Gu Jiangang took a look with a magnifying glass and was very surprised!
This small piece of jade is carved with an image of five women and five men in ancient costumes offering birthday wishes to an elderly man in fine clothes. It is clearly a story of five women offering birthday wishes. The five women and five men are of different ages, appearances, builds, and clothing. The birthday gifts of the five women are also different. The eldest, second, fourth, and fifth women all receive gold, silver, and silk, while the third woman only receives a basket of peaches. Her gift is meager and she is neglected. The fourth woman and her husband are beaming with pride, while the third woman and her poor husband look shabby and embarrassed. They are so vivid that they seem to jump off the jade. The carving is almost magical, as if it were a lifelike representation of so many people and things.
Gu Jiangang is wealthy and powerful, and has seen much of the world. The value of this jade micro-carving far exceeds the value of the jade itself. It would not be an exaggeration to call it a priceless national treasure. Zhou Xuan has no personal relationship with him, except that he knows his grandson Gu Yuan. This gift is indeed too valuable. In other people's hands, it would be a huge fortune!
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Volume 1, Chapter 292: The Dream of Immortality
Jian Gang met his son, Gu Zhonghuai, Sun Wu, Gu Yuan, and Mr. Wang. Mr. Song was suspicious. He immediately and carefully handed over the small jade carving in his hand.
The first to receive it was Mr. Wang, an old friend of the Gu family. He was only in his fifties, in the prime of his life. His eyesight was also much better than Gu Jiangang's. He noticed something unusual with the naked eye as soon as he held it in his hand. He paused for a moment, then asked Gu Jiangang for a magnifying glass. Only after taking the magnifying glass did he slowly and carefully examine it.
Upon seeing this, Mr. Wang was immediately astonished, growing more and more surprised and fascinated with it. In the end, his eyes were filled with envy, and his words were full of praise.
“This, this jade carving, must be a miniature jade carving,” Mr. Wang sighed. “It’s the most beautiful jade carving I’ve ever seen. This miniature jade carving has carved so many figures and scenes on a piece that’s barely bigger than a fingernail, and the figures are so lifelike. You can only see them clearly under a magnifying glass. Any more or less would be too much or too little. It’s a masterpiece. It’s priceless. A treasure, a rare gem.”
Mr. Wang's string of praises moved everyone around him. Gu Jiangang's son, Gu Zhonghuai, immediately took the jade carving into his hands and examined it with a magnifying glass.
Upon seeing this, Gu Zhonghuai exclaimed in disbelief, "This... Dad, this is a painting of five daughters celebrating a birthday."
Gu Zhonghuai saw the scene on the miniature carving under the magnifying glass and immediately exclaimed that there was a painting of five daughters celebrating a birthday in their living room. It was a masterpiece that Gu Zhonghuai's elder brother, Gu Zhongnian, had bought a few years ago for HK$4.75 million. It was painted by Chen Dazhang, a painter from the Qing Dynasty.
Gu Zhonghuai was an extremely shrewd businessman, but he wasn't very knowledgeable about antiques, calligraphy, and paintings. He was familiar with this particular painting because he saw it in his living room every day. The painting was three meters long and one and a half meters wide, depicting five women and their husbands with vivid expressions and varied postures. The second, fourth, and fifth women, with their wealthy and proud demeanor, leaped off the page; the third woman and her husband, impoverished and simple, carrying a basket of peaches, their embarrassment at being slighted by the meager gift, were also portrayed with remarkable realism.
He saw the painting every day, which is why it left such a deep impression on Gu Zhonghuai. He examined the jade miniature carving closely with a magnifying glass and discovered that every figure and scene in the carving was exactly the same as the painting. Although Gu Zhonghuai didn't understand the carving technique, he knew that a highly skilled sculptor not only needed superb carving skills but also a deep understanding of painting, and equally superb painting skills. Only with both could a good work of art be created.
This jade miniature carving... the figures and scenes are exactly the same as the real painting in the living room. The craftsmanship is no less than Chen Dazhang's, but Chen Dazhang could never create something like this. Even in painting, Chen Dazhang couldn't paint something with such a tiny area. So, this sculptor's painting skills are comparable to Chen Dazhang's, but his carving techniques and miniature carving skills are far beyond Chen Dazhang's reach!
While Gu Zhonghuai was still in a daze, Mr. Song and Gu Yuan also took the jade miniature carving into their hands to examine it. They were all astonished, especially Mr. Wang. Mr. Song, Gu Jiangang, and the other two were all wealthy and powerful. In their spare time, rich people usually like to buy antiques to cultivate their tastes, or perhaps to feign refinement. To be honest, collecting antiques is all about having money first, and only then can you talk about skill. If you don't have money, how can you collect antiques? These things cost millions, not just ordinary people. If you don't have money, you simply can't afford them! Looking at the names of the miniature carvers, Mr. Wang, Mr. Song, and Gu Jiangang searched their minds but couldn't recall whose work it was. Because among the miniature carvers they knew, none could have made this piece!
In particular, the painting vividly depicts the protagonist, Yang Jikang, holding a book in his hand. His expression—holding the book in one hand and stroking his beard with the other—is very expressive, but his eyes are not on the book; instead, they are fixed on his three daughters, Yang Sanchun and her husband, Bu Yinglong. Mr. Song examined the book carefully with a magnifying glass for a while, then read aloud: "Those who know me say I am worried; those who do not know me ask what I seek. Oh, vast heaven, who is this man?"
Mr. Song read these lines aloud, his face filled with astonishment. After a long pause, he said, "These are lines from the Book of Songs. Below them are lines of text, just like a real book. The figures are already incredibly detailed. To be able to carve the scene and the expressions of the figures so subtly is already an amazing feat, a remarkable skill. But I never imagined that the words of the book held by the figures could be carved out. A masterpiece. A masterpiece indeed."
These words were not noticed by Gu Jiangang and Mr. Wang. If Mr. Song hadn't been looking at them carefully with a magnifying glass, they wouldn't have been easily recognized either; to see them clearly, one would probably need a high-powered magnifying glass!
But this already left everyone present in awe. The longer they looked at it, the more precious Zhou Xuan's birthday gift seemed.
To be honest, Zhou Xuan hadn't expected it to cause such a sensation. He sculpted and miniaturized the image in his mind using ice energy. For him, doing so was as easy as opening and closing his eyes. He truly hadn't imagined that his casual, impromptu creation would result in such a breathtaking masterpiece!
Gu Jiangang was stunned for a moment. Then he asked Zhou Xuan, "Mr. Zhou, could you tell me who the craftsman of this miniature carving is?" In Gu Jiangang's and the others' view, the craftsman who made this miniature carving must have been a modern person. Because to create such an exquisite work, it would be necessary to use modern high-precision technology, as well as high-powered microscopes and other high-tech tools!
Zhou Xuan was taken aback. He gave an awkward laugh, shook his head, and said, "I'm sorry, the craftsman who made this miniature carving repeatedly instructed me not to reveal his name or background!"
Gu Jiangang sighed regretfully, "Is that so? Well then, extraordinary people have extraordinary personalities, and it's normal for them not to want the world to know. But Mr. Zhou has given me such a masterpiece. I dare not accept it so easily. It's far too precious. I wonder if Mr. Zhou's family... perhaps..."
Zhou Xuan immediately smiled and said, "Please rest assured, Mr. Gu. I am the head of my family, and my family won't gossip. This gift may be a bit rare to outsiders, but it's nothing to me. Please accept it with peace of mind on your birthday, Mr. Gu."
Gu Jiangang was stunned for a moment, and after a long pause, Xiao still refused. He held up a finger to Gu Zhonghuai and then said, "Zhonghuai, write Mr. Zhou a check for two hundred million. Consider it a small token of my appreciation for this miniature carving. Please accept it, Mr. Zhou!"
Gu Jiangang understood that if this miniature carving were taken to an auction house, it wouldn't be surprising if it fetched three or four hundred million yuan among international buyers. He was offering two hundred million Hong Kong dollars.
It wasn't much, but he would only feel at ease after paying the fine. The Gu family and Zhou Xuan had no real relationship, so giving such a valuable gift so casually certainly made him suspicious.
If the Gu family were a powerful and influential family, Gu Jiangang might have wondered if they wanted him to offer them an official position. But Zhou Xuan himself came from a high-ranking official family in the capital. Naturally, it wouldn't be for that reason. Did he want to borrow money from the Gu family? If it were about borrowing money, why didn't Zhou Xuan auction off this miniature sculpture? An auction would bring in at least 400 million in cash. With good luck, exceeding 500 million wouldn't be impossible, given the piece's exceptional quality!
But seeing Zhou Xuan's demeanor, which clearly didn't seem like he wanted to borrow money from them, Gu Jiangang became even more suspicious. So he suggested that his second son write a check for 200 million to test Zhou Xuan. If Zhou Xuan accepted it, he would feel more at ease, as if he had spent money to buy this treasure.
Zhou Xuan smiled slightly, waved his hand, and said calmly, "Mr. Gu, today is your birthday. To be honest, I've never met you before, nor do we have any prior relationship. I only have a connection with Young Master Gu of Gu Garden. Since I'm here with him, I feel I should at least express my gratitude. So, this gift is just a congratulatory present and doesn't represent any ulterior motives. If you feel it's inappropriate, I'll take it back and leave immediately!"
Gu Jiangang was taken aback again. Of course, that wasn't what he meant; he had only heard it from Gu Yuan. Zhou Xuan was with Wei Haihong, and they were both from high-ranking families in Beijing with similar status. He immediately ordered Gu Yuan to invite Zhou Xuan over as soon as possible, intending to make his acquaintance during the birthday celebration. This was a great opportunity to cultivate relationships with the people in Beijing.
What surprised Gu Jiangang was the sheer value of Zhou Xuan's gift. However, given Zhou Xuan's words, Gu Jiangang hesitated for a moment, then immediately said decisively, "Since Mr. Zhou has said so, I, Old Gu, will not stand on ceremony. I will accept this gift. Second brother, take it inside and put it away. Gu Garden. Have someone prepare tea!"
After saying that, she smiled apologetically at Zhou Xuan and said, "I'm so sorry, this gift of yours is too precious. I even forgot to ask someone to serve tea. My apologies!"
Zhou Xuan said calmly, "Mr. Gu, there's no need to be so polite. I'm friends with Young Master Gu, and there's no need for so much formality between friends!"
Gu Yuan immediately ran out with a grin to call the servants to bring tea. He had somewhat expected this. However, he was more pleased than surprised. This Zhou Xuan—besides his incredible gambling skills, the gift he casually gave his grandfather was so valuable! Just the day before, he had been calculating whether to divide the money lost by Zhou Xuan, Hua Jianxing, and Zeng Guoyu among themselves. The gift Zhou Xuan had casually given to the Gu family was worth more than two hundred million. Fortunately, in the end, Zhou Xuan got three hundred million all to himself.
The people present now had a different opinion of Zhou Xuan, and Zhou Xuan's status rose unconsciously.
Mr. Wang smiled and asked, "Mr. Zhou, excuse me, but I'd like to ask if you have any similar miniature carvings you gave to Mr. Gu?"
Zhou Xuan's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately smiled and said, "Yes, I do have a few pieces, though not many. But they're not in my possession. I own an antique shop and a jewelry company in Beijing. The antique shop is in Panjiayuan. I still have a few similar pieces like the jade carving I gave to Mr. Gu. Mr. Wang, would you like to collect them?"
"Hehe," Mr. Wang chuckled. Nodding in reply, "That's certainly the intention, Mr. Zhou. I wonder how the quality and craftsmanship of those pieces in your shop compare to this small jade carving I gave to Mr. Gu?"
Zhou Xuan smiled and said, "It's no less than this one!"
Seeing Zhou Xuan's calm and composed demeanor, Mr. Wang understood. If Zhou Xuan said it was no worse than this one, then it must be true; anyone would have that thought. Between giving something away and keeping it for oneself, one would always think the one one keeps is better. But in this situation, Zhou Xuan certainly couldn't say in front of Gu Jiangang, "The one I kept is much better than the one I gave away; the one I gave him is the worst!"
In that case, it's best to keep things to yourselves. Of course, Gu Jiangang himself understood, but even though this was perhaps Zhou Xuan's worst gift, in his eyes it was already an enormous present. He was still thinking about it. Originally, he wanted Gu Yuan to invite Zhou Xuan so their Gu family could make some connections, but he hadn't expected that Zhou Xuan would give them such a generous gift first. He now realized Gu Yuan would have to find a way to return the favor by giving Zhou Xuan some lavish gifts in return!
"Well then, Mr. Zhou. If the craftsmanship and quality of the items in your shop are comparable to Mr. Gu's piece, I'm willing to offer a minimum of HK$300 million per piece. Of course, we'll discuss the detailed price after seeing the actual item. What do you think?"
Zhou Xuan said casually, "Please, please. Mr. Wang. If you're interested, you can visit Panjiayuan in Beijing and see the items in person at my shop before we discuss it further. I'd welcome that. Hehe!"
Zhou Xuan's composed and dignified demeanor won over Gu Jiangang and the others. He gave away such a gift so casually, without ever touching it. Even Gu Jiangang himself, at ninety years old and with decades of experience, couldn't have done that!
If Gu Jiangang were to come up with several hundred million in cash, it wouldn't be difficult for him, nor would it bother him. But to ask him to casually give away such a valuable antique was truly impossible. In this respect, he was far inferior to Zhou Xuan in terms of magnanimity, and not only him, but none of the people present could do it.
Zhou Xuan smiled and said, "Old Gu, I wish you a long and healthy life, boundless happiness, and many more joyous occasions like this one. A gift is just an object; things have a price, but life is priceless!"
Gu Jiangang was stunned again!
How could Zhou Xuan, at such a young age, utter such profound insights into life? These words weren't spoken lightly. The tone he just uttered was one of profound understanding of life's vicissitudes. Yes, these objects, no matter how valuable, are inanimate. They have a price, but life itself is priceless. With Gu Jiangang's wealth and resources—all the gold, silver, money, material possessions, women, cars, houses—he could have as much as he wanted, but what use were they? Today was his ninetieth birthday. To put it bluntly, ninety years old is practically the end of one's life. Those with shorter lifespans die young; living to sixty or seventy is considered a normal death. Over eighty is considered longevity. For someone his age to reach ninety is already very long. Only those at his age truly understand that life is the most precious thing. No matter how much material wealth one possesses, it cannot buy even a single hour or two of life. (To be continued)