Chapter 095

Chapter 095

Perhaps traveling abroad with her daughter helped her avoid seeing or hearing about Ming Hui's scandals. Coupled with good food, good sleep, and enjoyable activities, her bitterness dissipated somewhat. Now, with the company of a handsome young man, she had even gained some weight.

Some people become unattractive when they gain weight, while others look better with a little extra weight.

He Xuan was the latter.

Having gained about ten pounds, her face seemed fuller, making her cheekbones less prominent, and her smile lines and crow's feet less noticeable. Her thin red lips were glossy, and she wore a fitted, bright blue sleeveless cheongsam with embroidered patterns, radiating charm.

She looked at least ten years younger now.

Previously, she appeared to be nearly fifty, but now she looked no older than forty, closer to her real age.

What does it mean when one's appearance reflects their inner state?

This was it.

Not only did she no longer seem harsh, but she also finally exuded the grace of a noblewoman, with kind eyes and an elegant demeanor.

Now, this was more like the daughter of Mr. He!

To be honest, when Lu Mingzhu ran into her at the antique store, she almost didn't recognize her.

It was only when He Xuan called out to her that Lu Mingzhu realized it was her.

By this time, it was already the end of July. Lu Mingzhu, tired of waiting for Xie Junyao to return, decided to visit the second-hand market recommended by the pawnshop employee, accompanied by her bodyguards. The market was basically a cluster of antique shops.

Most of the goods came from various pawnshops, while others were put up for sale or collected by the shops themselves.

Lu Mingzhu had looked into it beforehand. The pawnshop industry in Hong Kong was booming, with hundreds of pawnshops of all sizes. Almost every day, items that had been forfeited or unredeemed flowed into the corresponding second-hand markets, but the most valuable items were a stroke of luck.

Just because goods came in daily didn't mean they were valuable.

So, when the employee of Tongchang Pawnshop told Lu Mingzhu and Xie Junyao that there would be good items on a certain date, it was certain they would be valuable. Each piece was worth at least 50,000 Hong Kong dollars, with some possibly even hundreds of thousands.

As a result, many people came to the second-hand market to hunt for treasures.

"I'm here to learn more. Sister Xuan, what brings you here?" Lu Mingzhu asked curiously.

He Xuan smiled softly, "Dad has recently taken an interest in collecting antique paintings and calligraphy works. Ah Gui mentioned that a batch of items that were either unredeemed or forfeited had shown up here, so I came to take a look."

"Ah Gui?" Lu Mingzhu wondered if he was one of the handsome bodyguards Ming Yue had arranged to accompany her.

Indeed, He Xuan pointed to the handsome young man beside her and introduced him, "Ah Gui used to be Dad's bodyguard. Ah Yue asked him to come and protect me. He's from Nanyang and is very articulate and capable."

Lu Mingzhu smiled slightly, "That's good."

Given the norms of the time, physical intimacy wasn't necessary, but with the company of a handsome man and his sweet words, He Xuan's mood had visibly improved.

Lu Mingzhu glanced at him a few times, approving of Ming Yue's taste.

While his looks were not quite as striking as Ming Hui's, he made up for it with his youthful vigor.

They entered the same antique shop, where countless second-hand items were displayed on counters and shelves, a diverse yet orderly collection.

There weren't many customers in the shop.

The very wealthy preferred to buy new items and had little interest in second-hand goods. Only those with more modest means frequented the second-hand market, and it was often these people who hunted for treasures.

There are also middlemen who buy at low prices here and resell at high prices.

However, most ordinary people look at ordinary goods.

The employee said lazily, "Distinguished guests, feel free to look around and pick whatever you like. Our store only accepts items from major pawnshops worth over ten thousand Hong Kong dollars. There are no cheap goods here."

Lu Mingzhu took a quick glance, and it was true!

Just the watch counter alone was dazzling, filled with diamond-studded watches from all major brands, including Rolex, Patek Philippe, Omega, and more.

There were also cheap locally produced timepieces from Hong Kong, presumably products from the diamond tycoon's family, which became a hundred times more valuable once diamonds were added.

As for their actual value? It was very low.

Lu Mingzhu didn't like wearing pre-owned watches or buying them for her family. When it came to collecting, why not go for antique paintings and calligraphy works instead of spending hundreds of thousands on watches that lock up so much capital?

Yet, these were easy finds, and the few customers who came in were all flocking to the watch counter, eagerly picking out watches.

Skipping the watch counter, Lu Mingzhu headed over to look at antique paintings and calligraphy.

Although there were genuine works by ancient masters, she wasn't willing to spend tens of thousands on something she could buy for far less at Liuli Chang.

So, Lu Mingzhu focused only on items that were worth their price.

Everything was clearly priced.

Soon, Lu Mingzhu noticed a genuine Mi Fu piece priced at 20,000 Hong Kong dollars. As she examined it, she noticed a landscape painting by Tang Bohu priced at 50,000 Hong Kong dollars, slightly smaller than the one He Yun had bought and donated. Beside it was an authentic piece by Wu Changshuo.

The employee caught her eye and smiled, "The one next to it is a free gift if you buy this Tang Bohu piece."

He added, "Purchase an ancient masterpiece, and you’ll get a modern one for free."

Mainly because they lacked expertise and just added a markup to the pawn price without getting an appraisal.

The pawnshop aimed to recoup its interest.

However, these items hadn’t been moving, and they planned to sell them to various antique dealers soon.

Diamond watches and jewelry were always the best sellers.

Lu Mingzhu was inwardly delighted but kept her expression neutral. She smiled and said, "That's a real steal."

She bought Tang Bohu's landscape painting and passed it to He Xuan, saying, noticing He Xuan’s surprised expression, "Last time in the capital, my teacher had my godfather buy an ancient painting, only to donate it later. I felt guilty, so now that I’ve found this one—though not as impressive—it’s still by Tang Bohu. I'll give it to my godfather."

He Xuan declined, "Wait until Dad comes back, you can give it to him yourself."

Lu Mingzhu took it back and asked, "Sister Xuan, what have you chosen? Let me help you appraise it."

"Alright!" He Xuan pointed at several pieces of antique paintings and calligraphy.

She knew Lu Mingzhu had an excellent eye.

Lu Mingzhu looked them over and only picked a Ru kiln brush washer for her, "The others aren't worth much."

One of the paintings was even a forgery.

She felt like the trip was wasted.

It's not that there aren't good items, but the prices are just too steep.

With the same amount of money, you could get two to three times as much at Liuli Chang.

Despite the steep prices, Lu Mingzhu shelled out a hefty 400,000 Hong Kong dollars for two calligraphy scrolls, four paintings, and a porcelain piece, all for their cultural value.

Her wincing expression amused He Xuan.

She said, "I'll cover it for you."

Lu Mingzhu quickly responded, "Thanks, but I’ve got it covered. Do you have your eye on any antique paintings or calligraphy?"

He Xuan shook her head, "I don’t know much about this, so you pick for me."

"If you’ve got time, let the bodyguards take you to Liuli Chang. I can point you to some trustworthy antique shops," Lu Mingzhu considerately suggested.

It’d also help boost the country’s foreign exchange.

She whispered in He Xuan's ear, "There aren’t many antique paintings or calligraphy works here, and few are worth the price. I pay top dollar because I’m worried the country’s cultural relics might end up overseas."

He Xuan lit up, "I’ll head out on a trip tomorrow!"

Staying in Hong Kong without seeing Ming Hui is just plain dull.

With He Yun gone, Ming Hui doesn’t even bother pretending, especially since he finds He Xuan’s aging, plain looks unappealing.

He Xuan hasn’t laid eyes on Ming Hui since she got back.

Afraid Ming Yue might grab power, he holes up at the company by day, sneaks off to his mistress’s at night, and only occasionally dines with Ming Heng and his mom, never bothering to come home to his wife.

Now, with the bodyguards singing her praises daily, He Xuan had a sudden epiphany.

She’s got money and her dad—why tie herself to just one man?

Especially since Ming Hui’s eyes aren’t as sharp as they used to be; years of overindulgence have left him looking worn out.

Lu Mingzhu linked arms with her, "Ming Yue’s sharp and capable—you just kick back and enjoy life. The rest of the antique paintings and calligraphy aren’t worth your time, and there aren’t many anyway. Let’s check out the jewelry."

She zeroed in on the antique jewelry.

At first glance, she picked out a pair of modest, poorly cut ruby and sapphire hairpins, ruby earrings, and gold bracelets studded with rubies and sapphires—all vintage pieces totaling 14,500 Hong Kong dollars.

They were straight out of the Ming dynasty court.

He Xuan glanced around but didn’t spot anything she fancied. "Mingzhu, let’s get a jeweler to whip up some custom pieces tomorrow. Skip these hand-me-downs—they’re not like antique paintings or calligraphy."

Lu Mingzhu smiled and nodded, "I’ll grab a couple more."

She picked out antique jewelry—the kind you’d see in a treasure museum—and the prices weren’t bad.

The rest didn’t catch her eye.

After leaving the second-hand shop, He Xuan headed to Wan Gu Department Store with her dashing bodyguards in tow, while Lu Mingzhu stuck around to scour other second-hand stores.

There must be cheap bargains to be found.

Some items have low pawn prices, and the prices at second-hand stores are certainly not high, no need to focus on the pawnshop employee's claim of a 50,000 ceiling for items actually worth hundreds of thousands.

Those are often watches and jewelry.

And these are things Lu Mingzhu has in abundance, so there's no need to buy second-hand items to wear.

Indeed, Lu Mingzhu bought a pair of antique porcelain at an extremely low price in a second-hand store, and also bought a piece of Chai kiln porcelain, which was claimed to be a Republic of China replica but was actually authentic.

At that time, many people didn't recognize the value of such items.

Lu Mingzhu felt a surge of excitement.

The trip wasn't in vain after all.

Next, she scored some great deals at ordinary second-hand stores.

After a day of shopping and spending over a million Hong Kong dollars, Lu Mingzhu decided to call it a day. She was waiting for Xie Junyao to return and accompany her to the capital, Shanghai, to buy antiques, so she couldn't waste any more time here.

Converted to over a hundred thousand dollars, how many treasures could she find at Liuli Chang?

Considering the cultural significance, she felt compelled to spend.

Because some of these items later ended up overseas in foreign museums, leaving countless Chinese visitors sighing in regret, so the money spent was well worth it.

It's quite a paradox when you think about it.

She sighed.

As she was checking out at the last second-hand store she visited, she suddenly saw something very familiar to her former self and couldn't help but fix her gaze on it.

It was a bracelet of translucent green jade beads, dangling from the shop owner's wrist.

Lu Mingzhu had noticed it earlier, but the shop owner's long-sleeved floral shirt had obscured the jade bracelet, making it only partially visible. She didn't pay much attention until the owner reached out to take the money, and the bracelet slipped out of the sleeve, revealing its full beauty.

Eighteen beads in total.

It was an old Qing Dynasty imperial artifact, a string of eighteen jade beads, uneven in color with visible color roots, interspersed with four peach-red tourmaline beads, and adorned with a matching tourmaline pendant and two teardrop-shaped drops.

The value wasn't the point; what mattered was that it once belonged to a godmother from her past life.

Her husband's family, the Zhous, were a scholarly family.

Lu Mingzhu seized the shop owner's wrist, "This bracelet is stunning, is it for sale?"

The owner was startled, "Yes!"

The owner quoted a fair price, and Lu Mingzhu didn't hesitate to pay, "Do you remember where this bracelet came from? I feel it has some history."

The shop owner smiled, "It was something from Tongchang Pawnshop that wasn't redeemed a few years ago. There were many items, but with our limited funds, we only got a few, and this is the last one left."

Lu Mingzhu took note.

After leaving the second-hand store, she went to Tongchang Pawnshop.

Looking at the jade bracelet Lu Mingzhu brought, and hearing her say it was an old item of her godmother, the manager was willing to help trace its origin since it was an unredeemed item.

After half an hour of checking, he told Lu Mingzhu, "This was a pledge five years ago, along with dozens of other jewelry and antiques, as a live pledge for one year, but no one came to redeem it when it was due, so we sold it to the second-hand market."

"Do you remember who pawned it?" Lu Mingzhu was very concerned about her godmother.

The manager looked down at the records, "It was a man named Zhou Wenyuan. At that time, the Japanese had just withdrawn from Hong Kong not long ago, leaving a mess, and the price for live pledges wasn't high, only 10,000 dollars."

"He's my godbrother," Lu Mingzhu said.

She thanked the shopkeeper and immediately asked her bodyguards to investigate the whereabouts of her godmother of the Zhou family.

Several years had passed, and she wasn’t sure if they could still find any clues.

The godmother of her original self was also her responsibility.

After returning home, Lu Mingzhu organized the items she had purchased and stored them in an underground storage room covering over ten thousand square meters.

After admiring them briefly, she returned to her study.

The Hong Kong Daily had sent her sample issues and a remittance slip, increasing her payment rate to 15 yuan per thousand words.

The reason was simple—sales had gone up.

As Lu Mingzhu reviewed the sample issues, many citizens were also reading the Hong Kong Daily. They didn't have time during the day, but at night they could enjoy reading "The Blade Master."

With a daily serialization of five to six thousand words, yesterday's installment featured the young man Golden Phoenix admired returning to his sect with his new wife, Golden Lingzhi.

Many readers were eagerly anticipating Golden Phoenix's reaction upon discovering the truth.

Mrs. Wang, peering through her reading glasses, pointed at the newspaper and said, "From the very beginning, I knew Golden Phoenix's stepmother had ulterior motives. In an era where daughters could wield swords and spears, why would she be confined to an embroidery tower? How did the maid so easily buy those popular novels? When I saw Golden Lingzhi marry Golden Phoenix's fiancé, everything clicked. This was about marrying into a prestigious family, seizing the dowry of the original wife, and ousting the legitimate daughter from the household."

Killing multiple birds with one stone.

Lu Mingzhu didn’t spell out the stepmother’s schemes but let the plot reveal them, leaving readers to piece things together.

Golden Phoenix's reaction was just as everyone had anticipated.

First came shock, then sorrow, and finally a sudden realization.

After several months of training at the Great Blade Sect, she was no longer the naive girl from the boudoir.

Many readers expected her to seek revenge—against her stepmother, Golden Lingzhi, and to win back the young man she once loved, her former fiancé. Instead, they saw her focusing on self-betterment.

Three years later, she finished her training and left the mountain, where she met a young man in black who only had eyes for her.

Though she remained aloof, the young man in black ardently pursued her, joining her as she beheaded bandit leaders, took in the scenery, and aided the poor, living out the chivalrous ideals she once cherished.

The story hadn't yet reached these parts in the serialization, but Lu Mingzhu had already written about the northern invaders sweeping south, unstoppable, defeating two hundred thousand border troops and wreaking havoc after breaching the gates.

Thirteen cities fell one after another.

The Grand Marshal of the Empire and all the men who followed him into battle perished, except for the youngest son, Liu Ruolan, who was training at the Great Blade Sect.

Overwhelmed by grief, Liu Ruolan, despite his wife's objections, entrusted his son to the Great Blade Sect and resolutely headed to the border. There, he discovered that his junior sister, Golden Phoenix, had already become a capable leader in the army. When they met, she had just returned from battle, covered in blood, looking like a demon.

Yet, the hastily assembled soldiers praised her highly.

She was the first martial artist to arrive, volunteering to join the army.

On her first day, she infiltrated enemy lines dressed as one of them, killing countless foes and bringing back the head of an enemy general.

The young man in black, who accompanied her, devised brilliant strategies, helping her lead a small group of soldiers to victory against larger forces, repeatedly defeating small units of northern invaders and rescuing civilians from peril.

Though she was a blade master, the people hailed her as the Goddess of Mercy.

The merciful and compassionate Guanyin.

Immediately after, the Broadsword Clan and numerous other martial sects mobilized en masse, heading to the border to defend against foreign invaders, living and eating alongside the soldiers, never retreating.

This battle lasted a full five years.

At the cost of hundreds of thousands of soldiers and nearly ten thousand martial artists, the originally million-strong Northern Rong army was reduced to just two hundred thousand, fleeing in panic back to the grasslands.

Upon triumphant return to the capital, the emperor rewarded the heroes.

Jin Fenghuang (whose name evokes the mythical Fenghuang, akin to a phoenix in Chinese culture), citing the sacrifice of her master and her need to return to inherit the Broadsword Clan, politely declined the emperor's decree to appoint her as a first-rank female general. She only requested the return of her biological mother's dowry, which she then sold, distributing the proceeds along with the ten thousand taels of gold awarded by the emperor to the families of the fallen soldiers.

Her maternal grandfather had once been immensely wealthy, with her mother as his only daughter, and the dowry amounted to millions of taels.

As Liu Ruolan watched in astonishment, she and the young man in black slowly exited the palace, bathed in the afterglow, heading towards their own world of rivers and lakes, to witness the cycles of blooming and fading flowers together.

She was, and always would be, a swordswoman.

Lu Mingzhu became more and more engrossed in her writing, so much so that she couldn't stop, staying at home without stepping out, writing all the way to the conclusion in one breath, until she received news about her godmother's location.