Return to the City: The Strongest King-Chapter 1932 - 1831: Headache (2)

Capítulo 1932: Chapter 1831: Headache (2) 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

“One million seven hundred thousand!” A small business owner started bidding.

“One million eight hundred thousand!” Someone followed suit.

“Two million!” Another bid was called.

The audience was still in chaos.

“What kind of taste is this? It’s gaudy, like a Western painting, with gilding, so tacky.” Chu Xianling didn’t like this piece.

“If you don’t like it, someone else does. Look at those fat-headed, big-eared rich bosses; they love these brightly colored things. They buy them and display them at home, glittering, wanting people to notice from afar, terrified others might not know they’re wealthy.” Song Xiaodong looked at this group of rosy-cheeked, potbellied businessmen with disdain.

“Two million five hundred thousand!” Zhang Dongfang called out the highest price.

There was a hush after a gasp from the crowd, and no one else bid.

Zhang Dongfang deliberately stood up and shouted, then looked back at the silent auction room, spotting Song Xiaodong in the corner, and curled his lips in contempt.

“Hey, he’s mocking you!” Chu Xianling tugged at Song Xiaodong’s shirt sleeve.

Chapter 1832: Even Bidding is Off-Limits

“I see it, let him flaunt himself. I don’t like him buying that thing; what kind of aesthetic is that? Let’s just buy the one you like, shall we?”

“Sure—”

“Two million five hundred thousand sold!” The auctioneer sealed the deal with a gavel.

“Haha, this overseas Chinese picked a fool’s number.” Chu Xianling couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

“Oh wow, congratulations Mr. Zhang on snatching a treasure!” Secretary Xu quickly stepped forward to flatter, and a group of big bosses hurried to offer their compliments.

“This pattern, this color, this form, all are upper grade, Mr. Zhang has a good eye, what a good eye!”

Zhang Dongfang was flushed with pride, holding the treasure for closer inspection.

Actually, Zhang Dongfang knew nothing about porcelain, holding it was like a blind man lighting a lantern, seeing nothing.

He wasn’t buying the porcelain for himself, but for his father-in-law.

The following auction items were unremarkable, Zhang Dongfang didn’t bid, and they were bought by a few small business owners.

Then, the staff brought up another fine item.

Why call it fine? Because the previous items were brought directly, but this one was wheeled in on a cart, with several staff members nervously holding it, pushing it onto the auction stage together.

The audience began to buzz with discussion.

“This must be quite a treasure, such a large form, very difficult to fire. If it’s an antique collection, it would be priceless.”

“I’m giving up on this one.”

“You’re giving up without knowing what it is?”

“No need to look, whatever it is, I definitely can’t afford something so big.”

“Dear collectors, the following piece, from the careful handling by the staff, is clearly a heavyweight collection. It’s a vase, and we all know, firing large vases is extremely challenging with a very low success rate. Thus, large vases are always the most expensive in porcelain. Because of their size, intact large vases are very rare. Today’s item is incredibly precious indeed, not keeping you in suspense, this is a Qing Dynasty Qianlong Hand-painted Pastel Joyful Eyebrows Porcelain Vase, starting at four million nine hundred thousand!”

As the auctioneer’s words fell, the covering was removed from the exhibit, and everyone looked—it’s a half-human tall yellow vase, wholly pale yellow, its colors very clear and bright, with an elongated body and slightly flaring mouth, sturdy and heavy in appearance, full and solid. The hand-painted Joyful Eyebrows illustration was vividly lifelike; plum blossoms interwoven with pink, grayish plum branches partially visible, one magpie perched on the branch peering downward, another on a rock looking upward, echoing each other with realistic expressions, with a patch or two of green beside Stone Mountain representing a tuft or two of grass.

The appearance of this vase immediately stirred the crowd below into a frenzy.

“Ah, what bold use of color, exquisite hand-drawing skills, a large body, truly an exceptional collection!”

“Five million!” Instantly, a bid was shouted.

“Five and a half million!”

“Five million eight hundred thousand!”

“Six million!”

“Six million once, six million twice!”

“Seven million!”

“Who shouted seven million? Spending seven million on a porcelain vase, truly extravagant!”

The bid of seven million came from Zhang Dongfang, who again stood up and bid, cockily looking back at the crowd.

“Seven million once! Seven million twice!”

“Seven and a half million!” A collector standing with Zhang Dongfang called out an even higher bid.

“What are you bidding? You don’t want me to invest anymore?” Zhang Dongfang, losing his spotlight, was very angry, pointing his finger at this bidding collector.

This collector indeed wanted this vase badly, given its eggshell-yellow rarity, feeling it was a pity for Zhang Dongfang, who buys any junk, to have it.

Good things should belong to those who appreciate them.

Therefore, the collector disregarded Zhang Dongfang’s face and called a higher price.

Then Zhang Dongfang lost his temper.

“This porcelain art exchange was organized specifically for me by Deputy Mayor Han, and these porcelain collections were all prepared for me, inviting you just to add to the liveliness, who do you think you are to dare buy what I fancy?” Zhang Dongfang began to scold, pointing at the brave collector.

“Mr. Zhang, since this collection is at auction, as a participant, can’t I even bid?” The collector argued reasonably.

“Didn’t you understand what I just said? Without me, there wouldn’t even be this art exchange. And you dare to bid?” Zhang Dongfang flared up.

“Listen up, all of you, if you want to get investment from me, then you’d better sit quietly. If I’ve bid on something, if you bid again, don’t blame me for denying you the chance of investment!” Zhang Dongfang straightforwardly turned around, standing in the middle of the auction section, speaking to the large and small bosses of Minghe City who were seated.