"It's perfectly normal if you can't recognize this object. After all, this type of crown is only popular in certain Catholic communities in Northern Europe. If it weren't for my aunt marrying a Swedish man back in the day, I wouldn't recognize what this thing is either," Liang En explained.
"So, what exactly is it?" Liang En inquired further, handing the crown to Pierce to keep. He really wanted to understand what this crown, combining grandeur and roughness, was all about.
"This is a chastity crown. In the Catholic tradition, the bride in a wedding is seen as sacred, akin to the Virgin Mary," Pierce explained, placing the crown on the table.
"So, whenever a wedding takes place, the local church would have the bride wear the crown that's usually placed on the statue of Mary. Of course, because the Virgin Mary is not only supreme but also represents chastity, only brides who are virgins are eligible to wear it."
"Even before the 20th century, in those Northern European Catholic communities, there was a tradition that newlywed brides shouldn't have children too early. If they were suspected of 'getting on the train before buying a ticket,' they could be fined."
"The money from the fines would go to the church and would be specifically used to gold-plate these Virgin Mary crowns. That's why the surface of this crown looks overly smooth."
"Ah, I see now!" Liang En's face lit up with understanding after Pierce's explanation. It seemed that everyone had their areas of expertise, and learning was indeed a lifelong journey.
Next, Liang En presented the items he had found. While these items might not be as valuable as the silver-gilt crown, for Pierce, the act of discovering these items in the wild was praiseworthy in itself.
"You can sell the things you find to me in the future," Pierce said earnestly after inspecting Liang En's collection of trinkets. "I promise to take only a fair 1/3 cut under normal circumstances."
"Why are you doing this?" Liang En asked with some confusion. After all, Pierce didn't know about his unique abilities. Following the normal 1/3 commission rate, he would just end up making some hard-earned money most of the time.
"Because I believe you're suited for this line of work. Ever since you found that pocket pistol, I've noticed you've been on an upward trajectory in this field," Pierce responded seriously to Liang En's question.
"So, as a businessman, it's only natural to seize this opportunity with you. Although we're friends, I believe shared interests will make our collaboration even stronger."
"Aren't you worried that by saying this, I might realize my own value and seek collaboration with someone else?" Liang En asked immediately after Pierce's words fell.
Honestly, he found Pierce's sudden request today a bit abrupt, so he subconsciously wanted to understand why his friend was making such a proposition.
"No, because you're not the kind of person who values profits over friendship.," Pierce chuckled and shook his head. "And even purely from a profit perspective, collaborating with me is obviously advantageous for me."
"To be honest, helping you sell these items at this price won't bring me much profit from the transactions themselves, but it presents an opportunity for my upward development," Pierce began earnestly. He understood that engaging in actions almost tantamount to giving money away seemed rather peculiar, so he explained to Liang En why he was making this offer.
"You see, even though my family has been in this business for generations in London, accumulating a substantial network, the scale of our store hasn't expanded much beyond a certain point. Ever since you've been finding various treasures, I finally see a possibility to take my family's store a step further. While I might lack talent in this field, I can collaborate with someone talented and reliable like you."
"So, you found me for this reason?" Liang En felt relieved to hear Pierce speak so openly about his intentions. Compared to unexplained generosity, this mutually beneficial collaboration made much more sense.
To be honest, Liang En didn't mind collaborating with others in this area. He knew that even with his unique abilities, his strengths were primarily in discovering treasures and uncovering historical truths from various ruins.
In contrast to engaging in trades that he wasn't suited for just for the sake of profits, it made perfect sense to allocate some of the gains and have a dependable professional handle these matters.
Clearly, Pierce was currently the best fit for this role, and he had recognized this fact when he made the request to Liang En.
For him, even if he only made a modest sum from Liang En, the items entrusted to him for auction could significantly enhance his standing in the market, leading to greater benefits from other sources.
"If that's the case, I'm willing to give you priority in purchasing the items I find," Liang En made a preliminary commitment after pondering for a moment. "When we return to London, we can have a contract drawn up by professionals."
Once the agreement was reached, the two headed straight to St. Petersburg's renowned Tsar's Restaurant to enjoy a hearty meal, also celebrating the successful completion of the commission and their future collaboration.
The restaurant had a strong sense of history, having been established in 1750. Upon entering, one could see that the columns, ceilings, and displays had histories spanning over a century. This was a key reason why the two chose to dine here.
Perhaps due to the restaurant's name, there were portraits of eleven Tsars hanging inside. When Pierce and Liang En arrived, several servers dressed in period attire were singing Tsarist anthems.
Of course, the restaurant's fame wasn't solely due to its ambiance. Most of its menu had been preserved from a century ago.
Considering that Tsars had dined here in the past, eating at the restaurant was like tasting the same cuisine enjoyed by the royalty of yesteryears.
As they were celebrating the successful conclusion of a major deal, Liang En and Pierce ordered caviar with rye toast as a special treat.
While Liang En couldn't really discern the flavor of the caviar, the grilled meats, salads, and borscht were all delicious. The raspberry juice and Napoleon cake after the meal were also delightful.
This meal was satisfying from every angle, with the only slightly disheartening aspect being the bill – a staggering £107 for just the two of them. It was undoubtedly an expensive dinner.
Over the next two days, Liang En and Pierce thoroughly explored famous landmarks in St. Petersburg such as the Winter Palace, the cruiser Aurora, Peter and Paul Fortress, and Catherine Palace. They also took the opportunity to purchase some small souvenirs.
After all, since they had traveled all the way from England, they wanted to make the most of their time by thoroughly experiencing these attractions.
On the third day of their stay in St. Petersburg, the Count's estate butler, Lubsan, called Liang En with good news. They had confirmed that the unidentified deceased person buried in Finland as number 1082 was indeed the young master of their household. Lubsan informed them that he would be traveling to St. Petersburg tomorrow to provide them with the payment they were owed.
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