Ye Fan’s smile grew even more eerie, scaring the middle-aged man into taking two steps back.
Elder Lei also looked at Ye Fan with confusion, "There's still a flaw? Where is it?"
As a seasoned appraiser, he couldn't find any issues, which was precisely the problem, hence Elder Lei’s impatience.
Ye Fan was also surprised, not expecting Elder Lei to be so eager. This old man was usually steady, and other than the Thousand Buddha Mountain treasure hunt, Ye Fan had never seen him so anxious.
However, Ye Fan decided to play coy.
"Elder Lei, can you truly not see it?"
Elder Lei shot him a glare, thinking internally, "What can I see? If I could spot the problem, would I need to ask you?"
But bound by his status, he could only smile, "This mural is very peculiar, and the forgery techniques are superb. Finding a flaw isn't easy. This old man is old, my eyesight isn't good, and I don't have the energy to look for flaws. Ye Fan, if you've found an issue, don't keep me in suspense."
His words seemed heartfelt, but in reality, he had mentally cursed Ye Fan countless times.
Seeing a flicker of anger in the depths of Elder Lei's eyes, Ye Fan knew he couldn't tease the old man any further. If Elder Lei got annoyed, he might end up losing more than he gained.
Clearing his throat, Ye Fan scraped off a bit of paint from the mural with his fingernail.
"Heat this pigment in vinegar, and you'll see the decomposition. If a cloudy, flocculent substance appears, that's the binder. Binders did not exist in the Qing Dynasty."
Ye Fan's meaning was clear. The appearance of a binder would prove that the dye used in the painting was modern.
In other words, this mural was a modern artifact, not truly from the Qing Dynasty.
Upon hearing Ye Fan's words, the middle-aged man and Zheng Zhiyuan exchanged glances, their expressions turning grim.
They hadn't expected Ye Fan to possess such a method.
Even Elder Lei was stunned, looking at Ye Fan with a peculiar gaze.
However, Elder Lei's face soon broke into a smile.
"Good, this method is excellent, direct and to the point."
For Elder Lei to say this indicated that Ye Fan's method was indeed ingenious.
Soon, a staff member brought white vinegar and an alcohol lamp.
A small piece, the size of a fingernail clipping, was dropped into the white vinegar, and then heated from below.
Quickly, the pigment on the surface of the fragment began to peel off. As the temperature continued to rise, the pigment started to decompose and finally melted completely.
A small clump of cloudy, flocculent material appeared, floated in the water for a moment, and then sank to the bottom of the cup.
Witnessing this, there was no need for further explanation; everything had been confirmed.
"This mural is a modern artifact, not a Qing Dynasty mural. Ye Fan wins."
Amidst the shock, Elder Lei announced the final result.
A wave of murmurs rippled through the crowd, everyone astonished. No one had anticipated such an outcome.
"How could this happen?"
Zheng Zhiyuan's pupils dilated as he glared furiously at the middle-aged man.
"Didn't you acquire this? You swore to me it was genuine. Why did a binder appear?"
Growing even more enraged, Zheng Zhiyuan suddenly kicked the middle-aged man forcefully in the stomach, sending him sprawling to the ground.
Still not satisfied, Zheng Zhiyuan raised his foot and stomped down heavily on the middle-aged man's chest.
"How did you guarantee it to me? Speak, what were your intentions?"
Appearing deranged, Zheng Zhiyuan acted as if he had gone mad.
The middle-aged man curled up on the ground, whimpering and begging for mercy, but Zheng Zhiyuan showed no signs of stopping.
Elder Lei and others quickly stepped forward to pull Zheng Zhiyuan away.
"In front of so many people, is it appropriate for you, the president of the Antiquities Association, to lose your composure like this?" Elder Lei asked sternly.
Zheng Zhiyuan finally regained some composure and said impatiently, "It's all this scoundrel's fault. He acquired this mural and even boasted it was a rare treasure, causing my Antiquities Association to lose all face."
Zheng Zhiyuan's face was still contorted with anger, his gaze burning with fury.
Elder Lei's expression turned stern, "This is your Antiquities Association's internal matter. Handle it yourself, and don't air it outside for people to laugh at."
Only then did Zheng Zhiyuan notice the crowd below staring at him, a displeased look flashing across his face.
At this moment, Ye Fan slowly walked over, smiling at Zheng Zhiyuan.
"President Zheng, a bet is a bet. Please fulfill your promise regarding my condition."
Zheng Zhiyuan's already grim face became even darker.
However, the bet had been made with witnesses. No matter how unwilling he was, he had no choice.
Forcing a smile, Zheng Zhiyuan eventually managed to say composedly, "Mr. Ye, your skills are extraordinary. I, Zheng Zhiyuan, will naturally not go back on my word."
Despite his extreme reluctance, he had no other option but to agree to Ye Fan's terms.
Hearing Zheng Zhiyuan's words, Ye Fan's lips curved into a smile, "In that case, thank you, President Zheng. I will look for you after the Appraisal Conference concludes."
This matter would not be settled easily. Even if Zheng Zhiyuan agreed now, there might be complications later.
Ye Fan had already anticipated this. However, as long as he secured Zheng Zhiyuan's acknowledgment for now, he could handle the subsequent issues.
The auction continued. Since two items had problems, the participants' enthusiasm for the subsequent items was low, naturally leading to lower prices.
Among them, Ye Fan purchased a set of Five Emperors coins for seventy thousand yuan. Considering the market price of Five Emperors coins, seventy thousand yuan was indeed too high.
However, Ye Fan paid no mind to the stares of others, treating them like fools, and insisted on buying it.
Once the final auction item was sold, the charity auction finally concluded.
Perhaps this was the Antiquities Association's most disastrous auction. The combined cost of all items was over two million yuan, yet only 1.3 million yuan was raised in the end.
Unexpectedly, the charity auction had, in essence, the organizers doing charity for everyone else.
Watching Zheng Zhiyuan leave with a gloomy expression, Ye Fan sneered, "He brought it upon himself."
Then, he slowly stood up, preparing to leave.
But as he rose, Elder Lei called out to him.
"Care for a drink together?" Elder Lei asked Ye Fan with a gentle smile.
Ye Fan naturally wouldn't refuse Elder Lei's invitation. He nodded, instructed Liu Piaoxu to head back first, and then left with Elder Lei.
In a private room not far from the Antiquities Association, Elder Lei specially opened a bottle of fine wine and drank with Ye Fan.
"What's the significance of that set of Five Emperors coins? Seventy thousand yuan seems rather expensive?" Elder Lei asked with a smile after taking a sip.
Although he knew Ye Fan wouldn't spend money unnecessarily and that the Five Emperors coins must have some other value, he couldn't discern it himself, so he decided to ask.
Ye Fan smiled and took out the Five Emperors coins.
"If this set of Five Emperors coins were sold as a complete set, they wouldn't be worth much, perhaps two thousand yuan at most, and only to someone who needed them. But if they are separated, their value changes."
As he spoke, Ye Fan took out one coin, a Jiaqing Tongbao, and pushed it towards Elder Lei.