Chapter 124

After two instances of Cultural Relics returning to China, some collectors in France became aware of Li Mingzhen’s name. This was not only due to reports in Chinese newspapers but also because French media paid attention to the matter. Some collectors willing to part with Chinese artifacts proactively contacted Zhenzhen for transactions.

Zhenzhen inherited the Falock vineyard. Although it had become overgrown due to neglect and the grapes were not very sweet, it spanned a full ten hectares. If utilized well, the income from the grapes could be substantial. Zhenzhen had always been adept with plants, and fortunately, Falock was a recluse who, after his wife’s death, had little interaction with outsiders, so no one paid attention to this vineyard that never produced wine.

In just one day, Zhenzhen cleared the weeds. Although the grape variety remained the same, under Zhenzhen’s supernatural modification, they became larger and sweeter, with a rich aroma, making them particularly suitable for winemaking. As for the abandoned castle, after finding several famous paintings inside, Zhenzhen decided not to renovate it for now. In the future, many of her antiques would need this centuries-old house to be presented to the world.

Zhenzhen wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about French history and antiques, but due to her supernatural abilities, she could sense the age of items each year, which was crucial for her. France has over thirty thousand castles, many of which are abandoned. Due to the historical habit of treasure hoarding, these abandoned castles became Zhenzhen’s treasure hunting grounds.

Although the castles were abandoned, they still had owners. Whenever Zhenzhen discovered paintings or antiques in a castle, she would first assess their value and then proceed to purchase the castle. Even though these castles were not expensive, there were too many to buy, and the money Zhenzhen brought from China was insufficient.

Xi Junjie, although unaware of how Zhenzhen determined which castles had treasures, unconditionally supported her. He liquidated all his investments and handed a large sum of money to Zhenzhen.

With the money, Zhenzhen first bought the Renno Castle. The reason was simple: although this castle didn’t have many Cultural Relics, it contained a stash of coins that shocked the world. By exchanging these coins for money, Zhenzhen could afford to buy more castles. In a month, without anyone noticing, Zhenzhen traveled across France and purchased 123 castles. It was only then that the French realized the peculiar actions of this patriotic Chinese collector. They were curious about why she was buying so many abandoned castles and astonished by her financial power. At this point, Zhenzhen revealed that she had discovered millions of coins in one of the castles.

The legend of the castle hiding millions of coins had circulated for centuries. It was said that a Treasure Map had once appeared, but over the years, the castle changed hands many times, yet no one ever found any treasure. Now, this astonishing wealth had indeed surfaced, but it ended up in the hands of a Chinese person, causing many French people to feel quite distressed.

Seeing the desired media effect, news of treasures found in other castles purchased by Zhenzhen began to spread. Boxes of gemstones and gold were no longer the focus. Instead, paintings from the 14th to 19th centuries, 18th-century antique furniture, antique clocks, rare books from the 14th century, famous paintings only heard of but never seen, items representing the identities of various kings and queens, and jewelry worn by dukes and nobles captured everyone’s attention. These items, with textual or pictorial evidence, caused a sensation upon their unveiling.

Although these items were as precious as Chinese Cultural Relics, they weren’t native to China, so Zhenzhen didn’t have much attachment to them. She advertised them for exchange, with a simple request: swap for Chinese Cultural Relics. The French government found this Chinese journalist quite troublesome. On one hand, they were grateful she had found so many precious French Cultural Relics, but on the other, they were pained by the exchange of Chinese Cultural Relics.

Because these precious Cultural Relics were excavated from castles, the prices of abandoned French castles skyrocketed. Especially the 123 castles Zhenzhen bought, as many believed there were more treasures yet to be found. There were quite a few who thought this way, and they bid against each other, quickly offering prices three times what Zhenzhen paid for the castles. Zhenzhen easily sold off the emptied abandoned castles.

After numerous Cultural Relics interviews, buying castles and digging for antiques in France became nearly impossible. Whenever Zhenzhen showed interest in a castle, its price would soar, and sellers would hesitate between excavating themselves or selling for a profit. Fortunately, the 123 castles Zhenzhen initially chose were the ones with the most and most valuable Cultural Relics. Others had items too, but they weren’t worth much, so abandoning them wasn’t a loss.

Additionally, many treasures buried due to historical reasons had lost their above-ground structures, leaving the underground items without clear ownership. For such unclaimed items, Zhenzhen unhesitatingly moved them to her inherited Falock castle, treating them as if they were excavated from her own property.

Zhenzhen’s consciousness could see the entire underground of the French continent. Being frugal, she didn’t even let a single gold coin slip by, and she also collected numerous ancient relics. The discoveries from this small, dilapidated castle shocked all of France. Some media even started researching the Falock family’s ancestry to explore why a family without nobility or high social standing could have a treasure collection comparable to a museum. Especially those ancient relics, of which there are only a few in all of France.

Now, Zhenzhen has become famous in France. However, people are not worried about the fate of these cultural relics. The French are already familiar with Zhenzhen’s approach and simply prepare Chinese cultural relics for exchange. Due to the vast number of cultural relics, Zhenzhen published a booklet, and those interested in exchanging could buy it. To the amusement and frustration of the French, the booklet’s sales in a month surpassed those of the best-selling books of the past.

Because these cultural relics discovered from the castle are very important to France, not only private collectors but also many museums came to exchange. Zhenzhen finally seized the opportunity to exchange for a batch of historically significant cultural relics she had long eyed. Museums felt a mix of pain for the Eastern cultural relics they exchanged away and joy for the French relics they received, resulting in very complex emotions.

Once all the cultural relics were exchanged and successfully transported back to China, everyone in France breathed a sigh of relief. Now that castles are hard to buy and valuable unique items in collectors’ hands have been bought by Zhenzhen, there shouldn’t be any more large-scale cultural relics leaving the country, right?

After a month of anxious waiting, the French noticed that apart from going to work and coming home, Zhenzhen seemed to go out less, and they all breathed a sigh of relief. But soon, they realized they had relaxed too soon because, in a few days, Zhenzhen went out to sea.

To avoid drawing attention, Zhenzhen bought a private yacht and the most advanced exploration and treasure-hunting equipment from the 1980s and headed to the deep sea. The seabed is said to be the place with the most treasures in the world, but it also holds countless human remains. There are countless legends about underwater treasures, and many people spend their lives searching for them.

Zhenzhen lay on the deck, not diving directly. She used her consciousness to check for tracking devices while searching the ocean with her mind.

Many underwater instruments malfunction at certain depths, but Zhenzhen’s consciousness was different. She could reach the deepest parts of the ocean and see every detail in 360 degrees.

Her consciousness scanned the seabed like a radar, and although the yacht’s engine was off, the waves obediently pushed the boat in the direction Zhenzhen’s consciousness traveled.

Sitting on the deck, Zhenzhen ate sashimi and served herself a bowl of seafood porridge from a pot. After blowing on it, she took a couple of bites of the tender porridge, then took out a steamed crab, gently cracked it open to reveal the large chunks of crab roe inside, and savored its freshness.

Suddenly, her consciousness discovered a shipwreck. Zhenzhen paused, took another crab from the steamer, and started gnawing on a claw. Her consciousness circled the shipwreck and then slipped through the tightly shut doors and windows, finding one large chest after another filled with jewels and cultural relics in the hold.

Zhenzhen smiled. The seawater around the shipwreck suddenly stilled, then receded by a meter, creating a strange scene without water around the wreck. Her consciousness took the opportunity to open the ship’s hold, and seawater rushed in through the doors, pushing the chests upward until they surfaced. Zhenzhen wiped her hands, stood up, and with a wave, collected all the floating chests into her space.

If the world’s largest treasure trove is anywhere, it’s the seabed. Shipwrecks and treasures add a lot of mystery to the underwater world. If the seabed weren’t still a dangerous and unknown realm, humans might have already occupied and excavated it extensively. Although Zhenzhen has the ability to unearth all the treasures, she doesn’t plan to do so. Besides using them to exchange for cultural relics, she thinks it’s better to leave the rest in the sea; everything in moderation.

Only a day had passed, and returning now seemed too early. Zhenzhen decided to enjoy herself on the sea for a month, collecting many beautiful corals and dazzling pearls. At sea, she didn’t worry about going hungry; there was an endless supply of food from the ocean. Zhenzhen took the opportunity to cook one seafood dish after another in her space kitchen, storing them for future meals when she didn’t feel like cooking.

Half a month later, Zhenzhen’s yacht finally returned. Although the French believed Zhenzhen wouldn’t have gained much, they couldn’t help but focus on her, as her exploits were simply astonishing.

While still on the boat, Zhenzhen had already thoroughly examined the treasures she brought back from the seabed, mostly gold and silver vessels and precious jewelry. She wasn’t very clear about the origins of these jewels, but she believed the French would figure it out.

As soon as the yacht returned, a large number of reporters arrived. They looked at Zhenzhen, dressed leisurely, and nervously asked, “Miss Li, did you have any gains from this sea trip?”

“Yes,” Zhenzhen replied calmly, “I accidentally discovered a shipwreck.”

“……”

“……”

“……”

It turns out that discovering a shipwreck can happen by accident. So what do all the exploration ships we’ve sent out over the years count for? The French journalist looked utterly hopeless. However, this Chinese woman has always had extraordinary luck in treasure hunting, and there’s nothing they can do but envy her.

After a moment of silence, a journalist finally broke the ice: “Did you bring back a lot of treasure from the shipwreck this time?” The journalist asked with a hint of relief in his heart. Finding a shipwreck is one thing, but retrieving the treasure is not easy. Perhaps she only brought back a small portion, leaving their country a chance to retrieve the rest.

Zhenzhen seemed to see through his thoughts and smiled slightly, “Not bad, this time we brought back quite a haul, about forty to fifty boxes.” Seeing the journalist’s despairing face, Zhenzhen added, “We discovered it on the first day at sea, and I stayed there for a whole month.”

So did they move everything back like ants over a month? The journalists were all at a loss.

Transporting dozens of boxes of treasure back is no easy task. Zhenzhen directly announced that she would exchange them directly from the ship. Museums rushed over upon hearing the news. After some time of coordination, major museums had already prepared catalogs of Chinese exhibits, saving them from having to move things out every ten days or so.

Seeing the ship’s hold filled with dazzling jewels, antiques, and ceramics, the museum staff couldn’t help but twitch their mouths. Why does good luck always favor this Chinese woman? Is it to help her bring back China’s cultural relics? Even if they are unwilling, there’s nothing they can do. While directing professionals to classify and verify the items, the museum staff reluctantly handed over the catalog, “Ms. Li, is there anything you’d like to exchange this time?”

Most journalists were kept outside, but two national television reporters were allowed in, and the live broadcast was transmitted worldwide. Upon receiving the news, Chinese television urgently contacted France to connect the live broadcast to Chinese TV, broadcasting it nationwide under the theme of welcoming cultural relics back home.

Although the Chinese public might not know the value of each exquisite piece of porcelain, they recognized the boxes of gold coins and gems, and they were all excitedly cheering.

In the footage, Zhenzhen was bargaining with several museum staff over the catalogs. The staff at the Palace Museum watched nervously through the live broadcast, looking at the photos of national treasures in the catalogs. The camera gave a close-up of Zhenzhen, her fair and delicate fingers holding a pen, checking off one cultural relic after another: the Mogao Caves Buddha statue, the Western Han beast-faced jade bi, the Northern Wei Shakyamuni Buddha and Many Treasures Tathagata, and the Northern Song Cizhou kiln ceramics. Zhenzhen was replenishing the missing cultural relics for domestic museums one by one.

Yu Shoujing turned on the office TV, watching the live broadcast while preparing tomorrow’s news: “Our Li Mingzhen is going to make headlines again.”

After joint identification by French experts, all the cultural relics from the shipwreck were registered within a week. Zhenzhen, using her abilities, eavesdropped on the French’s bottom price during negotiations and began bargaining without restraint, striving to bring more cultural relics back to China.

At this time, the embassy, through Xi Junjie, asked Zhenzhen if experts from China could come to receive the cultural relics. Zhenzhen had no intention of keeping the cultural relics acquired from abroad to herself, so she readily agreed. China immediately sent a special plane, accompanied by a live broadcast team from Chinese television.

On the day of the cultural relics handover, Chinese experts followed Zhenzhen to a well-known museum in France. The cultural relics Zhenzhen wanted had already been transported there from various museums for a unified handover.

The cameras started rolling, capturing Li Mingzhen and the Chinese experts being led by French personnel through layers of security to the temporary storage room for the cultural relics.

The French personnel opened the first box, revealing an ancient Song Dynasty painting. A painting and calligraphy expert immediately stepped forward to examine it and nodded to Zhenzhen, who then found the painting’s name on the handover list and checked it off.

The handover began in the morning in France, but it was already afternoon in China. Grandma Li and Wang Sufen skipped their nap, watching their precious Zhenzhen on TV, confidently checking off items on the list.

“Only our Zhenzhen could do this; no one else could,” Grandma Li said happily. “You know, Zhenzhen has been in France for less than a year, and the awards and certificates sent by the country can already cover a wall.”

“Mom, do you think the people back home can see Zhenzhen on TV? Isn’t this something that brings glory to our ancestors?” Wang Sufen couldn’t help but ask.

“Not just our ancestors, but all of China’s ancestors are honored,” Grandma Li said with a laugh.

As the two women chatted happily, the phone suddenly rang. Grandma Li quickly answered it, and before she could say “hello,” Liu Xiulan’s voice came through the receiver: “Mom, did I just see Zhenzhen on TV? Am I seeing things?”

“What seeing things? Can’t see, can’t hear either? Didn’t you hear Zhenzhen’s name?” Grandma Li couldn’t help but retort.

“I’m just so happy I can’t believe it!” Liu Xiulan laughed over the phone. “Mom, I’m telling you, when I went to the street, so many people greeted me. They all saw Zhenzhen on TV.”

Grandma Li laughed joyfully, “You just saw it now? It was broadcast live a few days ago. Zhenzhen brought back a ton of stuff from the sea, and it left those foreigners dumbfounded.”

“Our Zhenzhen is truly amazing. She’s been catching more fish than others since she was a child. These foreigners have no idea about Zhenzhen’s skills underwater,” Liu Xiulan said knowingly.

“Alright, I won’t keep chatting with you. I need to watch TV. Don’t bother with chores these days, just watch Zhenzhen on TV. The TV station called and said they’ll air Zhenzhen after the news, even canceling the drama.”

Liu Xiulan clicked her tongue in amazement, “Wow, the TV has become Zhenzhen’s exclusive show. Our Zhenzhen will be a celebrity!”

“Absolutely!” Grandma Li beamed with joy, “You’ll be the famous third aunt of a celebrity.”

“Oh my, then I’ll be famous too.” Liu Xiulan laughed heartily over the phone.

Meanwhile, all the TVs at the Imperial Capital Yi Ren Beauty Salon were turned on, with two more added in the waiting area to ensure customers wouldn’t miss the live broadcast.

Ling Xiulan was bustling around, instructing staff to prepare more fruit while inspecting the store. A regular customer, noticing Ling Xiulan’s cheerful demeanor, couldn’t help but ask a nearby staff member, “Why does your manager look so happy? Is she getting a daughter-in-law?”

The staff member chuckled, “Our manager already has a daughter-in-law. Look, that’s her on TV.”

All the customers who overheard turned to look at the staff member, then simultaneously turned back to watch Li Mingzhen on TV. “Wow, Li Mingzhen is your manager’s daughter-in-law? Is that true? She’s impressive. I’ve been following her news lately.”

“Hey, now that you mention it, I remember seeing Li Mingzhen here before. Didn’t your manager say Li Mingzhen is also the owner of this beauty salon?”

“Yes, our salon is invested in by Ms. Li,” the staff member replied with a proud and slightly smug smile.

“Wow!” all the customers exclaimed in unison, looking proud as if they shared in the glory.

As the TV broadcast continued, Li Mingzhen’s name spread across the country, becoming even more popular than the hottest celebrities.

After loading the last piece of Cultural Relics onto the plane, the head of the expert team from China extended a hand to Zhenzhen, “Comrade Li Mingzhen, thank you for your contributions and efforts over the past year in the repatriation of our country’s Cultural Relics.”

“No need to thank me. I’m also Chinese. I’m straightforward and can’t stand seeing our things in someone else’s hands without getting them back. It bothers me if I don’t,” Zhenzhen replied with a candid smile, “I aim to make us less bothered and them more bothered.”

Zhenzhen’s straightforwardness amused the expert team and the TV crew. The leader added, “The Cultural Relics you returned this year are stored in the Forbidden City and the National Museum of China. The National Museum even established a Li Mingzhen Pavilion, displaying the national treasures you donated.”

Li Mingzhen covered her face, “Oh, I’m a bit embarrassed. I’ll definitely visit when I return to China.”

The experts laughed and said, “Alright, we’ll wait for your return.”

After waving goodbye and sending the team off on the plane, Zhenzhen returned home. Since arriving in France, she had been busy with work and the Cultural Relics, rarely having time to spend with Xi Junjie. Now that all the Cultural Relics had been exchanged, Zhenzhen decided to take a break and spend time with Xi Junjie. After a half-day of intimacy, Zhenzhen lay in Xi Junjie’s arms, her hands playfully exploring, “Junjie, did you miss me lately? I haven’t seen you in over a month. I missed you so much while at sea.”

At this, Xi Junjie’s expression changed. He flipped over, pinning Zhenzhen beneath him, “I haven’t even confronted you yet. You said you were going treasure hunting, but why didn’t you tell me it was at sea? Do you know how scared I was when I saw the live broadcast? What if… weren’t you afraid of what could happen? It’s the ocean!”

“I know, I know!” Zhenzhen patted Xi Junjie’s back soothingly. Seeing his stern face, she quickly kissed him twice, “I was worried you wouldn’t let me go, so I didn’t tell you.”

“That place is off-limits. It’s not the same as finding things in a castle,” Xi Junjie took a deep breath, “Promise me you won’t risk your life again.”

“I’m really not in danger,” Zhenzhen, unsure how to explain her abilities, could only promise, “Next time I go to sea, I’ll take you with me.”

“Really?” Xi Junjie looked at her, “You have to keep your word.”

“I will!” Zhenzhen leaned over and kissed him, “I promise not to worry you anymore.”

Only then did Xi Junjie smile, “That’s more like it.” However, recalling the live broadcast, Xi Junjie reminded Zhenzhen, “Don’t tell Grandma about your underwater adventures. Just say you retrieved things. The elderly can’t handle the scare.” Xi Junjie figured that since Zhenzhen’s parents and grandmother had never been to the sea, they wouldn’t know how vast and deep it is, so it was best to gloss over it.

Zhenzhen laughed and pushed Xi Junjie away, lying flat on the bed, “I know, but I think my grandma can handle it better than you. She wasn’t scared when I climbed mountains by myself at three.”

Xi Junjie remembered Zhenzhen’s agile movements when climbing trees and hunting, and helplessly pinched her nose, “You’re such a little rascal.”

After resting at home for a few days, Zhenzhen felt restless again. Although there are still many Chinese cultural relics stored in French museums, Zhenzhen had almost found all the French cultural relics she could. It could only be said that the cultural depth of this country was far inferior to that of China.

However, France is not the only country with Chinese cultural relics. Zhenzhen set her sights on the neighboring Eagle Country. Finding some free time, Zhenzhen put on a hat, sunglasses, and a mask, and teleported to the Eagle Country. She scanned the country’s territory with her consciousness and immediately felt that it was worth visiting.

After returning to France, Zhenzhen discussed with Xi Junjie about staying in the Eagle Country for a while. Xi Junjie helplessly ruffled her hair, his tone full of concern: “Cultural relics aren’t that easy to find.”

“I know, do your best and leave the rest to fate.” Zhenzhen shrugged. “We only have three years abroad. Once we return home and have children, I won’t be able to run around so freely.”

Xi Junjie wrapped his arms around Zhenzhen: “If that’s what you want, then go ahead. Take good care of yourself.”

“Understood!” Zhenzhen stood on tiptoe and kissed Xi Junjie on the lips. Just as she was about to turn and leave, she suddenly turned back: “By the way, have you found someone suitable to help manage my vineyard?”

Xi Junjie nodded: “I’ve already contacted a wine production group. They are very interested after inspecting our grapes. They will send someone to sign a contract tomorrow. They can also send a specialized team to handle daily pruning according to our requirements, but we must ensure the vineyard’s grapes maintain their quality.”

“Don’t worry, my grapes have never tasted bad.” Zhenzhen smiled. “If possible, find a trust institution. I want to set up a fund with the vineyard’s earnings specifically for repurchasing cultural relics.”

Xi Junjie nodded: “Okay, I’ll contact the relevant institutions tomorrow.”

Zhenzhen chuckled, her small hand patting Xi Junjie’s chest: “And you need to help me invest those gold coins too.”

Thinking of that astounding wealth, Xi Junjie shook his head helplessly: “No wonder the French media call you the treasure terminator. Your treasure-hunting skills are unmatched. The interest alone from exchanging those gold coins into francs is enough for us to live on for a lifetime. I don’t even know what to do with it.”

Zhenzhen thought for a moment and said: “Just like before, buy shares, make investments, and if there’s a beautiful island, buy it. We can build a villa there and take grandma and our parents for vacations.”

“Alright, my little rich lady.” Xi Junjie kissed Zhenzhen’s forehead: “Rest assured, I’ll manage it well for you.”

After discussing with Xi Junjie, Zhenzhen went to apply for a visa and requested to stay in the Eagle Country for a while. The Chinese agency was very accommodating to Zhenzhen’s request, with the director personally calling her: “While you’re abroad, you won’t have a fixed work location. You can go wherever you want, with freedom of time and place.”

Zhenzhen was surprised by the agency’s support and felt a bit embarrassed: “Since coming to France, I haven’t published much news, letting down the leadership’s expectations.”

“The news you publish is big news. We want quality, not quantity,” the director said happily. “Comrade Li Mingzhen, I hope you continue to strive and frequently appear on the front page of our Chinese agency.”

The Chinese agency quickly approved Li Mingzhen’s work transfer and assisted with her Eagle Country visa application. The Eagle Country embassy was quite conflicted upon receiving the visa application. Although Zhenzhen met all the conditions, letting this treasure terminator into their country might result in a significant loss of cultural relics.

For a while, the visa officer hesitated and had to call higher departments for help. The matter was reported up the chain until someone finally made a decision: “Let her come. Let’s see what cultural relics she can find.”

Three months later, a large number of Chinese cultural relics were transported back home through the Eagle Country embassy. Compared to China’s joy, other European countries began to cautiously seek advice: If Li Mingzhen wants to apply for a visa to our country, should we let her in?

Author’s note: Life is already so tough, can’t a novel let loose a bit? Haha, going back home to have a baby tomorrow.

Speaking of which, while researching for this chapter, I found out that there really was a person who discovered a large treasure abroad through an inheritance and a treasure map. They sold four houses just to cover the shipping costs to donate over ten thousand cultural relics to the country. Truly admirable!