Zhuang Rui honestly said, "Teacher, I'd like to go to Shaanxi first. There are many ancient tombs from the Spring and Autumn Period, Qin and Han Dynasties there, and perhaps some imperial tombs that haven't been discovered yet..."
In fact, Zhuang Rui's main target was the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum. According to his idea, if he was going to excavate, he would make a world-shaking discovery.
Although surveys by relevant departments have revealed extremely high levels of underground mercury within the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum area, leading to suspicions that the outer perimeter was cast with mercury, thus preventing its excavation, Zhuang Rui believes that there must be areas not covered by mercury, and that his own eyes might be able to find a breakthrough.
"You're not thinking about excavating Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum, are you? Your teacher doesn't have that kind of ability. That mausoleum won't be excavated for at least fifty years..."
Professor Meng knew that his disciple, though seemingly humble, was actually quite arrogant. After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, he immediately guessed most of what Zhuang Rui was planning. However, even with his status in the archaeological field, without detailed data, he could not advance the excavation of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum.
It is important to understand that if the problem of mercury coverage is not properly addressed, it will not only endanger personnel during the excavation process, but also be a disaster for underground cultural relics. Just like in the 1960s and 70s, when the Ming Tombs were excavated for some political reasons, countless precious cultural relics were destroyed, which caused great distress to the older generation of scientific researchers.
"If you ask me, you could pay more attention to the tombs in Gansu, Xinjiang, and Inner Mongolia; you might find some unexpected treasures there..."
Zhuang Rui understood what Professor Meng meant. Due to geographical factors, these places are dry and have little rain, so the cultural relics in the underground tombs are often better preserved than those in the Jiangnan and Central Plains areas. For example, several well-preserved ancient paintings from the Song Dynasty were all from Gansu and other places.
"Teacher, I will seriously consider it..."
Zhuang Rui realized he had been making some assumptions. Something like excavating the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum would probably have to be submitted to the national leaders for a proposal, and it was far beyond his control. However, after hearing Professor Meng's words, Zhuang Rui suddenly remembered a figure who had once dominated Chinese history.
However, this matter was a bit too unreliable, and Zhuang Rui was not confident that he could find the person's grave. So he didn't say much and changed the subject, chatting with Professor Meng. After having Professor Meng stay at his home for lunch, Zhuang Rui personally drove Professor Meng and his grandson back to their residence at Peking University in the afternoon.
Just as Zhuang Rui was considering whether to take a stroll around Panjiayuan, his phone suddenly rang. Zhuang Rui glanced at it and saw that it was an unfamiliar Beijing number.
"Hello, this is Zhuang Rui..."
Not many people know his phone number, so Zhuang Rui answered the phone.
"Little Zhuang, do you still remember this old man?"
A hearty laugh came from the other end of the phone.
"Oh, Mr. Tang, what are you saying? You're... in Beijing?"
Zhuang Rui was surprised that the call was from Old Tang, and quickly said, "Old Tang, since you're in Beijing, I must treat you. Let's go to Houhai tonight. I know a restaurant there that serves really good Yunnan cuisine..."
This is the renowned "Jade King" in the jade industry!
Zhuang Rui still respected this senior very much. This senior not only had superb skills in appreciating jade, but his character was also unanimously praised in the industry. The position of president of the "Jade Research Promotion Association" that Zhuang Rui currently holds was given up by this old man.
To be honest, Zhuang Rui isn't a very competent president. So far, he's only made one appearance at the association, and Qin Haoran has attended most other meetings on his behalf. Zhuang Rui is currently considering whether he should resign from his position as president.
"Hehe, I'll skip dinner. I'm meeting some old friends tonight..."
Old Tang laughed when he heard this. He knew that Zhuang Rui didn't care much about the association's affairs, but it was a research institution, and there were people specifically in charge of its daily affairs. The president was just a figurehead, so the old man didn't care much.
"Mr. Tang, how about tomorrow? When you come to Beijing, I will definitely do my best to be a good host..."
Zhuang Rui did want to sit down and have a chat with Old Tang. He couldn't possibly match the old man's knowledge of jade, and he always learned a lot from Old Tang.
"Xiao Zhuang, let's put dinner aside for now. Are you free tomorrow? I need to talk to you about something else..."
Old Tang interrupted Zhuang Rui with a smile.
"You're free? Just let me know if you need anything..."
Zhuang Rui found it a bit strange. Could it be that this old man had found some good stuff and wanted to show it off to him?
"Here's the thing, some people in Beijing have organized a jade gambling club, and they specifically invited me to participate in their event. If you're free, come with me tomorrow..."
"A jade gambling club? Oh, I know about that..."
After hearing what Old Tang said, Zhuang Rui suddenly remembered something.
Last week, someone asked Fatty Ma, who was far away in Africa, to call and invite him to participate in some event related to jade gambling. However, Zhuang Rui declined the invitation. Since he was officially crowned king in the jade industry, he has received countless such invitations, but he usually does not attend.
Zhuang Rui hadn't expected these people to be able to persuade Old Tang to participate, which piqued his interest. He pulled over and said, "Grandpa, what's the deal with this club? Tell me about it..."
"Actually, it's nothing. The person who organized this event isn't really in the industry, but he's an old client of mine with a close relationship. It's okay if you don't have time, Xiao Zhuang..."
Upon hearing Mr. Tang's explanation, Zhuang Rui realized that this jade gambling club was not actually organized by people in the industry, but rather by a group of wealthy businessmen who spontaneously formed the club in pursuit of the thrill of jade gambling.
Most of these people are well-known domestic entrepreneurs. After spending a lot of money to buy jadeite from Myanmar or major domestic auctions, they will cut the stones internally. To put it bluntly, it's just a group of rich people gambling in a different way.
Chapter 1067 Blue Mountain Club
These days, when people have money, many start seeking thrills. Years ago, there were wealthy men in Beijing who liked to gamble on whether a car license plate was odd or even. They would each carry a suitcase full of money, take a taxi to an intersection, and try to guess whether the first car to pass by had an odd or even number. Now, people have finally developed a more sophisticated taste and are following the trend by gambling on jade.
Although Mr. Tang has a high reputation in the jade industry, he is still a businessman after all. Many of the members of the Beijing Jade Gambling Club were originally his customers. In addition, Mr. Tang is always willing to help others and likes to mentor younger generations. That's why he accepted the invitation to come to Beijing from Yunnan to participate in this so-called game for the rich.
"Xiao Zhuang, if you're busy, that's fine. Let's get together again tomorrow after this is over..."
When Tang Lao saw that Zhuang Rui hadn't spoken for a long time on the phone, he thought that Zhuang Rui was unwilling to go. He also knew that the people in the so-called jade gambling club had absolutely nothing to do with jade culture. They were either nouveau riche or playboys from Beijing, and Zhuang Rui might not be interested in them.
If it weren't for the invitations from several major clients, Mr. Tang wouldn't have participated in this kind of event. However, people in the business world are often not in control of their own destiny. People like Zhuang Rui who don't care about external factors at all are extremely rare.
"Grandpa, I'll go see you tomorrow too, and learn something from you..."
After thinking about it for a moment, Zhuang Rui agreed. He also wanted to see if those amateurs could really find anything good. After all, gambling on stones is a matter of luck, and maybe there really are some good things inside.
"Alright, that place is called Blue Mountain Club. I'll be waiting for you there tomorrow..."
Old Tang was delighted to hear that Zhuang Rui had agreed to attend the gathering. He was impatient to waste time chatting with a bunch of laymen; with Zhuang Rui there, at least he'd have someone to talk to.
"Fourth Brother, do you know a place in Beijing called the Blue Mountain Club?"
After hanging up the phone and returning home, Zhuang Rui realized that he had no idea where the Blue Mountain Club was. Considering that he was now considered a Beijing resident, he was too embarrassed to call Old Tang to ask, and instead called Ouyang Jun.
"You mean the Blue Mountain Club? The one owned by the second son of that guy in the Ministry of Finance? Why are you asking about that?"
Ouyang Jun found it strange. His younger brother had never liked going to these so-called elegant places and had little interaction with the second-generation nobles of the capital. Why was he suddenly inquiring about this? Besides, that place was not a good place at all; it had everything from eating and drinking to gambling, whoring, and smoking. Zhuang Rui should not have any interest in these things.
"There's a jade gambling event there tomorrow; an elder from Yunnan invited me to go and take a look..."
Zhuang Rui replied.
"Gambling on stones? Sure, I know that place. Let's go together tomorrow. Last time I went to Myanmar, I didn't buy a single stone before returning home. This time I want to see what it's like..."
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Jun immediately became interested. Some time ago, he had taken Zhuang Rui to visit the Dingguang Museum. Zhuang Rui explained that the market value of just a few of the exhibits in the jade hall alone was over one billion RMB, which greatly displeased Ouyang Jun.
"My buddy works hard developing real estate, and he might not even make this much money in a year..."
Especially after hearing that Zhuang Rui had won several rough stones worth hundreds of millions in Myanmar, Ouyang Jun had been thinking about whether he should also invest some money in the jade gambling market. After all, if he could win, the profit would be many times higher than drug trafficking, and he wouldn't have to work so hard to make money.
The next morning, around 7 a.m., Ouyang Jun, who usually set others to start work at 8 a.m. and then went to the company in the afternoon, arrived early at Zhuang Rui's courtyard house. After picking up Zhuang Rui, he drove to the Blue Mountain Club.
Beijing is a city where land is incredibly valuable, and the Blue Mountain Club is located in the suburbs of Beijing. The location is quite good, with several small buildings hidden at the foot of the mountain. It was springtime, and the warm weather made it a truly refreshing place.
"Excuse me, sir, there's another private party today. Do you two have invitations?"
At the entrance of the club, Ouyang Jun's Mercedes-Benz was stopped. Beijing is not short of good cars, and Mercedes-Benz does not mean anything, especially in a private club like this, where even globally limited edition luxury cars are not rare.
"No, there really isn't. Wait... let me make a call..."
Zhuang Rui was stunned when he heard this. In fact, he did have an invitation. The person who organized this stone gambling event had sent him an invitation, but Zhuang Rui used it to fold paper cranes for his son. Yesterday, Old Tang had only mentioned it verbally. Where was Zhuang Rui going to find an invitation?
"Why are you making a phone call? This place is so unusual, I wouldn't even come if you invited me..."
Ouyang Jun muttered something under his breath, reached into the glove compartment on the passenger side, rummaged through it, took out a card, tossed it to the security guard outside the window, and said, "Here, check it..."
The Blue Mountain Club only gained a reputation among Beijing's aristocratic circles after Ouyang Jun closed his suburban club. However, its level and environment were somewhat inferior to Ouyang Jun's club back then.
The club's owner originally wanted to follow Ouyang Jun's path, but unfortunately, his own circle was not high enough and his network of contacts was not as wide as Ouyang Jun's. Therefore, most of the members were well-known wealthy people in China, and the entry requirements were not very high. Basically, anyone with money could get in.
Of course, the low entry barrier is relative. Bosses with a net worth of a few million or eight million really can't get in, because the Blue Mountain Club has underground boxing matches and dogfights every week, which are entertainment projects with gambling elements. Often, the wins and losses in a single match are over 100 million RMB, which is not something that ordinary people can afford to play.
Moreover, the privileges of internal members of the club are not the same. For example, the card that Ouyang Jun has is the treatment of a top member of the club, who can receive the best service 24 hours a day, no matter when they come.
After verifying Ouyang Jun's card, the security guard respectfully handed it back, saying with a smile, "Mr. Ouyang, please come in. Have a pleasant time..."
"Fourth Brother, that's great! With your connections, you'll be well-received anywhere..."
Zhuang Rui saved himself the trouble of calling Old Tang and didn't mind flattering Ouyang Jun.
"That's right. Let me tell you, there are probably no more than five of these cards in Beijing. Even if we two smash up this club, no one will ask you for compensation..."
Ouyang Jun smiled smugly. He always felt inferior to Zhuang Rui, whether in front of his grandfather or in business. Now that he could show off in front of Zhuang Rui, he was very happy.
"Well, Fourth Brother, you're amazing..."
Zhuang Rui continued to flatter him without expecting anything in return, secretly amused. No wonder Ouyang Jun didn't follow the family path into politics. With his personality, even at the height of his power, let alone after the old man retired, Ouyang Jun could still be manipulated by those politicians until he was completely bewildered.
However, on the Ouyang family side, Zhuang Rui got along best with Ouyang Jun, who was simple-minded. He would think of Ouyang Jun first when something happened, while he felt somewhat distant from his cousins like Ouyang Lei.
"Yeah, I'll get you a card later. It's nice to come and watch dogfights sometime. By the way, there are plenty of girls here, from all over the world. Just ask, and I can arrange it for you..."
As Ouyang Jun spoke, the topic turned to women, and he had a lewd smile on his face. He didn't act like an older brother at all.
"Forget it, Fourth Brother, I'm not interested in those things. You should also avoid going to those places; it wouldn't be good if your wife found out..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head and quickly interrupted Ouyang Jun. If this older brother continued talking, he could arrange for you to fly together with him later.
"Tch, if I wanted to play with women, I wouldn't come here..."
What Ouyang Jun said was true. In recent years, the Ouyang family has been gaining momentum in the domestic political arena, and countless people are watching them. Ouyang Jun has become much more restrained than before, such as closing the club in the suburbs of Beijing, just to prevent certain people with ulterior motives from taking advantage of the situation.
"By the way, Zhuang Rui, how about we let White Lion have a fight? I dare say that big guy could sweep all the fighting dogs here..."
The fighting dogs in the club are all provided by the members themselves. Last year, someone gave Ouyang Jun an American Pit Bull, but it lost to an Argentine Dogo Argentino and was bitten to death on the spot. This made Ouyang Jun quite indignant. The Tibetan Mastiff puppy he got from Zhuang Rui had not yet grown up, so he set his sights on the White Lion.
"White Lion?"
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui stopped in his tracks, staring intently at Ouyang Jun until his fourth brother felt a chill run down his spine, before finally speaking: "Fourth brother, Bai Shi saved my life, he's my brother, a brother just like you. If I asked you to go down and fight with dogs, would you be willing?"
Zhuang Rui had absolute faith in the white lion's fighting ability, which allowed it to fight snow leopards and golden eagles. However, he would never allow someone with nothing better to do than send the white lion to participate in dog fighting entertainment.
"I don't want to..."
Ouyang Jun was stunned by Zhuang Rui's words and went along with it, but then he realized what was going on and shouted with dissatisfaction, "Damn it, you're comparing me to an animal? That's so unfair of you!"
Zhuang Rui patted Ouyang Jun on the shoulder and said, "Fourth Brother, sometimes animals are more reliable than people. By the way, give that little mastiff back to me later..."
One of the Tibetan Mastiff puppies born to the white lion was taken away by Ouyang Jun. After hearing what Ouyang Jun said, Zhuang Rui no longer felt comfortable keeping the Tibetan Mastiff with him. Zhuang Rui knew that a Tibetan Mastiff that had not undergone professional training would almost certainly die if it faced professional fighting dogs.
"Hey, brother, I was just saying, I would never use Doraemon for dog fighting..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Ouyang Jun immediately became anxious. The Tibetan Mastiff, which his wife had named Xiao Dingdang, was now being pampered by his wife and son at home, and its status in the family was much higher than his.
Chapter 1068 was looked down upon
Zhuang Rui and Ouyang Jun chatted and laughed as they walked into the main building of the Blue Mountain Club. Compared to Ouyang Jun's previous relatively low-key club in the suburbs of Beijing, the decoration here was undoubtedly much more luxurious and grand. All the furniture was trimmed with mahogany, making it look extremely elegant.