chapter 9 Stone Gambling

Cyneburg Wu nodded earnestly, "Of course, it's true."
Carloman Lu, the driver, was secretly impressed by Arlet Tang's wealthy background. He said, "Cyneburg, your girlfriend is so beautiful, won't you introduce us?"
Before Cyneburg could clarify that she wasn't his girlfriend, Arlet Tang had already said, "Hello, I'm Arlet Tang, Cyneburg Wu's girlfriend."
"I'm Carloman Lu, from Yunjing, a bunkmate of Cyneburg," Carloman introduced himself.
Arlet Tang, with a raised eyebrow, asked, "The Lu surname is rare in Yunjing. Are you from the Yunjing Lu Family?"
Carloman was surprised, "You know?"
Arlet Tang explained, "There have been several emerging families in Yunjing recently, and the Lu Family is one of them. They made a lot in real estate a few years ago but unfortunately suffered a setback in Taikang Manor."
Carloman Lu fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Miss Tang, with your refined demeanor, are you perhaps from one of Yunjing's four famous Tang families?"
Arlet Tang smiled slightly, "It seems my accent gave me away. Yes, the family backing me is indeed the Tang family."
Carloman took a deep breath, "It's my great fortune to meet Miss Tang."
Cyneburg, puzzled by Carloman's sudden seriousness and excitement, complained, "Carloman, so you're a wealthy second-generation, and you've been hiding it so well."
Carloman replied with a tinge of bitterness, "Cyneburg, my family is burdened with billions in debt and can't turn things around. Being a 'second-generation in debt' is nothing to boast about."
"What's going on?" Cyneburg asked in surprise.
Arlet Tang smiled and said, "Let's talk about this matter later. Carloman, please stop at Yongxin Hotel ahead, I have to take Cyneburg to a place."
The Yongxin Hotel was not far away, and Carloman Lu drove to the hotel entrance.
Arlet Tang: "Carloman, let's get together another day, thank you for the ride."
Carloman Lu quickly replied, "No problem! Then I'll be off."
The two got out of the car, and he immediately drove away. Inside the car, Carloman Lu looked shocked. Cyneburg's girlfriend was Arlet Tang?
"Where are we going?" At the hotel entrance, Cyneburg asked.
Arlet Tang, "I've invited some stone gambling experts. I want you to help me supervise."
Cyneburg smiled, understanding she wanted to test his stone gambling skills, and said, "Alright, let's meet them."
As they entered the hotel, a middle-aged man in a black suit came forward, bowed, and said, "Miss, they are waiting in the lounge on the second floor."
"Take me there," she commanded, exuding a natural air of authority.
The demeanor Arlet Tang displayed now, her tone of speech, was so different from before that Cyneburg was secretly amazed, thinking she truly was a lady from a prestigious family, radiating brilliance in every move.
They took the elevator to a luxurious lounge on the second floor, where four people were seated, engaged in a low conversation. In the middle, a long red cloth covered some objects, their uneven shapes hinting at what might be beneath.
As Arlet Tang entered, they all stood up respectfully, greeting, "Miss Tang!"
Arlet Tang nodded slightly, "Gentlemen, I urgently asked for your help with a difficult matter. I need to visit Bian Nan Province to buy some jade raw materials from the Jade King. Can any of you assist me?"
Upon hearing "Jade King," the men's expressions changed, and they looked at each other.
Arlet Tang frowned slightly, "Is there a problem?"
One middle-aged man said, "Miss Tang, the Jade King, Hilderich Xue, is notoriously cunning and has tricked countless people. I advise against taking such a risk.”
Arlet Tang looked at the others, "What do you think?"
The other men shared the same opinion, advising against going to Bian Nan.
Arlet Tang, after a moment of silence, said, "Your advice is sound, but this matter affects my father's standing in the Tang family. I can't just stand by."
The men exchanged glances and collectively said, "If Miss Tang is determined, we are willing to risk our lives for you!"
Arlet Tang gestured, and the man who led them there unveiled the red cloth, revealing several dozen jade raw materials of various sizes and shapes.
"There are sixty raw materials here. Each of you can pick three. After picking, we'll cut them open on the spot. Whoever picks the highest quality stones will accompany me to Bian Nan. If successful, I'll pay a reward of ten million."
The men looked at each other and immediately started selecting their stones.
Cyneburg Wu, hearing about the ten million reward and in need of money, asked, "Can I try too?"
Arlet Tang smiled slightly, "Of course."
Cyneburg joined the group. Although he hadn't gambled on stones before, he could distinguish between good and bad quality stones.
In this world, good jade is always aesthetically pleasing. Knowing this is enough.
With his Eye of Dimensions, he quickly inspected all the raw materials, noticing that most had unpromising interiors, and some were even fake, with a greenish surface but entirely stone inside.
While the experts were still examining, he had already made his choices, setting aside three stones and nodding to Arlet Tang, “I’ve made my pick.”
Seeing his swift selection, the experts shook their heads, assuming he was an amateur who had randomly chosen. Who could select raw materials so quickly?
Arlet Tang smiled and signaled the workers to start cutting the stones.
The first raw material, about the size of a teapot and weighing around four kilograms,
One of the stone gambling experts glanced from afar and noticed the stone's skin was red and smooth, a type known in the industry as "water stone," or "wax skin." Wax skin jade generally yields mediocre jade quality and rarely produces vibrant colors, most often resulting in medium to low-quality jade.
He couldn't help but shake his head and said, "Young man, the raw material you've chosen might not produce good quality jade."
Cyneburg remained silent, having already seen a piece of green jade inside. The jade occupied about a third of the stone, weighing roughly one kilogram, with a vibrant green color, ice type, and some minor yellowing, but still appealing.
Although he does not know the price, he can be sure that this piece of material is definitely not cheap!
He drew some lines on the stone with a marker and instructed, "Cut a window."
The stone-cutting worker was diligent, starting to polish the stone with a grinding wheel as per Cyneburg Wu's instructions.
Not long after, the worker suddenly shivered, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.
Arlet Tang slightly raised her eyebrows, "Did it turn green?"
Half a minute later, the worker stopped the machine. He looked up at Cyneburg Wu, smiling, and said, "Sir, it's green!"
The scene immediately erupted in excitement. The jade gambling experts crowded around, all showing shocked expressions. The small window that had been cut into the stone revealed a patch of greenish-yellow, seemingly of medium ice quality.
The experts stood as if frozen, unable to move.
Even those who didn't understand jade could appreciate the pleasing green color. Generally, the more attractive the jade, the more expensive it is.
Cyneburg Wu remained calm and turned to Arlet Tang, asking, "How much is this material worth?"
Arlet Tang's eyes sparkled. She also knew her jade, and she said, "For this kind of material, the naked stone starts at 500 dollars per gram. The total weight of the jade is over one kilogram, so its total value is no less than 500,000 dollars!"
Cyneburg Wu was slightly surprised, "Half a million? That expensive!"
Arlet Tang smiled, "Brother, quickly cut the second one. I'm looking forward to it."
The second raw material, weighing about ten kilograms, revealed jade with a decent ice degree and water head after cutting, valued at around 800,000 dollars.
The third piece, weighing six kilograms, contained jade valued at over 300,000 dollars.
In total, the three pieces of jade were worth over 1.6 million dollars.
Arlet Tang's smile grew even wider, "The average price of these stones is 57,000 dollars, and your three stones account for half the total value. They must be the best three."