Chapter 18

When Zhang Tianyuan heard the words of Old Dong, he was truly moved. He was in dire need of money, especially for his father's medical treatment, for which he had already borrowed several ten thousand yuan from Xu Gang. He also needed money to start his own business, and the jade shop could not develop without funds. Without money, he couldn't even get good goods, let alone achieve his greater ambitions. The jade shop was just the beginning; he planned to venture into calligraphy, paintings, and ceramics in the future. How could he afford to do all that without money?

Although 100,000 yuan might not seem like much in today's society, given how many wealthy people there are, it couldn't even buy a decent car. In Shangpu, the down payment for a house would be several million yuan. What could 100,000 yuan buy? But on the other hand, Zhang Tianyuan was still a penniless man. To him, 100,000 yuan was a huge sum. With this money, he could do many things.

Just as he was considering whether to agree, Liu Mengxun suddenly spoke up.

Liu Mengxun had been unusually quiet today, listening silently to the others. But at this moment, she suddenly spoke.

"Old Dong, as far as I know, not long ago at an auction in Hong Kong, a seven-page manuscript of Wang Shizhen's 'Preface to the Cai Gen Tang Poetic Collection' was sold for 1.18 million Hong Kong dollars... If you weren't a friend, I wouldn't say anything. After all, in the antiques business, the better your eye and knowledge, the more money you can make. But Zhang Tianyuan is my friend, and I can't let him take a loss."

Hearing Liu Mengxun's words, Old Dong's facial muscles twitched, not out of anger, but out of regret.

"Damn, over a million Hong Kong dollars, is this little book really worth that much!" Xu Gang was completely stunned.

Zhang Tianyuan was also shocked. He realized once again how ignorant he was. Although he had the Six-Character True Mantra, his level of earth qi was too low to accurately estimate the value of items. He never expected this thing to be so expensive.

However, compared to Xu Gang, he remained much calmer. He knew that he would encounter many such situations in the future. If he was this shocked now, he might die from excessive shock later.

Mou Ying patted Xu Gang, signaling him to calm down.

Now, Mou Ying also felt that he had been too shortsighted. He had almost bought something worth over a million yuan for just a few thousand.

"Ha ha, Old Dong, you really missed this one. Miss Liu is no ordinary person. She has been exposed to these things since childhood and has specialized in this field. Although her eye might not be as good as yours or mine, her knowledge is broad," Old Li laughed. "I'll offer 2 million yuan. Young Zhang, sell it to me."

Zhang Tianyuan did not respond, but Xu Gang, who was standing beside him, was anxious. He pinched Zhang Tianyuan's arm and whispered, "What are you waiting for? 2 million yuan, you're rich!"

Even though Xu Gang was wealthier than Zhang Tianyuan, 2 million yuan was still a significant amount to him, so his excitement was understandable.

Zhang Tianyuan shook his head. He now realized that the four experts in front of him were not to be underestimated. They wouldn't have offered such a high price if Liu Mengxun hadn't spoken up. Indeed, in the antiques world, friends were unreliable, and he needed to develop his own keen eye.

"Old Dong, why are you causing trouble? Although the manuscript is indeed a genuine work by Wang Shizhen, it's not his poetry. Moreover, there's no reference point, so it might not be as valuable as his poetry collection," Old Dong said irritably.

"Old Dong, you're mistaken. Rarity is what makes things valuable. The beauty of this little book is that it's a unique copy, and there are no others. It not only has Wang Shizhen's handwriting but also paintings by a Qing dynasty artist. We don't know who the artist is yet, but what if it turns out to be someone even more famous than Wang Shizhen? That would make this item even more valuable," Mr. Xiao smiled.

"Predictions are useless."

"Yes, you have a point. However, just based on the fact that it's a genuine work by Wang Shizhen and a unique copy, its value will not be less than 2 million yuan, and for collectors who love such items, it could be priceless. Since Old Dong doesn't like it, I'll take it. Brother Zhang, 3 million yuan, I'm being fair, right? As soon as you agree, I can transfer the money to your bank account!" Mr. Xiao said proudly.

"You brat!" Old Dong stomped his foot in anger.

"3.5 million yuan!" Suddenly, the gentle and refined Mr. Murong adjusted his glasses and said expressionlessly.

In the antiques world, although there is a sense of camaraderie, when it comes to valuable items, the highest bidder wins. No one would accuse you of bullying the elderly or the young. The one with the deepest pockets, the most money, and the best eye is the king of this industry. It's that simple.

Fair and straightforward, no unnecessary complications, relying on one's own abilities to earn a living.

Mr. Murong probably also agreed with Mr. Xiao. This item was a unique copy, and its value would only increase over time. As long as it was well-protected, it could be sold for an even higher price in the future.

Moreover, this item could serve as a treasure to attract customers to the shop, which would have a significant impact.

Old Dong was truly angry at this point. He suddenly slammed the table and said, "4 million yuan! No one else can have it, I want it!"

The other three were intimidated by his气势 (momentum). Although they wanted to bid higher, they considered their future interactions and decided it would be unwise to continue. Most importantly, Old Dong was the wealthiest among them. If they pushed him too far, they wouldn't stand a chance.

Offering such a high price pained Old Dong, but he could afford it. He regretted not buying this item years ago when it could have been purchased for just 100 yuan.

That was the price of being young and arrogant, thinking he knew everything when he actually knew nothing.

At this moment, Mou Ying stared at the comic book that Old Dong was tightly holding. She opened her mouth to say something but then swallowed her words.

"Yingzi, do you want this too?" Zhang Tianyuan had been observing everyone's expressions and couldn't help but ask when he saw Mou Ying's hesitation.

To him, Old Dong, Old Li, Mr. Xiao, and Mr. Murong were not as close as Mou Ying.

First, Mou Ying was his old classmate. Second, she was his good friend's girlfriend. Third, she had helped him a lot recently, and he felt he owed her a favor. If she really wanted the comic book, he would sell it to her at a lower price.

Mou Ying's expression was a bit awkward. She lowered her head, thought for a moment, and finally mustered the courage to say, "Yes, I want it too. I had planned to buy it for the same reason."

"What reason?"

"I may not have told everyone, but my grandfather was a professor at the Shangpu Museum. A few years ago, the museum was robbed, and a batch of items was lost, including a supposedly very valuable comic book. My grandfather resigned due to that incident and left the Shangpu Museum. But he still thinks about it and wants to recover the stolen items..."

"Could it be that this item was stolen from the Shangpu Museum?" Old Dong frowned, as this would complicate matters.

Mou Ying shook her head. "No, that item is not as valuable as this comic book. However, I think if I can use this to replace it, it might help alleviate my grandfather's regret."