Chapter Thirty-Five: Azure Ram Palace

"Who are you people? Do you have any idea what you’re doing? These are invaluable artifacts. Handling them carelessly could cause irreparable damage." The woman regarded me with a cold, impassive expression.

"Qiu Nuo, these are my guests. I invited them to assist with the identification," Professor Jiang hastened to explain at her side.

"Ha, this girl is impressive," I said with a grin, crouching on the ground and looking back at Xiao Lianshan.

"Oh? Just one glance and you’ve already decided she’s impressive?" Yue Qianling’s voice came coldly from behind me.

"I’m not talking about her looks," I replied seriously, twisting my head. "What she said just now was absolutely right. She could tell what that vase was with a single glance—her eye for detail is remarkable."

It was clear Qiu Nuo was responsible for the preliminary assessment and categorization; every artifact unearthed was brought before her. I watched her with growing curiosity.

"Song Dynasty Ding kiln child’s pillow, intact, glaze uniform. Send for cleaning and archive it," she declared.

"Qianlong period imperial kiln blue-and-white dish with dragon chasing pearls motif, rim is flawed, categorize as third tier."

"Ming Chongzhen blue-and-white ‘Promotion and Honor’ long-necked vase, glaze shows variation, a crack at the neck, archive and classify."

She seemed intimately familiar with every artifact brought to her, and the more I watched, the more I admired her. Smiling, I said, "Professor Jiang, with such an expert under you, why do you need me at all?"

"Oh, you mean Qiu Nuo? The child is indeed gifted, but… she seems to lack any real interest in antiquities. It’s a shame—such a pair of discerning eyes wasted."

As he spoke, I realized that no matter what artifact was handed to her—priceless treasure or worthless debris—her expression never changed. To her, they seemed all the same.

But that wasn’t entirely true. When a silver bowl was passed to her, a brief spark of delight lit her cold face. Though not standing close, I could see the bowl in her hands: a plain object, inferior in both value and craftsmanship to those before it. Yet in Qiu Nuo’s eyes, it was a priceless treasure.

My interest was piqued. I leapt into the excavation pit, searching until I found a broken, battered clay figurine. I handed it to Xiao Lianshan and asked him to bring it to Qiu Nuo.

Xiao Lianshan looked at me in puzzlement, while Yue Qianling, standing above, clenched her jaw—perhaps she’d never seen me so taken by a stranger before.

When Qiu Nuo received the figurine, her frosty face blossomed like a peach flower in spring. All her attention focused on the clay figure, as if, compared to it, every other artifact was just worthless rubbish.

A slow, meaningful smile curled my lips. So, Qiu Nuo favored Tang Dynasty relics. To be precise, she was fascinated exclusively by objects from that era. Interesting.

"Yan Hui, take a look at these finds—" Professor Jiang began, but I dusted off my hands and laughed.

"I needn’t have come today. Qiu Nuo’s appraisal is precise every time—she’s absolutely right."

"This place doesn’t look like a burial site. Why have so many artifacts been unearthed here?" Professor Jiang still sounded puzzled.

"Judging by the variety and scope—relics from the Northern and Southern Dynasties all the way to the late Qing—this was most likely a hiding place," I replied after some thought.

Suddenly, commotion erupted in the pit. A crowd gathered. My attention was drawn as a rectangular wooden box was unearthed and presented to Qiu Nuo. She opened it with utmost care, revealing an ancient painting.

"Song Dynasty, Yan Wengui’s ‘Rivers and Mountains by the River.’ Well-preserved. Seal it immediately for processing."

I frowned and walked over. Without waiting for Qiu Nuo’s permission, I reached out with a dirt-stained hand and touched the painting.

"This is a forgery."

Everyone froze where they stood. Qiu Nuo lifted her gaze to scrutinize me, but remained calm.

"‘Rivers and Mountains by the River’ depicts a sweeping river vista: undulating hills at the start, scattered stones in the foreground, trees swaying in the wind, vast waters in the distance. The composition is dense, with pavilions and towers tucked among overlapping mountains and rivers, executed with meticulous technique. Whether in layout or brushwork, it’s a classic ‘Yan family scene.’ On what grounds do you claim it’s a fake?"

"The paper’s not right. Song Dynasty paper was made from mulberry bark, sandalwood, yaxiang, hibiscus, or bamboo, and waxed before use. It was fine, smooth, and supple. The technique for this kind of paper only emerged in the Ming Dynasty. This is Ming paper," I replied with an easy smile.

"Nonsense. You glanced at it twice and claim to know the paper’s age—why bother with scientific instruments, then?" Qiu Nuo shot me a cold look. "Besides, you’re just guessing. You can’t possibly be sure."

"It’s simple enough to prove," I said, and snatched the painting from her hands, tossing it to Xiao Lianshan. "Tear it up."

My words left everyone dumbstruck. Without hesitation, Xiao Lianshan ripped the painting apart before Yue Qianling could stop him.

"Smell it. What do you notice?" I asked, wearing a calm smile.

"Brother, there’s no scent at all," Xiao Lianshan said seriously after sniffing the paper.

I turned to Qiu Nuo. The whole room was stunned—everyone except her, who remained as cool and aloof as ever.

"See? I wasn’t wrong. Song Dynasty paper carries a sandalwood fragrance. This has none. It’s a fake."

To my surprise, Qiu Nuo let out a chilly laugh, as if unconcerned by what had just happened. She said lightly, "Whether it’s a fake or not, I don’t know for sure. But there’s one thing I do know."

"And what’s that?"

"The next time I see you, it’ll probably be at the detention center."

The feeling of being in handcuffs for the first time in my life was oddly fascinating. Sitting in the interrogation room, Xiao Lianshan was still baffled as to how we’d ended up here, subdued by a squad of armed police. I sat beside him—charged with instigating the destruction of national relics. Xiao Lianshan’s charges were even more colorful: destruction of cultural heritage, assaulting a police officer, and resisting arrest.

The officers behind us still gripped their electric batons tightly, their bruised faces evidence enough of who had struck them.

The officer recording our statements was short and wore a perpetually dark scowl, as if the world owed him money.

"Do you know why you’re here?" he demanded.

"That painting is a fake. If you don’t believe me, you can have it appraised," I replied, my tone as calm as ever.

"Fake or not, anything buried underground for centuries is a relic. You two tore up a relic in broad daylight. That’s a serious offense. Do you realize the consequences?" the officer roared, slamming the table.

"Now that’s where you’re wrong," Xiao Lianshan retorted, head cocked obstinately. "My brother said it was a fake. If it’s fake, it’s not a relic. By your logic, if we buried your interrogation notes for a couple hundred years, would they become a relic too?"

"Watch your mouth. You should know better than to act so arrogant here," the officer snapped, raising his voice.

Just then, the door opened and a woman in police uniform entered. She looked young, her striking features set off by the crisp lines of her clothes—a presence both commanding and gallant.

"Captain Fang, what brings you here? This is just a minor case," the officer said, springing to his feet, suddenly deferential.

"You can leave us now," the woman said simply, motioning for the other officers to leave, leaving only the scowling officer behind.

"I’m Fang Yanan, captain of the Criminal Investigation Division. There are some things I want to discuss with you today."

"Criminal Investigation Division?!" Xiao Lianshan, a former soldier, knew the structure of the force. "All this over a torn painting? Does the division captain really need to get involved?"

"I’m not interested in the painting you destroyed. I’m here to talk to you about Yue Leiting," Fang Yanan went straight to the point as she took a seat.

"Ting-ge?!" Xiao Lianshan glanced at me, baffled. "What’s there to discuss about him?"

From the moment Fang Yanan entered, I hadn’t taken my eyes off her face. My brows furrowed slightly—there seemed to be something unusual about her.

"We already have extensive information on Yue Leiting. He’s suspected of trafficking national relics, running illegal gambling operations, and associating with foreign criminal organizations, posing a severe threat to public order and stability." As Fang Yanan spoke, she placed Yue Leiting’s file in front of Xiao Lianshan and me.