Chapter 2704

At this time, it was also night in Jin Ling.

Ma Lan had finished dinner and was calling Ye Chen and Xiao Churan to the table, while also unable to help complaining: "It's already eight o'clock, why doesn't this old bastard Xiao Changkun know to come back? Who knows where he's wandering off to again!"

Ye Chen said casually: "Mom, Dad is now the Executive Vice President of the Calligraphy and Painting Association, so he must be quite busy. You should be more understanding."

Ma Lan said disdainfully: "I'll understand him my foot. Don't I know how much he's worth? Making him the Executive Vice President, I think the people in charge of this Calligraphy and Painting Association must be blind."

Just as she was speaking, Xiao Changkun pushed the door open and walked in.

Xiao Churan hurriedly greeted him: "Dad, hurry up and wash your hands for dinner!"

Xiao Changkun asked casually: "What's for dinner? Any solid dishes?"

Ma Lan scolded: "The turtle shell is solid, do you want to gnaw on it? If you want to gnaw, I'll buy you two pieces tomorrow!"

Xiao Changkun got a headache as soon as he heard Ma Lan speak, frowning: "You really can't spit out ivory from a dog's mouth."

As he spoke, he walked into the dining room, washed his hands at the sink in the western kitchen, then slowly came to the dining table and sat down, saying to Ye Chen: "Good son-in-law, guess who I saw at the antique street today?"

Ye Chen said casually: "It must be Zhang Ermao, who else could it be?"

Xiao Changkun said in surprise: "Not bad, good son-in-law, you're like a god!"

Ye Chen smiled: "Dad, don't say I already knew Zhang Ermao was back on the antique street. Even if I didn't know, if you asked like that, it would definitely be Zhang Ermao. Besides him, who else do we both know who deals in antiques on the antique street?"

"That's true." Xiao Changkun nodded, then thought of what happened on the antique street, and sighed: "This Zhang Ermao is getting more and more black-hearted. He set up a stall today and displayed a piece of lightning-struck wood. I asked him how much he was selling it for, and he opened his mouth and asked for five million. Is he crazy with poverty?"

As he spoke, he remembered something and added: "Oh right, I heard that Zhang Ermao stopped dealing in antiques a while ago and went to follow Master Hong Wu. Is he not getting along with Master Hong Wu now? Or does he plan to bring those underworld methods of forced buying and selling into the antique circle?"

Ye Chen smiled: "Dad, why do you care what Zhang Ermao does? A piece of lightning-struck wood, he can sell it for however much he wants. If he sells it too high, no one will buy it. With your experience in the antique industry for so many years, have you ever heard of any fool who would spend five million to buy a piece of lightning-struck wood?"

Xiao Changkun pursed his lips and nodded, smiling: "That's true."

Ma Lan on the side asked: "Xiao Changkun, are you starting to flip antiques again?"

Xiao Changkun glanced at her sideways and said casually: "I'm not an antique dealer, why would I flip antiques? It's just that I have a sharp eye and can be considered a leader in this industry. Occasionally, when I catch an opportunity, I can pick up a big bargain with one move."

"You?" Ma Lan said disdainfully: "If you make a move, it'll be a miracle if you don't cause trouble!"

"What do you know!" Xiao Changkun looked at her with contempt, then said to Ye Chen: "Oh right, good son-in-law, our Calligraphy and Painting Association is going to hold an ancient calligraphy and painting exhibition in Jin Ling after a while. The standard of this exhibition is very high, and our city is very supportive. It should be oriented towards the whole country by then, and we'll make a big move! Maybe even CCTV will be invited to report on it throughout!"

Ye Chen asked curiously: "Such a big move? Jin Ling isn't exactly a home of calligraphy and painting. Isn't it a bit forced to make such a big move?"

Xiao Changkun said: "It doesn't matter if Jin Ling isn't a home of calligraphy and painting, as long as Jin Ling can exhibit awesome calligraphy and painting works. So we are currently collecting famous works from collectors all over Jin Ling. The first step is our internal fundraising. Our president and other vice presidents have quite a few ancient calligraphy and painting works in their hands. Only I, this Executive Vice President, am the weakest. Although I'm the second in command, I have nothing in my hands. See if you can find some connections to help me collect a few? If it really doesn't work, borrowing a few will do. Dad will return them to you after the exhibition!"

Ye Chen asked curiously: "Dad, didn't you ask Zhang Ermao when you went to the antique street today? Doesn't he have quite a few ways?"

"Zhang Ermao?" Xiao Changkun curled his lips: "You don't know, that kid is a thorough big profiteer. A few years ago, I don't know who he learned it from, but he would pee on fake calligraphy and paintings to make them look old, and specifically sell them to Japanese and Koreans who came to collect antiques. In the end, it even reached the embassy. If I ask him for help, and he happens to pee on a few for me, my face will definitely be lost to the whole country."

Ye Chen had never heard of such a thing and asked curiously: "Zhang Ermao has such a track record? What happened later? How was it handled?"

Xiao Changkun said: "To be fair, Zhang Ermao does have some ability. He previously planted mines for those foreigners, sold them a batch of fake bronze ware, collected a large sum of money from them, and helped them get it abroad. Those foreigners all thought they had picked up a treasure, so he used this to threaten those foreigners, saying that at worst he would go to surrender, and everyone would perish together and go to prison. How would those Japanese and Koreans dare to go to prison in Huaxia? In the end, it was left unsettled."

Speaking of this, Xiao Changkun couldn't help but smack his lips and sigh: "Tsk tsk, to be fair, this Zhang Ermao really has something."

Ye Chen smiled: "Dad, you haven't seen Zhang Ermao sell the 'Mona Lisa'. If you had seen it, you would definitely be amazed."

Xiao Changkun asked curiously: "Zhang Ermao selling the 'Mona Lisa'? What kind of joke is this?"

Ye Chen smiled: "I also heard it from hearsay. I heard he previously sold a 'Mona Lisa' ink painting to a Frenchman, and sold it for quite a lot of money."

"There's such a thing?" Xiao Changkun said in surprise: "Is that foreigner's brain kicked by a donkey? Isn't the 'Mona Lisa' hanging in their Louvre?"

Ye Chen waved his hand: "The one hanging in the Louvre is a copy by Da Vinci; the original is by our Yuan Dynasty painter Zhao Mengfu."

"What the..." Xiao Changkun was confused: "Good son-in-law, where are you pulling this from? How can Zhao Mengfu be related to the 'Mona Lisa'? Besides, he and Da Vinci are two hundred years apart..."

Xiao Churan on the side also couldn't help but smile: "Honey, stop fooling Dad..."

Ye Chen laughed and said: "Dad, I won't joke with you anymore, hurry up and eat!"

Xiao Changkun came back to his senses and said sheepishly: "Good son-in-law, it doesn't matter if you joke with Dad, but don't forget what Dad just said."

"Need calligraphy and paintings, right?" Ye Chen nodded: "Don't worry, I'll arrange it. How many?"

Xiao Changkun thought for a while and said: "Our president said he is prepared to take out five pieces of calligraphy and painting. I am the second in command, a little less than him, four pieces!"

Ye Chen nodded: "Okay, leave it to me."