"ah--!"

Du Minghua let out a low, indignant roar, like a wounded wild beast.

He snatched the Tang tri-colored female figurine from Gu Zhongchen's hand, his eyes bloodshot, and raised it to smash it to the ground.

"I smashed it! I smashed this pile of fraudulent junk!"

I'm done! All these years have been a complete joke!

"Mr. Du, wait!"

Just as the Tang tri-colored pottery was about to make intimate contact with the ground, Zhou Yang's clear voice suddenly rang out.

Du Minghua's movements suddenly froze, and he turned to glare at Zhou Yang, "What are you doing?"

Zhou Yang walked over, his gaze lingering on the female figurine for a moment, a strange light flashing in his eyes.

"Mr. Du, this item is actually quite interesting to me. May I have the opportunity to examine it?"

Du Minghua was on the verge of collapse at this moment. Hearing this, he was stunned, but seeing that Zhou Yang's expression did not seem to be fake, the one in ten thousand chance in his heart resurfaced.

He was panting heavily as he handed over the female figurine, his voice hoarse.

"Here...I'll show you! Look! Anyway...it's all fake!"

Zhou Yang took the female figurine; it felt slightly heavy in his hand.

Unlike Gu Zhongchen, he didn't examine the glaze and body first. Instead, he turned the figurine over and carefully examined the base and some edges that are not easily noticed by ordinary people.

A moment later, he raised his head and said something astonishing: "Old Gu, Old Jin, Miss Gu, forgive my bluntness, but this Tang tri-colored female figurine is genuine!"

"What?!"

These words shocked everyone in the room!

Du Minghua's eyes widened, almost unable to believe his ears.

Gu Zhongchen frowned even more, took a step forward, and spoke with a hint of incomprehension and displeasure.

“Young friend Zhou, you are mistaken! I have been immersed in the appraisal of Tang tri-color pottery for decades, and many of the characteristics of this piece point to it being a fake without a doubt. How could you…”

Could it be that this young man has become a bit arrogant after making too many correct judgments in the past?

Jin Buhuan stroked his beard and slowly shook his head: "Yes, young friend Zhou, this tricolor pottery figurine does have a bit too much fire, unlike the calm and serene nature of unearthed artifacts."

A hint of doubt also appeared in Gu Huaiyue's cool eyes.

Although she already admired Zhou Yang's insight, this time, she was more inclined to believe her grandfather and Jin Buhuan's judgment.

Despite the questions raised by the three bigwigs, Zhou Yang remained calm.

He gently placed the female figurine on the table beside him and smiled calmly.

“Old Gu, you just said this is a fake, do you have any conclusive evidence?”

Gu Zhongchen was momentarily speechless at his question, then said in a deep voice, "My experience is the proof!"

"If you don't believe me, Mr. Du, have someone fetch a basin of clean water! I can demonstrate right here and now by immersing this figurine in the water."

"If it's truly an artificially aged fake, the soil and patina will emit a pungent chemical smell when it gets wet, or even some unclean... um, the stench of artificially aged feces!"

He looked at Zhou Yang and said, "At that time, the truth will be revealed, and my young friend will be convinced!"

That kid is too stubborn! He won't admit defeat until he's faced with certain death!

Zhou Yang waved his hand, a confident smile curving his lips: "No need for such trouble, Gu Lao."

"This junior dares to ask, in the authentication of Tang tri-color pottery, is there any evidence that can be considered a 'definitive proof'? I wonder if Elder Gu and Elder Jin would recognize the term 'Yinqiao Pian'?"

"Yinqiao tablets?!"

Gu Zhongchen nodded solemnly: "Of course we acknowledge it! 'Silver Flakes,' also known as 'Clam Shell Luster,' are unique flakes or dots of silvery-white light that naturally form on the glaze of Tang Sancai over thousands of years. They are as thin as cicada wings, with a warm luster, and look like silver flakes curling up. They cannot be imitated by human hands!"

“This is indeed the key to authenticating Tang tri-color pottery! However… I just examined this lady figurine closely and did not find any obvious ‘silver-petaled pieces’.”

Zhou Yang smiled slightly, extended his finger, and gently touched the inside of a very hidden fold in the skirt of the female figurine: "Then please take a closer look here, you three."

Gu Zhongchen, Jin Buhuan, and Gu Huaiyue immediately gathered around and focused intently on the direction Zhou Yang was pointing.

Sure enough, deep within that almost overlooked glaze fold, there were several unevenly distributed silvery-white spots, each the size of a sesame seed!

These light spots, when viewed from different angles under the light, will present a rainbow-like, ever-changing brilliance.

Thin and smooth, with a natural transition between the edges and the surrounding glaze, it carries an indescribable sense of antiquity and vicissitude, as if it has condensed a thousand years of time!

"This...this really is 'Yinqiao Tablets'!"

Gu Zhongchen gasped, his aged face filled with shock and disbelief.

"So well concealed, so lifelike... the color, the texture, it's something that modern technology can't possibly replicate! I... I was completely fooled!"

"We were so focused on criticizing its glaze color and heat that we overlooked this crucial piece of irrefutable evidence!"

His face burned with shame.

I'm getting old, my eyesight isn't what it used to be! I almost condemned a genuine artifact to death!

Jin Buhuan was also filled with shock, looking at Zhou Yang as if he were looking at a senior.

"Young friend Zhou...you...your eyesight is truly divine! We didn't even notice such a subtle detail! They say heroes emerge from among the young, and the ancients were right!"

Just who is this young man?

Such discernment is something even seasoned veterans like them, who have been immersed in this field for sixty years, might not be able to match!

Gu Huaiyue's usually cold eyes were now filled with a strange light as she gazed at Zhou Yang's profile, a feeling of indescribable admiration and curiosity welling up inside her.

Not only does he have exceptional eyesight, but his composure and confidence also far surpass those of his peers.

"Is...is it really true?!"

Du Minghua's mood at this moment was like riding a roller coaster, soaring from the bottom of the valley to the sky in an instant!

He grabbed Zhou Yang's hand, so excited he was almost incoherent, "Young friend Zhou! You're amazing! You're truly amazing! Thank you so much!"

"This has saved me from losing several million! I spent nearly three million to acquire this Tang tri-color pottery piece back then!"

"Now, it's worth at least eight or nine million!"

Zhou Yang gently withdrew his hand, his face still showing that calm and collected expression, but the faint smile at the corner of his mouth made Du Minghua feel that he was unfathomable.

"Mr. Du, don't be too happy yet."

Du Minghua's ecstatic smile froze, and a sense of foreboding washed over him.

"Young friend Zhou, what...what do you mean by that?"

No way? No way? Could there be something even more shocking in his house?

Zhou Yang turned around leisurely, his gaze falling on a finely framed ink painting hanging on a rosewood painting table in the corner of the collection room.

He clicked his tongue twice and slowly said, "I noticed that painting hanging on your wall over there, supposedly Qi Baishi's 'Shrimp Fun'?"

"The ink seems a bit too light, and the brushwork is somewhat immature, lacking a bit of skill... It's a far cry from the consummate skill of Master Qi Baishi."