Zhao Lao Er listened with great interest, waving his hand and saying, "Speak quickly, speak quickly! I think your little bit of knowledge is quite good. I've never seen a real expert win a truly good jade, but your little bit of knowledge has won back tens of millions of real jade. I think your little bit of knowledge is not bad. Speak quickly, speak quickly!"
"Just say it, what's the rush!" Zhou Xuan punched Zhao Lao Er. This guy is very concerned about money, but it's good that he has this kind of concern. In the future, Zhao Lao Er can handle things here.
"There are many ways to fake jade. I only know a little bit. I've already mentioned color analysis, bathing, and using strong acid to create fake jade, etc. However, as long as those are clearly marked in the store, they are allowed to be sold and cannot be considered fraud. The real fakes are other types, such as double-layered stones, triple-layered stones, and artificial skin, etc."
Zhou Xuan counted on his fingers as he explained to Zhao Lao Er the knowledge he had learned from books, "Two-layer stone, that is, using low-grade jadeite raw material. A thin slice of jadeite with good color is glued to the cut. Three-layer stone means it has three layers. The middle layer is made of low-grade, worthless brick material. A very thin piece of green glass is glued to the middle, and then a thin slice of colorless jadeite with good color is glued on the green glass. Artificial skin is mostly used on rough stones. If you lose the gamble, the cut of the rough stone has no green or the base color is very poor. A mixture of mud, sand and glue with the same color as the skin is applied to the surface of the jadeite raw material, and then the rough stone is gambled away. These types are basically considered fraudulent and deceptive behaviors!"
As Zhou Xuan was speaking enthusiastically, he suddenly heard a commotion behind him. Everyone turned around to look and saw that a dozen or so policemen had somehow appeared at Zhang Jiang's stall and were investigating something around it.
Zhou Xuan glanced at Zheng Bing and saw that Zheng Bing's expression was very calm. He knew what the reason was. It must be that the city leaders sent people to follow them closely. This Zhang Jiang was the unlucky one. Zhou Xuan let him go, but their own local boss wouldn't let him go.
Several more screams were heard, clearly indicating that Zhang Jiang had been beaten. Zhou Xuan sighed, shook his head, and said, "Let's go!"
He hadn't walked far when he heard someone chasing closely behind him, calling out as they ran, "Sir, please wait! Sir, please wait!"
Turning around, Zhou Xuan saw two policemen running up to him, panting. As they drew closer, one of them handed Zhou Xuan a large wad of cash, saying, "Sir, please count this. Is it three thousand one? We happened to be passing by and found that this stall was cheating customers. I'm sorry, but this is just an isolated incident."
Zhou Xuan, of course, had no intention of listening to their confessions. He took the money, stuffed it into his bag without counting it, and said, "Thank you!"
The two policemen quickly saluted and said, "You're welcome, it's our duty. Please take care!"
Just as Zhou Xuan turned to leave, he suddenly remembered something and quickly turned back, saying, "Wait a minute!"
The two policemen turned around, their expressions somewhat tense.
"Don't make things difficult for Zhang Jiang. He's just a street vendor; it's not easy for him either!" Zhou Xuan sighed.
"Okay, please take care!" the two policemen quickly replied, relieved to hear Zhou Xuan's words. They were sent by their superiors to specifically follow Zhou Xuan, and were strictly ordered not to make any further mistakes, so any emotion from Zhou Xuan made them nervous. (To find out what happens next, please log in to [website name] for more chapters. Support the author and read the original version!)
Volume One: The Lotus Buds Just Begin to Emerge, Chapter 172: Love is Always Wounded by Heartlessness
Tu personally accompanied Zhou Fu and his companions to visit the scenic spots and historical sites of Tengchong, mainly the ancient silk capital. After three or four days of sightseeing, at Lin Shitu's home, Zhou Xuan tentatively inquired about the situation in Myanmar.
"Mr. Lin, you're in the raw materials business and the biggest jewelry wholesaler in Tengchong. You must know a lot about the situation in Myanmar, right? Hehe, I'd like to go and take a look!"
Lin Shitu pondered for a moment and said, "I am quite familiar with Myanmar. The only places that produce jadeite are Dong Gong and Myitkyina, which are only 150 kilometers away from Tengchong and Ruili. Since jadeite is only favored by Chinese people, Tengchong and Ruili have become the largest sales hub for Burmese jade!"
"Actually, during the Wanli era of the Ming Dynasty, Donggong and Myitkyina were under the jurisdiction of Baoshan City. At that time, Baoshan was called Yongchang Prefecture. Since then, jadeite has been imported into our country via Tengchong and Ruili for four or five hundred years. There are records that say, 'Tengchong has a large number of jade craftsmen, with over a thousand, who make utensils and sell them to various provinces in Yunnan. The best quality jade is mostly sold to eastern Guangdong, Shanghai, Fujian, and the border areas of Yunnan. The jade industry has been operating in these regions for a long time, and over the past few hundred years, it has developed a unique reputation for jade.'"
While brewing tea, Lin Shitu said, "Back then, on the official road from Myanmar to Yunnan, caravans of seven or eight thousand, even tens of thousands of horses often transported jade and other goods. Merchants from all over came with huge sums of money, eager to be the first to obtain jade. As a result, there was a saying: 'The once bustling Baibao Street, with its wealthy merchants arriving with their fortunes, was a scene of great prosperity.' Most of the mine owners in Myanmar were actually Chinese; true Burmese mine owners were few. My grandfather's uncle was a Chinese who settled in Myanmar, specializing in the jade business. His grandson, my cousin, still owns two large mines in Myitkyina, and all my goods come from there. Of course, other mines also supply goods; after all, my and Fatty Jin's factories are the largest in Tengchong, especially after Fatty Jin's factory was shut down, my shipments have increased even more these past few days!"
When Lin Shitu mentioned Fatty Jin, he glanced at Zhou Xuan.
Zhou Xuan simply smiled faintly, neither confirming nor denying.
Lin Shitu continued, “Before liberation, Tengchong and Gongli were the largest distribution centers for jade. However, after liberation, due to the domestic closure, the jade business declined sharply, and our family's ties with my uncle were severed. Burmese jade merchants had to go to great lengths, transporting raw jade to Chiang Mai, Thailand, thousands of miles away, to trade with merchants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Japan. Over the course of one or two decades, Chiang Mai transformed from an old street market with thatched huts into a world-class jade trading center with tens of thousands of people. It wasn't until after the reform and opening up that the domestic jade industry resumed trade and processing, and within ten years, it regained its title as the world's largest jade trading market.”
Zhao Lao Er wasn't interested in tea, but these past few days he'd been engrossed in researching jade and gemstones. What Lin Shitu was saying, he would have listened to incomprehensibly and wouldn't have paid attention to before, but now he listened with increasing interest and asked, "Mr. Lin, we have passports, could we go to Myanmar to take a look?" "Hehe, going to Myanmar is easy. I know that place well. I've done a lot of business with my uncle over the past ten years, and we've had frequent exchanges. Going there is no problem at all."
Lin Shitu pondered for a moment and said, "If it's just for sightseeing, that's fine, but if you want to gamble on stones or trade directly with the mine owners, it will be difficult!"
Zhou Xuan smiled slightly and said, "How so?"
"The mining areas in Myanmar are mostly located in harsh, primeval forests. Many places outside the mines are inaccessible by car; there are no roads. The jade is transported out by hand, horses, or elephants. Furthermore, Myanmar's political situation is unstable. Besides the government army, there are various political and ethnic armed forces, each operating independently and controlling their own territory. For foreigners like us, passing through these areas presents many dangers!"
Lin Shitu sighed and said, "Moreover, the Myanmar government stipulates that the mined ore must be auctioned off by the government, and the profits are shared between the mine owners and the government. However, some ore is still smuggled out, and the vast majority ends up in Tengchong and Ruili. Half of my raw ore was bought back from Myanmar, and the other half was smuggled out. Of course, smuggled ore is much cheaper."
Zhou Xuan then realized that his plan to partner with the mine owners in Myanmar was no longer feasible. Firstly, there were strict regulations there; secondly, the country was unstable, and personal safety was not guaranteed. It wasn't worth the risk. It wasn't like he was short of money. Besides, if he wanted to gamble on stones, he could just come to Lin Shitu's place once every month or two for carving.
"Since that's the case, then forget it. I think we should make some preparations and head back today or tomorrow!" Zhou Xuan said, turning his head to Zhao Lao Er.
Lin Shitu chuckled and said, "I think we should stay a few more days. There's no rush. I'd like to chat with Mr. Zhou more about jade-related experiences. I've seen many people, but none of them have had your luck. Hehe, I don't believe it's all just luck. In the end, it's really about eye for quality, experience, and skill!"
Zhou Xuan smiled but remained silent, while Zhao Lao Er boasted shamelessly, "That's true. Our boss Zhou is a master. I, Zhao Lao Er, practiced with him for a day or two, and as soon as I arrived in Tengchong, I casually picked up a stone and sold it for over 20 million!"
Lin Shitu looked at Zhao Lao Er with a smile and said, "Mr. Zhao, you have excellent skills!"
"Kung Fu? It's really just a little bit, old Zhao. The most important thing is luck!" Zhao Lao Er said with a grin. "Boss Lin, can you tell me how to identify jadeite?"
Lin Shitu glanced at Zhou Xuan and chuckled, "Your boss Zhou is quite the expert. If you ask me, he's just showing off his limited skills before an expert, haha!"
"Mr. Lin, you're too modest!" Zhou Xuan said calmly. "Actually, I only have a superficial understanding myself; I learned a lot from Mr. Lin's father. Anyway, I have some time. Mr. Lin, please explain it to me so I can learn more from my brother!"
Lin Shitu also found Zhou Xuan rather peculiar; sometimes he seemed unfathomable, and other times he acted like a child. But overall, he thought Zhou Xuan was a straightforward and trustworthy person.
"Hehe. Since Boss Zhou has said so, then I'll just say a few words!" Lin Shitu no longer declined. He said frankly, "I'll just make a fool of myself. As for jadeite, the first factor in evaluating jadeite is color. In the jade industry, there are four points for the color of top-quality jadeite: pure, rich, bright, and even!"
Seeing Lin Shitu explaining, Zhao Lao Er quickly poured him a cup of tea and said, "Boss Lin, have some tea before you continue!"
"Thank you!" Lin Shitu took the tea. He took a small sip and then slowly said, "This 'zheng zhong yang jun' refers to the color of the jadeite... 'zheng' means the range of brewing, depending on the ratio of the main brew and the secondary brew. 'Hou' means it should be a pure green, without any other colors mixed in. If other colors are mixed in, the value will be greatly reduced. Secondly, 'zhong' refers to the depth of the color. For jadeite green, the concentration is best between 70% and 80%. 90% is already too strong!"
"Thirdly, 'yang' refers to the brightness and vibrancy of the jadeite's color. The brightness of jadeite is mainly determined by the proportion of green and black or gray in its composition. A higher proportion of green results in a brighter color. If there is more black or gray, the color becomes dull. Experts often use descriptive methods to represent the brightness of the color. For example, the commonly mentioned boxwood green, parrot green, onion green, and spicy green all refer to bright and vibrant colors."
Spinach green, oily green, river green, and dark green all refer to dull, dark green hues. The brighter and more vibrant the jadeite, the higher its value.
Seeing that Zhou Xuan and Zhao Lao Er were listening intently and speaking with enthusiasm, Lin Shitu took another sip of tea to moisten his throat and said, "The last point refers to the evenness of the color distribution in jadeite. The color distribution in jadeite is generally uneven; obtaining jadeite with an even color distribution is truly not easy. For a top-grade jadeite, the green should be pure, with a green concentration between 70% and 80%, bright and vibrant, and the color distribution should be even. Only jadeite like this is truly from an old mine!"
Zhao Lao Er was a complete novice and didn't understand. But Zhou Xuan knew that Lin Shitu was the real expert, and his explanations were far more practical and insightful than Zhao Lao Er's rote recitation of what he read from books!
Instead of going out for a stroll, it's much better to listen to experienced experts like Lin Shitu and his father. Learning their techniques and combining that with the results from ice gas detection should make it easier to get started quickly. At least it will look plausible and won't arouse suspicion.
Just as Zhou Xuan was about to ask Lin Shitu to continue, Zheng Bing rushed in from outside the hall, holding a cell phone. He whispered to Zhou Xuan, "Mr. Zhou, it's a call from Beijing. They say it's urgent!"
Zhou Xuan was taken aback. A call from Beijing? What urgent matter could it be? He knew he didn't have a cell phone and couldn't be reached. If his family wanted him, they would definitely have contacted Wei Haihong. Then Wei Haihong would have contacted Li Lei, and so on, before finally getting through to Zhou Xuan.
He quickly answered the phone. His younger sister, Zhou Ying, spoke through the phone, her voice urgent and flustered: "Brother, is that you?"
"It's me. What's wrong? Tell me slowly, don't rush!" Zhou Xuan said in a deep voice.