“Mr. Zhuang, my surname is Ren. We’ve met before. I haven’t thanked you for the money you lent me last time…”
Yu Zhenping's voice is very deep, and almost everyone who hears it once can remember it, because the tone is completely inconsistent with his thin figure.
Zhuang Rui chuckled and said, "Boss Ren, hello. Monkey just called me. Let's not talk about that little thing anymore. None of us are short of money. It was just an emergency, nothing serious..."
However, Yu Zhenping on the other end of the phone almost jumped up when he heard Zhuang Rui's words, "Xiao Qian?"
With those two thousand yuan, he lived a life with wine and peanuts for two whole months, which was much better than the previous six months.
After returning to Zhengzhou, Yu Zhenping felt uneasy. Prioritizing safety, he took the 2,000 yuan and went into hiding again, without rushing to contact Zhuang Rui to continue selling the cultural relics.
However, Yu Zhenping successfully sold two bronze jue (wine vessels) this time. Although the money was stolen by that old thief, Yu Zhenping felt that he had finally found his way in buying antiques in Beijing.
With one or two thousand tomb-raiding artifacts still in hand, Yu Zhenping felt much more confident, so he wasn't as frugal in his daily life. He spent 2,000 yuan for two months, which was considered quite thrifty.
Yu Zhenping was unaware that his low profile nearly cost many people in Beijing their official positions, and Chief Jiang had cursed Zhuang Rui behind his back countless times.
"Mr. Zhuang, I've been so busy lately that I haven't been able to contact you. I'm really sorry. I looked around at home and found a few artifacts from the Shang and Zhou dynasties. Would you be interested?"
Yu Zhenping is lying through his teeth right now. For the past year or so, he's been bored out of his mind every day. The few books he kept at the cultural relics storage site are practically worn out from reading them so much.
"Or small utensils?"
Zhuang Rui asked.
Yu Zhenping replied, "Yes, there is still a set of six wine vessels and three pieces of patina-colored Han jade. If you need them, Mr. Zhuang, I will come to Beijing to find you..."
Yu Zhenping has a wide variety of bronze artifacts, including both important and small pieces. He plans to sell more pieces this time, and once he has the money, he intends to smuggle them out of the country. As for the remaining items at home, Yu Zhenping plans to find a way to retrieve them after establishing connections abroad.
"Small items? Forget about small items. To be honest, Mr. Ren, I'm currently preparing to open a museum, and what I need right now are important artifacts. I'm not in a hurry to acquire small items; let's talk about it in a few months..."
If Team Leader Jiang heard what Zhuang Rui was saying, he would definitely fight him to the death. It was so hard for the fish to surface again, and Zhuang Rui was just forcibly pushing it back down.
"Hey, Mr. Zhuang, this bronze artifact is not easy to explain..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Yu Zhenping became anxious. In a few more months? That guy would probably starve to death. Let alone a few months, even in just one week, Yu Zhenping would have to go to the vegetable market to pick up vegetable scraps.
"Hehe, Mr. Ren, it's no problem. If I can't handle this little thing, my museum won't be able to stay open anymore..."
Zhuang Rui's confident reply came through the phone, leaving Yu Zhenping silent.
Four or five minutes later, just when Zhuang Rui thought the other party had hung up, Yu Zhenping's voice suddenly rang out: "Boss Zhuang, I have three bronze tripods here, the largest of which weighs more than 300 kilograms, but we need to discuss the price first before we can see the goods." "Wow, a bronze tripod weighing more than 300 kilograms?"
Zhuang Rui was startled by Yu Zhenping's words. This was definitely a national treasure. Apart from the Simuwu Ding, which weighed more than 800 kilograms, Zhuang Rui had never heard of any museum having a ding weighing more than 300 kilograms.
Chapter 687 Taking the Hook
The Simuwu Ding weighs 875 kilograms, making it the heaviest ding (a type of ancient Chinese cooking vessel) in existence. Legend has it that Yu the Great "collected metal from the nine provinces to cast nine dings," suggesting that these nine dings should all be heavier than the Simuwu Ding. Unfortunately, all nine dings in the legend have been lost.
While bronze tripods are not common in China, Zhuang Rui has rarely heard of bronze tripods weighing over 300 kilograms, apart from the Simuwu Ding.
A large bronze ding (tripod cauldron) from the Qin Dynasty was unearthed from the burial pit of the acrobatic figurines at the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. It is 61 centimeters tall and weighs 212 kilograms, making it the largest and heaviest ding vessel from the Qin Dynasty discovered to date.
When describing someone's great strength, the ancients often said that they were strong enough to lift a tripod.
Sima Qian's description of Xiang Yu, the King of Chu, in historical records, as "over eight feet tall and strong enough to lift a tripod," can be translated into modern terms as: "Xiang Yu was over 1.8 meters tall, very strong, and able to lift a very heavy tripod."
The ding mentioned in these historical records is certainly not the Simuwu Ding, which weighs over 800 kilograms, because the current world record for the clean and jerk in the weightlifting category of over 110 kilograms is 266 kilograms, which is the current human limit.
Sima Qian was a cautious and pragmatic person who used words carefully. He used the word "扛" (káng, to carry) instead of "举" (jǔ, to lift), which shows that the bronze tripod that Xiang Yu carried must have weighed between 100 and 200 kilograms.
Of the bronze tripods that have been unearthed, only a very few from the Shang and Zhou dynasties weigh over 300 kilograms.
Yu Zhenping immediately mentioned that he had a bronze ding weighing over 300 kilograms. If this bronze ding were to be unearthed, regardless of whether it was a Qin ding or a bronze ding from the Shang, Zhou, or Warring States periods, it would definitely cause a huge sensation in the archaeological and collecting communities.
"Mr. Ren... are you telling the truth?"
In his excitement, Zhuang Rui almost called out Yu Zhenping's name. After calming himself down, Zhuang Rui continued, "Mr. Ren, if your bronze cauldron is genuine, I can definitely give you a satisfactory price. However, I need to see it first..."
"Boss Zhuang, let's not beat around the bush. If this thing gets exposed, we'll both end up in jail. So let's talk about the price first and then look at the item..."
Yu Zhenping knew, of course, whether the thing was real or fake. At the time, they disguised themselves as members of a coal exploration team and rented a crane in the rural suburbs of Hubei. Of course, they didn't hire a crane driver; Boss Yu drove it himself.
It took more than two days to get the bronze ding from the Shang and Zhou tomb onto the vehicle. Because a crane was used, the bronze ding was preserved in excellent condition; even the animal rings on the four walls did not fall off.
“Mr. Ren, please name your price, but it has to be within my budget. You know, if I don’t grease some palms, this bronze tripod won’t be able to be displayed in my museum…”
Zhuang Rui said half-jokingly, but to be honest, he really wanted to steal this bronze cauldron. If this thing were displayed in a museum, the archaeology students and teachers from various universities would probably wear out the doorsteps of their museums.
"Free admission?"
No way! My buddy runs a private museum. Make sure you understand, it's "private." He'll make a killing just from the ticket sales.
Zhuang Rui was so happy that a smile crept onto his face. He stood in front of his car and grinned foolishly, which puzzled the security guards outside the museum. "This rich guy has some weird quirks. Why does he look like he's drooling over a phone call?"
When Zhuang Rui asked him to make a bid, Yu Zhenping was stunned. He had only just started thinking about selling the bronze tripod, so how could he know what price to offer?
Moreover, there are three or four hundred other antique artifacts hidden in the place where this precious cauldron is hidden. If Zhuang Rui is taken there to see the goods, the place will definitely be exposed. Yu Zhenping does not have the ability to move all these items. If the price is too low, wouldn't it be a waste to give Zhuang Rui a good deal?
"Mr. Zhuang, I need to think about it. Let's contact each other again later..."
Yu Zhenping wasn't suspicious. He knew about Zhuang Rui's recent exchange of collections with overseas museums. In Yu Zhenping's mind, Zhuang Rui was definitely the best trading partner. He wouldn't choose anyone else unless absolutely necessary. It's human nature to stick with what you know.
Zhuang Rui insisted on buying that bronze tripod, which put Yu Zhenping in a dilemma. He was reluctant to part with so many antiques and cultural relics, but he was also facing the prospect of running out of food. His mind was in a mess, so he simply hung up the phone.
"Hey...hey, Mr. Ren, name your price..."
After shouting for a long time, Zhuang Rui only heard a busy tone from the other end. When he dialed back, the other party's phone was already switched off.
"Damn, isn't this just teasing our buddies?"
Zhuang Rui kicked the car tire in anger, took out his keys, opened the car door, and drove home. But he had only driven 200 meters when Jiang Hao called.
Zhuang Rui pressed the answer button and said, "Team Leader Jiang, Yu Zhenping just called. I asked him to give me a quote, and he said he'd think about it and get back to me. By the way, have you monitored his residence?"
"Not yet, Xiao Zhuang. Make sure your phone stays on. Keep in touch with Yu Zhenping. Let me know immediately if anything happens. That's all for now, just in case he calls..."
After saying a few words, Team Leader Jiang hung up the phone, but he was extremely frustrated. It seemed that Zhuang Rui, as the "relevant department," was really all-powerful.
Listening to wireless calls requires a certain range, and in such a short time, Jiang Hao's report hadn't even been approved by his superiors yet.
"Mom, where's Xuanbing?"
After returning to the courtyard, Zhuang Rui went to the side room in the middle courtyard. Beijing in July was a bit hot and dry, and Ouyang Wan's outdoor activities had gradually decreased. At this moment, she was staying in the air-conditioned room.
The white lion lying on the ground was even more unaccustomed to this kind of weather. When it saw Zhuang Rui come in, it only opened its eyes weakly and glanced at him before closing them again and pretending to sleep.
"Xuanbing and your sister-in-law went to choose a wedding dress. You, in this sweltering weather, didn't you even offer to go with them? All you do is busy with your museum all day long..."
Although Ouyang Wan never interfered in Zhuang Rui's business, she still grumbled a few words. Xu Qing was pregnant, already seven or eight months along. If something happened to her, she would have no face to see her brother.
Zhuang Rui made a face upon hearing this and laughed, "Mom, it's okay. Peng Fei went with me. I'll have some free time once I'm done with this busy period..."
Zhuang Rui originally planned to bring all the wedding dresses from that photography studio, but Qin Xuanbing insisted on trying them on first. They were going to Hainan tomorrow, and Zhuang Rui had to go to the museum today to give them some instructions, so he asked Peng Fei to accompany her.
“Xuanbing is your wife,” Ouyang Wan said helplessly, glancing at her son. “There’s mung bean soup in the fridge. Go drink some to cool down. Isn’t it better to stay home in this weather? Why do you have to go out? What kind of scenery doesn’t Beijing have? You even want to go to Hainan to take wedding photos…”
Zhuang Rui grinned and said, "Mom, Hainan has the sea! When you find a partner, I'll send you to Hainan to take your wedding photos..."
"What nonsense are you talking about, child? Do you see that Mom can't hit you anymore?"
Ouyang Wan couldn't stand Zhuang Rui's constant refrain of telling her to find a husband, so she picked up a feather duster from the table and pretended to hit Zhuang Rui. The white lion on the ground heard the noise, stood up, glanced at him, and then, without any sense of loyalty, lay down again.
"Mom, I need to take this call. We'll talk later, it's important..."
Just as his mother was joking, another unfamiliar phone call came in. Zhuang Rui guessed it was most likely Yu Zhenping again, so he quickly rushed out of the house and sat down in the pavilion near the pond.
Who is it?
"Boss Zhuang, it's me..."
Sure enough, it was Yu Zhenping who called again. Zhuang Rui could afford to wait, but he couldn't. After thinking it over, he decided to give up on that room full of antiques and cultural relics. Anyway, there were two other places where the relics were hidden. As long as he could go abroad, he would have a chance to unearth them in the future.
"Mr. Zhuang, I'll cut to the chase and tell you the truth: where the bronze tripod is kept, there are over four hundred bronze artifacts from the Shang, Zhou, Qin, and Han dynasties... You can have all of these artifacts, but you need to prepare 500,000 RMB and 500,000 USD in cash, plus a 5 million Euro bearer Swiss bank draft. If you can get these ready within three days, I'll let you know the time and place to inspect the goods..."
Yu Zhenping had figured out that he could only carry a maximum of 1 million yuan in banknotes, which would almost fill a backpack. As for Swiss bank drafts, he had heard Boss Yu mention them, but he had never seen them before. With the thought that it's better to take advantage of a bargain than not to, he brought them up.
"More than 400 bronze artifacts?"
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui gasped on the phone. After hearing Yu Zhenping's offer, Zhuang Rui wished he could kick the police aside and make the deal with this "Boss Ren" alone.
It's worth noting that a special auction of Chinese bronzes was held in Macau recently. All 49 bronze pieces sold out, achieving a 100% sell-through rate and a record of HK$120 million. And this was achieved by just 49 bronze pieces.
If what Yu Zhenping said is true, and he has more than 400 bronze artifacts, then his bronze artifact exhibition hall can open for business immediately. Of course, Zhuang Rui could only mutter this to himself.
Zhuang Rui composed himself and said, "Boss Ren, money is not a problem. I can get it done tomorrow, in less than three days. However, I need to inspect the goods before I can pay you..."
"Of course, in that case, I'll call Boss Zhuang tomorrow night..."
Yu Zhenping wasn't afraid of Zhuang Rui double-crossing him; the gun in his hand wasn't just for show either. He was just a worthless man, and Yu Zhenping didn't believe Zhuang Rui would dare to gamble his life with him.
Chapter 688 Background
"Team Leader Jiang, here's the situation: we need you to provide the $500,000 and RMB500,000 cash for the transaction. Also, please try to find a way to get the Swiss bank draft..."
After hanging up with Yu Zhenping, Zhuang Rui immediately used another phone to call Jiang Hao.
Whether these items can be displayed in his own museum after they are recovered is still uncertain. Zhuang Rui is naturally unwilling to pay for them himself, and he can't come up with 5 million euros right now.
According to general practice, smuggled and looted cultural relics unearthed or seized in various places are placed in state-owned museums in those places for tourists to visit. If these cultural relics are in Beijing now, it's fine, but if they are in other provinces, Zhuang Rui will most likely have wasted his time.
"Xiao...Xiao Zhuang, isn't this time too tight? We need to prepare the money by tomorrow, there's simply no time!" Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Jiang Hao's mouth dropped open in astonishment. What a joke! Preparing so much money in one day? He simply didn't have the authority to do that.
Although it was a case directly supervised by the Ministry of Public Security, the procedures still had to be followed. Given the efficiency of some office-based officials, it would be considered good if it could be approved in a week, let alone a day.
"Team Leader Jiang, there's nothing I can do about this. I'm just cooperating with the police operation. I can't possibly pay for things for the country myself, can I?"
Zhuang Rui almost blurted out, "Even the landlord's family has no surplus grain," but he had already made his meaning very clear: if you want the horse to run but don't feed it, you should at least offer some food.
"You...you..."
Team Leader Jiang was speechless, choked by Zhuang Rui's words.
"By the way, Team Leader Jiang, I've met Yu Zhenping. Judging from his appearance, he doesn't seem like someone who knows Swiss bank drafts. You could make a fake one," Zhuang Rui kindly suggested to Jiang Hao.
According to the information provided by the police, the Yu family was originally from Henan and were landlords who later became farmers. When given a bank draft, they didn't know how to check it. Besides, Swiss banks don't have Mandarin-speaking operators.
"Alright, I'll get back to you tomorrow." Jiang Hao hung up the phone somewhat annoyed, filled out a stack of forms, thought for a moment, and then took out his phone to make a call.
"Wife, you're back! Hey, sister-in-law, let me feel your belly..."