Chapter 5: A pair of silver bracelets

"Officer, I don't quite understand what you are saying."

Zhang Yang thought, shouldn’t this be the time to talk about the antique bronze artifacts he made?

How did we get to talking about the master?

However, Zhang Yang did not dare to ask back when facing the police.

He answered whatever others asked, and just had to get these people away quickly.

"Don't you understand? Then let me ask you, what crime did your master go to jail for?"

"The verdict states that they were charged with the crime of robbing ancient tombs and the crime of reselling cultural relics."

"But he told me that he went to the ancient tomb to collect folk songs." Zhang Yang answered very honestly.

"Is there nothing to do with you here?"

"No, I sprained my ankle and couldn't go out."

"Oh, no wonder you escaped."

The policeman nodded suddenly.

Zhang Yang felt that this sounded strange, but it seemed that there was nothing wrong with it.

He bravely asked, "Police comrade, what brings you here today?"

"Is this even a question? Think about what you just did?"

The middle-aged policeman smiled and did not give a direct answer.

At this time, the two young policemen who had just entered the yard also came back.

I don't know when they put on white gloves and did it very professionally.

One of them was holding the bronze tripod that Zhang Yang had imitated.

The other one was holding the hoe that Zhang Yang had just put away.

"Captain, the bronze artifact involved in the case has been found."

"The tools used to commit the crime were also found."

"Okay." The middle-aged policeman nodded, "Have you found anyone else?"

"No, he is the only one in this yard."

"Indeed, I'm the only one." Zhang Yang agreed slightly.

However, his purpose was not to talk about this matter, but to explain himself.

"Officer, that bronze artifact is not real, it's a work of art. If you don't believe me, you can..."

Before Zhang Yang could finish his words, the middle-aged policeman interrupted him with his action.

Without any warning, the other party took out his ID and slammed it in Zhang Yang's face.

"Come, check my ID."

"Did you see it clearly?"

"Yes, I see clearly. Good evening, Officer Chen."

"You are quite polite..."

After getting Zhang Yang's affirmative answer, the policeman named Chen took out the handcuffs without wasting a second.

While motioning Zhang Yang to stretch out his hand, he told him:

"Zhang Yang, we are officially notifying you that you are suspected of robbing ancient tombs and reselling cultural relics. We are now summoning you according to the law. Please come back to the police station with us for investigation."

"Tomb robbing? Reselling cultural relics? I didn't do that."

"I copied the bronze ware. If you don't believe me, you can go find an expert to authenticate it. It's a sure thing."

Zhang Yang tried hard to defend himself and almost knelt down to protest his innocence.

This is real snow in June!

However, although he was tough in words, his body was still very honest. He obediently stretched out his hands and let Officer Chen handcuff him.

The situation is stronger than the person, and Zhang Yang is also afraid of being defined as "resisting arrest" or "assaulting police officers" or something like that.

Officer Chen was very satisfied with Zhang Yang's cooperative attitude.

So he didn't pull Zhang Yang roughly, but instead made a "Prince, please get in the police car" gesture and patiently explained:
"We have encountered situations like yours many times. When appraising treasures on live streaming platforms, if there are suspected prohibited cultural relics, this process must be followed."

"The case was sent directly from above. We are just doing routine work. Don't be too nervous."

"Before the expert's appraisal results come out, we are not saying that you have committed a crime. We are just going to the police station for investigation, not detention..."

"I understand." Zhang Yang responded somewhat helplessly. Officer Chen's meaning was very simple:
This is a task assigned by a higher-level department. Officer Chen and his colleagues are not actually police officers who specialize in combating cultural relics crimes, and they cannot tell whether bronze artifacts are authentic.

No matter how much Zhang Yang said, they still had to follow the appraisal results.

There is really no way around this.

Zhang Yang had no choice but to get into the police car obediently.

……

The live treasure appraisal session is at 6:15 in the evening.

At five minutes to seven, Zhang Yang was arrested.

At 7:15, Zhang Yang was handcuffed and taken to the police station for the first time in his life.

All in all, it took exactly one hour to get the case, which showed high efficiency.

In the interrogation room, the police first asked Zhang Yang to orally recount the entire process of the live broadcast tonight, and then asked about the aging of bronze ware.

"Officer Chen, that's really a work of art. You can find a bronze expert in a museum to identify it." Zhang Yang explained for the Nth time.

"You said it's a work of art, so do you have any signs of a work of art on it? For example, engraved words or something, if you look closely you can tell it's fake."

"No." Zhang Yang shook his head.

What is this police officer thinking? If it is engraved with words, can it still be sold?
"It seems that you still don't have enough experience in this kind of thing."

"When you get caught more often in the future, you will know that you should leave a mark. Otherwise, what if the fake goods you make are believed to be real by the whole world, what will you do then?" Officer Chen kindly reminded.

This was just a casual remark by the police, but for Zhang Yang, it was an epiphany and thought-provoking.

He was silent for a long time.

"Okay, take a look at the transcript. If there are no problems, please sign here."

"When the experts from the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau come over and confirm that the item is a handicraft, you can go back."

"Thank you, Officer Chen."

After Zhang Yang signed, he was asked to wait in the interrogation room.

Half an hour later, Officer Chen pushed the door open and walked in hurriedly.

He told Zhang Yang: "The expert can't come today, you can go back first, but you have to make sure you're always available. Can you do that?"

"Absolutely no problem."

"Okay, I'll send you out now. Even if we don't contact you later, don't leave Qingzhou in the next half month."

"Understood." Zhang Yang nodded to Officer Chen.

When the two men walked to the door of the police station, they happened to encounter several police cars parked in front of the door, and many plainclothes police officers got out of the cars.

They also escorted a number of handcuffed people out from the back seat.

The last time Zhang Yang saw this kind of scene was in the TV series Serious Crime Unit 6.

It should be that some criminal gang was arrested.

Zhang Yang stepped aside as requested by Officer Chen and looked at the arrested person curiously.

He didn't know any of them.

However, when a man in black passed by, he looked at Zhang Yang and his expression changed a little, as if he knew Zhang Yang.

"What are you looking at? Hurry up and go." The policeman in black clothes urged.

"Officer, I have a situation."

"I want to make a contribution!"

"Achieve merit?" Everyone else present was stunned.

What kind of achievement can you make by standing at the gate of the police station? Did you discover some fire hazards?
"Yes, it's a meritorious service." The man in black emphasized.

He pointed at Zhang Yang with both hands and said, "I know this guy. He specializes in selling goods for tomb robbers. He's the guy with the big golden teeth in Ghost Blows Out the Light, and the rice seller in the northern tomb robber gang."

"He just sold a bronze tripod for five million!"

"How much?" Officer Chen and the surrounding police officers doubted their ears.

"Five million! The deposit alone is half a million, I'm sure."

At this time, Zhang Yang also reacted.

"Fuck, are you the second-thorn ape who asked me to buy bronze artifacts?"

(End of this chapter)