56: Chapter 56 Master's Guidance

"Where are we going?" Facing Su Nange's sudden invitation, Su Yao was full of anticipation.

"To Lian City. It might take a day or two."

Su Yao was a bit conflicted: "I want to go with you, but I don't have a reason for a business trip."

The girl thought he was asking her out for fun. After all, Lian City had green mountains and clear waters, and the scenery was beautiful.

Su Nange said: "Go apply with President Zhou. Just tell the truth: you're going to Lian City to inspect the porcelain at the Longquan Kiln. She will agree."

Although Su Yao trusted Su Nange, would President Zhou really agree to such a direct reason? Her unit had nothing to do with porcelain.

So, half-doubting, Su Yao walked into Zhou Wanqing's office.

Seeing the girl looking a bit nervous, Zhou Wanqing smiled: "What's wrong?"

Su Yao spoke the truth: "President Zhou, I'd like to request a business trip to Longquan to look at porcelain."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Wanqing's eyes lit up: "Is that guy taking you?"

Su Yao nodded.

Zhou Wanqing didn't hesitate at all: "Go ahead and submit it in the system, just remember to change the reason. I'll approve it for you."

Su Yao was surprised; she didn't even know how it happened, but the next day, she found herself dazed as she got into Su Nange's car.

However, being able to go out with Su Nange, she was still a little excited.

The night before, she had taken out her rarely used small suitcase and spent a long time packing and repacking it.

However, sitting in the car, she began to struggle with whether or not to tell him that she had met Ye Tingting.

Su Nange didn't notice anything unusual about the girl; he just felt that the world was truly beautiful.

Going on a business trip and having a beautiful woman to keep him company.

Su Yao asked him: "Why the sudden trip to Longquan in Lian City to look at porcelain?"

Su Nange said mysteriously: "We're good teammates, good partners. This time, we're going to save the world!"

Su Yao swatted him: "Annoying Ghost, tell me quickly!"

So, Su Nange combined the insurance investigation into the celadon teahouse, estimating that it had an unclear connection to many projects of City Investment, and shared the gist with Su Yao.

"So, this mission of ours has huge significance!"

Hearing this, Su Yao was surprised; there was actually this layer to it? No wonder President Zhou didn't hesitate to let her follow him after finding out.

Being worked up by him, Su Yao even started to feel a bit nervous.

Su Nange suddenly asked: "Did you bring your night-ops suit?"

Su Yao???

Su Nange: "Damn, you didn't even bring a night-ops suit? How are we going to sneak into the enemy base and take the tower?"

"I was even looking forward to seeing if you would dress up like Catwoman!"

"You don't know this, but I even brought a Batman suit!"

Su Nange looked very serious: "I want to stand in the darkness and shout, 'I am vengeance, I am the night, I am Batman.'"

Su Yao clutched her stomach: "Hahaha, I'm telling you, how does your brain come up with so much nonsense all day long?"

"You didn't say so earlier, asking me to dress up as Catwoman. What do we do now?"

It must be said, Su Yao didn't talk much, but she could always strike right at Su Nange's heart. He only had himself to blame for bringing up Catwoman, making him feel so hot now!

Su Nange thought seriously: "It's fine. You're Yao, you can use your ultimate and ride on my head! Then we'll merge."

"Slap, slap, slap!"

Su Yao repeatedly swatted Su Nange.

"You're so annoying. Who wants to ride on your head? I don't even know what you're talking about!"

Su Nange: "Ah, you don't even know Honor of Kings. Sigh, I thought you had played it. Come on, I'll download it for you this time."

"I have to let you show off your signature hero."

Although Su Yao hadn't played it, how could she have not heard of it in college? So, she nodded: "Fine, then you download it for me."

Su Yao felt that being with Su Nange was always very joyful, and she was in a good mood.

The original three-plus-hour drive passed by very quickly.

The two of them grabbed a quick bite for lunch and then arrived at a factory area.

Of course, the real Longquan Kiln had long since ceased to exist; these studios that fired clay were all newly built.

Finding a receptionist in the factory, Su Nange said: "We're here to buy some porcelain. We heard that Master Zhang Tao is here, so we came here out of admiration."

After speaking, Su Nange showed off the celadon glazed bottle with bow-string patterns he had just bought.

The receptionist looked at the bottle, then at the handsome man and beautiful woman, and they didn't look like scammers.

So he replied: "Zhang Tao is our factory manager, I'll take you over there."

The conditions at the porcelain factory weren't great; there was dirt and mud everywhere. There were also many semi-finished products that hadn't been fired in the kiln yet.

Su Nange and Su Yao arrived at a simple office.

A man who looked like a middle-aged uncle was drawing on paper. He was obviously designing the shape and patterns of the porcelain.

Su Nange didn't wait for an introduction and enthusiastically called out: "Master Zhang Tao? Hello, I'm your fan!"

Then he signaled Su Yao.

Su Yao was also in sync; she carried the Huazi cigarettes and Moutai liquor she had in her hands and placed them on the side of Zhang Tao's desk.

Zhang Tao was obviously used to such situations; you don't hit a smiling face, especially when they claimed to be his fans.

So he stood up to receive them.

Su Nange and Su Yao introduced themselves, saying they were siblings and wanted to do porcelain business, so they came specifically to visit the master.

Zhang Tao let them sit down and then asked: "How did you know about me?"

Su Nange took out the porcelain bottle in his hand: "Master, look, this is your work, right? I bought it yesterday at a teahouse club. I really like it."

Zhang Tao took it and looked at it: "Hmm, you have quite a good eye. This is one of my few proud works."

In his heart, he felt a bit of affinity toward the Su Nange siblings.

Su Nange: "One of the few?"

Zhang Tao: "Of course. Porcelain isn't as easy as you rich kids think."

"If one could just casually fire a collector-grade piece, what would you need us old guys for?"

Su Nange understood that those in the arts all had their own pride, so he continued to keep a low profile: "Yes, yes, we're newbies, and we really lack knowledge in this area. That's why we came specifically to learn from you today."

Hearing this, Zhang Tao, like a teacher, opened the floodgates of his knowledge.

With these types of people, if you flatter them, they'll have endless knowledge to brag about.

Su Nange asked: "So you're saying this porcelain wasn't placed by you directly at Cilan Teahouse for consignment?"

Zhang Tao: "How would I know about those places? My porcelain is all collected by someone from our association who helps us sell it."

Su Nange asked again: "Then if I want to buy antique Longquan porcelain, where should I go?"

Zhang Tao snorted upon hearing this: "Antique porcelain? And specifically Longquan porcelain from here? Young man, don't even think about it."

"Why? Master, could you clear up my confusion?"

Su Nange and Su Yao both felt that they seemed to be getting closer to some truth.

Seeing that the young people were polite and eager to learn, Zhang Tao explained slowly: "The old Longquan Kiln closed back in the Qing Dynasty."

"The fine pieces that exist today, except for those in museums, have basically long been collected by private collectors. Unless you have a fortune, it's impossible to buy them."

"Unless you go grave robbing!"

Su Nange immediately felt that this trip hadn't been in vain, and then he took out a picture on his phone and enlarged it for Master Zhang to see.

"Master, can you tell if this collection piece is real or fake?"

The picture was of an antique porcelain piece that Su Nange had taken at Cilan Teahouse.

Zhang Tao put on his glasses and examined it carefully.

He muttered: "The crackle pattern looks fine. The shape is also consistent."

Su Nange: "Is it real?"

Zhang Tao shook his head: "Doesn't look like it."

"Why?"

"I can't judge just by looking at a picture. But in our line of work, having dealt with these things for most of our lives, you get a certain feeling."

"This feeling is hard to describe. It's like a kind of aura. Good antique porcelain has a certain aura, or you could say a unique charm."

"Looking at this thing in your picture, it lacks that charm."

"Of course, this is all just my intuition, it doesn't count as proof."

Su Nange: "Not at all, I've already learned a lot from Master Zhang today."

"However, when I bought that thing, it came with an expert appraisal certificate. That can't be fake, right?"

Zhang Tao chuckled, casually picked up a porcelain bottle, and said to Su Nange: "I, Old Zhang, am considered somewhat famous in the circle. I am one of the experts you're talking about."

"If I told you today that this thing was from an ancient imperial kiln, would you believe me?"

Receiving this reply from the master, Su Nange confirmed his suspicions even more.

So, Su Nange bought two sets of exquisite, translucent dinner plates at Master Zhang's factory as tuition for today's lesson.

Master Zhang was rarely this happy today, meeting two young people who knew how to appreciate his work.

Originally, he had waved his hand and said he would just give the two sets of plates to the siblings.

But Su Nange insisted on paying; the two sets were less than ten thousand, which wasn't expensive for him now.

Things were progressing very smoothly.

Su Nange chuckled; next, it would be time for just him and Su Yao again.

This trip was even more worth it! Should he go buy her a Catwoman suit right now?