Chapter 33

It was clear that Old Guo was somewhat shaken and was seriously considering Little Ding's suggestion.

Little Ding, reading the situation, hurriedly continued to persuade, "Old Guo, as the saying goes, 'When faced with two evils, choose the lesser one.' If you part with one item, you can keep the others. Why pay more for less?"

"Because that item is more valuable than the others," Xiao Yu said neither too lightly nor too heavily. "Old Guo, you need to think this through. A hundred stones are definitely not as valuable as a single piece of jade."

"Damn you..." Little Ding glared at Xiao Yu.

Xiao Yu responded without being polite, secretly sneering. He wasn't stupid and knew that Old Guo's collection was rich and had many fine items. Even if he and Qi Xiang joined forces, they might not be able to handle it all.

As expected, for some precious items, they would at most act as brokers, helping Old Guo find buyers.

Even as brokers, they would earn a commission, making a good amount of money.

However, Little Ding clearly had a different idea. Or rather, Little Ding was already doing the work of a broker.

Xiao Yu glanced at the plump and fair-skinned Young Master Hai. His keen eyesight naturally allowed him to see that Young Master Hai, with his fine clothing and tender fingers, was a man of luxury and wealth.

Little Ding had brought him here and mentioned the incense Buddha. It was clear that Young Master Hai's target was the incense Buddha. Once Little Ding completed his task, he could easily earn a substantial sum, without caring about the fate of others.

However, this did not align with Xiao Yu's interests, and he was bound to oppose it.

When it came to their own interests, neither of them could back down, and they began to argue. Words flew back and forth, like invisible swords clashing in the air, sparks flying.

The scene was almost at the point of direct insults.

Qi Xiang remained calm. After all, his purpose in coming to Huzhou was not for Old Guo's collection, but to leave the是非之地 (troubled place) of Nanjing.

In contrast, Xiao Yu was very concerned. Realizing he couldn't argue with Little Ding alone, he immediately turned to seek support, "Qi Xiang, you should say something. Isn't the incense Buddha more precious and can be a family heirloom?"

"Cough..."

Qi Xiang put down his teacup and nodded, "That's true. After all, some things are a matter of fate. If you part with them, the connection is severed, and you may never see them again."

Old Guo's expression changed, clearly moved by these words.

Seeing this, Little Ding became anxious and was about to speak to change the situation.

At that moment, the previously silent Young Master Hai spoke up, "Three million!"

"What?" The others were stunned.

"I trust Little Ding. If he says your incense Buddha is good, Old Guo, I don't need to inspect it," Young Master Hai said with a faint smile. "If you're willing, I can pay three million for the incense Buddha."

"Three million..." Xiao Yu swallowed, falling silent. He was a small-time operator and couldn't compete with a tycoon.

Meanwhile, Old Guo hesitated, deeply conflicted.

Suddenly, a young man appeared in the room, calling out, "Dad..."

Qi Xiang recognized the young man as Old Guo's son. From his excited expression, it was clear he was very satisfied with Young Master Hai's offer.

In front of others, Old Guo put on a stern fatherly demeanor and shouted, "Get out, don't cause trouble."

The young man, however, was undeterred and said with a grin, "Dad, I'll go get the incense Buddha..."

"You..." Old Guo was angry, but then seemed to think of something, suddenly looking dejected and silent.

Seeing that Old Guo didn't object, the young man immediately left, elated.

A few minutes later, he returned with a box, quickly entering the hall. As soon as he came in, he opened the box and carefully placed the Buddha statue in front of Young Master Hai.

Qi Xiang took a look. The Buddha statue was brown, the carving not particularly fine, the folds of the robe poorly handled, and the features somewhat messy. The facial features were especially blurry.

Strictly speaking, it was a rather crude Buddha statue, not particularly attractive in appearance.

However, the moment the statue was taken out, everyone immediately forgot about its appearance and was captivated by the gentle, fragrant aroma it emitted.

The Buddha statue was fragrant but not overpowering, very elegant and soothing, giving a sense of calm. Despite its small size, about the size of a baby's fist, the fragrance spread quickly, soon filling the entire hall.

Everyone marveled, no one daring to underestimate this unassuming incense statue.

Young Master Hai examined it closely, touched it, and immediately smiled in satisfaction, "Indeed, a rare treasure... No need for more words. If Old Guo has no objections, I'll take this item..."

Old Guo was conflicted, remaining silent.

However, his son, the young man in fine clothes, was beaming and said enthusiastically, "You said you'd buy it for three million, right?"

"Of course," Young Master Hai nodded. "If you don't believe me, we can go to the bank now to transfer the money!"

"Go, let's go now..." The young man was eager.

Young Master Hai glanced at Old Guo, seeing no reaction, and left with the young man.

Once they were gone, Little Ding couldn't help but feel a bit smug, his face lighting up. After all, if this deal went through, he would earn a substantial commission. With a good income, who wouldn't be happy?

In contrast, Xiao Yu's face was somewhat gloomy.

Qi Xiang, however, was indifferent. He examined the incense Buddha on the table. From its oily sheen and fragrance, he could tell it was agarwood, and more specifically, the highest quality agarwood, known as kyara!

Kyara, also known as qinan, was called jiangzhi in ancient times, or duojialuo, jialan, jinan, and qinan in Buddhist scriptures. The names were different, but the substance was the same.

As the best of the best in agarwood, kyara is softer and more fragrant than ordinary agarwood. In a large piece of high-quality agarwood, only a very small part can be considered kyara, making it extremely precious.

In ancient times, only emperors and nobles had the privilege to use kyara, and it was rarely seen by common people. A small piece worth three million, while somewhat expensive, was still worth it.

As Qi Xiang admired the kyara, Old Guo was silent for a moment, feeling somewhat guilty. After all, he had called Xiao Yu from Nanjing with a purpose, but Little Ding's persuasion had changed his mind.

Although, in his heart, giving up the incense Buddha to keep most of his collection was a necessary compromise.

However, considering Xiao Yu's return without success, Old Guo felt a bit embarrassed and wanted to make amends.

Hearing this, Xiao Yu's expression softened. He wasn't stupid and knew he couldn't fall out with Old Guo. After all, Old Guo still had most of his collection, and there might be future opportunities for cooperation.

After a moment's thought, Xiao Yu forced a smile, "Old Guo, are you serious? If we take two items you love, don't be too attached."

"You can take whatever you want," Old Guo smiled. "Of course, I won't say more about the items. It's up to your own judgment. If you take something I like, I'll accept it."

Old Guo's words had a hidden meaning, which everyone understood. If they took something ordinary, he wouldn't blame them for not being warned.

"Old Guo, lead the way," Xiao Yu said, now interested. He didn't believe that with his abilities, he wouldn't gain something.

Old Guo smiled, stood up, and gestured, "Follow me."

Qi Xiang naturally followed, and even Little Ding, who was not directly involved, went along to watch.

A short while later, they arrived at the room Old Guo mentioned. Qi Xiang looked around and had to admit that Old Guo's collection was indeed very rich. The spacious room was neatly arranged with six large shelves.

Each shelf displayed items in a well-organized manner, including ceramics, jade, metal, bamboo, wood, ivory, and lacquerware, a vast array of items. In one word, it was diverse!

Diverse but not specialized, this was the biggest characteristic of collectors like Old Guo. The word "diverse" had both positive and negative connotations, but from an emotional perspective, it leaned more towards the negative.

After all, while the collection was diverse and rich, it lacked refinement.

One must understand that a collector's energy is limited, but antiques and collectibles are endless. A small category within a major category of antiques could be a lifetime of study.

Being proficient in everything means being mediocre in everything.

Many people understood this principle, but most collectors couldn't resist.

Indeed, they couldn't resist their love for antiques. They might try to tell themselves to focus on one type, but when they saw a good item, it felt like being scratched by a cat's claws, unbearable.

Old Guo was undoubtedly one of these people. Most of his savings were spent on collecting items. And once he bought something, he was reluctant to part with it, eventually filling a large room.

There were many items, but Qi Xiang knew that some of these collections were genuine, while others were fake, a mix of the real and the fake.

After all, even the most skilled experts can make mistakes. This was a private collection, not a professional museum, so it was normal to have some fakes.

Old Guo didn't hide this fact and even said openly with a smile, "Xiao Yu, all my lifetime's collection is here. But some items were collected when I was new to the field, and due to my lack of experience, I made a few mistakes."

"To motivate myself and remember the lessons from my mistakes, I kept those items."

Old Guo's eyes showed a hint of cunning, "So be careful. Of course, even if you take the wrong items, it's no big deal. I won't charge you, I'll just give them to you for free. How about that?"

.................

The recommendation will change in the afternoon. I wonder how it will go. If you have votes, give votes; if you can collect, collect. Everyone, please support.

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