Following the illuminated manuscript Bible, the staff brought out an item that drew Wang Guan’s distinct interest.

“Huh, it’s actually this kind of thing.” Fang Mingsheng glanced at it, also feeling quite surprised. “That one should be a shield, right?”

“Indeed, it is a shield,” Mr. Anderson explained with a light chuckle. “An artifact from the Crusades, rumored to have been used by some valiant general.”

The word “rumored” was cleverly employed; perhaps it was true, or perhaps it was merely hearsay. The item was present; whether one believed the story was entirely a matter of personal interpretation. Some, harboring doubt, naturally refrained from bidding. Others, however, were utterly convinced, continuously raising their paddles with an air of determination to possess it.

Participating in an auction was akin to a calculated game of give-and-take, a situation where one party was willing to bid and the other was keen to meet the price. It was difficult to truly ascertain who gained the advantage or who lost out. But without question, the auctioneer, acting as the facilitator, would certainly fan the flames, hoping every lot would fetch an astronomical price.

Yet, the shield carried a degree of uncertainty, meaning a sky-high price was unlikely. A few minutes later, the competition settled. A buyer in his early thirties emerged victorious, but the final sale price did not surpass the amount Mr. Anderson had paid for the Bible.

The auctioneer showed no disappointment regarding this. After a brief pause, he resumed presiding over the next session. At this point, the object brought out by the staff was considerably more eye-catching; it instantly commanded the attention of the entire room the moment it was displayed.

The item was small, round, and flat—a exquisitely crafted coin. Engraved upon the silver surface were patterns that appeared quite bizarre and arcane to Wang Guan, along with some simple letters whose meaning remained obscure.

“This is coinage from the Plantagenet dynasty.”

At this moment, Yu Wei chuckled beside him. “These kinds of coins are quite rare, and consequently, quite expensive.”

The Plantagenet dynasty—Wang Guan had vaguely heard of it. It seemed to be the most powerful English dynasty during the Middle Ages, ruling for over three hundred years. There was a king famously known as Richard the Lionheart, and the historical event of the Hundred Years' War. Wang Guan retained a slight impression of this period, but beyond that, he was completely in the dark.

But that didn't matter. If ancient Chinese coins held value, then ancient British coins certainly couldn't be worthless.

The reality proved this sentiment true. When the auctioneer announced the starting bid, many attendees immediately began raising their paddles, with even Mr. Paul unable to resist joining the frenzy. However, some remained entirely unmoved, including Mr. Anderson, who showed no inclination to bid even as the hammer finally fell.

Seeing this, Wang Guan asked curiously, “Does Mr. Anderson not care for the item?”

“It’s not that it’s poor quality, but rather that it doesn't align with my interests,” Mr. Anderson replied with a smile. “I am not English, so I naturally don't share their fervor for British ancient currency.”

Wang Guan suddenly understood and felt slightly embarrassed as he inquired, “By the way, I haven't had the chance to ask, where are you from, Mr. Anderson?”

“I hold Italian citizenship,” Mr. Anderson said cheerfully. “However, following the customs of you Chinese people, I suppose I would be classified as Jewish.”

“Oh.”

For an instant, Wang Guan felt a flicker of surprise, yet it was also accompanied by a sense of inevitability. After all, a man as astute as Mr. Anderson, who moved so fluidly across nations and felt completely at home everywhere, perfectly matched the common perception of the Jewish people.

As the two chatted, several more lots were sold. Meanwhile, the staff presented an object that finally made Wang Guan straighten up, genuinely eager to participate in the bidding. Through the large screen, everyone could see clearly that the item was less a single piece and more of a set: a cup and its saucer.

“Famille Rose Enamel Gilt Crest Pattern Cup!”

This description sounded Chinese, but the object itself exuded Western styling. The porcelain body of both the cup and saucer was as pure white and fine as warm jade. However, the decoration on the cup predominantly featured shields, likely representing some form of crest. It also bore some letters and words. Small yellow flowers and green leaves surrounded the motifs. Furthermore, the inside of the cup and the interior lip of the saucer were painted with gilded and green climbing plants.

In summary, it was a product blending Eastern and Western aesthetics. The level of exquisite beauty suggested that this was not merely export porcelain, but likely a custom-ordered item.

“ELLSBO!”

At this point, Mr. Anderson uttered a single word, his gaze suddenly alight with keen interest.

“What does that mean?” Wang Guan clearly heard the word but did not grasp its significance, so he turned to Yu Wei, hoping for an explanation.

“Eelesbo!”

Yu Wei explained. One must remember that he specialized in overseas ceramics, so upon seeing the decoration, he possessed some knowledge of the item’s provenance. “As far as I know, there is an Eelesbo Manor on an island near Gothenburg, Netherlands. Perhaps this cup was custom-ordered as daily ware by the manor's owner who specifically commissioned it back in China.”

“Precisely, that’s it.”

The auctioneer began describing the provenance of the item. As Yu Wei listened, he nodded. “It is indeed something that owner commissioned specifically in China during the Qianlong reign of the Qing Dynasty. It should also be considered Guangcai...”

Although the early Qing Dynasty enforced a policy of national isolation, overseas trade was not entirely cut off; a port remained open in Guangzhou, leading to flourishing commerce. During that period, foreign merchants arrived in Guangzhou almost daily to procure large quantities of silk, porcelain, and tea. To satisfy the desire of foreign nobility for an exclusive privilege, naturally, some individuals undertook the business of custom-ordered porcelain.

However, because so many people were placing custom orders, some merchants, to save time, simply had various bisque wares made in the porcelain capital and brought them to Guangzhou. There, the commissioners could select the preferred bisque, and artisans would then be engaged to apply gold painting and additional color. This served as the nascent form of Guangzhou's gold-painted porcelain, which ultimately evolved into a new brand after more than a century of development.

Regardless, the piece was sufficiently old and intrinsically carried a blend of Eastern and Western flair, perfectly matching the general aesthetic preference. Therefore, bidding prices soared during this lot.

Wang Guan had initially intended to bid, but upon seeing Fang Mingsheng and Yu Wei enter the fray, he decided not to join the contest. In retrospect, his decision not to bid was correct; with Fang Mingsheng’s wealth, there was no reason he couldn't acquire any item he genuinely desired. Thus, after a fierce competition, Fang Mingsheng ultimately prevailed over the others and secured the piece.

Seeing a Chinese man emerge as the victor, the group of foreigners displayed no particular reaction. After all, in recent years, the footsteps of Chinese collectors had been noted in auction houses across the globe, large and small; this sight had become quite common.

Fang Mingsheng, however, showed a pleased smile after winning the lot, murmuring softly, “Now I have a gift for Mr. Hill.”

“Mm.”

Wang Guan paused, then a flicker of understanding crossed his face. He vaguely suspected that this Mr. Hill must be Fang Mingsheng’s friend in Britain—the unfortunate soul who lost the key to the forgotten treasure vault...

At the same time, as Wang Guan pondered, the next item glittered onto the stage: a Qing Dynasty imitation Ge ware Guan’er Zun vase. The piece featured a long neck, a bulging body, and a sturdy foot, with twin loop handles adorning the shoulders, supported by a tall, splayed ring foot. The overall form was grand, steady, elegantly proportioned, full, and dignified.

The entire surface was coated in a grayish-white crackled glaze, with fissures varying in size, imitating the Ge ware glaze—the glaze was thick, rich, moist, luminous, and smooth. The surface cracks, differing in depth, lent the piece the famous description of “gold thread and iron lines,” clearly characteristic and imbued with an ancient aura.

As one of the Five Great Kilns of the Song Dynasty, Ge ware was renowned worldwide for its characteristics of gold thread and iron lines, purple mouths, and iron feet. Simultaneously, due to uncertainty surrounding its production era and location, it remained an unresolved mystery in ceramic history. Because of this mystique and the rarity of genuine pieces, Ge ware has always been a coveted treasure sought by collectors throughout the ages.

By the Qing Dynasty, genuine Song Ge ware treasures were extremely scarce, with only a small fraction surviving, far insufficient to meet the demands of emperors and high officials. Naturally, imitation pieces were produced.

Historical records indicate that Qing Dynasty imitation Song porcelains mostly began during the Yongzheng period, and the imitations were highly successful. One type featured a black clay body, with the glaze primarily imitating transmitted Ge ware, exhibiting the characteristics of purple mouth, iron foot, and gold thread and iron lines. The other type used a white body, substituting the purple mouth and iron foot effect by applying a dark glaze around the rim, resulting in a slightly inferior artistic effect.

The Guan’er Zun presented by the staff was the white-bodied imitation Ge ware. The large and small cracks appeared archaic and natural, exuding a unique charm.

For an item of this caliber, not only Mr. Anderson and Mr. Paul but also Yu Wei became visibly animated. He leaned in and quietly warned, “This piece looks good; I plan to compete for it, so don’t fight me for it, okay?”

Yu Wei was taking precautions to prevent a scenario where two parties fought, allowing an outsider to profit.

It must be said that the disunity among Chinese people was frequently and vividly displayed in auction houses. In domestic auctions, this was less of an issue, as competing with one’s own countrymen was understandable. However, even at international auctions, the infighting often occurred among fellow nationals. Frequently, by the final stages of bidding, it was invariably a few Chinese buyers driving the price up.

And there was another, most detestable scenario: after driving the price up to an exorbitant level, the buyer would regret it afterward, preferring to forfeit the deposit rather than take the item. This was practically an intentional act of discrediting China, causing a severely negative impact.

This is why certain renowned collectors repeatedly urged caution on television shows, advising people to collect within their means—an implicit expression of their frustration. After all, in the eyes of outsiders, they were all perceived as one group, and when they embarrassed themselves, everyone sharing that nationality lost face.

Perhaps having experienced such incidents frequently, Yu Wei offered his preemptive warning.

Wang Guan didn't overthink this and immediately nodded in agreement. If Yu Wei liked it, letting him have it was fine; Wang Guan would only consider taking over if Yu Wei abandoned the bidding midway.

Furthermore, compared to the crest-patterned cup just moments ago, the competition for this imitation Ge ware Guan’er Zun was far more intense. After seven or eight minutes, the pace gradually slowed.

At this juncture, only four or five people were still raising their paddles, including Yu Wei and Mr. Paul. However, Mr. Anderson had yet to make a move, perhaps intending to deliver a decisive blow at the very last moment, much like the previous instance...

(To be continued)