198: He reaps what he sows

When the auction began, the bosses on the second floor showed immense enthusiasm.

The starting bid was three hundred thousand, but someone immediately offered a high price of three million.

The other bosses were not surprised and quickly raised the bid to seven million.

This was much higher than the prices for the first batch.

Qin Yun clicked his tongue secretly.

There were indeed many rich people in the Capital.

An antique that was very ordinary and would sell for at most one million outside.

It was actually selling for an astronomical price of six million here.

At this moment, he hesitated.

Should he do this kind of business in the Capital?

However, he quickly gave up the idea.

None of the people who could become big bosses were fools.

If, after the auction ended, they discovered that the antiques were far from worth that much money.

They would quickly lose trust in the auction house.

They wouldn't come next time at all.

So, a temporary surge in price was not a good thing.

If the auction organizers could not present better items to attract and match the high prices offered by the bosses.

The auction here would likely decline.

The first three items were all ordinary antiques.

Neither Qin Yun nor Liang Lejia had any intention of bidding.

Liang Lejia had already acquired a good item, securing a baseline, so he wasn't anxious.

Qin Yun disdained these common antiques.

The fourth antique was an inkstone.

It could be seen on the large screen.

The inkstone was black, with ancient and exquisite patterns and Auspicious Clouds carved on it.

A relief of a dragon coiled above the patterns, looking very imposing.

Those knowledgeable quickly guessed that it was one of the Four Great Ming Inkstones.

The jiangzhou chenni inkstone.

This type of inkstone was different from the other three Ming Inkstones.

It was not carved from stone but fired from the river mud of Jiangzhou.

The craftsmanship was extremely complex.

In the Tang and Song Dynasties, every piece was a royal tribute.

During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, the technique was lost due to wars.

Due to its scarcity, the jiangzhou chenni inkstone's status among literati was elevated even further.

Today, every jiangzhou chenni inkstone is a Treasure for calligraphy and painting enthusiasts.

Since only a corner was displayed.

Without touching the texture of the patterns, the Experts could not judge exactly how much the inkstone was worth.

However, almost all Experts recommended that the bosses buy it.

A big reason why bosses come here to buy antiques is to bolster their image.

To appear as cultured individuals.

Nothing was more effective than a rare and precious Ming Inkstone.

Less than ten seconds after the auction started.

The price directly reached the sky-high figure of over nine million.

Liang Lejia was also interested in this inkstone.

Judging from the previous batch of antiques auctioned, Qin Yun was the true Expert in this field.

He hadn't misjudged any of the three most crucial antiques.

He even acquired the best antiques at very low prices.

Wang Zhaojun's Gilded Buddha Statue.

"Qin Yun, what do you think of this inkstone?"

Liang Lejia did not consult the Experts' opinions and whispered to Qin Yun.

The Experts at this table made no complaints.

The gap between them and Qin Yun was too large.

They still didn't know how Qin Yun could accurately judge the value of antiques from such a distance.

On Zhao Ji's painting and Wang Zhaojun's Gilded Buddha Statue, his judgment was even more miraculous.

All the Experts had misjudged them.

Yet Qin Yun spotted the problem at a glance.

This person's skill must have reached the level of a master.

He could assess antiques almost perfectly just based on feeling and eyesight.

Such a figure could become a billionaire, or even a ten-billionaire, just by picking up overlooked Treasures.

They were still far behind that level.

"This inkstone is quite good. If the price is right, it's a fine collectible."

Qin Yun pondered for a moment and replied in a low voice.

From his previous observation, the treasure light of this inkstone was purple.

It should be genuine.

Every jiangzhou chenni inkstone is extremely rare.

Once a collector buys one, they won't sell it unless absolutely necessary.

It is a good choice for a wealthy boss like Boss Liang who doesn't lack money.

If the price wasn't too outrageous, he himself would want to bid for it directly.

Liang Lejia nodded in agreement.

He took a sip of wine.

A confident smile appeared on his face.

After more than ten seconds.

He naturally raised his hand.

"Fifteen million!"

When Liang Lejia announced his bid, the entire audience was stunned.

Fifteen million could buy a decent jiangzhou chenni inkstone.

Bidding this much for one whose authenticity was uncertain seemed a bit excessive.

When everyone saw that Boss Liang was the one bidding, they understood and relaxed.

"As expected of Boss Liang, so wealthy and generous!"

"This amount of money is just pocket change for Boss Liang!"

"It seems Boss Liang is determined to have this inkstone!"

"When Boss Liang makes a move, I don't stand a chance."

...The bosses could see that Liang Lejia showed strong interest in this inkstone.

The price of fifteen million was somewhat exaggerated for the inkstone.

Everyone was happy to go along and conceded the auction.

At this moment, Zhang Deben's face fell.

His net worth was comparable to Boss Liang's.

But the items he bought were worlds apart from Liang Lejia's acquisitions.

He bought a composite painting from the Qing Dynasty, while Liang Lejia bought Song Dynasty porcelain.

If he was overshadowed by Boss Liang again, he would lose all face.

"Sixteen million!"

After hesitating repeatedly, Zhang Deben still added one million.

The auction hall was stunned for a moment.

No one expected Zhang Deben to openly challenge Boss Liang's prestige.

The price had already exceeded the value of the jiangzhou chenni inkstone, and he had added another million.

Liang Lejia's expression turned cold, "Seventeen million!"

Zhang Deben followed closely behind, adding another million.

"Eighteen million..."

Since he had already made a bid, backing down now would clearly show he was being looked down upon.

Zhang Deben could only keep raising the price!

The two had bid back and forth four times, and the price of the inkstone had already reached twenty-four million.

Qin Yun was deeply shocked.

As expected of big bosses.

Money was just a number in their eyes.

For the sake of a little face, they could throw away millions without hesitation.

He secretly shook his head.

He couldn't quite understand the thoughts of the two men right now.

When Liang Lejia bid twenty-four million, he also realized he had been impulsive.

He had lost his reason for the sake of momentary pride.

Seeing Qin Yun shake his head.

He immediately reacted; he had to stop this reckless behavior.

Otherwise, in everyone's eyes.

He would surely appear brainless.

After Zhang Deben added another million.

Liang Lejia paused for a moment.

He coughed lightly.

"I will make one final bid, twenty-six million."

"If you don't bid higher, I will take this inkstone. If you do bid, I will reluctantly let it go."

Liang Lejia said slowly.

He was shifting all the pressure onto Boss Zhang.

If Zhang Deben gave up.

Liang Lejia would gain a reputation for being both wealthy and humble.

If Zhang Deben continued to bid.

Liang Lejia would be happy to pass this hot potato on.

He wouldn't be seen as inferior to Boss Zhang, but rather as someone who knew when to advance and when to retreat.

Qin Yun understood the meaning behind Liang Lejia's words in an instant.

He admired him greatly.

His ability to pass the buck was truly strong.

Zhang Deben saw that the situation was out of control, and the price had far exceeded the inherent value of the jiangzhou chenni inkstone.

He felt some regret.

Hearing Liang Lejia's words, his expression shifted between dark and bright.

No matter which choice he made, he was at a disadvantage in this brief confrontation with Liang Lejia.

Zhang Deben would rather be the sucker than let the bosses around him think he was short on cash.

After hesitating for a moment, he still raised his hand to bid.

"I bid twenty-seven million. If Boss Liang likes it, I can let it go to him."

Zhang Deben spoke a polite phrase.

He wanted to kick this ball back to Liang Lejia's side.

Liang Lejia just shook his head, completely unmoved.

Qin Yun couldn't help but laugh.

Zhang Deben was thinking too simply of the man.

How could Liang Lejia be fooled by his scheme?