Reborn As Super Heiress

Chapter 1846: Chapter 1749: Another Inkstone

Unexpectedly, attending a banquet at the Li Family’s place helped unravel a lingering puzzle in her heart, which brought Huo Sining great delight, and made her feel a bit of gratitude toward Li Hang for that.

If it weren’t for this guy actively provoking her, insisting on competing with her in antique appraisal, Huo Sining probably wouldn’t have had the chance to come into contact with this She Inkstone, so truth be told, Huo Sining felt like she owed him a thank you.

Thinking this, Huo Sining’s gaze fell on the two notches of the She Inkstone.

Although she could already confirm that the inkstone in front of her was that legendary piece, she still couldn’t figure out why both inkstones coincidentally had two damaged notches. If you were to call this a coincidence, Huo Sining definitely wouldn’t believe it.

So, Huo Sining’s eyes returned to the inkstone, inspecting it carefully from top to bottom. She had a sense that maybe she had missed some detail.

Upon a closer look, Huo Sining indeed discovered something else.

Under the Heavenly Eye, the two things covering the Kylin and Gold Star Ornamentation were similar in size and shape to the two notched pieces on the other side of the inkstone that had been broken!

The two notched pieces were clearly glued on with something. To the naked eye, it looked as if they had been deliberately carved that way, but under the Heavenly Eye, Huo Sining clearly saw a thin layer of substance under those two notched pieces, which should be a highly adhesive gluey material.

However, when Huo Sining tried to pry it with her hand, she couldn’t get it off.

Huo Sining could conclude that these two notches were not accidentally broken; they were deliberately damaged.

No one would idle around and damage a perfectly good ancient inkstone unless they were trying to cover up something unspeakable.

Huo Sining, being in antique appraisal, naturally knew about the Hidden Mist technique. Many antiques in the country often have some kind of hidden features, never revealing their true appearance to the world. To see their real face often requires solid expertise and keen insight.

However, after coming across many such surprises, Huo Sining had developed a certain level of experience and skill. An object that’s openly displayed might not raise concerns, but if it’s covered or concealed in any way, there’s surely something questionable.

The inkstone concealed precisely the ornamentation on its surface, so the issue lies in those Kylin and Gold Star Ornamentations. And the person who damaged the She Inkstone was an expert in the field, for they managed to take two notched pieces from the inkstone, glue them back onto the ornamentation, and cover the carving ornamentation without it showing any signs of damage. If it weren’t for Huo Sining’s detection and analysis using the Heavenly Eye, the issue might not have been apparent at all.

This kind of skill isn’t something just anyone could achieve, and the ingenuity displayed was something even Huo Sining had to admire.

Though she couldn’t understand the mindset of the She Inkstone’s owner to intentionally damage it, whether for good or bad reasons, Huo Sining, with her curious spirit, was determined to get to the bottom of it.

With that pen and this inkstone in hand, Huo Sining felt confident about the weight of her collection. However, as she needed to pick three items, she didn’t rush. Instead, she took one more lap around the room, and finally, following Li Hang’s example, she selected a Bronze Incense Burner that matched the pair of porcelains he had chosen, timing it just right for half an hour.

With a bright and cheerful smile, Huo Sining walked out of the room, handed the items to Butler Li, and then spiritedly returned to the banquet hall.

By this time, the banquet had ended, but everyone was waiting to see the contest between Huo Sining and Li Hang, so everyone remained quietly seated in their respective places, showing no intention of leaving.

Huo Sining also returned to her seat and sat down. On the other side, Adrian and Windsor Reed, upon seeing her, inquired about her situation with concern, and even Li Jun and Yue Shuwen eagerly came over to her and asked, ”How did it go?”

Huo Sining shrugged with a smile, ”I did my best, but whether I win or not depends on which side Heaven is on.”

Li Jun didn’t believe Huo Sining for a moment because he couldn’t see a hint of nervousness or panic in her eyes. Ever since he knew Huo Sining, she always gave him the impression of being fully confident and in control, just like now, smiling calmly and gracefully, as if nothing in the world could make her flustered.

”Miss Huo, don’t belittle yourself like that. We all believe in your skills and look forward to you crushing your opponent!”

Adrian cheered Huo Sining, and even the Windsor father and son beside him stared at her with a trusting gaze.

Huo Sining smiled and turned her gaze to the other side, looking at Li Hang, who was already poised and seemingly impatient.

Butler Li had already set up the stage, which was right in the center of the banquet table. On top were two tables, each with the three items chosen by Huo Sining and Li Hang, covered with Red Silk Ribbon, making it unclear what the items underneath were.

As Huo Sining took half an hour to pick antiques, Li Hang seemed a bit impatient. Seeing Huo Sining emerge, he couldn’t wait to urge her, ”Miss Huo, let’s not waste time, let’s start now!”

Huo Sining nodded in agreement, and on the side, Butler Li gestured to the staff, who rang a bell and then inverted an hourglass nearby.

”This hourglass measures half an hour. After half an hour, the time for both of you to observe and record your appraisal results ends. Then you’ll announce your results in front of everyone, by which the present audience will judge.”

Huo Sining and Li Hang nodded, and both walked towards the central location. Each uncovered the Red Silk Ribbon covering their items, revealing the three items on the tables to the audience.

Upon seeing the three items selected by Li Hang, the audience erupted in amazement, clearly indicating the fine quality of these items exceeded everyone’s expectations.

The Blue and White Porcelain Plum Vase wasn’t too surprising, but the Dahongpao Chicken Blood Stone Square Seal was indeed eye-catching. Its coloration and transparency were rare and exquisite, and truly no one who recognized such a stamp could remain indifferent.

However, most of the audience were foreign guests with limited knowledge about Chicken Blood Stone, so their attention was primarily focused on the last item.