Section 3: Experts in this field

He picked up the needle-like stone and, after observing it with great interest for a while, finally placed it back on the table

These servants usually receive only copper coins and rice, rarely seeing gold and silver, so they naturally do not understand the value of this jade pendant. Seeing Dan Fei holding the stone with such affection, Cao Ning'er felt as if she were watching a child at their first birthday, secretly anxious for him as he chose sesame over watermelon.

Cao Ning'er felt a slight joy in her heart when she saw him pick up the jade pendant, secretly thinking that this servant still had some discernment. However, she immediately put down the jade pendant and picked up the stone needle, frowning slightly.

"Surprisingly high." There was also a hint of astonishment in Master Cao's voice as he murmured, "But how is this possible? Where did this kid learn all this?"

Uncle San possesses great insight and a discerning eye, and he seldom praises others. It is truly unprecedented for him to make such an evaluation of Dan Fei today.

When seven items were scattered on the table, she naturally assessed them, with her favorite being the warm jade pendant. The pearl was also nice, but Cao Ning'er was self-aware enough to think that her third uncle's assessment would never be so simple. The tripod is a national treasure, and in terms of significance, it is naturally valuable. That black lacquer jar looked unremarkable, but it held a certain mystery. The most valuable items should be among these four.

He sighed slightly in his heart, yet was contemplating the words of Master Cao San. He casually picked up the jade pendant, glanced at it, and then placed it back on the table.

Suddenly, a jolt ran through her heart, and Cao Ning'er stared blankly at the table, momentarily at a loss for words

Cao Ning'er, upon hearing her third uncle's evaluation of Shan Fei, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "What exactly is so remarkable about his abilities?"

Cao Ning'er was taken aback once again, feeling that his manner of address lacked the tone of a servant, and instead resembled that of peers interacting with each other, which made her frown deeply

In the darkness, Master Cao San slowly said: "As far as I know, that stone needle was used during the era of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors. As for the amber, it had already formed before the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors"

Cao Ning'er nearly fainted, secretly thinking that this child is too honest, but why did you leave the questions blank and not attempt them

Cao Ning'er pouted her cherry-like lips, feeling that this young man had somewhat betrayed the trust of her third uncle. Her third uncle had no disciples, yet many were aware of his background, and the number of those who wished to take him as their master was countless. The significance of this was not trivial. She had never expected her third uncle to give Dan Fei an opportunity.

After a long while, Master Cao finally said: "Very good"

That inconspicuous amber insect is precisely placed at the forefront

It is amber!

Why? Is there no one who recognizes its value

"That is because you did not take a serious look," said Master Cao San淡淡.

"How?" Cao Ning'er asked in confusion

Her beautiful eyes narrowed slightly, resting for a moment on the two items placed before the summer cauldron. Cao Ning'er finally spoke, "Were these two items in use even before the Xia Dynasty? Wouldn't that date back to the time of the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors?"

Cao Ning'er had this thought flash through her mind, but she quickly felt it was impossible. The likelihood that the seven items, after being picked up and put down, would precisely align with the chronological order is negligible. The only explanation is that Dan Fei not only possesses a keener insight than her but also has a more profound knowledge than she does.

The number of amber with insects that Danfei encountered was actually not that many. Of course, there are many counterfeit products masquerading as amber with insects in contemporary times, which is a different matter. I did not expect that among the items assessed by Master Cao San, there would be such an object.

After all, she is in charge of the operations of the Cao family. When it comes to discernment, she certainly surpasses ordinary women. Hearing her third uncle merely hum in response, Cao Ning'er picked up the lacquer jar and examined it for a long time before hesitantly saying: "Following the bronze vessels, the royal family favored lacquerware even more. Judging by the color and patterns of this lacquerware, it seems to be an artifact from the Western Zhou period."

Do you have the answer?" Master Cao whispered

Insect amber, a type of amber, was formed millions or even hundreds of millions of years ago, and can be regarded as a contemporary living fossil. Not long ago, a piece of amber the size of a grape was unearthed from the tomb of the Marquis of Haihun from the Western Han Dynasty, causing a sensation, which illustrates the preciousness of insect amber

At this moment, she finally understood the deeper meaning behind her third uncle's words—where on earth did this kid learn all this? How is that even possible?

After a long while, Master Cao let out a light sigh and said: "Ning'er, your third uncle knows that you are exceptionally intelligent, one of the few insightful women in this Xu Du city. Your third uncle also understands that you even wish to help alleviate his troubles. However, many times, different fields are like different mountains, and this work of your third uncle is looked down upon by many."

Turning away in anger, Cao Ning'er expressed her discontent, saying: "Third Uncle, is this the person you have chosen? I find them to be lacking in decorum and standards. If you entrust matters to someone like this, Ning'er will be the first to refuse."

Is flying solo really a deception

Master Cao San remained silent for a long time before saying: "You certainly know that the seven items on this table did not come about all at once"

Cao Ning'er asked in confusion, "Then in the eyes of Third Uncle, what would be considered excellent?"

Not hearing any movement from Third Uncle, Cao Ning'er picked up the jade pendant and concluded after a long time: "This jade pendant may have originated from the early Han dynasty..." After a considerable amount of time, Cao Ning'er finally added: "The beads should be recent products from Kuaiji near the coast, and that piece of gold, oh, was minted during the reign of Emperor Wen, as it bears the marks of the government mint from that time."

In a fleeting moment, Cao Ning'er felt a sense of amusement, secretly pondering why her third uncle was in such a hurry to select a disciple

Dan Fei smiled and said, "I cannot tell which one is more valuable."

Cao Ning'er was amused by the humor of her third uncle, yet she was also deeply shocked. The Cao family is a prominent clan, currently experiencing a time of turmoil, with many talented individuals emerging from within. Over the years, the most outstanding among them has undoubtedly been Sima Cao Cao. Cao Hong has followed Cao Cao closely, sharing in both the hardships and achievements. However, Cao Ning'er is well aware that the Cao family's current glory is largely attributable to the significant contributions of her third uncle.

Upon catching that small ball, he immediately reached this conclusion

In the darkness, Master Cao murmured: "There are no rules, but there are standards..."

In the darkness, Master Cao San also fell silent, unsure if he wanted to jump out and give this kid a beating. However, San Fei seemed unconcerned and said, "If Master San has no other matters, I would like to go out."

"It must be as high as these three levels of lofts," said Master Cao淡淡.

Master Cao San seemed to smile, "To engage in the profession of Third Uncle, one must not only possess skill but also a certain insight into this field. For every time you open a tomb chamber, what you face is certainly not merely the gold, silver, and jewels within. If that were the case, it would undoubtedly be a lowly pursuit."

Although Cao Ning'er was convinced by San Shu's gaze, she still felt puzzled, "San Shu, but he didn't do anything at all, did he?"

She did not expect that what she picked up while flying solo was merely something resembling a stone, and the value of that object was likely even less than that of a gold ingot

After admiring the amber for half a day, I finally set it down, secretly thinking that if this item were to be considered in terms of archaeological significance, it would undoubtedly carry great weight. However, if one were to sell it, it is likely that even the best equipment could not be exchanged for it.

After finally putting down the stone needle, he picked up the gold, the small tripod, and the lacquer jar, glanced at them, and then quickly set them down again, clapping his hands.

Cao Ning'er blushed as she looked at the seven items on the table, finding nothing unusual. She felt somewhat unconvinced, but she knew that her third uncle would never act without reason. What exactly had that young man done to earn her third uncle's special attention

Gently touching the amber, I feel the profound history within it, momentarily lost in thought.

Xia Ding, Zhou Qi Guan, jade pendants from the early Han Dynasty, gold bars minted during the reign of Emperor Wen, and recently produced jade beads from Jiangdong; she painstakingly identified them for a while, yet remained uncertain. However, upon observing the arrangement of the items on the table, she suddenly realized that the order of these objects had already been set. Yet, she distinctly remembered that when she initially poured these items onto the table, they were in complete disarray.

Cao Ning'er’s eyes brightened, and as she looked at the seven items on the table, she had already gained some understanding. She reached out to pick up the small ding and examined it for a while, saying, "This ding should be a vessel from the Xia Dynasty"

After a long period of effort, she finally recognized five out of the seven items completely, which was certainly no small feat. She thought to herself that to the average person, gold is simply gold, regardless of the dynasty it comes from

Cao Ning'er felt a tremor in her heart, unable to believe that besides her third uncle, there could be such a person as Shan Fei in this world. Just by glancing casually, she was able to clearly distinguish the era of these seven items.

"Ke Ning'er knows that Third Uncle is the most capable person," Cao Ning'er said, lightly biting her pearly teeth