As you wish, start from the Siheyuan

“Hiss…, hiss…!”

When he saw the two boxes, two exclamations rang in Fang Fa's ears at the same time.

"Chief Fang, this is really a big deal!"

Hou Paolan was the first to break the silence.

"Yes! Chief Fang, I am really embarrassed by your valuable gift! Logically, I shouldn't accept such a big gift from you, but this thing is so heartfelt that I really can't bear to let it go!"

Old Master Guan stared at the star with his bulgy eyes, shook his head and smiled bitterly. Although he seemed calm, he was actually struggling between his conscience and his desires.

"Hey! Since I gave this thing away, I won't take it back. As the saying goes, it's not the value of things that matters, but the pearl that is covered in dust. How about you two, give us your evaluation?"

Fang Fa waved his hand, motioning the two to look at the things.

The ragged Hou first picked up the box in front of him and examined it carefully.

"If I'm not mistaken, this thing has a great origin! We have all heard the story of buying the casket and returning the pearl, right? This is the casket! It's thousands of years old, it's really a great thing.

Everyone laughs at others' stupidity, but they don't realize that they are the frog in the well.

The wood of the casket is the finest small-leaf red sandalwood. Look at the patterns here, the auspicious clouds in the four corners and the Jiaozi in the middle. The carving technique is the legendary willow leaf knife technique, with three layers of hollowing out, and the knife technique is as light as brushing a willow. The overall workmanship is delicate and vivid, with its own charm. It's a pity that this technique has been lost now.

Look at the place where the upper and lower parts are connected. There is no hinge like today, and no metal is used in the entire wooden casket. It is all made of mortise and tenon joints between the wood, and it is seamless.

This wooden casket later fell into the hands of Yang Shiqi, a grand councilor of the Ming Dynasty. There is a beautiful story about it. One year, there was a flood in Dongshan, and Yang Shiqi used this wooden casket to put a letter to Emperor Renzong in the disaster area.

It was an express delivery of 800 miles at that time! After swimming, wind and rain and other adverse conditions, when the wooden box was opened, the letter was still as clean as new, and there is a record of this in the History of Ming Dynasty. "

Hou Polan stroked the small wooden box again and again, with a deep attachment in his eyes.

"Oh, haha..., it seems that I really gave this thing to the right person! In this way, it can be regarded as the best use of it, and it is worth it! Coincidentally, I have some wine, Yimeng Red Sorghum Wine, and you have a story. It is really worth the trip today! Haha..."

When Fang Fa heard about Hou Polan's effortless skills, he couldn't help but admire him. It is said that professional matters should be left to professionals!

Just at this time, the Shandong cuisine banquet from Donglaiju was also delivered.

A team of four waiters were carrying two large drawers for food. Each drawer had three layers, and each layer could hold three dishes.

A total of sixteen dishes were served, eight cold and eight hot.

Purple sweet potato pine cone tart, assorted braised vegetables in Shandong, traditional raincoat melon, bean curd rolls, bitter vegetable platter, honey pear balls, multi-seed shrimp balls, cuttlefish and black pork cubes, gold medal sweet and sour fish, sweet and sour pork tenderloin, braised prawns, jar meat, four-happiness meatballs, fried double crispy dumplings, first-class tofu, and nine-turn large intestine.

There are also a dozen large Lushan steamed buns, which make your mouth water and whet your appetite just by looking at them.

"Today I am also offering flowers to you, please."

Old Master Guan sat at the top, with Hou Polan and Han Chunming sitting on both sides. Fang Fa sat opposite Old Master Guan. Old Master Guan did not hesitate and raised the glass of wine that Han Chunming had just poured and greeted them.

"Hey, Master, what's up with this box? It doesn't look like it was made before the Ming or Qing dynasties! Is there anything special about it?"

After three rounds of dishes and five kinds of wine, Han Chunming finally couldn't bear it anymore and was ready to get to the bottom of it.

"Oh? Haha... you, who told you that things not made before the Ming and Qing dynasties are not valuable? This item! To be honest, I have a connection with it. I saw it at Mr. Tan Sitong's house when I was a child. At that time, Mr. Tan used it to hold a seal. What a pity!"

Old Master Guan could hardly hide his thoughts, his face full of indescribable regret.

"Haha..., if Master Guan doesn't open it, how do we know there won't be a bigger surprise?"

Fang Fa observed the old man's expression and quickly understood Mr. Guan's mood.

"Oh? I want to see what surprises are inside, hiss...!"

After opening the box, Mr. Guan could no longer remain calm and his whole body began to shake with excitement.

When Fang Fa saw that something was wrong, he immediately stood up and walked behind Old Man Guan. He pressed the Fengmen point on his back and used his left middle finger to press the Jiquan point on his left armpit. Soon the old man calmed down.

Then Fang Fa took out a short silver needle and pricked Grandpa Guan's left and right earlobes respectively.

"Okay, it's okay. Grandpa Guan was just too excited. I'll give him a small pill to keep him alive and well, ten years younger. Haha... Don't look at me like a liar. Let's not listen to the hype and see how effective it is."

Seeing that the three people looked a little uneasy, Fang Fa told them about Grandpa Guan's situation. Seeing their looks of disbelief, he smiled and said.

"I didn't expect Section Chief Fang could treat illnesses. He's amazing! I can tell from the looks of it that his technique is not simple. I'm convinced."

Marquis Polan seldom submits to anyone, and few people can catch his eye. He did not expect that Fang Fa, at such a young age, could impress him constantly.

"Brother Fang, can the master really cure it?"

Han Chunming's voice trembled a little when he spoke.

"Huh... I am so lucky to meet Section Chief Fang. I am so lucky to have met a noble man!... Section Chief Fang, I will never forget your kindness!..."

Mr. Guan was a little excited and spoke incoherently.

"I have admired Master Guan for a long time. It is my job, so don't worry about it. In addition to the twelve seals of Mr. Tan Sitong, there is another one in this box that Master Guan must be very familiar with."

Fang Fa opened the box again and pointed to the seal inside.

"Oh? Let me see, Yongmeng Jingjin, Fenxiang Meiseng, Fusheng, Zhuangfei, Donghai Saiming Clan, Pavilion Master Liao Tianyi..., huh? Is this Lao Bai? It's really Lao Bai!"

Old Master Guan became more and more excited, but with Fang Fa watching from the side, nothing went wrong.

"Ah? Old White? Let me see."

Hou Paolan stood up excitedly like an old boy.

Old Master Guan glared at him, then slowly took out a silk scarf from his arms, placed it on the table, and then slowly placed Old Bai's seal on the scarf.

Hou Paolan was also a little embarrassed. He smiled and slowly sat down, carefully picking up the handkerchief and seal from the table.

Hou Polan slowly wrapped the seal with a square towel, then slowly turned the seal over and looked at the characters on the seal carefully. They were actually two reverse cursive characters of Lao Bai.

"Master, is Lao Bai Mr. Qi Baishi?"

Han Chunming looked funny with his eyes wide open in disbelief.

"Yes, these are Mr. Qi Baishi's seals, and these seals were all carved by Mr. Qi Baishi himself. Speaking of this, there is an interesting story. You all know Tan Yankai, who was called one of the 'Three Gentlemen' together with Tan Sitong, right?

Tan Yankai first asked Mr. Qi Baishi to carve twelve seals through the introduction of Li Tiean. But when he later showed them off, he was ridiculed by Wei Zibin, a famous seal carver at the time. Wei Zibin even secretly ground off all the twelve seals for Tan Yankai. What a waste of talent!

Later, when Tan Sitong found out about this, he resolutely criticized Tan Yankai's approach. Tan Yankai was also very regretful, but the matter was already done, and it was obviously impossible to ask Mr. Qi Baishi to re-carve a set!

But Mr. Tan Sitong was different! He found Mr. Qi Baishi and visited him three times. Mr. Qi Baishi had no choice but to carve twelve seals for Mr. Tan Sitong at once. It is a good thing that this matter has been passed down to later generations! Haha...

Xiao Wuzi, remember, the value of old objects is not only in their material, age, craftsmanship, etc., but more in the heritage contained in these old objects, that is, the "Tao". "

At this moment, Mr. Guan seemed particularly mysterious and profound, with a unique and otherworldly temperament.

Fang Fa also felt something in his heart. The reason why he tried his best to collect these old items was not for their monetary value, but for the indescribable Taoist aura!