Zhang Ermao (Cade) couldn’t contain his frustration and eximed at the screen in the car, “What a waste! You can’t afford to be nervous right now—what on earth are you thinking? Isn’t this just a trap set by Zhou? Damn it!”
Jacob was equally infuriated, gritting his teeth as he muttered, “Oh my god, I can’t believe this guy is such a crafty old fox. Screw him!”
He then waved his hand dismissively, saying, “Let’s just count our losses. I’m going home to pack my things and will head to the airport for an early flight to Dubai tomorrow morning. Please make sure to handle the bronze Buddha as soon as you can. Just send me the moneyter.”
With that, he opened the door and stepped out of the car.
Zhang Ermao (Cade) sighed, feeling a mix of helplessness and apology. “I’m sorry, President Jacob. It doesn’t matter if this situation gets messy; just give me some time to think it over, and I’ll definitelye up with a n to deal with him!”<h3 style="background-color:DodgerBlue">
Jacob ignored him, already halfway out of the car when, unexpectedly, Zhou Liangyun’s voice came through Zhang Ermao (Cade)’s phone. “You really don’t need to be anxious. I’m not saying you’re lying; I just feel that this bronze Buddhacks the characteristics of the Ming Dynasty. It seems more aligned with the Northern Song Dynasty.”
“Northern… Northern Song Dynasty?” Zhang Ermao (Cade) was puzzled. Not very well-versed in history, he asked, “When was the Northern Song Dynasty?”
Zhou Liangyun rified, “The Northern Song Dynastysted from 960 to 1127 AD, while the Southern Song Dynasty spanned from 1127 to 1279. From what I see, your bronze Buddha is at least four hundred years older than Xuande.”
Back in the car, Jacob was taken aback by this information. He quickly sat back down, retracting his leg from outside, and asked Zhang Ermao (Cade) in disbelief, “Ermao, could that bronze Buddha really be from the Northern Song Dynasty?!”
Ermao was momentarily speechless before regaining hisposure. “What nonsense! This idiot ims it’s from the Northern Song Dynasty? Why not just say it’s from the Northern Wei Dynasty while he’s at it?”
Jacob countered, “But what if it truly is from the Northern Song Dynasty?”
Zhang Ermao (Cade) posed a question back to him, “President Jacob, you’re well-known in the antiquemunity. You’ve heard plenty of stories, right? But have you ever heard of someone picking up a genuine item from a counterfeit seller? Teacher Cheng is a master of counterfeiting; how could he possibly determine the age of this piece?”
Jacob replied, “What if he misjudged it? After all, he mentioned that the bronze Buddha’s surface was damaged when he acquired it. That could affect his assessment.”
Zhang Ermao (Cade) waved his hand dismissively. “That’s impossible, President Jacob. You can’t take his word at face value. In the antique business, stories are just that—stories. I once spun a tale to deceive foreigners about a Mona Lisa-style painting. I can’t believe I made that up!”
He continued, “Do you actually believe Teacher Cheng’s im about the bronze Buddha being damaged during collection? Let’s just concoct a story for Zhou Liangyun—that this piece is an ancestral heirloom from my little brother’s family. Maybe Teacher Cheng refurbished it from a handicraft and spun a tale to swindle us out of 100,000 yuan.”
Jacob, feeling anxious, asked, “So you still want me to purchase it? Isn’t that throwing away a hundred thousand yuan?”
Zhang Ermao (Cade) quickly rified, “I’m saying it’s a possibility, not a certainty! Besides, you won’t lose anything by buying it. I, Zhang Ermao (Cade), will ensure that if you suffer a loss, I will suffer too.”
Jacob insisted, “I, Jacob, am not worried about losing money. I just don’t want to be deceived. It infuriates me when people try to pull a fast one on me.” He then voiced his concerns, “Ermao, I’m not ming you or questioning you; I just want to know, is it really possible that it’s from the Northern Song Dynasty?”
Zhang Ermao (Cade) firmly stated, “Impossible, absolutely impossible!”<fn087a> Chapters first released on find(?)ovel</fn087a>
Realizing Jacob’s tendency to be suspicious and indecisive, as well as his misced confidence in luck, Zhang Ermao (Cade) pressed on, “President Jacob, let me put it this way: would you ever buy a real Hermès from a counterfeit Hermès workshop? Just because someone goes to a fake shop doesn’t mean they’ll find a real deal there. It’s like iming you bought a Hermès that was owned and signed by the Queen of Britain. That’s just absurd!”
Jacob stroked his chin, contemting. “I see your point. It does make sense, but why did this Zhou suddenly im the bronze Buddha is from the Song Dynasty? What’s his motive?”
Zhang Ermao (Cade) shook his head. “I’m not sure. I guess this guy has figured out that we’re trying to pull something on him.”
Jacob nodded in agreement. “Yeah, he’s definitely trying to take advantage of us!”
“That makes sense,” Jacob said, “This guy is incredibly difficult to deal with!”