The Qing Dynasty had numerous consorts, and their preferences varied, as everyone knows.
However, no one could have foreseen that someone would be able to know the preferences of each consort like the back of his hand.
This…
How exactly was this achieved?
Don't talk about practice makes perfect, or skill bordering on the divine.
This couldn't be learned from books at all. A person's brain has only so much capacity. How could someone possibly remember such obscure information?
And it's a young man in his twenties.
Setting aside whether what he said was correct, just being able to recite such details was enough to shock everyone present.
"This kid's got something, he's probably not just part of the National Treasure Gang…"
"I always thought I was well-read, but now I realize my knowledge is too limited. There's always someone better. I admit defeat when it comes to 保山南红 and Qing Dynasty consorts."
"No wonder he dared to make a written agreement with Zhu Tongren. It seems he's not someone who talks nonsense."
…
These few sentences alone were enough to change many people's opinions instantly.
Although they still believed Zhu Tongren would ultimately win, their gazes towards Li Chonglou shifted from seeing him as part of the National Treasure Gang to a hint of admiration.
For a young man in his twenties to achieve this much was already quite remarkable.
After all, antique collecting requires the accumulation of years.
"Hmph, you can barely be considered correct," Zhu Tongren's expression grew increasingly grim.
He tried his best to maintain his composure on the surface, but his heart was in turmoil.
This bead was something he had bought at a high price from a master, costing him six hundred thousand, and even then, he considered it a small bargain.
That master had said the bead was definitely from the Qing imperial court, and based on its form, it should have belonged to a certain imperial consort.
However, with his eyesight and knowledge, he couldn't identify its original owner.
He had only a partial understanding.
He had hoped that one day he would be able to fully understand it and tell him.
Unexpectedly, Li Chonglou, this kid, with just a glance, provided such detailed information.
Of course, whether it was correct would still need to be verified through further discussion.
But even so, it had already surpassed his scope of knowledge.
He really wanted to shamelessly deny it, but no matter how thick-skinned he was, he couldn't find any fault at this moment.
He could only grudgingly acknowledge it as a partial success.
He told himself that Li Chonglou, being from the National Treasure Gang, likely focused his attention on the imperial court, and stumbling upon one item wasn't a big deal.
But the next two items were each more valuable than the last, and neither had anything to do with the court.
No matter how much he tried to bluff, he wouldn't be able to discern anything from them.
"Big Brother Li is amazing, showing them how foolish it is to judge others by their appearance!" Jin Jing applauded enthusiastically.
Although she didn't understand the details, she knew that this matter concerned the dignity of their group.
Winning was, of course, a good thing.
"This second item is what you're wearing around your neck," Li Chonglou said with a slight smile, pointing to Zhu Tongren's neck.
From the collar, half of a luminous, golden-yellow round bead was visible.
Slightly larger than a one-yuan coin, oval-shaped, it emitted a faint, patterned glow. From different angles, it displayed different patterns, making it very dazzling.
It was comparable to Zhu Tongren's demeanor.
It was very suitable for showing off.
Without waiting for Zhu Tongren to ask, he continued, "This is a conch pearl produced by a coconut whelk. Its size, pattern, and shape are all top-grade."
"At current market prices, it should be around one million yuan."
"The probability of a coconut whelk producing a pearl is extremely low. Most people have never even heard of it in their lifetime, and the cost of the shell itself is high, making it rare among the rare."
"However, this type of organic gemstone cannot be called an antique, nor can it even be considered a curio."
"Let's just call it a treasure, for now."
Hiss…
This time, gasps of cold air were heard, and many people looked at each other, dumbfounded.
The antique trade had fine classifications. It was the limit for someone to dedicate their entire life to studying just one category, and achieving great success also depended on talent.
As for organic gemstones, they were merely a subcategory within curios, not related to antiques at all.
As a result, many people didn't recognize this item.
Being so clearly identified by Li Chonglou, how could they not be astonished?
This kid had already displayed superhuman insight in the realm of 保山南红, and now he had accurately identified the origin and value of a conch pearl.
These two items were both precious stones.
What did this imply?
This kid was skilled in the appraisal of precious stones.
If all three of Zhu Tongren's treasures were precious stones, wouldn't today's situation be precarious?
Even Zhu Tongren's face turned extremely unpleasant.
The conch pearl was indeed bought for 1.2 million yuan, as Li Chonglou had said, with the extra 200,000 due to its rarity.
Many people often mistook it for amber, allowing him to successfully show off many times.
He hadn't expected that Li Chonglou would see through it at a glance.
Of course, this might be related to his specialization in precious stones.
Thinking this way, it wasn't entirely surprising.
But what if he recognized two items? If he couldn't recognize the last one, he would still have to kneel and kowtow.
This last item had nothing to do with precious stones.
"Kid, you indeed have some skill, recognizing two items. What about the most expensive one?" Zhu Tongren asked, bracing himself.
Upon hearing this, Li Chonglou moved his finger to Zhu Tongren's left hand.
Pointing to the emerald thumb ring, he said, "It's so obvious, do I still need to say it?"
"This emerald thumb ring is made from old material with new craftsmanship from the late Qing and early Republic of China."
"The '种水' (type and clarity) is generally average, but its color is vibrant, pure, and intense, undoubtedly Imperial Green."
"This kind of imitation Qing style in its dimensions and thickness, coupled with the passage of time from the Republic of China to now, has resulted in a mellow patina that subtly reveals a divine luster. Its market price should not be less than two million."
"It's the most expensive item you possess."
He had seen this thumb ring when he entered. He had spoken of its superficial aspects.
But in reality, this thumb ring had another origin, which was not for outsiders to know.
Zhu Tongren wearing this item everywhere to show off was clearly like a pearl hidden in the mud, a complete fool.
Only when it became his own would it truly shine.
As soon as he finished speaking, Zhu Tongren burst into laughter, "Kid, your skills are still too far off. Your judgment is poor. Besides precious stones, you know nothing."
"You actually said my thumb ring is the most expensive. You truly have blind dog eyes."
"Look… look at what this is!"
Saying this, he lifted his robe, revealing a small, colorful pouch bottle hanging at his waist, about a palm's length.
His expression was one of excessive pride.
This small pouch bottle had not been completely covered by his clothes. The lower half of the bottle was originally visible outside the collar, and it could be seen with the naked eye.
He had feared that Li Chonglou would notice this item, but he hadn't expected Li Chonglou to focus on the thumb ring on his hand.
As expected, he did have some insight into precious stones, but in the antique trade, he was a novice.
At that moment, he felt certain he would win.
Not only him, but Ning Lang's expression also changed.
The moment he saw the small pouch bottle, he recognized it as a cloisonné enamel piece.
If his memory served him correctly, in 2012, HKD Auction House had auctioned a pouch bottle with a similar size, shape, and featuring a yellow ground with floating clouds, flying phoenixes, and peony patterns. The auction price at that time was 24,244,700 yuan.
Why was it an exact amount with decimals?
It was because the buyer intentionally set it that way to ensure the precious item would be remembered.
This item should have been the most expensive thing Zhu Tongren possessed, right?
Now it was over. Li Chonglou had misjudged, wouldn't he have to publicly kowtow and apprentice himself to Zhu Tongren?
At that moment, Ning Lang's heart clenched.