Seeing this, Ye Fan quickly raised his hand: "Hold on."
Zhao Dong’s face was grim, his eyes seemed to spew flames: "This is your last chance. Do you have money or not?"
But Ye Fan smiled, "Boss Zhao just said that as long as I compensate for the loss of the porcelain, I can take the person away. So, if this porcelain is a fake, why should I compensate forty million?"
Boom~
Ye Fan's words were like a sudden thunderclap on calm water, stirring up immense waves.
A fake? That porcelain was a fake? Was that possible?
Zhao Dong was stunned for a few seconds, but then he burst into laughter.
"Kid, are you an idiot? This porcelain worth tens of millions, and you actually call it a fake? How ridiculous!"
Zhao Dong's face was filled with disdain, and he was even more contemptuous of Ye Fan.
Hearing Zhao Dong's words, Ye Fan's expression gradually turned grim.
"What? You mean you insist the porcelain is genuine? If I can prove it's a fake, what then?"
In front of so many people, Ye Fan's words had cornered Zhao Dong, leaving him no room to retreat.
After all, so many people were watching. If Zhao Dong went back on his word, the reputation of Tianbao Pavilion would plummet, a responsibility he could not bear.
But seeing Ye Fan's demeanor, it seemed he had genuinely spotted a problem with the porcelain. However, this porcelain had been personally inspected by many appraisal masters from the Heavenly King's Mansion; there was absolutely no problem.
After thinking for a moment, Zhao Dong managed to stabilize his inner panic and scoffed disdainfully, "If you can prove it's a fake, then this kid can be taken away immediately, and I'll even give him some money as medical expenses. But if you can't prove it's a fake, what then?"
Zhao Dong was not foolish; he couldn't just let Ye Fan dictate terms without making a counter-move.
Moreover, although he didn't know Ye Fan, from their previous exchange, he could tell that Ye Fan must have an extraordinary identity. This kid was either rich or noble. If he could extort some money from this, he wouldn't be at a loss.
Zhao Dong was playing a clever game, and Ye Fan naturally wasn't afraid.
Smiling slightly, Ye Fan didn't hesitate: "It's a deal. Everyone present is a witness. Today, I will gamble with Boss Zhao once more."
Appraisal was never a difficult task for Ye Fan, especially such a small-scale appraisal, which he could handle with ease.
Although this Zhao Dong might have some skills, compared to Elder Wu and Elder Lei, who were first-tier appraisers, he was far inferior.
Even these first-tier appraisers were no match for Ye Fan, let alone others.
Seeing the smile on Ye Fan's lips, Zhao Dong felt a premonition of something bad, but this premonition gradually faded.
The reason was simple: in Zhao Dong's eyes, Ye Fan was too young. At this age, how could he possibly be an appraisal master?
Furthermore, the shattered item had been appraised by a senior appraiser and was absolutely flawless. With double insurance, Ye Fan was bound to lose.
Seeing Zhao Dong's expression gradually return to normal, Ye Fan couldn't help but chuckle inwardly. There were always people like this, conceited and arrogant.
If they weren't taught a lesson, they would never know the immensity of the heavens and the depth of the earth.
"Let's begin. I'd like to see how you twist facts and call the genuine fake."
Zhao Dong was full of confidence. He pulled over a chair and sat down, ready to enjoy Ye Fan's performance.
Looking at Zhao Dong's arrogant and overbearing demeanor, Ye Fan couldn't help but sneer, "As Boss Zhao wishes, I will satisfy you."
Then, he placed the broken porcelain shards on the table.
"Ladies and gentlemen, Boss Zhao just said this is a porcelain from the Chenghua period of the Ming Dynasty. I believe there are people present who understand Chenghua porcelain. As we all know, Chenghua porcelain represents the pinnacle of Ming Dynasty porcelain manufacturing. Whether it's the glazing or the firing techniques, it is impeccable. Moreover, Chenghua porcelain has a most prominent characteristic: sticky clay, dim glaze, and fresh colors. This can be said to be the most basic way to appraise Chenghua porcelain. Therefore, we can also use these aspects to determine whether this item is truly Chenghua porcelain."
Ye Fan's statement was met with much agreement. Many among them were experts in porcelain appraisal, especially regarding Ming Dynasty porcelain.
"What this young brother said is correct. Chenghua porcelain indeed possesses these characteristics."
"Judging Chenghua porcelain from these three aspects, this young brother is an expert."
"It's truly worthwhile to witness such professional appraisal today."
The crowd buzzed with admiration for Ye Fan.
Hearing the crowd praise Ye Fan so highly, Zhao Dong's face darkened.
"Talk is cheap. Since you want to appraise it from these aspects, state the problems, otherwise, it won't be considered a successful appraisal."
Zhao Dong said sternly, his brows furrowed with anger.
Hearing Zhao Dong's words, Ye Fan smiled, "Boss Zhao, there's no need to rush. I will begin the appraisal immediately."
Saying that, Ye Fan picked up a porcelain shard: "From the body, Chenghua porcelain used the red clay from Lingnan. This soil is highly adhesive and viscous, with fine and uniform particles. It is an excellent choice as raw material for firing the body. But, everyone, please look at the body exposed at the broken edge of this shard. The particles are larger, the color is yellowish-brown, and the thickness is uneven. In some places, there are even bubbles. I ask you, how could genuine Chenghua porcelain exhibit such a situation?"
He slowly moved the porcelain shard in front of everyone.
Everyone could see clearly that the broken edge of the shard was indeed as Ye Fan described.
"What this young brother says is correct. Our family collects a shard of a Chenghua bowl, and it is indeed as this young brother described, not like this shard."
Someone had already stood up and said earnestly.
A single stone stirred a thousand ripples. Hearing this person's words, the crowd erupted again.
"So, this shattered porcelain is definitely not Chenghua porcelain. Tianbao Pavilion, of all places, would frame a young helper like this. It's truly outrageous."
The crowd was indignant, and Zhao Dong's face suddenly turned grim. He hadn't expected Ye Fan's eyesight to be so sharp.
However, at this moment, Ye Fan raised his hand to quiet the commotion.
"Please, everyone, remain calm. Allow me to continue my appraisal. Once all the issues are pointed out, you can then offer your evaluation."
Hearing Ye Fan's words, those who were clamoring finally gradually fell silent.
At this moment, in their hearts, they had already gained considerable faith in Ye Fan.
Although Ye Fan was young, his ability was truly remarkable. His arguments were clear, his pace unhurried, and he was neither arrogant nor impatient. With such composure and ability, he was likely not an ordinary person, but perhaps a young master from a prominent family undergoing training.