Chapter 191: Li Qian

"What nonsense are you all talking about?"

Just then, a familiar woman’s voice called out from the crowd.

Lu Bai looked toward the source of the voice and saw Li Yue’er looking his way.

This time, Li Yue’er wasn’t with her martial uncles. It seemed she had come alone.

Today, Li Yue’er wasn’t wearing her Danding Temple Daoist Robe. Instead, she had changed into a light green blouse that resembled the tender shoots of early spring. The outfit made her seem less ethereal and profound, and more approachable and sweet, like the girl next door.

Li Yue’er raised her voice. "Young Master Lu is appraising treasures for free. He doesn’t charge any money, regardless of whether the item is real or fake. How is that swindling?"

Hearing this, the crowd nodded to themselves.

She had a point. Even if Lu Bai made a mistake, it wasn’t like anyone had lost anything.

"Some ignorant girl,"

Master Liu’s expression darkened. He sneered, "Even if the appraisal is free, one can’t just spout nonsense and call a deer a horse!"

"It’s not that serious."

Li Yue’er frowned. "If you don’t believe him, then just forget it. You can always pay another Treasure Appraiser to have it re-examined."

At this, Li Yue’er seemed to recall something. She let out a soft "Hmph!" and retorted, "You’re the one who’s ignorant!"

"I really don’t know how your parents raised you! You have no manners at all!"

Master Liu snorted coldly. "This young man’s skills are shoddy. He can’t even recognize true value. He calls a genuine article a new coin, slanders an innocent person’s name, and still shows no remorse."

"The appraisal business requires integrity and a clear conscience. How can it be treated like a child’s game!"

"That Red Emperor Mother Coin *is* new."

Lu Bai looked at Master Liu and said calmly, "You’re not ignorant. You’re shameless."

Ordinarily, Lu Bai wouldn’t have bothered to respond, let alone explain.

But now that Li Yue’er had stood up for him only to be bullied by this Master Liu, he couldn’t just stand by and do nothing.

"You..."

Master Liu was about to start cursing, but he quickly caught himself. Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, he had to act in a manner befitting his status as a master. He forcefully swallowed the rest of his insult.

"Let me have a look."

Just then, a voice as smooth as jade spoke up from the crowd.

The crowd turned toward the voice, their eyes widening in surprise as they automatically parted to form a path.

A middle-aged man strode forward. He was strikingly handsome, with a spirited gaze, and there was a slight resemblance to Li Yue’er in his features.

Though he wore a simple blue robe, every movement spoke of an extraordinary bearing.

It wasn’t long before someone in the crowd recognized him.

The Wu Dynasty’s Third-Grade Marquis, a True Master of the Martial Dao, Li Qian!

"The Marquis is here."

"I’ve heard that Marquis Li is a collector of such items and is an expert in the field."

"That’s right. Marquis Li’s eye for these things is a cut above even the Treasure Appraisers from the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion."

The crowd buzzed with discussion.

"Dad."

Li Yue’er called out, her voice bright and clear.

The onlookers were merely surprised, clicking their tongues in amazement.

But as for Master Liu, that single word sent a shiver through his entire body, and his face paled.

’This girl is Marquis Li’s daughter?’

’And I just called her ignorant?’

’I think I also said she had no manners, that her parents hadn’t raised her well...’

Master Liu swallowed hard, his back already drenched in sweat.

"Greetings, Marquis."

Lu Bai rose and bowed with his hands clasped.

He’d been in Jingzhou City for a while, but this was the first time he had seen the Third-Grade Marquis in person.

Li Qian nodded at him.

"Bring it here. Let me see it."

Li Qian walked up to Master Liu and held out his hand, his gaze as sharp as a blade.

Master Liu averted his eyes, not daring to meet Li Qian’s gaze. He instinctively glanced toward Fang Jingchen.

Fang Jingchen tilted his head back to gaze at the sky, clearly having no intention of getting involved.

"I invite the Marquis to inspect it."

Steeling himself, Master Liu could only hand over the Red Emperor Mother Coin with trembling hands.

Li Qian took the coin and merely glanced at it with narrowed eyes. He already knew the truth.

"You’re saying this Red Emperor Mother Coin is authentic?"

Li Qian asked slowly, his eyes fixed on Master Liu.

"I... I..."

Master Liu looked flustered. He was momentarily speechless, unsure of how to explain himself.

Li Qian casually tossed the Red Emperor Mother Coin onto the table. It landed with a dull thud. "Since when," he said, "did Treasure Appraisers from the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion start calling a deer a horse and passing off black as white?"

His words instantly sent an uproar through the crowd!

Lu Bai had said the coin was a fake.

Master Liu had appraised it as authentic.

And now, unexpectedly, Li Qian himself had appeared and declared it a fake!

In the minds of the crowd, Li Qian was clearly the more credible authority.

Master Liu hastily explained, "Please calm your anger, Marquis. It must be that my skills are lacking and I made a mistake. This has nothing to do with the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion."

This sudden reversal immediately caused the clamor from the crowd to grow even louder.

"Marquis Li, what’s the verdict on the coin? Is it real or fake? What are your reasons?"

"Looks like this ancient coin really is a controversial piece."

"There’s no controversy at all!"

Li Qian picked up the Red Emperor Mother Coin again, holding it up for all to see. He spoke slowly, "The patina on this fake coin is superficial. It was buried for no more than three months, and the rest was created with an acid wash."

"The Vermilion Bird engraving is also quite stiff and lacks any life. The mold was clearly carved recently; the lines are weak and lack power."

"As for the surface luster, it’s an even bigger fake. It might fool a layman, but that’s all."

"Furthermore, the sound the copper coin made when it fell on the table was extremely dull—a far cry from an authentic coin."

Li Qian laid out the reasons for his judgment one by one. His explanation was logical, well-supported, and simple enough for anyone to follow.

Even the laymen in the crowd could understand most of what he was saying.

Then, Li Qian produced another coin from his robes. He placed the two coins side by side and announced in a clear voice, "As luck would have it, I happen to be carrying an authentic Red Emperor Mother Coin. Everyone, take a look. The difference between them is easy to see."

Those at the very front of the crowd could get a clear view.

The people in the back, however, couldn’t see a thing and began to push and shove, trying to get closer.

"Everyone, please be quiet. You only need to listen to the sound."

Li Qian held up his hands, gesturing for quiet.

Within a few breaths, the noisy and chaotic crowd fell silent.

Countless pairs of eyes were all fixed on Li Qian.

Then, he suddenly released his grip. The authentic Red Emperor Mother Coin fell onto the table in front of Lu Bai, making a crisp, pleasant ringing sound.

The crowd’s eyes lit up.

Even a layman could hear the immense difference.

The fake coin’s sound was extremely dull.

The sound of the True Coin, however, was crisp, with a resonance that seemed to linger in the air.

Li Qian had provided a logical explanation and then produced his own authentic piece for a direct comparison in front of everyone. Nothing could be more convincing.

"This is rather strange."

Li Qian’s gaze fell upon Master Liu. "With your eye," he said slowly, "and your qualifications and experience in the appraisal business, you shouldn’t have failed to see that this coin was a fake."

"I... I... perhaps I’ve been too tired lately. I must have misjudged."

Master Liu was already drenched in sweat. His face was bright red as he bowed repeatedly. "My apologies, my apologies! It was my mistake."

Li Qian smiled faintly. His gaze shifted, landing on Fang Jingchen. He raised a sharp eyebrow and said, "You must be Captain Fang of the Fujiao Gang. Don’t forget to take your fake coin."