章節 522: Chapter 522: One Hundred Million Pounds
Having made up his mind, Xia Yu didn't shout about it to the outside world.
Rather than talking, he preferred to prove it through action.
So in the days that followed, whenever he had free time, Xia Yu would visit the Treasure Pavilion. Since Xia Yu was brought by Wu Hongyi and had mentioned his strong financial background, Mr. Hua treated Xia Yu with considerable warmth.
Every time Xia Yu visited the Treasure Pavilion, he would buy a few antiques to take home. During their conversations, Xia Yu subtly revealed his desire to collect antiques and build a substantial fortune for future generations to rebuild their family's wealth.
Moreover, Xia Yu mentioned his aspiration to create a top-tier private museum in Hong Kong to showcase China's five thousand years of splendid culture to overseas Chinese.
Xia Yu noticed that after sharing his thoughts, Mr. Hua's attitude towards him became even more friendly. Each time Xia Yu visited, Mr. Hua would warmly receive him, and they could chat about antiques for a long time.
Of course, in their conversations, Xia Yu mainly asked questions while Mr. Hua enthusiastically explained, sometimes even bringing Xia Yu upstairs to show him specific antiques. Xia Yu always listened intently.
However, Mr. Hua, despite his experience, noticed that Xia Yu was not entirely straightforward. While Mr. Hua felt a sense of meeting someone he could connect with, and Wu Hongyi had mentioned Xia Yu's background, Mr. Hua was cautious about making any decisions, fearing that he might be entrusting the wrong person.
Mr. Hua wasn't idle either. He used his connections in Hong Kong to gather information about Xia Yu. It was important to know more than what others said; it had to be reliable.
Famous ancient calligraphy and paintings are cherished not only by the wealthy but also by scholars. Over the years, Mr. Hua had established many connections in Hong Kong, mostly with literary figures like university professors.
Worried that phone conversations might be unclear, Mr. Hua asked several friends in Hong Kong to gather detailed information about Xia Yu and send it to him as soon as possible.
On January 10, 1979, Mr. Hua finally received several emails from his friends.
That afternoon, Mr. Hua opened one of the packages in the inner hall of the Treasure Pavilion. Inside was a thick stack of correspondence.
Brewing a pot of tea, Mr. Hua began to read through the stack slowly.
Lost in the information, Mr. Hua didn't notice how much time had passed. When he finally looked up, over two hours had gone by.
It seemed that the details he learned about Xia Yu were astounding. Mr. Hua was silent for a long time, deeply impressed, and finally said, "There is indeed such a genius in the world. I thought he was a rich kid from Hong Kong, but he is actually a self-made grassroots figure!"
"And his rise is so incredible. Although there are traces to follow, ordinary people simply cannot replicate it. Is he truly the son of heaven?"
Noting that several old friends mentioned in their letters that they only knew part of Xia Yu's publicly disclosed strength, and that his true power was far beyond that, Mr. Hua took their warnings seriously.
When multiple old friends gave such advice, Mr. Hua paid extra attention.
Knowing Xia Yu's information, Mr. Hua completely believed what Xia Yu had previously said. He realized that Xia Yu's words were not mere talk and that his logic was entirely sound.
Xia Yu, as a self-made man, sought to build his family's foundation. Ancient aristocratic families were known for passing down knowledge and had an abundance of cultural relics.
Modern aristocratic families also have their own foundations, represented most significantly by antiques and gold.
In troubled times, gold symbolizes prosperity, while antiques represent the glory of the family.
Xia Yu's desire to build a family and strengthen its resistance to decline through antique collection was undoubtedly the right choice.
Moreover, Xia Yu's collection of antiques would not be easily sold off. With his current strength, there was no need to worry about selling antiques for at least several decades.
As for Xia Yu's plan to create a top private museum in Hong Kong, Mr. Hua believed it was entirely feasible given Xia Yu's capabilities.
---
That evening, at Xia Yu's country estate, Xia Yu and Li Qian watched BBC news together.
Bored with the uninteresting segments, Xia Yu randomly flipped through channels with the remote control, unable to find anything worth watching.
He handed the remote to Li Qian and told her he was going to take a shower.
Due to his martial arts practice, Xia Yu's physique was excellent, and he took cold showers year-round. The cold water streaming down from his head instantly relieved the day's fatigue.
"Considering the timing, it should have arrived today."
While showering, Xia Yu thought about the antiques.
Hong Kong was his territory. Ma Qianjun, with money in hand, first established an intelligence network covering Xia Yu's businesses before expanding outward.
Mr. Hua had asked several Hong Kong friends to collect information about Xia Yu. These friends, mostly teachers or professors, also needed assistance in gathering information.
As a result, the information was leaked, and the network immediately became aware.
Ma Qianjun's investigation revealed the cause, and he promptly informed Xia Yu.
When Xia Yu learned that Mr. Hua was inquiring about him, he wasn't angry. Instead, he was pleased, knowing that Mr. Hua must have had some serious intentions to put in such effort to gather information about him.
Xia Yu was confident that once Mr. Hua understood his strength, it would no longer seem abrupt when he made his proposal.
Two days ago, the network had monitored Mr. Hua's friends sending the emails. Xia Yu knew immediately.
Now, it was time for the opportunity to come.
The next afternoon, Xia Yu visited the Treasure Pavilion again.
Upon seeing Xia Yu's arrival, Mr. Hua, who was in the store, immediately greeted him with a smile, "Mr. Xia, you're here. Please come in!"
"Good afternoon, Mr. Hua!"
Observing carefully, Xia Yu noticed Mr. Hua's attitude had indeed changed. With his mind at ease, he greeted him with a broad smile.
Mr. Hua then asked Uncle De to manage the store and took Xia Yu to the inner hall for tea and conversation.
This time, Xia Yu went straight to the point, placing his teacup down and seriously said, "Mr. Hua, I'm here to purchase a large number of antiques. As you know, I have an estate in the outskirts of London. I don't like the Western style, so I want to redecorate it with a large amount of antiques."
Mr. Hua smiled and said, "No problem. You can choose freely, and I'll give you the best price."
"Then I won't be polite!" Xia Yu said.
"I should be thanking you for supporting my business!" Mr. Hua replied with a smile.
"Do you want to start choosing now?"
"Not yet. I'll come back later. There's something else I'd like to discuss with you."
Xia Yu restrained his smile and looked serious.
Mr. Hua, sensing the importance, straightened his posture and made a gesture inviting him to speak, "Please, go ahead!"
"When I was in Hong Kong, I didn't find the right opportunity. Now that I'm in London and have met you, I know the opportunity has come."
"I previously mentioned that I want to buy a large batch of antiques, thousands or even tens of thousands of pieces. If there are too few, I'll collect them myself; if there are too many, I'll create a top private museum."
"However, I can't distinguish between genuine and fake antiques, so I'd like to ask you to oversee the acquisition for me. The funds are not an issue; you can buy as many as you can!"
Hearing this, Mr. Hua's eyes lit up with excitement, and he eagerly said, "Mr. Xia, are you serious?"
Xia Yu nodded without hesitation, raised a finger, and said firmly, "I never speak falsely. I don't lack money. Is one hundred million pounds enough for buying antiques? If not, I can add another hundred million!"
"Wow—"
Seeing Xia Yu casually mention this amount, Mr. Hua was stunned, gasping in amazement as he stared at Xia Yu.
Seeing Mr. Hua's reaction, Xia Yu secretly smiled, knowing he had made an impression.
But Xia Yu meant every word. He truly had that kind of money.
It was January 11, 1979. The Iranian Revolution had erupted half a month ago, and the world had accepted this outcome. The situation seemed unlikely to calm down soon.
Thus, international capital was rushing into the gold market.
In just half a month, gold prices in London had surged past $300 per ounce, and Xia Yu's unrealized gains had reached over one billion dollars. At the current exchange rate, that was already eight hundred million pounds!
He would earn even more later!
Using one or two billion pounds to buy antiques was a trivial matter. If he could really acquire that many, Xia Yu would be thrilled. Antiques worth one or two billion pounds could easily become worth over ten billion pounds in a few decades!
As long as Mr. Hua could manage the acquisition, Xia Yu wanted them all!
Mr. Hua sipped tea to calm himself down.
Xia Yu smiled quietly, waiting patiently.
After a while, Mr. Hua shook his head with a bitter smile and said, "Mr. Xia, you know, we have a total of 1,462 antiques in the Treasure Pavilion. I've calculated the cost; acquiring these antiques cost around
200 million pounds."
"Although you have enough money, we don't have so many antiques. The market is limited. If you buy from us, I'm afraid you won't get more than 200 million pounds' worth of antiques in a short time."
Xia Yu remained calm and replied, "Mr. Hua, I understand. But I believe the world's antiques are not only available through you. If you know where to buy them, I'm willing to make you a big shot in the antique industry!"
Mr. Hua was taken aback. He was truly surprised by Xia Yu's statement.
"Where can we buy them?" Mr. Hua asked curiously.
Xia Yu smiled and replied, "That's not for me to say. But you should be able to find out if you inquire."
Mr. Hua was silent, contemplating Xia Yu's words.
For a long time, Mr. Hua finally nodded and said, "Alright. I understand. I'll make inquiries."
After Xia Yu left, Mr. Hua immediately called a friend who specialized in antique transactions, who also had good connections with auction houses and collectors.
Two days later, Mr. Hua received a response: Xia Yu's proposal was very attractive. The friend recommended that Mr. Hua help Xia Yu find antiques through the auction houses, as there was no better option.
So Mr. Hua started planning the next steps.
A week later, Mr. Hua organized a private auction in Hong Kong. He began to sell antiques collected from various sources to wealthy buyers who were interested in purchasing high-quality items.
As soon as the auction was announced, it attracted great attention from many wealthy individuals, especially those with connections to the art world. The wealthy were curious about the new and rare antiques on the market.
Among these wealthy individuals, Xia Yu was undoubtedly the most prominent. The auction was soon filled with high-profile buyers and dealers eager to see what rare and valuable antiques would be available.
During the auction, Mr. Hua, Xia Yu, and other collectors gathered to discuss the upcoming antiques. The atmosphere was lively, and the auction quickly gained momentum.
The items on auction were all high-quality antiques, some with historical significance and others with immense artistic value.
Bidding began for the first item, a beautifully preserved Ming Dynasty porcelain vase. The opening bid was set at one million pounds. Rich buyers from various backgrounds competed fiercely, and the price soon soared to a staggering five million pounds.
Xia Yu, sitting in a corner, observed the bidding with interest. He knew that for such high-quality antiques, the price was justified. He also understood that in the world of antique collecting, these prices were just the beginning.
One after another, precious antiques were auctioned off, and the prices continued to rise. The competition among buyers was intense, and the final prices were often much higher than expected.
Xia Yu, who was a strong bidder, managed to secure several high-quality antiques for himself. He spent around fifty million pounds to acquire these items, but it was still a small fraction of his total budget.
As the auction concluded, Mr. Hua approached Xia Yu with a satisfied expression, "Mr. Xia, you've acquired many excellent antiques. We've managed to secure some really valuable pieces."
Xia Yu smiled and replied, "I'm very pleased with the results. This auction was a good start. I believe we can continue to work together in the future."
Mr. Hua nodded in agreement, "Of course. We'll keep you informed about upcoming auctions and antique sources. Thank you for your trust and support."
Xia Yu's move to purchase antiques was a significant one. The amount he invested was substantial, and it set a precedent for his future plans. By accumulating valuable antiques, Xia Yu aimed to establish a strong foundation for his future endeavors.
The acquisition of these antiques marked the beginning of Xia Yu's journey into the world of high-end collecting. His reputation as a serious buyer and collector would undoubtedly grow, leading to even more opportunities and successes in the future.
In the days that followed, Xia Yu continued to follow up on his antique acquisitions. The successful auction and the growing reputation of the Treasure Pavilion attracted more attention from collectors and dealers alike.
Xia Yu's commitment to building a top private museum in Hong Kong was well underway. The antiques he acquired would form the core of his collection, and his efforts to establish a prominent position in the antique world were starting to bear fruit.
Through his investment in antiques, Xia Yu was not only enhancing his personal wealth but also contributing to the preservation and appreciation of China's cultural heritage. His actions were a testament to his dedication and vision for the future.
As Xia Yu's influence in the world of antiques continued to grow, he remained focused on his long-term goals. His journey was far from over, but each step he took brought him closer to achieving his ambitions and solidifying his place in history.
And so, the story of Xia Yu's rise in the antique world continued, marked by his unwavering determination and strategic vision.
每周推薦票狀態
-- 推薦票
榜單 
-- 推薦票