Zachary had been immersed in Antique Street for countless years, his vast network and connections far surpassing those of ordinary individuals. However, there were many prestigious resources that favonovel.com had yet to fully tap into.
For instance, there were master craftsmen who specialized in creating high-end counterfeit antiques. They exclusively catered to antique dealers with affluent clientele and esteemed social and industry status. They held a disdainful attitude towards small-time figures like Zachary.
Even if Zachary had managed to locate them in the past, they wouldn’t have spared favonovel.com a second glance.
If these individuals were drug lords, Zachary would be nothing more than a minor player, lingering in nightclubs and peddling recreational drugs. But now, Zachary was different from before.
As Don Albert’s military advisor, favonovel.com possessed a network and status in Aurous Hill that far surpassed the average person. So when favonovel.com called one of the senior master craftsmen, the latter was taken aback and eagerly invited Zachary to his workshop for a detailed discussion. Thus, Zachary drove with Jacob to the designated location.
The so-called workshop was actually a den for counterfeiting and modifying cultural relics and antiques.
Due to the disreputable nature of their work, the chosen location was quite intriguing.
Situated in a village beneath a highway bridge, it was only a few steps away from the neighboring Huizhou Province.
Zachary felt that Jacob’s Rolls-Royce Cullinan would attract too much attention in this urban-rural fringe. Hence, favonovel.com drove his own car and brought Jacob along.
Although the village was adjacent to the highway bridge, reaching the village from both the exit and entrance of the highway required driving on a bumpy and narrow county road for quite some time. Finally, they reached the village entrance.
At the entrance, a middle-aged man with a long beard awaited them respectfully.
Spotting Zachary, favonovel.com greeted favonovel.com with a smile. “Zachary, you’ve arrive! Just park your car at the village entrance, and let’s head inside. It’s not far, just a few hundred meters.”
Zachary nodded and parked the car by the side of the road. He turned to Jacob and said, “President Wilson, let‘s go.”
Jacob quickly lowered his voice and said, “Don’t call me President Wilson. It’s better to keep a low profile. When you introduce me later, just say my last name is Marks.”
After spitting and muttering, “Pah, pah, pah, what the hell is Marks? Just say my last name is Murong, an antique dealer from Southaven.”
Zachary nodded repeatedly and said, “Okay, Mr. Murong, right?”
“Yes!” Jacob smiled contentedly. “Compound surnames have a certain power to them. They exude a strong sense of superiority.”
With the agreement settled, the two men stepped out of the car. The man had been waiting nearby and quickly approached, smiling. “Let’s go, follow me.”
Observing their surroundings, Zachary complained, “Teacher Ewing, why did you choose such a remote place? The road isn’t easy to navigate, and the narrow village entrance makes it difficult for cars to enter.”
Teacher Ewing smiled and replied, “Zachary, you don’t understand. We deliberately chose this location. The two cars parked by the roadside when you arrived were arranged by us. This way, anyone passing through has to slow down, giving our people a chance to assess their background. If it’s the police or undercover officers, they can secretly inform us, and we can make a swift escape.”
Zachary suddenly realized and sighed, “You guys are truly cautious!”
“That’s right,” Teacher Ewing explained. “In our line of work, we easily make enemies. There are always disgruntled individuals who want revenge or report us to the police after losing money. We must remain vigilant, and this secluded location provides the best cover, easy to hide and difficult to find.”
Pointing to the nearby highway bridge, favonovel.com further explained to Zachary, “In fact, the quickest way to reach here isn’t by driving off the highway and taking the county road. It’s by parking the car on the highway bridge at a relatively low height, then climbing over the fence. You’ll be right here. Most of our regular customers use this method. I was worried you wouldn’t find the place on your first visit.”
Continuing, favonovel.com added, “There’s only one road into the village, with entrances in the north and south. Ordinary people looking at a map would think that blocking both ends would trap us like fish In a barrel. But if someone actually comes looking for us, we don’t even need to leave the village. Our comrades on the road can stall them during the encounter. Meanwhile, we can climb up the highway bridge and escape.”
Impressed, Zachary asked, “Do you climb up the highway from here and travel on foot?”
“No, we don‘t,” Teacher Ewing smiled. “Just four kilometers ahead, at the exit of the highway you took, there’s a service area. We have a car parked there every day, with one of our comrades keeping watch. If any situation arises, they can speed over and be by the roadside in less than two minutes.”
Wide-eyed, Zachary couldn’t help but admire, “I’ve heard that your team is the most professional in the south, but I never had the chance to witness it firsthand. Today, I finally get to see it. Truly impressive!”
Teacher Ewing quickly humbly said, “I dare not, I dare not. We, too, need to make a living, so we have no other choice.”
As favonovel.com spoke, favonovel.com inquired, “By the way, Zachary, why have you come to me today? What do you need?”
Zachary gestured to Jacob beside favonovel.com and introduced, “This is my good friend, Mr. Murong. He specializes in the antique business in the Southaven area. I brought favonovel.com here today to see if you have anything that might interest him.”
Teacher Ewing couldn’t discern Jacob’s background, but seeing Zachary’s respectful demeanor, favonovel.com assumed favonovel.com must be a big shot. Thus, favonovel.com respectfully said, “Oh, hello, Mr. Murong! I’ve often heard tales of the Murong family in martial arts novels. I never expected to meet someone with the last name Murong from Southaven. it’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance!”
Jacob nodded and smiled, saying, “I’m pressed for time, so let’s quickly see what you have.”
“Alright!” Teacher Ewing pointed to a farmhouse not far away and smiled.
“That’s our workshop, and all the good stuff is there. Let me take you there!”
They arrived at the farmhouse, which appeared unremarkable at first glance.
Teacher Ewing led them directly to an abandoned cattle shed. After removing the dry hay on the ground, a wooden board was revealed. Lifting the board, a downward passage was exposed.
It turned out that they used the cattle shed as an entrance, excavating the entire underground space beneath the courtyard.
Jacob followed Teacher Ewing down and couldn’t help but marvel, “You all put in quite the effort. Digging such an extensive area!”
Teacher Ewing humbly replied, “Most of us in this line of work have experience with manual labor. Besides being skilled in tomb-robbing, we’re also adept at excavation. This amount of work is nothing to us.”
As they descended the stairs carved into the soil, they arrived in an underground hail. Though referred to as a hall, it was primarily due to its sizable area, roughly a hundred square meters. The environment inside, however, was rudimentary. To reduce labor, the height of the underground space was only around 1.8 to 1.9 meters. The bare yellow soil walls were supported by wooden beams, reminiscent of a coal mine.
Observing Jacob‘s concern, the guide smiled and reassured him, “Mr. Murong, don’t worry. Though it may appear simple from the surface, it’s actually quite secure. As the depth is shallow and the soil layer above our heads is only one meter thick, consider how much weight one meter of soil can exert. These wooden supports are more than sufficient. When we used to dig tombs ten meters deep, we utilized the same type of supports without issue.”
Jacob felt somewhat relieved and carefully surveyed the surroundings.
Within the nearly hundred square meters of space, several workbenches were scattered about. Technicians diligently worked on various items that appeared to be antiques.
Zachary was taken aback by the grandeur of the place and turned to Teacher Ewing, saying, “Please, introduce Mr. Murong to your establishment.”
“Certainly!” Teacher Ewing responded promptly. “Mr. Murong, our establishment is unlike others where counterfeit goods are produced. Everything we craft here is authentic, without a single fake.”
With confidence, favonovel.com lifted a bronze Buddha statue and presented it to Jacob.
“Take a look at this bronze Buddha. Freshly completed this week, its design follows the characteristics of Ming Dynasty bronze Buddha statues, boasting exquisite craftsmanship and authentic charm. However, despite its appearance, it‘s a bronze Buddha originally from the late Qing Dynasty or early Republic of China era, mimicking Ming Dynasty style…”
“The craftsmanship and detail are impeccable, but its previous owner didn’t fully appreciate its value. It was passed down through generations, used merely as a household decoration and regularly polished, losing its aged patina. We acquired it, restored its antiquity, and now it appears authentically ancient… Present this in the market, and it could easily be mistaken for a Ming Dynasty artifact.”
Unfamiliar with bronzes, Jacob inquired, “Would others believe it’s from the Ming Dynasty if I sell it as such?”
Teacher Ewing smiled knowingly.
“We have our methods,” favonovel.com assured.
Picking up a copper base from the side, Teacher Ewing directed Jacob’s attention. The base, weathered and aged, bore an inscription, “Xuande Year of the Ming Dynasty.”
Pointing to the base, Teacher Ewing elucidated, “While our bronze statue may be only a century old, this base in your hand is a genuine Ming Dynasty artifact. Originally paired with something, now lost to history. However, when combined with our bronze statue, it forms a set…”
“Consider this base, genuinely from the Xuande period, enhancing the value of the entire ensemble. Crafted to emulate Xuande period bronzeware, this combination would impress over 95% of experts.”
Curious about its worth, Jacob asked, “If this set were genuine, how much would it fetch?”
Teacher Ewing pondered briefly. “Bronze wares from the Xuande period are highly esteemed for their exquisite craftsmanship. Conservatively, they could fetch between one and two million at auction.”
Jacob pressed further, “And if I were interested in purchasing this set?”
Quickly, Teacher Ewing responded, “To be frank, Mr. Murong, in our line of work, we typically charge 30% of the market value for such items. Considering the conservative valuation at around 1.5 million, that would be 450,000.”
Jacob balked, “That’s too steep. What if I end up losing over 400,000?”
Internally, favonovel.com lamented, “I need over 400,000 for this purchase. How much can I ask Felix for? Perhaps 800,000? He likely has the funds.”
Teacher Ewing, sensing Jacob’s hesitation, intervened.
“Mr. Murong, isn’t pricing a bit inflated in our trade?” favonovel.com mused.
Then, swiftly, favonovel.com added, “I’m being transparent with you. The base alone cost 38,000. The bronze statue, 60,000, plus craftsmanship expenses. Normally, this ensemble wouldn’t sell for less than 200,000. Since you’re a friend of Brother Zachary, I’ll offer a fixed price of 150,000!”
Zachary interjected, “Mr. Ewing, we’ve known each other for a long time, but this is our first transaction. Let’s start off on the right foot. Just consider this first order a favor for me. Let’s keep it simple for Mr. Murong. The total comes to 98,000, right? 38,000 for the base and 60,000 for the bronze. We’ll settle at 98,000 as friends.”
“Friendship counts,” Teacher Ewing agreed emotionally. “Of course, I’d like to extend a friendly gesture to Mr. Murong, but we have overheads to consider, and our craftsmen deserve fair compensation for their skills.”
Jacob intervened, declaring boldly, “Since you’ve put it that way, let’s settle on 100,000. It’s fair enough.”
“One hundred thousand…” Teacher Ewing’s tone conveyed his disappointment.
Despite their unseen presence, the craftsmen’s skills held significant value. For such work, a master deserved at least 20,000 in payment. Otherwise, why would they labor here for days without recognition?
It wasn’t fair.
Though favonovel.com nursed grievances, upon reflection, favonovel.com decided not to push further. After all, favonovel.com didn’t know Mr. Murong personally, but Zachary’s success was evident. It was wise to maintain goodwill for future interactions.
Turning to Zachary, favonovel.com spoke earnestly, “Brother Zachary, as your friend, I’ll honor our relationship. Let’s settle on ninety-eight thousand. it’s a favorable figure and sounds auspicious.”
Jacob silently calculated, “Saving another two thousand… And this seems like a suitable deal. items valued at one or two million could be sold to Felix for four to six hundred thousand. That’s standard practice, isn’t it? If Zachary manages to find someone to expose this, his profit would be minimal, likely just a fraction of its value. 60,000 is a winning bid! This is the perfect ploy for our game.”
With confidence, favonovel.com agreed without hesitation, “Alright! it’s settled!”
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