Spring Thunder Chapter 0159 Art Trust
"My dear grandson, come and have a look at the painting I just bought."
Nan Yi came to Yangcheng Hotel and entered Fang Mengyin's room. Fang Mengyin asked him to look at the paintings.
"Grandma, I don't understand painting either. I can't understand it even if you show me."
Nan Yi said as he walked to the desk and looked down at a painting on it.
"Do you know whose painting this is?"
"Grandma, I don't understand painting, but I can still understand seals. Huangshan Binhong, isn't it Huang Binhong's painting?"
"Do you know how much it cost?" Fang Mengyin said with a smile.
"That's not a problem for me. I bought several of his paintings. Two years ago, I paid 60 cents for each. If you weren't ripped off, it would be about one or two dollars now."
"Five yuan. This painting is a masterpiece among Huang Binhong's landscape paintings. I guess I got a bargain."
"You still have a chance to find a bargain. The National Museum has many paintings by modern painters. As long as you pay in foreign currency, they will be eager to sell them. There are many paintings by Qi Baishi and Li Keran in there."
"Huh? Since you know it, why don't you buy it yourself?" Fang Mengyin asked in surprise.
"Too much noise."
"You!" Fang Mengyin nodded at Nan Yi, "If you don't buy it quickly, aren't you afraid that someone will snatch it away?"
"Haha, let Xianghe make a trip."
Whether it was Ke Jianzhen or Li Xiangrong, both of them had some paintings by modern painters, including Qi Baishi, Xu Beihong, Li Keran, and Huang Binhong.
Their paintings are not expensive at all now. A painting by Qi Baishi costs 5 yuan per square foot, a large painting by Li Keran can be bought for 70 yuan, and a painting by Huang Binhong is even as low as 1 yuan. The price fluctuation range of Xu Beihong's paintings is relatively large, but it is not that expensive.
"I said, how could you not be tempted? Let me make a deal. I will pick a few first, and leave a few for you to deal with as you please after a hundred years."
"Okay, don't mention a few, you can keep all of them if you want."
"Forget it, I can't take care of it. How is Xiangkeng doing? Can I go back now?"
"It's hard to say. Chen Songqing is very patient. You should play for a while longer. If you get tired of playing in Guangzhou, you can go somewhere else."
"That's fine. I'll go to Mount Wutai and Wudang for a visit."
"Oh, grandma, you are both the Taoist and the Buddha."
"I'm also planning to go to Hagia Sophia in Ice City." Fang Mengyin said unhappily.
“Hehehe.”
After ending the argument with Fang Mengyin and having dinner with her, Nan Yi left the Yangcheng Hotel and found a guesthouse outside to stay in.
There are hotels everywhere in Yangcheng, and guesthouses are not that rigid. Nan Yi successfully booked a single room.
The next day.
In the morning, Nan Yi rushed to the station to pick someone up.
Nan Yi had never seen the person he was going to pick up, so he could only stand at the station waiting with a piece of cardboard with his name on it.
Not long after the Nanyi sign was raised, the bus from Shencun to Yangcheng arrived at the station.
A young man wearing glasses got out of the car, looked around, and then stopped at the sign in Nan Yi's hand.
"Hello, this is Bao Jian from the Foreign Affairs Office."
"Hello, Shenguofa Nanyi, thank you for your hard work along the way."
"Not really. When will the guests arrive?"
"We will arrive at noon. Mr. Henry will be accompanied by a female guide from Xiangkeng, who is also arranged by our company. I have already agreed with her that she will accompany Mr. Henry to have lunch at the Yangcheng Hotel at noon. At 1:30 pm, we will pick them up at the hotel to visit the art shop."
"So what do we do now?"
"Rent a car. Mr. Henry is traveling with four people, and there are only two of us. One car can't accommodate us, so we have to rent two cars."
"To the taxi company?"
"Let's go to Yangcheng Hotel first. They have a reception car with higher specifications. If that doesn't work, then go to the taxi company."
How could it be impossible? Nan Yi had already ordered two cars yesterday, and he was just going there today to go through the formalities.
After completing the formalities at Yangcheng Hotel, the car stopped at the door and waited for all matters to be finalized.
Nan Yi did not neglect Bao Jian. He took a bus and took him to a roast goose stall on Panfu Road.
This roast goose stall doesn’t have a signboard, but its roast goose with plum sauce is a specialty. Even the famous Tao Tao Ju doesn’t dare to challenge it.
"Comrade Bao, they say Guangzhou is the best place for food, so let's try some meat today and try the roast goose here."
After the food Nan Yi ordered came, Nan Yi asked Bao Jian to pick up his chopsticks.
"Comrade Nan, this meal will cost a lot of money, right?"
"Don't worry about the money. Comrade Bao, you are here to help, so it is only natural for me to treat you. Even so, I feel a little wronged. I can't help it. Otherwise, I would take you to Panxi and Taotaoju."
"Comrade Nan, you're welcome. This is already very good." Bao Jian said politely, "There are only two of us. One roast goose is a bit too much."
"It's okay. Don't think I'm stingy. I have a lunch box with me. We can eat half and take the other half back. We don't know whether we will have dinner with the foreign guests tonight. If not, we can buy some wine and drink it in the guesthouse."
"Okay, that's good."
After eating for a while, the two started chatting and the way they addressed each other changed, becoming more intimate.
"Nan Yi, why did Shenguofa only send you here to entertain Mr. Henry?"
"Mr. Henry is a potential client I contacted, but we haven't reached a deal yet, so it's not appropriate for the leader to come forward. This time, I just want to finalize the intention, and then invite the leader to come for the final negotiation."
"Oh, so that's how it is." Bao Jian nodded, "You guys work in Xiangkeng, can you go out for a walk during normal times?"
"I'm in charge of sales, so I'm basically out and about. If you're talking about Hong Kong, I've been around a lot. But I only get an internship subsidy, which is not much, and my transportation allowance is tight. The things in Hong Kong are expensive, so I can only look at them and can't afford to buy anything."
"Same, I just started working not long ago, I am very tight on money, and my girlfriend's family is urging us to get married. The requirements are not high, just three turns and one ring and thirty-six legs, but how can I get married? I still live in a dormitory now."
"Bao Jian, you are only about 25 or 26 years old this year?"
"Twenty-five."
"Then it's a bit early to get married. Didn't your company receive any documents? Don't the higher-ups advocate for late marriage and late childbearing?"
"I can't help it. Both sides are pushing me. My family is not from Shenzhen, so I don't have a house. My girlfriend's family said I can live in her house." Bao Jian lowered his voice and said, "But that's marrying into the family, how can I do that?"
"Haha, you are quite feudal. If my girlfriend's family lets me live there in the future, I will rush over immediately and negotiate with them. I don't need to worry about turning around or making noises. Just give me 500 yuan as a betrothal gift."
"Haha, you're still expecting to get change?"
"Shouldn't I? I'll marry him!"
"It's not easy to be a son-in-law." Bao Jian said, his face darkening.
Nan Yi saw this and changed the subject at the right time to talk about something else.
After the meal, Nan Yi paid the bill with Hong Kong dollars. Not only was the exchange rate one to one, but it was also one dollar cheaper.
Of course, he didn't forget to pack up the remaining half of the roast goose. A roast goose with plum sauce cost four yuan, and two yuan was too much for him to throw away.
While there was still time, they went to the guesthouse to book a room for Bao Jian. Then they put down their belongings and went to the public bathroom to tidy themselves up. Then they went to Yangcheng Hotel.
"Hello, Mr. Henry and Ms. Liang. Shall we go visit the art shop now?"
Nan Yi met Henry and Liang Huiwen at the Yangcheng Hotel. He said something and stood there waiting for Bao Jian's translation.
Bao Jian: "Mr. Henry said he would go there now."
"Mr. Henry, Ms. Liang, the car is waiting at the door. Please come in."
They greeted the people and led them to the cars at the door. Henry, Liang Huiwen and Daiwen got in one car, and Nan Yi and Bao Jian got in another.
When the car arrived at the door of the art shop, Nan Yi got out first to negotiate with the comrade standing guard at the door.
"Hello, comrade, this is my work ID. I am here to accompany foreign guests on a tour." Nan Yi handed over his work ID.
After the guard checked it, he returned the certificate to Nan Yi and asked, "Do you need me to notify the leader?"
"No need, we are here just for a visit."
There is a reason for notifying and not notifying here. Notification means a large order, and the interests of the units need to be coordinated. Nan Yi brings guests here to buy things, and the art shop needs to give some explanation to Shenguofa.
If you don't notify them, they will just take a look and maybe buy one or two items. There is no need to alert the leader.
The art shop has a special department for receiving foreign guests, where you can see many great things that Chinese people cannot see. Of course, the prices given to foreign guests are also very "considerate". A piece of RMB 100 can be sold to foreign guests for US$100.
At this time, foreigners can enjoy a lot of conveniences, but they also have to pay more money.
In the words of later generations, they were all customers who bought high-level VIP tickets.
"Mr. Henry, these are Cantonese embroidery, which originated from the skills of women in the boudoir. Its history can be traced back to the Tang Dynasty, when immigrants from the Central Plains brought embroidery to Lingnan. The one who is regarded as the ancestor of Cantonese embroidery is Lu Meiniang, a tribute girl from Nanhai in the Tang Dynasty.
According to the "Duyang Miscellaneous Records" of the Tang Dynasty, in the first year of Yongzhen, a 14-year-old girl named Lu Meiniang came to the court as tribute from Nanhai County. Her ancestors were descendants of the brothers Lu Jingzuo, who were the teachers of the Northern Dynasty emperors during the Southern and Northern Dynasties. Later, they drifted to Lingnan.
In the imperial palace, she embroidered seven volumes of the Lotus Sutra on a one-foot-long piece of silk. The characters were as small as millet grains and the dots and strokes were distinct and as fine as hair, which shows how skilled she was.
Emperor Shunzong of Tang Dynasty was amazed by her workmanship and called her the Goddess.
Emperor Xianzong of the Tang Dynasty even gave her a golden phoenix ring to wear on her wrist as a reward for her intelligence and ingenuity.
During the reign of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang Dynasty, Zhang Jiugao, the governor of Lingnan, presented exquisite embroidery to Yang Guifei and was promoted to the third rank. This shows that the highest class at that time appreciated Guangdong embroidery.
During the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty, Cantonese embroidery was exported to Portugal, Ireland, and France via European merchant ships, and became a favorite clothing item for the royal court, the royal family, and the nobility.
In the ninth year of the Zhengde reign of the Ming Dynasty, a Portuguese merchant bought an embroidered dragon robe in Guangzhou and brought it back to his country. He presented the embroidered robe to the king and was rewarded handsomely.
In the 35th year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, Cruz, a Portuguese missionary who had stayed in Guangzhou for several weeks, wrote in his memoirs after returning home: Many handicraft workers in Guangzhou work for export trade, and the exported products are also rich and colorful.
The embroidered shoes with colorful silk threads woven into the uppers are all wonderful works of art.”
As soon as they arrived at the display area of Guangdong embroidery, Nan Yi started talking about the history of Guangdong embroidery, which was then translated to Henry by Bao Jian.
Bao Jian: "Mr. Henry said these things are very beautiful. He once saw a piece of Cantonese embroidery in Paris and praised it for its exquisite craftsmanship. He also praised your profound knowledge of history."
"Thank you, Mr. Henry, for your compliment..."
Nan Yi spent half a day wandering around the art shop. Not only did he have to play the role of a tour guide, he also had to pay attention to some of the handicrafts and remember them in his mind.
He was extremely tired during this half day.
Finally, Henry declined the invitation to dinner, so Nan Yi and Bao Jian had dinner alone. They didn't go out to eat, but went to the food stall to pack some cooked food and returned to the guesthouse to finish it.
“Nan Yi, I see this Henry is lukewarm, is your business in jeopardy?”
"Bao Jian, you don't know this. These businessmen are like this, keeping a low profile. They are afraid that if they show that they are too interested in something, we will ask for too much.
Didn't you see that he seemed to be uninterested in anything this afternoon, but he asked very detailed questions? "
Bao Jian recalled, "That's right. Some of the content was very difficult for me to translate because they were all professional terms that I had little experience with in my daily life."
"What do you specialize in?"
"Light industry . I am very familiar with the professional terms of light industrial products, including some mechanical professional terms that I have also studied."
"There's no hope for machinery. Next time if a client wants to buy light industrial products, I'll still look for you."
"Haha, okay, I'll find me when you specify."
The two of them laughed.
Given the level of the two, Nan Yi is not qualified to ask the Foreign Affairs Office for help, let alone to find a specific person to ask; as for Bao Jian, based on seniority, it is basically not his turn to get good jobs.
"According to the itinerary, Henry will take a flight to Beijing tomorrow afternoon. How about going with him?"
"Forget it. I want to go with you. How are you going to report it to the company?" Bao Jian waved his hand. "You are still an intern. If you can't report the airfare for one more person, are you going to pay for it yourself?"
"That's not the case. I can definitely get the air ticket."
"That's fine. I won't embarrass you. Just treat me to a meal next time you come back to Shencun."
"That's fine."
The next day, Nan Yi sent Bao Jian to the station and bought a ticket for him. Before leaving, Nan Yi stuffed a net bag into Bao Jian's hand, which was filled with some braised snacks from Yangcheng.
"We say goodbye today, I don't know when we will meet again, take care."
"Comrade, take care and wait for news of my victory. By the way, don't inform me if you get married, I don't have the budget for profit."
"Hahaha!"
Bao Jian laughed, patted Nan Yi's arm, turned around and got into the car.
Nan Yi stood there and watched the car leave.
I accompanied Henry on a flight to the capital, visited the art shops there, and then flew to Nanjing.
Then, he flew back to Yangcheng and Nan Yi began to prepare the shopping list.
Several cities with historical heritage in China have their own art shops, and the artworks come from various nearby art factories.
For example, in the art shops in Guangzhou, you can see artworks from the entire Guangdong province; in Nanjing, you can see all the southern art; and the art shops in Beijing have a particularly complete range of goods, as they source goods from all over the country.
In terms of convenience, it is most convenient to purchase from art shops in Beijing, but their prices are relatively expensive, while those in Guangzhou and Jinling are relatively cheap.
It is completely possible to skip Shenguofa and go directly to the art store, but Nan Yi will not do that. He wants Shenguofa to take the middle piece, even if the purchasing cost will double.
After finishing the shopping list in one day, Nan Yi called Cen Yangtai.
"Uncle Cen, I'm Xiaonan."
"Xiao Nan, how is it going? Is everything going well?"
"It's going very smoothly. The foreigner has already given us a purchase list and is now waiting for our quotation. Uncle Cen, we need you to come forward."
"Okay, okay, you wait in Yangcheng, I'll be there tomorrow."
"Okay, don't forget to bring your French translator."
"Don't you speak French?"
"graduation."
"Look at me, I almost forgot. Wait for me. Leave after I hand over the work."
"clear."
When Cen Yangtai arrived, Nan Yi handed him the shopping list.
Cen Yangtai glanced over the list and pointed to the last item on the list and asked, "What are these Wenchang straw sandals? Why haven't I heard of them?"
"They are the straw sandals, Manager Cen. I want to admit my mistake. I have sought some personal gain for myself. You have read my file and know that I came from Wenchangwei..."
"I understand. It's understandable to seek some benefits for the hometown, but can these straw sandals be sold at a high price? Why would foreigners buy them?"
"Fortunately, I told Henry that it was 50 cents a pair, and he basically agreed to the price. The Wenchang Wei was sold for only 1.5 cents."
"Yes, the price has increased more than tenfold."
Cen Yangtai knew that 1.5 cents was too much for these straw sandals, but Nan Yi had already negotiated the price and it was obvious that he wanted to get a little more for Wenchangwei, so he had to give him this face.
"Uncle Cen, this is the price list I made after visiting three art stores. You can use it as a reference when you negotiate." Nan Yi handed another price list to Cen Yangtai.
"Okay, I'll finalize it with Henry as soon as possible. Our office is also crying out for help."
What happens next, how to negotiate with Cen Yangtai and how to avoid being taken advantage of, are no longer Nan Yi’s business. He just needs the deal to be completed smoothly.
He still has a lot of things to worry about. After the goods are shipped out, he currently has no complete idea how to sell them.
It is easy to contact a few art shops to wholesale things, but if you want to sell them as high-end artworks yourself, it will take a lot of effort.
Anything related to art becomes very mysterious in terms of its value. If you want to sell it at a high price, you need to be sought after by someone of high status.
A foreigner with status?
Nan Yi currently has only one channel to make friends...
The young man was full of energy and stayed in bed for three days.
Flying back to the capital again, Nan Yi went straight into the Friendship Hotel, feeling quite tragic and majestic as if the wind was whistling and the Yi River was cold, and the hero would never return once he left.
After being ravaged by Scarlett, whom he hadn't seen for a long time, for three days, Nan Yi had a sore back and waist. He was shaking like an alcoholic when holding a glass of water. There were dark circles around his eyes. He played the role of the national treasure without any makeup except that he was thinner.
"Adam, you came back just in time. Otherwise, I wouldn't mind kicking you out and finding someone else."
"Plato once said..."
"I won't listen to this liar. Shakespeare said: Life is short. If you waste your time, your short life will be too long."
Nan Yi shrugged and said noncommittally: "I can't understand your Western view of love."
"So, are you planning to give me a copy of "The Legend of Heroines"? "
"Ha, it seems we can't let you go back to the Kingdom. You have learned all our essence."
"Oh, in my opinion, the most useful thing I learned is making pancakes. When I return, I will open a pancake trust."
