Chapter 2192
Meeting Yan Bugui
Hearing Liu Lan's dismissive reply, Yan Bugui didn't know what to say.
Although Yan Bugui was a half-baked scholar, he also lacked backbone.
But he reads the newspaper.
When the country was first established, he had read a lot about the Qing Dynasty and knew that there were not many good people in the Qing Dynasty.
Nowadays, there are no TV dramas that exaggerate the emperors of the Qing Dynasty.
Yan Bugui himself had no good feelings towards those emperors.
After hearing Liu Lan's words, he had no choice but to agree.
Disagreeing is not an option.
He can wait here, but the three aunties can't.
The three older women are still waiting for the money to pay for their surgery.
If it gets too late, the tumor will worsen, costing even more money, and there's no guarantee of a cure.
Yan Bugui then arranged to meet Liu Lan at the Chaoyang Hotel the next day.
He took the inkstone and secretly left the courtyard.
He Yuzhu arranged for people to keep an eye on him, with one person watching him and another person watching the courtyard.
If this were truly a trap set by Yi Zhonghai and his group, He Yuzhu wouldn't have shown up; instead, he would have played along and tricked them again.
When Yan Bugui arrived at the restaurant with the inkstone, Liu Lan led him to a private room upstairs.
"You wait here, I'll go and call them over."
Soon after, Han Bo followed Liu Lan to the private room.
Yan Bugui sized up Han Bo and said, "This is something that Emperor Qianlong used, so you'd better take a close look."
Yan Bugui handed the items to Han Bo, but Han Bo didn't take them: "Put them on the table. I'll take them myself."
Yan Bugui asked, puzzled, "What's the difference?"
Han Bo said, "If you don't hold it properly and it falls, whose responsibility do you think it is?"
Yan Bugui was so frightened that his hand trembled slightly, and then he obediently put it on the table.
Han Bo put on gloves, picked it up and looked at it for a few moments, then put it down.
"This thing is indeed from the Qianlong period, but it wasn't used by Qianlong himself."
Han Bo said calmly, "It's very simple. Qianlong was the emperor, and the inkstones he used were usually carved with dragon patterns."
Although your inkstone has an inscription by Emperor Qianlong, it does not have a dragon pattern.
It was probably meant to be a reward for his meritorious officials.
"That's impossible. Do you know who I got this inkstone from?" Yan Bugui couldn't accept the answer and stood up agitatedly.
The difference between what Emperor Qianlong used for himself and what he used to reward others was enormous.
Yan Bugui could not accept this disparity.
Han Bo said, "Nothing is impossible. Unless you can provide concrete evidence, no one can confirm that it was used by Emperor Qianlong."
Yan Bugui said excitedly, "I have proof. I acquired this inkstone from the descendants of Heshen."
Heshen was Emperor Qianlong's favorite minister. For him, obtaining an inkstone used by Qianlong was perfectly normal, wasn't it?
Han Bo said, "You said it yourself, he was a favorite minister of Emperor Qianlong. It's even more normal that he has several inkstones that Emperor Qianlong bestowed upon him."
Yan Bugui was stunned for a moment, then sat down weakly.
He Yuzhu had already received the news that Yi Zhonghai and the others had not gone out.
This basically proves that Yan Bugui was not setting a trap this time.
Since it wasn't a trap, He Yuzhu decided to meet Yan Bugui.
He arrived outside the private room and saw Yan Bugui sitting helplessly on the sofa.
He Yuzhu thought the inkstone Yan Bugui was holding was fake: "What's wrong? Is there something wrong with this inkstone?"
Liu Lan quickly interjected, "This isn't what expert Han said—that the inkstone was used by Emperor Qianlong to reward others, not for his own use."
"Is Yan Bugui unable to accept this?"
He Yuzhu immediately understood. Given Yan Bugui's personality, he probably already knew how much to sell the inkstone for.
Now that it has been proven that it was not used by Emperor Qianlong, its value will definitely be greatly reduced.
Yan Bugui certainly cannot accept this reality.
"The gifts that Emperor Qianlong used to reward people were not bad."
Yan Bugui then raised his head: "Zhuzi, you found this person, so he will definitely listen to you."
"Tell me, did you all conspire to trick me on purpose?" He Yuzhu said, "Who tricked you on purpose? If that's what you're saying, then take the things."
I wasn't planning on buying this in the first place.
Yan Bugui was unwilling to give up and stood up, saying, "Take it if you want, I don't believe I can't find someone who knows its value."
He packed up the inkstone, carried it, and walked towards the door with great momentum, but walked very slowly.
This kind of attitude usually means they're waiting for someone to ask them to stay.
Unfortunately, He Yuzhu didn't have that idea.
He Yuzhu already had more than one inkstone; he had even better ones.
Whether or not He Yuzhu needs this part is completely irrelevant.
Yan Bugui walked to the door, but before He Yuzhu could stop him, he had no choice but to shamelessly return.
"Pillar, you really don't want to?"
"No. Even if it was used by Emperor Qianlong, I'd still find it unlucky. You can sell it to whomever you want." He Yuzhu answered crisply and decisively.
Even after hearing this, Yan Bugui remained unconvinced.
He rolled his eyes, changed the subject from the inkstone, and started talking about dinner.
"If you don't want it, I'll sell it to someone else. But we haven't seen each other in a long time, won't you treat me to a meal?"
He Yuzhu wanted to see what tricks Yan Bugui would play, so he agreed.
He didn't prepare anything too elaborate, just four dishes and a bottle of wine.
Yan Bugui rambled on about this and that, mostly recounting stories from the past of the courtyard house.
He Yuzhu didn't respond at all, repeating the same thing over and over again: drink.
For him, the courtyard house didn't hold many fond memories.
When Yan Bugui failed to build a relationship with He Yuzhu, he had no choice but to give up.
"Zhu Zi, the doctor said that your third aunt's condition is very serious."
Without surgery, he probably won't live much longer.
He Yuzhu said, "Then you should hurry up and get her operated on. She's your wife, you're not just reluctant to spend the money, are you?"
Yan Bugui looked helpless: "I have no money. If I had money, I wouldn't have come to you."
I know you have money, could you…
"No." Before he could finish speaking, He Yuzhu gave him the answer directly.
"How could you be so heartless?" Yan Bugui said angrily.
He Yuzhu said, "We never had any special relationship with you, so how can you say we're heartless?"
"You don't care at all about the decades-long neighborly relationship you've had."
"What's so great about reading it?" He Yuzhu said indifferently.
Thinking you can soften He Yuzhu's heart with these things is just wishful thinking.
Not to mention that he has Sha Zhu's memories and knows the character of Yan Bugui and the others.
Even without Shazhu's memories, normal people wouldn't want to have much contact with them.
Who would want to associate with someone who's always scheming against them?
If He Yuzhu hadn't wanted to cause trouble for Yi Zhonghai and prevent his retirement plans from going smoothly, he would have moved out of the courtyard house long ago.
Yan Bugui looked at He Yuzhu with resentment: "I've never seen such a heartless person as you."
No matter what, we're all neighbors.
Although we had conflicts back then, you didn't suffer any losses.
We've already let it go, so why are you still holding onto it?
He Yuzhu said, "I didn't hold on to it. After I moved out of the courtyard, I ignored you."
It's you who keep bothering me. You won't let me go.
Let me tell you, you bunch of bastards, you better behave yourselves.
If you really push me too far, I have plenty of ways to get back at you.
He Yuzhu was already being merciful by letting them live comfortably for so many years.
If Yi Zhonghai and his group really don't know what's good for them, He Yuzhu wouldn't mind giving them a hand.
It's not about taking their lives; there's no need to dirty your hands for a few damned people.
All he needed to do was arrange for someone to break a few people's legs, and that would be enough. (End of Chapter)