The middle-aged manager did not answer directly, but explained a few words to Fang Zongtang first.

"I asked a master to identify it. This bowl looks like copper, but it is actually gold. The person who sold it to me said that their ancestor was a prince, and later joined the Han Army Banner. Because he made contributions when protecting Empress Dowager Cixi when she left the palace, he was rewarded to their family."

Hearing this, Fang Zongtang laughed out loud.

"According to what he said, Empress Dowager Cixi was quite casual in giving out gifts~"

The middle-aged manager looked at Fang Zongtang in confusion: "You said this is a fake?"

Not only the middle-aged manager wanted to know whether it was true or not, everyone in the VIP room wanted to know.

Fang Zongtang took another look at the box and said, "I think it's a replica."

The middle-aged manager said anxiously, “Is it true or not?”

She found a stool, sat down, and spoke slowly.

"Whether it's fake or not depends on how outsiders see it. This is from the late Ming Dynasty. If it were someone else, they might not know it, but today it happened to me. My great-grandfather once told me an anecdote. Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, was born a beggar, as recorded in many unofficial histories. In the anecdote my great-grandfather knew, when Zhu Yuanzhang was a beggar, he had a beggar friend named Wang Qi. This friend gave him food when he was about to starve to death, and raised money for him when he left the beggar's den."

The middle-aged manager's eyes lit up and he quickly said, "The inscription on the bottom of the golden bowl reads: For my friend Wang Qi."

The wealthy lady at the side could not hold back her words: "Could it really be an antique from the Ming Dynasty? If it was given to Wang Qi by Zhu Yuanzhang, then this golden bowl must be priceless."

After the middle-aged manager was excited, he quickly calmed down and asked Fang Zongtang: "You said it was a replica at first, and then you said it was from the late Ming Dynasty. Is it real?"

Fang Zongtang waved to the clerk and knocked on the table: "Boiled water, no coffee."

The clerk quickly poured her some water.

She went on to say, "The item is from the late Ming Dynasty, but it is unclear whether it was given to Wang Qi by Zhu Yuanzhang. The unofficial history I heard from my great-grandfather is that Wang Qi was given a golden bowl after Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne. Later, Wang Qi saw that Zhu Yuanzhang was killing too many people after he ascended the throne, so he pretended to die and ran away with the golden bowl."

The waiter came over with boiled water. Song Yi took it, tested the temperature with the back of his hand, and then put it on the table beside him.

Fang Zongtang took a sip, moistened his lips, and continued, "The metal refining technology in the Ming Dynasty was not as advanced as it is now. The refined gold was yellowish in color, similar to brass. The copper should have been processed twice and painted later."

Everyone in the room listened quietly, and this time no one made a sound to disturb.

Fang Zongtang paused for a moment and continued, "The dragon patterns of the Ming Dynasty are thick, strong and large, majestic and powerful, and tall. Especially the position of the dragon head and dragon horns are very prominent. The dragons of the Qing Dynasty are more graceful and slender, with a normal head-to-body ratio, giving people a feeling of a strong body. Take a look for yourself, which dynasty does the dragon pattern above look more like?"

The middle-aged manager quickly picked up the golden bowl and took a look. Sure enough, it was a slender dragon with a strong posture.

"You mean, this dragon pattern was added later?"

Fang Zongtang smiled and nodded, and reminded him, "The copper craft first appeared during the Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty. At that time, Zhu Yuanzhang had already been buried. Do you think he would have foreseen the future and issued an order to his great-grandson and made a bowl for Wang Qi?"

Of course it is absolutely impossible! Old Zhu has been buried, how can Old Wang still be alive and well?

For a moment, there was silence among the VIPs.

The middle-aged manager stammered, "In other words, this golden bowl was a replica from the late Ming Dynasty, and was reworked during the Qing Dynasty?"

Fang Zongtao smiled and said, "You are not that stupid." Then he added with regret and disdain in his tone.

"It's a pity that such a good golden bowl met two idiots who don't know much about history, and the more they changed it, the faker it became. The latter idiot is even dumber. It was a good late Ming dynasty, with so many good ingredients added, but after all the effort, it's not as valuable as a plain bowl."