"Liang En and Fan Meng were not completely westernized ABCs, so they immediately recognized the identity of this statue. At the same time, Miss Blake also began to explain the origin of this statue.
"I bought this ceramic figurine at a flea market in London for just 20 pounds," Miss Blake said as she placed the figurine in front of Liang En and his companions.
"But after my appraisal, this should be an ancient Buddha statue from your Huaxia, with a history of over 300 years. So, if you're interested, this statue would be priced at 5,000 pounds."
"Miss Blake, it seems a bit too profitable for you to ask for 5,000 pounds for something you bought for 20 pounds," Liang En responded. As soon as Miss Blake mentioned the price, the business-minded side of Liang En activated, and he engaged in a half-serious, half-playful negotiation.
"No, no, Mr. Liang, you could say that my eye for value is just particularly keen," Miss Blake replied, wearing a proud expression.
"So, this item is now priced at 5,000 pounds. If you find it suitable, you can take it, but if you don't, we can find another one."
Clearly, from Liang En and Fan Meng's reactions earlier, Miss Blake discerned their fondness for the Buddha statue. So, she firmly held onto the price of 5,000 pounds without a penny's reduction.
Because the price they were asking for was high, coupled with the fact that this Buddha statue did indeed exude a special feeling, Liang En used the skill [Appraisal (N)] on the statue. Soon, two lines of text appeared before his eyes.
"[Laughing Buddha, also known as Qie Chi, is said to be the transformed incarnation of Maitreya Bodhisattva or Buddha. With a plump body, furrowed eyebrows, and a big belly, his speech is unpredictable, and he rests and sleeps anywhere. Due to his humorous and witty nature, kindness towards others, and optimistic and tolerant outlook, he is deeply respected and loved by people.]"
"[Therefore, people in later generations often depict him in statues as a reminder of the value of tolerance. For example, this statue of the Laughing Buddha with exposed belly, crafted in the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties using celadon glaze from Longquan Kiln, is one such representation.]"
"Alright, 5,000 pounds it is. But if this item happens to be worth more—" Liang En began to speak, realizing the value of the figurine, but Miss Blake cut him off.
"Don't worry, the transactions for these items will be documented in a contract. After all, this involves a transaction worth over 10,000 pounds, so I will certainly take measures to ensure the safety of our deal."
With the price of the Buddha statue settled, Liang En and his companions quickly turned their attention to other items. Unfortunately, this Miss Blake had set high prices for all antiques, especially Eastern ones.
For instance, an ordinary late Qing dynasty blue-and-white porcelain plate was priced at a staggering 800 pounds—triple its regular price.
As a result, they soon abandoned the idea of finding another treasure from this antique enthusiast and turned their focus to luxury items.
Unlike antiques, these secondhand luxury items had very transparent prices. Therefore, the group quickly made their selections in a short span of time.
In the end, Liang En and his companions chose two Chanel handbags, one Louis Vuitton wallet, and a matching brand brooch as their gains from this venture.
These gently used secondhand luxury items, which appear to be at least 90% new, can probably be sold for around 9,200 pounds. Of course, the condition is finding the right buyers. Fortunately, Liang En happens to know a very good client.
"Pleasure doing business." After signing the contract, Liang En and Fan Meng bid farewell to Miss Blake with their spoils. They then left the old building.
As they were on their way to the bus station, Fan Meng suddenly turned to Liang En and asked, "Boss, do you plan to sell that Buddha statue we just got?"
"Why would I sell such a treasure when I'm not in need of money?" Liang En chuckled. "Besides, Miss Blake was mistaken. This statue isn't from the mid-Ming dynasty as she thought. It's actually from the late Yuan and early Ming dynasties, created at the Longquan Kiln."
"Judging from its style and size, this should be a masterpiece of the Longquan Kiln from that era. If it were to be sold, the price would likely be between 50,000 to 55,000 pounds."
"Given what you just said, this Buddha statue is indeed a masterpiece." Fan Meng widened his eyes in surprise and then smiled. "So, when we go back, we can properly enshrine this statue and pray for the prosperity of our business—"
Due to the Laughing Buddha's statues typically featuring a smiling face and holding a cloth bag, they are often associated with joy and wealth, being regarded as a deity of prosperity.
Fan Meng happened to be of Southeast Asian Chinese descent and had been influenced by his father, who ran a restaurant. So, upon seeing the statue, his immediate thought was to enshrine it.
"Great idea. We can set up a shrine at home and place the Buddha statue inside." After hearing Fan Meng's suggestion, Liang En realized that directly enshrining the statue was a more suitable approach compared to keeping it in a safe.
Upon returning to their apartment in London, Liang En immediately checked a card that appeared in his mind after obtaining the Buddha statue. It was a card he had never seen before.
"[Restoration (N)]: Time is the most corrosive force in the world. Anything tangible, after enduring the passage of time, will incur some degree of damage.
However, this damage is not irreversible. To be precise, as a historical explorer with beginner-level extraordinary powers, he has the ability to restore this damage.
Skill card (one-time use): After consuming the corresponding Legendary Power and casting materials based on the target, the caster can restore the target, provided the overall volume loss does not exceed 30%."
"This is truly amazing." After reading the text on the card, Liang En's face displayed a look of astonishment. He quickly retrieved the clay tablet he brought back from Egypt the last time, which he had only pieced together and stored in a box without restoration. Repairing such an item required special skills, and he lacked proficiency in that area.
After his consciousness connected with the [Restoration (N)] card, he noticed a red dot in his field of vision. Placing this red dot on any object revealed the required Legendary Power and casting materials.
For instance, when he placed it on a cabinet, it displayed a need for 15 cubic centimeters of pine wood and a bit of Legendary Power. Placing it on a pair of shoes required ten grams of rubber, two grams of synthetic leather, and a bit of Legendary Power.
"Damn, I got duped!" After seeing the second analysis, Liang En's face revealed a frustrated expression. He recalled how the shopkeeper had emphatically assured him that the shoes were made of sheepskin.
Regrettably, it was a temporary sale, so even if he knew the shoes were problematic, he had no way to hold the crafty merchant accountable.
"Alright, now it's time to get down to business." After curiously inspecting everything in the house, Liang En redirected his focus to the box of clay tablets on the table. "Hope the restoration work goes smoothly."