Chapter 1937

Old Cricket nodded, looked left and right, and picked up the cardboard box: "Let's talk inside."

"Let's go!" The two came to the third-entry courtyard and entered the living room.

Old Cricket put the cardboard box on the coffee table and opened it.

Inside were several things, wrapped layer by layer in yellow straw paper.

Old Cricket took them out one by one and carefully opened the yellow straw paper wrapping. It turned out to be porcelain.

"Chairman Zhou, these are Ru kiln porcelains from the Northern Song Dynasty."

Speaking of this, this old guy looked around sneakily again, his voice extremely low.

"My few old brothers have all appraised them, there is no problem with the items, but they should have been unearthed for less than half a year."

Zhou Andong frowned: "Stolen from a tomb?"

"Should be." Old Cricket nodded: "My few old brothers wouldn't have misjudged."

Zhou Andong picked up a brush washer and didn't speak for a long time.

Old Cricket thought Zhou Andong had taboos: "Things that come out of a tomb, many people have taboos, I can understand. The reason I brought them to you is because only you have the ability to protect them.

From the Eight-Nation Alliance to the Japanese invasion of China, how many treasures were snatched away? Now, there aren't many treasures left by our ancestors. If you don't make a move, these things will definitely go overseas, and it will be difficult to find them back then."

Zhou Andong didn't have any taboos, after all, he had died once, what else was there to have taboos about.

It was mainly that these things came from grave robbing, and they had been unearthed for less than half a year. Once those grave robbers had problems, it would definitely be a trouble.

However, what Old Cricket said made a lot of sense. If he didn't keep these things, they would definitely be smuggled abroad.

"Alright!" Zhou Andong still nodded and agreed to keep them: "How much money? I'll have someone go to the bank to withdraw it."

"Let's talk about the price later." Old Cricket took out a long cylindrical thing from the bottom of the cardboard box.

It was also wrapped in yellow straw paper, layer by layer. Old Cricket tore open the wrapped yellow straw paper.

It was a hard paper tube. Then, he tore open the oil paper sealing one end of the paper tube and slowly tilted it, sliding out a scroll from inside.

Old Cricket's movements were very light, holding the scroll in his hand, as if he was very afraid that if he used a little force, the scroll would be damaged.

Under Old Cricket's careful and gentle movements, the scroll slowly unfolded, and it was a piece of calligraphy on it.

Old Cricket's hands were trembling: "Chairman Zhou, this is Tang Bohu's authentic work."

When Zhou Andong heard this, he stood up with a 'whoosh', his eyes staring fixedly at the calligraphy in front of him.

"Are you sure?"

"Can't be wrong." Old Cricket took a deep breath: "This 'New Year's Eve Poem Scroll' is Tang Bohu's only authentic large-character running script. My old brother said that one of his overseas friends bought it from a Japanese person two years ago, spending 380,000 US dollars.

Because this friend didn't understand antiques and calligraphy, he was afraid of being cheated at the time, so he found my old brother to appraise it. A month ago, this person found my old brother again, saying that the Japanese person who sold him this calligraphy found him and wanted to buy it back for 600,000 US dollars.

Two years, it rose by 220,000 US dollars. Whoever it was would be very tempted. That person contacted my old brother, asking how much would be appropriate to sell it for. After all, no one would think money is too much.

Then this calligraphy was intercepted by my old brother for 620,000 US dollars. It's just that the money hasn't been given yet, because we can't take out so much money, let alone in US dollars."

620,000 US dollars?

Zhou Andong bent over, looking carefully at this calligraphy. Did the price of 620,000 US dollars have water? Definitely. But in his view, the water definitely wasn't much.

Not to mention this was Tang Bohu's authentic work, and it was the only large-character running script. Don't say 620,000 US dollars, even 1.62 million, he would keep it.

"For this calligraphy, I'll give you 650,000 US dollars. How much you give your old brother, you decide yourself."

This wasn't Zhou Andong being stupid and having too much money. If he didn't give enough benefits, why would Old Cricket send good stuff to him?

At this time, there were quite a few people with money and strength to collect antiques, the most famous being the wife of that Tang Monk.

Hearing Zhou Andong's words, Old Cricket's hands trembled again. 30,000 US dollars, according to the current official exchange rate, was more than 200,000 RMB.

"Doing business with Chairman Zhou is just straightforward."

Old Cricket gave a thumbs up, then stared at Zhou Andong with hopeful little eyes.

"Can you, also give me US dollars?"

"No problem!" Zhou Andong nodded with a smile: "And these porcelains, I can also settle in US dollars."

Old Cricket laughed, his spirit suddenly came up, and he picked up the brush washer: "Ru porcelain, the first of the five famous porcelains in our country, named after Ruzhou (the old name of Linru), was designated as imperial porcelain for the palace.

Its shape is simple and generous, its glaze is like the sky after rain, thousands of peaks and green waves, the soil is fine and moist, the body is like a copper body, its glaze is thick and the sound is like a chime, bright but not dazzling, with the characteristics of pear skin, crab claw, and sesame flower, known by the world as like jade, not jade, but better than jade..."

Old Cricket introduced Ru porcelain to Zhou Andong in detail, and Zhou Andong also listened seriously.

Half an hour later, Old Cricket finished introducing the several pieces of porcelain and pointed to the "New Year's Eve Poem Scroll".

"In Tang Bohu's later years, his life was very poor and embarrassed. Not only did his wife leave him, but his brother also separated from him. Relying on selling calligraphy and paintings, he barely maintained his livelihood. The days were poor and desolate, even on New Year's Eve, he could only shrink in a dilapidated thatched cottage, eating a fish to satisfy his hunger.

Sighing at the unpredictable changes in life, in the extreme poverty, on that cold and lonely New Year's Eve, Tang Bohu wrote this large-character running script "New Year's Eve Poem Scroll", with a total of 58 characters.

Because the paper used was the yellow paper commonly used by Suzhou literati at that time, it could survive for a thousand years without rotting, and the ink used was also the top-grade Yanzi Ji ink, so after five hundred years, the ink color is still like new..."

Zhou Andong took a deep breath: "I'll give you 70,000 US dollars for the porcelain, plus 720,000 for this calligraphy."

To tell the truth, this calligraphy by Tang Bohu, if sold in China, definitely couldn't sell for 600,000 US dollars.

This is also why those cultural relic traffickers risk going to jail to smuggle antiques abroad.

"Chairman Zhou, you are still the most atmospheric." Old Cricket sighed again: "When can the money arrive?"

"Wait a moment!"

Zhou Andong left the living room and soon came back with a check.

"This is a check, you can go to the Citibank Beijing office to cash it."

Old Cricket carefully put it away: "Chairman Zhou, I'm leaving."

Zhou Andong said with a smile: "Don't drink some before leaving?"

"No!" Old Cricket waved his hand: "Everyone is waiting for my news, and with so much money, it has to be withdrawn early. Only the money in one's own pocket belongs to oneself."

Zhou Andong laughed loudly and sent Old Cricket out: "If you have good stuff, continue to send it to me, I definitely won't treat you badly."

"Definitely!" Old Cricket got on the tricycle: "Chairman Zhou is the most straightforward and generous businessman I have ever seen. If I have good stuff, where else would I send it if not to you?"

"Leaving!" Old Cricket waved his hand and pedaled the tricycle away.

Watching him disappear at the entrance of the hutong, Zhou Andong went back, found the old man, and pushed Old Comrade Zhou to the third-entry living room.

When the old man saw the porcelain on the coffee table, his eyes immediately lit up.

"Old Cricket has been here?"

"Yes!" Zhou Andong said, and then started introducing to the old man and Old Zhou.

When talking about the calligraphy, the old man and Old Comrade Zhou both widened their eyes.

They only had a half-understanding of antiques, and this half-understanding was because Old Cricket often came over to give them lessons.

But for Tang Bohu's authentic work, even if they were novices, they knew it was worth a lot.

One old, one middle-aged, one young, surrounded in a circle, looking at it with their heads together.

With a creak, the door opened, and Jian Qiu stood at the door, looking at the appearance of the three, and laughed.

"What are you looking at?"

The old man raised his head, rubbed his slightly sore waist, and said with a smile: "Good stuff sent by Old Cricket."

Zhou Andong said like offering a treasure: "Tang Bohu's authentic work."

"Ah?" Jian Qiu walked over, looking at the calligraphy, with a look of surprise: "Is this really Tang Bohu's authentic work?"

"You ask this, I really don't know how to say it." Zhou Andong laughed: "If Old Cricket didn't lie to me, then it's real. If he lied to me, then it's fake."

Jian Qiu rolled her eyes at Zhou Andong: "Zhang Xuan's flight lands at 11:40, it's already past ten, why don't you hurry up and pick her up?"

"I almost forgot." Zhou Andong patted his head, turned around, and walked out: "After looking, remember to send the things to the vault."

Just as he went out, he saw Cao Yi also come out: "Where are you going?"

"I'm going home to see." Cao Yi said while walking out: "Aren't we scheduled to meet tonight?"

"Yes!" Zhou Andong nodded: "At five o'clock at the first bar."

The two went out, and Wang Wentian had already driven the car out and was waiting.

Zhou Andong said: "I'll have someone drive you back."

"No need!" Cao Yi shook the key in her hand: "I'll drive back myself."

"Alright!"

Zhou Andong didn't insist. There were several cars in the garage, one of which was prepared for Xiaobei and Cao Yi, which was convenient to drive when they came to Beijing for business.

……………………

At 11:40 noon, a flight from Xiangjiang landed at Beijing International Airport on time.

Zhou Andong stood at the exit and waited for more than twenty minutes before seeing Zhang Xuan come out with two people.

"Over here!" Zhou Andong shouted.

Zhang Xuan looked over, and her face was immediately filled with smiles.

"The big boss came to pick me up personally, it really makes me flattered."

"Less of that!" Zhou Andong said irritably: "Hurry up and go. The hotel is arranged for you, and lunch is also ordered. If you're not hungry, I am."

"Come, let me introduce you." Zhang Xuan introduced to the man and woman beside her: "This is our boss, Zhou Andong."

"Chairman Zhou, hello!"

"Chairman Zhou, hello!"

This man and woman were both Xiangjiang people, old employees of Overseas Trust Bank, who could stay after Zhang Xuan cleaned up. Besides acknowledging their ancestors, their ability was also very strong.

"Hello!"

Zhou Andong shook hands with the two and greeted them, then came to the parking lot and got in the car.

"Was the negotiation with Shanghai smooth?"

"Could it not be smooth?" Zhang Xuan said full of resentment: "I have never met a businessman like you who doesn't let me bargain when buying things. I really don't know if you have too much money to burn."

Zhou Andong laughed: "No one will dislike having too much money, but sometimes, giving up some benefits might bring you more benefits in the future."

Zhang Xuan didn't refute, because she very much agreed with Zhou Andong's words, and then introduced the negotiation process in detail, including the progress of Liao Ting and the others' negotiations.

"Not bad!" Zhou Andong nodded with satisfaction: "Besides Shanghai, Beijing and Jiangzhou also need to open branches. You'll be busy."

"Give me a raise." Zhang Xuan threatened Zhou Andong: "Otherwise I won't do it."

"Give you a raise, look at this ambition of yours." Zhou Andong tempted: "You keep working, if you do well, I'll give you shares."

"Don't draw big cakes for me." Zhang Xuan said with disdain: "I can draw cakes better than you."

"I'm not drawing cakes." Zhou Andong said very seriously: "I will take out 20% of the shares as incentive shares for the management. You, as the executive director and president, can definitely get a quarter of this 20%."

"Are you serious?" Zhang Xuan looked at Zhou Andong, her big eyes blinking, looking very attractive.

"Don't you know my character yet?" Zhou Andong hummed: "Yugong Group also has an equity incentive policy."

"Good!" Zhang Xuan's voice raised a degree: "For 5% of the shares, this old lady will sell her life to you."

A smile that was hard to detect appeared at the corner of Zhou Andong's mouth. As long as this little girl is tied to Overseas Trust Bank.

Not just here in Zhongbao, wait until the reform of the four major domestic banks later, with this girl charging and fighting, getting some shares definitely won't be a problem.

Arriving at Jinwan Hotel, Zhang Xuan and the two subordinates went to the room to tidy up and went to the restaurant to eat.

At four o'clock in the afternoon, Zhou Andong's pager rang, and looking at it, it was still the number of Jinwan Hotel.

Zhou Andong, who was preparing to go to the bar with Zhang Xuan, turned back, sat on the sofa, grabbed the phone, and dialed it.

Soon, Yao Jun's voice came from the receiver: "Brother Dong, I'm Dajun, I've already arrived in Beijing."

Zhou Andong asked: "Didn't you say you were coming tomorrow?"

Yao Jun said with a smile: "After arranging everything, I came over."

Zhou Andong asked again: "Are you at the Jinwan Hotel?"

"Yes!" Yao Jun said: "It's all spending money to stay in a hotel, of course I have to stay in Third Grandpa's hotel."

Zhou Andong laughed along: "You wait in the lobby, I'll go down immediately."

"Are you also at the Jinwan Hotel?" Yao Jun didn't expect it to be such a coincidence: "I'll go down and wait for you."

Zhou Andong put down the phone and said to Zhang Xuan: "It's Yao Jun, he's also here."

Zhang Xuan asked: "Did he come for something?"

"Let's go!" Zhou Andong walked out: "Talk while walking."

The two left the room, and Zhou Andong told Zhang Xuan about Yao Jun cooperating with the Ministry of Public Security to establish a security company.

Zhang Xuan said thoughtfully: "Yao Jun's security company, if it wants to go out of Liaoning Province, the idea of cooperating with the Ministry of Public Security is correct, and it can only cooperate with them."