Reborn As Super Heiress
Chapter 822 - 818: Intimidation

Chapter 822: Chapter 818: Intimidation

Director Bai directly judged the outcome of this bet because he knew very well that with Huo Sining’s speed, even if Qiao Zhenhuan knew some specifics about the antique, he could not match this pace. The competition was lost even before it began.

Qiao Zhenhuan felt suffocated, filled with frustration and depression.

He had calculated perfectly; as long as he won this bet, he could ride on Huo Sining’s current fame in the country to make his name. Unfortunately, he didn’t anticipate Huo Sining being so formidable, completely contrary to his expectations.

He always thought that Huo Sining’s reputation was entirely due to Zhou Shitao’s influence. But just now, Huo Sining’s appraisal speed made him realize he was terribly mistaken.

His feelings were complex; his gaze at Huo Sining was filled with shock, bewilderment, unwillingness, and even a hint of admiration he couldn’t bring himself to admit.

"Miss Huo, I want to know, how did you determine that this vase is a Ming Dynasty Jun Kiln and not Northern Song Dynasty Official Jun Kiln? Are you trying to brush me off with intuition again? Can your intuition determine the authenticity of an antique, let alone its age?"

Qiao Zhenhuan had already recognized a certain level of Huo Sining’s ability, but he was still unwilling to concede, wanting Huo Sining to give an indisputable reason.

This question was asked quite rudely; the bet was initially only about authenticity. After discerning the genuineness, she had additionally described some detailed parts of these antiques.

Now that she won, Qiao Zhenhuan refused to admit defeat and kept questioning, which was really making himself too big a deal.

Huo Sining showed a displeased expression: "It seems that when I appraised just now, Mr. Qiao didn’t listen carefully. I already mentioned that this vase has a superior purplish-red glaze with beautiful iron rust flowers. Iron rust flowers are an unique feature of Ming Dynasty Jun Kiln ceramics. Mr. Qiao, are you unaware of this point?"

"What about the others?" Qiao Zhenhuan seemed oblivious to Huo Sining’s unhappy expression, continuing to delve into this vase as if he needed a thorough explanation.

Huo Sining hadn’t planned to engage Qiao Zhenhuan, but looking up she saw Director Bai was watching her expectantly.

She hesitated, realizing her master sent her to handle this matter, and if she messed up, it would make Zhou Shitao look bad. After a moment’s pause, she regained her focus, picked up the Jun Kiln vase again, and examined it carefully.

Jun Kiln, one of the five famous kilns of the Song Dynasty, was named for its kiln site in Junzhou.

During the Song Dynasty, Jun Kiln pioneered adding copper to glaze materials. This method produced purplish-red glazes like rose purple and crabapple red, displaying exceptionally splendid colors.

The Jun Kiln vases from the late Northern Song Dynasty were specifically made for cultivating exotic flowers, making them top-quality Jun Kiln items.

The term "Official Jun" is used because there were numerous Jun Kiln pottery makers throughout the dynasties, and this term denotes it was exclusively for the imperial court.

Thus, in the antique circle, there is a saying, "Official Jun hung with red, priceless."

However, Song Dynasty Jun Kiln ceramics are extremely rare, hence the overwhelming wave of imitations, forming a vast Jun Kiln system. Among these imitations, Ming Dynasty "Official Jun" techniques were the most exquisite and valued.

The iron rust flower is a quintessential feature of Ming Dynasty Jun ceramics, unmatched by any other Jun ceramics from different dynasties.

This iron rust flower is also the pivotal evidence allowing Huo Sining to swiftly determine the vase is an imitation from the Ming Dynasty rather than authentic Song Dynasty porcelain.

But now, Qiao Zhenhuan wanted more details, and Director Bai was clearly testing her, anticipating her explanation. A surge of determination rose in Huo Sining: since you doubt me, I won’t hold back. If intuition isn’t convincing, I’ll provide solid evidence!

"Differentiating between Song Dynasty Jun Kiln and Ming imitation Jun Kiln involves several key points."

"First, the glaze surface. Compared to Song Dynasty Jun Kiln, Ming imitation Jun Kiln has smaller bubbles in the glaze, and the bubbles appear whiter and brighter, looking more orderly."

"This point requires an authentic Song Dynasty Jun Kiln for comparison. The differences are subtle; general so-called experts can’t discern it. Coincidentally, my master has an authentic Jun Kiln ceramic, so I have some authority in this aspect."

"Secondly, the weight. Examining ceramic bodies from successive dynasties, Ming Jun is the finest, followed by Song Dynasty, with Jin and Yuan being inferior. Hence, Ming Dynasty Jun Kiln is heavier than Song Dynasty Jun ceramics. But I reiterate, the differences are subtle, detectable only by feeling. Just now, by weighing it with my hand, this ceramic’s weight didn’t meet Song Jun’s quality."

"However, I suppose Appraiser Qiao will say I’m talking nonsense."

When Huo Sining said this, she emphasized "so-called experts" and "general people" multiple times, obviously alluding to Qiao Zhenhuan. In the end, she even directly ridiculed him, clearly displeased with how Qiao Zhenhuan handled today’s affair.

What surprised Huo Sining was that although Qiao Zhenhuan previously despised her, even when she explicitly embarrassed him, he didn’t get angry. Instead, he extended his hand and applauded her.

"Miss Huo, I am convinced! I can’t grasp this intuition you mentioned, but it’s apparent you are indeed a true expert. I misunderstood you before, and I have offended you in many ways. I hope Miss Huo can be magnanimous and not mind!"

Everyone knows how to speak diplomatically; Huo Sining didn’t want to argue with such clowns. However, recalling the previous bet, she wasn’t planning to let it slide easily. She looked at Qiao Zhenhuan with a faint smile and said:

"No offense taken. We were betting, and the loser has to accept defeat. I wouldn’t fuss over this. But Mr. Qiao should remember, we have stakes in our bet, right?"

Upon hearing this, Qiao Zhenhuan’s face immediately showed an embarrassed expression. He had thought that the stakes Huo Sining mentioned were just a joke, but it turned out to be real.

Qiao Zhenhuan had entered the museum field upon returning from abroad, and he hadn’t encountered setbacks from the start. With his high starting point and people paving the way for him, he naturally considered himself quite capable. Hence, when Director Bai asked him to pick someone up, his dissatisfaction arose upon seeing how young Huo Sining was.