Jiang Xiaobo sneered dismissively, "What is Mr. Ye doing? Does he not know how to appraise and is deliberately trying to sabotage here?"
Although he was also an appraiser, his experience paled in comparison to Ji Nanshan.
As soon as he spoke, several gazes were cast his way.
Contempt, disdain, mockery, even anger!
"Intentionally sabotaging? Boss Jiang, if you don't know your goods, don't make a fool of yourself here, lest you embarrass our Jiangcheng antique circle."
Ji Nanshan snorted, wishing he could slap Jiang Xiaobo.
While he stood with Ye Fan, Ji Nanshan was, after all, part of the Jiangcheng antique circle. Jiang Xiaobo's actions were not just embarrassing himself, but also the entire Jiangcheng antique circle!
Jiang Xiaobo was furious and pointed at Ji Nanshan, shouting, "Ji Nanshan, in the past, I would have respected you a bit. Now that you've become Ye Fan's lackey, do you think you're qualified to bark at me?"
Since the relationship had already soured, Jiang Xiaobo certainly wouldn't be polite to Ji Nanshan anymore...
These words were tantamount to slapping Ji Nanshan across the face. As a prominent figure in the Jiangcheng antique trade, he had never been so humiliated. The flames of anger instantly ignited within him.
Just as he was about to erupt, he saw Ye Fan raise his hand and shake his head at him.
They were here for treasures, not to argue, so Ye Fan didn't want to escalate the situation. If it was about appraisal, they could do as they pleased, as they had the skill. However, for anything else, it was best to avoid trouble.
Seeing Ye Fan stop him, Ji Nanshan suppressed his anger, his gaze towards Jiang Xiaobo seeming as if he wanted to flay him alive.
Ye Fan spoke indifferently, "When appraising blue and white porcelain, sound is paramount. The sound of this blue and white large plate is rough andζζ, indicating it is not genuine Ming Dynasty blue and white. I believe there are discerning individuals present who can understand this. Of course, if everyone still disagrees, you can smash this blue and white large plate. Looking at the body of the porcelain at the break, its authenticity will be immediately apparent."
He then sat down.
Having said all that, if they still didn't believe him, it would be unreasonable.
Indeed, Jiang Xiaobo snorted, "Easy for you to say. This blue and white large plate is extremely valuable. If it turns out to be genuine after being smashed, will you compensate for it?" He was in too deep and couldn't let Ye Fan steal the spotlight.
The young man quickly chimed in, "That's right, who would dare smash such a treasure? I think you kid is deliberately making things difficult and doesn't understand appraisal at all."
As they mocked Ye Fan, someone in the front row could no longer stand it. He stood up and cursed, "Hu Xiaofei, how dare you mock Mr. Ye? Go take a look in the mirror and see what you are. Let me tell you, this blue and white large plate must be smashed today. If Mr. Ye makes a mistake, I'll pay for it."
The speaker was none other than Jiang Zhitao. Ever since he had dinner with Ye Fan, his admiration for Ye Fan had grown. Seeing Ye Fan in trouble, he was the first to step forward to defend him.
With Young Master Jiang stepping forward, who would dare say another word? Even Jiang Xiaobo frowned and swallowed the words that were about to come out. The Jiang family's status in Jiangcheng was extraordinary, no less than the Shen family's.
Whether it was right or wrong was no longer debatable. Many second-tier appraisers had already wisely fallen silent. Ye Fan had such confidence, and his definitive judgment just now had settled the outcome. To cause trouble now would only diminish their own prestige.
At this moment, an elder walked onto the stage with a smile, his gaze fixed on Ye Fan's face.
After a while, he chuckled, "As expected, young and promising. Mr. Ye, at such a young age, not only has mastered the technique of 'tan ding ding yin' (flicking to determine pitch), but his eyesight is also admirable to Shen Sun. That's right, this blue and white large plate is indeed a fake, so there's no need to smash it."
Sun Yilang, the owner of Bogu Zhai, was very mysterious. Although he wasn't a ranked appraiser, anything he appraised was never wrong. Therefore, many people secretly guessed that Sun Yilang had long surpassed the level of a second-tier appraiser!
Sun Yilang's words brought a silence of several minutes to the venue, which was then followed by waves of discussion.
Jiang Xiaobo and Hu Xiaofei's faces turned ashen, their teeth gritted, wishing they could crawl into a hole and disappear. They had just been mocking Ye Fan, but in the end, they were the ones who had made fools of themselves. Especially Hu Xiaofei, his face was so grim it looked like it could drip water. He had lost. He had actually lost...
After glancing at Sun Yilang, Ye Fan nodded faintly, then his gaze fixed on Hu Xiaofei.
"A bet is a bet. Cut off your finger."
He wanted to establish his authority today, to use this appraisal meeting to make a name for himself. Therefore, he was determined to have Hu Xiaofei's finger.
Hu Xiaofei's body trembled. If he lost a finger, he would have no face to continue in the Jiangcheng antique circle. He looked helplessly at Jiang Xiaobo, hoping he would plead for him. But Jiang Xiaobo was now utterly humiliated and had no face to speak.
"Cut off your finger."
Ye Fan roared, giving Hu Xiaofei no room to maneuver. The situation had come to this, and there was no need for further discussion!
Gritting his teeth tightly, Hu Xiaofei had no other recourse. "Ye Fan, I will never let you off!"
The words were almost squeezed out from his throat. Then, he picked up the knife on the table, closed his eyes, and fiercely chopped down on his thumb!
"Ah."
With his scream, blood splattered, and Hu Xiaofei's body convulsed violently.
"Quickly send him to the hospital."
Someone nearby was already helping him, picking up the severed finger and sending him to the hospital.
Shen Tianyin tightly covered her mouth. In that moment, Ye Fan's ruthlessness sent a tremor through her heart. It seemed this was not the quiet, justice-driven man she knew.
But Ji Nanshan clenched his fist tightly. A man should be this domineering. If Ye Fan had shown any weakness today, he would likely be suppressed by others in the Jiangcheng antique circle from then on. And after this incident, anyone who wanted to deal with Ye Fan would have to think twice.
Jiang Zhitao even clapped his hands excitedly, "This is the fate of anyone who dares to oppose Brother Ye! And to all of you, don't think you can run wild here just because you know a bit of appraisal. Let me tell you, there's always someone better, and there's always heaven beyond heaven." Relying on Ye Fan's dominance, Jiang Zhitao's show of bravado was truly well-executed.
Ye Fan sat down again and said indifferently, "Continue."
His demeanor was so calm and unfazed, so elegant, that Sun Yilang on the stage was deeply shaken. "If this young man is not nipped in the bud, in the future Jiangcheng antique circle, he will have absolute control..."