Reborn Treasure Appraiser: I Really Didn’t Want to Be an Expert

Chapter 334 Knocking on the mountain and shaking the tiger
Sunlight streamed through the blinds, casting a pale yellow halo on the white wall.

The CT scan, held up to the cold light, showed the texture of the lungs resembling a fishing net.

The old doctor had gray hair, but was in good spirits. He adjusted his glasses and carefully took the pulse.

"The control is good. Stop the Three Insect Drink for now, and I'll prescribe another dose for you... Remember: avoid dust, mites, cold, high sugar, dryness, and dampness..."

The fog in Beijing is heavy. If conditions permit, try to recuperate in the south during the winter and return after the Qingming Festival. However, not too far south; Guangdong, northern Fujian, and southern Sichuan would be fine…”

The woman nodded repeatedly: "Thank you, Professor Chao!"

The old doctor remained noncommittal, then quickly wrote out a prescription.

Ren Danhua took it from her and then took the woman's arm.

Watching the two leave the office, the old doctor stood up and took off his white coat.

He took the towel his assistant handed him, wiped his hands, and went out the back door.

After walking through the corridor to the last room, just as I was about to press the doorknob, the door was pulled open from the inside with a "bang".

It was a small conference room where several plainclothes officers were organizing documents, while the vice president and the director of the Traditional Chinese Medicine Department were having tea with Sun Liancheng and Captain Yu.

Upon seeing the old doctor, the group immediately stood up.

A master of traditional Chinese medicine, the leader of a national "15th Five-Year Plan" science and technology support project, and has countless students.

Now 74 years old, and retired for almost ten years. But in order to cooperate with the police investigation, the old man had to be invited to come and give that woman a consultation.

Sun Liancheng and Yu Guang hurriedly went to greet them, bent over and shook hands, thanking them profusely.

The head of the Traditional Chinese Medicine department, who was his student, made him a cup of tea. Captain Yu took out his notebook and said respectfully, "Professor Chao, I'll have to trouble you again; I need to inquire about something!"

Professor Chao nodded: "You're welcome, it's my pleasure!"

"Thank you... Do you remember when you first diagnosed Song Chun?"

"Oh dear, it's a bit blurry!" the old man tried hard to recall. "It was around 1999, or maybe 2000, almost ten years ago. I don't remember the exact date, but I have a very deep impression of the illness..."

He tilted his head back and said, "Back then, I occasionally saw patients, and she came specifically to see me. When she first came, her symptoms were very mild, and ordinary prescriptions plus hormones could control them. About six months later, she came for a follow-up examination, and her condition suddenly worsened: it jumped from a common level one to level three..."

“I suspected it was related to her work environment. When I asked, she said she worked in a coal mine and often went down into the mine, but I didn’t think that made sense. Her symptoms didn’t seem like dust-related asthma; there must be other factors. So I adjusted the prescription.”

"But when she came for a follow-up examination more than a month later, her condition not only had not improved, but showed signs of worsening. I suspected that he had lied and had the students perform bacterial culture."

Later I learned that her illness wasn't the common asthma caused by Aspergillus niger, Nocardia rust, or the plague virus group. Instead, it was the extremely rare Clostridium cadaverum and Mucor nitrobenzene…”

"After asking her again, she finally told the truth: her husband was a feng shui Taoist priest who often helped people with burials, relocations, and exhumations. She helped the man and didn't know how she contracted the disease... Then I changed the prescription, and it worked immediately..."

"But since it was treated too late, the root cause can't be cured, so it can only be controlled. However, the follow-up examinations were timely, the prescriptions were adjusted promptly, and the treatment was quite effective, so her condition didn't worsen and it's still at stage three..."

Sun Liancheng and Yu Guang exchanged a glance.

They don't understand medicine, but just by hearing these two names, they know where these two things come from.
One is corpse poison, the other is necrophilia...

"Professor Chao, so she used the name Song Chun back then?"

The old man paused for a moment: "You mean, this name is fake?"

Since he needed her cooperation and there was nothing to hide, Yu Guang nodded: "Her ID is real, but she changed her name; it wasn't originally Song Chun. She's not some feng shui master, but a tomb raider..."

The old man paused for a moment.

In fact, he had anticipated this: both Clostridium cadaverine and Mucor cadavericum are anaerobic bacteria, and their growth environment is extremely demanding. If it were just a routine relocation of a grave or exhumation of a coffin, it would certainly be in an open and spacious environment, making the possibility of infection unlikely.

In just six months, her condition could jump from level one to level three, which could only be attributed to one thing: she was going through tomb passages and opening coffins every day.

But I'm just a doctor, my duty is only to treat patients...

Sun Liancheng and Yu Guang expressed their understanding: the division of labor and responsibilities are different.

After asking about relevant clues, the forensic department had already made copies of the documents, and the two thanked each other again.

As he was leaving, Sun Liancheng suddenly remembered something: "Professor Chao, I have another question to ask you!"

"It's alright, go ahead!"

Is it possible that if a person smells of medicine, a doctor could identify the prescription, the specific herbs used, the illness it treats, the dosage, and even who prescribed it simply by smelling it?

"Even just by listening to her cough, one can deduce the specific symptoms and when she fell ill?"

The old man was stunned: "He didn't taste the medicine, nor did he take your pulse?"

"No, we rely solely on smell and hearing!"

"Impossible. Of the four diagnostic methods—observation, auscultation, inquiry, and palpation—auscultation is also considered a form of 'listening.' If you rely solely on 'listening,' you can at most distinguish medicinal herbs. To diagnose a patient's condition, without inquiring about the symptoms, you must at least observe the qi (vital energy)..."

The old professor paused for a moment: "But not many people have that skill!"

This person is a master of traditional Chinese medicine and a leader in the relevant discipline. If he says there aren't many, then there definitely aren't many.

Lin Sicheng had only seen that woman twice. The first time was alright; at least they met face to face. But the second time, he was so far away, and only caught a glimpse of her through the car window at night.

Even putting that aside, comparing Lin Sicheng to the man in front of him makes him seem both strange and unbelievable...

The two thanked him profusely and then took their leave.

After leaving the hospital and getting into the car, I had just fastened my seatbelt when my police communication device beeped twice.

After glancing at it, Sun Liancheng answered the call: "Old Han!"

"Team Leader Sun, Song Chun is booking plane tickets. He'll arrive in Panzhihua around noon on the 25th!"

The 25th, half a month later?

Subconsciously, Sun Liancheng recalled Professor Chao's medical advice to Song Chun: the smog in Beijing is severe, it would be best to recuperate in the south, such as northern Guangdong or southern Sichuan...

"Are there many people with you?"

"Not many, only four people were on the same flight so far, probably the nanny and secretary. We're still investigating whether there are any others..."

"Keep a close eye on it. Have you located the phone number?"

"We've only located a portion of them; we're investigating the rest... but we've already found three related companies, two accounts, and six shops..."

There was a slight pause on the phone. "We discussed it briefly and consulted with others. Lin Sicheng's suggestion was: 'Strike the enemy in the grass, lure them out of their hole; the sooner the better...'"

Upon hearing the phrase "luring the snake out of its hole," Sun Liancheng knew what Lin Sicheng was up to. In the past, he would have definitely considered: what if he used too much force and startled the snake away?
But now, this woman needs to go to another province to recuperate. As the saying goes, "the reach of a ruler is limited by distance," and once she leaves the capital, too many uncontrollable factors arise.

He thought for a moment: "It's best not to startle the snake in the grass, that would be too much of a commotion. If it's to scare the tiger by striking the mountain, that would be fine, but we'd have to be careful..."

"Okay, you can invite Lin Sicheng and report to the chief commander as well. We'll have a meeting this afternoon to discuss it further..."

"understand!"

With a "beep," the phone rang, and Sun Liancheng sighed again: "Is this kid getting more and more useful?"

Yu Guang nodded vigorously: It's more than just easy to use.

It is said to be effective immediately, hitting the nail on the head, curing diseases instantly, and is especially effective in treating difficult and complicated diseases.

Counting on his fingers: So far in the case, most of the clues were found by Lin Sicheng.

Yu Guang thought for a moment and said, "Sir, how about we discuss it with the chief commander and ask Director Tang to give us some advice?"

"No rush, let's finish this case first!" Sun Liancheng shook his head. "But we can let Secretary Liu give us a heads-up first..."

Yu Guang remained silent: There was no need to remind him; Liu Kaichun had probably already figured it out...

As he was pondering this, Sun Liancheng suddenly remembered: "How many days has it been?"

"Including the day at the mall, today is the third day... Lin Sicheng deduced that Ren Danhua would contact him in five days at most!"

Knowing what he was asking, Yu Guang replied, then pondered, "Song Chun will definitely see Lin Sicheng before he leaves, and we certainly won't have enough time. But once he sees him, we have to arrest him... Lin Sicheng said that if absolutely necessary, we can create some kind of accident."

When there are too many unexpected events, they are no longer coincidences, but inevitabilities.

That's why Lin Sicheng said it was a last resort...

"Let's investigate first!"

Sun Liancheng leaned back, closed his eyes, and tapped his fingers on his thigh: "How should I strike to intimidate the tiger?"
The key lies in the method and the force...

……

The medicine pot sat on the flame, and a dull sound came from its sandy belly.

The ceramic lid trembled slightly from the moisture, and wisps of white smoke escaped from the gaps, twisting into a pretzel shape in the twilight.

The dregs were removed, filtered, water was added, and the mixture was boiled again, filling the building with the aroma of herbs.

After letting it cool until it was slightly hot, she drank it down in one go. Ren Danhua handed her a piece of sorghum candy, which the woman quickly stuffed into her mouth.

After slurping a few times, the bitter taste gradually dissipated from her lips and teeth. The woman exhaled and asked, "How many days has it been?"

"Three days!" Ren Danhua paused for a moment. "Should we contact them?"

The woman thought for a moment, then shook her head: "Let me think about it again!"

Unfortunately, the illness suddenly flared up. A remedy of fighting poison with poison had to be used; not only was the medicine potent, but it also severely impaired his thinking.

With the constant coughing, it's impossible to concentrate, let alone think things through.

Thankfully, it finally stopped...

The woman squinted her eyes, then muffled the candy under her tongue. "Call Qi Song over here!"

Ren Danhua nodded and took out her phone.

I didn't make a phone call, I just sent a text message. Less than a minute after I sent it, the screen lit up: Coming Soon.

After waiting for about five or six minutes, there was a knock on the door.

Ren Danhua called out "Come in," and a man in his mid-thirties pushed open the door and entered.

He wasn't tall, was a bit thin, and wore non-prescription glasses. If Lin Sicheng were here, he would recognize him at a glance: it was the hoodie from the mall that day.

"Ma'am, second aunt!"

After addressing him, the man sat down beside him.

The woman, using a cushion as a pillow, sat up straight: "Tell me again what happened that night, in more detail!"

The man nodded.

"After the power outage, my aunt went back to her car. I was afraid that the other party was causing trouble, and that it might be harmful to my second aunt, so I sent Liu Zi, Gou Lü, and Gang Tiao into the mall."

"Several people?"

"Six!"

The woman nodded, signaling him to continue.

“I texted my second aunt, and she said it was okay, so I told everyone to stay on the third floor. Then the phone rang, and I saw that person in the corridor on the third floor.”

"Just him?"

"No, there were two of them, plus his apprentice, who followed behind. He was walking straight towards the restroom when he suddenly stopped as he passed the couple. His gaze was strange; he kept staring at their hands, and what he said was even stranger: 'The candied hawthorns were quite sweet, weren't they?'"

The woman sighed: Where did these candied hawthorns come from in Xidan?
The candied hawthorns were something I asked Steel Bar's wife to buy before I came; they were meant to help relieve the bitterness after taking my medicine. But the power suddenly went out, and since I couldn't go upstairs, Steel Bar's wife had to keep carrying them.

It looked like it had been sitting there for a long time, but it wasn't being eaten. Of course, something just didn't seem right.

Look at those two hands: one going down into the pit, the other receiving the goods...

"and then?"

"Then, he went to the toilet. He still hadn't come out when my second aunt came downstairs. I was quite startled by him, not knowing what he meant, so I quickly reminded my second aunt and told Liu Zi and the others to be on high alert. So I didn't notice when he left the toilet..."

"But then I noticed a guy in jeans wandering around the third floor. He didn't stop, he didn't buy anything, he just strolled around aimlessly, going in a complete circle. Finally, he ended up back here, and then went back downstairs..."

The woman scoffed, "So, you were staring at the toilet and his apprentice the whole time, and you didn't notice anything, did you?"

If they had discovered it then, Qi Song would have immediately notified himself and Dan Hua, and reminded his subordinates.

"I only realized something was wrong after I got back..."

The man blushed. "When he walked past me, he was muttering something. Because he was speaking Cantonese, I didn't hear him clearly. After thinking about it some time later, I realized he was saying: 'What a big show of things?'"

Cantonese?

The woman didn't know what to say.

That person walked around in front of everyone, even directly mocking them for being cowardly and petty, right in front of him, and Qi Song didn't even notice?
He was sitting right under Danhua's nose, and they even came face to face, yet she didn't recognize him?

Ren Danhua was stunned: denim clothes, Cantonese... that person, is Lin Sicheng?

"He...he was at KFC at the time?"

The woman didn't speak, but nodded.

“No…it’s not him…” Ren Danhua tried hard to remember, shaking her head vigorously. “The voice isn’t the same, the appearance isn’t the same, the build isn’t the same…and he’s very dark-skinned, and the age doesn’t match up…”

The woman sighed: "Among the various professions in the old society, the Narcissus, Drifting, and Wind sects all knew how to disguise themselves!"

"Big sister, something's still not right..." Ren Danhua said with a look of horror, "From the time the power went out in the mall until we left, it was only ten minutes!"

The woman didn't speak.

At first glance, it seemed unlikely. But she was certain: that denim outfit belonged to that person.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have specifically pointed out the identities of Gangtiao and his wife, nor would he have made a special trip to visit Qi Song and his men.

They certainly wouldn't leave a pretext for Qi Song, and then deliberately leave a pretext for Ren Danhua as well.

This was a blatant message to Ren Danhua, or perhaps to himself: these little tricks can't fool him. If you want to cooperate, be open and honest...

The woman explained, and Ren Danhua felt a chill run down her spine. Her eyes widened like light bulbs, and her lips trembled.

Her mind raced: back then, Lin Sicheng was less than two meters away from her. She could have turned around and blew a breath of air at him, and his hair would have flown up.

I could see him playing the game, his skillful techniques, and his proficient skills. I could also clearly hear him cursing and swearing as he played, muttering in Cantonese.

Even after I helped him translate for the waiter, he said "thank you" to me?
Moreover, when I took the medicine, I passed right by him. Our clothes brushed against each other, and sparks flew due to static electricity.

If I had turned around at that moment, would I have been able to recognize him?
No, wait, I turned around and heard him shout, "Absolutely stunning!" after he finished the game. Now that I think about it, he was clearly saying it to me: "Mr. Ren, remember that voice, there's a surprise waiting for you when you get back!"

Looking back: from beginning to end, he treated himself like a monkey... no, whether it was Qi Song, Liu Zi, or Gang Tiao, he treated them all like monkeys?
Ren Danhua gave a bitter smile, then gritted her teeth: "Big sister, he saw you..."

"What can you see in the dark?" the woman said calmly. "Besides, even if you could see something, what could you do about it?"

High skill breeds daring; indeed, a brilliant tactic.

He is discerning, capable of self-cultivation, understands people's hearts, knows how to break through deadlocks, and is courageous, insightful, brave, and resourceful... He is a talent that is rare to be seen in ten years.

But no matter how powerful it is, this is still the capital city, and even a mighty dragon can't suppress a local snake.

Moreover, the two sides have no enmity or grudge. The reason I am so vigilant and constantly testing him is simply to deepen our relationship and establish a long-term partnership.

Because they were kindred spirits, and because he was a seasoned veteran, he understood perfectly well why Ren Danhua… or even himself, had to go through so much trouble.

When it comes to a business that could cost you your life, you can never be too cautious...

"The question is, what does he want to do?" Ren Danhua frowned. "Is he trying to plant his flag in the capital?"

The woman shook her head: "Doesn't seem like it!"

His style is unlike any other, his approach is even more unlike any other, and he doesn't have the ability to do so.

Anyone who tries to make a living through shady means, regardless of their profession, will not succeed simply because they are highly skilled, have great technique, are daring, or are willing to take risks.

It has absolutely nothing to do with how much money you have. There's an old saying: "You can't find a temple even if you're carrying a pig's head."

To establish a foothold, one needs subordinates and powerful backers.

Instead, let's say this: with his skills and his relationship with Yang Bin and Old Lady Zhao, if he wanted to enter this industry and find a job in the capital, he wouldn't need to compete for bonuses or be listed on the honor roll.

If Zhao Xiu could ask around, he could always find one or two like-minded people. No matter which organization it was, as long as he sent an invitation, regardless of whether they gave his uncle face, they would definitely test his abilities.

Besides, those who want to enter this industry can't be so wary and constantly on guard. Just like that day at the teahouse: Yu Jiyao used every trick in the book, but he didn't even flinch.

Judging from his actions and demeanor, it seems more like he acted on impulse, responding to each move as it came.

Is it that you want to establish a foothold in the capital, but don't want to get into trouble?
A thought flashed through the woman's mind, and her eyes lit up: "He wants to make a legitimate living!"

Ren Danhua paused: Didn't you already know that?

Just like the eldest sister said: With this ability, this skill, and this set of underworld tricks, why bother doing something that risks your life?

"It's not the same thing! How many genuine antiques are there in Panjiayuan and Liulichang? Even if you build a large building there that specializes in selling antiques, how many big customers will actually come in all year round?"

The woman laughed. "He wants to make a lot of money, but he doesn't want to follow in his uncle's footsteps!"

Ren Danhua belatedly realized: "Find suppliers, find customers?"

“Yes!” The woman nodded. “Those who set up shop and establish themselves in the capital don’t necessarily have all the authentic goods. They have more or less a few from legitimate sources, and some have quite a few.”

"Not all customers like unearthed goods. Since we can guarantee that they are genuine and their provenance is confirmed, who would want to collect something that could potentially lead to losing both money and goods, or even getting themselves into trouble?"

Ren Danhua was stunned: "He's that ambitious?"

"It's not that he's ambitious, but that he's highly skilled. With his ability to dismantle loose hair, he'll make a fortune sooner or later. It won't be difficult for him to make friends with like-minded people, or to acquire legitimate goods and cultivate relationships with respectable customers. Of course, he's also quite daring..."

The woman chuckled, "If you walk by the river often, you're bound to get your shoes wet."

If they want to drag you down with them, they'll find plenty of ways.

If he doesn't love women, he'll surely love money, right? If all else fails, he'll frame someone...

Ren Danhua frowned: "After all this commotion, will he still accept our business?"

"Don't worry, he'll not only answer, he'll answer confidently!" the woman said with great certainty. "With your experience, if it were a straightforward, direct approach, he'd actually hesitate..."

"Big sister, are you going to see her or not?"

"See him, see him directly this time!" The woman nodded. "Go and make the arrangements, prepare the table and food, make sure it's all done well..."

A talent who hasn't emerged in ten years should definitely be met.

The key is this spirit: even when surrounded by enemies, one can still stroll leisurely.

Playing those petty tricks and schemes will only make you look worse...

"Understood, sister. I'll contact you shortly!"

Ren Danhua glanced at her watch again. "Then you should rest first!"

The woman smiled and said, "Okay!"

After putting away the medicine pot and bowl, Ren Danhua was about to leave when the woman's phone buzzed.

She glanced at it, her brow furrowing slightly: "Divine Sword 2008?"

Ren Danhua was confused: "What?"

"The Municipal Public Security Bureau, the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau, the Municipal Customs, and the Municipal Taxation Bureau are jointly launching a crackdown on tomb raiding, cultural relic trafficking, smuggling, illegal transactions, tax evasion, and the rectification of the antique market... effective immediately for three months!"

"No... everything was fine, why the sudden attack?"

"The good times are all in the past. Have you forgotten what happened last year, or what happened this spring?"

Ren Danhua was stunned for a moment before she remembered: She had only been hit twice before the Olympics?
However, the efforts to maintain public order are much greater, while crackdowns on cultural relics and tomb raiding seem insignificant in comparison.

"Should we call it a day?"

“We do need to cut back a bit, but don’t worry!” the woman said dismissively. “It’s not like we’re the only ones earning less. If anyone’s in a hurry, it’s others who are…”

(End of this chapter)