That makes sense. It's not wrong for businessmen to pursue profits. Even Old Tang runs a jewelry company called "Legendary Jadeite". His purpose in gambling on stones is to secure a source of goods for his company.
If we consider only the value of the jadeite, Zhuang Rui does win. However, in terms of the rarity of the jadeite, Tang Lao has a slight edge. Therefore, this matter is difficult to resolve clearly.
"That's not how it works. You can buy glass-type green jade with money, but can you buy jewelry with purple eyes?"
The conversation escalated into an argument between the two opposing camps, each with their own perspectives, making it difficult to determine who was right and who was wrong.
Zhuang Rui found it somewhat amusing. "It's not even theirs, why are they arguing like this? I have a piece of imperial green jade over there, and I haven't seen you guys this excited."
"Little...Little Zhuang, you...you come and see, this green...this green..."
Suddenly, Old Tang's voice rang out. When he called out to Zhuang Rui, his voice trembled slightly, clearly indicating that he was not at peace. This caused everyone to stop arguing and turn to look at Old Tang.
"Mr. Tang, this...this green is so vibrant..."
Zhuang Rui knew what was going on, but he still pretended to be surprised, holding the polished jade in his hands and examining it carefully.
The transparent, water-like glass-type jade, with a deep green color like the broad-leaved trees of the primeval forests of Myanmar, appears so crystal clear and unfathomable under strong light, radiating an endlessly alluring luster.
The color of the jade also tinted Zhuang Rui's hands a green hue, and its slightly vibrant luster was captivating at first glance.
This is still unpolished jadeite raw material. Only after processing can the charm of imperial green jadeite be fully displayed.
"It's not very vibrant. If I'm not mistaken, this is a piece of imperial green jade." Old Tang's face showed fatigue from wiping the stone, but his expression was very excited. Although imperial green jade is rare, Old Tang had seen it several times over the decades and had even cut it open himself.
But whether it was the imperial green jadeite that Tang Lao had unearthed or the one he had ever seen, the largest of them was at most the size of a baby's fist.
However, the jadeite in Zhuang Rui's hand weighed a full seven or eight pounds, and the bright green color on it was evenly distributed without any difference in intensity. It could be identified as a whole piece of imperial green jadeite. You should know that nowadays, an imperial green cabochon the size of a fingernail can fetch at least tens of millions of yuan at auction. And that's only because it's extremely rare, with only one or two appearing occasionally.
Zhuang Rui's piece of jadeite, whether in terms of market value or aesthetics, far surpasses Tang Lao's piece of purple-eyed jadeite.
After all, green is king among jadeite, and when this green reaches its peak, it becomes the king of jadeite—an indisputable fact. "Imperial Green?"
"Mr. Tang, is this... really imperial green jadeite?"
"It's so beautiful! I've never seen such a green jade before..."
After Old Tang uttered the words "Imperial Green," the remaining seventy or eighty people in the room fell silent.
However, this silence was like the calm before a storm, lasting only five or six seconds before the emotions of the crowd suddenly boiled over, as if a drop of cold water had been poured into a frying pan.
As the name suggests, Imperial Green is the king of jadeite. Anyone who plays with jadeite is very familiar with this term. However, out of a hundred jadeite merchants, only one may have ever seen a real Imperial Green.
The remaining 99 people only knew about imperial green jade from legends, so when Mr. Tang identified it as imperial green jade, everyone crowded around, eager to hold it in their hands and examine it closely.
"Hey, I'm telling you, don't steal it! What the hell is this?"
Seventy or eighty of them rushed over at the same time, which startled Zhuang Rui. If he really got hurt, he would have nowhere to cry. Zhuang Rui shouted as he ran around the stone cutting machine.
The Burmese soldiers who were still on guard duty had not yet dispersed. They immediately took Zhuang Rui under their guns and protected him. Facing the dark muzzles of the guns, the fanatical people suddenly sobered up.
"Gentlemen, I understand your feelings, but with so many people involved, things could get complicated. If something were to happen, it wouldn't be good for any of us. I hope you can understand..."
Zhuang Rui wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. Dealing with this situation was much more tiring than cutting stones. These seventy or eighty hands could knock him unconscious with just one slap from each of them.
"Teacher Zhuang, could... could I take a look? You can hold it in your hand, I won't touch it, okay?"
"Yes, yes, Teacher Zhuang, you cherish us so much, we'll look at each of you one by one, we absolutely won't reach out..."
"That's right, Teacher Zhuang, please, I've been playing with jade for half my life, and I've never seen imperial green jade before. It's so embarrassing to even talk about it..."
Although the crowd surrounding Zhuang Rui stopped trying to snatch it, they all began to plead. You see, imperial green jadeite is a legend to jade merchants, so these wealthy and influential bosses all lowered their stance and begged Zhuang Rui for the opportunity to observe this legendary jadeite up close.
"this……"
Zhuang Rui was in a dilemma. Honestly, no one would want to expose such a precious jade to the public, but the pitiful words of the crowd made Zhuang Rui hesitate.
After all, beautiful things should be displayed, and that's the purpose of Zhuang Rui opening the museum. If he doesn't agree to everyone's request now, he'll seem petty.
"Brother Zhuang, give it to me, I'll show it to them..."
Peng Fei nudged Zhuang Rui with his elbow, took the jade from his hand, and said to everyone present, "I'm showing it to you all. You can take pictures if you want, but please don't take pictures of me..."
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this, thinking that with Peng Fei's skills, he probably wouldn't make any mistakes.
"I'll go first..."
"Let me go first, Lao Yu, can you take a picture of me later?"
"Hey buddy, don't push! Can't you see I'm standing in front?"
"Everyone, don't rush. This friend said everyone can see it, so let's go up one by one..."
Upon hearing that they could observe the Imperial Green jade up close and take photos, the crowd stirred again, but this time everyone was relatively rational and there was no overcrowding.
Not to mention the people standing in front, who were happily going forward to examine the imperial green fabric and take photos, there was one person who quietly walked up to Zhuang Rui and Old Tang.
"Mr. Tang...Mr. Tang, may I ask you a question?"
Old Tang, who was eating the bread Zhuang Rui handed him to stave off hunger, suddenly heard someone speak beside him. He paused for a moment, then said, "If you have any questions, feel free to ask me. If I know the answer, I'll definitely give it to you..."
Old Tang was known for being easy to talk to in the jade industry, and his attitude relieved the man, who cautiously asked, "Old Tang... Master Tang, Teacher Zhuang has deciphered the Imperial Green jade. So... so who won this competition between you two?"
The person speaking was none other than Lao Guo. The sudden appearance of the Imperial Green made his previously calm heart start to waver again, since the previous bet was still valid.
Moreover, a betting sum of over 40 million is no small amount; it's almost more than Guo's entire fortune, leaving Guo feeling conflicted and unsure of what to do.
Originally, he thought he would have someone else bring it up, but after waiting for a long time, no one brought up the topic. After pacing around in circles for a while, Lao Guo finally mustered up the courage to bring it up with Lao Tang.
"Hey buddy, isn't this a happy ending for everyone? Why bring this up?"
"That's right, while Professor Zhuang's imperial green is undoubtedly the king of jadeite, Old Tang's purple eyes are just as good. You're such a spoilsport..."
"Hey, you're here early today. Everyone else has already started betting, so of course you need to know who wins and who loses..."
Old Guo's words also attracted the attention of those who were looking at the imperial green material. Several people were dissatisfied with Old Guo's words and began to criticize him.
However, someone immediately spoke up to help Lao Guo out of the predicament. The previous draw was before the imperial green jadeite was produced. Now that Zhuang Rui's material has yielded another piece of imperial green jadeite, it is no longer fair to call it a draw.
Moreover, since it is a competition, there must be winners and losers, and these winners and losers are also very important to Zhuang Rui, who has been the subject of much controversy beforehand.
Everyone's gaze shifted from the imperial green jade to Tang Lao and Zhuang Rui. Looking at the white-haired Tang Lao and the youthful Zhuang Rui, a strange feeling suddenly arose in everyone's hearts.
It was a strange feeling. Two people, thirty or forty years apart in age, stood together, their shadows overlapping on the ground. It seemed that everyone saw the shadow of Old Tang in Zhuang Rui, and it seemed that they saw the image of Zhuang Rui in Old Tang's face.
At this moment, the elderly Mr. Tang seemed to become young again, while Zhuang Rui's youthful face seemed to be full of vicissitudes, giving everyone a feeling of time passing in different directions.
Like a passing of the torch between a new and an old king in the jade trade, Old Tang suddenly smiled and said with a calm expression, "This time, Zhuang Rui has won. Both this piece of jade and Zhuang Rui's jade appraisal skills can be called the jade king of our time!"
Old Tang's voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone realize that what they had just felt was the birth of a new king. "Zhuang Rui, you truly deserve the title of Jade King!" A shout rang out from the crowd, representing the sentiments of everyone present. At this moment, everyone felt incredibly fortunate because... they had witnessed an important moment in the development of jadeite.
Chapter 982 The New President
"This...this...this kid doesn't deserve this title..."
Zhuang Rui was taken aback by the sudden shout. He had heard people say that he was the "Jade King" before!
Zhuang Rui just smiled and didn't take it to heart.
But now that dozens of people had shouted it out in unison, the feeling of being respected made even the usually composed Zhuang Rui feel a little smug.
It's not that Zhuang Rui will become arrogant because of this, but that title "King of Jade!"
This will undoubtedly add many halos to Zhuang Rui, signifying his unique position in the jade and jadeite industry.
No sooner had Zhuang Rui finished speaking than someone in the crowd shouted, "Teacher Zhuang, you deserve it! Just for finding imperial green from this piece of jade that showed no signs of life, you are the undisputed King of Jade!"
Every industry has its own culture and a way of measuring professional competence. Whatever achievements one makes in a particular industry deserves corresponding respect.
The fact that Mr. Gu was known as one of the "Southern Wu and Northern Gu" masters demonstrates his unshakeable position in the jade carving industry. Even if ordinary jade is used, the objects carved by Gu Tianfeng are still very valuable.
The Xinjiang Jade King has almost monopolized the Chinese Hetian nephrite market. With a mere flick of his wrist, he can destabilize the domestic nephrite market, and his status in the industry is self-evident.
As for the world of antiques and calligraphy and painting, Fatty Jin's teacher is a figure of great stature. From high-ranking government officials to ordinary merchants, everyone considers it an honor to own a piece of the master's calligraphy.
Old Tang, who is currently in the market, has spent his entire life in the jade industry and has earned the title of "Jade King"!
His reputation is so great that it's almost like turning lead into gold. Even the most ordinary rough stones can become worth a hundred times more after he appraises them. That's why he's known as the "King of Jadeite"!
The effect of a reputation.
The individuals mentioned above are all top figures in their respective fields, and they have devoted almost their entire lives to achieving their current success.
Although Zhuang Rui had previously been quite successful in the antique business, he lacked experience, and the few good items he acquired were slightly inferior to those of the aforementioned individuals, making him incomparable to them.
However, the appearance of this king of jadeite, which has never appeared in the history of jade gambling, has propelled Zhuang Rui to the pinnacle of the jadeite industry.
With this piece of jade that can be called the king of jadeite, Zhuang Rui's position in the jade gambling circle and the jade industry has been unshakable ever since. Even compared with Old Tang, he is in no way inferior.
Moreover, Zhuang Rui reached this level in just a few years, standing at the pinnacle of this industry. Compared to him, the others are all old and declining.
Therefore, Zhuang Rui's future achievements should be far more than this. Everyone firmly believes that Zhuang Rui will definitely be able to create more miracles and write an even more legendary story. "Xiao Zhuang, it's a good thing to have such an outstanding young person like you in the jade industry. In the future, you should pay more attention to things in the industry and help those who are shopping overseas as much as you can..."
Looking at Zhuang Rui's young and energetic face, Old Tang felt a sense of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. Having been called the Jade King for decades, the old man also felt a great deal of pressure.
Human life is like grass that grows and dies in autumn; we cannot escape the laws of nature and will grow old one day. Old Tang has left behind many legends for the jade industry, and now that he sees that there are successors, he is filled with joy.
Old Tang suddenly remembered something, looked at Zhuang Rui, and said, "By the way, Zhuang, there's a jade research and promotion association in our jade industry. I started it and have been its president for over twenty years. I think you should take over as president from now on, so I can finally enjoy my retirement..."
This association is composed of some domestic geologists and jade merchants. Every year, these merchants provide a certain amount of funding for the experts to conduct research on the types and properties of jade. Over the years, they have completed many research projects and have a great influence in the domestic jade circle.
Although Zhuang Rui had a considerable reputation before, he had not been in the industry long enough to join the association. However, his father-in-law, Qin Haoran, was a member, and Zhuang Rui knew what kind of organization the association was.
"Mr. Tang, I..."
Zhuang Rui came to his senses and waved his hands repeatedly, but he didn't know what to say. Being put on the altar made Zhuang Rui feel very uncomfortable.
"Alright, I'm sure no one will object to you becoming the president. It's settled then. Actually, there's not much to do in the association; you're just holding the title... Um... After we return to China, we'll hold an industry conference and introduce you to the members from various regions. But let me make this clear: the presidentship is entirely voluntary; there's no salary whatsoever..."
Before Zhuang Rui could say anything more, Old Tang waved his hand and settled the matter, leaving Zhuang Rui somewhat amused and exasperated. He was so busy with work and studies that he had no time to manage any kind of association.
"Well, old man, you're forcing me into this..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head helplessly. These days, there are forced sales, but this is even more outrageous – someone is being forced to become a leader.
Zhuang Rui discovered that these old men liked to forcefully arrange things. Old Master Gu first made him a director of the Jade Association, while Old Master Tang went even further, directly making him the president.
"Xiao Rui, let's talk about this later. It's getting late, everyone should go home now..."
Seeing that Zhuang Rui was about to decline, Qin Haoran pulled him back from behind. The onlookers had also finished looking at the imperial green jadeite material and, after saying goodbye to Zhuang Rui, boarded the organizing committee's bus.
Old Tang was staying at a hotel. After tidying up the purple-eyed jadeite, he boarded another vehicle specially arranged by the organizing committee, escorted by soldiers. This was one of the benefits of fame.
As for Zhuang Rui and the others, they got into Hu Rong's car. Peng Fei and Li Zhen took the two pieces of jadeite respectively, so they were safe from loss. ...