Chapter 7

Section Seven: Kraak Porcelain (Part Two)

After selling the gold in this timeline, Wendeji received about 2.7 million yuan, as the quality was not pure enough. He then found a small smeltery, where the silver was re-melted and cast into standard 925 industrial silver, which he sold for 2 million yuan.

As for the large baskets of porcelain, leaving them in the hotel room was not a solution, but moving them all at once would raise questions about how so many items suddenly appeared in the room. So, they stayed a few more days, transporting the items in suitcases, taking turns among the three of them every day.

After counting, there were a total of 200 pieces of porcelain, mostly various plates, with a good number of bowls and vases. Although they knew it was Kraak porcelain, they were all novices in the field of antiques.

Wendeji recalled a Professor Ma he had met at a dinner party, who taught history at a famous local university and was known for his interest in antiques. After flipping through his address book, he found Professor Ma's phone number, arranged to have lunch together, and discussed some matters.

"Indeed, this is Kraak porcelain," Professor Ma examined the plate in his hand, "a typical export porcelain. The characteristic of this type of porcelain is its wide rim, mostly blue and white, with patterns of landscapes, figures, flowers, and fruits in the borders and circular openings on the edges of plates and bowls."

Wendeji adopted a humble and receptive attitude.

"Kraak porcelain can be dated to the Wanli and Kangxi periods. This one is from the Wanli period. The patterns, especially the circular outlines, are drawn in two strokes, a characteristic of porcelain painting from the late Ming and early Qing dynasties."

Wendeji thought this was clearly from the Tianqi period.

"Then this porcelain plate must be quite valuable, right?"

"Don't think of money every time you talk about antiques," Professor Ma showed a look of disdain, "the value of antiques mainly lies in their historical and cultural significance."

As he spoke, he examined the plate from all angles, almost unwilling to let it go, then frowned slightly, "This plate still has a fiery look, could it be a high-quality imitation? Where did you get it from?"

Wendeji thought he couldn't say it was from another timeline, a new product out of the kiln. "I saw some locals selling it in the countryside. The patterns were quite unique, so I bought a few pieces."

"You noticed that very carefully," Professor Ma nodded in approval, "Kraak porcelain is actually a custom-made product, with patterns and decorations designed to meet the aesthetic demands of Europeans, some even directly following European designs."

"Then it should be genuine, right?" Wendeji feigned eagerness to know the authenticity.

"It should be," Professor Ma pondered for a moment, "but such porcelain is not very common in China, and most of the items on the market are salvaged from the sea. However, this plate clearly hasn't been submerged in water."

"If it's genuine, what's the current market value?"

"Well, the market for ceramics is quite complex and has been generally sluggish recently. However, Kraak porcelain is a popular item, with the highest transaction rate among ceramics, but the value of individual pieces is not high. A plate like this could sell for about 3,000 to 4,000 yuan."

"That's not bad," Wendeji feigned satisfaction at getting a good deal.

"But the authenticity is a bit unclear," Professor Ma leaned back in his chair, a subtle smile behind his glasses, "this plate looks genuine, but it still has a fiery look. Kraak porcelain is rarely imitated, and I've never heard of anyone burying fakes."

Wendeji looked anxious, "Professor Ma, can you tell if it's genuine?"

Professor Ma thought for a moment, "Let me introduce you to a friend who specializes in porcelain collection. He's an expert in this field. I'll give you his number, and you can arrange to have him look at it. If it's genuine, he'll definitely want it."

The expert introduced by Professor Ma also surnamed Ma, but was not related to Professor Ma. He was a well-known figure in the collection circle. When Wendeji brought over the 200 pieces, the expert wanted them all. The expert suspected that Wendeji might have discovered a porcelain kiln in Fujian. Not only were the items in excellent condition, but Wendeji also hinted that he had more. Knowing that Kraak porcelain was easy to sell due to its moderate price, the expert was eager to secure a steady supply and agreed to take more if Wendeji had them.

After selling the gold, silver, and porcelain, the total earnings from this trip were about 30 million yuan. Using this money as startup capital, the committee began further actions.

Renting hotel rooms again was clearly not a good idea. Wendeji decided to start a company, spending 20,000 yuan to have all the procedures handled, and a trading company was established. Xiaozishan, who had been declared "not to renew the labor contract" by the company, took on the role of administrative manager full-time. Wendeji also wanted to resign, but with a lot of work and good treatment from his superiors, he couldn't just leave. After much negotiation, he finally agreed to leave in three months. Wang Luobin, on the other hand, was more carefree, submitting a resignation letter and heading to Guangzhou, where he directly joined a small machinery factory as a worker, saying he wanted to "familiarize himself with the skills."

The company was just starting and had nothing. Fortunately, Xiaozishan had lived in Guangzhou for many years and had a wide network of contacts in sales. With money in hand, everything was easier. The office was set up in a long-term business suite in the original hotel, which was an independent unit. Entry did not require passing through the lobby, making it quiet and convenient, with an underground parking space. Xiaozishan converted a small storage room inside into the wormhole entry point, installing a security door. To meet the needs of large-scale cargo transportation, he bought a hydraulic hand truck.

The committee had its first disagreement over the company vehicle. Xiaozishan suggested buying a seven-seat, small-displacement minivan like the Chang'an Star, which was cheap, could carry many people, and was fuel-efficient. Wang Luobin, however, argued that since they would be traveling to the 17th century, such a vehicle would be useless in that timeline—there was no gasoline in the Ming dynasty, and the road conditions were unsuitable for such a small car. He suggested buying a four-wheel-drive diesel-powered off-road vehicle, as diesel fuel was easier to obtain.

After several hours of discussion, the three committee members finally decided to buy an SUV. The car saleswoman was puzzled by their choice, as they rejected the more fuel-efficient new models with electronic fuel injection and opted for an older model of the Jeep Cherokee: four-wheel drive, manual transmission, diesel-powered, and equipped with a winch for self-rescue.

With the car and a source of income secured, what should they do next? The three committee members sat around the conference table, discussing their next plan.

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