Jiang Zhong looked at Ye Fan with deep eyes, and after a moment, nodded heavily, "It's a deal."
A simple agreement was enough to signal a complete upheaval in the antique circle of Jiangnan City.
Two people, one calm and composed with a grand vision, the other fearless and daring. If these two joined forces, they were bound to make waves.
Moreover, with Elder Lei, the second-in-command of the Antique Association, backing them, one could imagine how formidable their alliance would be.
Zhao Dong walked slowly onto the stage, then gestured to the staff behind him to open the box.
The gazes of the people below immediately fell on the box.
The moment the box was opened, Ye Fan clearly heard gasps of astonishment from the people behind him.
"This, what kind of treasure is this?"
Even the elder beside Wang Feng couldn't help but exclaim.
Among those present, only Ye Fan remained calm.
Even Jiang Zhong couldn't help but draw a sharp breath.
"This is a piece of porcelain used by the imperial court during the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty."
The person from the City Lord's mansion who came to participate in the competition was a middle-aged man with gold-rimmed glasses. He brought no one else, only himself.
At this moment, this middle-aged man's eyes were also wide open.
"Porcelain fired by the official kilns is extremely valuable."
Elder Lu, with a frown, remarked, "I haven't seen such exquisite items in many years. This appraisal fair today has truly not disappointed me."
These three were the outstanding figures attending this appraisal fair, all一级鉴宝师 (Level 1 Antique Appraisers).
Their words were enough to show how shocking the item Zhao Dong had brought was.
"This is the treasure of our Tianbao Pavilion. Today, we share it with everyone for appraisal. If anyone can identify it, Tianbao Pavilion is willing to offer a lifetime membership."
Zhao Dong's face held a faint smile.
Although he knew he had no hope of winning first place, he was still the owner of Tianbao Pavilion and represented it. No matter what, he could not lose face for Tianbao Pavilion.
Upon hearing Zhao Dong's words, everyone smiled, except for Ye Fan, who snorted dismissively.
Was a lifetime membership to Tianbao Pavilion something rare?
One day, he would make Xiaoran Pavilion the number one antique shop in Jiangnan.
"Please begin your appraisals, everyone."
Elder Lei said calmly.
At the same time, he was quite impressed with Zhao Dong. This young man, quiet until now, had made an astonishing debut, launching his first shot with such impact.
Elder Han beside him also frowned. He was also the vice-chairman of the Antique Association and a Level 1 Antique Appraiser. He had seen countless good items, but rarely had he encountered such a precious treasure.
Upon Elder Lei's words, everyone began to focus on the porcelain vase and appraise it.
Half an hour later, Elder Lei rapped on the table.
"Time is up, please present your answers."
Jiang Zhong, Mr. Fu, and Mr. Lu, the three with the most authority, presented their answers almost simultaneously.
"Blue-and-white Nine Dragon Imperial Urn, an imperial item from the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, fired by the official kiln."
The answers from the three were essentially the same, setting the tone for the item.
Following them, Feng Xiao and Wang Feng also gave their answers.
Compared to Jiang Zhong and the others, the answers from these two were slightly less precise. They could identify the item but not its exact era.
At this moment, only Ye Fan had not given his answer, and he appeared to have a somber expression, his brow furrowed.
Seeing Ye Fan's demeanor, Feng Xiao beside him was overjoyed.
It seemed Ye Fan was stumped by the item, which presented a perfect opportunity for him to add insult to injury.
Slowly standing up and looking at Ye Fan, Feng Xiao coldly snorted, "What? Everyone has given their answers, but Mr. Ye is still contemplating. Does Mr. Ye intend to break the rules?"
Chen Pangzi quickly chimed in, "Who says not? Does he really think he can do as he pleases just because he has some skills? Don't forget, this is Jiangnan, not Jiangcheng. If you don't give an answer soon, you might be disqualified."
"It's no wonder; in an appraisal like this, one can't copy, so he's at a loss. It seems he's all talk and no substance."
The two exchanged taunts, eager to crush Ye Fan under their feet and humiliate him.
Ye Fan frowned, slowly turned his head, and his gaze towards the two was tinged with anger.
"Do the two of you, my defeated rivals, presume to speak to me like this?"
Ye Fan responded calmly.
"Does talking matter? If you have the ability, then quickly present your answer."
Elder Lei's gaze also fell upon Ye Fan.
He wondered what this young man was up to.
Ye Fan let out a sigh and slowly uttered two words.
"Counterfeit."
A single stone stirred up a thousand waves. As these two words were spoken, the scene fell silent for a moment, followed by the sarcastic remarks of Feng Xiao and Chen Pangzi.
"Is this for attention? How ridiculous."
"In my opinion, we should just kick such a good-for-nothing out. Why let him linger here."
"Does he even deserve to participate in this competition? He is a disgrace to the Jiangnan antique world."
The words of the two made the atmosphere even more awkward.
But only Ye Fan's expression was cold.
Elder Lei also frowned. He had examined the item just now; it was indeed from the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty, not a counterfeit. But why would Ye Fan say that?
Elder Han, on the other hand, directly said with a cold face, "If you cannot provide sufficient evidence that this item is a counterfeit, you will be escorted out."
Elder Han and Ye Fan already had a rift, so naturally, he wouldn't show Ye Fan any kindness.
But Ye Fan retorted angrily, "Escorted out? Who gave you the right? I reached this point through legitimate means. Even if my judgment is wrong, it only proves my skills are lacking and my eyesight is insufficient. By what right do you escort me out? Utterly ridiculous."
Ye Fan's sharp retort caused Elder Han's face to change drastically.
But he had no recourse.
Ye Fan was right; he indeed did not have that authority.
Moreover, no one present had that authority.
After all, the essence of an appraisal fair was to let people compete. Since it was a competition, there would naturally be right and wrong. If one were to be expelled for a wrong judgment, then the appraisal fair would become a joke.
"Ye Fan, tell us, what is wrong with this item? On what basis do you deem it a counterfeit?"
Ultimately, it was Elder Lei who asked the question.
Elder Lei's words provided a way for everyone to save face, preventing the situation from becoming too awkward.
Ye Fan took a deep breath and then pointed at the porcelain, speaking in a low voice.
"This piece of porcelain, whether in its form, quality, glaze, or coloring, perfectly matches the characteristics of porcelain from the Yongle period of the Ming Dynasty. Externally, it is blue-and-white porcelain, decorated with nine dragon patterns. The nine dragons are lifelike, as if they were real dragons. The overall shape of the urn is conventional, with no outstanding features or unconventional aspects, appearing rather stable and grand."