Chapter 138
No matter how rare and valuable a seal might be, it could never compare to his little educated youth. He had accumulated good deeds throughout his ancestral history and offered incense to have the chance to be in a sweet and loving relationship with her. He could try every means to improve himself and be someone worthy of her, but he would never let go of his precious treasure just because of self-doubt. Only cowards would give up a beloved and precious gem.
“Alright, stop trying to coax me. Let’s go talk to that old gentleman,” Su Xiaoxiao said, her face blushing as she held onto his arm and acted coquettish.
So, they returned to the old man with hope in his eyes.
“Old sir, we can go to another place to discuss, but we will choose the location. You follow us,” Su Xiaoxiao said crisply.
The old man smiled and nodded, saying, “Sure, you lead the way.”
He appeared calm and composed, not fearing that Su Xiaoxiao and Jiang Yexun might do anything.
However, when they left the black market, two burly men immediately approached from the opposite alley.
“Mr. Yin,” they greeted respectfully.
“I’m taking these two with me; is that all right?” the old man asked.
Su Xiaoxiao smiled and nodded, saying, “It’s fine. We just want to buy and sell things legitimately.”
Jiang Yexun led them to a rundown small house that seemed like it could collapse at any moment. The yard was partially enclosed by walls, with only half of them remaining.
The two men waited outside, while Su Xiaoxiao and Jiang Yexun stayed inside the courtyard to talk.
“Miss, how much do you want to sell that seal for?” Mr. Yin asked directly.
“What do you think Emperor Qianlong’s seal is worth?” Su Xiaoxiao didn’t waste time discussing its authenticity but cut to the chase.
Mr. Yin smiled, “I knew you must be knowledgeable. But since you know your stuff, you should also know that Emperor Qianlong’s seals are quite abundant. Even if yours is genuine, it might not be worth much.”
“He had many seals, but how many of them are in circulation on the market? No one knows how many have survived all these years, and my square seal was one he preferred. For some ordinary calligraphy and paintings, he used other seals, but I saw this seal on a painting by Tang Dynasty Prime Minister Yan Liben a few days ago. It’s likely that Emperor Qianlong used this square seal on more valuable artworks, which means it will naturally appreciate in value due to its association with those treasures,” Su Xiaoxiao calmly and confidently praised her recently acquired square seal.
Mr. Yin suddenly grew more excited. “Yan Liben’s painting? Where did you see it, and did you buy it? I would like to purchase it. Can you give me a price?”
“I didn’t buy it. That painting was in an antique store, and I just went in to see if they had any good items. I happened to see it. They won’t sell the painting; it’s destined to be preserved as a national treasure,” Su Xiaoxiao emphasized the key point.
Mr. Yin expressed regret, but he also agreed, saying, “Yan Liben’s painting is indeed a national treasure. He and his father were both highly accomplished in their artworks.”
However, after expressing his regret, Mr. Yin’s desire to acquire Su Xiaoxiao’s square seal grew stronger.
“How about this: I offer 10,000, and you sell me the seal,” he proposed.
This price would be considered reasonable by most people. Su Xiaoxiao, however, shook her head in disapproval.
“If you’re not sincere, Mr. Yin, then I’d rather keep the square seal and let it appreciate in value over time.”
“10,000 is already a lot. It’s enough for you to buy three two-bedroom apartments in Beijing, each over thirty square meters,” Mr. Yin argued.
“If I were selling to someone from the mainland, 10,000 would indeed be a lot, but for you, Mr. Yin, it’s probably not even enough to cover the transaction fee for this square seal,” Su Xiaoxiao said with conviction.
Mr. Yin was momentarily stunned, and then he realized what she was saying. He stared at her with wide eyes. “You… you know?”
This young mainland girl, who appeared so delicate, was not of age and was willing to marry a country bumpkin like Jiang Yexun. She didn’t seem to have much life experience. However, she could tell that he was from the Harbor City, and she even guessed the potential selling price of the square seal in the Harbor City. She even knew about the one percent commission for a successful auction.
“Yes, I know. So if you want to make a profit from this square seal, I’m not the right target,” Su Xiaoxiao apologized and smiled before looking at Jiang Yexun. The two of them were about to leave.
Mr. Yin quickly stopped them. “Since you know everything, we will definitely have to renegotiate the price. Miss, don’t be so impatient. It’s a pity that you won’t even say a few more words.”
Su Xiaoxiao turned around and looked at him. “I’ve already said everything I should. So, what new price is Mr. Yin offering now?”
“120,000,” Mr. Yin declared without blinking an eye, increasing the price by twelve times.
Su Xiaoxiao still shook her head. This time, she didn’t let Mr. Yin offer a new price. She stated her own price, “1.5 million.”
While she calculated this based on a doubling of the square seal’s market price, the actual profit wouldn’t be entirely hers. Whoever took the risk to bring it here also expected to make money, and they wouldn’t be satisfied with just a small fee.
“This is too expensive. I’m not sure if I can sell it for such a high price back in the Harbor City,” Mr. Yin frowned, looking like he wanted to refuse.
A sum in the millions was a significant amount of money, even for a wealthy person in the Harbor City. They would need to think carefully before committing to such a purchase.
“If you put it up for auction at Sotheby’s, you could easily fetch around 2.6-2.7 million. With a good auctioneer, it could even go for 3.7-3.8 million. That won’t be a problem. So, I’m offering 1.5 million, which still leaves a good margin. We’ll go with a 40-60 split – I take 40%, and you take 60%. Is that too expensive?” Su Xiaoxiao said calmly, but every word struck Mr. Yin’s heart deeply.
“Are you from the Harbor City too?” he asked, raising an old brow.
“I’m not, but I can tell from your accent and clothing that you definitely are,” Su Xiaoxiao replied confidently.
Mr. Yin scrutinized Su Xiaoxiao for a moment and then suddenly smiled. “Since you know so much about prices, you should also know that auctions are just estimates. There could be no bids or it might not fetch such a high price. Bringing this back to the Harbor City also involves some risks.”
“Mr. Yin, if you don’t believe in the value of this square seal, I won’t insist. I’ll just keep it for some more time. However, the danger of traveling between the mainland and the Harbor City has always existed, and it shouldn’t be counted against this square seal,” Su Xiaoxiao said and smiled apologetically before trying to leave.
Mr. Yin didn’t actually want to drive her away; he just wanted to negotiate a lower price. Seeing Su Xiaoxiao was reluctant to continue the discussion, he hurriedly stopped her.
“1.5 million is indeed too expensive. How about 1.2 million?”