Reborn As Super Heiress

Chapter 1437: Chapter 1421: Analysis

Mr. Feng’s words were indeed identical to the information Huo Sining had gathered from Madam Yan, but because of this, Huo Sining had even more questions.

Huo Sining hadn’t forgotten that earlier, when she entered the courtyard and mentioned wanting to inquire about someone from this old man, he reacted quite severely. This indicated that the old man must know something about the inside story.

Therefore, Huo Sining wasn’t going to be easily dismissed by just a few words from him.

”This Mr. Zhong is missing, but Zhong Fang is still around, and for some time now, Zhong Fang’s ceramics have been entering the market. The reason I let Oil Rat bring me here this time is that he once let a Famille Rose Porcelain Zun flow out of his hands, and according to him, this porcelain Zun came from you. How do you explain this, Mr. Feng?”

Mr. Feng didn’t expect Huo Sining to ask such a question, and his expression changed several times before he finally sighed and said, ”The porcelain Zun was brought over by someone. If I’m not mistaken, the person you’re looking for, Old Mr. Zhong, should be the breakthrough.”

Huo Sining sat up straight. ”Who is it?”

Mr. Feng replied, ”This person is well-dressed and wears gold-rimmed glasses. Everyone calls him Mr. Gao, and he’s well connected in the Porcelain Capital area. We’ve had a few meals together, but I feel he’s not as agreeable as he appears.”

”Additionally, I suspect the Old Mr. Zhong you’re looking for is actually Mr. Zhong’s son. Back then, Mr. Zhong had three sons, all quite talented in ceramics, but after Mr. Zhong disappeared, his wife and children moved away, and their whereabouts became unknown.”

”If it’s really as you say, that all these high-quality counterfeits were produced by Zhong Fang, then given Mr. Zhong’s current age, he most likely retired long ago. The only possibility is that one of his sons inherited his skills and was manipulated into becoming a puppet.”

Huo Sining was stunned. ”Are you saying that Old Mr. Zhong could be Mr. Zhong’s son and the person controlling him is Mr. Gao?”

Mr. Feng nodded. ”That’s the most likely explanation I can think of. Aging techniques require keen eyesight and strength, and when you get older, it’s truly not possible. You see, I’ve also been slowly taking a break these past few years. Mr. Zhong is more than ten years older than me, so even if he’s still alive, he’s definitely retired. How could he possibly still be making ceramics? That’s why I don’t believe the person you’re looking for is him, but since this person uses Zhong Fang’s name, he must have some connection to the Zhong family.”

Huo Sining thought this made some sense but felt that such a conjecture was a bit too absolute. ”Could it be that after disappearing from Porcelain Town, the old Mr. Zhong settled elsewhere and took on a new apprentice, teaching this craft to the apprentice?”

Mr. Feng shook his head. ”No, if these items left the same markings as Mr. Zhong did back then, then it couldn’t be the work of an apprentice.”

”Mr. Zhong was straightforward and upright. If his apprentice had such character, Mr. Zhong wouldn’t have passed on his exceptional skills. Moreover, if the apprentice was truly someone who prioritized profit, they wouldn’t have left hidden marks on the counterfeit porcelains they made.”

”Taking a step back, even if this person was purely profit-driven, they would also be proud. Why would they leave the master’s name on their work instead of their own surname to prove their identity?”

”In our line of work, we’re all quite proud. If one replicates a piece, they are confident in their skills. Unless forced, they wouldn’t carelessly leave someone else’s name; instead, they’d mark it with something that proves their identity.”

Listening to Mr. Feng’s analysis, Huo Sining couldn’t help but nod in agreement.

However, at this moment, Mr. Feng’s expression suddenly changed, and he pointed a finger as his eyes flickered with doubt. ”No, this may not be the only explanation; there’s another possibility.”

Huo Sining paused and looked at Mr. Feng. ”What possibility?”

”You suggested that this person might be Mr. Zhong’s new apprentice. I think you might be right. If this person is being controlled and wants to save himself, what would he do?”

Elder Feng’s eyes gleamed with a hint of insight. ”He would certainly find a way to send a signal to the outside world. Using Zhong Fang’s mark might go unnoticed by the average person, but someone in the know would certainly discover it. At the very least, Mr. Zhong’s sons would know their father’s habits and recognize the mark of Zhong Fang.”

Huo Sining’s heart skipped a beat. She had a strong premonition that this could very well be the truth!

Seeing Huo Sining’s uncertain expression, Elder Feng chuckled. ”Young girl, since you were able to find me here, fate has indeed brought us together. I’ve told you everything I can. It’s getting late today; let’s leave it at this for now. If you have any more questions, just call me.”

With that, the old man handed Huo Sining a business card and called Feng Gang in. Huo Sining knew that the old man had shared all he could, and he had been very gracious. However, she still had doubts about Mr. Gao, who the old man had mentioned.

”Mr. Feng, do you have any contact information for Mr. Gao? Or even a photo?”

Elder Feng shook his head. ”This person’s elusive. I don’t know how to reach him, but if he ever shows up one day, rest assured, I’ll inform you immediately. By the way, you can pick an item from the table. I mentioned you could choose one.”

Elder Feng was referring to the privately owned artifacts he had shown earlier. Judging by their luster, these were presumably his prized possessions.

”No, that’s not why I’m here, and I feel bad taking something dear to you,” Huo Sining politely declined.

However, the old man furrowed his brows, displeased. ”What, you don’t appreciate my craftsmanship or something? Since I promised you could choose one, a promise is a promise. Every trade has its rules, and I can’t just go back on my word.”

Huo Sining smiled and, unable to refuse further, picked the most ordinary item, thinking that Mr. Feng’s temperament was as peculiar as her own mentor’s. Even though he crafted counterfeits, his adherence to his word was quite impressive.