Chương 18: Seizing small advantages often leads to great losses
I need to think this over; the price of this item is quite difficult to determine..."
The elderly man pinched his brow, aware that Tang Bohu's works had become increasingly rare in recent years, resulting in inflated prices. Although he had a fondness for this fan, he was reluctant to purchase it at what felt like an auction price.
"How about this: sixty-five thousand? If someone offers more, then I shall forgo it..."
After some contemplation, the old man proposed a figure. Though he had doubts about the acquisition price cited by Man Jun, he generously added fifteen thousand on top of the original fifty thousand.
"Very well. If my friend cannot match that price, then this fan shall belong to you..."
Man Jun was quite pleased with the old man's offer, as he had originally purchased the fan for merely twenty thousand, thus making a profit of over twofold. Moreover, the funds lost in the accident would be fully compensated.
"I suppose I will need to stay in the hospital for a few more days. If you wish to sell, just come find me here..." The elderly gentleman carefully placed the fan back into its wooden box and returned it to Man Jun.
"Understood, sir. As long as my friend does not outbid you, I shall certainly deliver the item to you..." With a buyer already secured for the fan, Man Jun felt a surge of happiness, alleviating some of the gloom caused by the accident.
"Xiao Fang, take good care of your recovery. If your hospital deposit runs low, just give me a call..." Man Jun said to Fang Yi, who lay in his hospital bed, before turning to leave.
"Thank you, Brother Man..." Fang Yi nodded. He understood that the accident could not be entirely blamed on Man Jun; the fact that he had managed the situation as well as he did was commendable.
As Man Jun stood at the door of the ward, he suddenly turned back, smacking his forehead, and exclaimed, "Ah, by the way, old sir, may I ask your esteemed name?"
"My surname is Sun, and my name is Sun Lianda. You may call me Old Sun..." The elderly man smiled as he introduced himself.
"Perhaps I should refer to you as Elder Sun..." Man Jun repeated the old man's name a few times, but suddenly froze in the doorway.
"Sun... Elder Sun, are you... the Sun Lianda from the Jinling Museum?" The astonishment on Man Jun's face was palpable, far exceeding his reaction when the old man identified the Tang Bohu fan.
"Haha, unless there's another with the same name, that would indeed be me..."
Elder Sun chuckled heartily. He had spent his life dealing with antiques and artifacts, well-acquainted with those in the industry. However, he typically refrained from forming close relationships with profit-driven antique dealers, often merely assisting them in authenticating items.
Yet, he did not harbor disdain for the middle-aged man before him, as it was rare for a cunning antique merchant to display such integrity after causing an accident; otherwise, Elder Sun might have withheld his own name.
"Oh dear, how could I have failed to recognize such a prominent figure..."
Upon learning Elder Sun's name, Man Jun hurried back into the room, rushing to the bedside and grasping Elder Sun's hand tightly. "I have long admired your esteemed reputation, but never had the opportunity to meet you. Today is indeed fortuitous!"
Unlike the perplexed Fang Yi and others, Man Jun, as a practitioner in the antique trade, was well aware of Elder Sun's illustrious name. Not only him, but nearly anyone within the antique community across the nation had likely heard of Sun Lianda.
As he held Elder Sun's hand, Man Jun recalled the details of the venerable elder.
Sun Lianda, former director of the Jinling Museum, was now sixty-five years old. Born into a scholarly family, he had been immersed in literature, paintings, and ceramics from a young age, possessing a profound understanding of both literary and historical knowledge.
Having dedicated his life to the Jinling Museum, he assumed the directorship in the early 1980s and only recently retired. It was after his retirement that his name truly resonated within the antique community.
During his tenure, the artifacts he authenticated were recognized as cultural relics, and he rarely, if ever, provided authentication for items outside the museum. Thus, while his reputation in the realm of cultural relics was formidable, few in the antique circle knew who Sun Lianda truly was.
However, after retiring, he began to engage more with the outside world, being reemployed at the Palace Museum in Beijing for two years and becoming a member of the national cultural relics authentication committee, participating in several repatriation efforts of artifacts from abroad.
In one contentious authentication case, Sun Lianda determined a Ming Dynasty work by Dong Qichang to be a Qing Dynasty imitation, leading to a dispute with a well-known contemporary calligrapher on the committee.
In the end, the workgroup utilized carbon-14 dating to conclude that the Xuan paper used did not match the era of Dong Qichang, thereby validating Sun Lianda's assessment.
This incident catapulted Sun Lianda to prominence in the domestic antique authentication community, establishing him as a leading figure in the field. Due to his reluctance to authenticate items for private individuals, his reputation remained exceptionally high, and his authentication certificates became highly sought after.
In recent years, feeling the effects of age, Sun Lianda resigned from his daily duties on the committee and returned to Jinling, though he seldom appeared at antique gatherings, which explained why, despite having heard of him, Man Jun had never actually encountered Sun Lianda.
"Elder Sun, I will take the liberty of offering you fifty thousand for this fan..."
Upon discovering the identity of the elder before him, Man Jun placed the wooden box on Sun Lianda's bedside and earnestly stated, "It is a blessing for me, Xiao Man, to have this fan appreciated by you. If you do not accept it, it would be as though you look down upon me."
Witnessing Man Jun's immediate reduction of the price by fifteen thousand upon learning the elder's name, the heavyset man, San Pao, nudged Fang Yi and whispered, "Do you think this bald man is a bit out of his mind?"
"You're the one who's out of your mind. Boss Man has his reasons for doing this..." Fang Yi replied softly. Though he too felt perplexed, he sensed that this elder named Sun Lianda held a significant status within Man Jun's profession.
"Don't be foolish, Xiao Man. You're a businessman; don't tarnish your reputation. Perhaps you should let others see it first..."
Sun Lianda, oblivious to the murmurs of Fang Yi and San Pao, waved his hand with a smile, addressing Man Jun, "The market price for this fan is indeed around fifty thousand. I offered you sixty-five thousand, which is approximately a thirty-three percent premium. If someone else bids higher, then it rightfully belongs to them..."
"Truly, what a pair of odd characters—one seeks to sell at a discount, while the other, despite selling at a discount, is reluctant to buy?" San Pao found himself at a loss for words at the exchange between Sun Lianda and Man Jun.
"Very well, Elder Sun, I shall heed your advice. If my friend cannot meet that price, I will return to sell it to you..."
Although Man Jun desired to sell the painting at a lower price to Sun Lianda, he had heard of the elder's reputation for integrity and knew that he would likely not take advantage of him.
Realizing he could not sway Elder Sun's decision, Man Jun chatted with him for a while longer before reluctantly taking his leave, determined to spend more time in the hospital to foster a relationship with the elder.
"Elder Sun, why don't you accept the bargain he offers?" After Man Jun exited the ward, San Pao exclaimed in confusion, "He just let go of fifteen thousand; that's equivalent to a year and a half of a security guard's salary!"
"Little Fatty, such a bargain is not easily grasped..." Seeing the young man's expression of regret, Elder Sun chuckled and advised, "Sometimes, seizing a small advantage can lead to a significant loss. You young people must understand this principle..."
"Elder Sun, I comprehend your wisdom. That man must have a request of you, correct?" Fang Yi, still reclining in his bed, interjected.
"Indeed, you've discerned it?"
Sun Lianda regarded Fang Yi with approval, stating, "Correct, he has a request of me. If I were to purchase this Tang Bohu fan at a bargain, it would mean I owe him a favor, and inevitably, he would seek my assistance in authenticating some items in the future. Given that a hand extended is often shorter, would you say I should assist him or not?"
What Sun Lianda articulated mirrored Man Jun's own thoughts; establishing a connection with someone of such stature in the field was invaluable. Even if it meant giving away the fan or selling it at a discount, Man Jun would willingly do so.
It is essential to remember that in the antique trade, the risk of acquiring counterfeit items is significantly high, and sometimes, a single oversight on a valuable piece could result in substantial financial loss.
However, having an expert to assist in discerning genuine antiques changes the outcome entirely. If Man Jun could cultivate a good relationship with Sun Lianda, it would be akin to securing a protective amulet within the industry, ensuring his ventures would be prosperous.
Yet, Sun Lianda rarely authenticated items for private individuals. In the past, when someone brought a famous artist's work for authentication, the fee alone could reach five hundred thousand, yet Sun Lianda remained unmoved, often refusing to even examine the items, let alone issue authentication certificates.
Of course, exceptions exist; in the mundane world, human relationships are unavoidable. Even Sun Lianda, at times, found himself in situations where he owed favors, leading him to issue authentication certificates for private individuals, albeit in limited quantities.
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