"Me? This old man has lived his whole life and only knows about antiques, so of course I'll invest in that. Last year, I mainly invested in two areas. One was coins, not ancient copper coins, but commemorative coins issued by the government. I invested 16 million in them last year, and by March of this year, these commemorative coins had increased by 30%, which is not bad. Xiao Zhuang, do you know how much bonus I received last year?"
Uncle De spoke with a hint of pride. This investment last year was not initially well-received. Even the two turtle appraisers raised objections and made suggestions to the head office in their personal capacities. However, the investment company leaders approved Uncle De's investment proposal out of trust. When the accounts were settled this year, the increase in the value of that currency surprised everyone.
This single investment brought the pawnshop a net profit of 4.8 million. Wang Yiding and Lai Jingdong, who had previously looked down on Uncle De, have been keeping a low profile these days, too embarrassed to face him.
Zhuang Rui hadn't been to the pawnshop for the past few months, so he didn't know where the pawnshop's funds had gone. He asked, "Uncle De, have you sold all those coins? Why didn't you keep them to continue appreciating?"
Zhuang Rui assumed that since the bonuses had been distributed, the money should have already been disposed of.
"Sold off ten million, still holding six million. Last year, I, the old man, received a million in bonuses alone. Xiao Zhuang, the investment company's reward is thirty percent of the profits. You better watch out, kid. Your future is bright. Buying a car and a house in Zhonghai won't be a problem."
Uncle De clearly didn't know Zhuang Rui's current net worth, nor did he see that Zhuang Rui drove to work; otherwise, he wouldn't have said those things. However, Uncle De truly cared for Zhuang Rui. The reason he sold those coins that were still appreciating was to leave some investment funds for Zhuang Rui so that Zhuang Rui could benefit from them. Otherwise, all the funds would be tied up in the initial investment, and Zhuang Rui would only be able to get a fixed salary. Uncle De's actions were truly well-intentioned.
Uncle De agreed to work at the pawnshop not for the salary—with his wealth, a few hundred thousand wouldn't even register—but mainly because working at the pawnshop would give him the opportunity to come into contact with more antiques. For Uncle De, who had been obsessed with antiques all his life, this was the most important thing.
"Uncle De, you're losing too much by doing this. Actually, my life is pretty good now. In the past two months, I've also found some good items while I was in Pengcheng..."
After listening to Uncle De's words, Zhuang Rui was also very moved. Uncle De's actions were tantamount to giving up his annual dividends of hundreds of thousands. After thinking for a moment, Zhuang Rui told Uncle De about how he had acquired Wang Shizhen's manuscript and obtained Tang Bohu's authentic work in Tibet.
"Hey kid, why are you so calm today? Not a bit of the excitement of a new official taking office. Turns out you've made quite a fortune, huh? You've found more bargains on Taobao in the last two months than I have in my entire life. So you were just lying in wait for me. What a pity you sold those items. Otherwise, I could have seen some of the best. No way, you have to treat me to lunch. I'm going to rip you off."
After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Uncle De's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh hard. Zhuang Rui's experiences over the past two months were indeed as Uncle De said. Even someone who had been collecting antiques all his life might not be able to find a great bargain, but Zhuang Rui's few bargain finds were enough to ensure that he would never have to worry about food and drink for the rest of his life.
"No problem, Uncle De. We'll go wherever you say we want to eat lunch. I'm so lucky. It's all thanks to your teachings. If you hadn't explained antiques to me every day, I wouldn't even know what antiques are."
Zhuang Rui subtly flattered Uncle De, who was quite pleased. As the saying goes, it's easy to find a fine horse, but hard to find a discerning eye. Uncle De had always believed that Zhuang Rui could make a name for himself in the antique world, and now that this blockhead had finally seen the light, Uncle De was overjoyed.
"By the way, Uncle De, what is your other investment?"
Seeing Uncle De's smug look, Zhuang Rui figured that his other investment must also be a sure thing.
"That's lacquerware from Shanxi, which falls under the category of miscellaneous items. I've been collecting these kinds of items for several years now. Before 1996, a decent lacquerware box could be bought for around 70 or 80 yuan, or even a hundred yuan. Now it can sell for 8,000 or 9,000 yuan, or even tens of thousands of yuan. Xiao Zhuang, just think about it, in just five or six years, the price has increased so many times. I reckon the market for these items will continue to rise. Last year, I invested five million yuan and sent people to various parts of Shanxi to buy lacquerware. You should know where that money went, since you were the one doing the accounting back then."
Uncle De's words made Zhuang Rui's face flush. In his work last year, Zhuang Rui had only fulfilled the financial responsibilities he had learned and done his job. As for the flow and use of funds, he knew nothing at all. Anyway, with the supervision of the financial system, he was not afraid that anyone would embezzle funds. It was only when Uncle De mentioned it that Zhuang Rui realized that even as a financial staff member, he was not so qualified.
“Investing in lacquerware is a long-term endeavor. It will take three to five years to see the results. By then, I probably won’t be doing this anymore. Xiao Zhuang, when that time comes, I’ll let you pick these fruits.”
What Uncle De said next moved Zhuang Rui deeply. The old man in front of him was genuinely protecting him, without any ulterior motives involved. Zhuang Rui felt he couldn't hide it any longer, so he said, "Uncle De, my friend and I have started a mastiff kennel in our hometown and invested in some businesses. Actually, I originally wanted to quit my job at the pawnshop, but I wanted to learn more about antiques from you, so I came back. As for whether I will work here again in the future, I'm not sure."
Uncle De was stunned when he heard this. He didn't expect that Zhuang Rui would change so much in just two months. From a young man who was happy to earn a few thousand yuan a month, he had now started his own business. However, he still agreed with Zhuang Rui's idea. Young people should go out and explore more.
"Alright, that's good. From now on, you should mind your own business and not get involved in those dirty things. I'll try my best to teach you everything I know. Come on, let's go out and have a meeting with those two sea turtles. Don't interrupt me when I'm talking."
After thinking for a moment, Uncle De gave Zhuang Rui a brief instruction, and then made two calls to the other two appraisers, asking them to gather in the conference room in half an hour. Zhuang Rui was quite confused, not understanding what Uncle De meant by "dirty things".
Uncle De looked at Zhuang Rui's blank expression and said with a smile, "What's wrong? Don't understand? You'll naturally understand as you deal with pawnshops more."
Chapter 148 The Hidden Tricks in the Antique Trade
"Uncle De, are you... are you telling the truth?"
Zhuang Rui stared at Uncle De with an incredulous expression. Uncle De's words had just shocked him greatly.
Out of sheer curiosity, Zhuang Rui pressed Uncle De about what kind of shady things might happen in the pawnshop. After all, he had worked there for over a year, and although he didn't pay much attention to the pawnshop's business, he hadn't seen anything unacceptable. Uncle De's words had only piqued his curiosity further.
Pressed by Zhuang Rui, Uncle De finally revealed that even in various pawnshops, pawnbrokers sometimes make mistakes. After all, the methods of counterfeiting cultural relics are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and many relics are even made to look more authentic than genuine articles, making it difficult to distinguish between them. It's really not fair to blame these appraisers for their lack of skill. If they didn't use instruments for authentication, even some master-level appraisal experts would probably be fooled.
Logically, pawnshops should seal or destroy these fake items after receiving them. However, they often spend a considerable amount of money to purchase these items. If they were disposed of through proper channels, the losses would be substantial. Therefore, some pawnshops collude with auction houses to auction off these fake antiques, issuing pawnbroker's "dead pawn" documents so that the auction house can manipulate the price, passing them off as genuine and deceiving some less knowledgeable antique enthusiasts or ordinary collectors.
Because most people have a desire to get a bargain, the combination of a pawnshop's guaranteed pawn certificate, the auction house's promotional posters and brochures, and the relatively low starting price makes many people flock to these auctions. These kinds of items are often the easiest to sell. However, those buyers who think they have found a treasure are actually buying fakes.
In recent years, some newly wealthy private business owners have begun to invest in the antique business. Some spend lavishly, focusing on "top-tier" national treasures, while others demand exorbitant prices, trying to "take everything" right away. Some even believe in "treasure hunting" overseas. These wealthy individuals are the targets of pawnshops and auction houses that prey on them.
"Why would an old man like me lie to you? But just keep this to yourself, don't spread it around, it's easy to offend people. Although it's said that every family has its rules and every profession has its regulations, these days not many people care about these things. If you spread it around and ruin someone's livelihood, someone might come after you."
Seeing Zhuang Rui's indignant expression, Uncle De quickly and solemnly warned him that this matter involved a wide range of people, including some large multinational auction companies with immense power. It was not something that one or two people could shake. He was afraid that Zhuang Rui would act impulsively and expose the matter, which would make it impossible for Zhuang Rui to maintain his position in this industry in the future.
Even Uncle De himself, sometimes under certain pressure, would take out a few eye-catching items and hand them over to the auction house for auction. However, this pawn shop had only been established for a short time, and such things had only happened once or twice. But this was one of the reasons why Uncle De decided to step down as manager.
"Uncle De, these wealthy people are all elites. They won't be so easily fooled, will they? Wouldn't they have someone authenticate it?"
Zhuang Rui was somewhat puzzled. It was understandable to buy fake items from shops and street stalls, but when it came to buying antiques for tens of thousands or even millions of yuan, the buyers would definitely be very cautious. It wouldn't be easy for pawnshops and auction houses to fool these people.
Putting aside others, Zhuang Rui knew that Fatty Ma from Shanxi, who always brought a professional appraiser with him when he went to various auctions. However, at the grassland auction in Tibet, Fatty Ma was on vacation, so he didn't have an appraiser with him.
Uncle De smiled wryly upon hearing this and said, "Xiao Zhuang, many things are not as simple as you think. For example, even I can't tell the difference between real and fake items in a short time. Do you expect other appraisers to be able to identify them in the short auction process? Many buyers keep the items they won at home for years and still don't know that the items are fake."
Let me give you another example. There are probably four or five thousand people in Zhejiang Province who are "casual enthusiasts" in the jade and antique trade, but only a few dozen are true connoisseurs. Most are amateur collectors, and some are simply people who have succeeded in other businesses and have switched to jade and antiques as a hobby. Some people in the circle take advantage of these wealthy and status-conscious individuals, intentionally setting traps for them. As the saying goes, "Gold has a price, but jade is priceless." Many people believe that jade is priceless and that boasting about it will inflate its value. However, like gold and silver, jade has a price, and in the eyes of experts, the valuation is generally not too drastically different.
As he spoke, Uncle De took a white jade Pixiu ornament from his waist and handed it to Zhuang Rui. He then continued, "This is a piece of Hetian jade that I bought myself and had someone process it. According to my own estimate, it's worth about 15,000 yuan. A few days ago, someone offered me 22,000 yuan, but I didn't sell it. This thing is quite exquisite, and it's good to keep it for myself."
Xiao Zhuang, the 20,000 I mentioned is just the price within the industry. If you were to take it to a large department store or jewelry shop, such a pendant would be worth at least 100,000. That's the difference between those inside and outside the industry. Some business owners like to haggle over prices when buying jewelry and jade in department stores, thinking they've gotten a great deal, but little do they know they're just making themselves a laughing stock in the industry.
Let me tell you a true story that happened around the Lunar New Year. A wealthy businessman in Zhejiang, who had also become a collector of antiques, spent 100,000 yuan to hire a jade appraisal expert from Beijing—a person I know—for a consultation. The expert went to great lengths to have the expert appraise the jade pieces he had collected from both domestic and international sources. After examining them, the expert declined, saying that appraising ancient jade would take at least six months and that he couldn't draw a conclusion quickly, so he hurriedly took his leave.
After the New Year, the shop owner called me in to take a look. You know, of those dozens of so-called most valuable antique jade pieces, not a single one was from before the Song Dynasty. A few were from the Ming and Qing Dynasties, which were already quite good. Most were imitations. Of course, the jade itself was genuine, but the value of new jade restored using antique techniques was vastly different.”
Zhuang Rui was stunned by Uncle De's words. He didn't realize there were so many traps in this industry. However, he was still puzzled and asked, "Uncle De, if these people who buy antiques or, as you said, jade, find fake items at auctions, will they just let it go? These people aren't ordinary folks who can be bullied. Won't they seek revenge?"
Uncle De smiled, feeling a bit thirsty from talking. He poured himself a cup of tea and drank it before saying, "Xiao Zhuang, you're still too green. Do you think those who make a living from this industry wouldn't think of what you can think of? The auction house's invoice only says 'crafts,' which is completely different from the advertisements and brochures. Even if you suffer a loss and go to court, it won't do you any good."
Those big bosses who collect antiques and jade may be business geniuses, top performers in their respective fields. However, every industry has its own challenges, and success in one doesn't guarantee success in another. Furthermore, appreciating jade and antiques requires years of dedicated practice; even I, an old man who's been collecting for a lifetime, have made my share of mistakes. How much more so those bosses who think they're experts after reading a few books?
Uncle De's words made Zhuang Rui blush a little. He was the kind of person who had read a few books and thought he was quite good at it. However, Zhuang Rui was different from those bosses. At least, if they wanted him to make a mistake and pay tuition, those counterfeiters would probably have to make the fake antiques look magical.
"Alright, let's go to the meeting room. It's about time. We need to have a meeting today to finalize your appointment."
After Uncle De finished speaking, he stood up, took the jade Pixiu handed to him by Zhuang Rui, and hung it on his waist. Zhuang Rui, with his sharp eyes, noticed that Uncle De also had three or four other jade items hanging on his waist. He looked like a jade seller.
Uncle De walked to the door, then suddenly remembered something and turned to Zhuang Rui, saying, "Xu Ling is a bit playful. She's currently on probation. If you don't think she's good enough, you can fire her. But she's been doing well lately, so let's not take it personally."
Zhuang Rui nodded, finally understanding why Xu Ling had been so respectful to him when he entered the pawnshop that morning. It turned out that whether or not he allowed her to stay was entirely up to him. However, Zhuang Rui was too lazy to argue with her. Encountering robbers was a natural disaster or a man-made one. Besides, without this incident, he probably wouldn't have gained supernatural abilities from his eyes.
The pawnshop's meeting room was actually a converted office. It wasn't very big, with a round table that could seat seven or eight people. At this moment, only Xu Ling, Lai Jingdong, and the salesperson from the forfeiture section were sitting around the round table. As for Wang Yiding, he was nowhere to be seen. Uncle De couldn't help but frown. He had personally called to notify him, yet he was even later than him.
"Xiao Lai, what about Wang Yiding?"
"Uncle De, a client just came in. He has a few pieces of jewelry that he wants Wang to appraise. He's in his office right now and might be a little late."
Lai Jingdong's attitude towards Uncle De was much better than before, but he saw that Zhuang Rui only nodded slightly, looking indifferent.
Hearing that Wang was receiving clients, Uncle De's expression softened. He gestured for Zhuang Rui to sit at the head of the table, then looked around at the group and said, "Today I'm announcing an appointment. After deliberation by the investment company's leadership, we've decided to appoint Comrade Zhuang Rui as the manager of the pawnshop, responsible for all daily administrative affairs. If you have any questions in the future, just ask Manager Zhuang. I also hope that you will support Manager Zhuang's work in the same way you supported mine."
After Uncle De finished speaking, Lai Jingdong's smiling face slowly stiffened. Within the pawnshop, only Uncle De and Xu Ling knew a little about Zhuang Rui taking over as manager, while Lai Jingdong and Wang Yiding were completely unaware of this matter.
In Lai Jingdong's eyes, Zhuang Rui was just a recent graduate with no experience or background. Neither of them considered him a competitor. They did know that Uncle De would be stepping down as manager after a while, so they treated him with great respect, hoping that he could put in a good word for them with the investment company's leaders and give them some credit.
But unexpectedly, Zhuang Rui, who was injured in the robbery before the New Year, became his boss on his first day of work today. Lai Jingdong, who had been fighting with Wang Yiding for half a year, was completely unable to accept this fact.
"Uncle De, shouldn't the investment company have some kind of official document to issue for something like this?"
Lai Jingdong asked somewhat unwillingly, knowing that Uncle De and Zhuang Rui had a good relationship, and it was hard to say whether this was Uncle De's own decision.
"Of course there is. Manager Zhuang's appointment document has been issued for over a month, but he has been recovering from his injury, so I haven't announced it yet. Everyone, please take a look."
Uncle De took out an official document from his bag. The document clearly stated at the top: Comrade Zhuang Rui is appointed as the manager of the pawnshop. After Lai Jingdong took it, his face turned ashen.
"Let me say a few words. We all know each other, so there's no need for introductions. I'll now explain the work arrangements for the pawnshop going forward. Xu Ling will continue to be in charge of the cashier's work, and she'll be responsible for handling the handover of money and valuables with the bank every day. Xiao Xie will still be in charge of the forfeited pawn section. As for Appraiser Lai..."
Zhuang Rui paused here, waking Lai Jingdong from his daze. After seeing the document, Lai Jingdong understood that unless he resigned, he would have to be under Zhuang Rui's leadership. Hearing Zhuang Rui mention his name, he couldn't help but look at Zhuang Rui, and at the same time, he secretly made up his mind that if Zhuang Rui touched his professional field, he would immediately submit his resignation.
"As for Appraiser Lai, his professional knowledge is well-known in the industry. Here's what we'll do: in the future, for auctions of forfeited items related to luxury goods and foreign art, you and Appraiser Wang will handle the negotiations with the auction houses. I won't interfere with the specifics, and I will also suggest to the investment company that you be given full authority."
Zhuang Rui's words completely stunned Lai Jingdong, who was already feeling hopeless. He and Wang Yi had been vying for the manager position for more than half a year, partly for the investment funds and partly for the authority to establish a cooperative relationship with the auction house. There were many shady dealings involved, and if handled well, earning one or two million a year wouldn't be a big problem.
Previously, Uncle De held this power tightly in his hands. Lai Jingdong thought that after Zhuang Rui became the manager, he would definitely also firmly grasp this power. However, he did not expect that at the beginning of his tenure, he would actually delegate the right to communicate with the auction house to the two of them and formally report to the investment company. This made Lai Jingdong feel like he was dreaming.
Chapter 149 Dispute
"Zhuang Rui, oh... no. Manager Zhuang, is what you said true?" Lai Jingdong asked Zhuang Rui with some uncertainty. What kind of manager is he if he doesn't have real power and only cares about trivial matters?
"Of course it's true. I studied finance, and I will be in charge of the investment funds for the pawnshop in the future. As for contacting the auction house and negotiating business, you and appraiser Wang will handle that together. Everyone has their own expertise, after all, this is your specialty."
Zhuang Rui's words dispelled Lai Jingdong's doubts. It turned out that Zhuang Rui only wanted to secure the investment funds, and perhaps fearing that he and Wang Yi would cause him trouble, he gave up the lucrative opportunity of cooperating with the auction house to the two of them.
"Looks like we need to figure out a way to take over Wang Yiding's business..."
Lai Jingdong's business involves foreign art. In the year since the business opened, they've only received a few foreign oil paintings, of average value. Although they're already pawned, consigning them to auction isn't very meaningful. Wang Yiding, on the other hand, has many pawned jewelry and luxury goods. These are quite valuable and have more opportunities to be consigned to auction. Therefore, Lai Jingdong's focus has shifted from Zhuang Rui's appointment as manager to how to get a share of Wang Yiding's pie.
"Although Manager Zhuang is young, he is very decisive. However, when dealing with auction houses, there always needs to be someone who can make the final decision. I personally have little experience dealing with auction houses, and as for Wang Yiding, as everyone knows, he is a bit frivolous. I think it would be better if Manager Zhuang were in charge of this area. Otherwise, Wang Yiding and I would be leaderless."
Lai Jingdong first praised Zhuang Rui, and then suggested that Zhuang Rui should still be in charge. However, his meaning was very clear: if you don't take charge, then you have to choose between me and Wang Yiding to make the final decision. You'll get to know each other better as you get to know each other, but Wang Yiding is frivolous and often flirts with girls. Manager Zhuang, you should know how to choose, right?
"Once Appraiser Wang arrives, we can all discuss it further. Uncle De, what do you think?"
Zhuang Rui didn't respond to Lai Jingdong's words. The decision he made earlier was after discussing it with Uncle De. Uncle De didn't want to get involved in the matters between the pawnshop and the auction house, and Zhuang Rui didn't want to do anything against his conscience.
After discussing it, Zhuang Rui and Uncle De decided to simply hand over this part and let the two returnees fight over it. No matter which of the two wanted to control this part, they would have to get Zhuang Rui's support. This way, Zhuang Rui could either play one against the other or play both sides as good guys, whatever he wanted. As for Zhuang Rui's daily work, the two of them, having benefited from it, would probably give him their full support. As for the division of business, reporting it to the investment company was Uncle De's prudent move. Even if any problems arose in the future, it would have nothing to do with Zhuang Rui.
"Uncle De, is there anything you need to discuss with me? Business was good today. Just now, a customer brought in a necklace set with a Brazilian emerald. She wanted it pawned. I've examined it; the necklace is quite old, probably from the early 20th century. I priced it at 60,000 yuan, and she agreed. Uncle De, what do you think?"
As Wang Yiding spoke, the conference room door was pushed open, and Wang Yiding walked in triumphantly. When he looked at Xu Ling and Xiao Li, the saleswoman in the pawn shop, he winked mischievously, thinking he was very dashing.
Wang Yiding is not tall, only about 1.7 meters. His features are fairly regular, but his face is full of pimples from when he had them in his early years, which really affects his appearance. However, Wang Yiding has always felt that he is very masculine and that every woman should be attracted to him.
After entering the room, Wang Yi's eyes first lingered on Xu Ling's ample bosom before he noticed Zhuang Rui sitting in the middle of the round table. With a forced smile, he said to Zhuang Rui, "Oh, our great hero is back! Perfect timing, the guest is still waiting. You and Xiao Ling go and get him the receipt and pay the bill."
"Old Wang, from now on you should call him Manager Zhuang. The investment company has issued a document that he will be the manager of our pawnshop from now on. He's Zhuang Rui. Watch your words."
Lai Jingdong handed the appointment document to Wang Yiding with a mocking expression. Zhuang Rui would definitely have a negative impression of Wang Yiding for his performance earlier.
"Manager? Zhuang Rui?"
Wang was also a bit stunned. He didn't even recognize the appointment document he had just received. He stood there dumbfounded, staring at Zhuang Rui with an incredulous expression on his face.
According to Wang Yiding's plan, the position of manager of this pawnshop was already his. In terms of qualifications and work ability, he believed that no one in the pawnshop could compare to him except Uncle De. As for Lai Jingdong, he only appraised three or five items a year. How could he compare to him?
With the general improvement in people's living standards, high-end luxury goods from both domestic and international sources have entered the lives of some of the wealthier individuals. However, some business people inevitably encounter times when they face cash flow problems. If they need to raise funds in a short period of time, borrowing from a bank may take up to a month. Since this is a long-term solution, these people often pawn their valuables at pawnshops to obtain working capital for their businesses.
If the business is profitable, the items can be redeemed, and the pawnshop only charges a small fee. However, if the business fails, according to pawnshop regulations, if the pawner does not redeem or renew the pawn within 5 days after the pawn period ends, these unredeemed items become forfeited items. The pawnshop has the right to sell them, and they are no longer related to the original owner. Among forfeited items, the most common are probably various luxury goods such as gold and silver jewelry.
In this pawnshop, besides Uncle De's antique appraisal business, Wang Yiding's luxury goods business is probably the most prominent, which is why Wang Yiding is convinced that the manager position is rightfully his.
"Old Wang, what are you standing there for? Sit down quickly. Manager Zhuang is assigning us our work. Listen carefully, instead of thinking about flirting with young girls all day long."
Seeing the expression on Wang Yiding's face, Lai Jingdong became even more smug. Unlike Wang Yiding, his major was relatively obscure in the domestic art market, so besides a fixed salary, there wasn't much extra income.
But Wang Yiding is different. One-third of the items pawned in this pawnshop every day pass through his hands. So Wang Yiding usually considers himself the deputy manager of the pawnshop and is just waiting for Uncle De to step down and make way for him. Suddenly, Zhuang Rui, this young upstart, has taken over. Lai Jingdong believes that Wang Yiding will definitely not give in easily.
"Oh, Xiao Zhuang, how do you allocate my work? I'm feeling overwhelmed by the workload and the pressure. I'd like to find someone to share the burden or take a few days off to rest."