Chapter Nine, Danqing

He watched as Gu Qing's figure began to fade from view, hurriedly chasing after her, and said: "Young master, please hold on."

After leaving the antique shop, Gu Qing went nearby to purchase some items, and then left the city to return home. There was still about one hour until the agreed dinner time, which was sufficient to unveil the secrets within the painting. Therefore, Gu Qing began to take action

Until I counted to ten, I was astonished, did he really leave

Gu Qing seemed not to have heard

The statue of the Buddha was extremely worn and lacked luster. If it were not for its obvious age, the shopkeeper would not have regarded it as an antique at all, having kept it relegated to a corner. Unexpectedly, Gu Qing actually took a liking to it

The craftsmanship of the person who mounted this painting truly deserves to be called extraordinary

In fact, he only spent 10 taels of silver on this Buddha statue, and 500 taels would already be a substantial profit

The shopkeeper appeared somewhat disheartened, not expecting that this young man was not entirely unlearned. He continued, "At the very least, young master recognizes the value of this Buddha statue; is 500 taels not too low?"

He was truly out of his mind at the time to have accepted this painting

Gu Qing pointed at the painting scroll and said, "However, this scroll does not appear to be more than 200 years old, and the materials used are quite ordinary"

Gu Qing said: "I am not very sure, so spending five hundred taels of silver is not a big loss; if you want me to pay more, then forget it."

Gu Qing also showed no signs of joy; he truly did not understand what use the Buddha statue had, or perhaps it was merely his illusion

The shopkeeper increasingly felt that the chances of closing this deal today were very high

He spread the painting on the table, focusing on the red lips of one of the washerwomen

Gu Qingdao said: "I will not hide it from you, this Buddha statue has some significance, but I can offer at most 500 taels. You also need to put the painting from earlier together and send it to me."

As for that painting, it is indeed a forgery, but he discerned that there is more to it than meets the eye. The craftsmanship is so exquisite that even experts may not be able to tell. Gu Qing is well aware that with such skill applied to a counterfeit painting, it is sufficient to prove that the value of what is concealed within is certainly worth more than five hundred taels.

Gu Qingdao: "What I mainly want is this Buddha statue. At first, I found the painting somewhat pleasing to the eye, but you probably understand that after three to five years, it is likely that no one will consider it worth buying as a Wang Lu painting."

Gu Qing did not deliberately observe the shopkeeper's expression, yet he could roughly sense the other party's intention to overcharge customers

The shopkeeper was first surprised to see Gu Qing take a liking to this painting, and then a smile filled his face.

In recent years, he indeed has not fallen ill, and he has not spoken falsely either

The shopkeeper felt even more delighted, realizing that this customer was not as unlearned as he had initially feared. He suppressed his joy and explained calmly: "Wang Lu was a great painter two hundred years ago, whose works, while grand, are not lacking in intricacy. For the past two hundred years, no one has surpassed him in the realm of painting. Those who have collected his works cherish them dearly, unwilling to show them lightly, let alone sell them. Therefore, the paintings circulating in the market are exceedingly rare."

Gu Qing pondered for a moment and said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I won't engage in idle chatter with you. Let it be this way."

Gu Qing let out an "oh" and said, "How much do you plan to sell it for?"

The thickness of the paper is comparable to that of an ordinary painting, but Gu Qing is well aware that there is another painting hidden within this one

Gu Qingdao: "Please make an offer."

After expressing admiration, Gu Qing began to take action

The shopkeeper's face flushed with embarrassment, as he did not expect that this young man had some understanding. He said: "The previous owner of this painting did not recognize its value; it must have been carelessly framed after acquiring it, and thus I was fortunate enough to pick up a bargain. If you like this painting, you can buy it, and I will reframe it for you using high-quality sandalwood. Sandalwood can repel moisture and insects, and it has a subtle fragrance, making it a premium choice for framing paintings."

Gu Qing shook his head and said, "Shopkeeper, you are deliberately overcharging customers"

The shopkeeper carefully packed the painting and the Buddha statue, receiving the five hundred taels silver note from Gu Qing.

The shopkeeper has seen many customers deliberately attempt to leave in order to negotiate a lower price, while secretly still wanting to make a purchase. His gaze fell upon Gu Qing's departing figure, silently counting one, two, three, waiting for Gu Qing to turn around

"Young master, this painting is 'Autumn in the Mountain Dwelling' by Wang Lu. Look at the brushwork, where movement and stillness blend harmoniously. The content of the painting is even more rich and varied, with the landscape being fresh and beautiful, and the washerwomen depicted in their utmost grace. The scene and emotions intertwine, and the artistic conception is exquisite; it is truly a masterpiece of the highest quality." The shopkeeper could hardly contain his praise for the painting.

The shopkeeper said with some excitement: "Young master, that painting is by Wang Lu. Although this painting is not very famous, it is worth more than 500 taels, not to mention that you also want this Buddha statue"

Although the shopkeeper was unclear about the value of the Buddha statue, a sudden thought struck him: could it be that Gu Qing intended this? The painting from earlier was merely a ruse. He then calmed himself and smiled, saying: "This Buddha statue has a long lineage and has been consecrated by eminent monks. Ever since I brought this statue back, my health has improved significantly, and I have not fallen ill at all; it truly is a miraculous object"

He was not particularly concerned, his expression calm as he glanced over the various antiques and paintings. Ultimately, Gu Qing lingered in front of a particular painting. This painting was displayed in a very prominent position, revealing the antique shop's eagerness to sell it; otherwise, it would not have been placed there.

The shopkeeper said: "One thousand five hundred taels."

Gu Qing touched the paper and praised inwardly: "Truly impressive"

Moreover, upon closer observation, one will find that the varying shades of this red lip color are not merely a single hue.

Fortunately, he had previously worked as a framer and possessed exceptional skills. When he noticed something unusual about the painting, he recalled what he had learned back then, which is why he did not miss this artwork. Of course, he had just taken a stroll around the antique shop with the intention of finding a bargain. Although he intended to purchase a Buddha statue, he did not want to suffer a loss.

He was just short of saying that this painting is a forgery

Gu Qing was leisurely surveying the shop, and the shopkeeper did not rush him, merely observing Gu Qing as if casually. Gu Qing had a handsome appearance, and his new clothes were evidently of considerable value

He secretly estimated Gu Qing's wealth, feeling far from as calm as he appeared. Overcharging customers is not a simple skill; setting the price too high can scare them away, while setting it too low results in unnecessary losses. A skilled seller will always strive to pursue the highest profit possible. With years of experience, the shopkeeper should have been able to handle a young man with ease. However, he still felt uncertain because Gu Qing had not revealed his intentions and lacked the typical impatience of young people. For a seller, such a customer, even if a transaction is ultimately completed, would still make it difficult to achieve the maximum profit. Yet, he remained somewhat unsure, as Gu Qing still had not disclosed his goals and did not exhibit the usual restlessness of youth. For the seller, a customer like this, even if a deal is eventually struck, would still pose challenges in maximizing profit.

Gu Qing, with a serene expression, inquired: "Who is Wang Lu?"

The items purchased for ten taels of silver can be resold for five hundred taels; what more could he possibly want? As for that painting, it is as fake as can be, and has always been a source of distress for him. Today, he will part with it, thus resolving a lingering emotional knot.

Gu Qing's interest in this painting truly surprised the shopkeeper. This painting was a significant blunder in the shopkeeper's career, and he had been contemplating how to sell it to recover some of the losses.

Gu Qing let out an "oh" and walked out

The shopkeeper shook his head and said, "No, this price is too low."

The shopkeeper, panting heavily, finally caught up with Gu Qing and blocked his way, saying: "Young Master, it is just five hundred taels."

The shopkeeper's face flushed with embarrassment; how could this person be so blunt? After pondering for a moment, he said: "One thousand two hundred taels, consider it as a small favor from a humble person to a young master."

In any case, five hundred taels is sufficient to compensate for the initial losses, and there is still profit to be made

The shopkeeper made a gesture of "one" with his hand and gritted his teeth, saying: "One thousand taels"

Gu Qing smiled noncommittally and pointed at the wooden Buddha statue, saying, "What about this item?"

The hue of this washerwoman's red lips is slightly more intense compared to those of other washerwomen. If it were not for Gu Qing's exceptional eyesight at this moment, he would hardly have noticed such details