Chapter 143: Paying a Fortune for a Dagger

"What?" Yan Family Patriarch was even more puzzled.

"Lao Yan, if you think this thing is inauspicious, why not just give it to me?"

Song Lao's eyes flashed with brilliance, clutching the dagger as if protecting a treasure, unwilling to let go.

"How about I trade you my family's Ming‑dynasty Han Qiufeng inkstone?"

Song Lao's words instantly shocked everyone present.

What?

Song Lao actually wants to trade the Ming‑dynasty calligrapher Han Qiufeng's inkstone for a cheap dagger?

That's just too exaggerated, right?

Yan Family Patriarch watched the excited Song Lao, still not understanding why this unremarkable dagger could make his old friend so delighted.

"Lao Yan, didn't you earlier want the inkstone in my hand? Let's use this chance to swap now."

Xu Tian saw the venerable Song Lao holding the dagger, delighted like a child, also looking bewildered. Qian Qian Chao Shuo

He had bought this dagger for only ten thousand yuan from that mysterious woman, and no matter what, it couldn't compare to a Ming‑dynasty master's inkstone, right?

"Lao Yan, since you have no objection, it's settled. I'll have someone deliver that inkstone to you tomorrow." Song Lao gripped the dagger tightly, intending to take it away right after the banquet ended.

Yan Family Patriarch didn't know what significance the dagger held, but he wasn't foolish; he immediately realized that a dagger that could make Song Lao value it so highly couldn't be ordinary, so he said:

"Not swapping."

"You don't like it, so why not swap?"

Song Lao refused to return the dagger: "How about I give you the Wanli Landscape Painting from my collection?"

Sss!

Sss!

Around them, a series of sharp inhalations echoed.

Song Lao, for a single dagger, was even willing to trade both the Han Qiufeng inkstone and the Wanli Landscape Painting.

Then how valuable could this dagger be?

Even the most dull guests around could now see that this seemingly ordinary dagger was certainly not simple.

"Lao Yan, don't be fooled by Old Song; he's a scavenger who never misses a thing. This dagger hides a secret mechanism."

Another elder beside Yan Family Patriarch suddenly spoke up with a warning.

"I won't swap." Yan Family Patriarch's expression remained blank, and it was unclear whether he truly didn't want to swap or was merely cautious after the elder's reminder.

"Really not swapping?"

Song Lao replied regretfully, "Consider it again, will you?"

Yan Family Patriarch said sternly, "This was given by my grandson; I won't exchange it for anything."

Xu Tian's mouth twitched slightly at the words, thinking that Yan Family Patriarch seemed very worried that Song Lao might actually snatch the dagger, and had come up with a reason the other side couldn't refute.

He had only just met Yan Family Patriarch today, with no real bond, and he didn't believe the other would cherish a gift he gave so much.

Now, Yan Family Patriarch's firm refusal to trade with Song Lao was simply because Song Lao's desire for the dagger was too obvious, making a clever person see that there must be another reason.

Regardless of Yan Family Patriarch's true motive, his words served as acknowledgment of Xu Tian's status to the other guests.

When they looked at Xu Tian again, their gazes held a hint more of envy.

Song Lao had originally wanted to argue further, but since Yan Family Patriarch said that, he didn't feel like saying anything more.

In the end, he reluctantly placed the dagger back into its box.

Afterward, the elders around Yan Family Patriarch scrambled to examine the dagger Xu Tian had given.

But no matter how they studied it, they couldn't discern any significance.

That was understandable, since among these elders only Song Lao had the highest cultural attainment and the best knowledge of antiques.

Next was Yan Family Patriarch; although he also liked collecting antiquities, his experience didn't match Song Lao's, so he couldn't see the dagger's hidden mechanism, and the others fared even worse.

Seeing the atmosphere grow heavy, Song Lao couldn't help but try to lighten the mood.

"Yan Family Patriarch, this kid gives such a grand gift on the first meeting; he's not even a grandson, he's better than a biological one. How could I not meet such a considerate junior? If you won't part with the dagger, why not hand this kid over to me?"

"You certainly have a good calculation."

Yan Family Patriarch glared at Song Lao, but a hint of smugness appeared on his face.

"Old Song, stop beating around the bush. What secret does the dagger Xu Tian gave actually have?" an elder nearby asked curiously.

Yan Family Patriarch perked up at the words, waiting for Song Lao's answer.

Not only these elders, but also all the guests present today were now extremely curious about the dagger's origin.

Song Lao, seeing the crowd's thirst for knowledge, instead began to tease, taking off his reading glasses, picking up the tea cup before him, and leisurely sipping his tea.

"Old Song, go ahead and tell us!"

The elder, being impatient, snatched the tea cup from Song Lao's hand and pressed further.

"This dagger dates back to the Warring States period."

Song Lao, though his cup was taken, wasn't angry; instead, he cast a mysterious glance at the nearby elders, then deliberately lowered his voice and asked, "Have you heard of the Golden Armor General?"

"Golden Armor General?"

A gaunt white‑bearded elder replied.

"It is said to be a Zhao State general from the Warring States era, famed for his bravery, and this dagger was one of the Golden Armor General's favorite weapons."

"Previously at the Europe Auction, a Chinese exhibitor displayed a family‑heirloom treasure as the finale: the Golden Armor General's dagger. Yet, according to that Chinese's memory, the heirloom daggers were a pair, and one was inadvertently lost during the wartime turmoil."

"I happened to be at that auction and was fortunate enough to authenticate the genuine piece, which matches exactly the one in Lao Yan's hand. It's an unparalleled treasure!"

Yan Family Patriarch's gaze flickered, and his fingertips trembled.

He was an antique‑collecting enthusiast, but with limited experience, he had bought many forgeries; the most precious genuine items at home were only a few late‑Qing porcelain bottles, the rest being Republican‑era pieces—valuable, but not greatly so.

He examined the dagger once more; initially he had found the thing inauspicious, but now he considered it the best congratulatory gift he had ever received in his life.

On the other side, Zhang Yuzhen and Su Weixin stared dumbfounded at the broken dagger they had despised, not expecting that this rusted piece of copper and iron was actually a treasure.

"But didn't Xu Tian just say that this thing wasn't given by him? Could we have gotten it wrong?"

Zhang Yuzhen never wants Xu Tian to hog the spotlight, and when she tried to argue, Su Mingli yanked her back.

When she finished speaking, the surroundings suddenly fell into an instant of silence.