Imperial Treasure

Chapter 512 - 336: Lishui Ibis Vase_2

According to Sui Yi’s claim, if it’s correct, then the value of the Lishui Ibis Vase is extremely high.

Logically speaking, Uncle Fu ought to have little trust in the opinions of a youngster like Sui Yi, after all, expertise and knowledge in the antique world require many years to accumulate. It would be somewhat embarrassing for him, and perhaps he would not dare to believe it, if a young person turned out to be even more skilled than he is.

However, this thought only circled halfway through his mind before he suddenly recalled the circle’s evaluation of the young lady.

—Her insight is naturally acute, exceptional in her youth, no ordinary individual.

If she was considered exceptional in her youth, then it made sense for her to be more skilled than him; after all, the world is not short of one more genius.

Moreover, Sui Yi’s aura was pure and refined, composed and crisp, and she spoke with such certainty that it was hard for one to doubt the truth of her words, which naturally elicited trust...

In business or society, this was a very formidable ability. Uncle Fu felt a chill in his heart and for the first time, he felt sincere respect for his young employer.

"Miss Sui is indeed capable. I truly didn’t see its origins just now... It is quite embarrassing for me," said Uncle Fu, who could be considered the manager here. It was expected of him to discern the origins of such items, and since it was Sui Yi’s first visit and he hadn’t recognized the vase’s origins, he had somewhat neglected his duty.

Sui Yi shook her head, "This vase is quite unusual. I also stumbled upon a mention of it in a biography. There’s no need for self-deprecation, Uncle Fu."

Being able to ascertain the authenticity and era of the vase with just a few glances was indeed impressive.

With Sui Yi’s sincere way of speaking, Uncle Fu’s initial embarrassment and guilt dissipated, replaced by gratitude for Sui Yi’s magnanimity.

At this, the elderly woman couldn’t help herself again, "Miss, you’re the one in charge here, right? Could you please check how much this thing is worth? My son is waiting for me to get money..."

"Given that, Miss Sui, what do you think should be done with this item?"

"Just follow the normal rules, you handle it..." Sui Yi did not inject her personal feelings but instead gave the authority to Uncle Fu.

Uncle Fu nodded, pondered for a moment, and then, with an expected look in his eyes, said to the elderly woman, "This Lishui Ibis Vase is from the late Ming era, belonging to an official of that time. However, it gained some fame only during a time when wealth was being confiscated and is not considered a famous piece."

"So, is it worthless?!!!" the elderly woman couldn’t help but exclaim.

"No, that’s not what I mean, sister, don’t be hasty," Uncle Fu quickly waved his hand, smiling, "But the condition of this Lishui Ibis Vase is fairly good, and look at the craftsmanship; it seems to be from Jingdezhen, qualifying it as a famous porcelain. Based on the current market, it should be valued between two and three million. If you’re looking to pawn it, we’ll follow the rules of pawning; it’s just that I don’t know what you would prefer to do."

"Ah~ so there are different ways to pawn things? I just want to sell it for money~~"

If this were any other pawn shop, they would not, from the start, honestly inform about the porcelain’s authenticity, origins, and value as Uncle Fu did. They would belittle the item, persuade the owner to sell it under unfavorable conditions, and once the period expired, the pawn shop would own it and by reselling, could make several million in profit.

Unfortunately, Uncle Fu was not that sort of person. He glanced at Sui Yi, unable to discern any expression on her face as she continued examining the vase, seemingly indifferent to the matter.

He pursed his lips and explained the various pawning methods and rules to the elderly woman in detail...

"’Absolute pawn’ means you sell it directly to our pawn shop; you get the money, and we get the item, deal done, and the vase will no longer belong to you. If it’s a common pawn, once the period is over, if you can’t pay to retrieve it, it’ll automatically become an absolute pawn, and the Lishui Ibis Vase will belong to our pawn shop,"

He explained everything in simple and understandable terms, and the elderly woman, being somewhat shrewd, immediately said after listening, "What do I want with this old vase? If I bring it home and people find out, I might even be killed for it. I don’t want the vase; I’m selling it... the ’absolute pawn’ you mentioned! I’m absolutely pawning it!"

This was the most favorable situation for the pawn shop. Uncle Fu nodded and smiled, "Then it’s decided on an absolute pawn. But I must remind you, sister, that although the market value of the vase is what it is, our pawn shop can only offer you two million."

Pawn shops also need to make money from business, and the price Uncle Fu offered was already quite fair.

The elderly woman’s expression showed astonishment... not discontent, but a mix of surprise and joy that was hard to process: "Two million? You said two million... Is that enough for my son to go to school?"

Two million, for someone who usually handled no more than ten or twenty thousand a year, was clearly an unimaginable sum, and she found it hard to grasp the concept for a moment...

"Yes, it’s enough, enough even for your son to marry and have children... However, sister, it’s better not to talk carelessly about this, to avoid drawing unwanted attention,"

"Can I tell my son at least? Could you, could you lend me a phone so I can call him? I have my son’s number here..."

"Certainly, and your son may need to handle some paperwork," Uncle Fu considered that the elderly lady herself might have difficulty signing some agreements and didn’t have a bank card; it was safer for her son to settle matters.

After all, he’s a university student.

The elderly woman took Uncle Fu’s phone and went outside to make the call. Uncle Fu turned to Sui Yi and said, "Miss Sui, let me be frank, I was dismissed by several pawn shops, and for reasons you probably know... it’s because I do not engage in deception or trickery. I personally believe our pawn shop should provide a door of convenience, helping those in need temporarily and allowing our pawn shop also to gain some benefits, but we should never deceive people for huge profits... This is my personal philosophy, and I fear I cannot change it in this lifetime. If Miss Sui thinks my handling of the situation was not satisfactory, I’m ready to leave today without any salary."(To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to vote for it with recommendations and monthly tickets at Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)