Chapter 6: Vision

When Zheng Zheng asked this question, the expressions of those around him became somewhat complicated.

The reason why so many people are gathered around this stall now is that it displays an ancient counterfeit painting, which has been authenticated by experts as "a Qing Dynasty craftsman's imitation of Song Dynasty style".

Without waiting for Zheng Zheng to speak, Zheng Yonghe said from the side. He opened his wallet to take a look, then said to Zheng Zheng: "Wait for me for a moment, I don't have that much cash on me, let me go and withdraw it."

Zheng Zheng nodded, just as he was about to leave this stall with Zheng Yonghe, but after he instinctively glanced at the bronze balance, Zheng Zheng dismissed this thought.

Boss, how much is this painting for sale?

However, this painting needs to be framed after being purchased, as it has not been well preserved, and its condition has deteriorated. If a skilled framer can be found, it could be displayed in the living room as a centerpiece.

Brother, what do you think

It is unclear what the reason is, but this counterfeit painting has somehow made its way to the street market.

The onlookers, seeing that the two were serious about buying the painting, immediately became interested and wanted to witness the commotion. Selling for 3,000 yuan, this painting is not considered expensive, especially since it is from the Qing Dynasty. However, the crux of the matter lies in the fact that this is a counterfeit item made during the Qing Dynasty. Not to mention the potential for appreciation, even selling it would be a challenge.

"Although it is said this way, who would be willing to bring home a counterfeit?" Zheng Yonghe shook his head and said, "Ultimately, this item is still a bit too awkward. If it is placed in the living room and someone knowledgeable recognizes it as a fake, that would be quite embarrassing"

Zheng Zheng stood up and nodded, saying: "Three to four thousand yuan should still be worth it. Nowadays, those art shops dare to ask for eight to ten thousand for their paintings. Although this item is a counterfeit, it is still from the Qing Dynasty. Compared to those mass-produced items, this one holds more value."

He does not have what I have, isn't it just three thousand yuan

Zheng Zheng, upon seeing the indication on the bronze balance, was firmly convinced of the value of this painting. However, after examining the painting repeatedly, he could not discern any clues from it.

Zheng Zheng squatted down while speaking, casually placing the bronze balance on the ground. He then began to examine the landscape painting with a serious expression.

Well... that's about right

"Let's go, stop looking," said Zheng Yonghe

On the bronze balance, this landscape painting quietly appeared in one of the pans, while a small weight rested in the other pan

However, Zheng Zheng believes in the judgment of the bronze balance; since this is the case, there must be something else in this painting that ordinary people cannot see

Most of the people gathered around here are aware of this matter, and at this moment, they are eager to see this intriguing item. The stall owner, however, appears disinterested as he stands behind the stall, allowing these individuals to point and comment on the painting without any intention of selling it. He understands that those viewing the painting are mostly knowledgeable, with very few novices among them. Therefore, his intention in displaying this painting is merely to attract some attention and, by the way, to sell other items on his stall.

Ancient imitation antiques represent a rather awkward category of collectibles. If one claims that these items are fake, it must be acknowledged that they are indeed artifacts from ancient times. Conversely, if one asserts that these items are genuine, they do not correspond to the era they are intended to represent. Thus, the position of such ancient imitation antiques in the modern context is quite uncomfortable

Brother, let me clarify this for you. This scroll painting is an antique imitation from the Qing Dynasty, essentially a counterfeit produced during the Qing Dynasty, yet it is still considered an antique today. If you truly wish to have it, then give me 3,000 yuan, and we can settle this friendship.

"Why are you asking so eagerly when you have no money? Aren't you just making fun of me?" The stall owner was seething with anger but could not express it, so he could only retort to Zheng Zheng in a neither soft nor hard manner.

Zheng Yonghe glanced at Zheng Zheng, and upon seeing Zheng Zheng nod, he no longer hesitated, taking out 3,000 yuan and handing it to the stall owner: "The money is yours, the painting is ours"

The vendor, with a beaming smile, accepted the money, then rolled up the painting, placed it in a box, and handed it to Zheng Zheng

The stall owner was quite pleased to see that Zheng Zheng was determined to buy the painting. Ever since this painting was featured on television, it had become a burden for him, and he hadn't even recouped the cost of acquiring it. Now, selling it for 3,000 yuan, although the profit was not substantial, at least he managed to recover his investment

Well

Someone noticed that Zheng Zheng had taken an interest in this painting and, with a hint of pretentiousness, remarked: "Don't look at it anymore; this is an ancient counterfeit. If you buy it, you'll regret it."

Spending three thousand yuan on such a thing is truly foolish

Currently, Zheng Zheng is perceived by others as merely a naive individual who knows a little about antiques and has a far from discerning eye, akin to a human-shaped automated teller machine.

When Zheng Zheng was appraising the coarse porcelain bowl, Zheng Yonghe was watching from the side, so he had a lot of trust in Zheng Zheng's judgment. Now that he himself cannot identify the issue, he can only ask Zheng Zheng. He is very curious about what exactly caught Zheng Zheng's attention

In the antique street, there is a mix of genuine and counterfeit items, and the presence of fakes is inevitable. However, this particular counterfeit item is distinct from others.

Do not rush to leave just yet, let me take a good look.

In less than ten minutes, Zheng Yonghe returned

Zheng Yonghe waved his hand and said with great enthusiasm: "Since you have set your sights on it, let us buy it now to avoid being outbid by others later. Please wait for me for a moment."

After the stall owner finished speaking, he fixed his gaze on Zheng Zheng, curious to see what this young man would say.

Well, this price is very reasonable

Such a fool is rare to come by; ordinarily, the stall owner would find a way to make some profit from him. However, with so many people aware of the true value of this painting watching from the sidelines, even if the stall owner wanted to, he could not bring himself to lower his price.

This thing is quite interesting," Zheng Yonghe said to Zheng Zheng, while looking at the painting displayed at the stall. "I have heard of such ancient counterfeit antiques before, but I have really not seen many. Today, I consider it an eye-opener.

Although this painting appears to be in the style of Song Dynasty landscape painting, both the ink and the paper material reveal traces of the Qing Dynasty. The artist who created this painting, while closely imitating the brushwork, ultimately faced limitations due to the materials used, resulting in certain deficiencies.

He glanced at the painting and then asked, "What do you think this might be worth?"

Is this appropriate? Zheng Zheng said awkwardly, "I was just planning to go to the store to get some money."

Zheng Yonghe had no time to pay attention to others; he noticed that Zheng Zheng was looking at the painting with a serious expression, which immediately piqued his curiosity. Earlier, when Zheng Zheng was appraising the coarse porcelain bowl, his expression was exactly the same as it was now. Seeing Zheng Zheng look at the painting in this way, Zheng Yonghe's perception of the painting also changed accordingly

This thing... Zheng Zheng squatted down, touched the painting, and after assessing the texture of the paper, he had an estimation in his mind

Although this weight is small, it is still somewhat larger than the weights used when weighing the coarse porcelain bowl in Zheng Yonghe's hand previously

However, no matter how he looked at it, he could not discern even the slightest hint of value in this painting

Having finished speaking, Zheng Yonghe left the stall directly and walked towards the ATM at the entrance of the bulk goods street

After looking back and forth several times, Zheng Yonghe still could not discern any clues. He glanced at Zheng Zheng, who was frowning at the painting beside him, and, unable to contain his curiosity, quietly asked.

Zheng Zheng, who was regarded as a fool by many, nodded and said. Upon hearing this, the vendor felt a surge of happiness, thinking that this item could finally be sold. However, Zheng Zheng's next words shattered his expectations: "But I don't have that much money"

Recently, in a treasure appraisal television program on the provincial channel, a collector presented a painting from his private collection for evaluation by the experts present. After the experts' assessment, the painting was determined to be an ancient imitation antique that is neither definitively fake nor genuinely authentic.

With the payment settled, Zheng Zheng picked up the box containing the painting and was about to leave with Zheng Yonghe when he suddenly heard a mutter.