Chapter 7

"Which means, if you buy this thing, it will just rot in your hands."

Qi Xiang didn’t even blink, and while belittling it, he added a harsh kick: "Most importantly, collecting such things also involves some risks..."

As he spoke, Qi Xiang put on an air as if he was helping them avoid disaster, and it was time for them to be grateful.

Wang Dong was almost speechless with anger, and he gained a deep understanding of Qi Xiang’s shamelessness. Did this guy not know his reputation? Was his name as a mountain tiger just a boast?

When a hint of displeasure appeared on Wang Dong’s face, Qi Xiang, as if he had anticipated it, quickly added: "Of course, the item is indeed good. If Brother Dong thinks 100,000 is too little, I can add another 50,000."

"150,000, deal?" Qi Xiang said as if it pained him: "This price is really not low."

Wang Dong laughed in anger, and without beating around the bush, he directly held out a palm: "500,000..."

"200,000!" Qi Xiang’s expression turned serious, adding a bit of formality.

"450,000." Wang Dong also made a concession.

"Final offer, 300,000!"

"Deal!"

After friendly negotiations, the two reached an agreement and then both smiled happily.

The subsequent situation was not detailed. At Qi Xiang’s indication, Wang Dong and his people packed the items and, instead of taking a plane or train, directly transported them by road back to Jinling.

The next day, Qi Xiang appeared in Jiang Baiwan’s villa with the items and successfully completed the task.

The items were neatly arranged, some damaged, some intact, with varying conditions. Jiang Baiwan looked at one, then touched another, and then grinned widely: "Brother, you’re really something. So many good things at such a low price. Wang Dong was complaining to me yesterday, saying you’re even more ruthless than he is."

"I didn’t let you down," Qi Jiao smiled. "As long as you’re satisfied."

"Satisfied, of course satisfied." Jiang Baiwan walked to the ancient tripod and stroked it. "This big guy, even if it’s a pit find, you can’t get it for less than 500,000 elsewhere. You did well, getting it for 300,000, and even with a bunch of other things. Your tongue is sharper than a knife."

Jiang Baiwan praised endlessly, his face beaming with joy.

Qi Xiang suddenly hesitated and asked, "Boss Jiang, are you buying this tripod for yourself to play with, or do you have another use for it?"

"Hmm?" Jiang Baiwan paused, then turned and smiled. "Why do you ask? Are you interested in it? I can’t give it to you, but I can lend it to you for a while. A week, return it to me after a week..."

"So, you plan to give the ancient tripod to someone else?" Qi Xiang picked up on the implication.

"More or less." Jiang Baiwan smiled frankly. "I’m negotiating a deal with someone, and they seem to really like ancient bronze tripods. I’m just catering to their preferences."

"An important deal?" Qi Xiang asked.

"Very important..." Jiang Baiwan nodded, also a bit curious. "Brother, why are you interested in my business? Do you want to learn from me?"

Qi Xiang ignored it and muttered to himself, "Such an important deal, there must be many competitors. If you can think of catering to their preferences, won’t your competitors think even deeper and try to trip you up?"

Jiang Baiwan’s face changed instantly. "Brother, what do you mean by that?"

"Nothing much." Qi Xiang spoke bluntly. "Boss Jiang, don’t you think this is too coincidental? You want an ancient bronze tripod, and someone immediately brings it to you. And I pressed the price so low, and he agreed."

"You mean..." Jiang Baiwan’s face darkened. "These things are problematic?"

"Whether they’re problematic depends on how you look at it." Qi Xiang stood up and walked to the tripod. "Boss Jiang, what do you think of this item?"

"Huh?" Jiang Baiwan’s face changed again. "Is it a fake?"

"Probably not a fake..." Qi Xiang squatted down, tapped the tripod’s legs, and analyzed. "This is a bronze artifact. The main methods for identifying bronze artifacts are: casting method, shape, inscriptions, decorative style, and material characteristics."

Jiang Baiwan nodded half-understandingly, quite interested. "Brother Qi, tell me more."

"Sure." Qi Xiang smiled. "I only know the basics, the general methods."

"First, the casting method. Bronze artifacts from different eras have different casting methods. In the Shang and Zhou dynasties, most bronze artifacts were cast using the clay mold method."

"Artifacts cast using the clay mold method, due to technical reasons, will definitely have some very obvious mold marks. Especially for large bronze artifacts, they are made by combining molds."

"After combining several clay molds and pouring the bronze, once the bronze cools, the clay mold is broken to get the bronze artifact. However, such bronze artifacts are often rough on the surface and need careful polishing to become smooth, with clear patterns and a bright color."

"Such a casting method emphasizes one mold for one artifact, breaking the mold to get the artifact, so bronze artifacts made using the clay mold method basically don’t have identical ones."

Qi Xiang continued, "The clay mold method was used from the Shang and Zhou dynasties until the Spring and Autumn period, and was only replaced by another method after the Warring States period."

"What method?" Jiang Baiwan asked promptly.

"The lost-wax method." Qi Xiang answered. "The clay mold method uses clay molds, while the lost-wax method uses wax molds. In terms of cost, wax molds are undoubtedly cheaper, and the technique is more advanced, allowing for more refined artifacts."

"After the technological innovation, the clay mold method naturally gradually faded from history."

Qi Xiang smiled. "Since bronze artifacts were already very valuable in ancient times, people in every dynasty have tried to forge them. However, they didn’t know the ancient casting principles and methods, focusing only on the shape and still using the lost-wax method, which is a significant flaw."

"Skilled appraisers, when seeing a bronze artifact from the Shang and Zhou dynasties, will immediately look for mold marks. If there are no mold lines, they know the item is either from the wrong era or problematic."

As he spoke, Qi Xiang pointed to the tripod. "I looked carefully, and there are no mold marks on this thing..."

"So it’s fake?" Jiang Baiwan’s honest face also showed a hint of sharpness.

"No, no, no..." Qi Xiang waved his hand. "I just mean that the lack of mold marks indicates it was cast using the lost-wax method. Artifacts cast using the lost-wax method generally have very clear and intricate patterns, without the need for further polishing."

"Patterns..." Jiang Baiwan examined the tripod. "What about the patterns on this tripod?"

The tripod had three legs and two handles, with a circle of patterns on the surface, similar to relief carvings, more like a square structure, with a strong texture.

"These are cloud and thunder patterns, popular during the Shang and Western Zhou dynasties, and still used in the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods."

Qi Xiang explained, "This pattern has existed since the Neolithic era, said to have evolved from spiral patterns. Its main function is to embellish and highlight, enhancing the aesthetic appeal of the bronze artifact."

"So, the patterns are fine?" Jiang Baiwan asked.

"Yes, no problem." Qi Xiang nodded. "The pattern style matches the era of the artifact, so there’s no issue."

"Then is it the shape, material, or smell?" Jiang Baiwan asked, noting that the tripod had no inscriptions, saving one step.

"Strictly speaking, these are either fine or problematic." Qi Xiang shook his head lightly. "Actually, the biggest issue with this thing is... the era!"

"What?" Jiang Baiwan was confused. "The era?"

"Yes, the era." Qi Xiang confirmed. "The era is wrong."

Jiang Baiwan scratched his head, puzzled. "Brother Qi, explain clearly. How can the era be wrong?"

"Boss Jiang, if someone told you they miraculously found a Han dynasty artifact in a Warring States period tomb, would you believe it?" Qi Xiang said surprisingly.

"What?" Jiang Baiwan was stunned, not reacting.

Qi Xiang smiled and said confidently, "This is a Han tripod."

"Han tripod..." Jiang Baiwan was still confused.

Qi Xiang continued, "But the tomb Wang Dong excavated is from the Warring States period. All the burial goods are from the Warring States period, except for this tripod, which is from the Han dynasty..."

"Han tripod!" Jiang Baiwan rubbed his bald head, a sharp light flashing in his eyes, then he smiled. "Brother Qi, you’ve really gone through a lot. Let’s go eat, to wash away the dust of your journey."

"Sure..." Qi Xiang happily followed.

He had said what needed to be said. Given Jiang Baiwan’s shrewdness, he should understand the implications. Whether he believed it or not, Jiang Baiwan would weigh it himself, and there was no need for Qi Xiang to say more.

At the restaurant, the table was filled with delicious food and drinks.

Jiang Baiwan was very热情, constantly urging Qi Xiang to drink and eat. Qi Xiang accepted everything, eating very happily.

After a satisfying meal, Qi Xiang tactfully took his leave. As he was about to leave, Jiang Baiwan asked him to wait, then had someone bring over a bulging small leather bag and hung it on his arm.

Patted Qi Xiang’s shoulder, Jiang Baiwan said meaningfully, "Brother Qi, you’ve done me a favor again. You know me, I don’t say much, but I remember everything in my heart."

Qi Xiang was very calm and left with the bag.

Leaving the residential area, he hailed a taxi to go back.

In the car, Qi Xiang secretly opened the bag and found ten bundles of cash. Each bundle was 10,000, so ten bundles were 100,000. This amount was equivalent to his store’s annual profit.

"Seven thousand more..." Qi Xiang was a bit surprised.

According to the industry rules, since he had been commissioned by Jiang Baiwan to buy the items from Wang Dong and played a mediating role, after the transaction, Jiang Baiwan should pay him 10% of the deal amount as a commission.

...

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