Chapter 1396 - Using It To Show Off
Chapter 1396: Using It To Show Off
Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
There were probably no fewer than a few hundred pieces that could be auctioned off tonight.
The voices below the stage still maintained a very eager competitive trend.
Su Bei sat at the back, her gaze lazy as she leaned back in her chair. The people around her kept waving their placards. The sight was dazzling.
Some people successfully bid and smiled. “I like this, and I finally got it. Besides, the collections Tang Yue is auctioning off are very valuable. If I keep them for another year or two, the price will probably double.”
“Well, she’s got a competent appraiser on her side,” said someone in a sour tone as they didn’t manage to win anything.
In a short while, dozens of pieces had been auctioned off. Counting the amount so far, it was already billions.
Su Bei finally understood why Tang Yue wanted to do this business. It was really a profitable business. As long as she made the story sound good and made every antique collection come with historical background, people would naturally buy her goods.
Actually, most of the people here did not know much about the industry either. They simply followed the trend when they bought things. If they had a lot of money, they could buy whatever they wanted. Otherwise, they would buy things with the mindset that they could still earn a sum of money after buying them. They hoped to generate bigger profits by reselling the items after keeping them for a while.
“The next item to be auctioned is the Twin Dragons Playing With Pearls, an item passed down from the Great Xiao Empire more than a thousand years ago. As everyone can see, the image of the two dragons on this treasure bottle represents the scene of the Great Xiao Emperor himself competing with the twin dragons in the sky. This item represents the peak of painting and firing craftsmanship from that time. The flowers are lifelike, and the colors are gorgeous and refreshing. It’s said that this treasure was a gift from the Great Xiao Emperor to his favorite concubine.”
The auctioneer introduced the new round of items.
Immediately, interest was aroused. Everyone craned their necks in anticipation.
“Therefore, the starting price of this auction item is 15 million, and the minimum increment of each bid is 500,000. Let the auction begin!”
As soon as the auctioneer finished speaking, someone immediately began to raise the bid. “15.5 million!”
“16 million!”
“17 million!”
“18 million!”
The sound of bidding rose and fell. Many people had their eyes on this vase. This time, there were many people bidding. Su Bei’s ears were filled with the buzzing sounds.
Many people were determined to obtain this precious vase.
Amidst the cheers of the crowd, a clear but firm voice suddenly sounded. “100 million!”
100 million?
The people who had been bidding stopped when they heard this voice. They looked at the person who had called out the price.
What came into view was Su Bei’s flawless face with a bright smile.
“Su Bei!”
“How could it be Su Bei? Wasn’t she chased out by the Tang family?”
“100 million? Entertainers are indeed rich!”
“But I heard that Su Bei and Tang Yue are in conflict. Is Su Bei here to cause trouble?”
“The point is, can Su Bei afford to fork out so much money?”
On the auctioneer’s side, he shouted enthusiastically, “Someone has already offered 100 million yuan to buy this item. Does anyone want to raise the price? Anyone?”
Everyone in the audience shook their heads. Although the vase was good, it was not so easy to surpass the price of 100 million. Thinking of their wallets, many people wanted to retreat.
“100 million going once! 100 million going twice!”
The auctioneer waved the auction mallet in his hand and looked in Su Bei’s direction. “A lady named Su Bei offered a price of 100 million! Now, is there anyone else? Anyone else? If not, then… 100 million thrice!”
He slammed his auction mallet down heavily!
“Congratulations, Miss Su Bei, for obtaining our Twin Dragons Playing With Pearls! Miss Su, do you have anything to say in front of everyone?” the auctioneer asked.
This was part of tradition. Usually, after an item with a high price was auctioned, in order to create a better atmosphere, the auctioneer would ask the bidder to say a few words.
The microphone was handed to Su Bei.
Tang Yue pursed her lips. She did not think that Su Bei could cause any trouble.
A hundred million? How could she afford that?
Su Bei took the microphone and asked with a smile, “May I speak on stage?”
The auctioneer did not expect her to make such a request. He glanced at Tang Yue, who nodded, indicating that it was fine.
The auctioneer also felt that it was harmless, so he invited Su Bei up.
“Miss Su, you spent a huge sum of money to bid for this item that everyone wants. Do you have anything to say?”
Su Bei smiled at him and said, “Is this vase authentic?”
The people below the stage laughed.
The auctioneer smiled and said, “Miss Su, the items we’re auctioning have all been tested. But I’m sure everyone knows that even if an antique collection has been tested, it can’t be 100% authentic. When you bid for something, it’s a test of your judgment and luck.”
“So I’m paying 100 million dollars for a fake?”
Faced with Su Bei’s blunt question, the auctioneer said calmly, “Miss Su, you must be joking. Naturally, there’ll be people checking the items we’re auctioning. However, people’s abilities are limited, and it’s inevitable to occasionally encounter fakes. However, I can guarantee that although our items can’t be 100% authentic, they can’t be fake. Mr. Situ Songhui, who’s sitting below the stage, is one of the best in this industry. As long as he’s the one doing the appraisal, even if he might make a mistake, the item can’t be fake.”
Seeing that everyone below the stage was listening attentively, the auctioneer naturally had to clarify again. He said, “Therefore, I think everyone can dispel the doubts you have. Our auction items all have qualifications. Obviously, they’re all items from formal channels, and we also practice standardized auction methods. In the future, the items you bid for will continue to be valuable. As time passes, they’ll become more precious. Please believe this!”
The audience applauded collectively, feeling that Su Bei was indeed too ignorant.
Su Bei smiled and said, “That’s good. Actually, I’m just worried that something fake will appear. If an item is really something from a particular dynasty but there are miscalculations in other aspects, I believe everyone can accept it. After all, there are some things that even the most advanced instruments can’t detect. But what I’m afraid of is that some people imitate antiques and make identical replicas to sell. They use them to attract attention and earn everyone’s hard-earned money. That’ll also be a waste of everyone’s efforts.”