NOVEL WEB Chapter 642: Slaughtering and Being Slaughtered!
Boss Qiu carefully took the scroll from the junk collector and gently unrolled it on the table.
The painting was about 170 centimeters long and 90 centimeters wide, indeed a "Bamboo and Stone Painting."
The bamboo rose tall and straight like to pierce the sky, with each leaf having its own expression. The ink was vivid, the shades varied, realistically conveying the texture of bamboo.
In composition, the positioning of bamboo and stone, as well as the handling of poetic inscription, were harmoniously executed. The slender elegance of the bamboo further highlighted the unique charm of the stone.
Boss Qiu took out a magnifying glass and ruler, repeatedly measuring, admiring, and identifying...
As Boss Qiu was engrossed in verifying this Bamboo and Stone Painting, a barely noticeable crafty look flashed in the junk collector's eyes.
Soon, he returned to his simple-minded appearance.
Jiang Feng, standing aside, observed all of this clearly.
Afterwards, Jiang Feng squinted and carefully examined the "Bamboo and Stone Painting."
Suddenly, he frowned, as if he had discovered something!
"Heh heh!"
Ten minutes later, Boss Qiu put down his tools, rubbed his forehead, but a look of extreme disappointment appeared on his face.
"Boss, what do you say? Look, this heirloom of mine, how much is it worth?" The junk collector asked with a very humble attitude.
"This painting of yours is a complete fake!" Boss Qiu said disdainfully with a smile, "I figured as much. You, having a genuine Zheng Banqiao passed down in the family? If it's genuine, that would be something out of a fairy tale!"
"Ah?! How can that be! This has been passed down for generations in my family!"
The junk collector beat his chest in frustration, "How can it be a fake? It can't be! Absolutely can't be!"
"Alright, stop pretending. To determine the authenticity of a painting, three aspects should be considered: the painting itself, the inscription, and the seal." Boss Qiu sneered, "First, about the painting. Zheng Banqiao's creative style can be summarized in a few words: 'Simplicity prevails in elegance and sparseness'! Hence, his style is very concise. The whole scene is simple and bright, with clear bamboo and elegant stones. It exudes a lively spirit, freeing and proud."
"This forgery, however, is somewhat more complicated in composition, the bamboo appears somewhat chubby, which does not conform at all with Zheng Banqiao's 'slender' style."
"Next, regarding the inscription, Zheng Banqiao's writing is always of varying sizes, crooked and uneven, with a charm of 'paving the street with rocks and inserting long poles in the waves,' exemplifying a free and uninhibited personality. The inscription of this forgery is too neat and precise, not at all like Zheng Banqiao's handwriting."
Boss Qiu passionately expounded, and the junk collector was dumbfounded, forgetting even to maintain his act.
"Based on these two aspects, your Bamboo and Stone Painting is a forgery!" Boss Qiu looked at the junk collector disdainfully, "You still want to deceive me?"
"Uh...hahaha! You're really skilled! Boss, you're really impressive! Alright, I won't say more. Boss, how much are you willing to pay for this painting?"
The genuine look of honesty had faded from the junk dealer's face, replaced by a shrewd expression.
Chu Feifei on the side frowned deeply, these days even swindlers are too convincingly disguised!
She had just heard the scammer was selling the painting to buy a house for his son, and she even felt a pang of sympathy, but it was all a lie!
She snorted coldly, whispered to Jiang Feng, "Uncle, these two guys, one craftier than the other, are full of evil tricks!"
"Hmm, they really are fools," Jiang Feng replied with profound amusement and kept silent.
"How much are you asking?" Boss Qiu lazily asked the junk collector.
"This... Boss, 200,000, and you can take this painting away!" the junk collector exclaimed aggressively, showing an expression of painful reluctance.
"What the hell!" Boss Qiu immediately became angry!
It's always been him who slaughtered others, but today someone dared trying to slaughter him?!
"This forgery is an imitation from the late Qing Dynasty. It does have some historical value, and the workmanship isn't bad, so it possesses some minimalist collectible value. But 200,000? You're really daring to ask for the moon!—10,000! I'm willing to offer you a maximum of 10,000!"
Well, that counter-offer is quite harsh, slashing 190,000 off right away!
"Boss, are you trying to take all without leaving anything behind? 10,000, why don't you just rob? At least 20,000!" the junk dealer widened his eyes, anxiously revealing his bottom line.
"Heh, you thought my last name Qiu meant I'm a fool? Just 10,000! Sell if you want, if not the door's over there." Boss Qiu snorted coldly.
His eyes were sharp; this forgery, once sold, could fetch no more than 15,000 to 20,000 tops. If bought at 10,000, it still left some room for a thousand or so profit.
If it exceeded 10,000, it would be pointless.
At this moment, Jiang Feng, who had been silent the whole time, suddenly spoke up with a smile, "20,000, I'll take this painting."
Hmm?!
Instantly, Boss Qiu, the junk dealer, Chu Feifei, and Mu Yanluo, all focused their eyes on Jiang Feng!
"Pfft!!" Boss Qiu couldn't help but let out a laugh, looking at Jiang Feng with an even stronger disdain, "Young man, what are you mixing in here for? Trying to show your presence in front of me? I've already made it very clear, this painting is a fake, a complete forgery, and you offered 20,000? Are you deliberately trying to show off your value to these two beautiful ladies?"
"However, showcasing worth is fine, just don't mess it up so you don't end up dragging the two ladies down! Let me be frank, even for me, been in this line for so many years, relying on connections and contacts, turning this forgery around, can get about 15,000. I buying it for 10,000 would mean making a small 5,000 difference..."
While speaking, the disdainful and dismissive look Boss Qiu gave Jiang Feng grew stronger, thinking seeking a bargain like this in his domain was utterly preposterous!
"Uncle, what are you doing?" Although Chu Feifei was unhappy with Boss Qiu's taunts, she also looked at Jiang Feng with suspicion.
"Why do you talk so much? 20,000, I'll take it." Jiang Feng repeated, addressing the junk collector.
Boss Qiu's face instantly looked terrible!
He had spent his life immersed in this, particularly proficient in identifying ancient paintings and calligraphy, clearly giving the verdict, yet Jiang Feng stubbornly went against him, intent on slapping him in the face?
"Hahaha! Well! Young man, you are truly knowledgeable, 20,000 it is, this Zheng Xie's 'Bamboo and Stone Painting', I'll let you have it," the junk collector exclaimed joyously.
Just then, suddenly, an excited voice drifted in from outside the store, "Is there a Zheng Xie's 'Bamboo and Stone Painting' here?!"