"Mr. Xue, have you seen your friend?" Ouyang Jing asked.
"Yes, an old friend." Xue Chen raised the corners of his mouth, and a sharp flash of light flashed through his eyes.
"Then why don't we ask her to join us?" Ouyang Jing said.
"No, she won't come. Let's go in." Xue Chen opened the door for Ouyang Jing.
After having dinner with Ouyang Jing, Xue Chen drove slowly to Zhuo Zhuo Antique Shop while listening to the news on the radio. Suddenly, a piece of news aroused his interest.
"The CCTV Folk National Treasures series team has arrived in Haicheng and will soon launch a seven-day event in Haicheng. The Folk National Treasures of Haicheng will be selected. All viewers are requested to look forward to the introduction of Folk National Treasures into Haicheng..."
When he stepped into the threshold of Zhuoyue Store, Wang Dong stood up when he saw him jumping up and came over, and said hurriedly: "Old Xue, last night I heard someone said that CCTV's folk national treasure column team came to Haicheng, and now they are setting up the stage.
Well, it is said that an activity will be held in a week to select Haicheng’s folk national treasures from the masses, have you heard about this?"
"I heard the radio in the car just now, what's wrong?" Xue Chen walked upstairs.
The two guys greeted Xue Chen very respectfully.
"Old Xue, don't you want to go and make a selection? I think with your Xuande furnace, you should be able to compete for the honor of Haicheng City Folk National Treasure." Wang Dong followed behind and asked.
"Who knows, but is there any use in the selection?" Xue Chen asked after sitting down on the second floor and pouring himself a cup of tea.
"If you are talking about bonuses, there will definitely be none, but if you are really selected, wouldn't it be an honor? There will also be a certificate, right?" Wang Dong sat aside, squinting his eyes and looking at Xue
morning.
"Forget about honors and certificates, they can't be eaten as food." Xue Chen smiled.
"Then what you're saying is that if you're not interested, you won't participate." Wang Dong smacked his lips.
"Let's talk about it." Xue Chen said not caring much. He also didn't care much about the so-called honor of selecting Shanghai's urban folk national treasure. It seemed that there was no practical benefit other than showing off the limelight.
Just when Xue Chen was comfortably nestled on the sofa, drinking hot tea and reading a magazine, he suddenly received a call from Shen Wanjun and Uncle Shen. The purpose of the call was also about this CCTV selection event for national treasures.
"Xue Chen, it seems from your tone that you have no intention of participating. I think you should consider it. At least this is a good platform. If used properly, it may be able to give your antique shop a good free publicity. I
I plan to ask Liu Qian to participate, but I can’t come up with something as good as your Xuande stove, so there is no chance of being named a national treasure among the people.”
"How do you promote an antique store?" Xue Chen asked.
"This is very simple. I think you should be very aware of this kind of activity. The appraisal expert will definitely ask you what your occupation is and where you got the treasure. You can also tell me that you are the shopkeeper of Zhuoyue Antique Shop.
, as long as the antiques you bring out for appraisal are of sufficient quality, the audience will naturally have a deep memory of you and your antique shop." Shen Wanjun explained with a smile.
"That's right." Xue Chen suddenly nodded. He really didn't think so much.
Xue Chen didn't pay too much attention to this CCTV column about selecting national treasures among the people, but the news caused quite a stir in the antique circle of Haicheng City. Some collectors from other cities in the province even heard the news and came here with their favorite collections.
Arrive at Haicheng.
Some people are really not sure about the authenticity of the items they hold in their hands, and want to take this opportunity to let experts personally identify them so that they can be sure.
There are also some collectors who know that their collections are genuine, and the purpose of taking them out is simple. It can be summed up in two words: "show off", to open people's eyes and gain face.
"Old Xue, I think what Uncle Shen said makes sense. As for me, I know that you don't like to be too ostentatious, so that's fine. You can give me your Xuande furnace and I'll carry it over when the event starts. , let everyone see what a treasure is, and by the way, shock those experts from the capital." Wang Dong said with a smile.
"Experts from the capital?" Xue Chen's eyes moved.
"Yes, I heard that the four experts are all from the capital, and each of them has a very impressive title. They are president of some association, professors and experts in which departments, and some of them receive national subsidies." Wang Dong said. .
Nowadays, the antique industry can be said to be booming, and almost everyone is collecting it. It is no longer the ignorant period of the 1970s and 1980s. Even in remote rural areas, everyone knows that ancient objects are treasures and valuable. , will no longer be sold casually as scrap metal.
In the city, Hetian jade and jade pendants, bracelets and other accessories are too common, and bracelets made of various woods are also highly popular.
There are countless families who have one or two heirlooms left by their ancestors, such as grandpa, grandpa, and grandpa, which have been carefully preserved. When they learned that this column has experts for free appraisal, they all couldn't hold back their excitement. He took out the treasure hidden at the bottom of the box.
Xue Chen thought about it and felt that what Uncle Shen said made sense. It was always good to promote the antique store, and it didn't cost money anyway.
The day before the event, Xue Chen told Wang Dong to bring one of his collections to the event.
"Okay, Lao Xue, then tomorrow morning you can bring your Xuande incense burner." Wang Dong said enthusiastically. He had already imagined that when he took out the Xuande incense burner, he would definitely suppress a group of other collectors. Even experts have to look at it differently.
"No, don't take the Xuande stove, it's another collection." Xue Chen's eyes moved and he said.
Early the next morning, Xue Chen arrived at the antique store. Wang Dong, who had changed into high-end casual clothes, had been waiting for a long time. When he saw Xue Chen coming, he rushed forward to greet him.
"Old Xue, what do you mean, if you don't take the Xuande furnace, then which piece of collection should you take? The porcelain pillow that you and Du Tao dug out of the mountain together is fine, but the porcelain is a bit too delicate. There must be many people participating in the event. "If you're not afraid of ten thousand, just be afraid of the worst." Wang Dong rubbed his hands and said hesitantly.
"It's not that shadow celadon porcelain pillow, it's something else, this one in my hand." Xue Chen handed the thing over.
Seeing a flat and slender box, Wang Dong took it over, opened the box and saw that it was a rusty ancient sword. He was stunned for a moment, took it in his hand, squinted and looked at it again and again. After a long time, he felt a little confused. He said uncertainly: "This seems to be the standard of the Ming Dynasty."
"Yes, you are right. It is indeed a standard weapon smelted in the mid-Ming Dynasty. Just take it." Xue Chen's eyes flickered.
This made Wang Dong a little confused. He didn't know Xue Chen's purpose of doing this. Although this ancient sword was also a good thing, worth at least hundreds of thousands, but compared with the Xuande furnace and the shadow celadon jade pillow, That's a huge difference. This ancient sword alone would hardly be able to produce an eye-catching effect.
"Old Xue, what do you think?" Wang Dong scratched his head and asked suspiciously.
"Haha, just do as I say." Xue Chen smiled and patted Wang Dong on the shoulder, indicating that they could go together.
The column is held at the Haicheng Workers' Stadium. The entire selection event lasts for seven days and is divided into three links: audition, selection, and the final selection of Haicheng National Treasure.
As expected, the entire road to the Workers' Stadium was blocked.
When they arrived at the largest indoor basketball court in the gymnasium, they saw the five audition windows lined up like a python, dozens of meters long. They were all excited citizens, carrying people on their shoulders and in their arms. All kinds of antiques of unknown authenticity.
"so many people?!"
Wang Dong blurted out, looking at the human-shaped dragon dumbfounded.
"Dongzi, you line up here for the audition, I'll go out and find a place to wait for you." Xue Chen patted Wang Dong on the shoulder with a smile, turned around and walked out of the gym.
Coincidentally, as soon as he left the gymnasium, Xue Chen met seven or eight acquaintances walking together. They were all well-known people in the Haicheng City antique circle. They were all in their forties, fifties, fifties or sixties. Uncle Shen and Yan Ruxing were two Everyone is inside.
Seeing Xue Chen, these people all took the initiative to say hello. Although Xue Chen entered the antiques industry many years later than any of them, everyone knew in their hearts that Xue Chen was now much more famous than them. They all also admitted that they felt inferior in terms of eyesight.
Although the antiques industry is based on seniority, the expert is the teacher. A discerning appraiser will be respected wherever he goes.
Everyone also asked the clerk in the store or the juniors at home to queue up. After some discussion, we found a teahouse nearby to drink tea.
As soon as they sat down in the teahouse, Cai Yuanming, the owner of Longteng Antique Shop, looked at Xue Chen with a smile: "Xue Chen, did you bring your Xuande stove? If so, nine times out of ten, this one The title of Haicheng City Folk National Treasure will be taken away."
Everyone nodded in unison. They had all seen Xue Chen's Xuande stove. It was authentically made under the supervision of Emperor Xuande. It was in good condition and was truly a fine product. It was worth half a billion yuan. Such antiques were too rare.
"It's not Xuande stove, it's something else." Xue Chen took a sip of tea.
Everyone was surprised. They didn’t expect that what Xue Chen was holding was not a Xuande stove.
Xue Chen asked what Uncle Shen was holding and learned that it was the set of December Flower God Cups. No, it should be said to be the October Flower God Cup, because the last two cups were still missing.
"I want to use this column to convey my intention to purchase the other two Flower God Cups across the country. In this way, there will be a greater chance of searching for them." Shen Wanjun said thoughtfully.
After half a day and several pots of tea, everyone present received a call and received the news that the audition had passed. They had obtained their qualification certificates and participated in the next round of selection. (To be continued. )