“Master, you said you shouldn’t open a shop if you don’t have any goods. Do you think you can play the empty city stratagem in this business?” Zou Mingyuan said with a smile. “Your reputation is quite suitable for playing the empty city stratagem, but you should think twice. You’re old, and your life’s reputation could be ruined in an instant?”
"you……"
Yao Chushun was furious and about to unleash a torrent of curses when Gu Sifang waved his hand to interrupt him, stood up, and said, "Sigh, I think we should forget it. Mr. Gu, you really are a disappointment..."
"I'm sorry, Mr. Gu, I didn't expect things to turn out this way." Zou Mingyuan stood up triumphantly. "Let's go back to Tianbaozhai. I'll help you look at some good items."
Yao Chushun's face turned pale with frustration, but he sat there blankly, not knowing what to say.
Just as Zou Mingyuan and Gu Sifang turned to leave, the unassuming young man who had been sitting in the shop suddenly stood up, walked in with a slow, unhurried smile, then stopped smiling and said calmly with narrowed eyes, "Who said Gu Xiang Xuan doesn't have good stuff? I'm just afraid you can't afford it..."
Volume Two, Gong Cao, Chapter 71: This Item Is Not Originally from the Human World
A calm and unhurried sentence echoed in the not-so-large inner room.
A thunderclap out of nowhere. No exaggeration!
At least for Yao Chushun and Zou Mingyuan, this was absolutely like a bolt from the blue.
Yao Chushun abruptly turned his head to look at Xu Zhengyang, his eyes filled with expectation and hope. He had an inexplicable and indescribable trust in Xu Zhengyang, always feeling that this young man was mysterious and always exuded a strange air. Although he was very rustic and unsophisticated, with nothing particularly striking about his appearance or speech, it was precisely his calm and composed demeanor in the face of adversity that always brought Yao Chushun a sense of security.
Otherwise, why would the renowned Mr. Gu partner with Xu Zhengyang, with whom he had only had a few superficial encounters, in business? And why would they trust each other so much?
For Zou Mingyuan, this young man named Xu Zhengyang was someone he both deeply resented and inexplicably feared. This kid never seemed to play by the rules; his words and actions were always strange and unpredictable. For example, outside the Yunlai Hotel, he attacked Zou Mingyuan without a second thought, completely disregarding who he was, and then left without hesitation or panic. While he might be considered a thug, no thug could beat someone up with such nonchalance. Last time at Gu Xiangxuan, facing Zou Mingyuan's imposing manner, Xu Zhengyang remained calm, but at the last moment suddenly blurted out, "Manager Zou, this shop is co-owned by me and Master Gu… My name is Xu Zhengyang." Although his tone was flat and his expression calm, anyone could sense his overbearing aura, or to put it bluntly, his blatant arrogance.
Without three points and three lives, who would dare to join Liangshan? Report your name!
Zou Mingyuan later became somewhat worried about Xu Zhengyang's background, wondering if he had any powerful connections. So he inquired about Xu Zhengyang through some people in the industry and high society in Fuhe City, to see if he was some rich kid or a powerful figure. Even if he was a nobody from out of town, he should still be able to make some waves in Fuhe City so that Zou Mingyuan could find out something about him.
However, after asking around, there was no such person as Xu Zhengyang.
One day, when he suddenly remembered that this young man was Zhong Zhijun's friend, who had brought a blue-and-white porcelain jar with dragon and phoenix motifs and lotus patterns to sell at his Tianbaozhai shop, Zou Mingyuan couldn't help but smile bitterly. He had been too cautious and overestimated this young man, thus neglecting that country bumpkin from back then. Xu Zhengyang? Just a mud crab, though he might occasionally get lucky and swing his pincers to injure a servant, his fate was destined to be nothing more than a dish to be served with wine.
What's strange is that such a person would actually partner with Yao Chushun to take over Gu Xiang Xuan.
This is somewhat unbelievable.
So now, whenever Zou Mingyuan sees Xu Zhengyang, he worries from the bottom of his heart about what kind of tricks this mud crab will play and what unbelievable things he will do next.
"Who are you?" Gu Sifang placed one hand on her large belly through her clothes and the other rubbed her sparse, shiny forehead, her eyes filled with disdain as she said, "You're one of the shop assistants, right? Open your eyes wide and look carefully, recognize who I am, use your brain, don't think that those pieces of junk displayed in the counter outside are treasures that you can use to fool me..."
Xu Zhengyang squinted, a cryptic smile on his face. He stepped forward, patted Gu Sifang's shoulder, and said calmly, "My name is Xu Zhengyang. I'm half the owner of Gu Xiangxuan. Oh, this antique shop is a joint venture between me and Master Gu."
That pat on the shoulder is a bit impolite, a bit... what's with the attitude?
"You?" Gu Sifang took a step back with some disgust, and patted the shoulder that Xu Zhengyang had just patted twice.
"Boss Zou, we're old acquaintances, aren't you going to introduce us?" Xu Zhengyang turned to look at Zou Mingyuan and said with a hint of reproach, "I think I told you last time that this shop is co-owned by me and Master Gu, you didn't remember?"
The implication of those words was one of dissatisfaction, carrying a hint of threat and warning.
"Hmph!" Zou Mingyuan snorted, his voice filled with disgust and disdain. "You just said that Gu Xiang Xuan has top-quality products? And... we can't afford them?"
Xu Zhengyang said with a slight surprise, "You two? So, is it you who bought it? Or is it this President Gu who bought it? Oh, so your relationship is like mine and Master Gu's, you're partners?"
Both Zou Mingyuan and Gu Sifang looked slightly embarrassed. Even if they were clearly there to cause trouble, they couldn't just say it outright.
"I'm the one who wants to buy it. Do you have anything good?" Gu Sifang said arrogantly, tilting his head back.
"You just said you wanted good jade?" Xu Zhengyang asked in return.
“Yes, and porcelain... as long as it’s top-quality stuff.” Gu Sifang said with disdain, “Don’t try to fool me with any rubbish. Manager Zou’s eye for quality is no worse than Master Gu’s.”
Xu Zhengyang shook his head, turned to Yao Chushun calmly and said, "Master Gu, I haven't had a chance to tell you yet, hehe. Didn't we agree yesterday to bring over a few pieces of jade today? I'm a timid person, so I didn't dare bring them all, I only brought one. Hmm, you only saw one last time too. It's really strange, all the jade pieces are exactly the same... What? Do you really want to save them for that person in the capital to buy? I don't think this President Gu is short of money. As long as he's willing to spend the money, it doesn't matter who he sells them to. Anyway, there are still a few left. When that person from the capital comes, I'll just bring another one over."
Yao Chushun nodded in surprise, not really understanding what Xu Zhengyang was talking about.
"Oh, by the way, Mr. Gu, how much do you plan to spend on Baoyu?" Xu Zhengyang said as he lit a cigarette and smoked it by himself before sitting down at the table, completely unconcerned that the other three people were standing.
"That depends on what kind of jade it is." Gu Sifang's face darkened.
He'd never been spoken to like that before. Me, willing to spend money? How much do I plan to spend? Is this some kind of belittling?
Xu Zhengyang held a cigarette in his left hand and reached into his trouser pocket with his right. There were no raised creases or wrinkles on the surface of his pocket. When he pulled out his right hand, he was holding a piece of clean and flawless jade.
"Master Gu, do you remember how much you said this jade was worth last time? Three million, right?" Xu Zhengyang smiled as he placed the jade on the table, took a drag of his cigarette, and slowly exhaled the smoke.
"It's more than that, three million is the price offered by Tang Jing, the 'Jade Hand' of the capital, and I haven't agreed to sell it to him yet." Yao Chushun also sat down at the table, his triangular eyes narrowing into slits. His face was full of smugness.
By this point, even the most foolish Yao Chushun would realize that the situation had suddenly reversed, and his side had gained the upper hand, turning the tables on the enemy! Besides, he wasn't stupid at all; on the contrary, he was quite shrewd and... cunning? wicked?
But... is Xu Zhengyang really willing to sell this supposedly family heirloom jade? It used to be something that no one would even be willing to part with!
Yao Chushun felt increasingly grateful to Xu Zhengyang. At this crucial moment, he had actually brought out the precious jade that he valued most, for Gu Xiangxuan, no, for Yao Chushun's face, and for the name of Master Gu! Yao Chushun's triangular eyes, which were filled with joy, became a little moist.
Xu Zhengyang reached out and fiddled with the county register. He seemed to be talking to himself, saying, "Sometimes I wonder, how can this thing be worth so much money? Let's not even calculate it, let's say each piece is worth at least three million. How many pieces are there? Oh, seven pieces, three times seven is twenty-one, twenty-one million..." Suddenly, he turned to Gu Sifang and said, "You should trust Master Gu's judgment, right? Oh, and Boss Zou is here too. Why don't you take a look and see if this thing is worth anything?"
Gu Sifang's expression turned ugly as she looked at Zou Mingyuan.
Zou Mingyuan frowned and pursed his lips. With his discerning eye, he could tell the purity and rarity of the jade with just a glance. But he still found it hard to believe, so he simply put on a serious face, sat down at the table, reached out and took the jade from Xu Zhengyang's hand, and began to examine it carefully.
"Mr. Gu, do you still need to go home and think carefully about whether to buy it or not?" Xu Zhengyang looked at him with concern and said, "I can understand that. After all, three million is no small amount."
Another team is about to be deployed!
Although anyone could tell that there was a provocative undertone in his words, Gu Sifang and Zou Mingyuan could both deeply feel the slightly sarcastic and disdainful tone and look in Xu Zhengyang's eyes if they were in his shoes.
Even after the young man finished speaking, he remained calm, his slightly narrowed eyes as still as water.
At this moment, Zou Mingyuan simply couldn't bring himself to lie and deny the jade's value. He could only say, with a hint of doubt and hesitation, "It is indeed a rare and fine jade, but it certainly shouldn't be worth three million..."
"You son of a bitch! If you don't know anything, don't spout nonsense!" Yao Chushun cursed disdainfully.
Gu Sifang's expression grew increasingly grim. She looked at Zou Mingyuan and said, "Mingyuan, I think you should buy this jade for me first. I came in a hurry and didn't bring a check..."
Zou Mingyuan was furious, inwardly cursing Gu Sifang for being disloyal and a bastard who only cared about interests and had no friends.
Now, Zou Mingyuan and Gu Sifang are essentially backed into a corner. They have no way out but to buy the jade. Originally, they came to embarrass Yao Chushun and damage Gu Xiangxuan's reputation, and everyone said that Gu Sifang would immediately publicize the event within their circle of acquaintances afterward.
But now? Instead, this unassuming mud crab has its lips clamped tightly by its pincers, and when it tries to let go, it finds that it has to painfully give up a piece of meat.
"You should have the contact information for Tang Jing, the 'Jade Hand' of Beijing, right? Why don't you give him a call to confirm?" Yao Chushun's triangular eyes revealed a smug smile as he sarcastically said, "President Gu, this piece of jade is too valuable. Are you reluctant to give it to a friend as a gift?"
"Master Gu, you're making me lose face." Gu Sifang's attitude changed, and he said with a laugh, "I'll take this jade, but Brother Mingyuan has to pay for it first... You wouldn't want me to owe you money, would you, Master Gu?"
“Three and a half million!” Yao Chushun laughed.
Zou Mingyuan was thinking of seizing the opportunity as soon as possible, preparing to use the excuse that it was too expensive to buy, even if it meant losing face, he didn't care, he just wanted to get through this. He knew Gu Sifang's character well, he was afraid that if he paid for the jade today, Gu Sifang would definitely not buy it later, and would even blame Zou Mingyuan for dragging him into this mess and making him lose face.
This piece of jade is indeed a rare treasure, and its value is quite high. However, Zou Mingyuan did not want to buy it. The reason was simple: who was Master Gu, Yao Chushun? Knowing full well who he was, trying to make money from him was simply wishful thinking. Moreover, the feud between Yao Chushun and himself was obvious, and Yao Chushun was eager to fleece him.
If Tang Jing, the jade expert from the capital, said this thing was worth three million, then it would be absolutely believable. The problem is... Tang Jing is the kind of person who is obsessed with precious jade. When he sees such a fine jade, why would he care how much money it costs?
However, before Zou Mingyuan could speak, Xu Zhengyang continued Yao Chushun's words, saying, "President Gu will think it's too expensive."
Another checkmate!
Perfect timing, decisive action—the general's grasp of the moment was so precise and ruthless.
Gu Sifang laughed and said, "Brother Xu, you've gone too far. You probably don't know who I, Gu Sifang, am. Let Master Gu tell you all about me later. Three and a half million, I'll take it! What's a little money like this?" As he spoke, he stood up, patted Zou Mingyuan on the shoulder, and said, "Mingyuan, buy it for me first. I have other things to do, so I'll take my leave now."
"Master Gu, Brother Xu, let's have a proper chat another time."
Gu Sifang turned and walked out, his face extremely gloomy. He had really lost face today! He was now gritting his teeth, hating Zou Mingyuan to the core. Zou Mingyuan had spoken with such confidence and certainty, but in the end, he had been humiliated instead.
"I'm used to being poor, so please don't mind, Mr. Zou," Xu Zhengyang said with a simple smile. "I can't carry cash, and I don't know how to use checks... I don't mind the trouble, let's go to the bank together, and you can transfer the money to my card, okay?"
"Fine, fine!" Zou Mingyuan nodded with a cold smile, put down the jade stone, and got up to walk out.
I'll accept it! Anyway, this jade is worth the price, so buying it isn't a loss. At most, I'll just lose face today, but so what? We'll meet again in the future.
Xu Zhengyang smiled at Yao Chushun, then picked up the county register, got up, and followed him out.
As he walked into the outer hall, seeing the slightly worried looks in his parents' eyes, Xu Zhengyang smiled and waved the county record in his hand. Then, he raised his free left hand, pinched his index and middle fingers together, and with a crisp snap, said, "Dad, Mom, this piece of jade sold for three million... We can even build our pigsty with gold now."
Just as Zou Mingyuan reached the door, pushed it open, and stepped out, he staggered and almost fell headfirst out. He spat out a mouthful of saliva and stormed off towards Tianbaozhai.
Xu Zhengyang whistled as he slowly walked towards the door.
We're not afraid of Zou Mingyuan trying to renege on his promise. Someone like him, who has reached this level of status, wouldn't dare to renege even if he wanted to; he simply can't afford to!
In Zou Mingyuan's office on the second floor of Tianbaozhai.
Zou Mingyuan, his face cold, grabbed his bag and headed out, only to find Xu Zhengyang had followed him in and was standing at the door. He couldn't help but angrily ask, "What are you doing here?"
"I'm afraid you'll deny it later," Xu Zhengyang said confidently.
Zou Mingyuan was so angry that he really wanted to slap Xu Zhengyang across the face right away, but he probably thought he couldn't beat Xu Zhengyang, so he gritted his teeth, snorted, and walked out.
Xu Zhengyang's expression returned to calm, his eyes narrowed again, and he followed Zou Mingyuan.
Three and a half million! We're rich! We're rich! We've struck it rich!
This is practically like getting a huge sum of 3.5 million yuan for free, which is much more worthwhile than winning the lottery, since you have to spend 2 yuan to buy a lottery ticket.
After leaving the bank, Zou Mingyuan ignored Xu Zhengyang and got into his Audi A6, starting the car and speeding away.
Xu Zhengyang stood at the bank entrance, squinting at the clear sky and blazing sun, thinking to himself: Why is the sky so clear today?
I strolled along the main street toward the antique market; it wasn't far, so there was no need to take a taxi.
Xu Zhengyang pondered that he should learn to drive a car, buy a sedan to drive around in his spare time—that's what it means to be cool, that's what it means to be a successful person! Not for his own prestige or how flashy he looks, but just so his parents can look good in the village… Xu Zhengyang's lips curled into a mischievous smile, and he said self-reproachfully, "I'm quite vengeful and petty, just like my mother. Those villagers who used to look down on our family must be so jealous they can't sleep at night seeing our family's life getting better and better, right?"
Hmm, my parents have finally come all the way to Fuhe City, where should I take them for a stroll?
While smugly thinking about these random things, Xu Zhengyang had already arrived at the antique market.
Looking at the conspicuous horizontal plaque of Tianbaozhai from afar, Xu Zhengyang shook his head. He decided to let Zou Mingyuan keep the county record for a while longer. After all, the man had spent 3.5 million, so it was worth having the county record for a few hours. If he wasn't really inseparable from the county record, what was wrong with letting him keep it to admire and play with for three to five days? Anyway, he couldn't bear to break this piece of jade.
At this moment, in Zou Mingyuan's office on the second floor of Tianbaozhai.
Zou Mingyuan carefully wrapped the jade worth 3.5 million yuan in a red cloth, put it in a sandalwood box lined with soft brocade, closed the lid, and carefully placed it in the safe and locked it.
Just after locking it, Zou Mingyuan opened the safe again, took out the jade, and held it in his hands to admire it carefully.
This is great stuff!
At first, I felt cheated, but now, looking at this jade, the more I look at it, the better it seems. I can't find a single flaw; it's practically perfect! Three and a half million? With my connections, I could easily double that price... What dynasty is this thing from? I just can't tell!
However, it is certain that this is an antique, a very old one.
Thinking of Xu Zhengyang saying he had six more, Zou Mingyuan couldn't help but wonder: should I go and buy back all six of the other six he had?
Only by possessing unique characteristics can an object's value increase again and again!
If what Xu Zhengyang said is true, and he has six more pieces of this extremely perfect jade, it is probably impossible to find such a perfect treasure in the world.
Poor Zou Mingyuan never imagined that this unique piece of jade was worth far more than 3.5 million.