"President Zhuang is here..."
Having not visited his own museum for over two months, Zhuang Rui walked in and found many unfamiliar faces, though some of the veteran employees still greeted him.
Today happens to be Friday, the last day of business each week. Zhuang Rui checked the customer traffic and it seemed to be much lower than when the business first opened. After greeting the staff, Zhuang Rui walked into his manager's office.
"Mr. Zhuang, were you kidnapped by the owner of an illegal coal mine and forced to work in the coal mine? What happened to you?"
Zhuang Rui had just sat down when Huangfu Yun, who had come running after hearing the news, pushed open the office door. Upon seeing Zhuang Rui's appearance, he immediately exclaimed in surprise.
Zhuang Rui's skin tone is, to put it nicely, wheat-colored, but to put it bluntly, it's dark. It's probably because he got sunburned and his skin peeled during the first few days on the island, and he hasn't been able to recover yet.
"Alright, stop joking around. You've been calling me over a dozen times a day, what's going on?"
Zhuang Rui waved his hand and tossed over a cigarette. It was a long Panda cigarette that his uncle had brought to the courtyard yesterday; the filter alone was longer than the cigarette itself.
"Wow, this is a good cigarette..."
Huangfu Yun took out a lighter, lit cigarettes for Zhuang Rui and himself, and then his expression became somewhat serious. He said, "Mr. Zhuang, with these two students on winter break and the Spring Festival holiday, the museum's business should have been even better, but it has declined. I need to report this situation to you. Also, with you not here, I can't make decisions about some expenses. In the past two months, many good items have appeared in the auction market, but they've all been snatched up by others..."
When Zhuang Rui left Beijing, he gave Huangfuyun 20 million yuan in cash. However, this amount of money is nothing in the antique market, and it was almost gone after an auction.
Although the museum still earns several million yuan every month, Huangfuyun can only use that money after Zhuang Rui signs it off. So for the past two months, Huangfuyun, the deputy curator, has not had a single penny of salary to spend.
Fortunately, Zhuang Rui had stipulated that the museum's staff salaries were issued after being signed by the two deputy directors and the financial director. Otherwise, the museum would probably have gone hungry during the two months that Zhuang Rui was missing.
Have you found the reason for the decline in customer traffic?
Zhuang Rui came to the museum immediately after finishing his family business because he had his own reasons.
"The main problem is that our museums have relatively few exhibits. Although the variety is rich and there are some attractive highlights, compared with state-owned museums, our cultural heritage is too shallow. We still need to expand our collections and develop unique attractions..."
Zhuang Rui nodded slightly. He knew that the Dingguang Museum currently had less than 10,000 items in its collection. Not to mention compared to the hundreds of thousands or millions of items in the collections of state-owned museums, even some private museums had far more artifacts in their collections. This was indeed a weak point for the museum.
"Brother Huangfu, take a look at this..."
Zhuang Rui took out a gold coin from his pocket, flicked it with his hand, and the coin made a crisp sound as it flew in a high arc, tumbling towards Huangfu Yun.
After examining the gold coin for a while, Huangfu Yun looked astonished and asked hesitantly, "This...this is a gold coin? This should be a commemorative coin issued abroad, right?"
The obverse of this gold coin features a chrysanthemum, while the reverse depicts a general on horseback, his horse's hooves raised, and him holding a sword. The coin is undamaged and shines with the unique luster of gold. The figures and plants are all depicted with lifelike detail.
Huangfu Yun had spent many years abroad and had seen many auctions of medieval foreign gold and silver coins, but the gold coin in his hand was far superior to those he had seen in terms of both purity and condition.
It's important to know that pure gold is a bright yellow color, but in ancient times, whether in China or abroad, gold coins were always mixed with some copper in a certain proportion, which is what is known as karat gold.
Over time, such gold coins, whether gold coins or ingots, will develop a distinct light black patina on their surface. However, the one Huangfu Yun held in his hand did not have that color, indicating that it was made of pure gold.
Therefore, Huangfuyun prefers the gold coins in his possession, which are commemorative coins issued in modern times. Only this type of gold coin is made of pure gold and is used for commemorative collection.
"Brother Huangfu, you've misjudged it. This is a gold coin from the 14th-century Eastern Roman Empire, uh... that is, a gold coin issued by the Byzantine Empire. It's absolutely genuine, no deception whatsoever..."
Zhuang Rui laughed smugly. He had spent a lot of time yesterday, using cotton balls soaked in soapy water and anhydrous alcohol to clean the gold coins, which had not been oxidized or discolored too badly. When he showed them to Huangfu Yun today, Huangfu Yun was indeed fooled.
"This... can't be right, can it?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Huangfu Yun quickly placed the gold coins on the coffee table, took out a pair of white gloves from his pocket, put them on, and then carefully picked up the gold coins again.
Antiques are not only delicate in terms of calligraphy and paintings, but also in terms of metal. Sweat and oil from people's hands can corrode metal and calligraphy and paintings, which is quite harmful to antiques. Huangfu Yun, who has been the deputy curator for more than half a year, has long been used to putting gloves in his pockets.
"If these were gold coins from the Eastern Roman Empire, they would be incredibly valuable..."
Huangfu Yun weighed the gold coin in his hand. It should weigh between three and five grams. If calculated according to the value of gold, it wouldn't be worth much. However, since it's from six or seven centuries ago, it can't be calculated that way.
In the current international gold coin market, the 17th century marks a watershed moment. Gold and silver coins from the 17th century onwards are valued at 100% to 200% more than their weight, depending on their purity and condition. However, gold coins from before the 17th century are valued at more than 10 times their weight.
Just like the gold coin Huangfuyun has now, it has a long history and is in excellent condition. If it were to be auctioned on the international market, the starting price would be over ten thousand US dollars, and it would be normal for it to sell for hundreds of thousands of US dollars. After all, it is very rare to see such a gold coin nowadays.
"Mr. Zhuang, where did you get this? You didn't go on an expedition to Greece these past two months, did you?"
After examining the gold coin in his hand for a while, Huangfu Yun looked at Zhuang Rui with a questioning expression. He had asked Zhuang Rui about his whereabouts on the phone before, but Zhuang Rui had been vague and had not given a clear answer.
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this and said, "Brother Huangfu, have someone prepare to open a pirate museum. When the pirate museum is established, I will hold a press conference to announce something big." "Damn, you didn't go digging for pirate treasure, did you? Tell me quickly, which big pirate is it? Is it the sea monster Francis Drake, or the red-bearded pirate Hilton Lace?"
Huangfu Yun shouted excitedly. People who have lived abroad have a kind of fervor for pirate history.
Because, apart from ancient Greece, Rome, and Egypt, the history of most other countries can be described as a history of pirates, with each period having pirates whose fame rivaled that of the kings of the time.
The reason why the globally popular "Pirates of the Caribbean" was such a huge success is that it aroused foreigners' longing for that mysterious era full of individual heroism, and pirate treasure has been a topic of great interest for hundreds of years.
Zhuang Rui smiled and shook his head, saying, "Hehe, neither, Brother Huangfu, have you ever heard of the name Klaus Stoltbeck?"
Huangfu Yun was stunned for a moment upon hearing this. After thinking for a while, he suddenly raised his head, an incredulous expression on his face, and asked loudly, "Are you talking about the Golden Anchor?"
Klaus's treasure is most famous for its golden anchor, a ship anchor made of pure gold that has been passed down for hundreds of years. Almost anyone who knows a little about pirate history can tell you its story accurately.
Countless treasure hunters flocked to it, traversing the seas where Klaus once roamed, guided by so-called treasure maps. However, for nearly seven centuries, Klaus's treasure remains only a mysterious legend.
"Yes, it's the Golden Anchor. I've discovered Klaus's treasure. Brother Huangfu, what do you think of this as a new attraction for our museum?"
Zhuang Rui smiled. Although he had gone through countless hardships and almost faced death on this trip, the gains were undoubtedly enormous. The discovery of Klaus's treasure was enough to cause a sensation throughout the world.
"Damn, that's more than just something to see! That's explosive news! Mr. Zhuang, if what you're saying is true, I can draw the attention of the entire global archaeological and exploration community to China, to our museums..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Huangfu Yun immediately became excited. With the keen eye of a businessman, he saw a huge business opportunity. Even if these treasures were not for sale, just this gimmick, with a little hype, could make the Dingguang Museum famous all over the world.
Huangfu Yun stood up and paced back and forth in the office. After a while, he calmed down from his excitement and looked at Zhuang Rui, saying, "President Zhuang, you need to produce something. This single gold coin isn't convincing enough; you need that golden anchor." "Hehe, as long as your pirate pavilion is up and running, the items will be on the shelves immediately. Let me give you a rough idea: a golden anchor, an ancient Egyptian gold mask, and countless gold coins and jewels..."
Zhuang Rui thought for a moment and decided to keep the crystal skull a secret. After all, he relied on it to upgrade his spiritual energy, and it might have other uses as well.
Chapter 851 Press Conference (Part 2)
Moreover, the crystal skull has received mixed reviews internationally, with some saying it's a modern forgery and others saying it's a symbol of Mayan civilization. It's quite controversial, and even if it were to be released now, it probably wouldn't have the same sensational effect as Klaus's treasure.
The gold mask, however, is different. As an important part of ancient Egyptian civilization, it can be presented as part of the Krauss Treasure or exhibited as an independent artifact, which will surely have a great impact on the world archaeological community.
"What...what did you say? Ancient Egyptian gold masks? Cough...cough cough..."
Huangfu Yun was drinking tea when Zhuang Rui's words startled him so much that he swallowed the hot tea in his mouth, choking and coughing repeatedly, his fair face turning red.
It's no wonder Huangfu Yun was surprised. The Egyptian gold mask is one of the most exquisite and precious ancient art treasures in the world, and to this day, it remains a major symbol of Egypt's ancient civilization.
The golden mask is no less significant to Egypt than the long-lost He Shi Bi jade is to China; both bear witness to the most important inheritance of a nation's civilization and represent a country's long and glorious history.
Moreover, to date, only this one gold mask has been unearthed from the Egyptian pyramids, and its artistic and market value is immeasurable.
Compared to the Golden Mask, Captain Klaus's Golden Anchor Treasure is far inferior.
Of course, the golden mask is also part of the treasure, further illustrating just how much wealth those great pirates who roamed the seas centuries ago left for future generations to discover.
"That's right, it's definitely a gold mask from ancient Egyptian civilization, and its exquisite craftsmanship surpasses even the gold mask unearthed from Pharaoh Tutankhamun's tomb. Brother Huangfu, you can start preparing how to announce this discovery to the world. I think this will definitely make our museum famous, right?"
Huangfu Yun had great faith in Zhuang Rui's professional expertise. After listening to Zhuang Rui's words, he calmed down, pondered for a moment, and then looked up and said, "Mr. Zhuang, the most important thing now is to strengthen the museum's security. I hope you can allocate more funds for the museum's security upgrades..."
"Brother Huangfu, our current security facilities are already top-notch in the country, so there's no need for further upgrades, right?"
Zhuang Rui was taken aback. He knew that nearly ten million yuan had been invested in security facilities when the museum was first built. Why would it need to be strengthened? Even if the golden mask was priceless, was it really necessary to make such a fuss?
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Huangfu Yun gave a wry smile and said, "President Zhuang, you're right. Our museum's security facilities are indeed top-notch in China, and they're sufficient for the current exhibits. However, with the golden mask, that won't do. We must upgrade them to international standards, and the staffing needs to be more optimized. We need to deploy security personnel on the museum roof, and double the number of patrol teams outside to ensure absolute security..."
After listening to Huangfu Yun's explanation, Zhuang Rui realized that the value of that golden mask far exceeded his imagination. The Egyptian Cairo Museum had invested nearly ten million US dollars in security to preserve the mask, and even so, it had almost been stolen by international thieves twice.
In the international collecting world, there are some billionaires who enjoy collecting the most precious cultural relics from major museums. As a result, some sophisticated thieves who specialize in stealing cultural relics have emerged internationally, commonly known as international art theft thieves.
Rare cultural relics such as gold masks and precious oil paintings, which are renowned in the international art market, have always been targets of international art thieves. Zhuang Rui's museum has several Picasso sketches, which are attractive in themselves.
If you add the golden mask and Klaus's treasure to the mix, Zhuang Rui's Dingguang Museum will surely attract the attention of many international thieves.
"How much more money do we need?"
Zhuang Rui asked, "I have quite a few treasures now, but I don't have much money left. The 2 billion yuan investment in the uranium mine has almost drained all of Zhuang Rui's funds. Now I only have a little over 3 million yuan left, which I still need to use for the daily expenses of the courtyard house and the manor."
"You should ask Yang Jian about that; he's the security director..."
Huangfu Yun replied.
"Alright, then let's call Yang Jian over..."
Zhuang Rui nodded and picked up the phone. ...
"Mr. Zhuang, you're back!"
A few minutes later, Yang Jian arrived at the office and was a little surprised to see Zhuang Rui, who was tanned dark. However, he was not as surprised as Huangfu Yun, since he was not as close to Zhuang Rui as Huangfu Yun.
"Sit down, I have something to discuss with you..."
After Zhuang Rui asked Yang Jian to sit down, he explained the whole story and finally asked Yang Jian how much money would be needed to improve the museum's security and make it a world-class museum.
Although Zhuang Rui has no money on hand, as long as he spreads the word, he believes that the gold coins in Klaus's treasure alone will attract the interest of countless people. With hundreds of thousands of gold coins, he should be able to turn over hundreds of millions of funds.
What's more, Zhuang Rui's basement contains gold bars worth hundreds of millions of yuan. These are national reserve materials that can be exchanged for cash at a bank.
"Yang Jian, what do you think about how to strengthen the museum's security? Also, how much funding would be needed?"
In order to showcase the treasure of the great pirate Klaus and this golden mask, Zhuang Rui decided to renovate the museum regardless of cost.
From the very beginning of its construction, Zhuang Rui's goal was to build this museum into a world-class museum like the British Museum.
Picasso's sketches were the first step toward Zhuang Rui's grand goal, and now the Krause Treasure brings the Dingguang Museum one step closer to becoming a world-renowned museum.
Yang Jian had clearly heard Zhuang Rui's words. After pondering for a moment, he said, "Now, several unused exhibition halls need to be equipped with infrared alarm devices. In addition, special anti-theft systems need to be installed on the central air conditioning and exhaust ventilation ducts... Furthermore, the entire museum's electrical system must be completely overhauled to prevent criminals from having an opportunity during power outages..."
Although the museum has a backup generator, it only starts a short time after a power outage. This short time is enough for many clever international thieves to exploit.
Finally, Yang Jian estimated a rough price, which turned out to be nearly 30 million RMB. This only included the hardware facilities and did not include the salary expenses for recruiting security personnel, etc.
Moreover, the museum renovation will take up to half a month, which means that the museum cannot operate normally during this half month, resulting in a loss of several million yuan. However, for Zhuang Rui, this amount of money is nothing.
"Director Huangfu, what has been the museum's revenue for the past few months?"
Zhuang Rui is broke now. He should have known better than to invest in African uranium mines. It would probably take at least another year or two for those things to turn a profit.
"After deducting employee salaries and routine maintenance costs, we now have 39 million RMB left in the account. Mr. Zhuang, you weren't here for the Chinese New Year this year, so we didn't give out a single penny of holiday bonus..."
Huangfu Yun said half-jokingly that his authority was limited to signing the payroll, while benefits and some other expenses required the boss's approval.
Zhuang Rui thought for a moment and said, "How about this, take out three million as last year's year-end bonus, and another thirty million as renovation funds for the museum. Yang Jian, you will be fully responsible for the construction. Make sure it's so watertight that not even a fly can get in..."
"Yes, Mr. Zhuang, please rest assured..."
Yang Jian stood up from the sofa.
"Sit down, sit down..."
Zhuang Rui waved his hand, gesturing for Yang Jian to sit down, then looked at Huangfu Yun and said: "Director Huangfu, please inform the travel agencies in Beijing that we have business dealings with them that the museum will be undergoing expansion and renovation, and will be closed for half a month starting today..."