"The Leaf Under Dragon Head Wash" was carved from a single piece of agate, originally featuring a complete motif of a dragon turning its head beneath a leaf. Later, during a period of conflict, the sculpture was damaged, and the dragon's body broke off, leaving only the complete and intricate dragon's head.
In the late Ming and early Qing dynasties, the renowned jade carver Si Kong Di, who was also famous at the time, reprocessed it, resulting in the present "The Leaf Under Dragon Head Wash."
The material dates back to the Southern Song dynasty, while the craftsmanship bears the mark of the late Ming and early Qing periods.
Xia Qingtian urgently activated the appraisal ability in her item inventory, and with the system's prompt, she began her explanation of "The Leaf Under Dragon Head Wash."
"Although this brush washer is not the genuine article, it is indeed made of agate. Unfortunately, it is pieced together rather than being a single, seamless piece of agate. While the join has been meticulously treated, the seam is still visible at the leaf position when illuminated directly by a light. However, the material is good, and its estimated value can easily reach a million."
"That's roughly it," Xia Qingtian said with a polite smile. Seeing that the owner of the antique still wished to say something, she added, "If there are any objections, feel free to verify it on the spot."
"What I know is only superficial knowledge. If anything I've said is inaccurate, I humbly request the teachers to point it out." Xia Qingtian added with great humility.
"That's about it," Master Fang nodded and urged, "Alright, next."
At this point, the owner of the antique left the stage dejectedly, holding their collection.
The host could only awkwardly try to smooth things over and invite the next person to the stage.
"This painting is 'Clear Pond Play on Dragon Spring Terrace,' by a master of the late Qing dynasty." The owner of this antique was a well-known figure in the antique circle of Z City, and the item they presented was indeed a rare treasure.
The other two experts offered compliments out of courtesy. Master Fang examined it and remarked, "The item is indeed an original, but the painter cannot be considered a master. While their works are numerous, few can be deemed treasures, and there are many areas where the execution is perfunctory. They are the type who achieved fame at a young age but did not cherish their reputation. There's not much to discuss, next."
Upon hearing Master Fang's words, Xia Qingtian's lips twitched slightly. The two experts didn't know how to respond, and the host was dumbfounded.
The owner of the antique, on the other hand, was seething with unspoken anger, and with a somber expression, took their painting off the stage.
Afterward, two more antiques were presented, one genuine and one imitation.
Regardless of whether they were real or fake, anything that Master Fang commented on ultimately received no praise.
Even the host was frequently wiping sweat from their forehead.
Xia Qingtian wanted to remind Master Fang, but considering it was a recording session, she couldn't say anything.
"The next work is 'The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion.'" After the host finished speaking, Xia Qingtian's eyes twitched.
She now understood why Master Fang had come to this recording session and why he seemed to be in such a hurry.
It turned out he had been waiting for this "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion"!
Previously, at the Lei family's auction, the fake "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion" had almost caused Master Fang to lose his fortune. Now, upon hearing news of "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion" again, it was no wonder he couldn't sit still.
As expected, when "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion" was presented on stage, before the owner could speak, Master Fang tapped on the table and said, "Girl, come up with me and take a look."
"Yes." Xia Qingtian knew the importance of "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion" to Master Fang, so she immediately got up, went around the stage, stood beside Master Fang, and helped him onto the stage.
They stood before the painting "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion." After looking through it from beginning to end, the light in Master Fang's eyes dimmed, and he sighed and shook his head.
Xia Qingtian also learned from the appraisal ability's prompt that this "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion" was a forgery.
"Let's go back," Master Fang said weakly.
"Grandpa Fang, it's alright. The Lei family is still helping you search," Xia Qingtian whispered comfortingly beside him.
"Mm," Master Fang knew Xia Qingtian was comforting him, so he only looked at her and nodded, then patted her arm, "Good girl, it wasn't a wasted trip just to see you."
Xia Qingtian simply smiled faintly at his words and escorted Master Fang back to his seat.
This time, the two experts noticed Master Fang's disappointment. However, they no longer felt awkward; they merely sighed sympathetically.
They all knew the significance of "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion" to Master Fang.
When people reach a certain age, worldly prosperity quickly becomes a fleeting memory. What they truly care about is their family's legacy.
"The three experts..." The host could tell from their expressions that this piece was likely another fake, but still forced himself to follow the procedure.
"Girl, you do the commentary," Master Fang said to Xia Qingtian.
"Okay," Xia Qingtian replied and then briefly explained the historical context of "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion" and the methods for distinguishing the authentic piece, pointing out the flaws in this forgery. Even the owner of the antique appeared enlightened.
After this piece was taken off the stage, the director signaled the host to pause the recording.
"Let's all take a short break," the host said with a forced smile upon receiving the director's signal.
At this moment, the director, sweating profusely, ran over and said, "Thank you, the three teachers, for your hard work."
"It's nothing, it was quite fast," one of the experts chuckled.
"Actually, it was a bit too fast," the director said with an awkward smile. "Can we slow down the commentary for the following parts? We're short on recording time."
The other two experts looked at Master Fang, but he appeared indifferent.
He had come here solely for "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion." Now that he knew this "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion" was fake, he had lost all interest. So be it.
He had to rush to Kyoto after the recording concluded.
"Esteemed teachers, please," the director clasped his hands together, then had water brought and inquired about the air conditioning temperature, showing great care and consideration, all in the hope that the subsequent recording would go more smoothly. "Please take a short break, teachers. We will start filming in ten minutes. Thank you, thank you."
With that, the director went off to coordinate with various departments.
"You young lady are quite knowledgeable about antiques and collectibles!" one of the experts said, showing more interest in Xia Qingtian. "You explain things very eloquently."
"Indeed, there are fewer and fewer young people who understand antiques these days," remarked another expert.
"I only know a little bit. It's like showing off my meager skills before a master. Please don't laugh at me, teachers," Xia Qingtian smiled sheepishly. What did she know about antiques? It was all thanks to her appraisal ability.
However, after "The Thousand Buddhas' Discussion," when the director announced the break, her 30-minute appraisal ability also announced that its usage for the day had concluded.
For the subsequent recordings, she would obediently remain a background figure.
To avoid being called upon again, Xia Qingtian clasped her hands together and stated that she had limited knowledge and feared making mistakes during the later recordings, asking the teachers to go easy on her.
The two experts smiled and dismissed it, taking it as Xia Qingtian being modest. Their impression of her significantly improved.