I only wanted to make Bai Hanyan retreat, but I didn't expect to push the An Yuan Tang into the spotlight.
Sister Ying came to my side, gave me a slight smile, and then looked at Bai Hanyan, "Miss Bai, so it's settled then?"
Bai Hanyan seemed surprised by Sister Ying's appearance, and even more surprised that she agreed to the bet.
"It's settled, who's afraid of whom?"
"Then shall we go to Yi Pin Zhai now? I haven't had tea there in a long time."
Before I could react, Sister Ying took my arm and walked out of An Yuan Tang under everyone's watchful eyes.
My heart started pounding, and I didn't dare to look at Sister Ying.
"Xiao Fei, where's your suit?" Sister Ying asked me after we came out.
"I put it away... I was afraid of getting it dirty..."
Sister Ying smiled, "Clothes are meant to be worn, not kept. Understand?" 138 reading network
I nodded, "Understood, Sister Ying..."
Yi Pin Zhai was not far from An Yuan Tang, just across a main street.
This was my first time here. Yi Pin Zhai's decoration was similar to An Yuan Tang's, both converted from three-in and three-out courtyards.
However, Yi Pin Zhai had fewer people than An Yuan Tang. I had heard Hong Yun Peng mention it once, saying that Yi Pin Zhai basically only received regular customers.
Tourists were not accepted at all.
As soon as we entered, Bai Hanyan followed.
As soon as she entered, she shouted, "Old Liang!"
An old man in a black long gown ran out, "Miss, what is it?"
"Look, can't you see? Boss An is here." Bai Hanyan gestured with her chin.
Old Liang looked at us and smiled, "Why is Boss An here? Please, come in and sit. I'll make tea for you right away."
Sister Ying waved her hand, "No need. We're not here for tea. Miss Bai has made a bet with us."
"A bet? What bet?" Old Liang looked confused.
Bai Hanyan waved her hand, "Old Liang, don't ask so many questions. You do your work, and you don't need to worry about this."
Old Liang hesitated for a moment, then smiled apologetically at Sister Ying and left.
Bai Hanyan pointed to the antique hall and said, "Look around. All our items in Yi Pin Zhai are genuine. Unlike some shops that specialize in selling mixed goods."
"Mixed goods" is slang in the antique circle, meaning selling genuine and fake items together.
Just as I was about to retort, Sister Ying stopped me and said with a smile, "Xiao Fei, let's go see the good items at Yi Pin Zhai."
I nodded and walked towards a rosewood display cabinet.
The reason I dared to make this bet with Bai Hanyan was mainly because my father had once said that no antique shop could guarantee all its items were genuine.
If it was a personal collection, it was normal not to have fakes. But for a business, even if a shop was honest, the people working for them might make mistakes.
After all, antique shops had too many and too diverse items. As for appraisal certificates.
Big shots in the circle like Bai Zhujing could issue appraisal certificates themselves.
I strolled around the hall, and finally stopped in front of a Han Dynasty vase.
"What? Are you saying this Han vase is fake?"
Bai Hanyan appeared beside me at some point and said sarcastically.
I turned to look at her and smiled, "You know this Han vase is fake too?"
Being retorted like this, she furrowed her brows, "This is an authentic Han vase, and my father personally appraised it. How could it be fake?"
"Then what if I say it is fake?"
"Fine! Since you say it's fake, then prove it."
Sister Ying walked towards me, seemingly uninterested in the Han vase, and asked me, "Xiao Fei, tell us what you've discovered."
I nodded, "Han vases belong to the period of high ancient porcelain. The kilns used back then were different from those used now. They were called dragon kilns. The so-called dragon kiln was a straight line with a fire channel in the middle, used for burning firewood. Celadon was placed on both sides of the fire channel to be fired."
"During firing, it was like a fire dragon. Due to changes in humidity, when the wind passed through the fire channel, the porcelain near the flames would be affected, producing fire spots."
"Fire spots come in many colors, red, black, and purple. These fire spots are also called fire channel spots."
As I was explaining, Bai Hanyan interrupted me, "What's the use of you saying all this?"
The reason I was saying this was mainly for Sister Ying.
Being interrupted by her made me uncomfortable. "Can you let me finish? Or do you think you've already lost?"
Bai Hanyan pursed her lips and crossed her arms, "Hmph."
I continued, "Fire spots only appear on the side close to the fire channel, not everywhere."
As I spoke, I pointed to the Han vase in front of me, "But the fire channel spots on this vase are very uniform, appearing all around. It's obviously artificially made."
"Nonsense!" Bai Hanyan exclaimed, "How can fire spots be artificially made?"
"How difficult is that? Just pile grass ash and rice husks under the artifact, then add some water to maintain a certain humidity. During firing, the residual smoke from the grass ash and rice husks will hit the base, naturally forming these uniform fire spots."
As soon as I finished speaking, a hearty laugh rang out, "Good, good, good! Young Brother Xiang is indeed amazing."
Hearing this, Bai Zhujing and Old Liang walked out from the inner hall.
"Mr. Bai?"
"Young Brother Xiang, Boss An, we meet again." Bai Zhujing said with a smile.
"Dad!" Bai Hanyan ran over and grabbed Bai Zhujing's arm, "Is what he's saying true?"
Bai Zhujing nodded, "Yes, Young Brother Xiang is indeed correct, and this Han vase is indeed fake."
"What?" Bai Hanyan was stunned, "Dad, didn't you say last time that this thing was real?"
Bai Zhujing said with a wry smile, "I was fooled last time too. Later, I saw an identical Han vase elsewhere, and that's when I realized the one I acquired was fake."
"How could that be?" Bai Hanyan seemed unwilling to give up, "Then why did you let Old Liang put this vase in the shop?"
Bai Zhujing said, "I thought the vase had a good appearance, so I kept it as a memento and a reminder to myself."
Hearing Bai Zhujing personally admit it, I looked at Bai Hanyan with interest, "Miss Bai, you have nothing to say now, do you?"
She glared at me, "This time it's your luck!"
"Luck?" I laughed, "If appraising treasures were about luck, then my luck would probably not be as good as yours, Miss."
She seemed a bit confused, and I was too lazy to explain.
My meaning was actually to taunt her. If appraising treasures were based on luck, how could I have better luck than you, the eldest daughter of Yi Pin Zhai.