Chapter 39

Understanding Guo Fatzi's intention, Yang Kang realized that he had hit him, but he did not ask for any compensation. He had visited Ruyi Workshop and saw a row of vases on their family's display cabinet, assuming he liked such things. Thus, he picked out two beautiful vases to give to him as a way to apologize.

However, upon careful reflection, Yang Kang realized he had been brainwashed by Guo Fatzi. What else could the Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white vase be used for besides playing with it? To hold soy sauce? How could it be so expensive?

"The Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white glaze is extremely rare," Professor Qin said seriously.

"Doesn't the Yangzhou Museum have one?" Yang Kang suddenly smiled, "If there is one, there could be a second, or even a third, or more."

"I also agree with your point of view," Professor Qin said, then he leaned closer to Yang Kang and said with a smile, "Young Master, can you show me your Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white glaze? I went to the Yangzhou Museum to see that vase, and it was truly beautiful. However, I couldn't touch it through the glass cabinet, which is a bit of a pity. If you have it, bring it out and let me, an old man, touch it?"

"No, no!" Yang Kang hurriedly shook his head, "Where are you thinking, old sir? Do you think I have such a thing?"

"It's hard to say. You have a Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain jar with a figure pattern. Who knows if you have a Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white glaze?" Professor Qin shook his head, "I won't chat with you anymore. I'll go and repair this Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white for you."

As he spoke, he held the brocade box containing the Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white and turned to leave.

Yang Kang hurriedly opened the door for him, but at that moment, the door was pushed open, and a man in his thirties, supporting an elderly man in his sixties, walked in.

"Be careful, don't bump into me, old man," Professor Qin, holding the brocade box with the utmost care, was almost hit by the middle-aged man pushing the door open. He couldn't help but say, "If you break my thing, can you afford to pay for it?"

"What rare thing do you have, do you think it's a painting by Emperor Huizong of Song?" The young man, hearing this, felt very unhappy and couldn't help but retort sarcastically.

"You—how dare you talk to me like that?" Professor Qin snorted, his face turning cold, and he laughed coldly, "If you break a painting by Emperor Huizong of Song, I can't afford it, but if you break a Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain jar with a figure pattern, can you afford it?" He really didn't believe that anyone in this world would dare to say that breaking a Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white porcelain jar was no big deal.

"Tongkai, don't talk nonsense," Zhu Zhenye hurriedly said, "Old Qin, you're so old, why are you still arguing with a child?"

"Ah..." Professor Qin was stunned for a moment and hurriedly called out, "Old Zhu, how can it be you?"

"Uncle Zhu, please come in and sit down," Yang Kang hurriedly welcomed Zhu Zhenye.

Professor Qin, after being stunned, quickly recovered. Zhu Zhenye had come at Yang Kang's invitation—since they both lived in Jinling, one was a master of mounting, and the other was an expert in antique appraisal and ancient porcelain restoration. They naturally saw each other from time to time, though they didn't have much of a relationship, they were still acquaintances.

Zhu Zhenye just nodded at Yang Kang and looked at the brocade box in Professor Qin's hands, asking with a smile, "What is it?"

"Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white!" Professor Qin said proudly, "Do you think I'm lying to your son?"

"You're just bluffing!" Zhu Zhenye laughed, "Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white isn't worth much, it's everywhere?"

"Come, come, come, Old Zhu, let me show you something," Professor Qin said, taking the lead and inviting Zhu Zhenye to sit down. Then he placed the brocade box on the coffee table and opened it.

Zhu Zhenye carefully looked inside. It was indeed a blue-and-white porcelain, but whether it was a Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white, he really didn't know. He immediately asked, "Is it real? It looks like a modern craft from Jingdezhen to me."

"Humph!" Professor Qin said unhappily, "Old Zhu, you can doubt my character, but don't question my appraisal skills. I'm telling you, take this opportunity to touch it. If you miss it, you'll never have the chance to touch a real Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white again."

Seeing how mysterious he was, Zhu Zhenye was also curious. He carefully reached out to touch it, picked up a piece of broken porcelain, and examined it, then carefully put it down and said, "Old Qin, I'm not doubting you, but this Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white looks too new."

Yang Kang was stunned for a moment. When he first saw the Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white jar with the Mozi Rescuing Song pattern, it was already broken, so he didn't think much about it. He had collected the fragments, planning to find someone to repair it and then sell it to get some money. But now that Zhu Zhenye mentioned it, he suddenly realized that this Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white was indeed very new, just like the Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white vase with the white dragon pattern, both looked brand new, as if they were recently made in Jingdezhen.

In fact, the two vases given to him by Guo Fatzi were both brand new, with no signs of age, even lacking the aura of ancient porcelain, making it hard not to doubt.

"Yes, it's very new!" Professor Qin, however, was not at all concerned and laughed, "Because it's very new, even if it's broken, I can repair it, and it will still look very good. Just thinking about it makes me excited. In the future, when people talk about this national treasure-level Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white jar with the Mozi Rescuing Song pattern, they will say—look, this was originally broken, and Old Qin repaired it."

Zhu Zhenye smiled and shook his head, not saying anything more. Zhu Tongkai, however, was very curious and asked, "Is it really a Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white? How much is it worth?"

"Once I, an old man, repair it, it will be priceless, humph!" Professor Qin said, "So, you have to be careful."

Yang Kang found that Professor Qin's personality was very open and cheerful, extremely humorous and witty, with a childlike temperament, expressing his emotions openly, making him very easy to get along with. In comparison, Zhu Zhenye was not so easy to please.

So, while Zhu Zhenye and Professor Qin were talking, he hurriedly poured tea and invited Zhu Zhenye to drink it, "Uncle Zhu, please have some tea."

Zhu Tongkai, who had been disappointed at Professor Qin's place, immediately said to Yang Kang, "No need to rush with the tea, bring out your ancient painting for me to see? In such hot weather, you made my father come all the way here, don't try to fool us with a high-quality imitation."

Although Yang Kang felt a hint of disdain in his tone, he didn't mind. He immediately turned and walked to one side, bringing out the "New Bamboo" painting he had prepared.

Professor Qin, who was about to leave with the brocade box containing the Yuan Dynasty blue-and-white fragments, immediately placed the box carefully on a couch by the window and turned to look at the painting.