“A broken bottle is worth this much money?”

Stapleton found it hard to believe. With that kind of money, he could buy several submachine guns—weren’t those way cooler than some old vase?

“Chels, which dynasty is this antique from? It looks like Famille Rose to me.”

Daley, unfamiliar with antiques, asked without hesitation. His knowledge in this area was half-baked at best, so he had to turn to the expert—Chelsea.

Chelsea gave a calm explanation. “This isn’t Famille Rose; it’s porcelain. It matured during the Ming Dynasty, and this particular piece is likely from the Hongwu Emperor’s reign. It’s incredibly rare—there aren’t many surviving examples.”

Her professional instincts kicked in...