Chapter 197: The Auction Begins
The Treasure Holder’s clothes were a real eye-opener for Cheng Yuan, full of all sorts of contraptions.
Things like silk threads and gears, plus plenty of hidden compartments and pockets.
Although Cheng Yuan had never seen anything like it before, he was absolutely certain this was a Magician’s performance outfit.
However, what was hidden inside the Treasure Holder’s clothes weren’t props for magic tricks—like doves, playing cards, or flowers—but shards of porcelain.
These porcelain shards emitted a faint glow, and Cheng Yuan was absolutely certain they all came from genuine artifacts!
Cheng Yuan didn’t need to be a genius to figure out what this Treasure Holder was planning.
Cheng Yuan’s expression grew dark. It was a good thing he had returned from the Provincial City. If he hadn’t, the reputation Yuanxi Auction House had worked so hard to build would be utterly destroyed!
Cheng Yuan’s first instinct was to go apprehend the Treasure Holder and force him to reveal the mastermind behind the scheme.
But he quickly changed his mind.
Yuanxi’s debut auction had been a resounding success, causing a huge stir in the antiques world and earning it a fair bit of fame.
As a result, many influencers had come to ride its coattails.
Among the various influencers, Cheng Yuan even spotted one from a popular short-video app who had a million followers.
This influencer was called Veteran, and most of his videos involved "reality challenges."
Veteran held his selfie stick high, speaking passionately into the camera. "Today’s challenge: acting as a Treasure Holder! I’m going to get a fake appraised by the great Zhang Zhigang! I’m all about keeping it real!"
The stream’s chat was flying by!
"Hahaha! Now this is interesting! Make sure you get a good shot of Coach Zhang smashing the fake later!"
"Whoa! He’s really at an auction house! A place this high-class is something we regular folks would never get to experience in a lifetime!"
"Thank you, Veteran, for showing us the simple, unpretentious lives of the rich."
...
A glint appeared in Cheng Yuan’s eyes. If someone wanted to ruin Yuanxi’s reputation, then he would simply beat them at their own game and seize the opportunity to make Yuanxi even more famous!
He might even have a chance to break into the mainstream!
Cheng Yuan shot a cold glance at the man in the duck-billed cap before following Lin Ruoxi to the front row.
The VIPs in the front row were practically old friends by now. Seeing Cheng Yuan approach, they hurried to their feet to exchange greetings.
Cheng Yuan couldn’t help but feel a wave of emotion. ’Life is truly incredible,’ he thought. ’Two years ago, I was framed and thrown in prison with a bleak future ahead of me.’
But now, not only did he have a beautiful wife, but he had also earned the right to stand and chat cheerfully with these top-tier magnates.
Lin Ruoxi exchanged a few pleasantries with the magnates before excusing herself. Then, under the watchful gaze of the entire hall, she walked onto the dais and began her opening address with poise and grace.
"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to join us at Yuanxi Auction House! Here at Yuanxi, we specialize in premium artifacts. We are committed to protecting the interests of every one of our patrons and Treasure Holders. We will never let a forgery slip through, nor will we ever fail to recognize the true value of a genuine piece! I hope all of our friends here today will find what they are looking for and leave satisfied!"
The hall erupted in applause.
The influencers all quickly pointed their cameras at Lin Ruoxi and exclaimed in genuine awe, "Fam, are you seeing this? That’s Miss Lin Ruoxi, the one they call the Pearl of Luocheng!"
The viewership for every stream exploded in an instant!
"Oh my god, can a woman really be that beautiful? Compared to her, those so-called top ten beauties on the platform are a complete joke!"
"If this Miss Lin started streaming, she’d get a million followers in a heartbeat!"
"To the person above, who are you kidding? Even a goofy guy like our Veteran has several million followers. If President Lin were willing to stream, she’d hit ten million, minimum!"
"I have a few heirlooms at home. Looks like I have to make a trip to Luocheng! Don’t any of you dare try to compete with me for the Pearl of Luocheng!!"
...
Lin Ruoxi’s speech was brief. "So as not to waste the precious time of our esteemed guests and Treasure Holders, I will get straight to the point. I declare this auction officially open! Now, please welcome today’s host, Mr. Xiong Yu!"
Lin Ruoxi was taking today’s auction very seriously, having invited Luocheng’s famous host, Xiong Yu.
Xiong Yu hailed from the Sichuan and Chongqing region. He wasn’t particularly tall, and his Mandarin carried a thick regional accent that put people at ease.
The moment Xiong Yu stepped onto the stage, he was greeted by a wave of thunderous applause.
Xiong Yu gave a slight bow to the VIPs and Treasure Holders below. "Thank you all for your kind reception! It’s your old friend, Xiong Yu! A special thanks to President Lin for entrusting me to host today’s auction. We have a total of one hundred and eight lots today. Seventy-two have been provided by our Treasure Holders, with the remainder coming from Yuanxi’s own collection. Each of our distinguished guests should have an auction catalog. Feel free to look through it to prepare for the bidding! We will begin by auctioning the treasures brought by our Treasure Holders! And now, let’s have our first Treasure Holder come to the stage!"
The first Treasure Holder, his face flushed with excitement, came on stage and proudly presented his treasure.
"Hello, everyone. My name is Qin Tianxiang. This is an heirloom that’s been in my family for generations—a calligraphy scroll from the Song Dynasty. I present it for your appreciation."
Xiong Yu quickly projected an image of the scroll onto the large screen, and the VIPs below began to inspect it and make comments.
Most of the VIPs had some degree of expertise in ancient culture, and they spoke with convincing authority.
About two-thirds of the VIPs thought it was probably genuine, while some believed it was a forgery.
Of course, the preliminary opinions of the VIPs didn’t count. Only Zhang Zhigang, the chief appraiser, could make the final call.
Seeing the VIPs’ lively discussion, Xiong Yu smiled and said, "We’ve shown everyone the details of this piece. Now, according to the rules of Yuanxi Auction House, patrons may place a bid on an item before it is formally appraised. Do we have any opening bids?"
The vast majority of the patrons were cautious, but a few who felt confident in their own judgment were tempted.
VIP number 36, sitting in the second row, raised his paddle.
"Judging from the material and texture, it should be a genuine Song Dynasty piece. However, based on the signature, it’s not the work of a famous master. It has some collector’s value, though. I’ll offer 50,000."
Hearing the 50,000 bid, the other patrons who had been hoping to snag a bargain leaned back in their chairs. For a scroll that hadn’t even been authenticated, 50,000 was a considerable sum.
"Mr. Qin, VIP number 36 has offered 50,000. Are you willing to part with your treasure for that price?"
Qin Tianxiang was extremely confident in his treasure. He shook his head without hesitation. "That price is too low. I request an appraisal."
"Mr. Qin, according to the rules of Yuanxi Auction House, if the item is identified as a forgery, it will be destroyed on the spot. You would lose even this 50,000 offer. Are you certain you want it appraised?"
"I’m certain."
"Please, proceed."
Xiong Yu gestured for him to proceed. Qin Tianxiang carried the scroll to the appraisal area and respectfully placed it before Zhang Zhigang and the other Treasure Appraisers.