Chapter 125: The Nameless Courtyard
When Xu Youyou initially bought the silver coins, she hadn’t had a chance to inspect them carefully and had handed them over to Xu Fang for safekeeping.
Now, with Xu Fang following her instructions, the seven silver coins were placed on a tray and brought before them. Thoughtfully, a few pairs of white gloves were also provided.
After putting on the gloves, Xu Youyou said to Lu Jingyao, “I bought these from the dog poisoners. They’re valuable, but just thinking about their previous owners makes me feel uneasy.”
Lu Jingyao understood that certain infectious diseases had specific transmission methods, and merely touching the silver coins was unlikely to pose any health risk.
Still, he put on the gloves as well—just like Xu Youyou, he found the source of these coins disturbing.
“Speaking of silver coins, Assistant Liu is quite knowledgeable about them,” Lu Jingyao mentioned.
Xu Youyou looked at Assistant Liu in surprise.
Assistant Liu gave a shy smile. “President Lu is exaggerating. I only know a little.”
Since Xu Youyou wasn’t well-versed in this area, she took the opportunity to say, “Well, that saves me the trouble of finding someone else. Assistant Liu, would you mind taking a look at these?”
Assistant Liu had developed a reputation for expertise due to his passion for collecting coins. The moment he saw the seven silver coins, his curiosity had already been piqued.
Now, finally able to examine them up close, this usually composed man showed a hint of excitement.
“Miss Xu, you have an exceptional eye. The items you acquire are always top-tier,” he said casually. As he picked up the first coin, his eyebrows shot up. “A Yuan Shikai Flying Dragon? And it’s so well-preserved! This one alone is worth 300,000. Miss Xu, you’ve already made your money back.”
Xu Youyou smiled but remained silent. If this was just an increase from 35,000 to 300,000, it wouldn’t even count as a “lucky find” in the system’s eyes.
Assistant Liu continued inspecting the coins, announcing each discovery in astonishment.
“Oh wow, a Soviet coin! This one is worth over 2 million!”
Xu Youyou lifted her chin slightly, signaling him to keep going.
“A signed Gansu version—this one is valuable too!”
Xu Youyou was honestly a bit surprised. Out of the first three coins, each one was exceptionally rare. Clearly, the original collector must have known their worth.
Unfortunately, whether due to forgetfulness, an untimely death, or the fact that the Liu family wasn’t the original owner, the people who ended up with these coins had no idea of their true value.
Suddenly, Assistant Liu let out a startled exclamation.
Both Xu Youyou and Lu Jingyao turned to him.
Assistant Liu scratched the back of his head awkwardly. “I just… I was surprised to find a regular Yuan Shikai coin among them. My bad.”
Neither of them seemed to mind.
Assistant Liu found two more common Yuan Shikai coins and looked visibly disappointed. “How did this happen? The streak was going so well…”
When he reached the last coin, his hands froze, and he stared at it in shock.
“This… this is a Ministry of Revenue One-Tael Coin… and in such excellent condition!” He sucked in a sharp breath.
Xu Youyou glanced at it but couldn’t see anything particularly special.
Assistant Liu explained, “This was minted in the 29th year of Emperor Guangxu’s reign. Look at the unique dragon design—it was produced at the Osaka Mint.”
Xu Youyou wasn’t interested in the historical details. She only had one question: “How much is it worth?”
“The last one sold at auction for over 23 million.”
Now that was more like it. Xu Youyou felt reassured—this was the kind of profit multiplier she expected from the system.
Assistant Liu was utterly captivated by the coin, his eyes burning with passion.
Noticing his enthusiasm, Xu Youyou said, “If you really like it, I’ll sell it to you for 20 million.”
She generously knocked off three million, feeling quite magnanimous.
Assistant Liu, though deeply enamored, was still rational. He shook his head regretfully. “This level of coin is beyond my means.”
Xu Youyou didn’t push the issue and turned to Lu Jingyao. “Can we find a buyer for this at tomorrow’s exchange event?”
Lu Jingyao nodded. “Absolutely. Plenty of attendees will be interested in rare silver coins.”
Since he wasn’t particularly fond of silver coins and was even less inclined to touch something that had passed through the hands of dog poisoners, he had no desire to buy them himself.
“The event starts at ten in the morning,” he added. “No photos allowed, and nothing can be leaked outside. Also, once you leave, you must act as if you don’t know anyone you met there.”
Xu Youyou raised an eyebrow.
Lu Jingyao explained, “The exchange is organized by the Lin family. They host it once every three years, and these rules have been in place for a long time.”
Xu Youyou asked, “The Lin family? Are they related to the Shen family—the one Shen Jiu’an is from?”
Lu Jingyao frowned slightly. “I heard a Lin family daughter married into the Shen family, but I’m not sure if she’s Shen Jiu’an’s mother.”
Xu Youyou figured the connection was likely.
“Is the Lin family particularly powerful?” she asked.
“They’re a dynasty in the antique trade, known for their expertise in appraisals and acquiring rare treasures. Nearly every Lin family descendant is involved in the industry, but beyond that, I don’t know much.”
Xu Youyou nodded. “And what happens if someone breaks the event rules?”
Lu Jingyao warned her immediately, “Don’t even think about it. Don’t challenge the Lin family’s authority.”
Xu Youyou was surprised. “They have that much influence?”
Lu Jingyao shook his head. “It’s not just the Lin family—the attendees themselves dislike unnecessary attention.”
Xu Youyou seemed to understand somewhat.
The next morning, before nine o’clock, Lu Jingyao was already waiting for her.
When he saw Xu Youyou arrive in a Rolls-Royce Spectre, before he could even react, Assistant Liu let out an impressed “Wow.”
“In just a few days, Miss Xu has acquired a mansion and now a top-tier luxury car!” Assistant Liu excitedly remarked to Lu Jingyao.
Lu Jingyao glanced at his own multi-million-dollar car and suddenly found it far less impressive.
Although he was still on the wealth rankings, he was beginning to feel oddly inadequate. Even though he managed the Lu Corporation, much of his wealth was tied up in assets, meaning his available cash flow wasn’t necessarily as abundant as Xu Youyou’s.
Leading the way, Lu Jingyao drove Xu Youyou to an inner-city courtyard.
The entrance had a towering, red-lacquered gate, yet no sign indicated the place’s name.
“There’s no label on this location?” Xu Youyou asked. “The map only refers to it as the ‘Nameless Courtyard.’”
Lu Jingyao nodded. “You’ll understand once you go inside.”
At the entrance, guards meticulously checked the guests’ invitations, comparing each one against its duplicate copy with matching seals.
Inside, young men and women reminded guests of the event’s rules—just as Lu Jingyao had explained.
Xu Youyou observed them carefully. “These people are all incredibly good-looking. Were they hired for this? Do they have to sign confidentiality agreements?”
A top-tier event host could easily earn at least 3,000 yuan a day, she estimated.
Lu Jingyao shook his head. “Most of them are young heirs from antique-collecting families.”
As Xu Youyou entered, she quickly spotted a familiar face.
The person raised an eyebrow upon seeing her and, after undergoing the same verification process, walked up to her with a smirk.
“Well, well. You really are full of surprises, little girl.”
