Early on the day of the auction, when Wei Ran, Suisui and the Katenka sisters went downstairs to have dinner, Channing, Diane or Mr. Hans were already sitting at the dining table waiting for them.
"Sorry we're late," Wei Ran apologized while helping Suisui pull out her chair.
"We have plenty of time"
Mr. Hans said with a smile, "Victor, if you see anything you like at the auction today, just tell me. Some friends will buy them as gifts for you. Of course, except for Juan
·The oil painting left by Gris."
"This really flatters me," Wei Ran said gratefully, but did not express his refusal clearly. The old man was showing his kindness, and it would be rude to refuse at this time.
"Nothing, let's eat first."
Mr. Hans raised his hand, then picked up the knife and fork, and while enjoying the breakfast provided by the hotel, he chatted with Channing sitting opposite in slightly unfamiliar French about topics that had nothing to do with the auction.
After a leisurely breakfast and a short rest, everyone went downstairs and got into the business car provided by Mr. Hans and left the hotel.
Along the way, Channing had been chatting enthusiastically and proactively with Mr. Hans about various topics. He wanted to know what the other person's favorite lot was.
On the other hand, Mr. Hans, although he could answer all questions, was watertight, so Channing did not obtain any valuable information until the car arrived at its destination.
"Diane, please introduce the organizer of the auction." Mr. Hans was not in a hurry to get out of the car.
"The organizer's name is Miguel Perez, who was a gang member."
Diane, who was about to open the car door, sat back down and introduced in Russian, "He was a professional wrestler when he was young, but he deliberately broke his opponent's legs and feet several times, so he was banned for life more than ten years ago.
Since then, he has started to get involved in the collectibles industry, bullfighting breeding and underground wrestling. Every year during the bullfighting season, his bullfights always achieve good results."
Having said this, Diane smiled and said, "I heard there will be a wrestling match later and the auction will be held on the wrestling ring."
After this introduction was obviously given to the four Weiran people, Diane switched to German and said, "Mr. Hans, shall we get out of the car?"
"Wish us a good harvest today," Hans said, getting out of the commercial vehicle with the help of Wei Ran.
At this time, in the parking lot, the decent people they met yesterday were already waiting for them, especially Rabbi Roitz, who was waving enthusiastically towards the group of them.
"Let's go"
Mr. Hans leaned on his cane and walked over with Wei Ran and others.
The two sides exchanged pleasantries for a while, and Rabbi Reutz enthusiastically led everyone into a two-story building.
Inside this building, there is a wrestling ring in the middle, surrounded by stepped auditoriums.
Although the venue is not very big, it is still more than enough for two to three hundred people to sit here. However, at this time, I don’t know whether it is because I came earlier or because there were not many people invited. There are probably less than 50 people around this table.
Even half of them are friends of Mr. Hans..
Of course, even so, this is actually a very large number of people for a small auction.
Following Rabbi Reutz, he found a seat closer to the wrestling ring and sat down. Wei Ran also noticed that the decent people he had seen in that conference room three days ago were also sitting around them.
But Channing realized something. He didn't seem to want to attract unnecessary attention, so after looking at each other and Wei Ran, he just smiled and sat a little further away from them.
Without waiting long, a man who looked to be at least two meters tall and wearing a wrestling mask walked onto the wrestling ring, raised his thick and tattooed arms, and said something passionately in Spanish. People around him
The people sitting there, regardless of whether they understood or not, all cheered in response.
But soon, the strong man turned around and left the stage, and then came up two blond female wrestlers with good figures.
Amid the cheers around them, and after many guests placed their bets, the two female wrestlers also began to compete.
As they performed, more and more guests gradually arrived, and they found places to sit down in twos and threes around the wrestling ring, and took advantage of the situation to place their bets.
"Are we really here to participate in the auction?" Suisui, who was sitting next to Wei Ran, asked in a low voice.
"You can't come here just to see this."
Wei Ran raised his chin towards the stage, "I almost tore off the bitter tea seeds."
“Speak well”
Suisui gouged out Wei Ran and was about to say something when the two wrestlers on the stage also roared and decided the winner.
"I think I'm on target"
Suisui shook the betting ticket in her hand and said proudly, "That little blue guy won."
"I didn't win," Wei Ran said, casually throwing the betting ticket at his feet.
After several rounds of performances, Wei Ran and Suisui, who made random bets, made a small profit of a hundred euros, although they each had their own wins and losses. However, the Katenka sisters did not win any of their bets.
After the last round of performances, the strong man who was over two meters tall came on stage again and started an introduction in Spanish that Weiran, Suisui and Katenka sisters could not understand.
Soon, the female wrestlers who had just participated in the wrestling match worked together to bring up a table, and then presented the first item for auction, which was a coin.
"It was a Peseta coin made by the French who occupied Barcelona in 1808. It was also the first coin of the Spanish Peseta currency system."
The translator sitting next to Hans translated the introduction of the strong man on the stage into German, and then Anfisa translated it into Russian and spoke it to Suisui.
Anfisa had just finished translating, and the bidding had already started. However, neither Wei Ran, Suisui, nor Mr. Hans had any interest in coins, so naturally there was no bidding.
On the contrary, Channing, who was sitting far away, frequently raised his hand to signal, but in the end, he failed to take a photo of the coin.
Soon, the second lot was sent to the wrestling ring by the female wrestlers. This time it was a particularly delicate-looking walnut dressing table.
This time, Mr. Hans got interested and finally took the photo of the dressing table for 8,600 euros.
The third item that was brought up was a vase that was introduced by a translator as "a vase from China." However, it was obvious that both Wei Ran and Suisui could tell at a glance that the broken vase was in Japanese style.
Naturally, they would not take action on this thing, but when the fourth lot was delivered, both Wei Ran and Suisui became interested.
"This thing looks like it belongs to us?" Wei Ran whispered in his native language, uncertainly.
"Fengguan" Suisui also replied in a low voice in her native language.
"Do you still recognize this?"
"Watching so many costume dramas in vain?"
Suisui whispered, "Listen to the introduction and take a photo if appropriate."
After she said this, the strong man on the wrestling stage also began to introduce it. However, in the mouth of the translator, the thing in the wooden box that seemed to be a phoenix crown turned out to be "Chinese opera costumes."
Although the introduction was nondescript, perhaps because the "headdress" known as the phoenix crown in Suisui's mouth did appeal to most people's aesthetics, the bidding was particularly fierce.
However, the starting price of this thing is relatively low after all, so as the number of bidders is getting fewer and fewer, the price has just been pushed to 3,000 euros.
"Are you interested in it?" Hans asked Wei Ran, who was sitting next to him, with a smile.
"Aurora likes that decoration very much," Wei Ran said with a smile.
"If you bid, I'm afraid many people will follow suit." Mr. Hans said with a smile, while picking up his cane seemingly casually.
Almost immediately, a "respectable friend" sitting diagonally behind them raised his hand and said in French, "Give me five thousand euros. I want to give it to my Chinese friends."
After being stunned for just a moment, Wei Ran reacted very quickly, showing a trace of surprise, and then shook his head "cryptically" at the other party.
As expected, this little gesture was noticed by the bidder who had just shouted out 3,000 euros. The "friend" who had just shouted out 5,000 euros also covered his forehead with his hand.
Under the hint of the two men's double act, no one bid anymore. The strong man standing on the stage also promptly asked if there was any bid, and the auction ended successfully.
"Are you acting?" Suisui asked Wei Ran's ear.
"It's good to save a little," Wei Ran said, not forgetting to get up and shake hands with the friend behind him whose name he didn't even know, and said thank you in French.
Soon, the fourth lot was delivered, which was also the purpose of their trip, the flag of the Spanish International Brigade.
In the translated introduction, the starting bid for this flag is 5,000 euros, and each increase in price must not be less than 1,000 euros.
After a short wait, one of them directly shouted out a high price of 10,000 euros, but very few people responded.
When the price rose to 20,000 euros, just when the strong man on the stage started asking questions, Channing finally raised a sign and shouted out the high price of 25,000 euros.
"I am also going to give my Chinese friends a gift." At this moment, Rabbi Reutz stood up and said, "Thirty thousand euros."
When the price was shouted out, Channing helplessly made a gesture of wiping his neck, but then, a respectable friend who was also sitting nearby said, "Rabbi Reutz, please give this opportunity to
Me, I’m going to buy it and give it to Mr. Victor, so it’s thirty-one thousand euros.”
"Thirty-two thousand"
Another "friend" raised a sign and said, "Mr. Victor is also my friend."
"Thirty-three thousand" another "friend" shouted out a new price.
"Are they doing something wooly?" Suisui asked Wei Ran in astonishment.
“Spend a small amount of money to show attitude”
Wei Ran responded in a low voice, "Help them solve their troubles, and also help me solve some troubles."
Hearing this, Suisui nodded and asked no more questions.
Wei Ran snorted in his heart. Naturally, he would not doubt Hans's good intentions, but he could also see that those wealthy businessmen were not monolithic.
Obviously, many people didn't want to get into trouble with him, so this "game" was created.
This is indeed a game, and Mr. Hans takes the risk in exchange for the honorable game of these "friends" around him.
He could even guess that if Mr. Hans gets into trouble because of this matter in the future, these people might get together and help Mr. Hans solve the trouble.
And I have to say that Mr. Hans is indeed the best candidate. He has enough reasons to help Wei Ran, and no one can find any faults.
What followed was just as he expected, the friends sitting around Wei Ran and Mr. Hans each added up the price by one thousand, as if the auction of the flag had become a game in their small circle.
In the end, Rabbi Reutz ended the bidding for the flag with a high price of 50,000 euros.
It’s hard to say whether this price is high or low for that flag, but for this little No. 20 person, even if the cost is shared equally, how much can each person spend?
When the flag bidding ended, the strong man on the stage even specially thanked his "friends from China."
Just when the bidders around the wrestling ring began to wonder about this "Chinese friend," a new lot was presented, this time a violin.
However, at this time, neither Wei Ran nor Suisui had lost interest. Even Mr. Hans turned his head and chatted and laughed with Rabbi Reutz next to him.
In contrast, the price of the violin has been rising all the way, easily beating the transaction price of the flag.
In rounds of bidding, items that Wei Ran knew or even didn't recognize were auctioned one after another, and the highest transaction price was also set all the way.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! Finally, just as the time was about to reach noon, a sculpture that was not that big was sent to the wrestling ring.
In the translation's introduction, this sculpture comes from an artist named Manolo Shuge. Unfortunately, this name does not belong to either Wei Ran or Suisui, or the Katenka sisters who can barely be considered "scientific background"
Very familiar.
But the bidders around the wrestling ring were enthusiastic enough. In just a few rounds, the price of the sculpture was pushed to an exaggerated high of 120,000 euros.
"150,000 euros"
A bald man in the distance held up a sign casually, shouted out a higher price, and successfully took a photo of the not-so-big sculpture.
“We have one last lot left.”
The translator sitting behind Hans translated in German the introduction of the strong man on the stage, "It is an early oil painting created by Mr. Juan Gris."
"The auction has finally started," Mr. Hans muttered in German, but his tone was full of anticipation.
“Are these people taking money as money?”
Suisui also murmured, she considered herself a rich woman, but she was still reluctant to spend so much money on some works of art, especially the oil painting that was sent to the wrestling ring, which he thought had no highlights.
"What is this painting about?" Wei Ran asked Mr. Hans with a smile.
"This is a portrait of Picasso and Manolo Hugo painted by Juan Gris in Selais in 1913. The sculpture just sold is the work of Manolo Hugo. At that time, he, Picasso and Hugo
Ann Grisdu lived in Serais for a while."
Mr. Hans took advantage of the introduction by the man on the stage and explained with a smile, "Unlike Picasso who has been encouraging Gris, Manolo Hugo and Gris have great differences in painting, and they are almost constantly quarreling.
.
But what is commendable is that this oil painting is not only signed by Gris and Picasso, but also signed by Manolo Hugo."
Having said this, Hans raised the sign casually, and then continued, "This oil painting has very high artistic value and investment value."
"So Mr. Hans likes oil painting?" Wei Ran said with a smile.
"I have no interest in these"
Hans held up the sign again casually, "In contrast, if I had the choice, I would rather hang the photo on the wall that you took with our family at the door of the clinic where my parents left us a few years ago.
superior."
"That group photo, as well as the group photo of your parents and their elders, have always been hanging in my library." Wei Ran responded with a smile.
"That is a testimony of friendship. Whether it is for my parents and those World War II soldiers, or for our family and you."
Mr. Hans said and handed the sign in his hand to Diane, and he picked up the cane and said, "Diane, take a photo of the oil painting for me. Victor, how about we go for a walk?"
"certainly"
Wei Ran nodded, stood up with him, took Suisui and Katenka sisters with him, and left the auction house early, slightly rudely.
"Ever since you exposed those photos of the Beirut massacre, some people have been instigating and even threatening some people to cause trouble for you."
Mr. Hans walked slowly and said, "But there are also people who don't want to cause trouble for themselves. After all, many wealthy Jewish businessmen have had various accidents recently."
"Mr. Hans thinks those accidents were caused by me?" Wei Ran asked casually.
“It doesn’t matter who did it”
Mr. Hans looked at the bullfights wandering in the distance under the bright sunshine, "Who cares who did it? What everyone cares about is whether they will have an accident.
Drowning in the bathtub, being suffocated by a woman's stockings wrapped around her neck, or accidentally drinking an entire bottle of bathroom cleaner. Frankly speaking, many of the ways to die are eye-opening to me as a doctor."
"The methods of death you just mentioned are enough to open my eyes as a historian," Wei Ran said pretending to be helpless, "I am just a historian, but some people think that I am a good excuse to kill."
"Today these are for the wartai people to see, and also for the hunters who hunt the wartai people."
Mr. Hans spread his hands and laughed loudly and said, "Like you, I am just an excuse."
"So this is a peace talk?"
"Peace talks? Yes, it is indeed peace talks in a sense, but they only represent themselves."
Hans said, "They have already shown their attitude. If you accept the gift they give you, you also show your attitude. This matter can be brought to an end, at least it has nothing to do with those people."
"I respect history. I respected historical truth before, now and in the future. This is the only thing that will not change."
Wei Ran said seriously, "Besides, I accept the peace talks with those friends. Also, those accidents really have nothing to do with me. I am just a historian studying in Russia.
If I had the ability to kill people in so many incredible ways, those warts would probably have to wait in line for a long time before they are killed by me, even if they go through the VIP channel."
"Let me guess"
Hans said with great interest, "If you had such an ability, would you use it to kill... the recruiters?"
"That's right, every recruiter, regardless of whether he or she is innocent or not." Wei Ran said nonsensically. These words were just to set up a character for himself.
"I didn't even think you were joking."
Hans waved his hand and said with some gloating, "I will help you convey your attitude. Let the troubles caused by the warts be solved by themselves."
"So I'm not their biggest trouble." Wei Ran let his tone contain curiosity that was not hidden.
“We’re all just excuses for trouble.”
Hans didn't seem to intend to keep anyone's secret secret, and said in a mocking tone, "They know better than anyone how much trouble those Zionists have caused themselves."
After saying this, Hans took the initiative to change the subject, "Victor, there is one missing lot in today's auction."
"There is one missing item?" Wei Ran glanced at the other party, while thinking about what this sentence meant.
"That lot already belongs to the organizer of the wrestling ring. Not only is there one less lot in today's auction, but the order is also messed up. The flag appeared too early.
In the original plan, the pistol and harmonica would be put up for auction first, followed by the flag, and finally the items that were not put up for auction.
But as you just saw, the flag, pistol and harmonica were packaged for auction, but another related item was not put up for auction."
When Hans said this, he glanced at the building that was still being auctioned in the distance, "I guess the wrestler might be planning to negotiate some terms with you using the item that didn't come up for auction."
"Can I know what was not sent for photography?" Wei Ran asked curiously.
"It was something found with that flag."
Mr. Hans explained, "But I don't know what it is specifically. If the wrestler really wants to talk to you, you might as well ask yourself."
"Then wait a minute," Wei Ran asked casually, "Isn't this wrestler also a wartaker?"
"Mr. Adolf works very hard."
Mr. Hans made an unusually German joke, "So there weren't that many wartzers. I mean, the wrestler wasn't a wartzer."
"Should I say, 'It would be better if Mr. Adolf worked harder'?" Wei Ran asked, spreading his hands, and then the young and old laughed in tacit understanding.
Of course, compared to them, Anfisa, who was responsible for translating for Suisui, hid all the content about the peace talks just now and replaced them with topics related to weather, bullfighting and wrestling.
During the chat between the two, the staff member who was walking at the front and deliberately keeping a distance led them into another building.
Although it was a bit unique to hold an auction this morning, outside the window on the other side of the building, there was a matador playing with an angry bull. This was an unexpected surprise for Suisui, who had always wanted to watch a bullfight.
.
After just waiting for a moment, the wrestler who hosted the auction also put on a decent suit and warmly entertained the friends attending the auction who came to this building for lunch.
At the same time as the luncheon, Wei Ran also received a gift from his "friends", a flag with 27 three-pointed stars hanging on the back, an attached pistol and a harmonica with bullet holes, as well as something that he and Suisui took a fancy to.
, and the phoenix crown also bought by a "friend".
No need to guess, these gifts were given to him and Suisui in front of the surrounding guests, which naturally made many guests curious about his identity, and as expected, some people recognized him - this seemed to be Hans
What "friends" want to see.
As the saying goes, reciprocating a favor, while Wei Ran accepted these gifts, he also shook hands or took photos with these businessmen enthusiastically. Especially Rabbi Roitz, who enthusiastically introduced everyone to him.
And Sui Sui.
After lunch amid polite greetings, some guests returned to the building used for wrestling and auctions, while others drove away directly.
According to Diane's introduction, there will also be an auction in the afternoon, but the items are all brought by guests. They need to make an appointment in advance, so they are not eligible to participate.
Although he was unable to participate in the afternoon auction, it was not a pity. The only thing that puzzled Wei Ran was that until he met Mr. Channing, who only bought one rank military ring throughout the morning, the auctioneer
None of the organizers had a chat with him as Mr. Hans expected.
Wei Ran would not wait for the other party to come to him at any price, so he naturally followed Hans and his friends back to the city by car.
"It seems I've thought too much," Hans said slowly on the way back.
"I am very satisfied to receive this flag."
Wei Ran smiled and responded in French, "I'm just aggrieved that Comrade Chaning has to leave empty-handed."
Channing's mentality was calm enough. He waved his hand and said straightforwardly, "The biggest gain for me is getting to know Mr. Hans this time. As for that flag, that is no longer a game that I can participate in."
"Mr. Channing, you can come and sit at my place when you have time."
Mr. Hans extended the invitation, "Some of my friends are also keen on collecting weapons. I believe you will find a common topic."
“I will arrange the trip as soon as possible”
Channing said immediately, and reciprocated the favor by proactively saying, "Victor, since the flag is yours, I will give you the helmet and medal as gifts later."
"Then I'm not welcome."
Wei Ran nodded and accepted the kindness, which helped him prove their friendship to Mr. Hans.