"Okay, I admit I misspoke. This is a big investment for you, alright?"
Zhuang Rui was both amused and exasperated by the stall owner's words. He had earned back tens of thousands of yuan in less than two days. Wasn't this business incredibly profitable? Zhuang Rui shook his head helplessly. As a finance major, if he really argued with this villager, he probably wouldn't be able to win. The villager's arguments were all nonsense.
Without the stone-reinforcing tools on the stone-cutting machine, Zhuang Rui held the fist-sized stone in one hand and started the grinding wheel with the other. His expression became serious; he had never polished stone like this before.
The stone skin of this "Liu Guan Zhang" piece is extremely thin, with the thickest part being only about one centimeter. Moreover, the quartz is relatively loose, and if you are not careful, you may damage the bloodstone inside.
If Uncle De hadn't reminded him, Zhuang Rui hadn't planned to unravel the mystery here. But since Uncle De had already spoken, Zhuang Rui had no choice but to bite the bullet and proceed.
Zhuang Rui carefully used the side of the rotating grinding wheel to polish the stone surface. Dead debris fell down with it. Zhuang Rui removed his hand almost as soon as the grinding wheel made contact with the stone surface. When he looked at the stone again, a thin layer had already been wiped away.
The stone being cut now, although the smallest in size, requires more effort from Zhuang Rui than the previous dozen or so combined. Too much force would damage the color inside, while too little force would not remove the outer stone skin.
A rock the size of a fist had Zhuang Rui sweating profusely, so much so that Peng Fei and Yang Wei didn't even notice when they parked their car next to him.
"This...this...Zhuang Rui, stop, don't wipe it anymore..."
Uncle De, who had been watching the stone in Zhuang Rui's hand, suddenly stopped Zhuang Rui from rubbing the stone and snatched it away.
Although the sun was setting, the light in the open space was still very strong, but Uncle De still took out a high-powered flashlight and carefully examined the stone, his expression of astonishment growing more and more intense.
Although the material is only just beginning to show its potential and still needs to be carefully polished with fine sandpaper, the strong light from a flashlight already reveals several colors within it.
"Three colors, black, white, and red. Zhuang Rui, this... this is the bloodstone material of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei!"
After examining the bloodstone in his hand from all angles, Uncle De finally shouted out, his voice so loud that it drowned out the sound of the stone-cutting machine's gears rubbing against the stone.
"What? Someone with the potential to become Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei?"
"Did I hear that right? Teacher Ma is holding up materials depicting Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei?"
"Teacher Ma, you have such a big piece of material in your hand, could it all be made of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei?"
The crowd, who hadn't paid much attention to Zhuang Rui before, immediately focused their attention on Uncle De's hands after hearing his words. They were all people who made a living from chicken-blood stone, so they naturally knew how precious Liu Guan Zhang material was, which was a top-grade chicken-blood stone material second only to "Da Hong Pao".
Like jadeite, these top-quality chicken-blood stone seals or ornaments are not usually seen in markets or shops.
Chicken-blood stone seals or ornaments made from materials like "Liu, Guan, and Zhang" and "Da Hong Pao" are usually auctioned. At auction, a single seal can fetch at least a million. Zhuang Rui's piece of material is the size of a fist, and even if it were broken down into seals, it could probably sell for three to five million.
Of course, if this piece of material were made into a "Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei" figurine, its market value would be even higher. It can be said that since the start of this year's chicken-blood stone trade fair, Zhuang Rui's piece of chicken-blood stone is the most expensive.
"Teacher Ma, may I take a look at this piece of material?"
Wang Xiaoyi squeezed out of the crowd. Although his company occupied more than 50% of the domestic Changhua chicken blood stone market, this was the first time he had ever seen such a large piece of "Liu, Guan, and Zhang" stone.
Uncle De and Wang Xiaoyi were old friends, so he handed over the bloodstone and the high-powered flashlight.
"Zhuang Rui, you little rascal, you don't seem very excited? I remember telling you about the status of this type of material among chicken-blood stone..."
While Mr. Wang was inspecting the materials, Uncle De said to Zhuang Rui with a hint of teasing.
"Hehe, Uncle De, I gamble on stones by feeling. I had a good feeling when I first handled it, and sure enough, I found a good piece..."
Zhuang Rui replied with a smile, he really couldn't fake that kind of excitement. Just imagine, would someone who had personally unearthed a jade worth hundreds of millions jump for joy at something worth a few million?
"You kid, what luck..."
Uncle De shook his head. Zhuang Rui's situation really seemed like a special ability. However, there are some people in this world who are particularly perceptive, which can only be called a talent.
"Mr. Wang, what do you think of this material?"
"Boss Wang, tell everyone, is this material related to Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei?"
"Yes, let us see it too. If we can find a piece of chicken-blood stone with the names of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, then this trade fair will have been worthwhile..."
Zhuang Rui and Uncle De were chatting casually, but the area around them was in an uproar as everyone crowded around, eager to catch a glimpse.
"Everyone, please don't push. Who's responsible if something gets lost?"
Mr. Wang shouted loudly and immediately hugged the material to his chest. It was only the size of a fist. What if he gave it to someone else and they lost it?
"Teacher Ma is right, this is a top-quality piece of raw material depicting Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei. It can be said to be the most precious chicken-blood stone material in recent years..."
Wang Xiaoyi's words quieted the restless crowd. As the largest chicken-blood stone merchant in the country, his words were undoubtedly more convincing than Uncle De's.
"Mr. Wang, I'm sorry, we have to leave now, is that alright?"
Although Zhuang Rui was used to big scenes, he didn't like being surrounded by people, especially when Qin Xuanbing was with him. He always felt that some people's eyes were not honest.
Zhuang Rui's feeling was not wrong, otherwise the bodyguard would not have given the two women a close-up when Young Master Yan was being beaten.
"Oh? Leaving Changhua?"
Mr. Wang paused for a moment, then reluctantly handed the stone back to Zhuang Rui.
Peng Fei and Wei Ge had already taken the chicken-blood stone they had just extracted into the car. Zhuang Rui called Uncle De, Qin Xuanbing, and the others to get in the car, and then sat in the driver's seat. Just as he was about to drive off, he discovered that President Wang had also gotten into the car.
"Boss Zhuang, I've come uninvited. It's too noisy outside. I'd like to discuss this piece of jade bearing the images of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei with you..."
This time, Wang Xiaoyi addressed Zhuang Rui as "boss" instead of "teacher." Zhuang Rui understood immediately that this person probably had his eye on him.
Chapter 592 Luca
"Mr. Wang, please speak..."
Zhuang Rui started the car and drove a few hundred meters forward before stopping in a relatively quiet place. He then rolled down the window and called out to Peng Fei, signaling him to wait in the back.
Seeing that Zhuang Rui was willing to talk, Wang Xiaoyi perked up and said, "Mr. Zhuang is a big businessman, and he might not even be interested in this Liu, Guan, and Zhang stone. As you know, I deal in chicken-blood stone, and this kind of rare chicken-blood stone is extremely precious to me and has great collectible value. I hope Mr. Zhuang can part with it..."
Wang Xiaoyi did not hide the preciousness of this chicken-blood stone. With the shrewd old man Uncle De around, the price would definitely not be hidden from Zhuang Rui. If he deliberately lowered the price of the "Liu, Guan, and Zhang" chicken-blood stone, it would only arouse Zhuang Rui's resentment.
"A big deal? My biggest business is opening an antique shop..."
Upon hearing Wang Xiaoyi's words, Zhuang Rui gave a wry smile. What kind of big business was he running? To be honest, the only thing he managed was the antique shop. As for the other businesses, such as the auto repair shop, the 4S dealership, and even Qin Ruilin in Beijing, he hadn't really been involved in their operations.
“Mr. Wang, to be honest, I run an antique shop in Beijing. I came to Changhua this time to buy some materials for seals. I plan to carve this piece of material with the characters ‘Liu, Guan, and Zhang’ on it as the shop’s prized possession…”
With Zhuang Rui's current wealth, there's no need for him to sell these extremely rare materials to make money. He just wants to gradually enrich his collection. If he has the opportunity, he will also go abroad to find some items. When the time is right, Zhuang Rui plans to open a private antique museum with the most complete collection and the highest level of cultural relics in China.
"Mr. Zhuang, these things all have a price. Look at this material, I'll offer five million RMB, is that acceptable?"
Although Zhuang Rui had explained things very clearly, President Wang still wanted to try his best. After all, it was possible to only see one of these items every few years or even decades, and if he missed it, he didn't know when he would encounter it again.
Although this piece of "Liu, Guan, and Zhang" material is precious, it is not large in size. Even if it is carved into an ornament and put on auction, it is estimated that the final transaction price will be only five or six million RMB. Wang Xiaoyi's offer is still very sincere.
After thinking for a moment, Zhuang Rui shook his head and said, "Mr. Wang, neither of us is short of money. I won't sell this item. However, if you have something of equal value, I might consider exchanging it with you..."
Zhuang Rui had a good impression of Wang Xiaoyi, but it was absolutely impossible for him to sell this piece of material. Being able to exchange information with Wang Xiaoyi about the rare chicken-blood stone was the biggest concession Zhuang Rui had made. This was also the most common way of trading items in the antique market: bartering.
"this……"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Wang Xiaoyi paused for a moment, thought for a long time, and then said with a wry smile, "Boss Zhuang, I really don't have any material of similar value to this one..."
"Really? Mr. Wang, you're a leader in this industry, you can't possibly not have a few pieces in stock, can you?"
Zhuang Rui was surprised by President Wang's response. He thought that Wang Xiaoyi had been in the chicken-blood stone business for so many years and must have had his share of fine pieces. He figured that if he swapped places with him, he would save face for Wang Xiaoyi and not lose out himself.
"Mr. Zhuang, I'm a businessman. This good stuff can't be kept forever..."
After listening to Wang Xiaoyi's explanation, Zhuang Rui finally understood. It turned out that in this Mr. Wang's mind, everything had a price. If someone offered a higher price, he naturally couldn't keep his items. Moreover, some people had powerful connections, and even if they didn't want to sell, they had no choice but to comply.
"Mr. Wang, I'm sorry then. If you come across any good materials in the future, let's discuss it again..."
Zhuang Rui is no longer the same person who used to sell things to make money. Now he's like a greedy pig, only taking in and never giving out. If he's willing to trade with you, that's already a big favor.
A hint of disappointment appeared on Wang Xiaoyi's face, but he also knew that the other party was not short of money, and that once this thing was in his hands, he would not be able to keep it anyway.
"Mr. Wang, let's put that aside for now. I heard that your company has business dealings with South Africa. I wonder if we could entrust you to import a batch of diamonds?"
The main reason Zhuang Rui talked so much with Wang Xiaoyi was because he learned from Uncle De that this Mr. Wang was a big shot in the domestic diamond smuggling market, and he had the idea of using his channels to import diamonds.
Qin Ruilin can't always rely on the Hong Kong headquarters. Now that he has Qin Xuanbing as a free designer, it seems that he can start his diamond business on his own.
It's important to understand that with the rising living standards of Chinese people, everyone wants to buy a diamond ring for their wedding, just like the "three essentials" of the 1970s. If a bride doesn't have one on her wedding ring, it's considered extremely embarrassing, and she might even end up sleeping on the sofa that night.
For the reasons mentioned above, China has now become a major diamond consumer in the world, with annual sales reaching several billion US dollars. Even at Qin Ruilin store, diamond sales account for more than 40% of total sales, which is a considerable amount of revenue.
Now that the supply channels for jade and gemstone jewelry have been resolved, Zhuang Rui has shifted his focus to diamonds. Moreover, Qin Xuanbing's jewelry designs are mainly based on diamond gemstones, so in this respect, it's also giving his wife something to do.
"Mr. Zhuang, you own this business?"
Wang Xiaoyi had only heard of Zhuang Rui's reputation in the fields of jade gambling and antiques, and did not know much about Zhuang Rui's background.
"Currently, only the China Ocean Diamond Exchange is a legitimate importer of diamonds in China, but it only accounts for a very small share, practically nothing..."
Wang Xiaoyi paused for a moment, then continued, "However, there's news from the government that the diamond tax will be abolished soon. Importing diamonds privately won't be as troublesome as it is now, so Mr. Zhuang doesn't need to worry about it..."
In fact, the abolition of the diamond tax has a significant impact on Wang Xiaoyi and his group. At the very least, they will no longer be able to profit from one of the intermediate links in the diamond smuggling process. However, he is quite honest and told Zhuang Rui about it.
Zhuang Rui was genuinely unaware of these matters. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Perhaps I will go to South Africa to directly purchase diamonds in the future. At that time, I will need to trouble Mr. Wang to point out some channels..."
"No problem, no problem, Mr. Zhuang, you're too kind. Since you're all heading back today, I won't bother you any longer..."
Wang Xiaoyi readily agreed. Since he hadn't managed to buy the chicken-blood stone, there was no need for him to stay any longer, so he bid farewell to Zhuang Rui and Uncle De.
After Wang Xiaoyi left, Qin Xuanbing asked, somewhat puzzled, "Zhuang Rui, my family also has channels to buy diamonds in South Africa, why did you ask him for help?"
“Hey, Qin Ruilin is a big spender. If I import diamonds through Qin Ruilin, wouldn’t that be competing with my own raw material business? Let’s find our own channel and source our own goods. If the volume is large, we can even introduce Qin Ruilin to our business…”
Zhuang Rui explained to Qin Xuanbing, which warmed the heart of the young lady. Her beloved was truly extending his affection to everything connected to her.
Seeing that it was getting late, Zhuang Rui said goodbye to Peng Fei and drove onto the bumpy dirt road. This trip to Changhua had been quite fruitful; at least for the next three to five years, the problem of the seal stone for "Xuanrui Zhai" would be solved.
As for that piece of "Da Hong Pao" material, Zhuang Rui planned to keep it and carve a personal seal for it. In the antique business, it would be very embarrassing not to have a special seal, especially now that he was an expert. After appraising an item, he would take out the "Da Hong Pao" seal to sign his name, which would undoubtedly be a very prestigious thing.
"I'm never coming back to this place again, it's too difficult to walk through..."
Wei Ge couldn't stand it halfway through the journey and made more than 10 phone calls. In the end, he squeezed into the back seat of the Hummer. If it weren't for Song Xingjun in the middle, Zhuang Rui would never have agreed to let Wei Ge sit next to his wife. Speaking of which, this car often bounces back and forth, which is a good opportunity to take advantage of her.
From Changhua to Zhonghai, it's all highway, and I should be home by 10 p.m., so Zhuang Rui wasn't in a hurry and leisurely bumped along the dirt road.
In early spring, the nights are often long and the days short. Zhuang Rui wasn't driving fast, and it wasn't until after six o'clock in the evening, when it was completely dark, that the lights of the ancient town of Changhua could be faintly seen. ...
"Hmm? I didn't see any checkpoints when I came here?"
As they approached the town, Zhuang Rui saw two cars parked ahead and a roadblock set up. He couldn't help but feel puzzled, but since this road was the only way in and out of Changhua Town, Zhuang Rui didn't think much of it and drove straight through.
"Stop! Stop the car and check!"
A person dressed in a joint defense security uniform held a flashlight and shone it unabashedly into Zhuang Rui's face through the car window. Zhuang Rui was immediately blinded by the bright light and slammed on the brakes.
"What are you checking? Is this how you stop a car? What if I can't see you and hit you?"
Zhuang Rui was a little angry. He had never liked dealing with these joint defense teams, and this person's attitude was really bad.