Chapter 94: She Would Never Let Mother Xiao Eat Leftovers

Bai Wei opened the wardrobe.

Inside, several items were placed.

Her eyes curved, and she smiled.

Xiao Moting understood, having sent the antiques over so quickly.

She could go and exchange them for money again.

She reached out and took the items Xiao Moting had sent out one by one.

"A ceramic basin, a porcelain vase, and an ancient book... Huh, what is this?"

From the wardrobe, Bai Wei discovered a square yellow brocade box and hurriedly took it out.

This yellow brocade box was quite old; the outer layer of brocade was already worn.

She carefully opened the brocade box, instantly holding her breath, and then gasped.

"How beautiful!"

Inside the brocade box, a magnificent headpiece was strikingly placed.

The headpiece was crafted from gold, with gold and silver threads woven into a lifelike peacock; the peacock's crest was made of kingfisher feathers, inlaid with pearls and gemstones, and hung with gold tassels inlaid with rubies.

Under the sunlight, the headpiece was brilliant and shining, incomparably gorgeous, yet it did not lose the elegance of classical Chinese style.

This was simply a magnificent crystallization of ancient art!

Bai Wei was so surprised she blinked repeatedly, "Xiao Moting, you actually found such a beautiful antique for me!"

She looked up and saw Xiao Moting's message.

"Shennü Daren, my mother, the Consort, thanks you, saying you saved her life."

"This Peacock Gold and Silver Headpiece was bestowed upon her by the Emperor when she was titled Consort."

"She had always kept it hidden at the bottom of a chest, and now she wants to give it to you."

Bai Wei held the headpiece, a surge of emotion welling up in her heart.

This headpiece must be the thing Consort Yun cherished most.

Consort Yun had been cast into the Cold Palace for so long that her life had long been destitute, and she could not even afford good medicine.

Yet even so, she could not bear to take this headpiece and sell it for money.

And now, Consort Yun had given it to her.

This Peacock Headpiece was not only valuable, but it also represented Consort Yun's gratitude toward her.

Therefore, Bai Wei would not sell it.

"I am gazing into the distance, above the moon..."

A familiar mobile phone ringtone rang out.

Bai Wei answered the phone.

As soon as it connected, Director Wu's excited voice came through the receiver.

"Miss Bai, didn't you say you wanted to bring some antiques for auction?"

"Have you arrived in the city? I am waiting for you in the office."

"I'll be there right away."

Bai Wei came back to her senses and hung up the phone.

After she asked Xiao Moting for items, she had contacted Director Wu of the Tianbao Auction House.

Upon hearing that she was coming to sell antiques again, the other party beamed with joy and immediately stated he would cancel all his work to wait for her in the office today.

Bai Wei packed the items away and drove the Recreational Vehicle toward the city.

While driving, she pondered.

There were quite a few antiques collected at home now, and although the Farm had installed surveillance and had security guards on duty.

Keeping so many antiques at home was still not reassuring.

It seemed she would have to build an underground Warehouse to store the collected antiques.

One hour later.

Bai Wei drove the Recreational Vehicle and stopped at the entrance of the Tianbao Auction House.

The manager had long been waiting outside with several staff members, and as soon as they saw her Recreational Vehicle, they respectfully stepped forward to welcome her.

"Miss Bai, Director Wu is already waiting for you inside."

Several staff members helped, carefully carrying the antiques into the VIP room.

In the VIP room sat Director Wu and three elderly experts.

Seeing the antiques carried in, they all held their breath, revealing expressions of amazement.

Bai Wei stood to the side with a smile, "Director Wu, could you estimate how much these antiques might fetch at auction?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the group had already crowded around, holding magnifying glasses and conducting an all-around inspection of the antiques.

"Tsk tsk, this White Porcelain Washbasin even has a picture of fish playing among lotus leaves painted on the bottom; in the world today, porcelain with this kind of pattern is quite rare, and the auction price will definitely not be lower than thirty million."

"This sweet white glazed peony-patterned vase is also preserved quite well, especially the condition; having gone through over a thousand years, it actually has no traces of erosion by time at all, I'm afraid it could fetch forty million."

The experts were busy appraising the washbasin and the vase, while the dusty ancient book was forgotten to the side.

Bai Wei pointed to it, "There is one more here."

Only then did Director Wu notice there was also an old book, and he couldn't help but frown.

"What is this..."

Before he could finish, an expert suddenly exclaimed in a trembling voice.

"It's an Ancient Chess Manual!"

As soon as the exclamation fell, the people in the VIP room immediately crowded around with a "whoosh."

Director Wu's expression changed, and he hurriedly put on Surgical Gloves, carefully lifting the ancient book.

His posture was as if he were holding something fragile.

"It's actually a Chess Manual!" Director Wu was both shocked and delighted, his voice changing, "And it's a Chess Manual written in the hand of Xie An himself; this is the only out-of-print copy in the whole world!"

Seeing how shocked the few people were, Bai Wei couldn't help but feel curious.

"Xie An? It wouldn't be that Chancellor from the Eastern Jin Dynasty, would it?"

"Exactly!" Director Wu beamed with joy, pointing his finger at the Ancient Chess Manual, "Look, it even has Xie An's personal inscription and seal on it!"

Bai Wei couldn't help but be dumbfounded as well.

She hadn't had time to look closely just now, but she hadn't expected that the old book Xiao Moting sent would be such a peerless treasure.

Xie An of the Eastern Jin Dynasty was a famous scholar in history and even an idol of Li Bai.

Even Wang Anshi's father had named his son 'Wang Anshi' because he admired Xie An.

It was just a pity that very few of Xie An's calligraphic works remained, and this was the only Chess Manual.

"Miss Bai, this Chess Manual is extremely valuable." Director Wu carefully placed the Chess Manual into an acid-free bag for preserving ancient books and spoke with a serious expression, "We cannot determine its value for the time being and must invite appraisal experts from Jingcheng to come and estimate it together."

"However, I guarantee you that the price of this Chess Manual will definitely not be lower than eight figures."

Bai Wei stood up.

"Alright, I will take the Chess Manual back first, and when the experts come to the city, I will bring it over again."

She handed the washbasin and vase to Director Wu to auction on her behalf.

The Chess Manual was too valuable, so she would take it back to keep it safe herself.

Leaving the auction house, Bai Wei headed straight to a security store, bought five of the most expensive safes in one go, and had the shop deliver them to the Farm.

Before the Warehouse was repaired, she would use the safes to store the antiques.

"Xiao Moting, I took the things you sent and sold them for money. When are you returning to Beijiang?"

"Shennü Daren, I cannot stay in Shengjing for long; I must leave in two days."

"Alright, I understand."

After Bai Wei finished chatting with Xiao Moting, she drove her Recreational Vehicle straight to the city's wholesale market.

Transportation in ancient times was inconvenient, and it was too difficult for Xiao Moting to make a trip to Shengjing.

The Cold Palace lacked clothing and food, so she had to buy a batch of supplies to send to Xiao Mama to stock up.

Consort Yun was in poor health and needed supplements.

But the eunuchs in the palace were accustomed to fawning over the powerful and trampling on the weak; they would never send her food to nourish her body.

Consort Yun was formerly an Embroidery Maid and had no prominent family background; after being cast into the Cold Palace, she was bullied even more by the people in the palace.

The meals sent to the Cold Palace were all leftovers and scraps, and she often went without meals.

It was truly too bullying!

She would not let Xiao Mama eat these leftovers ever again!