Xu Zhengyang smiled and said, "What? Mr. Gu, do you want me to return it to Zou Mingyuan?"
"What a load of rubbish! What a son of a bitch!" Yao Chushun spat, then said with a grin, "I'm just curious how you did it?"
"It's a secret." Xu Zhengyang chuckled, then changed the subject and stopped talking about the issue.
As for why he confessed to Yao Chushun, Xu Zhengyang had thought it through. He knew he would be spending a lot of time with Yao Chushun in the future, and he couldn't completely prevent himself from secretly taking out the county register. If Yao Chushun found out then, it would only arouse his curiosity even more, so it was better to tell him now.
Anyway, Yao Chushun won't tell anyone. Look at his gloating expression now, he must be overjoyed.
To Xu Zhengyang's surprise, Yao Chushun rushed to Tianbaozhai on the third day after the incident and said to Zou Mingyuan, "Damn it, are you heartbroken about losing that piece of jade? What are you going to say if that bald guy Gu comes looking for it again? I have an idea for you. Zhengyang still has six pieces. Beg me, and I'll plead with you and sell you another one. How about that?"
When Yao Chushun came out of Tianbaozhai, one of his triangular eyes was bruised and turned into a panda eye.
That was caused by the furious Zou Mingyuan punching him.
But Yao Chushun was very happy and excited.
It's certain that Zou Mingyuan, the assailant, was extremely unhappy and furious to the point of going berserk...
Xu Zhengyang, the culprit in this case, was puzzled and both amused and exasperated. There are all sorts of people in this world, including guys like Yao Chushun who deliberately seek out a beating, and who are even thrilled after being hit, strutting around like crazy. He even put on a short opera performance in the shop.
What Yao Chushun and Xu Zhengyang didn't expect was that, after this incident, Gu Xiangxuan's reputation soared within two or three days, attracting the attention of various experts in the upper echelons of the antique world.
Rumors have circulated that Gu Xiang Xuan possesses six more pieces of that priceless ancient jade, valued at 3.5 million yuan.
Those who enjoy collecting antiques and curios naturally developed a strong interest in such exorbitantly priced jade, flocking to his door to buy a single piece, or even... all of them. Everyone understood the unique value of each piece, knowing it could multiply, or even multiply many times over—a number difficult to predict.
Even Tang Jing, the "Jade Hand" of the capital, received the news and called to question Yao Chushun: "Last time you told me that the owner of that precious jade was not selling it, but now, you, Master Gu, have sold it to Zou Mingyuan... Do you think my offer was too low? Then you should have told me the price. Besides, you didn't even let me see the item. Master Gu, you're really not being fair."
Helpless, Yao Chushun could only offer a far-fetched explanation.
Tang Jing, obsessed with jade, completely ignored Yao Chushun's explanations and advice, insisting on coming to Fuhe City himself to see the legendary jade worth 3.5 million yuan. "Didn't they say there were still six pieces left? I'll buy them all!"
What? Not for sale? Can I at least take a look? You stood me up once last time, you can't not even let me look now, can you?
Helpless, Yao Chushun asked Xu Zhengyang what to do.
Xu Zhengyang said, "Of course, let him take a look, but we're not selling! Well, although I don't understand the ins and outs of the antique business, I think there's one thing in common when opening a shop: you have to open your shop to do business, greet regular customers with a smile, and the more famous you are, the better, right?"
Yao Chushun was overjoyed and immediately nodded in agreement, as long as Xu Zhengyang would agree.
Subsequently, Zheng Ronghua, the CEO of Ronghua Group, also paid a personal visit.
Upon seeing Yao Chushun, he immediately began to complain without saying a word: "Master Gu, I won't go into details about our relationship, but you sold a treasure to Zou Mingyuan without even telling me first. Did you think I, Zheng Ronghua, couldn't afford it, or were you too embarrassed to ask me for a price?"
"Brother Ronghua, what you said really makes me ashamed!" Yao Chushun said awkwardly, but secretly he was very pleased. This society, and the people in it, are just so realistic. After the priceless jade was revealed, and after word spread that Gu Xiangxuan still had six pieces left, old friends who had previously drifted away suddenly came knocking on his door to try and get back together.
Of course, Zheng Ronghua is not among these friends who have drifted apart.
Yao Chushun still felt grateful to Zheng Ronghua. Over the years, among all the friends he had made during his heyday, only Zheng Ronghua had never looked down on him. This big boss was incredibly busy, but whenever Yao Chushun came to him, Zheng Ronghua would always take some time to listen to what he had to say, and Yao Chushun could even directly call his personal cell phone.
Therefore, Yao Chushun explained to Zheng Ronghua about Zou Mingyuan and Gu Sifang's visit to the store that day. At that time, it was out of necessity that Xu Zhengyang had to take out his family heirloom jade to uphold the reputation of Gu Xiang Xuan.
Yao Chushun said this because he didn't want Zheng Ronghua to misunderstand him, thinking that he had something good but didn't let me know about it, instead selling it to Zou Mingyuan.
As for other secrets, Yao Chushun absolutely could not tell Zheng Ronghua. For example, the jade actually didn't have seven pieces as rumored, there was only one; the ancient jade that Zou Mingyuan bought was indeed stolen, and it was my business partner Xu Zhengyang who did it...
"So that's how it is." Zheng Ronghua's resentment subsided considerably, and he continued, "We've been friends for many years, so I won't make things difficult for you. I know you won't be willing to sell the remaining pieces of ancient jade. How about this, I'll offer five million for just one piece, is that alright? If you won't even give me this much face, then you, Master Gu, really don't consider me a friend."
At this point, Yao Chushun became increasingly embarrassed, because... it wasn't just because there was only one piece of jade, but also because whether or not to sell the jade was not up to him. The treasure didn't belong to him personally, nor to Gu Xiangxuan, but rather... to Xu Zhengyang.
Judging from Zheng Ronghua's tone, he didn't seem to take Xu Zhengyang, this young man, too seriously.
“Actually, Brother Ronghua, those things really aren’t mine, nor do they belong to Guxiangxuan… If I could make the decision, I’d sell them all to you for 3.5 million each, no questions asked.” Yao Chushun had no choice but to clarify, “They’re Zhengyang’s family heirlooms…”
Zheng Ronghua frowned and turned to look at Xu Zhengyang with some surprise.
Xu Zhengyang squinted slightly, a simple and honest smile on his face.
Volume Two, Gong Cao, Chapter 75: Not Owing Favors
Zheng Ronghua, of course, would not believe such a ridiculous excuse as a family heirloom.
Upon hearing this, Zheng Ronghua paused slightly before turning her gaze directly to Xu Zhengyang.
The young man who sat to the side, squinting his eyes and looking calm, with a somewhat simple and honest expression, sipped his tea with his head down, smiled sheepishly when he looked up, and occasionally took a few puffs of his cigarette.
He is the person on the line Yao Chushun mentioned.
It was he who acquired one antique after another, including a rare blue-and-white porcelain jar with dragon and phoenix motifs and lotus scrolls, which he sold to Zheng Ronghua through Yao Chushun under the pretense of being a family heirloom; and now, he also possesses six pieces of jade that are currently valued at over 20 million yuan.
However, he had never met such a young person who could be so calm and composed in front of Zheng Ronghua, so nonchalant that he didn't even bother to pay attention to Zheng Ronghua.
It wasn't that Xu Zhengyang was putting on airs; in fact, Zheng Ronghua had started chatting with Yao Chushun as soon as he came in, without even glancing at Xu Zhengyang. Xu Zhengyang, on the other hand, had never liked to deliberately curry favor with certain people, even if they had great fame and prestige, even if... the customer is God, and a very important one at that.
With Yao Chushun maintaining the relationship, Xu Zhengyang wouldn't harbor any resentment towards Zheng Ronghua. He was self-aware enough to know he was young. If others didn't take him seriously, even if he was polite and courteous, he would only end up being met with indifference.
Zheng Ronghua remembered Xu Zhengyang, but just as Xu Zhengyang had expected, Zheng Ronghua had never taken him seriously. After all, someone of Zheng Ronghua's status disdained the shady dealings behind the scenes in the antique world. Even though he had learned from Yao Chushun early on that this young man had partnered with Yao Chushun to take over Gu Xiang Xuan, being noticed by Yao Chushun meant he was a standout among young people. But Zheng Ronghua knew that Xu Zhengyang didn't actually have much real power; otherwise, why would he need Yao Chushun to lend him money to take over Gu Xiang Xuan?
But now, Zheng Ronghua has to re-evaluate this young man.
His seemingly honest face was always so calm and serene, and his simple clothes always gave him the air of a rustic farmer. However... Zheng Ronghua's keen eyesight and worldly experience made him sense that Xu Zhengyang was a man with an indescribable and inexplicable aura.
Generally speaking, those who can catch the eye of an old man like Zheng Ronghua, who is already in a high position, fall into the following categories: some people appear sharp as a drawn sword, giving people a feeling of being sharp and aggressive; some people are like an ancient treasure hidden in its sheath, their power is contained but not revealed; some people are like high mountains and steep cliffs, towering and awe-inspiring; some people are like a great river, with overwhelming momentum; and there are also people who have been in high positions for a long time and have the calm and composed temperament of high mountains and flowing water, bright moon and great river.
As for the others, they were not people Zheng Ronghua could even look at.
Oh, and there's another exception, Yao Chushun. Zheng Ronghua didn't have any particular feelings or inner opinions about him; she just considered him a friend.
Moreover, Yao Chushun was an absolutely influential and illustrious figure in the antique world back then.
But today, after experiencing doubt for the first time, Zheng Ronghua felt surprised.
What kind of person is this young man?
Let's talk about his abilities first. Someone who could acquire a blue-and-white porcelain jar with dragon and phoenix motifs and lotus patterns initially tried to sell it under the pretense of being an ancestral heirloom… but later, he acquired one respectable antique after another. Putting that aside, almost anyone in this line of work, with good luck and strong abilities, can do it, but few can acquire so many treasures in such a short time as Xu Zhengyang; and to acquire seven priceless jade pieces—if that's also considered luck, then his luck is truly too good to be true, bordering on the supernatural.
How old is he? He looks to be only in his early twenties, yet he's managed to stay firmly on that path and reach what can be called the pinnacle.
Such an assessment is by no means an exaggeration; facts speak louder than words to prove everything.
Moreover, unlike other young people who suddenly become rich and powerful, he didn't become arrogant, ostentatious, or overconfident after a stroke of luck. This is a rare advantage, a necessary mindset for someone who ultimately succeeds and rises to a higher position without failing.
However, when Xu Zhengyang first met Zheng Ronghua, he was a little timid and shy, making him unworthy of attention; but today, when he met Zheng Ronghua, he was calm and indifferent, acting as an observer without interjecting or observing her words or expressions.
It wouldn't make sense to say that he was just being pretentious or arrogant, or that he was just being immature or conceited.
No young person could be so arrogant and domineering in front of someone like Zheng Ronghua, not even the son of a high-ranking official. Moreover, Xu Zhengyang was just a poor peasant, a nobody who had suddenly become rich and worked in the shadows, a nobody who couldn't be brought into the open.
Therefore, Xu Zhengyang's behavior and expression seemed particularly strange to Zheng Ronghua.
"Young man, is the ancient jade yours?" Zheng Ronghua asked, his expression showing no doubt, but rather a calm demeanor that unintentionally revealed a sense of superiority.
Xu Zhengyang smiled slightly and nodded.
"May I take a look?" Zheng Ronghua's expression changed slightly.
“Of course.” Xu Zhengyang reached into his pocket with his right hand, casually pulled out the county register, and placed it on the table.
Zheng Ronghua smiled. He didn't immediately notice the precious jade, but instead smiled and looked at Xu Zhengyang with appreciation, nodding. Only then did he turn his gaze to the smooth, milky-white jade on the round table.
Slightly bending down, Zheng Ronghua rested his arms on the round table and picked up the jade to examine it closely.
Despite his seemingly calm demeanor, Zheng Ronghua felt a pang of unease and displeasure when he saw Xu Zhengyang casually pull the jade from his pocket as if it were a mere toy. For someone like him, a passionate collector of antiques, Xu Zhengyang's actions and expression were undoubtedly a waste; wasn't he worried about it getting damaged?
Moreover, Zheng Ronghua really didn't expect that the priceless jade worth millions would be such a small jade that looked like mutton fat jade.
It's not that antiques have to be large to be valuable, but compared to jade, what matters is the texture, age, carving, and size, right?
Zheng Ronghua has a jade Guanyin statue from the mid-Ming Dynasty. It is one and a half feet tall, with exquisite carving and top-quality jade.
But Zheng Ronghua wouldn't think that jade Guanyin was worth three million.
This piece of jade, though of good quality, lacks any unique carving; it's simply a square shape, less than fifteen centimeters long, less than ten centimeters wide, and only three or four centimeters thick. It has no obvious edges or corners, and feels smooth and delicate to the touch.
Like Zou Mingyuan when he first saw it, Zheng Ronghua didn't think the jade was worth millions.
However, Zheng Ronghua also understood that no matter how discerning he was, he couldn't compare to true experts like Yao Chushun and Zou Mingyuan. Moreover, it was rumored that the price was first proposed by Tang Jing, the renowned jade expert from the capital.
That further demonstrates that this piece of jade has something unique about it, but most people just can't see it.
Zheng Ronghua smiled and said, "Young man, could you give me a piece of this jade?"
"Mr. Zheng... I'm sorry, this jade is not for sale." Xu Zhengyang said with a troubled smile.
"Hmm." Zheng Ronghua didn't show any disappointment, nodding and saying, "It is indeed fine jade, what a pity. What a pity."
"Feel sorry."
Zheng Ronghua laughed heartily and said, "It's good to be able to see it. I heard there are some people who want to see it but can't."
Yao Chushun chuckled awkwardly, "I'm really sorry, Brother Ronghua, this, this... sigh."
"It's nothing," Zheng Ronghua waved his hand. "If you have anything good in the future, remember to let me know first..."
"Definitely," Xu Zhengyang replied before Yao Chushun could speak.
Zheng Ronghua glanced at Yao Chushun, then said to Xu Zhengyang, "Just a heads-up, everyone knows that Gu Xiangxuan has six priceless jade stones. There are a lot of people interested in it..."
A glint flashed in Yao Chushun's triangular eyes, and he frowned, saying, "Jade is not in Guxiangxuan."
Xu Zhengyang's expression remained calm, but his eyes were slightly narrowed, and he was already starting to have doubts.
As the saying goes, every advantage has its disadvantage. This county record was a real blow to Zou Mingyuan, venting his and Yao Chushun's anger; and because he casually mentioned that there were seven pieces of precious jade, he made Gu Xiang Xuan famous in the antique world. But at the same time... Gu Xiang Xuan is indeed not yet capable of possessing six priceless jade pieces that don't actually exist. There are those who envy it, those who are jealous, and those who are envious.
This makes it easy for people to have ulterior motives and resort to any means to obtain something.
"How many people knew about those few unique pieces that Master Gu had back then?" Zheng Ronghua shook his head slightly and said calmly, "Even with Master Gu's reputation back then... didn't some people still take the risk?"
Yao Chushun frowned and remained silent.
Although Xu Zhengyang wasn't worried that anyone could steal or rob the county records from him, he didn't want to cause too much trouble!
Actually, this problem is not hard to understand. To give a simple example: everyone in the village knows that Han Dashan's family is rich, but few people would think of extorting money from them; however, if Cao Gangchuan suddenly wins the lottery and has five million, there would probably be many more people who would have ulterior motives towards his family.
I think everyone should understand now, right?
Zheng Ronghua smiled and said, "How about this, when I get back I'll mention it to others, saying that Gu Xiang Xuan... is my shop, what do you think?"
Yao Chushun and Xu Zhengyang, the two real owners of Gu Xiang Xuan, were stunned.
If the news were to spread and people knew that the owner of Gu Xiang Xuan was Zheng Ronghua, the CEO of Ronghua Group, it would completely dispel the jealousy of many and extinguish any budding malicious intentions. At the same time… Zou Mingyuan of Tianbaozhai would probably have to think twice before provoking Gu Xiang Xuan.
This is a good thing, but the two of them couldn't understand why Zheng Ronghua would do this.
Given Zheng Ronghua's current status and wealth, why would he even bother with an antique shop like this? He wouldn't even give a second thought to Tianbaozhai.
"Consider it an exchange," Zheng Ronghua explained with a smile. "I don't want you guys to sell any good stuff to others behind my back in the future..."