Marquis Ximen was slightly startled, and the smile on his face froze instantly. He was filled with surprise. He really couldn't believe that Shen Yu could judge the authenticity of the copper furnace so quickly and surely in such a short period of time.
In his opinion, appraising a xuan furnace is like appraising a mist. Even experienced veterans dare not make a conclusion easily. At most, they say ambiguous words. How can they be so sure?
Thinking of this, Marquis Ximen couldn't help but feel curious, and asked: "Oh? Then Xiao Shen, can you tell me, is this copper furnace true or false?"
After saying that, his slightly hazy eyes stared at Shen Yu closely with a hint of doubt, as if he wanted to find a flaw or hesitation in Shen Yu's expression.
Shen Yu put down the strong flashlight, straightened up, looked around slowly, taking in the different expressions of everyone, and then said with unusual calmness: "This three-legged ear-burning stove is a modern imitation."
"What?"
"Imitation? Or modern?"
Shen Yu's speech instantly made the atmosphere in the living room become a little solemn.
Especially Mr. Wang, his originally expectant and confident face was instantly replaced by shock.
It was obviously hard to believe that the copper stove that he had regarded as a treasure for many years was actually a fake. He couldn't help but murmured in a low voice, "How could this happen? How could this happen? You must know that this copper stove has been carefully treasured by me for so many years. …”
Gu Zhengyan put down the tea cup in his hand, walked slowly to Shen Yu's side, and said seriously: "Xiao Shen, are you 100% sure that this copper stove is a modern imitation?
"If there is no conclusive evidence for identification, don't jump to conclusions easily. You must know that this copper furnace Lao Wang has been identified by several famous experts who appraise bronzes. Without exception, they all say it is a treasure of the Ming Dynasty."
Although his tone and expression were stern, Shen Yu felt a different kind of care and protection from it.
And the four words "treasures of the Ming Dynasty" are spelled out very clearly.
Shen Yu knew in his heart that Gu Zhengyan was using this seemingly warning method, but in fact it was a way of protecting him.
Others say it is an ambiguous "treasure of the Ming Dynasty", why do you want to be so serious?
Shen Yu smiled gratefully at Gu Zhengyan, then turned to Mr. Wang and said with great certainty: "Old Mr. Wang, if this junior guessed correctly, you should have fallen into the trap of a liar!"
Mr. Wang was startled, and immediately retorted: "It shouldn't be right? I see many people buy antiques there. If it is Tianxian Bureau, doesn't it mean that the buyers are all scammers? Just cheating such a small amount of money is probably a waste of money. Isn’t it enough for these people?”
Shen Yu smiled and explained patiently: "Mr. Wang, the $13,000 in 1995 may be a small amount to you, but it is a huge sum of money to those scammers.
"In those days, this money was enough to buy a commercial house of 60 to 70 square meters in a first-tier city. If you go to a second-tier or third-tier city, you can even buy a villa. Think about it, this is a big deal for them. What a huge temptation?
"Moreover, the scammer didn't set up a trap just to deceive you. You said there are three copper furnaces, so there must be three buyers.
"Other cups, plates, bowls, sticks, statues, and all kinds of furniture have probably found their targets. If the fairy bureau is done, the amount obtained will not be less than one million US dollars!"
Upon hearing this, Mr. Wang showed a thoughtful expression, seeming to believe what Shen Yu just said.
Pei Yuqin saw Shen Yu talking for a long time, and poured him a cup of warm tea very considerately. The rising fragrance of tea seemed to dispel the solemnity in the air.
After Shen Yu drank it, Pei Yuqin nodded slightly to him, indicating that he could say whatever he wanted without any worries. A pair of beautiful eyes were full of trust and encouragement, like the warm spring sun, soothing people's hearts.
Shen Yu's heart warmed up, and he suddenly felt a warm current welling up in his heart. He wanted to say a few words of sympathy, but then he thought about the fact that this was in public, so he quickly cleared his throat and explained in an orderly manner: "The Tianxian Bureau is a place in the late Qing Dynasty. A specific word that just appeared at that time is synonymous with top deception.
“The great thing about this kind of deception is that all the links are closely connected, one after another, and one after another.
“The layout is so meticulous and the design is so exquisite that even gods would be fooled if they saw it.
"Of course, the gods will not be fooled, but it is true that the swindlers who trick the gods are extremely good at deception.
“Sometimes, in order to set up a seamless scam, scammers even spend years planning.
“During the Republic of China, there were many cunning and sophisticated fraudsters who carefully planned elaborate schemes, which led to many high-ranking officials and dignitaries being deceived.
"Such scams are usually committed by gangs, consisting of the top eight, the bottom eight, the sixteen generals, the eight incense masters, two military advisors, and finally the commander-in-chief, also called the bureau leader.
"The Eighth General: When you raise your head, you turn your back, and when you are in trouble, you eliminate rumors.
"The next eight generals: hit the current of the sky, and the horses and horses cover the sky.
"The requirements of these people alone are those who have been in the world for at least ten years.
"To reach the level of Incense Master, it takes at least twenty years.
"There is a clear division of labor among the members, and each performs his own duties. Except for the 'bureau chief', many members do not know each other's identities. Even if there is a problem with one of the links, the scam will not work at best and everyone can escape smoothly.
“It’s really hard to guard against!
"Take your encounter this time as an example. I think this Tianxian Bureau started from the hotel where you stayed. Please recall, did you come into contact with anyone that led you to go to that Taoist temple?"
After hearing this, Mr. Wang couldn't help but fell into deep thought, and said after a moment: "It's true, I was drinking tea in the restaurant, and there were two people playing chess next to me. I watched it for a while, and the other party invited me to play a game with great enthusiasm. I wanted to have some free time. Nothing happened, so we just played one round.
"After we got to know each other a little bit, I casually asked about any places with beautiful scenery in the surrounding area. The other person mentioned the bamboo forest, and then under his guidance, I went to the Taoist temple." He said softly. He shook his head slightly, as if blaming himself for his carelessness.
For a person of Mr. Wang's status, he doesn't care about money. More than ten thousand US dollars is nothing. Instead, he feels that he has lost face and the antique that he has collected for more than ten years is a fake. If it is spread out, it will be criticized or not.
Shen Yu nodded slightly and continued: "You don't need to blame yourself. I guess that from the moment you entered the Taoist temple, whether it is porcelain, miscellaneous items, calligraphy and painting, or ancient books, the placement of every object in the scam is a scammer. All have been carefully considered.
"What kind of objects are placed in which position and how much is exposed are all very particular. In this script that has been carefully deduced countless times, every person and every prop plays an indispensable role in its specific position.
"Unless you turn a blind eye to all this, you have never been attracted by these seemingly alluring antiques.
"Unless you know nothing about antiques, you have no ability to distinguish their authenticity and value.
“As long as you know about antiques and pay attention to them, even if you are not interested in this copper stove, there will be other objects that will make you excited and even salivate.
“Once the idea of purchasing quietly arises in your mind, it will be difficult to escape until you take the initiative to take out the money!
"Old Wang, you can recall what happened when you first went to the Taoist temple, so that this junior can help you clear up your doubts."