777米奇影

At this very moment, in the Palace Museum of the capital city, an elderly man with white hair was hurriedly making his way to the parking lot, accompanied by several middle-aged individuals. The elderly man was none other than the museum director, Long Jianfei.

“Are you certain? Is it really a dragon robe from the Ming dynasty? Such a unique treasure, a truly one-of-a-kind piece!”

!!

“Please, calm down, sir. We cannot be completely certain, as we only have the hypothesis of the livestream host to back it. However, based on the way it was wrapped in tiger skin, it might indeed be a dragon robe.”

Long Jianfei asked, “Wrapped in tiger skin?”

“Yes, and nailed to the wall of a cave. As such, the host claims that if it is indeed a dragon robe, it’d be a complete one, one that’s unblemished and unmarred by the ravages of time.”

Long Jianfei responded, “Very well. Have all the necessary equipment prepared. If it is indeed a dragon robe, it rightfully belongs to our Palace Museum! As the institution located beneath the emperor’s feet, we ought to possess the emperor’s belongings.”

“Sir, we have already prepared the equipment!”

“When can we get there?”

“If we take a helicopter, we should arrive around 7 or 8 o’clock tonight.”

Suddenly, an older man standing nearby spoke up angrily, “Director, we might not be able to secure this artifact!”

“Why not?” Long Jianfei furrowed his brow.

“It is simple. Museums from other regions, whether it be Shanghai, Jiangnan or Guangdi, all want to acquire this piece. Under such circumstances, they have become our primary competitors.”

Long Jianfei chuckled, “How preposterous. Do they truly believe they can outbid us?”

“Indeed, our Palace Museum is financially robust, but other museums have already started seeking sponsorship from wealthy patrons, almost like borrowing money, in order to secure this dragon robe. They are prepared to offer substantial funds.”

Upon hearing this, Long Jianfei erupted in anger, “These shameless individuals! Are they not state-owned museums as well? Lacking budget? Resorting to borrowing from the rich? Listen, should we also borrow money? Are we just going to let them have their way?”

Of course.

Those in the know understood the situation.

Although the Shanghai and Guangdi museums were located in wealthy regions and received generous funding from the government, they were still just museums.

Not educational institutions requiring continuous investment.

When budgets fell short, museum staff had to find alternative solutions.

“Um, sir, should we also borrow money?”

“Were you not the one who said that such behavior is disgraceful?”

Long Jianfei replied, “We have no choice now. The blame is on those shameless fools in the first place! Also, give Master Xu a call, and have him assess the value of the piece.”

“Alright, I will call him right away.”

“Director, I have reached him. He says he already knows why we called.”

“Oh? Really?” Long Jianfei immediately took the phone and asked, “Old Xu, were you watching the livestream too?”

“Yes, indeed!”

“In that case, give us an appraisal. You are an undisputed expert in the field of ancient clothing. Tell us, if it is indeed a dragon robe, how much could it be worth?” Long Jianfei asked excitedly.

“Um, Old Long, what do you mean? We have not even seen the item yet, and you want me to appraise it? Moreover, whether it is inside or not is a separate matter altogether,” Master Xu replied, speechless.

“Just give us a rough estimate so we can seek sponsorship, alright?” Long Jianfei insisted.

“My goodness! Even the Palace Museum has resorted to seeking loans from the wealthy?”

“Well, we have no choice. I heard that those other museums have prepared ample funding. Although our Palace Museum is reluctant to resort to such disgraceful tactics, we are left with no other option!” Long Jianfei retorted.

“You speak as if you can definitely secure the artifact. Let me warn you, the Shanghai museum has secured a wealthy patron, who is determined to support them. It will not be easy for you to outbid them!”

“Fine, just give it to me straight – assuming the item in question is indeed a dragon robe, how much money should I bring? After purchasing that eunuch’s official seal last time, our museum is in a tight spot!” Long Jianfei demanded.

“Your museum should still have a few billion in budget, right? I think it would be reasonable to prepare another 8 billion, at the very least!”

“How much?” Long Jianfei’s eyes widened. 1 billion… Just as a precaution? Would that amount even be enough to secure the item?

“Yes, you’ll need at least 1 billion. You should know that this is not just any dragon robe, but one from the Ming dynasty. The actual value will also depend on who wore the robe. If it is an ordinary court dress, it might be cheaper. But if it is a formal ceremonial gown, I doubt even 1 billion would suffice!”

Hearing this, Long Jianfei took a sharp breath. “What kind of dragon robe do you think it might be?”

“Think about it – who was Old Li? He was the rebel king! If the robe was taken from the capital and preserved in tiger skin, nailed to the wall of a cave, can it be anything ordinary?”

Long Jianfei sighed, pulling at the corner of his mouth. There was no need to guess.

It was highly likely to be a formal ceremonial gown.

If it was indeed a ceremonial gown, the words “you’ll need at least 1 billion” were not inaccurate, as even having 1 billion might not guarantee success.

The emperors’ garments were diverse, including court attire, daily wear, and rain gear, among others.

However, the most prestigious of all was the ceremonial gown.

These gowns were worn by emperors during coronation ceremonies, weddings, and other significant occasions.

Court attire, worn during imperial court sessions, was akin to modern work clothes.

On the other hand, ceremonial gowns were comparable to modern evening gowns worn at red-carpet events.

These garments were reserved for the grandest of occasions and were not worn otherwise.