When Yan Hongguang asked me that question, I was also a little surprised.
I saw him smile and say, "The list of participants submitted to the appraisal convention the other day. I saw your name on it. I was a bit surprised then, thinking it was just a common name. But since you're already in Guangbei, it proves it wasn't a coincidence."
I chuckled sheepishly, "I've long heard of the Guangbei Appraisal Convention. I wanted to come observe and learn, and perhaps elevate my appraisal skills."
"That's not what your father said when he showed his prowess at the Jiangdong Appraisal Convention back then," Yan Hongguang said with a smile.
The Jiangdong Appraisal Convention was ancient history. Now, all appraisal families in the Jiangdong region were fragmented, and there was no longer any talk of an appraisal convention.
"Oh? What did he say then?" I asked curiously.
A hint of reminiscence flickered in Yan Hongguang's eyes. "When he went to participate in the Jiangdong Appraisal Convention, he said something like this... He said the Jiangdong Appraisal Convention was merely for seeking fame and that it would be better if it wasn't held at all."
"His words offended many people back then, and initially, many were hostile towards him. But when he single-handedly won the title of Jiangdong's top appraiser, all hostility turned into flattery."
As he spoke, he suddenly remembered something, "Right, your dad also gave himself a nickname back then."
"Jiangdong Giant Eye?" I couldn't help but blurt out.
Yan Hongguang smiled and nodded, "That's right, Jiangdong Giant Eye."
I was speechless. My father was almost kicked out of the house by my grandfather because of that nickname.
However, thinking of my father's swagger back then made me feel a wave of shame.
He must have been truly young and spirited back then.
Looking at myself now, I tend to overthink everything. Compared to my father, I lack any youthful vigor.
"By the way, Uncle Yan. Why has the antique industry in our Jiangdong region become the way it is now?" I voiced my doubts.
Yan Hongguang said, "Times have changed. The antique circle in Jiangdong has developed rapidly, and fragmentation was bound to happen sooner or later."
"Then why is it that in Guangbei..."
I trailed off mid-sentence.
A hint of bitterness flashed across Yan Hongguang's face, "The situation in Guangbei isn't great either. If everyone hadn't been developing towards the outer ports these past few years, it might have ended up like Jiangdong."
He paused and continued, "The antique industry is inherently a niche circle. People get involved primarily for profit. The Jiangdong antique industry has become saturated, so everyone naturally developed their own interests, making division inevitable. Guangbei has faced this crisis in recent years, but fortunately, the previous generation foresaw this situation and established rules, founding the Guanggu Association, with elections every three years."
I was naturally aware of the Guanggu Association, a local organization in Guangbei, essentially an antique association.
The Guangbei Association had always been controlled by the four major families of Guangbei. To my knowledge, Yan Hongguang had served as its president for two consecutive terms.
Guangbei is different from other places. Here, if you want to do business in antiques, you must be recognized and approved by the Guanggu Association.
For instance, shop locations and their responsible persons all require registration.
Over the past few days, Fatty and I had visited many antique shops, and they all displayed Guanggu Association certifications.
The purpose of this was to facilitate management, prevent the rampant proliferation of fakes, and, most importantly, to firmly control the interests of this circle within the hands of the four major families.
With their increased strength, the four major families naturally expanded their channels.
For example, various auction houses, expanding nationwide, and so on.
While the four major families got the lion's share, those who joined the Guanggu Association could at least get a taste.
This approach was somewhat like a corporation, with the four major families as major shareholders and others as minor shareholders.
This model had many advantages, not only preventing the rise of external forces but also ensuring orderly management of the local market.
"Then why didn't Jiangdong establish an association like Guangbei back then?" I asked.
Yan Hongguang smiled and said, "Your father had that intention, but unfortunately, the forces in Jiangdong were deeply entrenched, and there were many hidden families. It wasn't an easy task to integrate all the resources."
He took a sip of tea and said, "Guangbei achieved its current situation only after generations of effort."
I sighed, feeling a sense of helplessness.
"Xiao Fei, it's a good thing you've come to participate in the Guangbei Appraisal Convention. I'm really looking forward to your performance," Yan Hongguang said with a smile.
I smiled, "Uncle Yan, I'm just here to gain some experience. Please don't have too many expectations of me. I'm afraid if you're disappointed, I won't have the face to see you again."
"Haha..." Yan Hongguang chuckled, "You and your father truly have different personalities."
As evening approached, Yan Hongguang invited Fatty and me to stay for dinner. I didn't refuse.
During dinner, a man and a woman arrived.
The man looked to be in his thirties, appearing very composed, dressed in a suit, and wearing gold-rimmed glasses.
The woman was about twenty-three or twenty-four, in casual wear, with her hair in a ponytail. She spoke softly, exuding the demeanor of a well-bred young lady.
These two were Yan Hongguang's son and daughter.
The man was named Yan Changxun, and the woman was Yan Yuhe.
At the banquet, Yan Hongguang introduced them to me, and we exchanged contact information.
He also asked his younger daughter, Yan Yuhe, to take me around Guangbei in the coming days.
I declined Yan Hongguang's kind offer.
Mainly because I had already explored most of Guangbei these past few days. For the remaining time, I planned to adjust myself properly to participate in the appraisal convention.
After leaving the Yan residence and returning to my lodging, I called Wu Tingxiu to ask her when she would be arriving in Guangbei.
She said, "I might not be able to make it. I've encountered some issues recently."
I initially wanted to ask her what the issues were, but I swallowed the words.
Because I knew that the issues she mentioned were likely business-related, and even if I knew, I wouldn't be able to help. So, I decided not to inquire further.
"Xiao Fei, I'll have to entrust the map matter to you..." Wu Tingxiu's voice carried a hint of apology.
I smiled, "Okay, don't worry, I'll definitely handle the map matter well. I'm still waiting for the grand gift you promised me."
She chuckled on the other end of the line, "No problem. Like I said, if you need anything, don't be polite. Just ask. You can also go directly to Liu Jiangmin."
"Understood, don't worry. If anything comes up, I'll call you immediately."
"Mm..." Wu Tingxiu said, "Right, in a few days, I'll have Song Bing come find you."
I knew she was worried about my safety, but honestly, I wasn't doing anything in Guangbei that would pose a safety risk.
However, I couldn't refuse, so I agreed.
After two days of rest, the appraisal convention arrived as scheduled.
On the day we received the notification, Fatty and I headed directly there.
Due to the cumbersome nature of the convention's procedures, the first two days were mainly filled with tea parties and casual conversations.
It wasn't until the third day that the appraisal convention officially commenced...