If this painting belonged to the Song army, the old man would probably have taken it immediately. However, since the painting belongs to Zhuang Rui, he naturally had to ask first. Otherwise, if he damaged the painting and found nothing inside, it would be difficult to explain. Although he was a master of mounting, he still had to be responsible to his customers.
Zhuang Rui was already overjoyed, but he was still a little surprised by the old man's words and asked with a puzzled look, "How many more layers can be peeled off from such a thin painting?"
"If others can't do it, I certainly can. Just tell me, if you agree, I'll tear it off; if you don't, take the painting away."
Grandpa Fang answered decisively.
Zhuang Rui pretended to think for a while before speaking, "Okay, Grandpa Fang, since this painting is fake anyway, let's just consider it as spending three thousand yuan to see your craftsmanship."
"It's hard to say whether it's true or not now..."
The old man replied meaningfully. It wasn't that he thought Zhuang Rui could see through the mystery, but rather that he himself had already guessed most of it.
Seeing that Zhuang Rui nodded in agreement, the old man perked up. The weather was still a bit cold in March, so he took off his coat, rolled up his sleeves, and took out many bottles and jars from the house. As if he were preparing medicine, he poured some liquid that neither Zhuang Rui nor Song Jun could understand into a basin, and then asked Zhuang Rui to stir it.
After Zhuang Rui stirred for about ten minutes, the liquid in the basin, which was originally like paste, turned into a transparent and very thin liquid. When the old man saw this, he took the basin, placed it at his feet, and then turned the painting "Li Duanduan" over and laid it on the table.
Then, Grandpa Fang found a brand new brush, put the soft bristles into the basin, and after the transparent liquid had soaked through the brush, he immediately began brushing it on the back of the painting. He used one hand with force, as free and easy as writing calligraphy, and applied even pressure. In a short while, the entire painting, measuring 187 x 72 centimeters, was covered with the transparent liquid.
That wasn't all. The old man then found a hand-operated spray bottle in the room and started spraying it onto the painting, which had been coated with a transparent liquid. The nozzle of the bottle was extremely fine, so the water sprayed out was mostly in the form of a mist. When the water came into contact with the painting, it immediately seemed to blend into it. However, Zhuang Rui and Song Jun, who were watching closely, noticed that the water only adhered to the surface of the painting and did not penetrate it at all.
"Alright, you two go wait outside..."
Seeing that at the crucial moment, Old Master Fang gave them the order to leave, which greatly disappointed Zhuang Rui and Song Jun. It was like watching a football match where the power went out just as the striker was about to shoot into an empty net, leaving them feeling restless and uneasy.
However, the secrets of the craft are not to be passed on to just a few people. These old craftsmen are extremely particular about the transmission of the craft through the master-disciple relationship. The skill of peeling layers is also very easy for some unscrupulous people to exploit. Since Song Jun and Zhuang Rui are not his students, they naturally cannot let them see the core technology of peeling layers. You should know that in today's society, there are very few people who still have such skills.
Before liberation, some craftsmen would do things like peeling off layers of paper to make a quick profit.
As everyone knows, Xuan paper is extremely easy to absorb ink from; almost every layer can be soaked with the ink of calligraphers and painters. After forgers peel off the layers, a painting can become two or three paintings. However, the more layers are peeled off, the lighter the ink becomes on each painting. Forgers then use several more layers of Xuan paper to mount the painting and add more ink to the areas where the ink is lighter. After this process, the deceptive effect is even better, and it is almost impossible to distinguish between the real and the fake.
The technique of peeling back layers from a painting has existed since ancient times. If the painting or calligraphy being mounted is of average quality, or if the mounter's skills are mediocre, they will not or dare not attempt to forge it. However, if a famous painting encounters a master, the risk of having its layers removed increases significantly. Therefore, many calligraphers and painters do not send their valuable paintings and calligraphy to mounters, but instead mount them themselves.
Grandpa Fang did not pass on this skill to outsiders. Even among his few favorite disciples, only two or three were taught it. Therefore, although Zhuang Rui and Song Jun were outsiders to the field, Grandpa Fang did not want them to see it.
The two waited in the living room for about half an hour. During this time, Zhuang Rui ran back to the Mercedes-Benz and let the two little ones out for a while. After the tea was served three times, the old man finally opened the door to the framing room. He looked very tired, but his eyes were bright and he seemed quite excited.
"Xiao Zhuang, you've hit the jackpot."
The old man's first words after he came out left Song Jun and Zhuang Rui puzzled, but Zhuang Rui's expression was obviously an act.
"Come in with me."
Grandpa Fang didn't explain, turned around and walked back. Zhuang Rui and Song Jun followed closely behind. As soon as they entered the room, they saw two paintings pasted on the smooth wall.
Clearly, Tang Bohu's "Li Duanduan" painting, which had been hidden for half a century, has finally revealed its true form. Zhuang Rui stepped forward and carefully compared the two paintings. The content of the two paintings was naturally the same, but the difference could be seen at a glance in the subtle details of the figures' expressions. The figure in one painting was stiff and lifeless, and the painting had cracks, while the lady in the other painting was radiant and had a lifelike expression, as if she was about to step out of the painting.
"This...this, how is this possible, Grandpa Fang, how is this possible?"
Unlike Zhuang Rui, who simply stood in front of the painting to appreciate it, Song Jun held a magnifying glass and practically pressed his face against it. When he finally put the magnifying glass down, he was so surprised that he could barely speak.
Song Jun, a connoisseur of calligraphy and painting, could naturally distinguish the authenticity of the two paintings before him. Looking at the several bright red bell seals on the exposed "Li Duanduan Picture" and the famous figures represented by each bell seal, with Song Jun's professional level after years of immersion in calligraphy and painting, he could almost conclude that the painting was an authentic work by Tang Bohu.
"What's impossible? Are you trying to say that the 'Li Duanduan Picture' is in Nanjing now? Humph, I saw signs of forgery on that painting back then. Although it was painted by someone from the Ming Dynasty, it's not a genuine work by Tang Bohu. Once this painting comes out, I wonder where those people will put their faces, haha."
Grandpa Fang seemed quite dissatisfied with the person who appraised the "Li Duanduan" painting in Nanjing, and he was laughing heartily at the moment, while Song Jun looked at Zhuang Rui with an incredulous expression on his face.
"Brother Song, is there another painting in this picture? The two paintings look quite similar."
Zhuang Rui feigned innocence and asked Song Jun.
"You...you, that's almost too good to be true. I'm telling you, kid, how come you have such good luck? You stumbled upon Wang Shizhen's manuscript, went to the black market and bought a fake painting that everyone else didn't want, and found a genuine piece hidden inside. I, Song Jun, have been in this business for twenty or thirty years, how come I've never found such a bargain before?"
Song Jun looked at Zhuang Rui and shook his head repeatedly. However, he did not doubt that Zhuang Rui could tell the authenticity of the painting beforehand. After all, the painting had changed hands several times and had been appraised by many people. Its professional level was far beyond Zhuang Rui's. Even someone like Old Master Fang would not have been able to discover the hidden secrets if he had not started from the mounting.
Chapter 107 First Hearing About Jade Gambling
"Xiao Zhuang, I've framed this painting. Come pick it up here in about two weeks."
It seemed that peeling back the layers of the painting had taken a lot of effort from Old Master Fang, as he looked exhausted and his voice was not as strong as before.
"Thank you, Grandpa Fang. I have 30,000 yuan with me. Consider it as the cost of materials."
Zhuang Rui was overjoyed. After learning about the man's identity from Song Jun, Zhuang Rui understood that his painting would be even more beautiful and valuable after being framed by Master Fang.
"No need for that much, just leave 10,000 yuan. This old man is almost in his grave, and to be able to see this authentic work by Tang Bohu is quite a treat. Alright, you guys go back now. I'll call Song when it's framed."
The old man waved his hand, indicating that the two could leave. Zhuang Rui respectfully left 10,000 yuan and then bid farewell to Song Jun.
Back in the Mercedes, Zhuang Rui pushed aside the little white lion that pounced on him and asked Song Jun, "Brother Song, since Grandpa Fang is handling the framing, the materials he used must be of high quality. Is ten thousand yuan enough?"
"Nonsense, of course it's not enough. I reckon the old man will use old sandalwood for the scroll ends, which is quite expensive. But his disciples and grand-disciples are generous with their gifts, so these materials won't cost much. Brother Zhuang, believe it or not, if you take the painting away today and don't frame it for him, the old man will probably pay you to keep it."
Song Jun had by now recovered from the shock of seeing Tang Bohu's original work and was joking with Zhuang Rui while driving.
"How could that be? The old man is no stranger to the world. He has framed countless famous paintings. There's no need for him to lower himself to me, a junior, just for a painting."
Zhuang Rui, however, did not quite believe Song Jun's words. Having lived to the age of Old Master Fang, he had long since reached a state of being unmoved by external gains or losses, so how could he lose his composure over a painting?
"Hey, Zhuang, you better believe me. How about we make a bet? Go back and get that painting back right now, and see how that old man reacts. But let me make this clear first: if I guess right, once your painting is framed, you have to sell it to me first. How about it? Want to bet?"
At this point, Song Jun's true colors were revealed; it turned out he had his eye on the painting all along.
Seeing Song Jun's expression as if he were coaxing a child, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but laugh and said, "Brother Song, don't worry, I've been investing all my funds in the mastiff kennel lately and I'm short on cash. Once the old man has finished framing it, you can name your price, but I have one condition that you have to agree to."
"What do you need? Just tell me. If it's something I can do, I'll definitely help you. If it's something I can't do, I'll ask my father to help you."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Song Jun was overjoyed and immediately patted his chest to vouch for it, even bringing up his own father, which showed how much he valued the painting.
"Actually, it's nothing. Just don't tell outsiders that this painting came from here. I've been feeling incredibly lucky lately, so I don't want to cause any trouble."
Zhuang Rui knew that the news of Liu Chuan selling the sandalwood root carving to Manager Lü would surely reach Song Jun's ears, so he simply said that he was lucky, so that others would not suspect anything.
Sure enough, Song Jun laughed upon hearing this, looking at Zhuang Rui approvingly, and said, "You're young, but you're much more reliable than Da Chuan. You know the saying 'The tallest tree in the forest is the first to be felled by the wind.' Not bad, not bad at all. I agree to these conditions. But you're really lucky. Some people spend their whole lives in this business and might not even find a good deal. But you've found one after another, and they're all good stuff. I'm even envious. No way, next time we go to Pingzhou, you have to come with me."
Pingzhou? What place is that? Is it known for its antiques?
Zhuang Rui was somewhat confused by what Song Jun had said.
"No, there are no antiques there. It's a jade gambling market. Playing with those things is much more exciting than playing with antiques, and luck plays a big part. There's not much skill involved."
Song Jun knew that Zhuang Rui had only been in the business for a short time. Although the jade gambling industry had been around since the 1990s, it had only become popular in recent years after the international jade market saw a rise in prices. Generally, people who were not in the jewelry industry or professional speculators had no idea about the term "jade gambling".
"Jade gambling?"
Zhuang Rui couldn't help but think of the two stones he owned that contained jade.
"Yes, it's jade gambling, Xiao Zhuang. There's a lot to it. From the Qing Dynasty to the Republic of China, there was a trade term in the jewelry industry called 'gambling shop.' The so-called 'gambling shop' refers to the discerning eye of jewelry players who go to jewelry shops to look for jade. Jade trading, especially raw stone trading, relies entirely on luck for success, just like gambling or lottery, investing in the future. That's what jade gambling is."
Song Jun paused for a moment, then said with some resentment, "Brother, I'm unlucky, but I'm pretty good at collecting antiques. Although I've made mistakes and paid my dues before, the amounts weren't large. But a while ago, I gambled on a rough stone and lost more than 20 million. Damn it, when we get the chance, we'll go after this one."
Song Jun's words surprised Zhuang Rui. Although he understood what "gambling on stones" meant from Song Jun's explanation, he wondered what the price of jade was, that even an uncut stone could be so valuable.
"Hey, never mind, it's bad luck. I'll tell you in detail when I take you there later. Where are you going now? Are you going home or something? I'll take you."
Song Jun seemed to hold a grudge about the matter and was unwilling to bring it up again, silencing Zhuang Rui's question. This left Zhuang Rui feeling quite frustrated. However, now that he knew about it, he could find out more about it from other sources. It just seemed that the value of his two jadeite stones needed to be reassessed.
"I'll go home. Da Chuan is coming to pick me up this afternoon. We need to go check out the land at the mastiff farm. I'm sorry..."
"The number you dialed is not in service..."
Before Zhuang Rui could finish speaking, his phone rang.
"Hey, is this Brother Zhuang? This is Da Xiong. We've run into some trouble here, and we can't find the boss anywhere. Can you get in touch with him?"
As soon as the call connected, Da Xiong's voice, who had only joined Liu Chuan's pet shop yesterday, came through. It sounded like something urgent; he was quite loud, and even Song Jun, who was driving, could hear him.
Zhuang Rui looked at the phone number that had called; it belonged to Liu Chuan's shop. He then said to Da Xiong, "Wait a moment, let me contact Liu Chuan first and have him call the shop."
After saying that, Zhuang Rui hung up the phone and dialed Liu Chuan's number.
"The number you dialed is temporarily out of service..."
"Where did this kid go? Didn't he go to get the license for the mastiff kennel this morning?"
Hearing the mechanical female voice on the phone, Zhuang Rui hung up helplessly and dialed Da Xiong's number again.
"Da Xiong, I can't get through to Da Chuan on the phone right now. Tell me what happened, and I'll see if I can handle it."
"Brother Zhuang, here's what happened. This morning, when Monkey came back from the park, he pulled a few customers into a pet shop next door. He was wrong to do that. But just now, when Monkey and I were about to go eat, a few policemen came and took Monkey away. They said the shop owner had called the police because a golden arowana had gone missing from their shop and they were sure Monkey had stolen it."
"Brother Zhuang, you have to believe us! Although we've done our fair share of swindling and cheating in the past, we've never been involved in theft or robbery. I just went to the police station, and they said that golden dragon is worth tens of thousands of yuan, which is considered a major theft. They're preparing to file a case, but we can't find the owner. What are we going to do?"
Da Xiong's voice was almost choked with tears. He and Monkey had been brothers for over ten years, sharing a life-or-death bond. Monkey had also taken 10,000 yuan of the money he was cheated out of when he went to Tianjin to buy crickets and gourds. Monkey didn't say anything when the incident happened, but Da Xiong felt very guilty. Now that this had happened, he wished he was the one who had ended up in jail.
"I know those two lads. They're always swindling and coming up with crooked ideas, but that's normal in the antique business. They're not bad-looking, and they haven't caused any trouble all these years. How did they end up working at Da Chuan's shop?"
Song Jun owns a shop in the antique market, and there's also a teahouse next to the market. Although he doesn't go there often, he's very familiar with the people and things happening on the street.
Zhuang Rui thought about it for a moment. These two had only arrived at Da Chuan's shop yesterday. Although what they did today was not very reliable, it was clear that the shop owner was also slandering Monkey. Now that they couldn't find Liu Chuan, if he didn't go and ask for help, he would also disappoint these two.
Thinking of this, Zhuang Rui said to Da Xiong on the other end of the phone, "Brother Xiong, don't worry, wait for me at the store. I'll be right there. We'll go to the police station together and ask around. There shouldn't be any problems. If all else fails, I'll call Uncle Liu. Although this isn't his jurisdiction, he still has influence."
"Okay, okay, I'll wait for you at the shop, Brother Zhuang, thank you."
Hearing Zhuang Rui mention Liu's father, Da Xiong finally felt relieved. He was worried that Liu Chuan wouldn't stand up for him when he and Monkey first arrived, but now that Zhuang Rui had agreed, there was no problem.
In the antique and flower market, there are few people who don't know Liu Chuan's father. Back then, when Da Xiong and Monkey were beaten by Liu Chuan, it was Liu's father who went out to handle it. The old man is clear-headed in important matters, but in trivial matters, he always sides with his relatives and not with the truth. He can only teach his own son a lesson himself. If Liu Chuan hadn't suffered a loss, he would have wanted to go up and kick him a few more times.
Chapter 108 Assaulting a Police Officer? Is that him?!
"Brother Song, Da Chuan isn't here. I need to go see him. Could you take me to the market?"
After hanging up the phone, Zhuang Rui said to Song Jun that given his relationship with Liu Chuan, he couldn't ignore this matter.
"Okay... I haven't been there in a long time either. I'll go back to the teahouse first. Come find me at the teahouse after you've finished your business, and we'll have lunch together."
Song Jun nodded in agreement, but he didn't want to get involved in this mess. Characters like Da Xiong and the monkey usually didn't even have the right to speak in front of him, and he didn't know them. He had no reason to meddle in other people's business. However, if Zhuang Rui asked, he would be willing to help. After all, Zhuang Rui had promised to give him priority in transferring Tang Bohu's painting, which was a considerable favor.
To Song Jun's disappointment, the matter was never mentioned until Zhuang Rui got off the vehicle. Song Jun was not given a chance to repay the favor.
As soon as Zhuang Rui stepped through the glass door of Liu Chuan's pet shop, he saw Da Xiong looking worried and constantly dialing the phone on his desk, presumably calling Liu Chuan.
"Brother Xiong, stop hitting him. Da Chuan has disappeared somewhere. Tell me the details again. Did Da Chuan offend someone, and then that person took their anger out on the monkey?"
When Da Xiong saw Zhuang Rui bring the mastiff in, he quickly hung up the phone. However, he and Monkey usually hung out in the antique market, which was right next to the pet market, so he really didn't know anything about Liu Chuan's shop.
“Brother Zhuang, now that you mention it, I remember that shop on this street changed owners last year. The new owner isn’t very old, about the same age as you, Brother Zhuang. I heard they have some kind of connection.”
Li Bing, the third boss appointed by Liu Chuan, interjected. Seeing Zhuang Rui signaling him to continue, he analyzed, "Business was good on this street after the New Year. That boss had a good location and set up several tables at the street corner, blocking customers' way. You know Brother Da Chuan's temper. He went over and overturned that person's table. The person chased him into the shop and argued with him, but didn't dare to lay a hand on him. Later, Brother Da Chuan went out with you, but hasn't shown up for the past ten days. Could it be that the person thought Brother Da Chuan was afraid of him, and then found out that Monkey was working here, so he deliberately messed with Monkey?"