In front of Huang Xuan lay four lacquered boxes, their polished surfaces reflecting a deep, rich luster, giving off an air of gravitas.
Zhou Shuming grinned, his hand resting on the foremost box as he spoke in what he believed was his most sincere tone: "Young Master Huang, these are the treasures I've gathered for you. Each piece is extraordinary. Even if you were to show them to the Qian family elder, he would certainly exclaim in admiration."
"Let's have a look, then," Huang Xuan replied noncommittally, though his calm demeanor couldn't conceal the interest in his eyes.
Pleased with himself, Zhou Shuming relaxed his brow and opened the first box. Inside, three books were wrapped in fine pale-yellow silk. The slightly larger one on the left was titled The Universal Gateway of Guanyin Bodhisattva from the Lotus Sutra, written in delicate, sparse characters—an ancient Buddhist text.
Leaving the professional matters to the professionals, Huang Xuan called out to Lorin and lifted the middle silk cover. The small, finely written title read: The Sacred Instructions of Emperor Muzong of the Great Qing Dynasty.
Huang Xuan had no idea who Muzong was, but he recognized the words "Great Qing" and "Emperor." He let out a small breath, thinking to himself, The Qing Dynasty hasn't even been gone for that long, and already imperial artifacts have fallen into the hands of merchants. Despite his surprise, he maintained a calm exterior, much to Zhou Shuming's disappointment.
With a flick of his finger, Huang Xuan quickly pulled back the silk covering on the right, ruining the carefully arranged mystery Zhou Shuming had set up. This one was a script manuscript, thicker than the other two. The top right of the cover bore the three characters "Yushuangyi."
Huang Xuan recognized only two of the characters, feeling slightly embarrassed. He casually opened the book, noticing a seal inside with a name that seemed to read: Cheng Yanqiu.
"Based on comparisons, The Universal Gateway of Guanyin Bodhisattva from the Lotus Sutra should be valued between $250,000 and $350,000. The Sacred Instructions of Emperor Muzong of the Great Qing Dynasty should be valued between $650,000 and $850,000. The Yushuangyi Script Manuscript should be valued between $5 million and $6 million," Lorin efficiently reported, using as few words as possible.
Hearing the $6 million estimate, Huang Xuan's spirits lifted, and he glanced at Zhou Shuming. The latter, oblivious, was about to launch into a passionate pitch. "These were originally items from the imperial court," he began, adjusting his robe as he prepared to speak. Huang Xuan quickly cut him off with a wave of his hand, already knowing the value. He trusted Lorin's accuracy more than any human expert.
The trip to purchase grain had cost Huang Xuan over $600,000, but just one of these books could bring him ten times that amount, leaving Huang Xuan very satisfied. However, profit was the essence of business, and as a scion of the Huang family, Huang Xuan's face darkened. He covered the Buddhist text with the silk again and said, "You can take this one back." He sniffed, took a slow sip of tea, and continued, "The script manuscript on the right can stay, but as for this one," Huang Xuan pointed to The Sacred Instructions of Emperor Muzong, "Leave it here for now. Let's see the rest."
Seeing that Huang Xuan had picked the script manuscript at a glance, Zhou Shuming inwardly sneered, further confirming his view of Huang Xuan as a spoiled dandy. It wasn't surprising; different eras had different values. Although the Beijing Opera is considered a national treasure today, at the time, a manuscript's value was considered less than that of a Buddhist text. Confident that he understood Huang Xuan's tastes, Zhou Shuming skipped the second box and went straight to the one in the center of the table. He made a show of brushing away some imaginary dust before lifting the silk cover. "In that case, have a look at this one…"
"I'll look myself," Huang Xuan replied, irritated, brushing him aside. His lips barely moved as he murmured, "Lorin, give me an estimate."
There was no need for Huang Xuan to flip through the pages. Lorin scanned and compared the contents before reporting, "Zhao Zhiqian's Scholarly Notes and Letters to Hu Peixi; estimated at $1.5 to $2 million. The Fourth Volume of the Song Dynasty's Chunhua Pavilion Calligraphy Collection; estimated at $3.5 to $4.5 million. The Collected Works of Wei Suzhou, Compiled by Song Dynasty Liu Chenweng; estimated at $2 to $2.5 million."
Huang Xuan twitched his nose slightly, suppressing his excitement. He coolly said to Zhou Shuming, "Let's see the next one."
"The Spring and Autumn Annals of the Southern Song Dynasty; estimated at $1 to $1.5 million. The Spring and Autumn Annals of the Song Dynasty (two volumes surviving); estimated at $1 to $1.5 million. The Shurangama Sutra with Commentary; estimated at $2 to $3 million." Since the Ming Dynasty, Song Dynasty editions and manuscripts have been highly praised, valued for their meticulous editing and the abundance of rare copies. In the premium market, Song Dynasty editions have a unique advantage, but they don't always dominate. Particularly during the Republic of China, despite the proliferation of private libraries, many rare books didn't suit modern tastes. Savoring the sentences on the table, Huang Xuan covered his delight with a sip of tea and remarked, "These two boxes are acceptable, but if this is all you've got, Zhou, you won't be walking away with all my grain."