Reborn As Super Heiress
Chapter 825 - 821 Zhou Shitao Also Takes Notice

Chapter 825: Chapter 821 Zhou Shitao Also Takes Notice

Not long after, Zhou Shitao retrieved an item from a dusty box in the attic. He wiped the dust off the item before bringing it out.

Upon seeing the item, Huo Sining was somewhat surprised.

This was a Northern Song Dynasty Ru Kiln Celadon Glazed Lotus Flower Brush Washer.

The Ru Kiln ranks first among the five famous kilns of the Song Dynasty for a reason. The craftsmanship of Ru Kiln pieces is exquisite, and the kiln’s period of prosperity lasted only about twenty years. As a result, there are very few extant pieces, with fewer than a hundred known Ru Kiln artifacts worldwide today.

This brush washer is sky-blue in color, with a diameter of just over ten centimeters. The edge is shaped like a nine-petal lotus flower, the mouth slightly flared outward, with a shallow belly and thin walls. The bottom bears three extremely small sesame-sized spur marks.

"What do you think of this?" Zhou Shitao asked Huo Sining, his expression complex as he closely watched the brush washer.

Huo Sining refocused her gaze on the sky-blue brush washer. From its design, glaze, foot, and decorations, the brush washer appeared perfect.

But Huo Sining knew it couldn’t be that simple. If the brush washer were genuine, Zhou Shitao wouldn’t be showing it to her, nor would he have mentioned his earlier dealings with Zhong Fang.

Thinking of this, Huo Sining couldn’t resist reaching out to hold the brush washer. She then held her breath and used the Heavenly Eye to examine it further.

A full minute passed with no appearance of purple qi before Huo Sining’s eyes.

The result shocked Huo Sining, but at the same time, she roughly understood. This brush washer was likely the porcelain piece Zhou Shitao had mentioned buying with half of his life’s savings twenty years ago and had something significant to do with Zhong Fang.

"This porcelain, the body, the glaze, the patterns—I see no problems. However, it feels new to me, like it was made less than thirty years ago."

Huo Sining truthfully shared her thoughts.

Zhou Shitao nodded and handed Huo Sining the blue cobalt magnifying glass, gesturing for her to take another look.

Knowing the item was likely a Zhong Fang forgery, Huo Sining took the magnifying glass and examined the bottom of the porcelain piece.

However, looking through the blue cobalt glass, she didn’t see Zhong Fang’s mark on the base.

Perplexed, Huo Sining inspected the entire brush washer closely with the magnifying glass. At the end of a Tang poem painted around the washer’s waist, she found a red seal bearing Li Taibai’s name, above which the purple character for "Zhong" appeared.

Huo Sining’s face turned ashen. The distinctive purple character for "Zhong," a secret signature of Zhong Fang, pierced Huo Sining’s heart like a sharp sword, making her feel like someone tightly clenched her chest.

"There’s a Ru Kiln double-eared vase in the Forbidden City Museum, which also has some connection to me."

"Originally, the double-eared vase was one of a pair owned by a British collector decades ago. One was donated to the British Museum, while the other was sent to auction by the collector’s heirs after his death."

"At first, the second vase was bought by a foreigner, then later acquired by a wealthy Huaxia expatriate from Beijing, who brought it back to donate to the Forbidden City Museum."

"I was the one who received that Ru Kiln vase."

Zhou Shitao sighed. Recalling these old memories brought him calm, though he couldn’t say he felt regretless within.

"Because I had handled an authentic Ru Kiln double-eared vase, I had gained some experience and certainty with Ru Kiln artifacts. So when I saw this sky-blue brush washer in Jingdezhen, I was almost certain it was a Ru Kiln piece."

"Such significant Ru Kiln pieces are rarely seen on the market. My overconfidence led me to believe I couldn’t be wrong in my familiar field and item, so I spent nearly two million to purchase this Ru Kiln brush washer, hoping it was an overlooked treasure..."

There was no need for Zhou Shitao to continue; Huo Sining could guess the rest.

Realizing it was a mistake, two million yuan wasted. Twenty years ago, in the late 80s, even millionaires were rare, let alone two million yuan. This lesson was indeed a harsh one.

Huo Sining felt a mix of emotions. Zhou Shitao must have been nearly fifty back then, already an expert professor, with considerable expertise in antique appraisal.

And yet, this Ru Kiln brush washer had fooled him, almost ruining him. No wonder his reaction was so intense when seeing the Yue Kiln Secret Color Porcelain, knowing it was another Zhong Fang forgery.

If this brush washer were genuine, its current auction value would be astronomical, fetching billions. Museums would fiercely compete for it.

Unfortunately, despite its perfection, it turned out to be a fake.

"I’ve kept this piece hidden for twenty years. I’ve brought it out today to show you that talent alone isn’t enough in the antique business. There’s always someone better, and no matter how good our eyes are, there are forgers even more skilled than we can imagine. As appraisers, we must be meticulous and cautious, to never miss the smallest details, as a single oversight could lead to total failure."

Zhou Shitao’s words were a cautionary reminder for Huo Sining. He knew her talent was extraordinary, but the antique business required utmost care, where a slight lapse could mean falling for a forgery.

Huo Sining understood his intention and nodded, indicating she took the lesson to heart.

Zhou Shitao’s previously grave expression softened. Taking the brush washer, he continued,

"To be honest, you’re much better than I was. At least you can discern the authenticity of these two items. At your age, I certainly didn’t have your acuity. Even your senior brothers don’t measure up to you in this regard."

"As for Zhong Fang, the reason I can see through his work now is due to my meticulous study over the years."

"The antique market has many reproductions, but not many can reach this level of skill. Zhong Fang is the one I watch the most closely."

"He’s very cunning, and despite my many years of investigation, I’ve uncovered little about him."

"Now that you’ve come across him, you can’t stay uninvolved."