162: Chapter 162 Old Qin, your eyesight is truly remarkable.

Hu Tian recalled the system's scan from yesterday, and the conclusion was the same: the craftsmanship was average, the market heat was high, there was a clear gap between the actual value and the premium, and it was not recommended to bid at a high price.

Elder Qin's judgment once again aligned perfectly with the system's conclusion.

Hu Tian's admiration for this old man deepened even further.

Soon, the twelfth lot was brought out.

A staff member walked onto the stage carrying a tray lined with red velvet.

On the tray sat a seal.

It was small in size and didn't look like much at first glance, but many eyes in the auction hall gathered toward it.

Auctioneer Li Ming picked up the microphone, his tone carrying an imperceptible hint of gravity: "Lot number twelve, a Huanggang stone seal from the reign of Emperor Qianlong of the Qing Dynasty. The face of the seal is approximately 3.2 centimeters square, with a total height of about 7 centimeters. The stone is fine-grained, with a warm and moist luster, yellow with a hint of ochre, and the stone skin is well-preserved. The seal face is intaglio-engraved with four seal-script characters, the brushwork is vigorous, and the characters are clear. It comes with a fragmentary page of the Qing Dynasty imperial collection records and relevant entries from an old antique dealer's ledger from the Republican era, with a verifiable provenance. The starting bid is 3.2 million yuan, with a minimum increment of 100,000 yuan per bid."

As soon as he finished speaking, there were fewer people raising their paddles than for the previous painting, but the gazes of several experts became more focused.

In Hu Tian's mind, the scan information from the Treasure Hunting Radar from yesterday surfaced once again.

[Lot Name: Qing Dynasty Emperor Qianlong Imperial Huanggang Stone Seal Script Seal]

[Era: Mid-Qing Dynasty, reign of Emperor Qianlong, approximately 270 years ago]

[Material: Huanggang stone, also known as "Yellow Frozen Stone," produced in Fujian Province. It has a warm, fine texture, high transparency, and a golden luster. It is a superior material for seals, and the imperial court during the reign of Emperor Qianlong frequently used this type of seal material.]

[Craftsmanship: The seal face is intaglio-engraved with seal script. The knife work is clean and decisive, with rounded and smooth turns, possessing the typical imperial carving style of the Emperor Qianlong era. The seal knob is a natural-shaped knob, carved with the help of the stone skin's natural texture; the craftsmanship is exquisite and appears entirely natural.]

[Provenance and Circulation: This seal was originally part of the Qing Dynasty imperial collection. It flowed out of the imperial court during the Jiaqing era along with a batch of artifacts, passed through the hands of several generations of collectors, appeared in the Shanghai antique market during the Republican era with records in a dealer's ledger, later entered a private collection, and was sent for auction in recent years.]

[Estimated Market Value: 5.8 million to 7.8 million RMB]

[System Note: This seal is authentic, possesses a rich imperial atmosphere, has a clear lineage, and holds extremely high collection value. Highly recommended for attention.]

Hu Tian flipped the catalog to page twelve, confirmed it against the photo of the lot once more, and felt even more certain about the system's judgment in his heart.

The bidding on stage had already soared from 3.2 million to 4.5 million.

Elder Qin turned to the side and asked Hu Tian in a low voice: "What do you think of this seal?"

Hu Tian thought for a moment and replied in a low voice: "The stone quality is authentic, it's Huanggang frozen material, the luster is oily and moist, and it should feel substantial in the hand. The natural shaping of the seal knob is very organic; it doesn't look like the intentional kind found in later imitations. The knife work of the seal script on the face, judging from the photo, has rounded and harmonious brushstrokes; the sense of era is correct. Most importantly, the imperial collection records match up, and the provenance is clear."

He paused for a moment and continued: "I think the value of this seal is between 5.8 million and 7.8 million, which is a reasonable range."

Elder Qin narrowed his eyes slightly, sized up Hu Tian for a moment, and a satisfied smile appeared at the corners of his mouth: "You kid, you put in quite a lot of effort during the preview yesterday."

Hu Tian smiled faintly without explaining.

Elder Qin turned his head, his gaze returning to the stage. After pondering for a moment, he said: "I reckon the hammer price for this seal will likely be between 6.8 million and 7.5 million; it probably won't stray far from that."

Hu Tian mentally compared Elder Qin's judgment with the figures provided by the system, and the difference was negligible.

The old man truly has a sharp, discerning eye.

The bidding on stage had already reached 6.5 million.

Elder Qin unhurriedly picked up his teacup, took a sip, put it down, and casually raised his paddle.

"6.7 million."

As soon as this price was announced, two of the buyers who had still been raising their paddles immediately withdrew.

What remained was a man around fifty years old with a steady demeanor, and a staff member at the telephone bidding desk.

"6.7 million once—" Auctioneer Li Ming's gaze swept across the hall, "Are there any higher bids?"

The fifty-year-old man raised his paddle: "6.8 million."

At the telephone bidding desk, the staff member whispered a few words and then raised the paddle: "7 million."

Elder Qin raised his paddle: "7.2 million."

The fifty-year-old man paused for a long time, finally put down his paddle, shook his head, and withdrew from the competition.

On the telephone bidding side, the staff member spoke in a low voice for quite a while longer before raising the paddle: "7.3 million."

Elder Qin's expression didn't change, and he spoke directly: "7.5 million."

The auction hall was quiet for a moment.

On the telephone bidding side, the staff member kept the phone to their ear with a grave expression. After about a minute, they shook their head and put down the paddle.

"7.5 million once, 7.5 million twice—"

Auctioneer Li Ming raised his small gavel.

"7.5 million—sold! Congratulations to bidder number two, Elder Qin!"

As the gavel fell, Elder Qin's assistant whispered "Congratulations, Elder Qin" from the side. Elder Qin merely nodded, his expression remaining composed, as if he had just completed an ordinary, trivial task.

Hu Tian watched this scene and sighed inwardly.

The estimated value given by the system was 5.8 million to 7.8 million. Elder Qin secured it at 7.5 million, which was within the reasonable range and without being dragged into a bidding war, handled just right.

Elder Qin turned to the side and said to Hu Tian: "Your judgment of 5.8 million to a little over 7.8 million wasn't bad."

Hu Tian replied earnestly: "Elder Qin, your eye is what is truly impressive."

Elder Qin waved his hand, but a faint smile played at the corners of his mouth: "I've just walked a few more decades of road and seen more things, that's all. For you to have this kind of eye at such a young age is already very impressive."

He paused and added: "I originally wanted to get that landscape painting, but that young man's bid exceeded my expectations, so I felt there was no need to chase it further. This seal is different; Huanggang frozen material, from the Emperor Qianlong imperial collection, clear provenance—it's perfect for me to keep in my study."

Hu Tian nodded and said: "If I'm not mistaken, the knob of this seal was carved following the natural texture of the stone skin. The color of the stone skin and the color of the stone flesh connect very naturally. This kind of treatment was a customary practice of imperial craftsmen during the Emperor Qianlong era."

Elder Qin glanced at him, the appreciation in his eyes deepening: "You are right. Many people don't pay attention to this detail, but it happens to be one of the keys to dating it."

He picked up his teacup and said leisurely: "The path of collecting doesn't rely on having a lot of money, nor on good luck; it relies on a pair of eyes and a heart that can stay calm. You already have a bit of both now; accumulate well, and your future will be extraordinary."

Hu Tian listened attentively and took these words to heart.

On stage, the auction continued.

The thirteenth lot had already been brought onto the stage.

Hu Tian reopened the catalog, his gaze landing on the lot number that interested him.

Today, there was something he himself wanted to acquire.

The timing was not yet right.

Soon.

Auctioneer Li Ming's voice sounded again: "Next is lot number 15, a Qing Dynasty Yongzheng Emperor Famille Rose plate with branches of peaches and bats."

As he finished speaking, two staff members in white gloves carefully carried the porcelain plate onto the display stand.

The lights shone on the porcelain plate, and the colors of the Famille Rose immediately appeared—warm, gentle, and soft, like congealed grease.

The peach branches on the plate extended from the center to the rim, and then from the rim to the bottom, forming a complete fruit branch pattern.

Five bats flew around the peach branches, symbolizing "Five Blessings Bestowing Longevity."

A low murmur of admiration echoed throughout the entire auction hall.

"This Famille Rose plate with branches of peaches and bats is 22 centimeters in diameter, with the six-character, three-line regular script mark 'Made in the Reign of Yongzheng Emperor of the Great Qing Dynasty' on the bottom. The over-the-branch technique is skillfully applied, the Famille Rose colors are pure, and the condition is perfect—it is extremely rare."

Auctioneer Li Ming paused and continued: "The starting bid is 8.8 million RMB, with a minimum increment of 100,000 per bid. The auction begins now."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone immediately raised their paddle.

"8.88 million."

"9.2 million."

"9.5 million."

The price quickly broke the 10 million mark.

Hu Tian sat in his seat, outwardly calm, but silently calculating in his heart.

This pair of plates was one of the items he had brought out from the Holy Treasury. At the time, he felt the condition was good, and among the pile of collectibles, its value was neither high nor low, but he hadn't expected the market reaction to be so enthusiastic.

Elder Qin whispered from the side: "This plate is indeed excellent. Famille Rose from the Yongzheng Emperor reign is already rare, and the over-the-branch technique is even more so. Moreover, the colors and condition of this Famille Rose plate with branches of peaches and bats are top-tier; it wouldn't be strange for it to sell for over 15 million."

Hu Tian nodded without speaking.

At this moment, the bidding had already reached 11.8 million.

The number of people participating in the auction had gradually decreased from the initial seven or eight to three.

One of them was a middle-aged man sitting in the front row; judging by his attire, he should be an entrepreneur.

Another was an old man sitting on the left, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, with an elegant temperament; he should be a veteran collector.

The third was a buyer bidding via telephone, with the auction house staff raising the paddle on their behalf.

"12 million."

The middle-aged man raised his paddle again.

"12.2 million."

The old man with gold-rimmed glasses followed up with a bid.

"12.5 million."

The telephone bidder was not to be outdone.

The middle-aged man hesitated for a moment, but ultimately raised the paddle in his hand: "12.8 million."

The old man with gold-rimmed glasses frowned, seemingly considering whether to continue following up.

Auctioneer Li Ming said at the right moment: "12.8 million once."

"12.8 million twice."

Just as Li Ming was about to bring down the gavel, the telephone bidder raised the bid again: "13.2 million."

The middle-aged man's expression was a bit ugly, but he gritted his teeth and raised the paddle: "13.5 million."

This price was already approaching the upper limit of the estimated range.

The old man with gold-rimmed glasses shook his head and put down the paddle in his hand, evidently giving up.

The telephone bidder was silent for a few seconds, then raised the bid again: "13.8 million."

The middle-aged man's expression became even uglier.

He looked at the paddle in his hand, then at the porcelain plate on the display stand, and ultimately did not raise the paddle again.

"13.8 million once."

"13.8 million twice."

"13.8 million three times, sold!"

Auctioneer Li Ming's gavel fell, emitting a crisp sound.