Chapter 700: Chapter 967: A Chance Encounter with Liao Song

On that day, thanks to Huo Sining’s idea, Liao Song was able to recover the five hundred thousand and suppressed the fraudster’s arrogance, greatly relieving his indignation.

Grateful for Huo Sining’s help, Liao Song was very thankful, and he was extremely pleased to see her now.

Huo Sining nodded to Liao Song, “It’s been a while since I’ve seen you. I haven’t even heard any news about Mr. Liao lately, how have you been?”

Liao Song laughed, “I’ve been quite busy recently as I’ve started a shop with a friend. I finally managed to take some time off and heard there was a Ghost Market here in the Imperial Capital, so I came with my friend to have a look. Miss Huo, did you come with Manager Lu and Boss Yin?”

Huo Sining paused, surprised that Liao Song would inquire about Manager Lu Huairu.

It should be noted that last time, Liao Song had gone to Yin Yizhai with The Droplet Guanyin, seeking Lu Huairu’s expertise, but Lu Huairu had outright given Liao Song the cold shoulder, not even considering the face of his old friend Xu Deqing.

Despite Lu Huairu’s poor attitude, the fact that Liao Song could ask so sincerely and cheerfully was proof of his generous nature, deepening Huo Sining’s impression of him.

“I didn’t come with Manager Lu, but with my teacher and senior brother to hunt for bargains.”

Huo Sining smiled without going into detail about who her teacher was. Instead, she showed interest in the shop Liao Song mentioned, “Mr. Liao, what kind of shop have you opened with your friend? An antique shop?”

Liao Song couldn’t help but laugh, “No, antiques are way over my head. We run a small business, just a little gambling stone shop, dealing specifically in jadeite, Hetian jade, and chicken blood stone rough stones, nothing with a large investment.”

Huo Sining was not unfamiliar with raw jadeite and Hetian jade stones, but she really wasn’t well-acquainted with chicken blood stone and asked subconsciously, “Is chicken blood stone valuable?”

Liao Song knew she was a novice when he heard her question, “It depends on the quality, just as jadeite is judged by its texture and brightness. There are many kinds of chicken blood stone, and the difference between the worst and the best, like ‘full river red,’ can be enormous, so it can’t be generalized.”

With that, Liao Song glanced at Huo Sining, “Why, is Miss Huo also interested in chicken blood stone?”

Huo Sining smiled, “I’ve never seen chicken blood stone, so I’m a bit curious.”

Upon hearing this, Liao Song immediately chuckled, “That’s quite a coincidence. In a few days, my friend and I are planning to go to Changhua to buy chicken blood stone. Miss Huo, if you’re available, you could join us for a trip to Changhua.”

Hearing Liao Song’s suggestion, Huo Sining’s eyes lit up, “Alright, give me your phone number, and you can contact me before we leave.”

The two chatted briefly, and then Liao Song’s attention returned to the crowd.

It was then that Huo Sining noticed that at the center of the crowded booth, there was a Yuan Dynasty Blue and White Porcelain Plum Vase with Peony Design. Naturally, the vase was the subject of the crowd’s discussion.

The Yuan Blue and White Porcelain Plum Vase with Peony Design from the Yuan Dynasty was considered a large-scale artifact. The piece in question was rather sizeable, standing nearly fifty centimeters tall. Just the first impression of its shape conveyed a sense of grandeur and a sturdy, unadorned beauty, and this particular peony plum vase had an imposing size that very much encompassed the Yuan Dynasty style of Blue and White Porcelain.

The blue and white porcelain of the Yuan Dynasty used cobalt as a coloring agent applied onto the clay body, with a glaze that often shone a bluish tint against a white background.

Upon closer inspection of the plum vase, one could easily notice brownish spots on the blue and white patterns, indicative of iron deposits.

Because Yuan Blue and White usually used imported “Sumali” cobalt blue materials, which produce colors that are lush and intense, it creates a strong contrast in the entire porcelain’s patterns.

At the same time, the peony design on the Plum Vase is full and comprehensive, giving the whole vase an air of elegance and sturdiness. It truly can be counted as a fine piece among Blue and White Porcelain.

No wonder there are so many people gathered here to admire it. There are not many surviving pieces of Yuan Blue and White Porcelain. If this Twined Peony Plum Vase is genuine, then its value is incalculable.

While she was looking carefully, Ji Kun quietly approached and asked in a low voice, “Have you spotted something you like?”

“What?” Huo Sining had been staring so intently at the Plum Vase that she hadn’t paid any attention to Ji Kun’s words.

“I said, weren’t you looking at things on the first floor? Did you find anything you liked?”

Huo Sining looked up at Ji Kun and replied, “I managed to buy a stamp album, but I haven’t looked at it closely yet, so I don’t know the specifics.”

Ji Kun nodded and then turned his gaze to the pair of Twining Plum Vases.

This Plum Vase has five layers of decorative bands from the top to the bottom, with a band of lotus petal scrolls at the shoulder containing various “treasure” patterns such as coral and ganoderma;

The waist features a band of twined peony designs, while the body is covered with Blue and White patterns of twined peonies, followed by a narrower scrollwork border;

The leg section is decorated with scroll patterns and lotus ruyi patterns in a full circle, with bands of varying width interspersed with string patterns.

The layout of blue patterns on this Plum Vase is precise, clear in hierarchy with a prominent theme, forming a unified whole. It appears intricate without being chaotic, the brushwork profound and powerful, and the blue color is vibrant yet carries an antique quality, with a style that is lively and unrestrained.

Even though the vase is exquisite, and the onlookers were itching with impatience, nobody could do anything but stand quietly on the sidelines and watch since the owner hadn’t spoken yet.

As the crowd around the viewing became larger, the boss of the booth, who was also the owner of the Plum Vase, finally spoke up.

“Friends from all walks of life, meeting here at the Magic Capital’s Ghost Market is also a kind of destiny. It seems that everyone has had a long-distance look at my pair of Twined Peony Plum Vases, and those who have stayed are likely interested in my vases.”

“These Plum Vases were acquired from a rural family a while ago, and I’ve come to the Magic Capital’s Ghost Market specifically to sell them. If after having a closer look at them anyone is interested, feel free to make an offer.”

After the boss finished speaking, he opened the glass cover on the display rack, and the two Plum Vases became even more distinctly visible to everyone.

“Boss Wu, you can be assured about that; those who come to the Ghost Market can afford the price. The only fear is that the goods might not be good enough, but if your products are indeed of quality, there will definitely be people fighting over them,” someone said clearly acquainted with the boss, having learned that the Plum Vases were for sale, he quickly chimed in.

Boss Wu smiled and nodded in response, “You can definitely be at ease about that. My Twining Plum Bottle has been authenticated by several experts, all of whom agreed that it’s an old object from the end of the Yuan Dynasty or the beginning of the Ming Dynasty. If you folks want to take a closer look, feel free to come up and inspect it.”

Many people in the crowd were interested in the pair of Twining Plum Bottles, and seeing the boss generously inviting people to look, they suddenly got as excited as if they had been injected with chicken blood. Even Liao Song couldn’t hold back and took a magnifying glass to carefully examine the pair of vases.