 I Have That Teeth

Ning Ke led the way, and the group passed through a long security channel, arriving at a windowless conference room.

The conference room was brightly lit, with a huge mahogany table placed in the center.

Three elderly men were seated behind the table.

The one in the middle, with white hair and thick-rimmed glasses, was the current director of the National Museum, Qi Weiguo.

The two beside him were top domestic artifact appraisal experts. At this moment, they were craning their necks, staring intently at the climate-controlled case being pushed in.

The air was quiet to the point of being oppressive.

The instant Shen Yan walked in, Qi Weiguo’s gaze swept over him like two searchlights.

There was no pleasantry, no handshake.

“Open the case.”

Qi Weiguo’s voice was somewhat hoarse, carrying a trace of unconcealable trembling.

The staff opened the climate-controlled case and carefully took out the piece of Qinan wood whose 'disguise' had already been peeled away.

That strange fragrance instantly filled the entire conference room.

The appraisal expert on the left took a deep breath, a look of intoxication appearing on his face, but he quickly became serious again.

He put on a magnifying glass and leaned close to the wood, examining it inch by inch, almost touching it.

“Top-grade White Qinan... the resin lines are full, and the incense formation is at least over five hundred years old.”

“A piece of this quality was only seen once in the Forbidden City's storeroom, and it wasn't even this large.”

The expert's voice was distorted with excitement.

Qi Weiguo, however, did not look at the priceless piece of wood. His eyes were fixed tightly on the opened hidden compartment at the top of the wood.

“Where is the book?” he asked.

Shen Yan stepped forward and personally took out the yellowed scroll from the hidden compartment.

He did not hand it over directly, but placed it on the white velvet cloth spread over the table.

He gently unrolled it.

In that instant, a chorus of sharp intakes of breath echoed in the conference room.

Qi Weiguo suddenly stood up, his movement so large that it knocked over the chair behind him.

He ignored the chair, extended a trembling hand, but then stopped half an inch away from the scroll, as if afraid his breath would damage this fragile piece of history.

“yongle encyclopedia... It really is the yongle encyclopedia...”

“Look at this paper, the cinnabar seal color, and these regular script characters written in the Taige style...”

Qi Weiguo took off his glasses and wiped the moisture from the corners of his eyes with his sleeve.

“This is a national treasure!”

“This is the national soul that has been lost abroad for a hundred years!”

The other two experts also crowded around, their faces flushed with excitement, muttering various professional terms.

Shen Yan stood quietly to the side, watching the scene.

He was not a scholar; he did not understand that cultural obsession etched into one's bones.

But he understood human nature.

At this moment, Qi Weiguo's psychological defenses were at their most vulnerable.

It took a full twenty minutes before Qi Weiguo managed to calm down from that frenzied emotion.

He put his glasses back on, and the look in his eyes when facing Shen Yan had completely changed.

It was no longer scrutiny, but rather the kindness and gratitude one shows a nephew.

“Mr. Shen, thank you.”

Qi Weiguo bowed solemnly to Shen Yan.

Shen Yan stepped aside to avoid the gesture and did not accept the bow.

“Director Qi is too kind. Returning it to its rightful place is simply the duty of every descendant of Great Xia.”

This statement was beautifully phrased; it flattered the other party while elevating himself.

Qi Weiguo straightened up, his face full of approval.

“Mr. Shen shows noble character. The value of this artifact is incalculable, and the nation will not mistreat those who have rendered meritorious service.”

“According to regulations, we will give Mr. Shen a bonus. Although it is merely a drop in the ocean compared to the artifact's market value, it is the nation's token of appreciation.”

“Furthermore, I will personally apply to my superiors to award you the honorary certificate of 'Guardian of National Treasures'.”

Ning Ke, who was nearby, let out a sigh of relief.

This was settled.

With Director Qi’s words, Shen Yan’s position in the capital circle was now established.

From now on, anyone who wanted to move against the Shenyan Group would have to first consider whether they could withstand the pressure from the cultural sector.

However, Shen Yan shook his head.

“The bonus is unnecessary.”

Shen Yan’s voice was not loud, but it sounded exceptionally clear in the quiet conference room.

Qi Weiguo paused for a moment.

“What does Mr. Shen mean by this?”

“I picked this up for fifty thousand yuan through a lucky find. To me, that is the cost.”

Shen Yan smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes.

“I will donate this fifty thousand yuan to the state and expect no reward in return.”

“However...”

Shen Yan abruptly changed his tone, his gaze sweeping past Qi Weiguo to land on a surveillance camera in the corner of the conference room.

“On my way here to deliver the item, I took the liberty of checking your museum's security system.”

Qi Weiguo’s brow furrowed slightly.

“What does Mr. Shen mean by that?”

“It means it’s rotten to the core.”

Shen Yan stated bluntly, his tone carrying a hint of professional arrogance.

“If I’m not mistaken, you are still using the five-year-old 'Sky Eye' Generation Three system, right?”

“The firewall vulnerabilities could be exploited even by a fresh computer science graduate.”

“As for the constant temperature and humidity system, it’s outdated German equipment. A slight voltage fluctuation could cause an error margin exceeding 0.5 degrees.”

Shen Yan observed Qi Weiguo’s expression as he spoke.

As expected, Qi Weiguo’s face turned rather grim.

But he offered no rebuttal, because what Shen Yan said was the truth.

The aging equipment at the National Museum had always been a deep concern for him; he had applied for funding countless times, only to have it blocked for various reasons.

“Security of this level is not worthy of the yongle encyclopedia.”

Shen Yan threw out the last straw.

“If Director Qi is agreeable, the Shenyan Group is willing to take over the upgrade work for your museum's security and environmental control systems.”

“For free?”

Ning Ke couldn't help but interject. He felt Shen Yan was here to perform charity today.

“No.”

Shen Yan turned and glanced at Ning Ke.

“We’ll handle it as a business transaction. Whatever the cost, that’s what it will be.”

“My donation of the artifact is a matter of sentiment; doing business is a matter of principle.”

“But I can guarantee that the system built by the Shenyan Group will turn this place into the safest location in the world.”

“I’ll be able to tell the gender of a fly just by its entry.”

Qi Weiguo fell silent.

He looked at the scroll of the yongle encyclopedia on the table, then at the excessively young man before him.

He suddenly realized this was no passionate youth.

This was a shrewd operator who wouldn't give up anything without getting something substantial in return!

Using a priceless treasure as a stepping stone to gain entry into a national infrastructure project.

This calculation was too precise.

If the Shenyan Group secured the National Museum's project, then the doors to museums, archives, and even classified units across the entire country would open for him.

The market potential behind that was not just nine hundred million? It was surely more than nine billion!

“Mr. Shen.”

Qi Weiguo changed his form of address, his tone carrying a new layer of solemnity.

“Your appetite is very large.”

“Because I have the teeth for it.”

Shen Yan met Qi Weiguo’s gaze without yielding in the slightest.