The previous porcelain auction had also spurred Mr. Li on. After Zhuang Rui made his bid, he started shouting enthusiastically. However, his auction hosting skills were really not very professional. His words sounded like those of a vegetable vendor at a market.
“Mr. Li, I’ll add 10 million, 30 million RMB…”
After a brief two-minute silence, Yamaki stood up again, raised his hand, and called out a price.
Yamaki really enjoyed the feeling when he won the first piece of porcelain. He felt that all the eyes in the room were filled with envy, jealousy and hatred as if the auction was held just for him. This feeling of controlling the auction process was wonderful.
"Mr. Yamaki has made a bid of 30 million RMB. Is there anyone else who would like to bid?"
Li Dali also had a feeling that in the final auction before the end of his more than 10-year career in the black market, he was about to fetch an unprecedented astronomical price. This made Boss Li's blood boil, and he seemed to have found a bit of the feeling of riding on Japanese women.
"Brother, don't be impulsive. These two items are unverified. It wouldn't matter if the Japanese took them..."
When Fatty Jin saw that Zhuang Rui wanted to bid again, he quickly advised him against it. He had been in the antique business for decades and had seen far too many things. Although these two pieces of porcelain were not flawed, Fatty Jin felt that this auction was somewhat strange.
Although Fatty Jin couldn't pinpoint any flaws, his nose detected a hint of conspiracy, which is why he stopped Zhuang Rui from bidding further.
Jin Pangzi's pull caused the room to fall silent again. Everyone had been hoping that Zhuang Rui and the Japanese would bid against each other, but unexpectedly Zhuang Rui remained silent.
Yamaki wore a victorious smile. It seemed that the bid for the first piece of porcelain had frightened these Chinese people, and no one dared to compete with him anymore.
Forty million!
But before the smile on Yamaki's face could fade, it froze on his face as the bid of forty million interrupted his daydreaming.
"Did Teacher Zhuang give another offer?"
"What kind of look is that? That's President Lu, President Lu of Dongshan Group..."
"Hey, as expected, it's the largest private company in Shandong Province, they're really rolling in money..."
"What do you know? Spending forty million not only brings practical benefits but also free advertising. It's a win-win situation, both in terms of substance and prestige. If I had the money, I'd do the same..."
The atmosphere in the room became heated with the bid, and Mr. Lu stood up and repeatedly bowed to the people around him to express his gratitude, making it seem like a celebrity press conference.
In fact, some of the things people predicted about President Lu's actions were true; his asking price of 40 million was somewhat of a show.
Although this black market auction is shady, the people present are all well-known business owners in the country. Making a deep impression on them would be entirely beneficial to the development of your own business.
Just like the Prince Life Insurance Group, which was founded in the 1980s in China, it was originally unknown to the public. But at an international auction held in Hong Kong, it spent hundreds of millions of dollars to buy several precious national treasures.
After this incident, with the help of the media, the name of Prince Libao Group spread almost overnight, becoming a household name in China. The effect was far greater than spending hundreds of millions of yuan on advertising.
Of course, the nature of the black market for antiques is different from that of auctions in Hong Kong, but the word-of-mouth spread by these people after they leave can also make Mr. Lu famous in the domestic business circle.
"Fifty million!"
Yamaki stood up and shouted expressionlessly.
When the price of fifty million was announced, a collective gasp filled the room, and all eyes turned back to Shanmu. Even Zhuang Rui was taken aback.
Although the prices of Chinese porcelain have soared in the international auction market in recent years, a price of 50 million RMB is enough to rank among the top five in the history of porcelain transactions in the last decade. Moreover, this happened in a black market transaction, which makes it even more rare.
It's important to understand that many antiques that fetch astronomical prices are actually staged, so large transactions usually occur in formal auctions. Black market auctions, where three to five million are considered big deals, have completely overturned everyone's expectations.
This price dampened Mr. Lu's spirits. Although he could have spent even more money, he ultimately lacked confidence. The price of 40 million yuan was already the limit he could psychologically bear.
The many collectors in the room looked at each other in bewilderment; they already sensed that this piece of porcelain would once again be auctioned off to the Japanese.
Some people even started to wonder if they should call the police as soon as they left the auction house. They couldn't just watch the Japanese take the stuff back to Japan, could they?
Sixty million!
Just when everyone thought the white vase with black floral fish and phoenix design would fetch 50 million RMB, Zhuang Rui's voice rang out again.
"Brother, are you crazy? This isn't Yuan blue and white porcelain. Even the most famous porcelain from the five great official kilns isn't worth this price..."
Fatty Jin looked at Zhuang Rui with disappointment. In his opinion, Zhuang Rui's bid was purely out of spite, not wanting the Japanese to buy the porcelain.
"Teacher Zhuang is kind and righteous..."
"As expected of a major collector, he has such confidence; he can talk about 60 million without batting an eye..."
"Of course! I heard that the pirate treasure that Teacher Zhuang obtained last time was worth billions of US dollars. What's 60 million RMB?"
Those who came to participate in the black market auction today felt like they were on a roller coaster, going up and down. People with weak hearts really couldn't handle the excitement.
However, everyone felt that today's trip was worthwhile, as it was an eye-opening experience. The price of this one piece of porcelain alone is now almost higher than the total transaction price of many auctions.
"My ancestors, it's time to stop while you're ahead..."
Amidst the praise from those in the room, Li Dali felt as bitter as if he had swallowed a bitter pill. The initial bid of 50 million RMB was already testing his heart's endurance, but unexpectedly Zhuang Rui added fuel to the fire, raising the price directly to 60 million.
"Pretend, really pretend..."
Miao Feifei sat next to Zhuang Rui, glancing at him with disdain out of the corner of her eye. When Zhuang Rui bid on the first piece of porcelain, Officer Miao had already realized that Zhuang Rui's tactics were aimed at the Japanese.
This could actually be considered a fraud, but firstly, Officer Miao had no evidence, and secondly, the market has been advocating for freedom for over a decade now. It was a case of mutual consent, so it had nothing to do with the police.
So Officer Miao remained indifferent and did not take any action. Perhaps in her heart, she felt that it would be a great pleasure to make the Japanese suffer a loss.
"Teacher Zhuang is indeed exceptional. The current price is 60 million RMB. Are there any higher bids?"
With the arrow already on the bowstring, there was no turning back. As Li Dali spoke, he glanced at Shanmu, silently praying, "Raise it up, raise the price..."
Perhaps his prayers had indeed worked, for as soon as Mr. Li finished speaking, Shanmu stood up and said, "I'll offer 80 million. As an ancient artifact with a long history and rich cultural significance, I think it's worth that price..."
Eighty million RMB was only about ten million USD in 2006, which was nothing for Yamaki Corporation, whose total assets exceeded five hundred million USD.
"I'll offer 90 million RMB. I agree with Mr. Yamaki's opinion, but I think it's better if this item stays in China..."
Before the audience could recover from their shock, Zhuang Rui immediately threw out another price of 90 million. This was like a depth charge, making everyone's heads ring and some couldn't believe their ears.
After Zhuang Rui's words, Shan Mu felt his dignity had been challenged. He stood up, looked at Zhuang Rui, and said, "Sir, art knows no borders. Good works should be appreciated by those who understand them. I offer one hundred million RMB!"
The scene of the two confronting each other has made many people lose their ability to think. Tens of millions or hundreds of millions of dollars are like tens or hundreds of dollars in their mouths. They just casually throw them away.
If it were an investment in a project, many entrepreneurs in the market would understand and dare to make a move. However, what they were scrambling to acquire was an antique whose authenticity and potential for appreciation were unknown, which made everyone hesitant and fearful.
Even the most decisive and ruthless business owners wouldn't dare to get involved in the game that Zhuang Rui and Mu Shan were playing.
"Hehe, it seems Mr. Yamaki is determined to get this porcelain piece. I wonder if Teacher Zhuang is willing to part with it?"
Li Dali's voice drew everyone's attention to Zhuang Rui. If anyone had focused on Boss Li, they would have seen that Li Dali's face was now contorted in a smile that looked more like a grimace.
Chapter 870 An Exorbitant Price (Part 2)
Li Dali knew that no matter what the outcome was today, he was already famous, and very famous. He estimated that his colleagues and antique enthusiasts all over the country would know his name.
As the saying goes, "People are afraid of becoming famous, just as pigs are afraid of getting fat." The first bird to stick its head out gets shot. Even though he kept a low profile before, the police still caused him a lot of trouble. Now that this has happened, even if Li Dali doesn't want to go back to the right path, he probably won't have a place in the black market anymore.
Firstly, this incident has caused too much of a stir, and the police will definitely keep a close eye on him. Secondly, those tomb raiders will definitely not dare to trade with him anymore. Now Li Dali is like a powder keg; whoever gets close to him is doomed.
Li Dali didn't know whether to be happy or angry. He no longer felt the joy of creating a record-breaking price on the black market auction. All he wanted was to sell this damned porcelain piece, no matter who it was. He just wanted to end this damned auction as soon as possible.
Seeing that Zhuang Rui didn't reply, Li Dali wanted to cut to the chase quickly. This time, he only waited for a little over a minute before shouting, "Since no one else is bidding, I hereby declare this white-ground, black-flowered, fish and phoenix-patterned four-handled vase to be returned to the mountain wood..."
"Wait, one hundred and twenty million, I'll offer one hundred and twenty million!" Zhuang Rui's voice wasn't loud, but the commotion it caused far exceeded that of Li Dali's shout into the microphone. When the number one hundred and twenty million was uttered, the entire venue fell silent.
After Zhuang Rui finished speaking, a slight look of tension appeared on his face. He then looked at Shan Mu. In other people's eyes, Zhuang Rui's asking price was already a bit like forcing a duck onto a shelf.
In truth, Zhuang Rui didn't know if Shanmu would continue to bid higher, but he was confident that since the item was his, he wouldn't be afraid even if the price reached a billion RMB.
On another note, the fact that both porcelain pieces were bought by the Japanese did hurt the pride of those in the room. So Zhuang Rui took a gamble and offered 120 million. If Yamaki didn't bid, he would keep the four-piece vase for himself.
Of course, if Shanmu raised the price again, even if it was only by one yuan, Zhuang Rui wouldn't raise it any further. He wasn't stupid; he'd made more than ten times his initial investment of over ten million yuan. In Sichuan dialect, that's a really good deal. ...
"Chairman Yamaki, do you think that person was arranged by the Chinese?"
After Zhuang Rui called out a price of 120 million, several Japanese people began to whisper among themselves. The person who had spoken earlier was a long-time employee of Yamaki Corporation, who had worked for the company for decades.
"No, I know that person. He's a very famous jade appraisal expert in China, with considerable expertise. He wouldn't be a shill for someone..."
Yamaki is now a little conflicted. Judging from the Chinese man's posture, it seems like he's determined to fight him to the death. If that's the case, acquiring this porcelain piece will be extremely difficult.
However, Shanmu never considered that Zhuang Rui was a shill. Although it is normal for auction houses to have shills, no shill would be so bold as to bid such an exorbitant price for a piece of porcelain.
At this moment, Nogai also came over. Since he didn't have to pay for it, it was easy for him to talk. He said, "Yamaki-kun, I think we should overwhelm them with our momentum." "Yes, don't worry, I will definitely bring both pieces of porcelain back." Nogai's words strengthened Yamaki's confidence. It's just a little over 100 million RMB. That's just the price of a top-of-the-line yacht.
Yamaki had no experience in starting a business. As the saying goes, "a son sells his father's land without feeling the pain." If it were the cunning and shrewd Yamaki Ichiro, he certainly wouldn't have followed suit so rashly.
After discussing it with his colleagues, Yamaki stood up and said to Li Dali on the stage, "Mr. Li, I offer 150 million RMB. The value of this artwork cannot be measured in money..."
"My God, 150 million?"
"Damn, this Japanese guy has gone mad..."
"Oh no, I'm afraid Teacher Zhuang won't bid anymore. This... this is too outrageous..."
When Yamaki announced his offer, the entire room erupted in uproar, with everyone standing up from their chairs. As they shared their comments, all eyes were fixed on Zhuang Rui, who was sitting in the last row.
"Boss Zhuang, my goodness, you should know when to stop..."
Li Dali stood on the stage, wiping away sweat. Originally, according to his plan, he would be lucky if this scheme could swindle tens of millions from the Japanese. He never expected that things would go out of his control and that the decision-making power would be in the hands of the chief director, Zhuang Rui.
However, this matter put a lot of pressure on Mr. Li. He was afraid that as soon as he walked out of the door after the auction, he would be invited for tea by the relevant departments. After all, if an item was auctioned for hundreds of millions of yuan, even if it was fake, it would become real.
Hearing the whispers of the crowd around him, Zhuang Rui's expression turned grim. He seemed to be contemplating how to speak. Seeing Zhuang Rui's demeanor, the collectors from all over the country immediately felt a chill in their hearts.
Zhuang Rui slowly stood up from his chair, and the originally noisy venue immediately quieted down, with dozens of eyes focusing on him.
"Ladies and gentlemen, it is rare for a Japanese guest to like Chinese antiques so much. I think we should congratulate Mr. Yamaki on acquiring this four-handled vase." Zhuang Rui spoke very slowly, and anyone could tell that Mr. Zhuang was in a bad mood. Perhaps only Miao Feifei and Li Dali could see from the twitching in the corner of Zhuang Rui's eye that this guy was secretly overjoyed.
Indeed, Zhuang Rui was overjoyed. Although he didn't lack the money, it mattered how it came about. He considered it a small compensation from the Japanese for their crimes back then. "Mr. Zhuang, thank you. You are a true artist." Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Yamaki stood up from his seat, walked quickly to Zhuang Rui, and bowed deeply.
Zhuang Rui himself didn't react much, but Officer Miao and Li Dali almost burst out laughing. The legendary story of selling someone out and then helping them count the money had come to life in real life.
"Alright, if no other friends bid, this white vase with black floral fish and phoenix design will belong to Mr. Yamaki..."
Li Dali's words made everyone in the room feel somewhat disappointed. This was in China, on their home turf, and dozens of people had been utterly defeated by a few Japanese people. This made them feel extremely ashamed.
So after Li Dali finished speaking, many people began to leave. However, the 150 million yuan incident quickly spread throughout the domestic antique and archaeological circles after these people left.
Even Professor Meng called Zhuang Rui to inquire about the reason for this matter. Zhuang Rui could not say it outright, but he vaguely indicated that there was a very high possibility that the two pieces of porcelain were fakes, which made the old professor feel a little better.
However, no one knew that this auction was just the beginning; the Cizhou official kiln incident would later cause an even bigger upheaval.
After the transaction, Yamaki and his entourage left hastily under the protection of their bodyguards. According to their plan, the two porcelain pieces would be returned to Japan along with a counselor from the Japanese Consulate in China who was returning to Japan soon.
Zhuang Rui, Peng Fei, and the others followed the crowd out of the auction house. Zhuang Rui found a gap, slipped away from Fatty Jin, and whispered to Officer Miao, "Officer Miao, this was just an exchange of folk crafts. It's their prerogative to spend so much money to buy them, isn't it? Also, I'll urge the auction house owner to pay taxes according to regulations. I hope you won't make a big deal out of it..."
Although the weather outside was still hot, Zhuang Rui felt exceptionally cool and comfortable inside.
"Zhuang Rui, as your friend, I have a piece of advice for you: don't let this happen again. You'd better watch yourself..."