Chapter 472: Applying Western Learning to Chinese Use, Copying Mechanically

Why is yellow rosewood expensive?

First, it is hard; pieces with enough age can even sink in water. The key is the fragrance: yellow rosewood with high oil content can age and retain its agarwood-like scent for over a hundred years without fading. Second, look at the wood grain, the most expensive of which is the "ghost face." To put it simply: the unique, mask-like facial features of yellow rosewood grain look roughly like this: but not all yellow rosewood can grow such special patterns; most are just smooth, straight grains. Even if they barely form shapes, they are mostly mountain peaks, X-patterns, or pitted patterns.

Patterns that can form specific textures, such as Spider Foot, Landscape Pattern, or Tiger Skin Pattern, are extremely rare, and those that can form ghost face patterns are less than one in ten thousand. Yet, there is one right in front of us?

Looking at the color and luster, it is at least an object from the late Qing Dynasty or the Republic of China; even if it is not quite a hundred years old, it is at least sixty or seventy. The surface is clearly sealed with wax, but even from two meters away, one can smell a faint agarwood scent.

And this grain, layered and layered, even and symmetrical, is not only the extremely rare Thousand-Layer Pattern, but one can even make out the outlines of dragon heads and pagodas. If it weren't made into a chair, but used for a carved bed or a screen, it would at least be something only a Prince could use. With a more refined design, it wouldn't be impossible for it to enter the Imperial Study.

But the one in front of us is not: it is original and authentic, with natural carvings. Lin Sicheng estimates that if it is genuine, it should have been passed down through a family of officials, wealthy merchants, or scholars.

If even a little bit of carving had been added, this chair would never have ended up here.

In the dark, Lin Sicheng circled the chair and secretly praised it again: regardless of whether the item is real or not, the maintenance measures are truly spot on. A halogen lamp is installed overhead, and it is surrounded by a guardrail, covering about five or six square meters. A temperature-controlled cabinet is placed at the front-left and rear-right corners, and a humidity-control box is placed at the other two corners.

All of them have electronic thermo-hygrometers, allowing for the control of temperature and humidity at any time.

It is evident that the entire chair has been coated with high-purity natural beeswax; it is not wiped often, but at least once a week, it undergoes scheduled cleaning and inspection. This generally consists of electrostatic dust removal and checking the lacquer for cracks (using a high-magnification Magnifying Glass).

At first glance, it is inconspicuous, but in this day and age, only very knowledgeable experts know that these are the most scientific methods for maintaining precious antique furniture. To put it simply: three preventions, four "don'ts," and five schedules.

Prevent ultraviolet rays, prevent moisture and dryness, and prevent temperature differences.

Do not oil, do not wipe with water, do not expose to direct sunlight, and do not handle with bare hands.

Scheduled humidity, scheduled temperature, scheduled cleaning, scheduled inspection, and scheduled maintenance.

As long as these are done, this chair can be left for another hundred years and will remain just as shiny and just as fragrant.

Secretly sighing, Lin Sicheng pointed at the chair: "Hello, could we go in and take a look?"

The shop assistant did not hesitate at all and said directly: "Sorry, sir, this is not for sale!"

When the voice sounded, Ye Anqi realized that the shop assistant was standing right behind them.

No... just a moment ago she was being dismissive, when did she come over?

It feels like she treats them like thieves...

Ye Anqi frowned: "We aren't buying, just looking!"

The shop assistant twitched the corner of her mouth and continued to shake her head: "Sorry, due to maintenance requirements, no one is allowed to enter!"

Ye Anqi was stunned: If you don't let us in, fine, but why are you curling your lip?

Putting himself in their shoes: this item is so rare, its value is at least in the millions, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it the treasure of the shop. It is possible to fear that someone might enter and cause an accident, or touch it out of curiosity.

So, not letting them in is not strange at all; the shop assistant's words have no flaws.

But the problem was that lip-curling moment, which happened to correspond with what Ye Anqi said earlier: "We aren't buying, just looking." If you asked the shop assistant, if she wasn't thinking, "You just want to buy, but can you afford it?" Ye Anqi would dare to chew this chair and eat it. Ye Anqi frowned: "Do you think we can't afford it, right?"

The shop assistant raised her eyebrows and glanced at him: "Sir, I have already said that this is not for sale, and not letting people look is the shop's rule!" The implication was: you don't need to talk to me.

It even carried a hint of provocation: even if that is what I meant, are you going to buy it?

Ye Anqi was dumbfounded: I've lived this long, and this is the first time I've seen something like this?

Not to mention that you're only selling furniture; even if you were selling national treasures, you are ultimately in the service industry. This is the first time I've seen a customer served in this way! He waved his hand: "Call your manager over!"

The shop assistant stood still: "Even if you call the manager, you still can't come in here!"

Ye Anqi was so angry he laughed.

But he was well-bred; no matter how angry he was, he wouldn't argue with a shop assistant.

Just as he was about to say something, Lin Sicheng stopped him: "Then which one can we look at and buy? Please point it out, and we will take a look. Then, please trouble yourself to call the manager; we would like to ask for some advice!"

The shop assistant pointed casually: "Sir, you can take a look at this one!"

Subconsciously, everyone turned their heads: are you unable to understand, or are you pretending not to?

We are looking for the manager to complain about you, and you are actually pointing?

Taking another look at the price, haha: 1.2 million?

Lin Sicheng glanced at it.

It was a three-piece set of Cantonese-style Acid Branch Wood with hollow carvings, one side table and two chairs. There was a tag next to it with a price of 1.2 million. Besides that, there were only eight characters at the bottom: Luomen Tenon Longevity, Wenzhong Relics.

To be honest, if one's history studies weren't quite good, one wouldn't even know what these eight characters meant.

If you don't ask, you're curious; if you do ask, you fall right into the other party's trap: you don't even understand this, yet you dare to come look at Cantonese works? Therefore, this is the same logic as the Blue Purple Sand Pot at Rao Yu Zhai in Beijing: it's to test the laymen.

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Fine, please call the manager; if the item is authentic, we will buy it!"

The shop assistant, however, did not move, pointing at the Acid Branch three-piece set: "Sir, you haven't looked at it yet, have you?"

The words were said very tactfully, but those who understand, understand: if you can't even understand what you're looking at, what are you buying? Of course, there was no need to call the manager.

At this, everyone frowned: it's no wonder Ye Anqi was angry; this shop assistant definitely had a problem.

To put it bluntly: it's like a shop assistant selling jewelry or luxury goods, earning a salary of two thousand a month, yet deliberately making things difficult for a customer buying a two-hundred-thousand-dollar item. Moreover, this thing is not just two hundred thousand, but six times that.

Ye Anlan's face turned cold, and just as she was about to rush up, she was pulled back by Ye Anning: "Don't cause trouble, Lin Sicheng and the second brother can handle it well!" She looked unconvinced: "How did I cause trouble?"

Ye Anning shook her head: "You were definitely going to argue; if that's not causing trouble, what is?"

It wasn't just Ye Anlan; Yao Qiming and Gao Wen were the same.

They weren't looking to argue; given their status and experience, it was impossible for them to argue with a shop assistant. But these people were brought by them, and having accepted the commission, they were loyal to the task; they couldn't just watch Ye Anqi and Lin Sicheng be harassed by a shop assistant.

Yao Qiming took a step forward, preparing to reason, but Lin Sicheng shook his head and stopped him as well.

Then, he looked at the shop assistant: "I have already looked; these three pieces are all spliced with new and old materials, then artificially weighted, and colored to look old..." The shop assistant was stunned, her expression changing: splicing new and old, artificial weighting, coloring to look old... isn't this just fraud?

These people are definitely here to cause trouble.

"Sir, don't talk nonsense if you don't understand!"

As she spoke, she looked behind her, as if to call security.

It was even more impossible for Lin Sicheng to argue with a shop assistant; he said expressionlessly: "Tell the manager what I just said; if he also says I don't understand, we will leave immediately!"

The shop assistant curled her lip and was about to say something, but inadvertently met Lin Sicheng's gaze and suddenly paused.

For some reason, she always felt that this person was different from the others: his expression was very gentle, and his tone wasn't that aggressive, but it felt like there were needles hidden in those eyes?

A wise woman doesn't suffer immediate losses; what if she angers him and he slaps her?

She thought for a moment: "Alright, wait a moment, I'll go call the manager!"

The shop assistant turned and walked toward the back, Ye Anlan fuming: "I'm so mad."

She was angry at the shop assistant first, and second, she was angry at Ye Anqi and Lin Sicheng: This woman is acting like this, and you two are still calmly talking to her?

If it were her, she would have started an argument long ago.

Seeing what she was thinking at a glance, Lin Sicheng smiled: "Cousin Ye, don't be impatient!"

Ye Anlan paused: I am angry, when was I impatient?

"Lin Sicheng, what do you mean!"

"Cousin Ye, have you ever bought imported luxury goods, like bags or watches?"

Ye Anlan shook her head: "No!"

Buying that stuff, isn't it just purely paying an IQ tax?

She hadn't bought any, and Ye Anning hadn't either.

Lin Sicheng nodded happily: No wonder?

"I mean, in a moment, you might be even angrier than you are now!"

Ye Anlan understood even less.

Just as she was guessing wildly, the shop assistant returned, followed by a woman: about forty years old, with exquisite features, dressed in a suit. With New Year's Day approaching, the temperature in Guangzhou was not high, but this manager was only wearing a suit skirt with a hemline a hand's breadth above her knees, her two bare legs white and... She scanned the group, first greeting Yao Qiming: "Chairman Yao!"

Yao Qiming was stunned: "The new one?"

Although he didn't come often, this shop was very famous and located in Xiguan, so Yao Qiming remembered clearly: the previous store manager was a man, older than this one.

"Yes, the previous manager had family matters and resigned!"

After replying, the manager's gaze landed on Lin Sicheng's face: The shop assistant had made it very clear that a group of troublemakers had come to the shop, and the leader was the youngest and most handsome one.

Looking him up and down a few times, she nodded: "Sir, what is your problem?"

It wasn't an accusation, but it was worse than an accusation. It was equivalent to saying directly: If you want to cause trouble, please leave.

As soon as this sentence came out, everyone was stunned: She didn't even ask, and she was already taking the shop assistant's side?

The key was the manager's posture and tone.

Although not as obvious or as nasty as the shop assistant, one could still feel that she carried a hint of condescension.

Sure enough, Ye Anlan was even angrier: No... you're just an employee, what are you acting so high and mighty for?

But just as she widened her eyes, she froze again: Huh, that's not right?

How could Lin Sicheng have guessed that the manager's attitude would be even more excessive than the shop assistant's?

Lin Sicheng had no time to pay attention to her, staring at the manager for a few moments: Asking a deaf person to listen, asking a blind person for directions.

This person didn't understand antiques at all, so how could you reason with her?

She couldn't even distinguish between yellow pear wood, Red Sandalwood, and Acid Branch Wood. If you talked to her about Imitating the Ancients or artificial aging, wouldn't that be like playing the lute to a cow? Lin Sicheng sighed: "Where did the manager work before, Chanel, Rolex, or Hermès?"

After a slight pause, Lin Sicheng smiled: "Or perhaps, Buccellati?"

The manager was stunned, a flash of surprise in her eyes. Then, she stared at Lin Sicheng, looking him up and down and back again.

Her gaze was too direct and carried extreme astonishment, as if she had discovered something that amazed her to the extreme.

After a moment of thought, Lin Sicheng understood what she was thinking, feeling both angry and amused: "Manager, don't worry, I have no interest in you, and even less interest in investigating you!"

The manager was stunned for a moment, her face turning completely red.

Even though she was in her early forties and well-traveled, she was still so ashamed she couldn't find a place to hide: With such a large age gap, she was old enough to be his mother; did she really dare to think that? No, that's not right... How did this person know what I was thinking?

Watching her expression, Lin Sicheng nodded: "It seems it was Hermès!"

Only by having worked in planning at such an imported luxury goods company would one copy and paste this kind of cold marketing tactic.

To put it professionally: Create a sense of scarcity and class distinction to strengthen brand value.

To put it bluntly: It's unique, so it's expensive. Because we don't worry about selling, don't complain about our bad attitude; take it or leave it. That's why the plaque on the door is like that, and the couplets on the doorposts are like that. That's why the shop assistant looks at people sideways, and the manager holds her head high.

These are all tactics commonly used by luxury brands in the China market.

There are even more excessive ones: Patek Philippe will tell you clearly that the piece you are looking at now is only open to VIP customers. Even if you have money, they won't sell it to you.

What, how do you become a VIP? Besides reaching a sufficient consumption amount over a sufficient number of years, you also need a recommendation letter from a member. Graff's guests even have to have their assets verified; if your savings don't reach the level, you can't even enter the shop door. Even if you reach it and have become a member, they still won't be polite to you: Sir, your budget is only enough to buy a replica, I suggest you go to the craft market to look at fakes.

Come on, I ask you, are you angry or not?

You might ask, are there people who fall for it?

Hehe... there are too many.

Otherwise, where do all those complaints at luxury counters in the country every year come from?

And where does that consumption amount, which gets higher year by year, come from?

Therefore, Lin Sicheng really couldn't understand: Why do these people, after suffering such great indignation and cursing so fiercely, still willingly spend their money? Secretly sighing, Lin Sicheng looked at the manager, who was still in a daze: "Manager, the shop assistant should have relayed the words I said earlier to you. Please trouble yourself to relay them to your shop's master craftsman, or the boss..."

The manager came back to her senses and glanced at him: "Okay sir, and then?"

"No then!" Lin Sicheng smiled, "Sorry to bother you!"

As he spoke, he looked at Ye Anqi again: "Second brother, let's go!"

Ye Anqi nodded and glanced at the manager.

The manager was even more confused: What does this mean, they're just leaving?

Weren't they here to cause trouble?

It wasn't just her who was confused; Ye Anlan was also confused: That's it?

No... even if you are men, even if you are magnanimous, shouldn't you at least have an argument before leaving?

Just as she was suspicious, Ye Anning pulled his sleeve: "Let's go!"

She gritted her teeth: "I'm so mad! Second brother too, Lin Sicheng says go and you just go?"

Ye Anning pushed her: "What do you know?"

If one does not treat consumers like human beings, naturally there will be someone to teach them how to be human.