Before long, the attendant led him to the entrance of a side room and said respectfully, "Sir, please wait here a moment. The steward responsible for appraisals will be here shortly." With that, he quietly withdrew.
Xiao Yan nodded and entered the side room. It was elegantly furnished, with a rosewood table and chairs in the center. An exquisite tea set rested on the table, wisps of steam still rising from it. He had barely taken a seat when the door curtain lifted, and a young woman in a pale purple dress walked slowly inside.
She looked quite young. A simple jade hairpin held up her jet-black hair, revealing a smooth forehead and a lovely, oval face. Her skin was whiter than snow, her features as beautiful as a painting, but her lively eyes still held the innocence and nervousness of someone just venturing into the world. She was Ya Fei, apprentice to the Mittel Auction House's chief auctioneer. At that moment, she seemed more like a delicate flower still waiting to bloom.
Ya Fei approached Xiao Yan and dipped into a graceful bow. Her voice was clear and pleasing, with the soft sweetness peculiar to a young girl, though perhaps because she was nervous, its final notes trembled slightly. "Good day, sir. I am Ya Fei, and I will be assisting you with your appraisal. May I ask what treasure you have brought today?"
As she spoke, she quietly studied the "old man" before her. Although his hood was pulled low and his clothes were plain, his deliberately hunched posture and raspy voice struck her as rather contrived, stirring her curiosity.
Xiao Yan continued to answer in that aged, hoarse voice. "This old man... ahem, this old man has heard that your establishment deals fairly. I thought I might