Chapter 005: Selling by Scraping

Seeing the change in Cang Hai's expression, the person receiving him, who spoke Mandarin with a heavy accent, immediately said: "This is just our estimated price; the actual transaction price will likely be higher, but how much higher is hard to say"

Since such a large gem is genuine, the only hope for those present at the scene is to keep the gem within the company. Good items like this will always have buyers. In addition to the wealthy clients from the Hong Kong market, an increasing number of domestic affluent individuals are also eager to acquire such treasures. To put it simply, as long as the item is of high quality and sufficient prestige, money is not an issue

Canghai intends to hold an auction, but first excludes domestic auction houses. The reasons are threefold: first, the costs are high; second, the procedures are cumbersome; and third, it is well understood that foreign investments in the domestic market enjoy more favorable conditions. Therefore, Canghai's choice of auction houses is primarily focused on Hong Kong, followed by Europe. As for the Americans who are known for their penny-pinching, they are simply not considered by Canghai.

Visit me

After disembarking from the plane, Cang Hai took a taxi directly to the auction house. Upon arrival, there were already people waiting for Cang Hai. The entire process took nearly two hours of back and forth. This group confirmed that the pigeon blood ruby in Cang Hai's possession is top-notch in both material and size

Cang Hai took a look and found only one name written in large clerical script: Qu Guowei

National treasure, oh national treasure

Unfortunately, Cang Hai had no intention of appreciating the luxury of the hotel; upon entering the room, he hung the "Do Not Disturb" sign on the door and entered a mysterious space

Originally, Cang Hai thought that the old man would only look at it for a few minutes, but unexpectedly, the old man stubbornly held the phone, zooming in and out, and continued to watch for almost an hour.

Upon the signing of the agreement, the team on the other side thoughtfully arranged a hotel for Cang Hai, which offers a direct view of Victoria Harbour. It is incredibly luxurious, featuring a suite that not only includes a reception room but also an entertainment room equipped with a billiard table. Cang Hai, who is somewhat inexperienced, was left in a daze. He spent nearly half an hour just gazing at the imported wines displayed in the cabinet, completely taken aback by the prices listed above.

Without further ado, Cang Hai made a decisive gesture and set the tone, thus this piece of gemstone was auctioned by this old auction house

Although the items were carried on one's person, the vast sea is also aware of the old saying that wealth should not be displayed. It understands that even renowned masters are not immune to some who are fickle-minded and have malicious intentions. How could one be willing to take out tangible objects for an old man to toy with

I have a gem that I would like you to appraise

Of course, upon reflection, it becomes clear that someone of such a high social status would come directly to meet a nameless and hopeless young man like Cang Hai. Surely, it cannot be to admire his looks.

Qu Guo felt somewhat disappointed, but he could also understand the mentality of a person like Cang Hai; if he were in that position, he too would not easily showcase such a treasure to others

The old man’s eyes lit up as he took the phone and began to focus intently on it

Yes, it is Mr. Qu Guo!

Saying this, he handed the phone to Qu Guowei.

Knowing that it is a century-old auction house, its credibility is impeccable. Therefore, I directly scheduled a time here in Canghai, preparing to first go to the port city to exchange the largest gem on the neck armor for cash to enjoy myself. As for returning to my hometown, that can naturally be postponed for a few more days.

The only regret is that the items do not belong to them; they belong to Cang Hai. How they are sold depends on whether Cang Hai is willing. Even if the gold pieces are smashed and put up for auction, it is ultimately a matter that only Cang Hai can decide, and it has nothing to do with these appraisers.

Seeing the old man looking dejected, Cang Hai opened his phone and said: "I have different angles here!"

Hiss

The vast sea can no longer afford to sit idly; he stood up and took a couple of steps forward while extending his hands: "Hello, sir, your name is indeed renowned."

Upon hearing the mention of the vast sea, the foreigner turned and left. Before long, he returned with an elderly gentleman, who had a slicked-back hairstyle and appeared vigorous and spirited.

After reviewing the Dayang Festival armor again, I recalled the impressions left in my mind. Cang Hai took a photo with his phone, and then we returned to the hotel room

... ...

Moreover, obtaining several billion all at once holds little significance for Cang Hai. Furthermore, money depreciates daily, whether it is soft currency or US dollars, or any other form; to put it bluntly, it is merely a piece of paper and cannot be considered a store of value. In contrast, this set of ceremonial armor retains its value at all times, at least far more than mere paper. Therefore, Cang Hai decided to sell a little whenever cash is needed, starting with gemstones and then moving on to armor, ensuring a steady flow.

Next, it was yet another round of busy work, dealing with various chaotic matters such as contract reviews. This continued until nightfall, and only then did we manage to finalize the main parts. In fact, there wasn't much to it; it was just that Cang Hai was particularly meticulous. To put it this way, at that time when taking the college entrance examination and looking at reading comprehension, Cang Hai had never been this serious.

Hearing the estimated prices given by this group of middle-aged men, Cang Hai couldn't help but gasp. He did not expect that rubies could be sold at such prices

Cang Hai did not accept his suggestion, insisting on selling only the gems on the surface, dismantling them for sale

After a long pause, he finally said: "If my suggestion is really approved for appraisal, it is best to auction it as a whole. The value of this item, once split, is not as high as when auctioned in its entirety"

The elderly man's Chinese is quite good, although it carries a slight Hong Kong accent, yet his pronunciation is still fairly authentic

Soon, the news arrived, pulling Cang Hai, who was about to take a shower, back to the computer side.

Upon seeing the items washed ashore by the vast sea, the reception staff on that side immediately became somewhat unsettled. Although he had never seen such an item before, his years of professional experience told him that the object in the hands of this reckless man from the internet was most likely a national treasure.

With money in my pocket and no longer burdened by the pressures of my previous life, I decided to indulge myself here by the vast sea. I drove directly to a hotel I had never even considered before. I stubbornly spent over 2,000 yuan for one night and gritted my teeth as I booked a room and moved in.

Took out the notebook and directly went to the auction house to start inquiring

Staying at a hotel that costs 2,000 per night felt like a dream for Cang Hai, who found little difference between it and an ordinary commercial hotel. After one night, Cang Hai moved to the parking lot, spending several hundred to obtain a monthly pass. He treated his car as his home, as there was space available. He parked the car and crawled into the space, lying on the grass with one hand grasping the Seed of Life and the other touching the Golden Ritual Armor. Cang Hai felt that he could still attain spiritual peace.

Cang Hai has his own plans. If the entire set of ceremonial armor were to be sold, it would be considered a national treasure, described as priceless. However, once it goes to auction, it must have a price. How many billions could it fetch when sold as a complete set? If sold piece by piece, many people could afford them, and the total price would inevitably rise.

How ridiculous, the money in my pocket is only worth a bottle of wine now

Cang Hai took a sniff from the wine bottle, and although he could smell nothing, it still stirred a sense of indignation within him. He cursed a couple of times, lamenting the stench of the rich feasting behind the vermilion gates while the roads were littered with the frozen bones of the dead, before finally placing the wine bottle back in its original spot

I am currently unable to provide you with a valuation, as we have not seen the actual item. If it is convenient for you, you may come to our auction house, and we will arrange for an on-site appraisal and estimated value for you. If your item is genuine, the price it fetches at auction will surely satisfy you

"Mr. Qu, I only have the photos with me right now; as for the actual items, I cannot possibly carry them on my person," said Cang Hai with difficulty.

Cang Hai wore a look of frustration, for although he had traveled extensively, visiting numerous countries in Europe and America, it was indeed his first time in the port city. Not to mention friends, he had only met a few acquaintances today.

After Zhou Ze made some money, he gradually began to indulge in antiques and took on the persona of a cultured individual, thus he became somewhat familiar with certain matters related to the auction industry.

The old man is not tall, approximately 1.65 meters in height, and his kind and gentle appearance immediately evokes a sense of familiarity in others

Saying this, the foreigner presented a card in both hands to Cang Hai

Hello, Mr. Cang

Having obtained the Hong Kong and Macau travel permit, Cang Hai headed straight to the port city with the large gem he had pried off. As for several auction houses in Europe, they were completely disregarded, and naturally, Cang Hai abandoned them as well.

The foreign butler was signaled to leave, and on this side of the sea, Qu Guo had the old gentleman sit down. The old man and the young one chatted aimlessly for about ten minutes. Finally, Cang Hai understood that the reason the old man had come to see him was not for anything else but for the photograph he had taken. Naturally, he was not interested in the gem, but rather wanted to see the complete neck armor that Cang Hai held in his hand.

Cang Hai did not realize that the one chatting with him was no longer just one person, but rather seven or eight heads gathered together, fixated intently on this golden neck armor

The direct choice was the major auction house, and it seemed that none of those online platforms were even considered. A message was sent out, but there was no response from Europe; however, the port city was the first to reply.

The photo appears to be somewhat lacking

The words that followed from Cang Hai directly caused them to spit blood.

As the vast sea seemed to be yawning, the old man reluctantly put down his phone

Cang Hai has heard of the old man's name. Let me put it this way: anyone who is involved in antiques knows this gentleman. He is well-known in the circle, often referred to as the Southern Qū and Northern Mǎ, and is now considered a master in appraisal.

Cang Hai is determined to see for himself, wanting to hear what kind of person the mythical figure described by Zhou Ze truly is

Just as I was about to continue turning east and then west to take a look, I suddenly heard someone ringing the doorbell. While gazing out at the vast sea, a foreign gentleman dressed in a tailcoat walked in, speaking in fairly authentic Mandarin: "Mr. Cang, someone is here to visit you"

Sir, how may I assist you

Please let him in

After chatting for about five minutes, Cang Hai sent over the things he had recorded with his phone.

Regarding Cang Hai's insistence on only selling gemstones, there has been a chorus of criticism. Several appraisers have resorted to using Cantonese slang, expressing their disdain. In their view, an entire piece holds greater artistic value and historical significance; removing the gemstones from it is akin to inviting divine retribution. The destruction of cultural relics is something that incites their deep-seated resentment.

I am not selling the whole thing; I just want to buy the largest gem on it

Mr. Cang is being modest; it is merely the affection of friends, a slight reputation! The old man is indeed quite polite, and after shaking hands with Cang Hai, he began to humble himself.