After considering for half a day, Sun Baozi still decided not to report this matter to Gao Liang for the time being. Let's wait and see how things develop. However, there seems to be something even more important now - if he doesn't head to the State Guest House soon, he'll really miss the state banquet...

  When Sun Baozi arrived at the State Guest House, the state banquet ceremony had already begun. Although it was not yet time to eat, the leaders of both sides were currently giving speeches. Sun Baozi's face was not so big that he dared to enter at this time. After verifying his identity, Sun Baozi was taken to a rest room by someone, and only after half a day did he see Vice Director Liu bring Ximen Qian and several others appear.

  "Director Sun, I'm really sorry to interrupt you during your speech. The seating arrangement has already been made, and if there's any sudden change, the security team will be under pressure. We only asked you to come here as a last resort, it's just protocol, please don't take offense."

  The scene at the airport had scared Vice Director Liu, who went to ask around about what had happened, and also managed to find out some inside information about the Public Opinion Bureau.

  Knowing that there is such a department, Sun Wuzi is still the second-in-command of this department. After Liu Deputy Director saw Sun Wuzi again, he seemed to have changed into another person. He kept apologizing for Sun Wuzi not having eaten at the state banquet, just like he had changed into another person last time at the Civil Affairs Bureau.

  After the polite words, Liu's face showed a slightly embarrassed expression. He sighed and said: "Vice Premier Sun, there is another thing I need to ask for your understanding. I just received the notification that due to an unexpected event in San Marino, the original three-day visit plan will be shortened to two days. Tomorrow morning, the Prime Minister of San Marino and his entourage will leave our country."

  The ceremony to return the national treasures looted during the Eight-Nation Alliance, originally scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, had to be brought forward by two hours. The San Marino side was presided over by Bishop Antoni, who specifically named and pointed out that among the Chinese personnel, there must be those who participated in today's sudden airport incident. I just investigated, and until the end of the sudden incident, only you, Sun Juzhang, and these comrades were left there.

  "Wait a minute," Sun Baozi interrupted Liu's words, "I don't understand what you're talking about. I thought we were just here to talk about China's indigenous religions? What does returning national treasures have to do with it? National treasures..." As he said the last two words, Sun Baozi's eyes suddenly narrowed.

  Deputy Director Liu smiled wryly and said, "As it happens, due to the sudden incident in San Marino, their itinerary has been greatly reduced, and the religious exchange activities have been cancelled. I just received this notification and was about to inform you all. As for the national treasure, it is a Western Zhou Dynasty ceramic vessel with two ears that was looted by Italian soldiers during the Eight-Nation Alliance invasion of China. This treasure later flowed into the church in San Marino, and the church took advantage of the Prime Minister's visit to return this national treasure to our country. The ceremony tomorrow had already been prepared, but now it seems it can only be held tonight."

  After Deputy Director Liu finished speaking, Sun Baozi looked at him and said: "Deputy Director Liu, you just mentioned a national treasure on the left and a treasure on the right. Does this treasure have any pictures or something? Let me take a look too, otherwise when it's time for the return ceremony later, I can call out its name but won't be able to recognize it."

  "What a coincidence, I just so happen to have the sealed ceramic double-eared vase right here," said Liu, the deputy director, as he pulled out a file folder from his briefcase and handed several photos to Sun. "Deputy Director Sun, these photos were taken over two months ago when our embassy sent someone to take pictures of the church. At that time, one of our historians was also present, and it was confirmed that this national treasure is a product of the Western Zhou Dynasty. Since it's a rare item, we've already classified the sealed ceramic double-eared vase as a national-level cultural relic."

  Deputy Director Liu was speaking, Sun Baozi had already taken the photos. The photos were taken from different angles, showing a color somewhat dark ceramic vase, unlike ordinary vases, its top was sealed before firing, it's called a vase but actually has no purpose of holding water like a normal vase.

  Sun Baozi handed the photos to Ximen Lian, who passed them around while saying to Deputy Director Liu: "Their mouths are all sealed shut, can you still call this a pottery jar?"

  Deputy Director Liu smiled and said, "I'm not an expert in this area, but the historian invited by the embassy at that time is a leading figure in the academic world. If he can make remarks about national treasures, there must be his reason."

  After several people from the Ximen chain had taken a look, they returned the photo to Deputy Director Liu. After putting away the photo, Deputy Director Liu said: "If Vice Captain Sun and several comrades have no other matters, please wait here for a while. When the ceremony is about to begin, I will come back to call you."

  Just as Deputy Director Liu finished his polite words and was about to leave for the ceremony venue, Sun Baozi suddenly blocked his way. He said: "Not that I'm saying this, Deputy Director Liu, but you guys just had a full meal inside. I haven't even had a drop of water since this morning. Can't we get something to eat? If not some delicacies, then chicken or fish would do, if not those, then mantou and pickled vegetables are fine too."

  Liu Deputy Director heard and immediately apologized. He arranged for the entourage to arrange food for Sun Aozi. After the arrangement, he left first to check on the return scene. However, the meal was sent to Sun Aozi later. It was a working lunch with three dishes, one soup, and plain rice. There were vegetables and meat, but it couldn't be compared to the national banquet earlier.

  Watching Sun Baozi eating white rice, Xiong Wanyi walked over and found a toothpick somewhere. While picking his teeth, he walked over to take a look at the food Sun Baozi was eating and said: "Sun Baozi, you're just eating this? What a pity, you came one step late, the state banquet they had earlier - tsk tsk"

  Originally, Ximen Chain and the others didn't have the qualifications to enter a room for dinner. This was because due to the sudden situation at the airport, all the people from the San Marino church were absent from this reception dinner. In order not to make the scene look too deserted, the Chinese host added several tables. Only then did they pull Ximen Chain and the others over to join in on the meal.

  Sun Baozi ignored Xiong Wanyi and ate dinner in a few mouthfuls. Then he started calling Gao Liang to report to him for a while, and also told them that there was an acceptance ceremony for the national treasure that they needed to attend. When Gao Liang heard about the national treasure, he was also somewhat surprised and curious. However, he didn't pay too much attention to it, and let Sun Baozi and the others finish their business before hurrying back.

  Just as Sun Wukong and others were getting bored, the door of the rest room opened and a blonde-haired, blue-eyed foreigner was brought here. It wasn't an outsider, but Nicholas Hugo, who had parted ways not long ago. Seeing Sun Wukong and others here, Hugo burst out laughing and walked towards them with exaggerated movements, opening his arms wide in greeting. The gesture was the same as when he picked them up at the airport earlier.

  Now, Director Hugo has changed his clothes and put on a short black clerical attire. To be honest, this foreigner is sometimes out of tune. However, after wearing fitting clothes, he can get a pretty good rate of return when entering a group of women.

  After hugging Sun Dawei, Yu Ge said: "Sun, are you also here to attend the ceremony of returning national treasures? I didn't expect that after leaving the Public Opinion Bureau, we would still have such a good relationship. If I had known earlier, I would have taken your car to the airport this morning..."

  He talked a lot, but didn't mention the sudden incident that happened in the cabin earlier. However, Sun Wuzi spoke up for him: "Not that I'm saying, Director Hugo, just get to the point. Not that I'm saying, don't we have something to discuss, like what's wrong with that monk named Gino? Why did it get so out of hand?"

  As for Gino, originally there was still the smiling Director Hugo, but his expression suddenly became strange. However, after a pause, he said: "Gino is my friend, and he wasn't originally on this trip's personnel list, but I don't know why. He insisted on coming, and that's how things turned out."

  Here is the translation:

  "Speaking of which, Hugo hugged Sun Baozi again and said: "Sun, thanks to your help today, otherwise Gino might not have made it. Of course, everything is under God's watchful eye, you are the angel sent by God to save Gino."

  In the end, he still didn't say what was going on... Sun Wuzi finally managed to extricate himself from Ruhua's embrace, his face flushed red, and after taking a few deep breaths, said: "Can't you just talk things through properly? Do you have to resort to revenge?"

  Just as he said that, the door of the rest room was opened again and Deputy Director Liu walked in. He nodded at Sun Bianzi and said: "There's not much time left before the ceremony begins. Everyone can follow me after they're ready."

  Sun Baozi, Hugo and others followed Vice Minister Liu to a hall in the State Guest House. The people from San Marino had already arrived at the hall, but their Prime Minister was absent due to domestic affairs. The ceremony was presided over by the Archbishop.

  Soon after Sun Baozi and his party sat down, the ceremony began. The Chinese representative was an old man in his fifties, who expressed his gratitude to the Archbishop on behalf of China.

  After the polite words were finished, it was time to start the handover ceremony. It started smoothly enough. When the Bishop of San Marino handed over the terracotta vase with two handles to the Chinese personnel, suddenly, the Chinese representative looked at the terracotta vase and let out a "hmm" sound. Then, his face showed an inexplicable emotion. Still, he stiffly accepted the national treasure and handed it over to the staff behind him for processing.

  Just then, a loud thunder suddenly boomed outside. The person holding the sealed ceramic vase with two ears let out a startled cry and loosened their grip, causing the vase to crash to the ground. After the vase fell, a dark cloud of gas emerged from the broken space inside the vase.