Chapter 55 - 54: No more collecting nucleus carvings from the Qin family's daughter-in-law.

Words : 1413 Updated : Sep 17th, 2025

Chapter 55: Chapter 54: No more collecting nucleus carvings from the Qin family’s daughter-in-law. “` The warmhouse was supposed to be bursting with vibrant colors, but there was only one type of flower. It was the orchid. Large and small, they filled the entire warmhouse. An old man with white hair and beard sat in a wicker chair, took a sip of tea, then gently set it down as a man in his fifties hurried to refill his cup. This white-haired elder was none other than Elder Gu Qingfeng, the Old Patriarch of Yubao Square, now over eighty years old. ... Standing aside was Gu Cheng, his adopted son. The newly poured tea was steeping with aroma, but Elder Gu didn’t drink, instead silently gazing at an orchid in front. After a moment, he finally asked, “Did Zhang Yi really pay Eight hundred yuan for a nucleus carving?” The Old Patriarch found it hard to believe. Nucleus carvings were becoming less and less valuable. Except for works by masters. And the key issue was that fewer people were collecting nucleus carvings nowadays. People were flocking to collect antiques and jade, so it was surprising that the cunning Zhang Yi paid a high price for a nucleus carving by an obscure girl. To say it out loud, it’s hard to believe, not just for others, but even for himself. Gu Cheng slightly lowered his head, hiding a glint in his eye, and respectfully said, “Father, it’s true. The carving was brought in by a young girl, and Zhang Yi even raised the price for it.” Elder Gu’s usually calm expression finally showed a ripple. Zhang Yi had actually raised the price, which was a rare occurrence in his memory. This piqued his interest. He glanced at Gu Cheng standing by his side and said in a mild tone, “Alright, I’ve got it. But you should restrain yourself in the future. Zhang Yi has been loyal to me, don’t ruin the affection built over the decades…” “Yes, Father, I understand,” Gu Cheng replied with deference, achieving his intended purpose. After a few words of concern, Gu Cheng left. In a place where no one could see, Gu Cheng’s expression turned as dark as water, he paused in his steps, then headed towards the main entrance. Inside the warmhouse, Elder Gu thought for a moment before picking up the phone. Zhang Yi answered quickly. Following customary greetings, the Old Patriarch directly inquired about his purchase of the nucleus carving. Zhang Yi wasn’t surprised at all. Elder Gu’s adopted son, Gu Cheng, had planted spies here too, but Zhang didn’t mind. Gu Cheng had no talent for antiques. He couldn’t even distinguish ordinary jade, let alone manage Yubao Square. Moreover, Zhang Yi had always been grateful to the Old Patriarch, so he enjoyed his unconditional trust as Shopkeeper Zhang. And Elder Gu Qingfeng had called simply because Zhang Yi’s raising the price had intrigued him. After listening to Zhang Yi’s account, Elder Gu said, “Bring the carving over tomorrow for me to take a look.” He didn’t believe it was carved by a young girl. But Zhang Yi’s description had sparked some interest in him. Zhang Yi responded regretfully, “Old Patriarch, the carving has already been bought by Luo Zhenyu’s grandson for thirty thousand yuan, and there were compelling reasons.” After hearing the full story, Elder Gu frowned and asked Zhang Yi, “The one who helped Elder Luo, was it someone from the Qin Family?” “…” Zhang Yi hesitated for a moment, “Yes, it was someone from the Qin Family in the West District.” Then the phone fell silent. As if to calm burgeoning anger. “` And Zhang Yi held his breath; he knew that the Old Grand Master Qin and the Old Patriarch had old grudges, but he didn’t know the particulars. Before this, he didn’t even know that the young girl was a daughter-in-law of the Qin Family. Searᴄh the NôvelFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality. In fact, he understood that even had he known, he would have kept the nucleus carvings. Because the craftsmanship was exquisitely peerless, with barely a flaw, and what was exceptionally precious was the faint luster emanating from the surface of the nucleus carving. It made even him, who had seen many treasures, feel it was miraculous. Therefore, he really wanted to know who was behind the young girl. But out of respect for Elder Luo’s face, he had to reluctantly part with it. And he knew that since Luo Fan had encountered it, he naturally wouldn’t leave empty-handed. After a moment of silence on the other end of the line, a voice, old and filled with malevolent energy, spoke up, “If that Qin Family’s daughter-in-law comes to sell nucleus carvings again, don’t buy them. Don’t have any contact with the Qin Family, and you’re not allowed to interact with them either.” “…” Zhang Yi was silent for a moment, “Yes, I understand.” “And the Bai Family isn’t good either. Tell your wife to reduce her interactions with them.” “…” With a bitter smile, Zhang Yi realized that Old Grand Master had become increasingly unpredictable over the years, and hearing the heavy breathing on the other end of the phone, he quickly nodded, “Old Patriarch, I understand. Don’t get angry, I’ll do as you say.” Afterwards, Old Master Gu hung up the phone. Looking at the lush orchids, the hand gripping the cane tightened. Because mentioning the Qin Family had suddenly unlocked memories sealed away for a long time. His gaze seemed a little clouded, as the dying sunlight gently draped over the vibrant greenhouse. And he seemed to see a sixteen-year-old boy stubbornly kneeling before him, his face filled with grief as he accused him of heartlessness. Back then, he was self-righteous, headstrong, and in a fit of rage, he had driven his only son out of the house. And he had left behind the ruthless words: “If he lives, he gets no care from me; if he dies, I will not bury him.” But along with his fury, his legitimate wife also left. Since then, more than fifty years had passed. It took him three years to quell his anger. When he tried to find the mother and son again, the country had already plunged into over a decade of unrest. He had unique foresight and silently supported the country and the New Party with his wealth. He also befriended Old Grand Master Qin, who was dispatched by the New Party to the Imperial Capital and served as a covert operative, posing on the surface as the vice-chancellor of Imperial Capital University. Latterly, the New Nation was established, and he began a protracted search, but there was not a trace of the mother and son. He dared not move houses, afraid that if he did, what if the mother and child returned and couldn’t find their home? He stood his ground under pressure, not allowing the work team to touch an inch of his land. As this issue was about to escalate, Old Lady Qin forcefully leveraged the military’s strength to bring him under control and personally led a team to divide the courtyard once praised as Gu Garden in the Imperial Capital into dozens of small yards, which were rapidly allocated to individuals. Of course, the recipients of these courtyards were all people who had contributed to the New Nation. By the time he was released, Old Lady Qin had clearly demarcated her boundaries with him, and not long after, the incident was dug up again, and he was reassigned to a rural village in the suburbs. When he finally returned, everything had changed. Seeing Gu Garden no longer as glorious as in the past, the old master was filled with pain and sorrow. He could not say he hated the Qin Family, but he also did not want to see Old Lady Qin again. At this moment, the sun gradually disappeared below the west mountain. Gu Qingfeng’s aged face appeared desolate; in fact, the person he hated the most was himself. Why did he have to utter those heartless words that he would neither support the living nor bury the dead? To this day, there was still no news of the mother and son, their fates unknown… Was this perhaps heaven’s punishment for him?

Chapter 55 - 54: No more collecting nucleus carvings from the Qin family's daughter-in-law.

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