As the golden eagle swooped down, the two well-trained security guards who were originally standing at the entrance of Building No. 1 rushed towards Zhuang Rui. They knew Zhuang Rui's identity; if he were scratched by this eagle in the club, they would lose their jobs.
Only when they ran up to Zhuang Rui did the two men in black suits realize that the golden eagle had landed on Zhuang Rui's shoulder. Anyone could tell that this extraordinary little creature belonged to Zhuang Rui.
"Yes, tell him over the walkie-talkie that the little guy can play here, and please make sure no one shoots him..."
Zhuang Rui nodded. He knew that there were guns in Ouyang Jun's clubhouse. If he didn't confess, someone with an itchy hand might use Jin Yu to practice shooting.
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the security guard immediately spoke into the walkie-talkie. Zhuang Rui, however, smiled wryly and looked at his shoulder. His suit, worth tens of thousands of yuan, was ruined again. There's a price to pay for showing off.
"Excuse me, this little guy is too naughty, Mr. Li, please come in..."
After letting the little golden feather fly off to play, Zhuang Rui called President Li and the others to walk towards Building No. 1.
"Mr. Zhuang, the contents of their boxes have been inspected..."
A security guard caught up with Zhuang Rui and whispered in his ear that this was also their duty. Getting into Building No. 1 wasn't something money could buy, and they were also worried that outsiders might bring in some unsafe items.
Zhuang Rui was stunned for a moment before realizing that it wasn't that Huangfu Yun wouldn't take President Li in; it turned out they were being stopped by security.
Nodding imperceptibly, Zhuang Rui slowed his pace, and when he was almost side by side with Huangfu Yun, he whispered, "Brother Huangfu, I'm sorry, I'll have someone bring you a VIP card later..."
Chapter 769 Truth or Falsehood (3)
A year or so ago, Zhuang Rui probably wouldn't have thought about taking care of Huangfu Yun's feelings. Even now, Zhuang Rui lacks experience in corporate management and the ability to assign and direct subordinates to break down tasks.
Zhuang Rui didn't believe it, and he knew he wasn't the kind of person described in books who could command the attention of heroes from all directions with a single command. All he could do was respect his employees, make them feel their own value, and let them enjoy the process of creating wealth.
Whether it was Huangfu Yun, Zhao Hanxuan, or even Manager Wu of Qin Ruilin, Zhuang Rui gave them a great deal of authority. In non-major decisions, Zhuang Rui would not interfere at all and basically did not meddle in the daily management of the various industries.
In a sense, Zhuang Rui is not an outstanding manager, but he is definitely a very competent leader. At the very least, the professional managers in every industry under his command are working hard to make money for Zhuang Rui because they are receiving sufficient respect and satisfactory compensation.
"Thank you, Mr. Zhuang..."
Huangfu Yun was deeply moved to see that Zhuang Rui had noticed the detail of being turned away earlier. In this day and age, how many bosses still care about the feelings of their employees?
At this moment, Huangfu Yun felt genuine respect for Zhuang Rui, the young boss who was several years younger than him.
"Hehe, brother, when did you become so polite..."
Zhuang Rui gently patted Huangfu Yun's shoulder, then turned to President Li and said, "President Li, please forgive the poor hospitality..."
"Not at all, Mr. Zhuang, you're too kind..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, President Li was somewhat flattered. In terms of status in the antique industry, this young man in front of him had once organized a nationwide gathering of collectors and enthusiasts. In terms of wealth, he had invested hundreds of millions in just one museum.
As for social status, Mr. Li is far superior. He used to only admire this place, never dreaming that he could enter it himself.
Mr. Li had already made up his mind that he would make this deal happen even if he had to pay out of his own pocket. He was willing to give these items to Zhuang Rui, because in Mr. Li's opinion, spending 20 million to get to know Zhuang Rui was well worth it.
The luxurious yet stylish decor of Building No. 1 left Mr. Li breathless, prompting him to think about renovating his own apartment to improve his taste.
Zhuang Rui had a private room booked and invited President Li and the others to sit inside.
After the group sat down, two pretty waitresses came in, asked about the guests' needs, served drinks, and then left. It was still morning, but they would have to wait until evening to see the celebrities.
"Mr. Li, thank you so much for coming to Beijing in person. Let's skip the formalities and take a look at the goods..."
Zhuang Rui got straight to the point, saying that when it came to appraising antiques, he was more focused on enjoying the process itself, so he didn't directly use his spiritual energy to examine the two men's suitcases.
"Of course, of course..."
Mr. Li nodded hurriedly, gesturing for the two men to bring the suitcase to the table. He said, "This was sent by an old friend of mine. He was also acting on someone's behalf... It's said that this batch of items was passed down from a wealthy salt merchant family in Jiangnan during the Qing Dynasty. It had been stored in a basement for a long time, and only recently, during renovations, has it come to light. Mr. Zhuang, please take a look..."
"Oh? This is certainly something to take a good look at..."
Zhuang Rui nodded slightly.
Hearing that it was left behind by salt merchants from the Qing Dynasty, its origins became clear. You see, during the Qing Dynasty, the salt merchants of Jiangnan, the Huizhou merchants of Anhui, and the money shop owners of Shanxi were all incredibly wealthy capitalists.
Moreover, these companies are all monopolies, with a status similar to that of banks and telecommunications companies today. They all have unfair terms and conditions, so you can use them or not, as they have no real competitors.
The ancient tradition of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants changed at this time. These merchants held extremely high status, and could even interfere with the appointment and removal of officials, or shake up national policies and control the lifeline of the country.
Having money naturally leads to a desire to appear cultured. Moreover, salt merchants, living in the prosperous Jiangnan region, all put on a show of refinement to avoid being seen as uncultured. Everything they used in their homes and hung on their walls had a specific history and origin.
If the emperor was the biggest collector in the country and the palace was the biggest museum, then the homes of these merchants and officials could also be considered small museums. Didn't you see how the gold and silver treasures confiscated from the national treasury when Cao Da Guanren's home was raided were counted by the cartload?
So if these items are indeed remnants from the basement of the old house, then having dozens of them is plausible.
Just as Zhuang Rui was about to examine the items, a question suddenly occurred to him: "Wait a minute, if these things are family heirlooms, why aren't they being auctioned off?"
Although Article 5 of the Law on the Protection of Cultural Relics clearly stipulates that all cultural relics remaining underground, in inland waters and territorial seas within the territory of the People's Republic of China belong to the state, these are items unearthed from the basement of the old house and should belong to this family. These are not items obtained by digging up graves.
"Hey, Mr. Zhuang, this house has been around for over a hundred years and has had countless residents. Where can we find the original owner of these ceramics? If we report it, it will definitely be nationalized..."
Mr. Li is in this line of work, and as the saying goes, you have to love what you do. He not only knows the domestic cultural relics protection law by heart, but also has a deep understanding of foreign archaeological laws. This comparison and explanation made Zhuang Rui very interested.
Our country's cultural relics protection law is quite strict; all underground objects belong to the state. However, in practice, its implementation is rather ineffective.
For example, if one day you suddenly feel like it, grab a pickaxe and a shovel, rush to the edge of a field and start digging, and even if you dig up a silver coin, a gold ingot, or a jade ruyi, sorry, that has to be handed over to the state.
Of course, no one is stupid enough to hand over the money. The saying that circulates in society these days, "If you want to get rich, dig up graves and become a millionaire overnight," refers to those who dig up things and put them into their own pockets.
As long as you can get away with it once and not get caught, you can turn your life around, turn your country bumpkin into someone, build a house, buy a car, keep a mistress, and have affairs with other women. With such huge benefits, who wouldn't be envious?
Therefore, tomb raiding is rampant in China, and Chinese people are digging knowingly and deliberately, even defying the law. They dig as long as they can't be caught, and they feel they've dug their way through. If the law is not enforced, they will dig until they die. Tomb raiding has become an industry chain.
However, the situation is different abroad. Archaeological excavations can be carried out by the government, private foundations, and private archaeological companies after applying for permission.
It's not unacceptable for someone to become an amateur archaeologist when they feel like it, to find a piece of land, apply for permission, and dig around with a hoe whenever they have free time.
There's a story in the UK about a man who was almost 70 years old. One day, he suddenly became a professional archaeologist and treated it as his job, digging three days a week for six hours each day.
After digging for two years, the old man unearthed artifacts worth a total of £500,000. His biggest income from artifacts came from selling 250 ancient Roman coins to the British Museum for £100,000.
In addition, many of the major artifacts discovered in Egypt in the early years, such as the Valley of the Kings and the tombs of the pharaohs, were found and excavated by amateur archaeologists or even treasure hunters.
This is not to say that this approach is being promoted, but the regulation of private or corporate archaeology is very strict in foreign countries.
Abroad, all archaeological activities such as excavation and marine salvage must adhere to the primary principle of protecting cultural relics and require the payment of a certain fee. If you find nothing or the items you find are not worth the money you paid, then you are considered to be losing money.
In summary, foreign countries have laws to follow, while China has laws that are difficult to enforce. The more you forbid digging, the more enthusiastically people dig, and there's no oversight whatsoever. They resort to any means necessary, since China has a history of five thousand years and there's plenty to dig up. (I've digressed, but it's good for everyone to know this. I discussed this issue in depth with a friend before, and he was so eager to buy an entrenching tool and a Luoyang shovel to go tomb raiding abroad... no, I mean, to do archaeology.)
"Mr. Li, let me take a look at the things first..."
After chatting with Mr. Li for a while, Zhuang Rui turned his attention to this batch of Tang tri-color ceramics. In the box next to him was a set of eight tri-color female figurines, their colors very eye-catching.
The eight sancai (three-color glazed pottery) figurines of court ladies are each about 30 centimeters tall. Their faces are different, and they are posed in different ways. They have high buns and wide sleeves, stand tall and graceful, and are leisurely and elegant. The figures are full and highlight the Tang Dynasty's aesthetic view that plumpness is beautiful.
Moreover, the clothing worn by the figures is very low-cut, with waves swaying in the chest, extremely open and daring. It is likely that later generations regarded these three-color glazed pottery pieces of ladies as objects for women to play with in their boudoirs.
"Excellent, truly excellent! The objects are round and full in shape, with mottled patterns and varied colors. This is the best set of Tang tri-color pottery I have ever seen..."
After playing with it for more than ten minutes, Zhuang Rui reluctantly put the tricolor pottery figurine in his hand into the leather suitcase lined with soft cloth.
"Mr. Zhuang, if you like it, just keep it for now and play with it. We can settle the money later..."
Although he knew the Tang tri-colored pottery was genuine, Mr. Li still showed a hint of joy on his face upon receiving Zhuang Rui's praise.
"Hehe, Mr. Li, I appreciate your kind offer, but while these items are nice, they are modern handicrafts. They are still a thousand years or so different from genuine Tang tri-colored pottery..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head, and his words seemed to strike President Li like a bolt from the blue.
Chapter 770 Truth or Falsehood (4)
"Mr. Zhuang... this... this can't be a joke, can it? These items were personally authenticated by Professor Tian from the Palace Museum, and they are undoubtedly Tang Sancai (Tang tri-colored pottery), not modern imitations..."
After a moment of stunned silence, President Li immediately stood up, clearly unable to accept Zhuang Rui's statement.
"Mr. Li, modern handicrafts can also be quite valuable. Take these in front of us, for example. Although they were made by modern people, in terms of craftsmanship, they are no less than those of the master craftsmen from over a thousand years ago, and may even be better. Apart from the fact that they cannot be compared in terms of age, their artistic value is no less than that of genuine Tang tri-color pottery..."
Zhuang Rui didn't pay attention to what President Li said. His words seemed more like he was talking to himself, and his eyes were fixed on the items, revealing his undisguised fondness.
Seeing Zhuang Rui's confident demeanor, President Li's heart began to pound. Could it really be a lie?
"Wait a minute, damn it, this is a scam..."
Mr. Li suddenly recalled the times when he used to give gifts and make offerings to people. The faces of those people were so similar to Zhuang Rui's at this moment. They all spoke of precious antiques worth thousands of gold coins as worthless, and accepted them as if they were doing him a great favor.
Mr. Li's full name is Li Dali. In the 1980s, he was a hothead who only knew how to be strong and competitive. However, after he angered his father to death in a fight, he began to reform and started a small business.
Back then, as long as you were willing to lose face and do business, there were very few who couldn't make money. Mr. Li started by setting up a street stall, then accidentally came into contact with the antique business and started doing black market trading. Over the past twenty years, he has become a well-known figure in the area.
However, in this line of work, you're always walking along the riverbank with shoes on, and you never know when you'll get your feet wet. So, a large portion of the money Li Dali has earned over the years has been spent on building relationships. He knows more about the ins and outs of officialdom than he does about the antique trade.
If Mr. Li were to return to the 1980s, he would definitely abandon business for government service. Based on his understanding of the officialdom, he could at least rise to the level of a provincial-level leader within twenty years.
Mr. Li was surprised that Zhuang Rui, at such a young age, was able to pull off such tricks just as well as those seasoned veterans in officialdom. While admiring him, Li Dali also sighed inwardly at the decline of morality in the world.
"Mr. Zhuang, you're right. These people are so good at counterfeiting these days. Luckily you saw through it, otherwise, if I had shown it out, I don't know how many people would have cursed me..."
After figuring this out, President Li immediately put on a smiling face, which surprised Zhuang Rui for a moment.
"Mr. Li, you've also noticed the fake parts?"
Zhuang Rui was somewhat puzzled. These Tang tri-color figurines were almost flawless. It was probably impossible to find a single flaw except through carbon-14 dating. If he hadn't examined them with his spiritual energy, he wouldn't have been able to tell the difference between the real and fake.
"Of course, if you say it's fake, then it's fake..."
Mr. Li's smile was somewhat forced. Damn it, something worth tens of millions of dollars could be turned into a lie in the blink of an eye with just a few words from the other party. How could he be happy about that?
"Didn't you figure it out yourself?"
Zhuang Rui was a little confused. What do you mean by saying that if I say it's fake, then it's fake? This is experience I've accumulated by looking at thousands of items. Of course, this isn't about having a sharp eye, but rather the insight to look for.
"Hehe, Mr. Zhuang, since these things are all fake, you might as well keep them and play with them. I'm too lazy to take them back..."
Ignoring Zhuang Rui's words, President Li directly handed over the items, thinking to himself, "Can we stop discussing whether they're real or fake? This topic is making my heart ache."
Huangfu Yun, who was watching closely, quietly nudged Zhuang Rui's arm from behind.
"Hey? Mr. Li, what are you thinking?"
After being reminded by Huangfu Yun, Zhuang Rui realized what was going on. Looking at the dismissive expression on Li Dali's face, Zhuang Rui understood that this Boss Li actually thought he was trying to extort money from him.
"No, Mr. Zhuang, since this thing is fake, it's not worth much. You can keep it for fun; consider it a way of making friends..."
Mr. Li realized that his expression just now wasn't very pleasant, so he quickly put on what he thought was a very sincere smile. Since he'd already done the deed, what was there to be afraid of? He didn't want to give away the gift and not even get a good response.
"Hey, Mr. Li, these items are really modern replicas..."