Chapter 19 Winning and Picking Up Fortunes Again

"Where did you get this nonsense? These two sides weigh the same, but it is not enough to convince people that it is a fake!" Zhao Jiajun understood the principle, but his shameless character made him firmly refuse to admit it.

Ancient casting techniques weren't that good. Even if the bronze vessel's left and right side were symmetrical, it still couldn't achieve the same weight, producing a set amount of deviation.

However, modern technology was superb, and casting technology required perfection. It could achieve an even texture and equal weight.

Song Yan also understood. It was precisely because of the advanced craftsmanship that the weight of the left and right sides was almost the same that made bronze vessel stand on two cotton threads without any obvious deviation in weight, which could prove that bronze vessel was a fake.

She had to admire Chen Yu's wisdom. This identification method was new, and it once again overshadowed her.

This bronze vessel's forging skills were superb, enough to cause counterfeits to become genuine. If it weren't for Chen Yu's testimony, if someone were to buy it at a high price, they would definitely be filled with pride, thinking that it was a good treasure. However, in reality, it was just a fake.

"Zhao Jiajun, you've lost the bet again. Do you still want to deny it?" Chen Yu put away bronze vessel, sneering.

Zhao Jiajun knew that bronze vessel was a fake, and his expression became extremely unsightly when it was proved by Chen Yu. He refused to admit it no matter what, and he said, "Don't even think of deceiving me. You surely did something during the process of bronze vessel's swaying, and you've gone back on your word!"

"The cotton threads belongs to your family. You personally pulled the cotton threads with Song Yan, and yet you suspect that I have tampered with it. Do you have any shame?" Chen Yu said with contempt.

Zhao Jiajun prevaricated for a long time, and then stubbornly said, "Anyway, I don't believe it. This method can't prove anything at all!"

Song Yan also cast a scornful look at him. "What kind of man are you if you can't afford to lose? You're really a shameless villain!"

"You're not convinced, are you? Then I'll let you be convinced!" Chen Yu harrumphed coldly and asked Mr. Gu to bring over a few bronzevessels that had a symmetrical shape and were relatively well-preserved. He continued to use the technique of feeling the pulse with his threads to test them.

Mr. Gu took out four items. Three were fake and one was genuine. They were all accurately verified by Chen Yu.

However, there were very few bronzevessels handed down from the period of the Shang and Zhou dynasties and they were all very expensive. The authentic one that Mr. Gu took out was only a bronze pot with handles from the Ming Dynasty, worth around 50,000.

During the appraisal, the bronze pot stood on two cotton threads. One side was obviously heavier and the other side was lighter.

"There is such a technique. I am really impressed today. He is a college student like me. How does he know so much?" Song Yan looked at Chen Yu with a strange look flashing in her eyes, arousing her curiosity to understand Chen Yu thoroughly.

The expression of Zhao Jiajun became more and more unsightly because he'd lost again. Who would have imagined that not only was Chen Yu skilled in jade, he possessed a high attainment in the bronze vessels as well?

"I've verified all four items accurately. Zhao Jiajun, what else do you have to say?"

Chen Yu interrogated him then looked toward Mr. Gu and said, "That bronze vessel is a modern imitation, but its workmanship is meticulous and can be treated as collectibles. It's worth about 100,000 dollars. Mr. Gu, am I right?"

As the manager of the antique shop, if Mr. Gu didn't admit it, it would be the same as smashing his own reputation. He said, "You're right. We sell all these bronze vessels as artwork."

Hearing the manager personally admitting defeat, Song Yan also shouldered the responsibility of being a judge. "Chen Yu wins this bet. Zhao Jiajun, if you're willing to bet, you must accept your loss. Don't let others look down on you."

This time, Zhao Jiajun could not defend himself. Originally, he had intended to perform in front of Song Yan. However, he was humiliated by Chen Yu and ended up losing face in front of Song Yan instead. Since he had lost face, he had no choice but to admit defeat.

"Chen Yu, count yourself lucky. According to the bet, you can choose anything on the first floor, but don't be too proud. I will take back my family heirloom and interest."

Zhao Jiajun gnashed his teeth in hatred. Fortunately, the first floor was full of junk, and the most he would lose was 18,000 yuan. It didn't matter.

"You talk too much nonsense. If you want the jade ring, you need to pay 1.2 million to redeem it!" Chen Yu scoffed and started to select the items.

After walking around the first floor, he suddenly picked up a snuff bottle from the corner of a shelf. It was the most valuable item in the entire floor.

The seven-centimeter-tall snuff bottle was covered with a layer of dust. It looked like it was made of glass, but in truth, it was made of crystal. The words and characters on the inner wall could be seen.

Chen Yu took it in his hand and wiped off the dust on it with a rag. He was secretly delighted to pick up another treasure worth more than a million yuan, which was more valuable than the family heirloom of the Zhao family. Moreover, he didn't spend a penny on it and made a big profit.

Mr. Gu furrowed his brows. He didn't have any impression of the snuff bottle, but after seeing Chen Yu's appraisal skills, he felt that Chen Yu was somewhat capable. Instead of choosing a bronze vessel worth around one hundred thousand, he had chosen a snuff bottle. Could it be that it was more valuable than a vessel?

"What did you choose? Can I have a look?" Song Yan walked over and asked curiously. She wanted to know what Chen Yu could pick up this time.

"Just a toy!" Chen Yu proudly laughed.

Song Yan reached out to take it, but she hadn't studied the snuff bottle and couldn't see anything special about it.

After wiping, we saw a portrait of an ancient figure on the inner wall of the snuff bottle. On the portrait, there was a line of ancient words written. From right to left, it read, 'Shouchen, twenty-seven years old, small portrait.'

The back of the pot had a line written: 'Shouchen is righteous, on the early summer of sixth year of Zhenguan. He followed the emperor to the Renshou Palace of summer resort...'

The words were packed tightly and occupied the back of the snuff bottle. They were small and were written in neat regular script. It was signed by Ma Shaoxuan.

After identifying the first few sentences of the question, Song Yan had an inspiration and said with joy, "This is 'The Record of Nine Palaces and Springs', praised as the number one calligraphy in the world by later generations. If it can be written in the snuff bottle, it should have great collection value!"

Chen Yu nodded and praised, "Right, this is sixth year of Zhenguan in Tang Dynasty. It was composed by Wei Zheng, a calligrapher, Ou Yangxun. This is the regular script, 'The Record of Nine Palaces and Springs'. For Ms. Song to recognize it, it can be seen that you have a good literary foundation."

"It's mainly because the world's top regular script is too famous. I was lucky to read it, so I know it." Song Yan smiled modestly and lightly. Just a faint smile made people feel dizzy.

She said modestly, "The words on the back of the snuff bottle are vivid and lifelike. Where did it come from? How much is it worth?"

"Did you see the signature? Ma Shaoxuan, one of the four master artists in the painting of the Qing Dynasty in the late night. He is proficient in drawing with snuff bottle, calligraphy, and painting. He is famous all over the country for his painting skills in 'one poem, one painting'. He can be said to be a master painter as Picasso. He also won the honorary award at the world's fair."

"This snuff bottle was made by Ma Shaoxuan. It's worth about 1.5 million yuan..."

Zhao Jiajun perked up his ears and listened attentively as well. He wanted to hear what Chen Yu would say, yet when he heard 1.5 million, his mind droned, and he was stunned as if he'd been struck by lightning.

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