Live Appreciation, Congratulations to Brother

Chapter 287 Overseas Art Transaction

Zhang Yang could tell that what Chu Ziqiang said was a true expression of his true feelings after being drunk.

He should have a showdown with his family after he returns home.

But he didn't expect that the next day, this young man from Yanjing would immediately say:

The journey begins.

The first stop is Lin'an, an ancient city not far from Shenghai.

"Then I wish you good luck in advance." Zhang Yang replied in the chat column.

"Hey, I'm waiting for you in Lin'an."

"Wait for me? I didn't say I was going to Lin'an?"

"You will definitely go, because the Liangzhu Forum is about to start."

Liangzhu Forum?what?
After Chu Ziqiang's brief introduction, Zhang Yang lay on the chair and fell into thinking.

This forum is a bit like a common economic forum. It is essentially a large-scale meeting for cultural communication and exchange.

At present, it seems that the theme of the conference is ancient prehistoric culture, more precisely, the culture of the Bronze Age and before.

Including the Paleolithic Age, the Neolithic Age, the period of combined use of gold and stone, etc.

"This kind of thing should have nothing to do with me."

Zhang Yang thought about it carefully, and it seemed that he was not even qualified to join in the fun, because the Hailin Museum is private.

No matter how you look at this kind of thing, the public Linhai Museum should be involved.

Unless in the near future, ancient cultural relics can be discovered during the renovation of the garden in front of the Hailin Museum...

Zhang Yang shook his head, put aside the strange thoughts, and continued to flip through the information in his hand.

This Shenghai event is coming to an end.

While he was on business in the museum, other experts were not idle and still devoted themselves to this treasure appraisal activity with full enthusiasm.

Then, with the help of auction house staff, more than 200 lots were selected.

What Zhang Yang needs to do is to go through all these lots carefully to ensure that no doubtful items are included in the auction.

Under normal circumstances, there must be no big problem with these more than 200 items.

But today's situation is obviously not normal.

Because Zhang Yang saw a very familiar collection in the roster:

On the side is a copper seal with "March of the 30th year of Qianlong" engraved on it.

There are also words written on the back: "Manage Weiyuan Fort and other six border crossings, Ministry of Rites".

“Isn’t this a replica of Baoyou’s piece from Hailin Museum?”

Worried that he might have seen it wrong, Zhang Yang asked the staff for a panoramic video of the collection and the information sent to the collector.

Sure enough, it was very similar to the one he had identified, even the production time was the same.

But we can't be completely sure that they are the same one, because when imitations are produced, they are usually produced in batches.

The person who submitted the photo is Cai Minmin, a 34-year-old female from Shenghai.

She was obviously not the boyfriend who came to Zhang Yang for identification at that time.

Moreover, the staff took Baoyou to report the case. At this time, the case should still be under investigation.

How could such an obvious fake be included in the auction list?

Zhang Yang's first reaction was that someone had successfully deceived a less professional appraisal expert with a fake of the same model.

If these official seals of local institutions of the Qing Dynasty are genuine, they are indeed qualified to be put up for auction.

Which expert?Deduct wages!

Zhang Yang kept this matter in his mind for the time being and planned to read all the lots and then calculate the general ledger together.

But he continued to flip through a few pages before he couldn't help it anymore.

Putting down the information, he quickly dialed the number of the person in charge of the auction house, the manager Pan whom Ding Qiang had introduced before.

"Director Zhang, what can I do for you?"

On the other end of the phone, Manager Pan was in a noisy environment. The landline phone rang from time to time. He must be working overtime at the company.

"Manager Pan, there are problems with a few of the lots. Please help me check the information."

"The numbers are..."

"Wait a moment." Manager Pan's voice was a little frightened: "I'll log in to the intranet."

"Okay, please tell me your number."

"No need, just check Cai Minmin directly. All the auction items in question were sent by her."

Three minutes later, all the information behind the eight problematic lots was retrieved.

Manager Pan exported them one by one and sent them to Zhang Yang, then quietly waited for his response.

Time passed by, Director Zhang's voice was still not heard, and Lao Pan began to sweat behind his back.

Don't let anything happen.

"Manager Pan..."

Zhang Yang's words made Lao Pan feel nervous, and he quickly replied:
"You say, I'm listening."

"The eight lots Cai Minmin sent for auction are all fake, I'm sure."

"Do you have any questions about this?"

"No, no," Manager Pan replied repeatedly.

In the remarks column of the bidding information, it was written clearly that these eight lots were all sold by the Hailin Museum.

The person who is here to crack down on counterfeiting is the director of the Hailin Museum. What problem can there be?
"Then how does your company usually deal with such an insider?" Zhang Yang asked in a bad tone.

The person who sent the auction has a problem, but the person who reviews the auction has an even bigger problem.

It's not a treasure appraisal activity at all, so why did it enter the auction directly through the back door?

"For things like this, we will first initiate an internal investigation process..."

"Too slow!" Zhang Yang interrupted rudely: "Do we have to wait until you complete the investigation to determine whether he colluded with outsiders to send these fakes to the auction?"

"What do you mean?"

Manager Pan wiped the sweat from his head, which was already starting to hurt.

He definitely can't afford to offend Zhang Yang.

Now the entire department is working overtime for a week, just for this auction.

If something goes wrong with the auction and it cannot be held normally, my colleagues may have thought about it.

But dealing with the person involved directly...he doesn't deserve it!
That was Director Xin Wanchunxin. He was a manager and could not reverse the workplace.

"I suggest calling the police directly." Zhang Yang replied calmly.

He had always had a bad impression of Xin Wanchun, but he really didn't expect that this guy would dare to act like a monster at his auction.

Eight lots, all of which were forcibly added to the auction list in the name of "partners."

If Zhang Yang looks carelessly, he might miss it.

The consequences are likely to directly destroy the signboard of the treasure appraisal activity.

"Director Zhang, it would be bad if I called the police..."

"I understand you." Zhang Yang didn't mean to embarrass the other party: "So I'll just call the police."

"Are you coming in person?"

Manager Pan thought for two seconds and realized that this would not work.

"Then it's up to me. After calling the police, I have to cooperate with the police investigation. I don't dare to trouble you, Director Zhang."

"Okay! You and Ding Qiang can discuss it and hope that I can see the receipt of the report before the auction."

"In addition, these auction items..."

"Don't worry, I will take care of it before tonight. In addition, I will organize personnel to check to see if there are any more items like this that will be directly placed in the auction without appraisal."

Before tonight?

Zhang Yang looked at the time and saw that there were still three and a half hours before the clock struck zero.

"Then I won't delay you."

After hanging up the phone, he dialed the number of Librarian He without stopping.

I was originally planning to go back to Linhai to deal with this matter, but now it seems that if I don't figure it out early, I don't know how many things will happen in the future.

After the call was connected, Zhang Yang asked directly without any hesitation:
"Old He, is the wild boar pottery figurine from the Northern Wei Dynasty still in the museum?"

"It's still there." Librarian He answered quickly: "Did something happen?"

"It's a small thing, it's just that someone is selling fake goods openly in Shenghai with a shipping order signed by you."

"But I exposed it on the spot and called the police." After Zhang Yang finished speaking lightly, he waited for Librarian He's reaction.

He hoped that the other party was not a "house thief".

But Librarian He was silent.

"Why, aren't you going to explain?"

"I...those documents were indeed provided to them by me."

On the other end of the phone, Librarian He's tone was very calm:
"But Director, that was what Director Wang ordered me to do before when he was here!"

"Wang Jianye?!"

Zhang Yang was shocked.

Arrange your people to provide real documents to the fake antique dealers.

Is this something that a sane museum director can do?

After some explanations by Librarian He, things gradually became clear.

To put it simply, this is the first and only gray museum industry created by Wang Jianye after he returned to China.

In the words of Librarian He, of course they felt that instead of letting counterfeit dealers secretly make money in the name of "collected cultural relics", it would be better to join them and harvest.

Just provide a few pieces of paper, the cost is almost zero, but the price is nearly [-] yuan.

The question is, won’t this damage the museum’s reputation?
In this regard, Wang Jianye’s original explanation was that it would only make the Hailin Museum more famous.

When fake collections with certificates flow into the market, those who buy them must know the relevant information of Hailin Museum.

Isn’t this equivalent to promoting the museum?

Earn money and get free publicity, it's a plan.

"But don't worry, curator, we have suspended this matter since you came."

"Other colleagues in the library can attest to this."

After Zhang Yang listened, it was his turn to be silent this time.

If it hadn't been for the original incident, perhaps by now, the Hailin Museum would have become a golden sign in the domestic counterfeit market.

And those who believe that the collections they hold tickets for are genuine will be called "museum gangs."

"Do you still have the contact information of the person who asked you to buy the bill?" Zhang Yang asked.

"Yes, he came to us before and wanted to talk to you, the curator, about follow-up cooperation, but you refused."

"When did I say no?"

Zhang Yang couldn't remember doing such a good thing.

"There was a person in charge of the art museum before, do you remember?" Librarian He reminded.

"You mean, the local art museum in Linhai?"

Zhang Yang had some impression that the owner of the art museum at that time approached him and said he wanted to cooperate.

But because the information they sent did not fit well with the museum, he rejected it.

"I remember that the main business of their art museum is overseas art trading, right?"

"The art trade is just incidental." Librarian He explained: "The business they make money from is selling fake antiques."

"Then when I return to Linhai, let's go take a look together."

Zhang Yang thought, he had to go over there and find out where those fake antiques with museum receipts went?

……

Three days later, Linhai Changsheng Street.

Librarian He drove and took Zhang Yang and his group to the [Ey Art Museum].

Also traveling with us was Mr. Liu, an enthusiastic citizen.

Captain Liu was on vacation today and he came to deliver the banner to Zhang Yang just in time for them to go out.

He heard that Zhang Yang was going to discuss cooperation with the art museum, and the old detective's sense of smell gave him the idea to come and have a look.

Of course Zhang Yang would not refuse.

In fact, even if Captain Liu didn't say anything, Zhang Yang still wanted to ask him to send someone to "ambush" near the art museum.

If the other party is stinky and tough and refuses to cooperate, then break the cup as a signal and send the cultural relics dealer directly to the French Open.

"The name of this art museum is weird." Captain Liu said while looking at the shop's sign.

"It should be the abbreviation of Egyptian mummy." Zhang Yang analyzed.

He has already seen the decoration of the store. The whole room is filled with warm yellow light. There is a sculpture of a stone lion with a human face in the foyer. It really has an Egyptian feel.

This feeling reached its peak after meeting the owner of the art museum.

The head of the art gallery turned out to be a woman who appeared to be of Arab descent.

Slender eyebrows, big bright eyes, plump red lips... It's the kind of appearance that you know where you come from at the first sight.

The boss’s surname is Mo, which is a transliteration of her Egyptian name.

Boss Mo doesn't know Zhang Yang, but she has met Librarian He.

She was overjoyed when she heard that the new director of the Hailin Museum was here to discuss cooperation, and immediately took everyone to the reception room.

"Director Zhang, it's great that you can come."

"I'm really looking forward to working with you again."

Looking at Boss Mo's innocent eyes, in order to continue the conversation, Zhang Yang could only express his willingness to cooperate:

"I came here this time just to discuss cooperation with you, Boss Mo."

"But before that, I would like to know about the cooperation between the previous director and you."

"No problem." Boss Mo nodded, turned around and went out to get the account book.

After she went out, Captain Liu approached Zhang Yang and asked:

“Have you expanded your business to the African continent?”

"Is there a mummy or something? Please open my eyes for me!"

"Africa? Boss Mo is not necessarily African." Zhang Yang whispered: "Don't you think her face is a little stiff?"

"It must have been made like this on purpose. It's not necessarily Egyptian."

"Is there still such a way to play?"

The old detective had a keen mind and immediately understood what Zhang Yang meant.

Scamming by selling fake antiques is fine, but if even the identity is fake, then there may be problems with Boss Mo and the art trade that he is the main business of the art gallery.

Soon, Boss Mo came back with the tablet.

There are photos of various bills signed out by Librarian He before.

Each ticket sells for 8000 yuan and comes with a 3D modeling file corresponding to the museum’s cultural relics for them to copy.

"You have previously given us authorization for a total of 362 cultural relics. Do you have any questions?"

"Wait a minute, let me think about it."

Zhang Yang actually wanted to tell Captain Liu, no need to ask, just arrest him.

362 pieces. Even if one imitation is sold for only [-] yuan, it is enough to be sentenced to ten years.

But for the sake of the museum, we have to find another way to deal with this matter.

"I have a question. Does each of your receipts only correspond to the production of one imitation product?" Zhang Yang asked.

"Of course not. For each copy, ten pieces are usually produced. If there are very popular ones, more will be added."

Ten pieces each, that’s 3000 million.

Good guy, he's heading straight for life imprisonment.

"Where do these imitations go?" Zhang Yang continued to ask.

"No comment on this." Boss Mo pursed his lips and said.

“But I can guarantee that every customer who buys our products is convinced of the quality.”

"That's great."

Of course Zhang Yang didn't believe this statement. Someone had obviously called the police and was investigating, but they hadn't gotten here yet.

"How many pieces do you want for this collaboration?"

"Don't want any of them." Boss Mo shook his head and smiled: "This time, we want to cooperate with the Hailin Museum in the name of the art museum to hold a joint cultural relics exhibition."

"A total of five hundred rare cultural relics from ancient Egypt are on display."

"Five hundred pieces?" Zhang Yang was shocked by the number.

You don’t need to ask to know that the ultimate purpose of the exhibition is to sell fakes.

Five hundred fakes, what a punishment!
(End of this chapter)