I Became a Sugar Mama to an Ancient General during a Famine! - Chapter 9 Part 1

“Young friend, are you willing to sell? Wine goblets typically come in pairs. If you have a matching set, I could offer up to five hundred million!”

Ye Mumu’s heart grew heavy. She couldn’t bear the thought of Zhan Chengyin dying so young.

Five hundred million could support a hundred thousand people.

But it surely wouldn’t be enough for his twenty thousand troops to defeat an army of three hundred thousand barbarians!

Ye Mumu gritted her teeth and produced the second wine goblet.

“I have both. Five hundred million is far too low!”

Old Mu’s eyes lit up when he saw she truly had a pair. In his excitement, his reading glasses nearly fell off.

With trembling hands, he quickly picked up the goblet, examining it under a magnifying glass.

His lips quivered as he exclaimed, “Indeed! This is a perfectly preserved pair of exquisite wine goblets!”

“What’s your asking price?”

Ye Mumu replied, “I want cash, and I want top price.”

Old Mu’s eyes widened. “You’re asking for six hundred million?”

Ye Mumu nodded.

He hesitated.

Seeing this, Ye Mumu wasted no time. “If the gentleman can’t afford it, I can always inquire next door.”

She stood up, ready to reclaim the goblets.

Old Mu quickly intervened, “Wait! I don’t have that much cash on hand. Give me half an hour to gather some partners to pool the funds.”

Ye Mumu sat back down.

For cash, a thirty-minute wait was worthwhile.

Six hundred million was no small sum.

Shortly after, a man wearing gold-rimmed glasses and carrying a briefcase hurried upstairs.

Old Mu took one goblet upstairs to verify its age with a machine.

Ye Mumu glanced at a provincial museum vehicle parked outside.

The two men returned after about ten minutes.

Deputy Curator Zhang, the man with the gold-rimmed glasses, looked at Ye Mumu with excited anticipation. “You truly have the other goblet?”

She placed it on the table.

Examining it under the light, Deputy Curator Zhang’s eyes gleamed with disbelief.

“Marvelous! Such exquisite craftsmanship from the Great Qi Kingdom, two thousand years ago. While other nations were still using bronze, Great Qi was crafting in gold, with filigree and openwork inlay techniques centuries ahead of their time!”

“It’s a tragedy the kingdom existed for such a short time. If General Zhan Chengyin hadn’t died so young, he would have led Great Qi to conquer the other six kingdoms, resist the northern barbarians, and reclaim the two Guang regions in the south.”

“Heaven truly envies talent!”

Ye Mumu gripped the wine flask in her bag tightly.

Could Zhan Chengyin have changed so much?

If he hadn’t died early, wouldn’t that have brought about unification two to three centuries sooner?

“Young lady, we’ll take these goblets. Six hundred million, correct?”

Ye Mumu nodded. “Can you pay in cash?”

Old Mu replied, “Certainly!”

After hearing the notification and checking her mobile banking app, she confirmed the full six hundred million had been transferred.

As she prepared to leave, Old Mu and Deputy Curator Zhang tried to keep her, eager to chat more.

She shook her head, “I’m quite busy today. I must go.”

Unwilling to let go, Old Mu persisted, “If you have more items from the Great Qi Kingdom, other antique dealers might not recognize their true value.”

“But we understand that period of history and can offer you an accurate appraisal.”

Ye Mumu nodded, “Very well. I’ll come to you if I have more.”

Hearing this, Old Mu happily handed her a business card, identifying him as a renowned historian and national-level antique appraiser.

Ye Mumu waved goodbye and drove away.

Old Mu and Deputy Curator Zhang watched her leave, falling into a momentary silence.

Old Mu said, “I have a feeling she has more Great Qi antiques, and not just a few.”

Deputy Curator Zhang nodded, “These goblets are in perfect condition. They’re not from tomb robbers or smugglers. It’s as if they’ve been preserved in a family collection for thousands of years.”

“But even the best-preserved items from two millennia ago would show some oxidation. Hers are pristine.”

“So, she must have quite a collection. You’d better prepare sufficient funds!”

Old Mu remarked, “Judging by her attire, she’s not short on money. Acquiring this pair of wine goblets was a bargain for us!”

*

Ye Mumu drove to the market and found a large truck capable of carrying thirty tons.

She announced her intention to purchase a batch of supplies to donate to flood-stricken areas for charity.