As for the oil tycoons of those Arab kingdoms, they are believers in Islam. They only believe in the one true God Allah and have even less interest in this incense burner. If they were to take a picture of it, it would be an absolute blasphemy against Allah.
Therefore, the combination of these factors led to a very rare phenomenon in private charity auctions: no one bid. Generally, out of politeness, guests would not let the items put up by the host go unsold. However, this item was quite special, and even when William started calling out again, the people below still showed little interest.
"Huh? What's going on? Does nobody want this genuine Xuande incense burner?"
Zhuang Rui had been engrossed in appreciating the Xuande incense burner. Looking up, he was momentarily stunned to find the room completely silent, with no one bidding. Then, overjoyed, he realized that although he hadn't been able to handle it, his observation suggested it was almost certainly a genuine Xuande incense burner. "Two hundred thousand US dollars..."
Zhuang Rui raised his right paddle, a gesture that almost brought tears to William's eyes. Just moments before, William had nearly thought that he had broken his virginity by failing to sell at his first private charity auction.
Chapter 1056 Xuande Incense Burner (Part 2)
Since the emergence of Xuande censers, there have been the most imitations throughout history. However, to date, no Xuande censer has been identified as genuine in academic circles, which is highly controversial. Therefore, although the price of Xuande censers is generally not low, they have not reached the level of top-level works of art.
Therefore, in this auction, this Xuande censer was only auctioned as a mid-Ming Dynasty imitation. Even Bonadette's large and professional appraisal agency could not confirm the authenticity of this gilt-inlaid Xuande censer, which is why it was priced at $200,000.
"Mr. Zhuang from China has offered $200,000. Ladies and gentlemen, is there any further bidding?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's offer, William finally breathed a sigh of relief and felt extremely grateful to Zhuang Rui. Given his status in the auction house, if an item failed to sell at such an event, it would definitely be explosive news in the industry.
Of course, being a professional, William still asked routinely, as an auctioneer, how maximizing the value of the items they auction is a fundamental requirement.
"$300,000..."
Just as William finished speaking, Mao Watanabe's voice rang out, and she smiled as she raised the number plate in her right hand.
"Damn it, don't you Japanese worship Yamata no Oogami? Why are you trying to steal this from me?"
Zhuang Rui originally had a good impression of Watanabe Mao, but after hearing his offer, he immediately found him repulsive. He had finally managed to snag a bargain by taking advantage of a foreigner's mistake, but Watanabe Mao had interfered again.
"One million dollars..."
Zhuang Rui was too lazy to waste words with the other party. He decided to play the country bumpkin today and use money to intimidate him. Even if you have more money than me, it doesn't mean you're willing to spend more money than me. Zhuang Rui's seven or eight hundred million US dollars were like windfalls, so he felt no pressure at all.
Are Chinese people really that rich now?
"Yeah, who auctions things like this? It's just a nouveau riche affair..."
"Oh, he's so handsome, I like guys like him..."
“Paris, you’re being horny again. I guarantee that Chinese guy has absolutely no interest in you…”
"Look at that ass, so perky! Oh, Chinese men can be this sexy too, I think... I'm smitten..."
Zhuang Rui's bid sparked a flurry of discussion among the crowd. Some scoffed at his actions, while others were fascinated. Hollywood actresses, in particular, looked at Zhuang Rui with tender eyes, and some wealthy heiresses even began to discuss his physique in a rather unrestrained manner.
Zhuang Rui has spiritual energy in his eyes, but his ears aren't that sensitive. Otherwise, if he had overheard those women's conversation, he probably would have fled immediately.
"Mr. Watanabe Mao, Mr. Zhuang has offered $1 million. Do you wish to continue bidding?"
William's control over the auction process drew everyone's attention to Mao Watanabe.
“I think… Mr. Zhuang wanted to take all the Chinese antiques back with him, so I gave up…”
Mao Watanabe gave a wry smile. The Japanese have always had a love-hate relationship with Chinese culture. On the one hand, they admire the profound history of Chinese culture, and on the other hand, they are extremely jealous of Chinese civilization because of their own reasons. So, more than 100 years ago, they have been trying to plunder various cultural relics from China. Even today, some people in the upper class of Japan often compare their collections of Chinese antiques.
Therefore, whenever he had the chance, Mao Watanabe would spare no effort to acquire antiques from China. However, today he encountered a hothead who did not consider the value of these items at all. Even Mao Watanabe was unwilling to compete with Zhuang Rui.
After all, buying something of comparable value is called finding a bargain on Taobao, buying something that is worth more than its price is called finding a hidden gem, but buying something whose market value is far below its asking price is just being stupid.
"If no one else makes a bid, this metal artifact from China will belong to Mr. Zhuang. Let us once again thank Mr. Zhuang for his contributions to charity..."
After William asked a few more times, it was clear that no one present was willing to be a fool. Finally, with the sound of the auction hammer striking, the Xuande incense burner was acquired by Zhuang Rui. However, after Zhuang Rui won the bid, the way everyone in the room looked at him became somewhat strange.
Today, art collecting has evolved into a form of commercial investment. The super-rich people present often spend lavishly to purchase various valuable artworks, but they all have one prerequisite: that the artwork has huge appreciation potential. In their eyes, Zhuang Rui's behavior is simply foolish.
"Mr. William, would it be possible for you to hand this over to me now?"
After bidding for the Xuande incense burner, Zhuang Rui made a request: as the first genuine Xuande incense burner he had discovered, he really wanted to touch the dignified and imposing Xuande incense burner, which had stood for six or seven hundred years, as soon as possible.
"this……"
William was somewhat troubled. According to the auction procedure, all the auctioned items would only be handed over to the other party after the auction ended and the payment was received. Now, Zhuang Rui's request was obviously beyond his authority. After pausing for a moment, William couldn't help but look up and search for Bonadette in the crowd.
After giving a slight nod to Bonadette, William smiled and said, "Of course, Mr. Zhuang is our distinguished guest, and I think this request is reasonable..."
All the display cases containing antiques or jewelry were made of bulletproof glass. Only after obtaining Bonadette's signature did a manager in a suit open the case containing the Xuande incense burner and take out the palm-sized burner.
"nice one……"
As soon as Zhuang Rui picked up the Xuande incense burner, he felt a sudden weight in his hand. The incense burner was no more than 20 centimeters tall, but Zhuang Rui estimated that it weighed at least 10 kilograms. Clearly, it contained not only red copper but also many other metals.
Zhuang Rui held the entire Xuande incense burner in his hands. It looked both grand and elegant. Its color was subtle and refined, emitting a strange light from its dimness. This was exactly what Xiang Yuanbian (Zijing), a great connoisseur, collector and painter during the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty, said about the Xuande incense burner: "The wonder of the Xuande incense burner lies in the pearly luster within its precious color, and the serene and dignified appearance on the outside."
Stroking the gold-inlaid craftsmanship of the Xuande incense burner, Zhuang Rui's face revealed a joyful smile. He was already certain that this was one of the three thousand Xuande incense burners made in the third year of the Xuande reign, and due to its special craftsmanship and weight, its value was several times higher than that of similar Xuande incense burners.
Standing next to Zhuang Rui, Bonadette noticed Zhuang Rui's expression and asked curiously, "Zhuang, as far as I know, items of this craftsmanship only fetch around $300,000 at international auctions. Why are you so happy?"
Bonadette is an internationally renowned collector, especially fond of Chinese and ancient Greek art, and has a deep understanding of the culture and history of these two countries. He is also familiar with Xuande censers. So when he saw Zhuang Rui's expression as if he had found a treasure, he was very puzzled. He had never seen anyone be happy after spending money unnecessarily.
“Mr. Bonadette, genuine Xuande censers were made during the Xuande period, while the price you mentioned is for later imitations…”
Zhuang Rui did not explicitly state that the object was a Xuande incense burner made during the Xuande period. It would be rather unethical to take advantage of someone else's bargain and then use that to attack them.
“Oh…no, Zhuang, I’ve heard that so far, no Xuande incense burner has been certified as genuine, so…”
Bonadette clearly knew the story of the Xuande incense burner, and similarly, he did not believe that the Xuande incense burner in his collection was produced during that particular period in China; otherwise, he would never have put it up for auction.
Upon hearing Bonadette's words, Zhuang Rui smiled confidently and said, "Hehe, Mr. Bonadette, I am first and foremost an appraiser, and only secondly an art collector. Since I started out, I have never made a mistake in appraising antiques. This Xuande incense burner matches the genuine Xuande incense burner in both shape and materials. I think... I shouldn't be mistaken..."
"Zhuang...you, are you telling the truth?"
Zhuang Rui's confident smile seemed to convince Bonadette of his words. The old man slapped his thigh, filled with regret, and said, "God, how could I have sold a genuine Xuande incense burner? Well, my old friends will laugh at me to death. Zhuang, in your opinion, how much should this Xuande incense burner be worth?"
Bonadette's frankness impressed Zhuang Rui. After thinking for a moment, Zhuang Rui said, "There is too much controversy over the authenticity of Xuande censers. However, even the fine imitations made in later generations are priced at around $500,000. This Xuande censer, made in the third year of Xuande, should be worth more than $10 million." Zhuang Rui planned to invite domestic experts in gold, silver and bronze ware appraisal as soon as he returned to China and use modern instruments to date this precious Xuande censer. He had sufficient reason to believe that the first genuine Xuande censer made in the third year of Xuande would definitely be worth more than 50 million RMB.
After hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Bonadette laughed and joked, "Oh, you lost money. You lost a lot this time. No, Zhuang, you should do more for charity..."
"Of course, I'd be happy to..."
Zhuang Rui found it very pleasant to communicate with this foreign old man, and he was also impressed by Bonadette's magnanimity. Despite losing tens of millions of dollars worth of goods, the other party did not even flinch. This was the demeanor that a super-rich person should have.
Just as Zhuang Rui and Bona Dett were chatting, a waiter approached Zhuang Rui and whispered, "Mr. Zhuang, a lady would like to invite you to come over..."
Chapter 1057 My Buddy Doesn't Want to Be the Male Lead
"Madam? Who is she?"
Zhuang Rui was taken aback. He didn't know many people abroad, let alone women. He didn't know many men either. Who would invite him to this kind of occasion?
"That lady doesn't want her name mentioned, you'll find out when you get there..."
The waiter's expression, while respectful, revealed a hint of ambiguity; clearly, he knew who was looking for Zhuang Rui.
"Never mind then. Tell that lady I still have to attend the auction..."
Zhuang Rui glanced at Huangfu Yun and declined the waiter's invitation. With Huangfu Yun, that big mouth, by his side, Qin Xuanbing would probably find out about which woman he was going to see before he even returned to the country, through Yun Man. This guy was always tight-lipped about his own drinking, gambling, and whoring with his wife, but he loved to gossip about other people.
"Mr. Zhuang, that lady specifically asked me to invite you. It's just a brief visit. If you don't go, I..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the waiter's face immediately fell. He still had the thousand-dollar tip the lady had given him in his pocket, and if he couldn't get things done, he wouldn't be able to explain himself later.
"Next up for auction is an 18th-century oil painting from the collection of Mr. Bonadette, by a famous painter..."
While Zhuang Rui was talking to the waiter, the charity auction continued. Upon hearing the next item up for auction, Zhuang Rui wasn't particularly interested. After a moment's thought, he stood up, handed the Xuande incense burner he was holding to Huangfu Yun, and said to the waiter, "Take me there..."
To be honest, Zhuang Rui was also quite curious about the person who invited him. Almost all the women attending the charity auction today were top beauties from abroad. Although Zhuang Rui had no intention of getting close to them, being invited by such beauties was something he was proud of.
More importantly, if an idol like Zeta-Jones was interested in him, Zhuang Rui wouldn't mind showing off the prestige of Chinese men abroad. With a little excitement in his heart, Zhuang Rui followed behind the waiter, quietly preparing to leave the banquet hall.
"Okay, Peng Fei, you can play in the lobby now..."
After being led out of the hall by a waiter, Zhuang Rui looked back and saw Peng Fei following closely behind him. He couldn't help but frown. What a mood killer it was to be invited by a beautiful woman and then followed by a bunch of grown men.
Peng Fei chuckled. His English listening and speaking skills were no worse than Zhuang Rui's. He had overheard the conversation between Zhuang Rui and the waiter. Seeing Zhuang Rui urging him to go back, he said with a smile, "Brother Zhuang, if a man were looking for you, I wouldn't go with him. My sister-in-law told me this before I went abroad..."
Peng Fei had been following Zhuang Rui for three or four years and trusted Zhuang Rui's character. Actually, the main reason he came along was because he was worried about Zhuang Rui's safety. You know, the more wealthy people gather, the more careful you have to be, especially since there are many priceless jewels at the scene today, which has probably already attracted the attention of some international thieves.
Zhuang Rui puffed out his chest and said righteously, "Fine, follow me if you want. I'm upright and have nothing to hide..."
Zhuang Rui spoke somewhat guiltily. He was just a hot-blooded young man. Seeing so many of the characters he could only fantasize about on screen during his student days, it would be a lie to say he wasn't tempted. For a time, the image of Qin Xuanbing and her children had disappeared from Zhuang Rui's mind.
However, Peng Fei's words poured cold water on Zhuang Rui, instantly sobering him up. Although he didn't turn back, Zhuang Rui's mindset changed. What attracted him to the invitation now was the woman's identity.
After leading Zhuang Rui out the door, the waiter stopped and pointed ahead, saying, "Excuse me, Mr. Zhuang, I still have work to do. Please go straight from here and turn left; the third lounge is there..."
Next to the luxurious banquet hall on the 18th floor, there are more than a dozen small rooms for guests to relax. It is said that there are often private parties here, and those lounges sometimes become places for men and women to express their feelings.
"What's so good about him? If you ask me, that Chinese man definitely can't last as long as I do..."
Watching Zhuang Rui disappear around the corner, the waiter muttered something indignantly. He couldn't understand why that promiscuous woman would choose an Asian man. After all, he was exceptionally gifted and was known by his colleagues as having three legs.
The waiter didn't care whether Peng Fei came along or not. Anyway, the lady hadn't said she was only inviting Zhuang Rui. The waiter felt a little pleased. Even if the lady was very open-minded, she wouldn't be having sex with two men at the same time, would she?
In the corridor outside the banquet hall, there was a security guard in black standing every four or five meters. However, at the corner near the emergency exit, there was only one security guard. After seeing the badge on Zhuang Rui's chest, the security guard did not ask any questions. Instead, he showed an ambiguous smile.
"Sneaking around like that, it can't be anything good..."
Peng Fei muttered something under his breath. From the expressions on the faces of the waiters and security guards, he could tell that the woman looking for Zhuang Rui was definitely not a decent person, otherwise they would not be smiling so ambiguously.
At this moment, Peng Fei was unsure whether he should go in with Zhuang Rui. Although he and Zhuang Rui were as close as brothers, he didn't want to disturb Zhuang Rui's good time. They were both men, and based on his understanding of Zhuang Rui, even if Zhuang Rui had a fling abroad, he wouldn't abandon his family in Beijing.
"What nonsense are you spouting? Come inside with me..."
Zhuang Rui glared at Peng Fei, annoyed. "Where were you before? Saying this at the door means Zeta-Jones, Aniston, or Angelina are all naked inside. Zhuang Rui figured Peng Fei was standing guard outside, so he probably lost interest in getting close to her."
"Hehe, Brother Zhuang, do you really want me to go in?"
Peng Fei's smile at this moment was no different from that of the security guard and waiter just now, making Zhuang Rui want to kick him in the face. He had finally had some other thoughts since getting married, but Peng Fei's words had extinguished them.
"Come in or don't, it's up to you..."
Zhuang Rui snorted coldly, knocked on the door a few times, and said in English, "I am Zhuang Rui..."
To Zhuang Rui's surprise, the door to the room wasn't completely closed. With the knocking, the door opened. The room was probably dark, and Zhuang Rui could only see a pretty figure standing in front of the door by the light from the hallway.
"You are..."
Zhuang Rui had just uttered two words when the woman standing in front of the door suddenly reached out, grabbed Zhuang Rui's tie, and pulled hard. Caught off guard, Zhuang Rui was pulled forward a step by inertia, only to feel a soft body with the scent of extremely high-end perfume snuggle into his arms.
"Damn it, you're going to force me? Why didn't you just kick Peng Fei out earlier?"