binnovel Chapter 61 Not Scamming the Poor
Chapter 61 Not Scamming the Poor
Ying Xiangyang is the second contestant to reach a favorability score of 50 or higher.
They even exceeded the target.
In short, there are still three short.
Bai Li felt that Xiao Hao's upgrade was not far off.
I've gained new favorability points. What about the old ones?
—The old ones were all put into the Wanxiang Wheel for recycling.
Suddenly, I felt that the Wheel of Fortune was like a recycling platform, where favor points were recycled and corresponding prizes were given back, forming a kind of magical and secretive exchange.
Bai Li reclaimed the favor points she gained from Ying Xiangyang and put them back into the Wanxiang Wheel.
This time, although no gold-level entries were awarded, the prizes greatly helped in the preparation for filming "Asking Immortals".
A quick glance reveals a veritable showcase of traditional Chinese style, with a dazzling array of exquisite traditional Chinese props on display.
Exquisitely crafted carved tables and chairs, elegant canopy beds with gauze curtains, and large screens covered with richly colored ink paintings depicting mountains and rivers amidst swirling clouds and mist, creating a magnificent scene...
Its style and temperament clash with modern home decor, making it unsuitable for home use; however, it would be more appropriate for setting up scenes in the game "Asking Immortals".
Bai Li became increasingly certain of her guess; the Myriad Manifestations Wheel truly knew everything, and it seemed to have a complete grasp of the filming of the cultivation-themed movie that she was about to devote herself to.
The prizes offered this time were all related to the shooting needs, which was incredibly thoughtful.
These antique-style furniture pieces gave Bai Li a bold idea.
Since the goal is to make "Asking Immortals" an impeccable masterpiece, then the arrangement of scenes and props must also strive for ultimate perfection.
The more luxurious the setting, the better.
Make the props as exquisite as possible.
Why not cleverly place real antiques in key scenes of the film?
These antiques, weathered by time, should add a unique and irreplaceable sense of history to the scene.
Coincidentally, Bai Li recently won the SSR gold attribute [Appraiser] in the Wanxiang Wheel, but hasn't had a chance to use it yet.
Bai Li decided to take a stroll through the antique market, hoping to find something unexpected.
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As expected of the largest antique market in all of China, this market is much larger than Bai Li had imagined.
Several large shopping malls stand side by side, with countless shops lined up one after another, filled with a dazzling array of antiques.
The main business is selling jade and other handicrafts, followed by calligraphy and paintings, official kiln wares, ceramics, ancient coins, and the Four Treasures of the Study, etc.
Too much!
The sheer variety of options left Bai Li dazzled and her head throbbing.
When ordinary people look at antiques, they simply look at what catches their eye, whether it looks old or not, and whether the appearance is exquisite.
But after Bai Li was labeled as a "Master Appraiser," the amount of information she saw when looking at antiques was explosive.
For example, when her gaze falls on a jade pendant, a wealth of information instantly floods her mind, including the pendant's material, origin, carving technique, era, and possible past owners.
This massive amount of information flooded into her mind all at once, leaving her somewhat overwhelmed.
Bai Li had only explored a mere one percent of this enormous market when she was already exhausted.
The antique market is a mix of genuine and fake items, but overall, genuine items still make up the majority.
However, even if those antiques are genuine, their prices are mostly ridiculously high.
No matter how much the shop owners touted their treasures, Bai Li, with her [Master Appraiser] title, could instantly discern the true value of each antique.
Faced with these exorbitantly priced items, she had absolutely no interest in buying them.
She walked into the new store with little interest and casually asked, without any expectation, "Boss, do you have any bulk orders here?"
The shop owner was leisurely brewing tea. Upon hearing Bai Li's question, he looked up and sized up the girl in front of him, seemingly assessing her financial situation.
The shop owner thought he was pretty good at judging people. Bai Li looked young, but he must be something special, especially with two tall and burly bodyguards following behind him.
Wow, you've brought bodyguards, you must be someone important.
Then, the shop owner picked up his teacup, took a sip of aged tea, and said leisurely, "If you want to see the big goods, you have to go to the inner room."
"The inner room?"
A hint of curiosity and interest flashed in Bai Li's eyes.
"The inner room is a special area set up for internal members of this market." The store owner explained in detail, "The real top-notch items and rare treasures are all in there. However, to enter the inner room, you need to go through a verification process with an eight-figure deposit. Only those who pass the verification can step into it."
After hearing the owner's explanation, Bai Li realized that this antique market was cleverly divided into an outer section and an inner section.
The outer rooms are specifically rented out to small business owners who run antique shops, selling trinkets and other small items. The inner rooms, however, are the true heart of the place, where high-end antique treasures are gathered.
No wonder I hadn't seen anything of real value after wandering around for so long; it turns out they were all inside.
Upon hearing this, Bai Li's eyes lit up: "That's more interesting! Boss, how do we verify the funds?"
Under the guidance of the store owner, Bai Li began to complete the capital verification procedures.
When she showed the staff the deposits in her mobile banking account, the boss only glanced at it casually, but even though he had seen a lot, he couldn't help but secretly gasp.
He was filled with surprise and amazement, never expecting that this young girl would actually have so much savings.
Bai Li successfully obtained her exclusive membership certificate, and from then on, she had the privilege of entering the inner room.
Seeing that Bai Li was so wealthy and powerful, and that it was her first time visiting, the boss's attitude immediately changed completely. His eyes were full of eagerness and enthusiasm, and he took the initiative to volunteer himself, wanting to act as Bai Li's guide and lead her into the inner market.
"Miss Bai, you don't know this, but the items inside are all very valuable and won't be sold easily. They can only be sold if the buyer offers a satisfactory price, so there are no fixed prices inside. Since you seem to be a novice in antiques, why don't you let me introduce them to you so you can roughly understand the value of those items and avoid making a bad purchase?"
Although Bai Li already had an expert in appraising antiques and didn't need the boss to introduce her, she readily agreed when she saw his enthusiasm.
The inner chamber is a uniquely designed tower-shaped building, with an exterior that exudes a simple and elegant charm, featuring soaring eaves and brackets, and exquisitely carved beams and painted rafters.
Although the building appears to have only a few stories, it gives off a refined yet substantial feel. Above the building hangs a plaque with the two powerful characters "里厢" (Lixiang) written in bold, iron-like strokes.
At the entrance to the inner room, a row of welcoming staff stood neatly, all dressed in simple dark red Tang suits, their hair carefully styled in a bun, appearing dignified and elegant.
These greeters were well-trained. As soon as Bai Li showed her membership card, they quickly and politely gestured for her to enter, their movements swift and precise.
The market was dimly lit, and once inside, it was almost impossible to see the faces of those around you.
Only display cases emanated a faint glow, within which stood various precious treasures.
The antique dealer was fortunate enough to be in the inner room, and today, thanks to Bai Li, he was able to step inside again.
Looking at these rare treasures, he was so excited that he began to describe them in detail:
“Miss Bai, the exhibits in this hall are all rare and priceless treasures. Look at this one, it is a genuine Yuan blue and white porcelain jar with the Guiguzi Descending the Mountain scene. This is a masterpiece of Yuan blue and white porcelain, and its exquisite craftsmanship and delicate painting are unparalleled in the world.”
Bai Li slowly approached, raising her eyes to examine him closely.
Despite enduring hundreds of years of wind and rain, the jars in the display case are still remarkably well-preserved. The figures on the jars are so lifelike that they seem ready to burst out at any moment.
However, Bai Li frowned slightly.
Because the jar in front of us is a replica. Although its craftsmanship is exquisite and comparable to the real thing, the replica cannot hide its true nature.
The paint and manufacturing techniques used in this product still have some subtle differences compared to the genuine article.
The shop owner then brought the white pears to the new product display and excitedly introduced them:
"This is Tang Yin's 'Autumn Breeze and Silk Fan' from the Ming Dynasty. Tang Yin's paintings have always been known for their profound and far-reaching artistic conception and exquisite brushwork. This painting is his classic masterpiece. The ink is just right, and the figures have a sad expression, which vividly shows the loneliness and desolation in the bleak autumn wind."
The boss couldn't help but click his tongue in admiration:
"This painting is extremely valuable for collectors. If it were auctioned, it would definitely fetch a high price. I never expected it to be sold directly in this exhibition hall today!"
Bai Li paused, gazing at it for a long time.
This painting can indeed be traced back to the Ming Dynasty.
The object is old, and the brushstrokes are very similar to those of Tang Yin, but it was not painted by Tang Yin.
The "Tang" character at the bottom right corner is a forgery by later generations.
By this time, a crowd had already gathered. The display case emitted a dim yellow light, which could only illuminate the details of the exhibits, while the surrounding crowd could only be seen as a blurry outline in the dim light.
The people around me are all verified financial figures, with savings exceeding eight figures. They are all either extremely wealthy or powerful.
Most of them did not come alone; they were often accompanied by two or three people, as well as staff members of the exhibition hall.
They were all discussing it in hushed tones.
Bai Li could vaguely hear people discussing and negotiating the price, and it seemed they were preparing to make a purchase.
Bai Li shook her head and headed to one display case after another.
Seeing that Bai Li didn't seem very interested, the shop owner assumed that she hadn't met someone she liked.
He didn't complain about being tired and continued to introduce Bai Li to each of them.
Bai Li scanned the items with her unique appraisal skills, a soft chuckle escaping her lips.
There's something really interesting about this.
Its authenticity is not even comparable to that of the outer packaging.
Although the prices of the shops outside were inflated, at least they were clearly marked, and most of them were genuine products.
The items in the inner room all had incredibly impressive origins.
However, there are very few genuine pieces.
It's either a fake or a counterfeit.
Is this what they mean by not ripping off the poor, but only ripping off the rich?