Zhuang Rui understood what the squid meant. This so-called meticulous arrangement was just an excuse to take advantage of the fact that the police would be busy during the holidays. In fact, they knew in their hearts that if the police really wanted to deal with them, scheduling the event for New Year's Eve would be useless.
Zhuang Rui thought for a moment and realized he might not be able to get away that day, so he said, "But I really don't have much time on the Mid-Autumn Festival. How about I participate next time?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the person on the other end of the phone panicked and quickly said, "No, Mr. Zhuang, there are quite a few good items this time, including ancient paintings from the Tang and Song dynasties, porcelain from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and some bronzes with inscriptions. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
Whoever invites the guest will receive a bonus after the black market closes, and that bonus will definitely be more substantial than what the company pays. Squid had heard that Zhuang Rui bought a bronze artifact in Jinan, Shandong, and knew that he was a person with purchasing power, so it spared no effort in inviting him, even revealing the items in this black market.
However, to an expert, this sounded completely false. Not to mention Tang Dynasty paintings, very few have survived, and most have been lost overseas. Even Song Dynasty paintings are extremely rare. This squid talking about Tang and Song Dynasty paintings is pure nonsense.
However, the bronze artifacts with inscriptions caught Zhuang Rui's attention. You see, the price difference between bronze artifacts with and without inscriptions is enormous. If Zhuang Rui's three-legged cauldron had several inscriptions, it would be worth far more than a few hundred thousand; the price would be more than ten times higher.
Although Director Wu had said beforehand that bronze artifacts could not be bought or sold privately, it wouldn't hurt to go and see them for yourself. Bronze artifacts are not like calligraphy and paintings; many have been passed down through generations, and there might actually be some genuine treasures among them.
Another point is that many of the artifacts looted from the tomb of the ruler of the State of Guo are bronzes, which may have ended up in the hands of those running the black market. Thinking of this, Zhuang Rui hesitated.
"Teacher Zhuang, our exchange meeting won't last long. It starts around seven or eight in the morning and will be over before noon, so it won't interfere with your holiday. Besides, if you can find something good during the holiday, wouldn't you be in a good mood? Don't you think so?"
When Squid saw Zhuang Rui fall silent on the phone, he quickly used his silver tongue to persuade him. Squid really had a good mouth; even if he didn't do black market business, he could make a living as a salesman. Zhuang Rui was really persuaded by him.
"How about this, you call me the day after tomorrow, and I'll decide whether to go or not. Also, if I do go, I'll bring a female companion. Is that okay?"
Zhuang Rui didn't give a definitive answer. He wanted to go home that evening and discuss it with his mother. If he could get away, he would go for a walk.
"Okay, bringing one person is no problem. Then I won't bother you any longer, Professor Zhuang. I'll call you again the day after tomorrow..."
People who can afford to go to the black market are usually quite wealthy, and it's normal for them to bring women to show off. Basically, every time a black market is hosted, there are always a few women that make Squid drool. So Zhuang Rui's request is not excessive.
Seeing that Zhuang Rui had hung up the phone, Gu Yun, who was driving, said, "What's wrong? Going to the black market to rummage for items? You need to keep your eyes open when you go to places like that..."
"Brother Gu also knows about the black market?"
Zhuang Rui asked in surprise.
"Of course, my old man went there and bought several pieces of what he claimed were newly unearthed ancient jade. He was overjoyed at the time, but after examining them closely, he realized they were all fake. Hey, don't go around telling anyone about this. He'll get angry if anyone says anything..."
Zhuang Rui laughed at what Gu Yun said. He never expected that his senior master, Gu, a titan in the jade industry, had actually suffered losses in the black market. This showed just how murky the waters were there.
As they talked, the car arrived at Donglaishun. Business was booming at lunchtime, and they had to wait quite a while for a table. After lunch, Zhuang Rui first took Gu Yun home, and then drove back to Yuquanshan Sanatorium.
"Fourth Brother, what brings you here? Weren't you busy with the wedding preparations?"
As soon as Zhuang Rui entered the courtyard, he saw Ouyang Jun come out of the house and quickly went up to greet him.
When Ouyang Jun saw Zhuang Rui, he pulled him outside and said, "Don't even mention it, I've been so busy. I only came to see you guys because I knew Guodong and you were here. I have to leave soon. By the way, are you alright? Come on, come help me. We still have a lot of things to buy this afternoon."
"Hey, Fourth Brother, I haven't even stepped inside yet, what are you going to buy?"
“Buy some bedding. Xu Qing is waiting there. Women are so troublesome. Why not just have someone buy it and deliver it? Why do you have to go buy it yourself?”
"Bedding? Wait, I'll take White Lion with me..."
Zhuang Rui's heart skipped a beat. His dozen or so bedrooms were all empty, so it wouldn't be bad to buy one while he was at it. He could bring the white lion along and let it get used to the environment in the courtyard first.
When Ouyang Jun saw Zhuang Rui whistle and the white lion excitedly run out, he couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Why did you bring it? We're going to the downtown area."
"My house is all renovated, all that's missing is the bedding. I'll buy a few more sets later and take them to the courtyard house. When we go shopping, we can just leave the white lion in the car."
Zhuang Rui opened the car door and let Bai Shi get in.
Upon hearing this, Ouyang Jun shook his head and laughed, "You're not getting married, yet you're rushing to join in the fun. Fine, all the things you bought belong to your fourth brother. Consider it a wedding gift for your future wedding."
"You're so stingy. You think you can get rid of me with this little bit?"
Zhuang Rui saw that Ouyang Jun's car had already driven away, so he quickly followed.
Shopping with a woman is really hard work. We ran up and down seven or eight floors in the mall before we finally bought everything we needed. However, Zhuang Rui wanted to buy several times more things than Ouyang Jun and his wife had for their wedding. His Grand Cherokee simply couldn't fit them all. In the end, the mall arranged a delivery truck to accompany Zhuang Rui back to the courtyard house.
Walking down the alley leading to Zhuang Rui's house, Ouyang Jun complained, "I mean, is it your wedding or mine? I've been busy helping you all afternoon."
Chapter 348 Security
Zhuang Rui bought far too much stuff. From pillowcases to bedspreads and duvet covers, he bought dozens of sets. Ouyang Jun was almost overwhelmed when he swiped his card to pay. These were all brand-name bedding items, costing nearly 200,000 yuan in total. All the way there, Ouyang Jun kept saying he regretted bringing Zhuang Rui along to help.
The mall sent a small delivery truck and four or five delivery workers, including Zhuang Rui. Everyone was carrying a lot of things, and even the famous Xu was carrying two bedspreads.
"When did they install a pair of stone lions?"
When Ouyang Jun arrived at the gate of Zhuang Rui's residence, he was also stunned. Good heavens, this was a grand mansion.
Zhuang Rui smiled but didn't say anything. He opened the door and told the workers to put all the bedding in a room in the front yard. There was no time to tidy it up now; they would do it later when they hired a housekeeper. Besides, there was no need to make bedding in some unoccupied rooms; they could deal with it when guests came.
There were so many things that the delivery workers had to make several trips to carry all the bedding Zhuang Rui had bought inside. As for the things Ouyang Jun had bought, the housekeeper received them, so they didn't need to go with them and left them in Zhuang Rui's yard.
"White Lion, go play! Here you are the king."
Zhuang Rui patted the big head of the white lion that was following him. It had been feeling very stifled in the car all afternoon. Upon receiving Zhuang Rui's order, the white lion shot out like an arrow. Several birds flew up from the backyard, startled by the white lion.
"Hey bro, is this... is this still the same house? Isn't this a bit too much?"
Looking at the green bricks and red tiles, and walking all the way to the large garden in the central courtyard, Ouyang Jun was also shocked. He originally thought that the duplex apartment with the rooftop garden that he bought for 20 million was already pretty good, but compared to Zhuang Rui's place, his house was simply unbearable to look at. Looking at the big star next to him, he also had a look of intoxication on his face.
"Of course, by the way, Fourth Brother, I haven't even mentioned you yet. This house I introduced to you was completely uninhabitable. It's been completely demolished and rebuilt, costing me nearly 100 million."
Zhuang Rui's wallet is almost empty. Although there's been a constant stream of good news from Grandpa Adila, he's planning to stockpile goods, and now isn't the best time to put the jade into the market. So there are hundreds of millions worth of jade sitting there, unable to be converted into money in a short period of time.
"One hundred million? Heh, brother, how about we make a deal?"
"What are you going to discuss?"
Zhuang Rui noticed that Ouyang Jun's smile was somewhat strange.
"My house is worth over 20 million, and I'll give you another 80 million. How about you transfer this house to me?"
Ouyang Jun's words made the big star next to him light up, and he nodded repeatedly.
"No way! What are you thinking? Fourth Brother, you dare to covet my house? I'll go find Grandpa later."
Despite his complaints, Zhuang Rui had no intention of selling the house. He knew that if the house remained unsold for a few more years, it could fetch not just 100 million, but possibly 300 to 500 million.
Courtyard houses were only allowed to be bought and sold this year. The reason they are so popular is their historical significance and special geographical location, like Zhuang Rui's house. It's in the city center, and the land alone is worth tens of millions.
Another point is that, in such a large city as Beijing, although there are many courtyard houses, there are actually no more than a thousand houses with clear property rights. Houses of this size as Zhuang Rui's are even rarer. It can be said that Zhuang Rui was able to buy this courtyard house by finding a bargain. There are countless real estate speculators in Beijing eyeing courtyard houses.
"Fine, if you won't sell, then don't sell. I can't find another courtyard like this, can I?"
Ouyang Jun was really interested. A courtyard house in such a location could become a small kingdom once the gate was closed. Moreover, there were no tall buildings around, so there was no fear of being spied on. It was much more comfortable than living in an apartment building with an elevator.
"Fourth Brother, let's buy one too. There seem to be quite a few courtyard houses left."
The big star also likes the environment here. She doesn't usually like to show her face in public, and it would be a bit boring to be stuck in an apartment building with an elevator every day.
"Hey, White Lion, you can't eat this."
As the group was talking, the white lion came running over, soaking wet and carrying something in its mouth. Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be an ornamental fish over thirty centimeters long, not quite dead yet, and was splashing around.
Zhuang Rui quickly stepped forward and pulled the fish out of the white lion's mouth, but it looked like it was about to die. Zhuang Rui was both amused and exasperated. They say cats eat fish and dogs eat meat, so could it be that the white lion has changed its tastes?
However, Zhuang Rui couldn't bear to blame the white lion for a fish. He might take it for a walk around the house and explain clearly that those things were not to be harmed.
Perhaps because the white lion often enjoys Zhuang Rui's spiritual energy massage, it seems to be able to understand Zhuang Rui's words. Once Zhuang Rui says something, the white lion will never do it a second time. Ouyang Jun and his wife followed behind Zhuang Rui, watching him talk to the white lion like a child, and the white lion would nod its head from time to time. The couple watched in amazement.
"Let's go back to Grandpa's. I said I'd take Xu Qing over for dinner today. Oh, and brother, if Grandpa scolds you, you'd better smooth things over for me."
After walking around the yard, Ouyang Jun checked the time. It was almost 5 p.m. Today was his granddaughter-in-law's first visit. Not to mention Xu Qing, even Ouyang Jun was a little nervous, since he was naturally afraid of that old man.
"Your sister-in-law is so beautiful, Grandpa will definitely praise you for your good taste."
Zhuang Rui chuckled, called out to Bai Shi, and the three of them walked outside.
Ouyang Jun put his arm around the big star's slender waist and said, "When are you going to find one too? How about your sister-in-law introduces you to a newcomer?"
"I...wait, I need to take this call."
Just as Zhuang Rui was about to reply, his phone rang. He took it out and saw that it was Miao Feifei. He then remembered that the black market had called him, and he hadn't informed Miao Feifei yet.
"Zhuang Rui, we've already sent word that you're going to participate in the black market. Has anyone called you yet?"
Miao Feifei was indeed asking about this matter. According to their information, several collectors in Beijing had received notifications from the black market today.
"Ah, I just received a call from my contact in the black market. I was just thinking of calling you. Wait for my call the day after tomorrow morning. Remember, don't wear your police uniform."
Zhuang Rui chuckled, naturally unable to admit that he had long forgotten about the matter.
"Okay, Zhuang Rui, thank you. We will definitely keep it a secret and won't tell you that you helped us identify the bronzes. I will send you the data on the stolen artifacts tomorrow."
Miao Feifei was delighted to hear this. After saying a few words, she hung up the phone, presumably to discuss the next course of action.
Zhuang Rui shook his head and smiled wryly, then started the car. Actually, if he didn't want to go, he wouldn't care about Miao Feifei's threats at all. Perhaps everyone else in the Ouyang family was afraid of that old man, but Zhuang Rui was definitely not afraid.
The main reason Zhuang Rui agreed to go to the black market was that he wanted to see if such a remote place as the grassland black market could find genuine works by Tang Bohu, let alone this ancient and culturally significant city right under the emperor's nose.
Some friends might say, "Zhuang Rui, you're still going to work in this line of work? Working for the police, do you still want to hunt for bargains on the black market?"
Actually, it's already been made quite clear that Zhuang Rui was just there to check if any of the stolen artifacts had entered the black market. Even if they had, the police wouldn't arrest anyone on the spot. The people who organized the black market were already under their control. The police were trying to follow the trail to find the supplier of these auction items.
Therefore, Zhuang Rui went to this antique black market as an ordinary collector. He could do whatever he wanted and buy the items he liked without any psychological burden. Zhuang Rui agreed to participate because he understood this point. Otherwise, if he ruined his reputation, who would dare to show him good items in the future?
Back at Yuquan Mountain, Zhuang Rui found that his uncle had also arrived. Although Ouyang Zhenwu didn't give his son a warm welcome, he was quite friendly to Xu Qing. He had inquired beforehand and learned that this well-known star usually kept a low profile and had no scandals, making her a suitable match for his daughter-in-law.
Although Xu Qing was used to big events, she was still a little apprehensive after entering this small courtyard. Not to mention the real-life figure who was the prototype in many mainstream films and television dramas, even Ouyang Zhenwu, the bigwig in charge of culture, made Xu Qing cautious and a little reserved.
After dinner, Ouyang Wan led the group, taking the big star and Ouyang Lei's wife to help the old man and old lady take a walk. Ouyang Zhenwu had official business to attend to, so he left in the car that came to pick him up. Ouyang Lei, on the other hand, had a lot of free time and sat in the courtyard chatting with Zhuang Rui and his brothers.
"By the way, brother, do you have any high-quality veterans in your unit? I'd like to hire a few security personnel, do you have any suitable candidates?"
Zhuang Rui suddenly remembered this matter. If he had to choose the most suitable person in his mind, it would be Zhou Rui. However, Zhou Rui had already settled in Pengcheng, and the mastiff farm couldn't do without him. If he were to call Zhou Rui over, it would be a bit too much of a hassle.
However, the security personnel need to live in the courtyard house, so Zhuang Rui must find someone he can trust. After seeing Ouyang Lei today, he had the idea of finding someone from the military.
Ouyang Lei glanced at Zhuang Rui and said half-jokingly, "My soldiers are all top-notch. How many do you need? Would a platoon be enough for you? It'll solve my problem of resettling retired soldiers."
Chapter 349 Rules
Since 1996, the military has abolished the volunteer soldier system and instead signed contracts with soldiers who have specific skills, usually for four years. However, these contract soldiers do not enjoy the same benefits as volunteer soldiers after their discharge. Therefore, some soldiers who enlisted from rural areas often have to return to their original locations after their discharge.
Moreover, in the current military, one must graduate from a military academy to be promoted to officer. The practice of promoting officers on the front lines based on outstanding military skills, as in the past, is no longer allowed. Therefore, there are still quite a few people discharged from special forces every year.
Believe it or not, Ouyang Lei actually had someone in mind. He was a veteran from a special forces division who had signed two contracts due to his outstanding military skills. This year marks his eighth year of service. However, compared to soldiers in motor transport units, he couldn't sign a contract this year.
He had served as Ouyang Lei's bodyguard for a year, so Ouyang Lei knew the young man quite well. He was a good person with excellent military skills, if not for his low level of education. Ouyang Lei had even considered helping him get into a military academy through a recommendation program. However, after hearing Zhuang Rui's suggestion, he thought it would be a good idea to introduce him to his younger cousin.