"Forget it, let's just go to the mountains tomorrow."
To be honest, after seeing the entire box of bronzes, Li Zhonglou lost interest in Huang Jian's collection.
Firstly, the trading of bronzes was strictly forbidden, a fact well-known to everyone in the antique trade.
Secondly, what dynasty would use bronzeware?
At least before the Warring States period.
After the Warring States period, the Bronze Age ended, and ironware became the primary tool for production and warfare.
It was only then that jade culture began to develop rapidly.
There's a saying about Warring States jade being captivatingly beautiful.
Furthermore, most of these bronzes were for civilian use and as weapons, with almost no ritual vessels, making them historically insignificant.
To ordinary people, they might be considered treasures, but not to him.
This trip was to collect items for a decisive match against Lu Weishen, which required special significance; otherwise, it would be a wasted journey.
It would be quicker to find a few bargains in the antique market.
"Don't be like that. Since you're already here, and I've finally met a fellow enthusiast, at least help me appraise them so I have some idea," Huang Jian said, trying to persuade Li Zhonglou, who seemed unenthusiastic.
"Actually, your eyesight isn't bad. There are very few fakes among these bronzes," Li Zhonglou said with a smile.
One shouldn't judge a book by its cover. This Huang Jian, compared to those boastful masters in Qin Zhou, was not inferior.
Although the items' condition was average, it could only be attributed to his bad luck.
But he did possess some discernment.
Hearing Li Zhonglou praise him, Huang Jian couldn't stop beaming and became even more enthusiastic, "Let's go, let's go. It's still early for dinner, and we have nothing else to do, so let's take a look."
"If there's anything you like, feel free to take it. Although I'm just a junk collector, I'm definitely not stingy with friends."
Hearing his Mandarin mixed with the dialect of Shuyu in his eagerness, Li Zhonglou didn't refuse further, considering his good intentions.
Indeed, there was nothing else to do.
Huang Jian opened his bedroom, which was tidy and clean.
A safe was embedded in the wall.
He entered the password and opened it with a key in front of the three of them, then took out a large wooden box.
As soon as the wooden box appeared, Li Zhonglou's eyes brightened.
He praised, "Good stuff, genuine Huanghuali wood with a lustrous finish, likely over a hundred years old."
The large wooden box seemed to have been used to store framed calligraphy and paintings.
Huanghuali wood is tough and fine-grained, with good quality material being as oily as jade, and in some places, the unique "ghost eyes" formed by tree knots and scars are clearly visible.
The box alone was of considerable value.
"I'm glad it meets your approval. Come and see these jades," Huang Jian said happily, holding the box and placing it on the table in front of Li Zhonglou.
Upon opening it, it was filled with jade carvings.
The styles and carving techniques varied, representing different eras.
There were even quite a few made with modern machinery.
Li Zhonglou smiled; it seemed Huang Jian was only proficient in bronzes and not so much in jades.
While there's a saying that new jade surpasses old jade, collecting machine-carved pieces was not the practice of a normal collector.
Clatter!
Huang Jian scooped up the jades in the box, making a rattling sound.
At that moment, Li Zhonglou's eyes suddenly lit up, and his hand shot out like lightning to grab a jade pendant.
After examining it closely, his expression became serious. "There's actually this thing. I almost missed it myself. Where did you get it?"
Seeing his reaction, Zhou Yacheng and Tian Lingli exchanged glances.
Has the treasure arrived?
At the same time, they were filled with confusion. Wasn't it said that discerning true from false was difficult in the antique world? If this jade was precious, why would Li Zhonglou point it out instead of trying to get a bargain?
"Is there anything special about this piece? I remember I traded it for a Transformer toy from a child," Huang Jian asked, looking confused.
The jade piece Li Zhonglou picked out looked unremarkable.
It was a mix of yellow and black, with dense ink spots, carved with simple pine and cypress branches and a wild goose.
With his eyesight, he couldn't tell which dynasty it belonged to.
"Have you heard of Spring Hunt Jade from the Jin and Yuan periods?" Li Zhonglou slowly explained. "The theme of Spring Hunt Jade originally depicted the Liao Dynasty emperors and nobles hunting in spring."
"Therefore, it often featured carved waterbirds and flora, with a realistic style."
"This type of jade continued into the Yuan Dynasty, and afterwards, it was not only used by royalty and nobles but also by some literati."
"By the end of the Yuan Dynasty, there were two major rebel forces, one of them named Chen Youliang."
Hearing this, Huang Jian's eyes lit up. "I know Chen Youliang, the one who fought for the empire with Zhu Yuanzhang and eventually lost."
"Is this jade related to him?"
As an antique enthusiast himself, he was naturally knowledgeable about history. When Chen Youliang was mentioned, he had already realized the value of the jade.
Gold is precious, jade is priceless.
Besides the material and carving, differences in era, owner, and provenance greatly affected the value of a piece of jade.
If its owner was a significant historical figure like Chen Youliang, one could imagine its immense value.
"Chen Youliang was a fisherman from Mianyang. His paternal grandfather was originally named Xie Qianyi, but he changed his name to Chen Qianyi after marrying into the Chen family."
"Although his grandfather changed his surname, his ancestral surname remained very important to him, so he named his grandson Chen Youliang, restoring his original surname Xie."
"And he gifted this jade pendant, which was received as a reward from a Yuan Dynasty noble."
"The character Xie on this pendant serves as proof."
"In 1359, the nineteenth year of Zhizheng, Chen Youliang, under the guise of a joint expedition, suddenly arrived at Anqing Prefecture from Jiangzhou and killed Zhao Pusheng."
"Later, he was attacked and assassinated by Zhao Pusheng's friends and relatives. In the chaos, the pendant's string broke, and it was lost in the great river."
"And Shuyu County was under the jurisdiction of Anqing Prefecture during the Yuan Dynasty."
"This jade pendant, as far as I can tell, is most likely Chen Youliang's. However, the provenance of antiques requires evidence, and it's difficult to say for sure without thorough investigation."
"If I take the jade back to Qin Zhou and provide you with its accurate provenance within a month, are you willing?"
Upon hearing this, Zhou Yacheng and the other were enlightened.
Li Zhonglou had no intention of getting a bargain; he directly revealed the origin of the jade, not wanting to take advantage of Huang Jian.
He wanted to treat him with sincerity.
But... human nature is complex. If Huang Jian knew the true value of this jade, wouldn't greed arise?
Just as the thought flashed through his mind, Huang Jian laughed heartily, "Okay, you can do whatever you want with it. If you like it, I'll give it to you!"
Holy cow...
This startled Zhou Yacheng.
Even he knew the value of this jade pendant now. Being Chen Youliang's possession, with a name and a story, if its provenance could be traced, it would be worth at least over a million.
Huang Jian, a junk collector, would just give it away?
"No need to give it, I won't take what someone else loves. I'll send it back to you with its provenance in a month," Li Zhonglou said with a slight smile.
As expected.
He had confidence in Huang Jian, which was why he was so candid.
A person who was ostentatious, vain, or greedy wouldn't be able to live so comfortably collecting junk.
Even if forced by circumstances to collect junk for a living, he wouldn't have a container and a safe to store these antiques.
Only someone who viewed wealth as dirt and truly loved these things could achieve this.
Otherwise, they would have long ago sold them at a low price.
And waited for him?
The facts proved that his judgment was not wrong.
With this jade, his confidence in his trip to Shuyu greatly increased.
"Lu Weishen, when I return to Qin Zhou, I will show you what true antique culture is!"