"Mr. Lu, although Sweet White Glaze became popular late and not many people are familiar with it, I can guarantee this piece is genuine with my eyesight. It's absolutely no mistake."
The elder in the Tang suit leaned in and whispered to Lu Chenggong, "It all depends on whether the price is worth it."
"What price?" Lu Chenggong asked nonchalantly.
The man with the triangular eyes held up five fingers.
"Five million each?"
Lu Chenggong exchanged a glance with the elder and asked, "Old Qin, what do you think of this price?"
Just as the elder surnamed Qin was about to reply, the man with the triangular eyes grinned and said, "Mr. Lu, you misunderstand. My goods are sold as a lot, no single pieces."
"Eighteen pieces in total, fifty million."
"This is a small sum for Mr. Lu."
"The condition of the goods is guaranteed. Please consider it."
Fifty million?
Upon hearing the price, Old Qin nodded slightly.
For Yongle period Sweet White Glaze of this quality, the auction price for a single piece would exceed seven million.
For this person to have eighteen pieces, it was likely they came from the Liangzhuang Wang tomb pit.
At less than three million per piece, this deal was definitely profitable.
He was an insider and wouldn't want such tomb-sourced goods.
But Lu Chenggong was not. This batch of goods was crucial for him, potentially a lifesaver.
"It's settled!"
"Alright, I'll take this entire batch!"
With Old Qin's appraisal, Lu Chenggong was completely at ease and agreed readily.
After speaking, he took the bowl and admired it carefully.
In the eyes of the man with triangular eyes, a flash of greedy triumph swiftly passed.
Just then, the door to the private room was pushed open. Everyone assumed it was a waiter and paid no attention.
But not long after, a voice rang out: "A high imitation costing less than five thousand yuan each, and someone wants to pay over five hundred times the price for it."
Hearing this, everyone turned in unison towards the door.
They saw Li Chonglou standing tall at the entrance, his hands clasped behind his back.
The triangular-eyed man's expression shifted slightly, a flicker of ferocity in his eyes. He narrowed his gaze and asked, "Mr. Lu, is he with you?"
"I don't know him."
Lu Chenggong's pupils contracted slightly. He sized up Li Chonglou and asked, "Young man, did you come to the wrong room?"
"I didn't."
Li Chonglou's expression was calm, and he said indifferently, "I was outside just now and heard you talking about Yongle kiln's Sweet White Glaze. I was curious and came in to take a look."
"I thought I would have an eye-opening experience, but who knew it would turn out to be a fake."
"You guys carry on."
With that, he made a move to turn and leave.
"Stop right there!"
Old Qin's face instantly darkened. He stood up abruptly, his expression displeased, and said, "So young, yet so ignorant of the world."
"Are you questioning my judgment?"
"No matter who you are, if you don't clarify this today, you're not leaving!"
He had been entrusted by Lu Chenggong to specifically appraise the items.
As a result of Li Chonglou's inexplicable remark, he now looked like a tout.
If Lu Chenggong misunderstood, where would he hide his old face?
"Young people these days are truly arrogant to the extreme. Kid, do you know who you're talking to?"
"This is Mr. Qin Muyang, the Vice President of the Qin Province Antiquities Association. He has seen countless treasures in his lifetime. For him to be mistaken, how ridiculous!"
"You're just trying to show off, knowing Mr. Lu is here and trying to curry favor. It's utterly embarrassing."
...
The few people gathered around Lu Chenggong all wore scornful expressions and mocked him openly.
Even Lü Yunxu's beautiful large eyes showed a hint of contempt.
The triangular-eyed man wore a cold sneer, his eyes glinting with malice.
"Anger harms the body."
Li Chonglou said calmly, his face unperturbed, "With such poor mental cultivation, it's no wonder your eyes are deceived."
"You..."
Qin Muyang's face turned ashen, his fingers trembling with rage. He said angrily, "Ignorant brat, how dare you mock me for being blind!"
"Young man, the sky can be fierce, and people who are arrogant will face disaster." Lu Chenggong also snorted displeasely. "Old Qin is one of the foremost figures in the Qin Province antiquities circle."
"He says this bowl is fine."
"Do you consider yourself superior to Old Qin?"
Just as a lucrative deal was about to be concluded, and he would be able to make a good showing at a charity auction in a few days, this impulsive young man appeared out of nowhere.
It made him quite unhappy.
"The Qin Province antiquities circle is undeserved of its reputation." Li Chonglou said dismissively.
"What did you say!" This single sentence ignited everyone.
Old Qin's face was extremely grim. He gritted his teeth and said, "You have quite a lot of nerve."
"This old man wants to see exactly what you're made of today."
"If you can't explain this bowl, not only will you have to apologize to me, but you'll also have to apologize to the entire Qin Province antiquities circle through a public newspaper!"
"Do you dare?"
"You want to bet with me?" Li Chonglou smiled.
His purpose for coming was for money, and to save Lu Chenggong's life.
He hadn't expected Qin Muyang to present himself first.
Since that was the case, there was no need to be polite.
In the world of antiques, it all came down to judgment.
He immediately agreed, "If I lose, I'll apologize publicly. What about you?"
"Hmph, in the past decade or so, I haven't made a single mistake." Qin Muyang said with full confidence, "If I lose, I'll withdraw from the antiquities circle for good!"
"Whether you withdraw or not is irrelevant to me. Let's be more practical."
A wicked smile played on Li Chonglou's lips. "If you lose, give me thirty thousand as tuition, how about that?"
"Deal!" Qin Muyang agreed without a second thought.
He never for a moment thought he would lose. If he couldn't even beat this inexperienced young man like Li Chonglou, what kind of vice president would he be.
"Young man, I advise you to be sensible..." Lu Chenggong's face darkened, his patience worn thin.
Before he could finish speaking, Li Chonglou spoke eloquently, "Yongle White Glaze was fired by the imperial kilns during the Ming Yongle period. Its de-fired craftsmanship involved a total of twenty-seven steps, a number associated with the 'three nines', completely different from other surviving porcelain."
"At that time, there was no such name as 'Sweet White Glaze'."
"The reason a 'sweet' character was added later was because the white glaze on the thin-bodied pieces with incised patterns was as warm and lustrous as jade, with a slight yellowish tint, giving people a 'sweet' feeling, like milk."
"Because its walls are extremely thin, it even creates the illusion of light passing through."
"As it was an item exclusively used by the royal family, it is mostly found in the burial sites of the Ming imperial family. Complete preserved pieces are extremely rare."
"This bowl has incised patterns and writing that are faint, a smooth glaze surface, and meticulous workmanship. The glaze color is fine white, with occasional lustrous sheen."
"When viewed against the light, you can even see the reddish-pink body through the glaze."
"It is indeed a masterful imitation. Even someone like you, who has been immersed in this circle for years, could be deceived. How much more so for ordinary people."
At this point, Qin Muyang's expression changed slightly.
An ordinary person wouldn't know these details.
Could it be that this young man was truly a master?
Impossible, he was so young. Even if he had started studying antiques from birth, he couldn't have achieved so much.
Thinking this, he regained some confidence and sneered, "Don't try to confuse me with these useless facts."
"The characteristics of Yongle White Glaze are all present in this bowl. The current imitation craftsmanship cannot reach the strict standards of the imperial kilns of that era!"
The others also echoed with ridicule, "Kid, just admit defeat. Losing to Old Qin is nothing to be ashamed of."
"I've known Old Qin for so many years, and I trust his character."
"Showing off in front of an expert, let's see how you'll finish!"
Li Chonglou raised his eyebrows and sneered, "This only shows you don't understand Yongle White Glaze. Your character might be fine, but your eyes are still failing!"