I squatted down and looked at the rough stones Ang Gi had dropped. These stones were undoubtedly someone else's collection, mostly half-mountain, half-water stones, considered top-grade of the Mu Na roughs.
The Mu Na mine was divided into upper and lower Mu Na, renowned for its ample seed and water. The color was generally not deep; only rarely did bright green or emperor green appear, and when it did, it was top-grade.
I picked up a piece weighing five to six kilograms. It had a white and yellow sand skin, with a faint, elusive pale green peeking through, as if about to overflow.
The skin was covered with a thin layer of white and yellow cotton, interspersed with faint green, making the entire piece stunningly beautiful, fully exhibiting the characteristics of Mu Na.
The seed and water of this piece were undoubtedly excellent; the gamble was on the color. If the green penetrated deep, even a single bright green would result in a high-grade item!
However, I bet it would yield top-grade, at least a high green!
To stop Qing Ge from dwelling on that half rough stone, the best method was to let him make money!
A high green or emperor green would command a sky-high price!
Although this piece already showed green on the surface, it had no direct correlation with what was inside. Many factors influenced whether the green would penetrate or if it was just a surface display that would disappear after a cut.
This was why one preferred a single line of color over a broad patch.
Seeing a line of color often meant it had penetrated, whereas a broad patch could be a false color, merely on the surface, not having seeped into the jade.
I might be rambling a bit, but in practice, I could easily distinguish these things; it's just a bit convoluted to describe.
This piece had already shed its sand, revealing much green.
I shone my flashlight on it; the fluorescence reaction was very strong. I knew this was caused by the green, but I couldn't be sure about this green – whether it was deep inside or on the surface.
I asked Ang Cai, "What's the price for this piece?"
Ang Cai said, "I bought it by the kilogram. It was ten thousand per kilogram there, I'm doubling it to twenty thousand. Six point three kilograms in total, so you need to pay 1.26 million."
Honestly, his price was quite fair. This piece would cost no less than two million elsewhere.
But he also made a good deal, earning half without any risk.
Three bags contained at least two hundred kilograms, making him millions in one trip.
I looked at Brother Bao. Brother Bao said, "We are mainly here to accompany Brother Qing. How about this, Brother Qing, you decide how to divide it."
Qing Ge said, "Ah Bao, you decide, whatever is fine."
The risk and the potential win were split fifty-fifty, so the allocation was tricky.
Brother Bao seemed a bit hesitant. After a pause, he said, "How about this, Brother Qing gets forty percent, I get thirty percent, and these younger ones each get ten percent, as they're accompanying us."
Qing Ge nodded. Sister Xiang handed over a check for two million. Brother Bao asked Sister Xiang to hold onto it and asked Da Kui to bring cash. Da Kui arrived with a suitcase and placed it on the counter.
Ang Cai and Da Kui counted the money. I took the stone to the master cutter and asked him to make an initial cut on the shoulder.
Rubbing this stone was pointless; the green was already exposed. Further rubbing might still reveal green, and only a cut would tell if it had penetrated the jade.
The master glanced at the stone and secured it as I instructed.
Mu Na roughs have thin skins. The master cut only about three millimeters, and it was quickly done.
About an egg-sized piece was cut off.
The master rinsed it with water, said nothing, released the clamps, and handed it to me.
I placed it on the workbench and shone a light on the cut surface.
As expected, the green had penetrated, but there was a lot of cotton, which significantly reduced the appearance of the seed and water.
I shone the light through it; it was very green. If the cotton didn't penetrate, it would at least be high green.
I was worried about the cotton penetrating; though cotton wouldn't affect the appearance of bangles, too much would discount the price.
This piece was oval-shaped, capable of producing at least five pairs of bangles and over a dozen pendants and ornaments. A high green was conservatively estimated at ten million, but if the cotton was too dense, it would only cover costs.
If it had scattered flowers, it could still fetch five million.
I looked at the stone, contemplating how to cut it.
This stone was a typical case of improving with rubbing but worsening with cutting. If the next cut yielded so much cotton, it might not even cover costs.
I told the master, "Leave the bangle positions, make slabs!"
This type of cut was pure gambling; I bet the cotton hadn't penetrated, and it was high green.
For such a small piece of stone, making another cut on the surface was meaningless. It was better to go for a decisive cut, and besides, there were plenty of other roughs; no need to waste time on this one.
The million-plus cost was spread among five of us, so no one would be overly burdened.
Even Brother Qing, who paid the most, only spent about fifty thousand.
The master remained silent, measured with a ruler, drew a few lines with ink, and began to cut.
The stone was very hard; its sharp sound grated on my eardrums. I took Jing Lei's hand and went towards the piles of rough stones to see if there were any others that caught my eye.
Brother Qing and Brother Bao also retreated to chat.
Lan Ya followed us, standing by and watching me examine the stones.
I rummaged through them for a while but didn't find anything particularly appealing. Although each was a fine piece, I was looking for a top-grade one, so nothing seemed quite right.
I noticed a piece in a corner that resembled a steamed bun cut in half. Unlike the previous one, it was white salt-colored, with sparkling fine sand on it. I went over and picked it up. It weighed about four to five kilograms. The sand grains felt slightly abrasive to the touch, and it felt heavy in my hand, indicating sufficient hardness. The seed was very old, so this piece was a gamble purely on seed and water, hoping for no or minimal cotton, aiming for ice or glutinous ice.
Of course, I harbored a slight hope for glass seed.
This was a completely unrevealed rough, unlike the other piece with its faint green.
However, the greatest risk often lay in exposed color, which could be too deceptive and easily sway your judgment.
I took it over to ask Ang Cai the price. He put it on the scale; it was five kilograms. The price was the same, one million.
I asked Brother Bao if the allocation was still the same. Brother Bao nodded. Da Kui brought another suitcase, and the payment was settled with Ang Cai.
I took this stone to the cutting machine myself. The previous stone was nearing completion. The master turned off the machine, rinsed the cut piece, and handed it to me.
I wiped it with a cloth and took it to a brighter spot to examine. The cotton had indeed not penetrated; it was full green, with some scattered flowers, not many. I shone the light on it; the seed and water had reached at least ice grade!
High green in Mu Na roughs was rare, and emperor green even more so. This green was between emperor green and bright green, already extremely uncommon. I said to Jing Lei, "Call your store's master craftsman. You can handle these pieces."
Jing Lei nodded. This piece was conservatively estimated at over ten million. While not top-grade, it was at least excellent, fitting perfectly for Jing Lei's shop.
I said to the master, "Take that piece off. Cut this one, and remove the top part of this bun."
This stone had an oval curve on top, which was not very useful, so it was better to cut it off, leaving a more regular base material.
The master didn't say a word, secured the stone, and began to cut.
Brother Qing was looking at the rough. Sister Xiang leaned over and said, "With such pure green, I want a pair of bangles."
Brother Qing said, "Alright, Ah Bao, my wife wants a pair of bangles, deduct it from my share."
Brother Bao said, "Big Brother."
Brother Qing said, "That's how it's done."
Brother Bao said to me, "Instruct the master to find the best spot to make a pair of bangles for Big Sister."
I agreed. Sister Xiang truly had a good eye; this piece had a pure base, and the high green was rare.