A Stone Worth Ten Million

Chapter 6

I didn't exactly look like a collector either, but wasn't he being a little too unprofessional? Come on! Since the man ignored him, Lu Zheng could only clear his throat. "Boss?"

"Hm?" Only then did Gu Pingzhong look up after Lu Zheng took the initiative to greet him.

"What is it, young man?"

He looked to be only forty or fifty—why did he sound like he was sixty or seventy? Lu Zheng grumbled inwardly, but showed nothing on his face. He merely looked around and made idle conversation. "Boss, you sell seal stones here too?"

Other than the roadside stalls near tourist spots, there were no longer any shops specializing in seal stones. After all, they had too few uses.

So even this shop, which Lu Zheng considered fairly reliable, mainly sold jade jewelry and ornaments. Lu Zheng had only spotted several seal stones displayed in a conspicuous place.

"What, you want to have a seal carved? How did you end up here?" Gu Pingzhong finally set down his book and asked with interest.

If young people needed seals carved, they generally just went to a stationery shop. Crystal material, machine engraving, ready in three minutes.

If someone had come all the way here, it meant they wanted a more traditional seal carved?

It was not often that Gu Pingzhong encountered a young person interested in traditional seals, so he did not mind exchanging a few words with him.

Only...

Gu Pingzhong swept his gaze over Lu Zheng from head to toe, but he had no intention of doing business with him.

"No. I saw that you sell seal stones here, so I wanted to ask whether you buy them too."

"Buy them?" Gu Pingzhong blinked, then shook his head with a smile. "Thank you, but I don't buy things. My shop has its own supply channels."

He almost exclusively dealt with acquaintances, and he personally hunted down all his goods. Though none of the items had price tags, every one of them started at a hundred thousand. Gu Pingzhong did not think a young man like Lu Zheng could produce anything good.

It would either be inferior goods or a fake.

"You don't buy them?" Lu Zheng smacked his lips. "Then, since you sell seal stones here, could you take a look at mine?"

After a pause, Lu Zheng added, "I'll pay an appraisal fee. Um, how much?"

Gu Pingzhong smiled again. "Where did you pick up some good stone? Why not send it to an auction house or appraisal agency?"

"They're all swindlers!" Lu Zheng shook his head decisively.

Fine, then. The old trick of cheating appraisal fees, letting the item fail to sell, and then cheating another handling fee could no longer fool young people.

Gu Pingzhong checked the time. It was still early. He had rarely come by to sit around today, and the client he had scheduled probably would not arrive until the afternoon. So he waved a hand. "Forget it. No charge. Bring it over and let me see."

Gu Pingzhong had already subconsciously decided that Lu Zheng had been scammed.

"Oh, all right. Thank you!"

Lu Zheng walked up to the counter, took off his backpack and unzipped it, then pulled out the small sandalwood box and placed it on the counter.

Before Lu Zheng even opened it, Gu Pingzhong's expression changed. The box was made of only the most ordinary Black-Thread Sandalwood, but its carving carried an ancient air and considerable spirit. It was not an ordinary modern technique.

Even if it had been made in modern times, its craftsman must have inherited a proper tradition.

Gu Pingzhong raised his brows. Before he could show any anticipation, the flash of brilliant red inside the box dazzled his eyes.

"What a pure, vivid red!"

If not for that box, Gu Pingzhong would definitely have reached out to touch it already, because such vivid red was usually a fake created through smearing or soaking methods.

Not to mention the patch of golden light beneath the seal stone. Did he think anyone could casually stumble upon a treasure?

But the sandalwood box made Gu Pingzhong somewhat cautious. He pulled out a piece of black velvet from beneath the counter, laid it on the table, pushed it forward, and gestured for Lu Zheng to proceed.

Lu Zheng understood at once. Then, as Gu Pingzhong's mouth twitched slightly, he took out the seal stone and set it on the velvet.

Gu Pingzhong sighed and shook his head. He moved the desk lamp closer, switched on its brightest setting, and shone it on the seal. Then he took a pair of white cloth gloves from the drawer.

Lu Zheng's eyes lit up. Professional!

After putting on the gloves, Gu Pingzhong did not hurry to pick up the seal. He first examined it from side to side under the light, then finally reached out and lifted it, inspecting it from every angle beneath the lamp.

Its texture was smooth, without seams. It was not a composite stone or a fake made by applying a surface layer.

Held against the light, it showed an even color. It was not made by soaking or patching.

The color was pure, vivid red, like clouds and mist, seemingly flowing. It did not resemble Blood Chalcedony or Cinnabar Jade either. Its texture was dense and weighty, heavier and more substantial in the hand than ordinary chicken-blood stone.

Hiss! A red cloud on a golden base—the finest grade of Changhua Chicken-Blood Stone? Gu Pingzhong felt as though his heart had skipped a beat.

"How is it?"

Seeing Gu Pingzhong silently turn it over and inspect it, Lu Zheng, who had no idea whether Phoenix Blood Stone was worth anything in the modern day, asked cautiously.

This was his only way of making money in the short term. It had cost him a full twenty-five strings of cash! Gu Pingzhong ignored him and continued examining it, trying to find proof that it was not genuine.

Then... he could not find any!

Gu Pingzhong looked up at Lu Zheng. "Young man, where did you get this?"

"I picked it up from a roaming street stall."

"Not a single word of that is true!" Gu Pingzhong said irritably.

What age was this? How could a roaming street stall still have genuine goods? Even objects dug up from underground would never end up in the hands of such vendors.

"It's a family heirloom!"

"Heh heh!"

"Really. I found it while going through the old man's belongings at home." Lu Zheng spoke with complete sincerity. "I said I picked it up because it sounded more legendary. Since you're asking, that means it's worth quite a bit?"

"It's valuable!" Gu Pingzhong replied, then placed the stone back on the velvet.

"How much is it worth?"

Lu Zheng reached out to take the seal, but Gu Pingzhong stopped him and handed him a new pair of gloves.

Lu Zheng gave an embarrassed smile, put on the gloves, and returned the seal stone to its box.

Watching Lu Zheng put the box into his backpack, Gu Pingzhong pressed his lips together. After pondering for a moment, he finally said, "This stone is quite large. If you find the right buyer, it could reach eight figures."

Hiss!

Lu Zheng sucked in a breath.

Antiques and collectibles were actually this terrifying!...

"Then will you buy it?" Lu Zheng's eyes flickered as he asked softly.

"Me?" Gu Pingzhong froze. Desire, confusion, wariness, hesitation, and all sorts of other emotions flashed through his eyes.

Then he asked, "If I buy it, I definitely can't offer eight figures. If you send it to an auction house, your earnings will certainly be higher than what you'd get from me."

Lu Zheng shook his head. "Auction houses have too many tricks. I don't like them."

That was naturally an excuse. The main thing was that an auction house's procedures took far too long.

Gu Pingzhong naturally knew that was an excuse as well. Judging by the quality of this seal stone, it could absolutely be sent to a legitimate major auction house. There would be tricks there too, but there would also be safeguards.

So...

"If I buy it, I'll need to invite a friend over to take another look. Also, the highest I can offer is eight million. After all, if I want to sell the stone, I'll need to promote it and invite more people to come admire it."

Eight million fully met Lu Zheng's expectations.

"Got it!"

Lu Zheng slung on his backpack. "If no one offers more than you, I'll sell it to you."