He called you a "spendthrift," which is harsh, but in a way... well, it's apt.
"Furthermore, I have some bad news that might make you, Mr. Du, even more...heartbroken."
Du Minghua's eyelids twitched, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart: "You... what do you mean?"
He had just lost over a hundred million due to a jade seal, and his heart was already extremely fragile. Judging from Zhou Yang's tone now, could it be...?
“Besides this ‘Imperial Jade Seal of Emperor Qianlong’,” Zhou Yang slowly pointed to an object on the antique shelf in his study.
“For example, your so-called ‘Sea Beast and Grape Mirror’ is made of bronze and looks antique. It’s a pity that the rust is too superficial and the patina was applied later with rather rough workmanship.”
Before Du Minghua could react, Zhou Yang's finger turned towards the entrance.
"And that Tang tri-color horse statue at the entrance, its glaze is too bright and glaring, the crackle is unnatural, and the body is far removed from the style of the Tang Dynasty. It is obviously a fake."
He then turned his gaze toward the lobby, and although he couldn't see clearly, he seemed to know everything.
"If I remember correctly, the painting hanging on the wall in the center of the hall is said to be a copy of Su Dongpo's 'Cold Food Festival'... Tsk tsk, the brushstrokes are weak, the ink is dull, it can't even make a resemblance, let alone capture the spirit. It's really an insult to the great scholar Su."
Zhou Yang ordered three items in one go, speaking as casually as if he were commenting on street food.
Du Minghua's face turned from deathly pale to ashen, then from ashen to purplish-brown. His breathing became heavy, and he pointed at Zhou Yang, his lips trembling.
"You...you're talking nonsense! Those...those were all bought back at high prices by me! They all have certificates!"
This kid is deliberately trying to cause trouble, isn't he?
Did I, Du Minghua, waste all the keen eyesight I've accumulated over half a lifetime?!
Zhou Yang seemed oblivious to his murderous expression and continued leisurely.
"And that pen holder on your desk, which is said to be made of huanghuali wood from the Ming Dynasty, unfortunately has a raw and unrefined wood grain and a patina that is too 'firey'."
"And those two doucai chicken cups on your windowsill, they're imitations of Chenghua ware, but the colors are off, and the painting is a bit too craftsmanlike..."
He listed five more items in one go, as if they were his own treasures!
In total, there are exactly eight items!
Each and every one of these items is a "treasure" that Du Minghua is very proud of and often takes out to show off to others.
"Enough!"
Du Minghua roared angrily, veins bulging on his forehead.
It wasn't that he didn't believe Zhou Yang, but that he dared not believe him!
If all of these are fake, then hasn't he become a laughing stock in the collecting world all these years?
A complete sucker?!
He felt his blood pressure soaring, the world spinning, and he almost couldn't stand up.
Gu Zhongchen had originally been just observing, but now, as Zhou Yang explained things clearly and confidently, he couldn't help but show great interest.
He glanced at Du Minghua, whose face was ashen, and then at Zhou Yang, who remained calm and composed. He thought to himself: Could this young man really have such insight?
He walked slowly to the connection between the lobby and the study, his gaze falling on the "Su Shi calligraphy" that Zhou Yang had just mentioned, and he stared at it intently for a moment.
He returned to his study and picked up the "Bronze Sea Beast and Grape Mirror" to examine it closely.
After a long pause, he let out a long sigh and looked at Du Minghua with a complicated expression: "Mr. Du... this young friend, I'm afraid... what you said is true!"
"This calligraphy is overly crafted and lacks liveliness; it is certainly not the work of a master. The rust on this bronze mirror is also unnatural. After he pointed it out, the flaws are too obvious."
Jin Buhuan and Gu Huaiyue also stepped forward to examine the Tang tri-colored horse and several other artifacts mentioned by Zhou Yang.
Jin Buhuan shook his head repeatedly, his face full of regret and shame: "Alas! I was wrong about you before!"
"The glaze of this Tang tri-color horse still retains its fiery sheen, and upon closer inspection of the crackles, it is clear that they were not caused by natural aging. This young friend truly has a discerning eye; we are truly impressed!"
A glint of surprise flashed in Gu Huaiyue's cool eyes, and she nodded slightly.
"Mr. Zhou's observations are meticulous. We only noticed these details that we usually overlook after you pointed them out. I am ashamed to admit that I cannot match your insight."
The successive confirmations from the three bigwigs were like heavy hammer blows to Du Minghua's heart.
He was completely stunned, slumped on the sofa, his eyes vacant, as if his soul had been ripped out.
Eight items... all eight are fake?
Am I, Du Minghua, just incredibly unlucky, or am I simply not destined to be an appraiser?
"Hahaha! I knew it!"
Du Zhe was so proud of himself that his tail was practically wagging in the air. He jumped to Zhou Yang's side, looking at him with admiration.
"My master is amazing! Master, you are simply a reincarnation of the Fiery Eyes of Truth, a demon-revealing mirror descended to earth!"
"Dad, did you hear that? Eight pieces! Eight huge fakes! Your eye for quality... tsk tsk, I could have gotten better stuff at Panjiayuan!"
He was smug, yet also somewhat regretful, as he shrugged.
"Look, if I'd known you'd spend money on counterfeit goods, spending hundreds of millions of dollars, I would have rather given the money to me to live a carefree life..."
Du Minghua didn't even have the strength to be angry and scold his son at this moment. He waved his hand listlessly, his voice hoarse.
"Bring all those things over here so the three of you can take a closer look..."
He still held onto a sliver of hope: what if Zhou Yang was just making things up and the three big shots had been misled?
The servants hurriedly presented the eight "treasures" that Zhou Yang had pointed out.
Gu Zhongchen, Jin Buhuan, and Gu Huaiyue took over again and meticulously examined each item.
Without exception, Zhou Yang's judgment was accurate!
"It's over...it's all over..."
Du Minghua muttered to himself, looking as if he had aged ten years.
Seeing this, Du Zhe became even more emboldened, and with a quick thought, a plan came to him.
"Dad! I see so many fakes displayed outside, what about your treasured collection room... hehe, could the things inside also be fake?"
"How about we take advantage of the fact that Master and the three masters are all here and have them take a look at your goods? Otherwise, you'll be guarding a room full of fakes like treasures, completely unaware of the truth!"
These words were like a key, suddenly unlocking the last vestige of reason in Du Minghua's heart.
Yes! If things are like this outside, what about his most cherished collection room?
The things inside were his life's work and most of his fortune!
If... if there's a problem there too... he simply didn't dare to think about it!
A mixture of immense fear and intense curiosity led him to make his decision.
He suddenly stood up, looked at Zhou Yang and the three experts, and his face showed a hint of pleading.
"Young friend Zhou, Elder Gu, Elder Jin, and niece Huaiyue! I apologize for making this a laughing matter. Now that things have come to this, I would like to seek a clear explanation!"
"Could you please move a few people over and help me appraise the collection in my collection room? The fee is negotiable, one million each as a token of my appreciation, how about it?"
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