novelhk Chapter 62 Unexpected Situations
Chapter 62 Unexpected Situations
"This is the 'A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains' painting!"
The store owner stared at the huge map in front of him with a fanatical look, deeply shocked.
This enormous map, when fully unfolded, almost covered the entire wall, its magnificent presence silently overwhelming.
"The 'A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains' was painted by the Qing Dynasty emperors during their travels to the south of the Yangtze River. It is said that countless skilled painters were gathered at the time, and a great deal of effort and energy were spent to present the beautiful landscape and prosperous scenes of the south of the Yangtze River on this scroll."
"This scroll is not only a painting, but also an encyclopedia that records the local customs and regional features of that time, carrying a profound cultural heritage and historical memory."
As the owner spoke, he slowly approached the display case, his eyes never leaving the painting, as if he wanted to examine it more closely through the glass.
This "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains" painting is clearly the highlight of today's product.
As soon as Bai Li approached the painting, relevant staff members came to coordinate with her.
If Bai Li is interested in purchasing it, she should write down her desired amount. The staff will then compile and rank all the prices offered by customers that day, and the person who offers the highest price will be able to take home this masterpiece.
A crowd had already gathered around the painting, all there for the sake of it.
They either whispered among themselves or gazed intently at this rare treasure.
"As expected of the inner quarters, they actually have such good stuff today."
"This painting has been passed down through generations and has undergone countless vicissitudes. It is a miracle that it has survived to this day."
"Is this picture real? If it is, it'll probably sell for an astronomical price today."
"The top ten appraisal experts and the most authoritative appraisal association in China have given their appraisal results, and this picture is 100% authentic."
"Where did they get this map from?"
……
When Bai Li first saw this picture, she couldn't hide her amazement. It was so stunning, depicting the magnificent landscape of the motherland. Anyone who saw it would be moved to tears.
She took the cardboard and the gold-engraved pen from the staff, but Bai Li hesitated to write down the price.
She was carefully observing the painting.
The [Master Appraiser] gold entry did not, unusually, provide an immediate response when faced with this giant painting.
Bai Li guessed that she probably needed to observe it more carefully.
Holding paper and pen, she moved closer with light steps.
The warm light from the display case shone on her profile, illuminating her slightly furrowed brows and focused, somewhat serious gaze.
The paper used for this "A Panorama of Rivers and Mountains" painting is specially made imperial tribute paper, which is delicate and tough with uniform texture. It is rare to find such a large sheet of paper without any splicing marks.
Its pigments are rich and layered, the emerald green of the mountains seems to soothe the soul, the azure of the rivers seems to flow and ripple, and the colors of the pavilions and towers are also bright and eye-catching.
In the details, even the patterns on the roof tiles and the carvings on the window frames are clearly visible. The lines in the painting either boldly and unrestrainedly outline the majestic contours of the mountains or delicately and gracefully depict the expressions of the figures. Every brushstroke seems to contain the artist's soul and emotions.
Bai Li's gaze slowly moved along the scroll, from the distant, undulating mountains to the well-arranged villages at the foot of the mountains, and then to the boats slowly sailing on the river... She didn't miss any detail, trying to find some clues or flaws.
After a while, the [Master Appraiser]'s abilities provided feedback.
—This is a…
Counterfeit.
Counterfeit?
Bai Li felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, a chill spreading from her heart to her entire body. She subconsciously gripped the pen tightly, her knuckles turning white from the force, and a chill ran through her body.
Calling it a fake isn't entirely accurate.
Because the painting is old, it is indeed a product that came from the palace in that era, so it cannot be considered a real fake. The story of the Qing emperors going to the south of the Yangtze River and leaving behind inspection maps is also a fact.
However, the painting in front of us is not the famous survey map.
The original survey maps have been lost to the tides of history.
Bai Li took a half step back, her eyes filled with disappointment.
Although this painting has some collectible value, its value would be greatly reduced if it were not an inspection map left by the emperor during his southern tour.
A question arose in her mind. She had heard that the picture had been jointly authenticated by a team of experts and endorsed by an appraisal association. Could it be that these authoritative institutions had made a mistake in their authentication?
In the world of antiques, expert appraisals are often considered golden rules, but the current situation has made Bai Li deeply question the so-called authority.
Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out in the crowd.
Suddenly, a figure burst out of the crowd like a madman and lunged at the glass of the display case without regard for anything else.
He was a haggard-looking man, his clothes slightly disheveled, his eyes glazed over, shouting, "This is mine! This is my painting! My painting!"
He shouted and cried, tears streaming down his face like a burst dam.
His hands kept pounding on the glass display case, as if trying to break through the barrier and reclaim the painting. His desperate and frantic appearance shocked everyone around him, who instinctively took a few steps back.
Ah Hu quickly stepped forward, blocking Bai Li's path and pulling her behind him with one hand.
Another bodyguard immediately approached Bai Li, protecting her back completely.
Bai Li thanked him with a sense of security, then leaned against Ah Hu's back and peeked out to watch the show.
What's going on? What's wrong with this person?
The security personnel inside reacted quickly, and someone immediately stepped forward and stopped him on the ground.
The man, still unwilling to give up, shouted, "They lied to me! They lied to me! They said my painting was fake, took it at a low price, and now they're putting it here to sell at a high price. Why should they?"
The crowd immediately started discussing his words.
The security guards subdued the man and quickly removed him from the scene, but they couldn't stop him from shouting loudly:
"I found this in Hong Kong! I went through so much trouble to bring it back! I knew it was real! Give me back the painting!"
"Give it back to me! You bunch of animals!"
Even after leaving the exhibition hall, you could still hear the man's curses coming from outside.
The atmosphere at the scene immediately became subtle.
They all heard what the man said.
None of the people present were easily fooled; they were all wealthy and influential figures, and each had brought their own team of experts.
The man's words had already given them enough room to speculate, and if the organizers didn't provide a reasonable explanation, today's sales event obviously couldn't continue.
Upon seeing this, the organizers immediately brought in the person in charge to appease the guests.
A small section of the lights was turned on, and the person in charge, in full view of everyone, held the microphone and recounted the whole story.
It turns out that the man was a secondhand antique dealer who bought a tattered blanket in Hong Kong two weeks ago.
He searched around outside, but no one was willing to take his tattered blanket.
But he firmly believed that his blanket was very valuable, so he went to the inner wing and asked their team of experts to take a look.
The expert team inside recognized the unusual nature of this blanket and offered a generous price to acquire it.
This was a deal that was satisfactory to both parties.
But then, the people inside found the "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains" painting sewn into the tattered blanket, causing the blanket's value to increase more than a hundredfold instantly, and the man went mad.
"I was caught off guard and allowed unauthorized personnel to sneak into the scene, causing an disturbance to our distinguished guests. I am truly sorry."
The person in charge bowed and scraped, clearly expressing his apology.
"The sale continues today, and we hope everyone can buy their favorite items at a satisfactory price."
The lights then dimmed again, and the sale continued.