Chapter 1, Visiting the Prison

However, regardless of how others perceive it, and regardless of what powerful figures Fang Shutong may have offended, as well as the potentially dire consequences of associating with him now, all of this cannot diminish Zhou Mingluo's respect and admiration for Fang Shutong.

He will never change his position

Regardless of the various evaluations and criticisms of the Qing Dynasty, from an artistic perspective, it was indeed a remarkably prosperous era for ceramics in history. Therefore, even if this porcelain is a replica from the Yongzheng period of the Qing Dynasty, it would be sufficient for Fang Shutang to open another branch in Xinchuan. If it were to be an authentic piece, its value would be truly incalculable

He finds it hard to imagine that Fang Shuhong, a scholar-like gentleman, now finds himself among a group of prisoners who are as fierce as wolves and tigers. How has he managed to endure these days

In simple terms, it involves searching everywhere for various collectibles, acquiring them at low prices, and selling them at high prices

He is merely a laborer from the countryside, one could say he is utterly destitute and has nothing to his name, lacking everything he desires. Uncle Fang's support and assistance to him are truly extraordinary.

Uncle Fang's wife and Zhou Ming, after he was arrested, went to great lengths to rescue him, even selling that shop, but ultimately all their efforts were in vain

This statement embodies a certain truth, which has been proven countless times throughout history. In times of chaos and turmoil, the most valuable possessions are often gold and silver. However, in prosperous eras, a wave of collecting fervor tends to arise. Today, in the domestic context, we are also at the beginning of a prosperous age, with countless individuals immersed in the world of collecting. Even ordinary families may have one or two members who are fond of collecting. Fang Shutang, however, has taken a professional path, possessing a certain depth of knowledge and insight. Before acquiring that piece of porcelain from mhetushucom.com, he had already established a modest reputation in a large metropolis like Xinchuan, running a jade shop in a bustling area that was sufficient to support his household. Yet, he spent more time traveling with Zhou Minglu, exploring various places.

It seems that there is some reluctance to endure Fang Shutang's situation; the originally cold prison guard now manages to squeeze out a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, and then turns his face away.

That piece of porcelain was also discovered during a leak inspection

And the origin of all this is due to a piece of porcelain

Now, watching Uncle Fang Tong fall into such a predicament, he feels powerless and can only stand by anxiously, which truly makes Zhou Ming feel so distressed that he wants to cry

Upon seeing that man, the young man could no longer suppress the excitement in his heart, his eyes instantly reddening. He opened his mouth and, with a slight quiver in his voice, said, "Uncle"

In chaotic times, gold is valued; in prosperous times, collections are cherished

"Aunt Xiu is very good." With a soft thud, a tear the size of a bean finally slipped from Zhou Ming's eye. The next moment, he pressed his voice low and said, "Uncle, if I find out which bastard did this, I will definitely confront him!"

"Uncle, if it weren't for you all these years, I..." Upon hearing this, Zhou Mingluo felt a wave of repression again. Indeed, in the past, when Uncle Fang was still around, there were quite a few people who frequently came to visit him. However, now those people probably avoid him as much as possible.

The footsteps outside grew increasingly distinct, followed by the appearance of a middle-aged man dressed in prison garb, exuding an air of scholarly demeanor. However, the glasses perched on his nose were reduced to a single frame leg, with more than half of the right lens shattered.

Although there is no blood relation between him and Uncle Fang, in his heart, Zhou Ming truly regards the other as a dear uncle. Apart from his own parents, Uncle Fang is the most important person to him in this world

During these three years, under the care of Uncle Fang, Zhou Mingluo not only learned a great deal but also accumulated a certain level of worth. He was able to live quite comfortably in coastal cities like Xinchuan and frequently brought back gifts to honor his parents.

However, when Fang Shuhong was finally allowed to receive visitors, he resolutely refused his wife's request to come along. He could not bear to let her see him in such a miserable state, so for this visit, he only allowed Zhou Mingluo to come alone.

There are indeed too many people, and many of them are strangers to Fang Shutang, whom he did not even recognize before. Faced with the same monotonous questions, coupled with the uncertainty of whether the porcelain is genuine or fake, he naturally would not sell it easily

Indeed, in Zhou Mingluo's memory, when has Uncle Fang ever appeared in such a disheveled state? He has always presented himself as a refined and dignified elder in front of Zhou Mingluo. When has he ever looked so haggard and distressed

However, it was surprising that Uncle Fang also misjudged the situation; at the time, he thought this piece was merely a Qing Dynasty imitation of Song porcelain. Who would have known that later, another expert confirmed that there was a 70% chance it was an authentic piece

This value is even somewhat hot to the touch

It merely shortened the prison term of Uncle Fang.

When mentioning his wife, Uncle Fang fell into a deep melancholy once again. The originally harmonious and beautiful home had been reduced to this state because of a piece of porcelain, and he was truly devastated.

Although Uncle Fang had a modest reputation in Xinchuan, it was merely a small one, at most categorizing him as a member of the middle class. His expertise in the antique collection field was only slightly above average, and even then, it was only within the context of Xinchuan City.

This has become quite the amusement, as it is originally a replica, yet due to its realistic imitation, it is also a Qing Dynasty imitation

After sitting down, looking at Uncle Fang once more, Zhou Ming suppressed his voice, striving not to cry, and quietly inquired.

Since Fang Shutong was arrested, those who truly conspired to frame him have not shown themselves. However, some individuals have likely already caught wind of the situation. In the past, Fang Shutong had many friends and brothers with whom he had good relations, but at this moment, they all seem to have vanished from the world.

As soon as this question ended, Uncle Fang across from him also looked straight over, carefully scrutinizing Zhou Mingluo. The corners of Uncle Fang's eyes gradually turned slightly red, yet he still did not answer the question. Instead, he spoke with deep emotion, "Mingluo, I truly did not misjudge you. To this day, you are the only one brave enough to come see me."

Visiting room for family members in Block 3, the entire room is neither too large nor too small, with an area of about 50 to 60 square meters, inside which more than ten sets of tables and chairs are neatly arranged

"Officer He, I apologize for the trouble I have caused you." Uncle Fang shook his head helplessly, but did not directly respond to Zhou Mingluo's words. Instead, he smiled apologetically at the inspector who was staring wide-eyed at him.

The middle-aged man appeared haggard, his complexion pale. Although there were no obvious scars on his face, he walked with a slight limp and even held one hand on his waist, indicating that his time in prison had been far from easy. However, upon hearing the young man's soft call, warmth suddenly surged in his eyes, and a faint smile appeared at the corners of his mouth, "Ming Luo, you have come."

Although Fang Shutang is cultured and refined, and his conduct can be considered upright and gentlemanly, his true identity is that of a genuine businessman, and moreover, a middleman in the world of collectors

However, expectations are merely expectations. Witnessing a senior, whom he regards almost like his own son, suffering so greatly at m.hetushu.com, Zhou Ming at this moment still feels an overwhelming sense of oppression weighing on his heart. This oppression is enough to leave him with little strength even to cry.

Thus, until now, neither Uncle Fang nor Zhou Mingluo knows who exactly took action against him.

At this moment, there are only a few sparse figures in the entire meeting room. One is a man in a police uniform standing in a corner of the room, while the other is a young man in his early twenties. Although his appearance is ordinary, neither handsome nor ugly, the addition of black-rimmed glasses on his somewhat delicate face gives him an air of scholarly refinement, making it easy for one to develop a slight fondness for him at first glance

This smile, if it were outside of prison, would undoubtedly exude the mature charm of a composed man, as embodied by Fang Shutong's demeanor. However, at this moment, paired with those half-broken glasses, it appears particularly comical and poignant

"Hehe, don't say those things." Seeing Zhou Mingluo's depressed appearance, Uncle Fang's eyes turned red again, and he then spoke, "How is your Aunt Xiu? Is she doing well lately?"

Uncle Fang was suddenly arrested for intentional injury and sentenced to five years in prison, and that piece of porcelain soon disappeared without a trace

At this moment, however, the young man was filled with anxiety, almost staring longingly at the path leading from the meeting room to the cell.

Of course, Zhou Mingluo could imagine how the other person had ended up like this; he was not a fool. How good could life in prison be, especially for someone like Fang Shutong, who had been framed? One could only anticipate how tragic his experiences must have been.

As for the results, those who are true collectors or possess a certain moral baseline are acceptable; even if they are rejected, it does not matter. However, there are some individuals who will resort to any means necessary.

Speaking softly, the middle-aged man carefully held his waist, limping towards the table. Upon seeing the other person's difficult appearance, the young man could no longer contain the sorrow in his heart. Ignoring the cold gaze of the prison guard, he stepped forward and cautiously supported the middle-aged man as he walked, saying, "Uncle, how could you... how could you have become like this"

Uncle, are there many people inside who bully you

If it were not for the depth cultivated over more than forty years of life, and if it were not for the support of his longing for his wife, he would have likely collapsed long ago

He only knew that when he had just left his hometown in the inland and stepped into this vast society, he was completely deceived upon arriving in Xinchuan. He felt too embarrassed to say anything to his parents and ultimately ended up homeless on the streets, unable to eat enough or dress warmly, even nearly fainting from hunger at a street corner. It was at that time that Uncle Fang appeared and helped him.

Shortly thereafter, within just a few days, a steady stream of people came to observe, and many even expressed interest in making purchases

Hirahara Prison, Shinkawa City

Step step step

This is certainly a setup. The individual determined by the court to be the victim of Fang Shutong's intentional harm had never heard of this name nor seen this person before Fang Shutong was arrested

Zhou Mingluo assisted Fang Shutong to sit beside the meeting table, and then took the opportunity to sit opposite him

After a few breaths

However, both Fang Shutong and Zhou Mingluo have long engraved each other's voice, demeanor, and appearance deep within their hearts

In a moment of tranquility, a sudden sound of footsteps echoed from the distant road outside the door. The instant the sound arose, the anxiety on the young man's face instantly transformed into joy, prompting him to spring up from his spot, unable to resist the urge to rush forward. However, at that very moment, the prison guard cast a cold gaze in his direction, causing the young man's excitement to dissipate significantly, and he had no choice but to place his foot down heavily.