Zhang Ermao (Cade) chuckled and quicklymented, “Today, I visited the antique street to gather some information. When Zhou returned this time, he brought back hundreds of thousands in funds. If he were to be foolish enough to lose all that money, wouldn’t it be disastrous? Not only would he face financial ruin, but he would also suffer a significant blow to his reputation. Imagine him leaving the antique street in utter despair—his revenge would be served!”
Jacob’s excitement grew upon hearing this.
Just yesterday, my daughter and Charlie mentioned that it might be possible to gain entry by confronting someone. Zhou, now the executive vice president of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, is the leading contender for the next presidency. If he were to be harmed—either through a physical altercation or by hiring someone to do it—and ended up arrested, the association would likely copse.
However, Zhang Ermao (Cade) had a much more clever n. Not only would he avoid any repercussions, but he would also inflict greater damage on Zhou Liangyun!<fn88d2> ???s ??????? ?s ?????? ?? FindN()vel</fn88d2>
Even if I were to p him a couple of times, it would feel insignificantpared to watching him lose all his money and reputation. That would surely bring me more joy!<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">
With that thought in mind, he turned to Zhang Ermao (Cade) and asked, “Is there a way to ensure that someone with the surname Zhou will definitely fall for this?” Zhang Ermao (Cade) replied with unusual caution, “President Jacob, while I can’t guarantee a foolproof method, I can connect you with experts who specialize in deception.”
Jacob inquired, “What do you mean by experts in deception?”
Zhang Ermao (Cade) borated: “The antique market is flooded with fakes, especially at street stalls. Many of these pieces are either passed down through generations or simply dug up from construction sites. They are often nothing more than aged handicrafts aimed at deceiving the unsuspecting. These items tend to fool tourists or those with only a superficial understanding of antiques. But then there are also counterfeit masters who create high-quality replicas designed to trick wealthy collectors and even seasoned experts.”
Continuing, Zhang Ermao (Cade) said, “These counterfeiters possess incredibly realistic skills. They typically start by finding high-quality replicas from the Tang, Song, Yuan, or Ming dynasties, or even from theter Qing Dynasty. They then craft them to match the characteristics of those eras. For instance, they might use Qing Dynasty imitations to pass off as genuine Yuan Dynasty porcin. An item that originally costs tens of thousands could suddenly be valued in the millions. The most skilled ones can create replicas so convincing that they could pass off a Qing Dynasty imitation of Chenghua Doucai as the real deal. There was even a notorious case where a collector was defrauded of 100 million with a mere chicken bowl!”
With enthusiasm, Zhang Ermao (Cade) continued, “Now, think about it, President Jacob. If we manage to acquire something like that, we can present it to Zhou Liangyun and demand hundreds of thousands. When he examines it, he’ll surely think it’s worth at least a million. He’ll feelpelled to buy it. Once he does, we can find a way to expose it as a fake, and he’ll be devastated. Are you in?”
Jacob nodded, a smile spreading across his face. “Yes! That would hit him where it hurts—financially! He’ll lose everything! That scoundrel never expected that he would end up in this predicament after what he did to me!”
With this n buzzing in his mind, Jacob quickly asked, “But Er Mao, if we go through with this… is it illegal?”
“Illegal? Whatw would that break?” Zhang Ermao (Cade) replied with a grin. “In the world of antiques, honesty is rarely guaranteed. Auctions worldwide aren’t exactly transparent, and private transactions are no different. People are just expected to ept their losses.”
“Alright, understood!” Jacob pressed further, “Can you actually get something like that?” Zhang Ermao (Cade) assured him,
“I can get it, but I can’t promise how much it will cost. Even though these items are fakes, they still hold value. In fact, the more realistic they are, the pricier they be.”
Zhang Ermao (Cade) exined, “Think of it like counterfeit money. If I can only fool the vige’s big yellow dog with a 100-yuan note, it might only be worth a penny.”
“If it can fool just the elderly vendors at the morning market, it might fetch around ten or twenty yuan, with the best ones reaching thirty. But if it can fool most people and even a counterfeit detector, it could sell for fifty or sixty, and there would still be buyers.”
At this point, Zhang Ermao (Cade) anticipated Jacob’s concerns about finances and quickly reassured him, “President Jacob, don’t worry about the costs. I’ll handle it. You won’t have to spend a single penny!”
Jacob rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, “This sly fox, Zhang Ermao (Cade), is clearly up to something. If this scheme isn’t illegal, then all the money he defrauds from Zhou Liangyun will end up in his own pockets. If he invests 50,000 and makes back 500,000, that’s a profit of 450,000. He wouldn’t pass that up! If I pay, does that mean I won’t get a share of the profits?”
With that in mind, Jacob emphatically stated, “Er Mao, I can’t let you bear the costs alone; I still have some funds avable. Whatever the expense, I will cover it!”
Although Jacob imed he would handle the payments, his underlying message was clear: he intended to keep the profits for himself.