As expected, upon hearing Fang Mingsheng’s relayed message, Mr. Hill was not the least bit angered; rather, he realized he had neglected the hero who had saved him from a massive headache.
Frankly speaking, without Wang Guan’s help, Mr. Hill would have been in deep trouble.
Either he would have suddenly remembered the modified passcode one day, or he would have had to hire professionals to dig a long tunnel near the castle, meticulously dismantle the explosives near the vault, and then break open the vault door from the inside.
The first method was uncertain; perhaps Mr. Hill would have a sudden flash of insight and remember it, or perhaps he might never recall it in his lifetime.
Memory is one of the most elusive aspects of the human condition, filled with inherent uncertainty.
Therefore, seeing no progress in cracking the vault’s code for a year, Mr. Hill had already been considering the implementation plan for the second method.
Just as he was about to put that plan into action, Wang Guan appeared and opened the door effortlessly.
To Mr. Hill, this felt like a blessing sent straight from heaven in answer to his prayers… Of course, even divine favor required appropriate recompense.
Instantly, Mr. Hill’s face broke into a broad smile, and he spoke with a pleasant tone, “One million pounds, plus one item of your choosing.”
At that moment, Fang Mingsheng grinned as he translated, “Even a genuine Picasso painting wouldn’t be an issue.”
A genuine Picasso painting today easily commands tens of millions of U.S. dollars.
Likewise, works by masters like Zhang Daqian and Qi Baishi are valued in the tens of millions, albeit in their home currency.
Yet, from a purely artistic standpoint, there is no inherent superiority or inferiority between Picasso, Zhang Daqian, or Qi Baishi.
Back in the day,
Zhang Daqian once visited Picasso to exchange ideas on Eastern and Western painting.
Picasso himself famously mentioned a highly formidable master from China, Qi Baishi, whom he greatly admired.
This means that the skill level of these masters had reached the pinnacle of perfection; each excelled in their own domain, making direct comparison somewhat futile.
But in terms of economic value, Picasso’s paintings are certainly more expensive.
The underlying reason?
It simply boils down to the greater wealth and development of Western economies; their culture is more readily accepted, and oil paintings are more appreciated, thus driving up the value of Picasso’s masterpieces.
If China’s economy were one day to reach parity with that of Europe and America, the prices for works by Zhang Daqian and Qi Baishi
would surely equal those of Picasso.
Put plainly, the disparity in art prices is a direct reflection of a nation’s comprehensive national strength.
Consider that just a few decades ago, a work by Qi Baishi might have sold for only a few tens of thousands of yuan; now it is worth tens of millions, which perfectly illustrates the progress of China’s economic power.
Being immersed in this reality,
the magnitude of change might not feel as profound, but experts abroad who study this phenomenon clearly recognize the explosive growth of the Chinese economy.
In just a few decades, China has achieved what took them hundreds of years of accumulation.
This naturally breeds a certain level of apprehension, which is why they constantly band together, attempting to suppress it.
However, having many adversaries is, in a way, a positive sign.
It is common knowledge: which nations in this world are not viewed with suspicion? Perhaps only a few isolated tribes in Africa.
Not only are they not antagonized, but some people even make visits to express their goodwill
and demonstrate their supposed benevolence.
In essence, only nations that pose no threat are universally welcomed, often receiving assistance and support to cultivate a so-called international image.
Decades ago, China was the recipient of aid; decades later, China is supporting others, building its own international profile—this is true ascendance.
But I digress; let us return to the matter at hand.
At this moment, at Mr. Hill’s gesture, Wang Guan began to pace, his gaze sweeping over the vault’s contents. He adopted an air of indecision, wavering, as if overwhelmed by the sheer volume of choices.
Everyone else present fully understood this apparent difficulty.
The vault held too many treasures; wanting every single piece made choosing incredibly hard.
This is how many people behave when faced with a wealth of options—they become easily paralyzed by choice.
However, Wang Guan was different; he already had a target before making any selection.
His current hesitation and apparent struggle were purely for show. After a brief delay, he announced he was in no rush, preferring to look around first and decide after touring the entire vault.
Hearing this, the others nodded in understanding.
Selecting items requires careful consideration first—móu dìng ér hòu dòng (plan thoroughly before acting). Since they had only seen less than half the vault, they lacked a complete overview, so it was logical to survey everything before making a move.
This tactic is quite common in business dealings, and Mr. Hill took no offense. Instead, he warmly gestured for everyone to continue their viewing.
After passing the porcelain section, the next area to catch their eyes was filled with antique tableware.
Golden goblets, silver platters, and gem-encrusted candelabras gleamed under the lights, radiating a dazzling luxury that almost hurt the eyes.
In ancient Europe, lacking the skill to create fine porcelain, they could only produce crude earthenware.
To assert their privilege, the upper aristocracy had no choice but to commission vessels made of gold, silver, or pearls and gems to distinguish themselves from commoners.
Over time, the European craft of working with gold and silver tableware gradually flourished.
However, as Mr. Hill explained, the gold and silver items in the vault generally dated from after the 17th century.
The primary reason was that before the 17th century, due to constant warfare, nobles often had to melt down their gold and silver wares to pay their retainers to maintain control.
Another factor was the simple reality that silverware tends to become outdated; new fashions emerge every era.
To keep pace, they naturally had to reforge old gold and silver items into the latest styles.
Otherwise, if everyone else was using brand-new utensils, keeping old antiques would be highly embarrassing.
But the main reason was that metal objects inevitably lose their luster after prolonged use.
Unlike the Eastern emphasis on tranquility, stillness, and restrained brilliance,
Western aesthetics prioritized color as the core element of porcelain appreciation. They focused intensely on manifesting refinement and luxurious artistry, emphasizing outward display, often achieving success through flamboyant splendor.
The Western dragon, in legend, is famously fond of shiny treasures.
This reflects a widespread Western predilection: when gold and silver items dulled, they would certainly choose to melt and recast them. This is why finding antique Western gold and silver pieces today is quite rare.
It’s not that they don’t exist, but they are exceptionally few.
Most pieces that have survived date from the 18th and 19th centuries.
There are display pieces as well as everyday items, each meticulously crafted, designed and manufactured using the most advanced technology and the most fashionable artistic styles of the time.
It is said that many famous artists were involved in silver design or fabrication early in their careers, elevating these metalwares into luxurious artworks that far surpassed the inherent value of their materials.
Even viewed through modern eyes by Wang Guan and the others now, these treasures perfectly matched the aesthetic sensibilities of their time, showing no hint of being obsolete.
This is hardly surprising. Many contemporary designers, when lacking inspiration, most frequently turn to mimicking items from the 18th and 19th centuries, often achieving significant acclaim under the banner of ‘retro style.’
The reason is simple: most objects from that period were masterpieces created by great artists. Even with the passage of time, they retain the most spirit, the most inspired designs, and align with the most fundamental human aesthetic—how could they ever truly be dated? For instance, as they admired these exquisite gold and silver objects, everyone offered sincere praise, filled with genuine admiration.
The single most precious item, however, was a crown.
According to Mr. Hill’s introduction, this was an artifact belonging to a King of France.
Examined closely, the crown was excessively opulent, designed in a classical style and studded with countless pearls and gems.
From any angle, it radiated a dazzling brilliance, as splendid as the starlight in the night sky.
Exquisite, magnificent, luxurious—these were the collective impressions.
At this point, Fang Mingsheng whispered quietly, “This one is good; we should consider it.”
“Mm, note it down, and we’ll discuss it later.”
Wang Guan nodded slightly, then suddenly chuckled, “But I worry that if I choose this piece, Mr. Hill might turn hostile.”
“You know, that’s quite possible,”
Fang Mingsheng mused, seeming to agree slightly.
Chinese people tend to handle matters with reserve, preferring not to push things to an absolute limit.
Especially merchants, who prioritize harmony for profit (hé qì shēng cái). If you make the other party unhappy, they are naturally inclined to make you unhappy, and the business deal falls apart.
“Then let’s not pick the most expensive one,”
Fang Mingsheng suggested after a moment’s thought. “Pick something quite nice that you genuinely like. If all else fails, just take a Picasso painting back with you.”
“Let’s look around some more…” Wang Guan replied vaguely, continuing his casual inspection.
By this time, the group had moved past the gold and silver section and entered a world of glass.
Strictly speaking, both glassware and silverware represent the pinnacle of European decorative arts.
Glass appeared quite early in Europe; glass manufacturing centers existed as far back as the Roman period, though it took several setbacks before the industry gradually matured and expanded.
It should be mentioned that China also had glass, but perhaps because China possessed so many superior alternatives, there was less emphasis on glass production, leading to stunted development in glass manufacturing technology.
In contrast, Europe, unable to master the Eastern technique of porcelain firing, instead brought glassmaking to fruition.
After several centuries of development, the products ranged from simple glass beads to the highly practical glass mirror, and finally to exquisite glass artworks carefully crafted by master artisans—a vibrant spectacle, full of unique charm.
Don't assume that just because glass is commonplace today, it holds no value.
When glass remains just glass, it indeed has little worth, but once it ascends to the status of fine art, it becomes an object of intense desire.
The vault indeed contained a glass mosaic, reputedly the work of a renowned Italian master. Mr. Anderson showed immediate and strong interest in purchasing it, but, once again, Mr. Hill refused the offer.
In an instant, Mr. Anderson turned back and said, “Wang, you pick that item, and I’ll buy it from you later…” [Novel Website :: Fast Updates :: No Pop-ups :: Pure Text :: www. ]