It's the second watch, are there really no monthly tickets left? I implore everyone for more support.

The production of Guangcai porcelain began in the Kangxi era of the Qing Dynasty, boasting a history of over three hundred years to this day. At that time, Guangzhou artisans borrowed the technique of firing enamel on gold, introduced from the West, using imported materials to create fired enamel on copper. Later, this method was applied to white porcelain bodies, resulting in the famous Fulangcai (Enamel Color), which marked the genesis of Guangzhou polychrome porcelain.

Naturally, in the very beginning, enamel porcelain was a strict monopoly of the imperial court; large-scale operation and production by the populace were impossible. Even if workshops managed to fire pieces, they were tributes, unavailable for common use. However, by the mid-to-late Qing Dynasty, the craftsmanship of Fulangcai had spread to the common folk, presenting a scene of blossoming everywhere.

At this juncture, not only had the demand within China's populace increased, but foreigners were also extremely fond of the opulent Guangcai porcelain. Some European royalty and nobility even sent envoys specifically to procure it.

Under these circumstances, Guangcai porcelain gradually separated from the fired enamel on copper technique, evolving into an independent industry, continuously expanding production and selling its wares overseas, thus becoming a key commodity in Sino-Western trade.

"After one or two centuries of trade, Guangcai porcelain has sold well in various countries, which is why you find it in so many antique shops now."

At this point, Yu Wei murmured softly, "But you must be wary of fakes. Even if an item is genuine, pieces in perfect condition are exceptionally rare; most have flaws like firing cracks, chips, or paint loss. Finding a truly excellent piece, even one from a folk kiln, is not easy. When one occasionally appears, the price is astronomical…"

Wang Guan and Fang Mingsheng had no reason to doubt Yu Wei’s words. After all, to put it plainly, China’s serious appreciation for antique porcelain has only revived in the last few decades, whereas foreigners have valued it for centuries, without any interruption.

Frankly speaking, some people's knowledge of Chinese antique porcelain borders on expertise. The accuracy of their dating often surpasses that of some so-called experts back home. They have published numerous academic papers in professional journals and even authored many books on porcelain.

They are true connoisseurs; naturally, it’s far from easy to find a bargain in the hands of such experts.

Of course, most importantly, they were not the first Chinese to come here treasure hunting. Long before them, countless antique dealers and collectors from China had sifted through these shops countless times.

As compatriots and peers, Wang Guan certainly understood the nature of these individuals: they would undoubtedly seize any good find, packing it away and leaving nothing for others. Even if a few stragglers slipped through, they wouldn't survive the repeated scrutiny of everyone else…

"Speaking of which, the prices for these items were driven up by everyone too."

At the right moment, Yu Wei also let out a sigh, "I remember over ten years ago, Chinese antiques were clearly marked with a fixed price, no haggling allowed. Even for regulars, getting a 5% discount was considered showing great deference. But I don't know when it started, the prices of these things exploded like a volcanic eruption, changing every so often, dizzying to behold."

"That in itself is manageable, but what was once a relatively clean market gradually became murky and chaotic. Fakes began appearing in everything from Song and Yuan Longquan celadon to Ming and Qing blue-and-white porcelain, even items like wood, horn, and ivory carvings."

Amidst Yu Wei's lamentations, Wang Guan and Fang Mingsheng felt a slight pang of awkwardness, well aware of the origin of these counterfeits. Thus, in harming others, they were inevitably setting the stage to harm their own people sooner or later. In a way, it was like shooting themselves in the foot.

However, Yu Wei also realized his lament was somewhat untimely and immediately changed the subject: "I've looked them over. These Guangcai vases show signs of firing cracks, which actually suggests they might be genuine. If you like them, you might consider buying them."

"Let me take a look…"

Fang Mingsheng moved over to examine the ceramics as a natural progression. There were vases, dishes, and bowls—utilitarian objects were more common.

Generally, in the eyes of past antique collectors, vases were the most valuable among ceramics, jars were a step down, followed by plates, dishes, and bowls. However, this hierarchy is no longer the standard; valuation now depends primarily on the item's quality, its provenance, the clay body, the decoration, and whether it is intact, which collectively determine the final price.

Strictly speaking, the quality of Guangcai porcelain is not poor. Among traditional firing techniques, it successfully integrated the Western-introduced fired enamel technique and applied it to porcelain, gradually forming its own style—like ten thousand strands of gold thread winding around white jade. Furthermore, its palette of pigments is incredibly rich and colorful, which is why it earned the name "Gold-Weaving Color Porcelain" (Zhijin Caici).

To establish its own unique brand, its characteristics must be distinctly recognizable.

While Fang Mingsheng was appraising the items, Wang Guan also walked over to take a look. At a glance, he felt the porcelain’s decorations were intricate, the colors vibrant, exuding an air of wealth and grandeur—no wonder it was favored by Westerners.

Compared to Easterners who champion understated beauty, Westerners are more direct and never consider dazzling and bright things to be vulgar. Generally, they prefer things that gleam and shine. Thus, diamonds, crystal, gold, and silver artifacts are the recognized symbols of wealth in the West.

At least, Wang Guan believed that the antiques valued most highly in the eyes of Westerners should largely consist of objects made of gold and silver, alongside oil paintings, sketches, and manuscripts passed down from great artists of various periods. These, he surmised, should be the mainstays of their collections.

However, aesthetic standards evolve with time, and they vary from person to person. Wang Guan found the elaborate richness of Guangcai didn't quite align with his taste, but Fang Mingsheng might not feel the same. Seeing the look of appreciation in his eyes as he held an item suggested he was quite fond of these pieces.

This was natural enough: even if Wang Guan didn't particularly admire lavish and splendid things, he certainly didn't detest them. For Fang Mingsheng, it was even more straightforward—chasing wealth and grandeur was inherent to his nature, so he naturally preferred items of such luxurious splendor.

While the trio were examining the wares, the shop owner finally approached and greeted them in broken Chinese: "Ni Hao!"

Hearing the greeting, Wang Guan was somewhat surprised but quickly realized it wasn't strange.

After all, too many Chinese tourists flock to London, and a significant number come for antique hunting. If the owner couldn't guess the background of a few Eastern faces admiring Chinese porcelain, he must be a complete novice running a new business.

Of course, no matter how astute the foreign owner was, he only knew a few simple phrases of Chinese. After the initial greeting, he began conversing amiably in English with Yu Wei, presumably pitching or introducing the provenance of these Guangcai vases.

The language barrier, however, left Wang Guan feeling somewhat restless. He quietly said, "You two continue communicating; I’ll look at other things."

"Mm."

Yu Wei nodded gently, then relayed the owner's quoted price to Fang Mingsheng.

"So expensive."

Hearing the price, Fang Mingsheng frowned; it was far higher than he had anticipated.

"Cheap goods are never good…"

Don't doubt it; these words tumbled out of the foreign owner’s mouth. Perhaps he used the phrase often, as his accent made it sound quite smooth, without any awkwardness. Hearing this, Fang Mingsheng gave a surprised, wry smile, then began haggling with the owner through Yu Wei.

It was evident that the owner, having dealt with Chinese buyers and collectors here, grasped the artistic value, market value, available stock, and collecting trends of Chinese antique porcelain almost as well as—if not better than—some domestic magnates. Therefore, Fang Mingsheng’s hope of snagging a bargain at a low price was purely wishful thinking.

Meanwhile, Wang Guan was browsing the store’s inventory. He noticed some Western tableware, such as silver-plated or gold-plated dishes, knives, and forks, as well as some distinctive military swords and medals. However, he had no interest in purely Western artifacts like these and simply passed them by.

Wang Guan then moved to a row of shelves where items with a strong Egyptian aesthetic were displayed. He was certain of their connection to Egypt primarily because he recognized the golden masks, the curved scepters, and several necklaces. Although he didn't know the precise meaning represented by these objects, they undoubtedly originated from Egypt.

Naturally, after his inspection, Wang Guan could state with certainty that the golden masks and scepters were forgeries. Genuine golden masks would be cast from real gold, but Wang Guan casually picked one up, instantly sensing the wrong weight. A quick check confirmed that the object was not gold at all, but merely sheet iron coated with gold dust.

As for the scepters and the like, they were harder to judge, but they simply felt wrong.

After all, such priceless artifacts would typically be kept under guard in museums or by major collectors. A genuine piece wouldn't be casually displayed on an antique shop shelf; it would be carefully secured, only brought out for presentation when a significant customer appeared.

It seemed not only Chinese antiques were a mixed bag; foreign items weren't necessarily reliable either.

Wang Guan shook his head, rounding that shelf, and arrived at the glass cabinet next to the cashier’s desk. Looking down, he saw exquisitely beautiful jewelry inside: platinum necklaces, diamond-set rings, and various crystal ornaments that sparkled brilliantly under the lights, radiating an air of luxurious opulence.

In short, they possessed that certain high-end, distinguished appeal.

After observing closely for a moment, Wang Guan felt these ornaments were likely genuine, but as for their price points—whether inflated or realistic—that remained unknown.

"Wang Guan, find anything you like?" Just then, Yu Wei and Fang Mingsheng approached, followed by the owner, apparently having settled the price and ready for checkout.

"Just looking around," Wang Guan replied. Just as he was about to withdraw his gaze, he spotted a particularly unique object tucked away in the corner of the counter and couldn't help but gesture, "Boss, could you take that item out for me to see?"

The owner might not have understood Wang Guan’s words, but his gesture made everything clear. The owner glanced back, immediately understood, and opened the glass cabinet to retrieve the object Wang Guan requested.

"What is this?"

Fang Mingsheng leaned in for a look and exclaimed in surprise, "A Gold Branch Jade Leaf!"

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