The Grand Master knew very well that the age of the porcelain bottle wouldn't be difficult for people to discern. The challenge lay in distinguishing between five porcelain pieces from nearby eras, which was the crux of the matter and a point of frustration for many.
One had to realize that many Qing Dynasty emperors reigned for extremely short periods, resulting in artifacts from those eras being remarkably similar to those from the preceding and succeeding imperial reigns.
For instance, Emperor Yongzheng reigned for only thirteen years. Consequently, artifacts from the entire Yongzheng Dynasty shared subtle yet significant resemblances in quality and craftsmanship with those from the late Kangxi period and early Qianlong period. Identifying such items was incredibly difficult and required an extremely detailed understanding of the artifacts from that era.
The Grand Master watched Ye Fan with great interest, feeling a sense of anticipation. He hoped Ye Fan would pass the selection. After all, the Gu family had painstakingly searched for this treasure for many years without success. If Ye Fan could truly pass the selection, the chances of obtaining the treasure this time would be significantly higher.
However, the three disciples behind him let out disdainful snorts.
"Even an idiot could see what's so commendable about these Qing Dynasty artifacts."
These words caused many people from Jiangnan City below to show expressions of anger.
This was because they themselves hadn't seen what was so remarkable, and the statement clearly implied they were worse than idiots.
The Grand Master immediately frowned and cast a stern glance at his disciples. "Shut your mouths, or you'll face family discipline."
The Grand Master was truly disappointed in his three disciples.
Normally, they behaved reasonably well, but upon arriving in Jiangnan City today, their negative traits were fully exposed.
Arrogant and conceited – such personalities were entirely unsuitable for becoming appraisers.
To become a senior appraiser, the most crucial requirement was to possess an exceptional temperament.
In fact, one needed to maintain a low profile, avoid getting angry easily, and only then could one remain clear-headed at all times.
Upon hearing the Grand Master's words, the three disciples obediently closed their mouths, but their eyes held a hint of anger.
Their master had reprimanded them so severely for an outsider; naturally, they were displeased.
However, due to their status, despite their inner anger, they dared not vent it, merely harboring increased resentment towards Ye Fan.
Seeing that the three had quieted down, Ye Fan continued, "These five porcelain bottles belong to three dynasties. One of them is from the Kangxi Dynasty. The first porcelain bottle has a flared rim, a slender neck, and is decorated with peony patterns on its belly, with a regular circular base. The Kangxi reign deeply loved peonies, so using intertwined peonies as the pattern for the porcelain bottle can confirm its origin from the Kangxi Dynasty. Furthermore, the slender neck is a characteristic of early Kangxi porcelain. Therefore, this first porcelain bottle should be an artifact from the early Kangxi period."
Ye Fan was no longer hesitant, getting straight to the point.
Below, Jiang Zhong and Mr. Fu nodded simultaneously.
They too had recognized this artifact as being from the early Kangxi period.
The Grand Master even stepped forward with a smile and picked up the porcelain bottle. Indeed, "Kangxi Three Years" was inscribed on the bottom.
This first porcelain bottle was not the main challenge; the characteristics of early Kangxi artifacts were clear and easy to identify.
A thunderous applause erupted from below, with everyone cheering for Ye Fan.
"He truly is the rising star of our Jiangnan City! This Ye Fan kid is really bringing glory to our Jiangnan City."
"Who says Jiangnan City only has ordinary appraisers? Ye Fan's ability can easily surpass all appraisers from outside."
"At twenty years old, he possesses such skill. If he continues to grow, I can foresee him becoming a generation's master appraiser for Jiangnan City."
Everyone praised him, their admiration for Ye Fan coming from the bottom of their hearts.
But not everyone felt the same way. Feng Xiao, for instance, had a grim expression on his face.
Entrusting his fate to Ye Fan had already made him quite unhappy.
Yet, he felt conflicted. He hoped Ye Fan would pass smoothly, so that he could also pass. But he also hoped Ye Fan would fail, because only then could Ye Fan be humiliated, allowing him to vent his anger for the repeated shaming he had suffered from her.
At this moment, Feng Xiao's face was dark, and his gaze towards Ye Fan was filled with malice.
Ye Fan smiled and raised his hand, signaling for everyone to calm down. After the crowd below stopped applauding, Ye Fan turned his attention to the second porcelain bottle.
"The second porcelain bottle also features intertwined peonies, but amidst the peonies, a few weeds have appeared. This is a typical technique from the late Kangxi period. In the late Kangxi period, due to the depletion of state coffers, many artisans who fired porcelain would express their inner dissatisfaction through the ceramics. The weeds represent the lowest stratum of people, forced to survive amidst a facade of apparent wealth. The satirical implication is evident, therefore, it can be definitively stated that this second porcelain bottle is an artifact from the late Kangxi period."
A smile played on Ye Fan's lips. In his previous life, he had seen too many Qing Dynasty ceramics, and thus, he was intimately familiar with artifacts from that era.
It was almost as if he could appraise them with his eyes closed.
In fact, even without seeing the artifact firsthand, as long as he was provided with its characteristics, Ye Fan could easily determine which emperor's reign in the Qing Dynasty it belonged to.
It had to be said that such an ability was sufficient to put most people to shame. Even a first-class appraiser would not possess such skill.
This was precisely why Elder Lei, Jiang Zhong, and the others praised Ye Fan so highly.
The crowd below turned their gaze towards the Grand Master, as many of them didn't understand these details.
But before the Grand Master could speak, Jiang Zhong, Mr. Fu, and the others exchanged glances and then began to applaud!
This gesture was enough to prove that Ye Fan's judgment was once again correct.
"Good, Brother Ye, you truly make us proud."
Having correctly identified two artifacts, both from the Kangxi era, these people's approval of Ye Fan deepened.
Indeed, at this moment, many had already decided that after the selection process, they would take their family's artifacts to Xiaoran Pavilion and ask Ye Fan to examine them.
The Grand Master smiled, "You are truly excellent. You understand the early and late periods of the Kangxi Dynasty very well. Good, this second porcelain bottle is indeed from the late Kangxi period."
Without even examining it, the Grand Master directly announced that Ye Fan was correct.
Ye Fan maintained a faint smile on his face, his demeanor unchanged even upon hearing the Grand Master's words.
All of this was within his expectations. If he couldn't even discern these things, then what was the point of discussing appraisal?
As a tomb keeper in his previous life, if he hadn't possessed such keen insight, he would have likely been eliminated by his peers long ago.
Yet, Ye Fan had managed to stand out among those tomb keepers, which spoke volumes about his formidable strength.
"Next is the third artifact. Ye Fan, do not disappoint me."
The Grand Master said with a smile, then stepped back a couple of paces, continuing to admire Ye Fan's performance.
Indeed, watching Ye Fan appraise was like witnessing a magnificent performance, dazzling and pleasing to the eye.
Ye Fan smiled and said, "I will certainly not disappoint the Grand Master."
Then, he walked towards the third artifact.