Chapter 63

Zhang Jicheng made a polite gesture towards the portly man before pointing at Tang Feng standing behind him, “I’ve recently taken on a new apprentice, so I brought him here to familiarize himself with the rules.”

The portly man looked at Tang Feng with astonishment, “Wow, to be able to become a disciple of Mr. Zhang, it seems this young man is exceptionally talented, destined for a limitless future.”

The portly man’s expression was very exaggerated while he spoke, leaving it unclear if he was being sincere or just excessively flattering.

“Feng, this is Mr. Pei Tianyuan, the owner of Shengdingxuan Antique Shop. Once you take over as Ya Garden’s chief appraiser, you’ll inevitably deal with Mr. Pei, so consider this an introduction,” Zhang Jicheng turned back and introduced Pei Tianyuan to Tang Feng.

With a clear understanding, Tang Feng immediately emulated his master and bowed to Mr. Pei, “Tang Feng, pleased to meet Mr. Pei.”

Pei Tianyuan returned the gesture with a smile, clicking his tongue in amazement, “I didn’t expect Mr. Zhang to hold Mr. Tang in such high regard. Are you planning on having him take over as Ya Garden’s chief appraiser?”

As he spoke, Pei Tianyuan also glanced at Qin Yanan, observing that the owner of Ya Garden didn’t deny it, prompting him to regard Tang Feng even more highly.

Being acknowledged by both the owner of Ya Garden and the chief appraiser suggested that this young man truly had something special about him.

“Well, he has some talent, but there’s still a lot he needs to learn. Mr. Pei, I’ll be counting on you to provide guidance in the future, so this youngster doesn’t get too cocky,” said Zhang Jicheng modestly, though his face wore a proud smile, indicating his insincerity.

“What guidance? Supporting the younger generation is what we should be doing, isn’t it? If Mr. Tang has any questions in the future when his respected master is not around, feel free to come to me,” replied Pei Tianyuan, promptly agreeing to help.

Tang Feng bowed again in thanks, maintaining the demeanor of a junior.

After chatting idly with Zhang Jicheng for a moment, a van pulled up to the door, and Pei Tianyuan excused himself.

“Mr. Zhang, you go ahead and show your apprentice around. We’ve just received some new stock at my shop, and I need to take care of it. If you need anything, just tell the staff,” Pei Tianyuan said.

“Please, go ahead with your business, Mr. Pei. We’ll just take a look around,” Zhang Jicheng replied, equally courteous.

Tang Feng witnessed this exchange and felt slightly surprised.

Logically speaking, being located directly across from each other, these antique shops should be rivals.

Yet from their recent conversation, there wasn’t the slightest hint of animosity; they seemed as harmonious as family.

At least, that’s how it appeared on the surface.

Just as he was about to inquire further, his expression shifted abruptly.

At that moment, a man with a small mustache got out of the van, opened the back door, then hopped in and began unloading several tightly wrapped boxes.

Meanwhile, Pei Tianyuan, along with a few assistants, waited for the man to set down the boxes before they carefully began to unpack and inspect the contents.

“Qianlong Official Kiln Blue and White Moon-Flask Vase… Estimated value: 200,000…”

“Qing Guangxu Official Kiln Famille Rose Hongfu Qitian Water Chestnut Flask… Estimated value: 500,000…”

“Song Dynasty Cizhou Kiln Pillow…”

When he activated the scanning system, the information for these antiques appeared before his eyes, which took him by surprise.

Almost every item was a gem, none of them counterfeit.

He immediately turned to Zhang Jicheng, “Master, these are all excellent pieces.”

Zhang Jicheng nodded, “Indeed, Mr. Pei has a good supply channel.”

Tang Feng’s eyes darted around before he leaned closer and whispered to his master, “Master, should I go and find out where they acquired these goods from?”

Zhang Jicheng gave him a stern look, pulling him aside to scold in a low voice, “Let me tell you now, the third rule of the antique industry: do not pry into the supply channels of your peers.”

Tang Feng scratched his head, “Aren’t we competitors? Why can’t we inquire about it?”

Zhang Jicheng’s expression was very serious, “It is extremely difficult for any shop to establish a supply channel. If everyone began poaching, it would cause chaos in the industry.”

“Yes, master, I understand my mistake,” Tang Feng quickly agreed, although he didn’t fully grasp the reasoning behind his master’s earnestness.

Zhang Jicheng’s expression softened slightly, “The fourth rule of the antique industry: do not inquire about the purchase price of another’s goods. Even if they bought it for a single penny, that is a result of their own capability.”

Tang Feng found this rule easier to comprehend.

After all, no one would like to disclose their bottom line to others.

Seeing that Tang Feng’s attitude was reasonable, Zhang Jicheng led him into the shop.

The business at Shengdingxuan Antique Shop was busier than at Ya Garden, with many clerks introducing items to customers.

One had to admit, these clerks had the gift of gab, mesmerizing the customers completely.

After walking around the shop, Tang Feng noticed several transactions being made.

There was even one poor sap who spent over half a million on a bracelet.

But scanning the bracelet, Tang Feng realized it was worth no more than two hundred thousand.

Making such a hefty profit was outright unscrupulous.

Seeing that the buyer seemed quite naive, Tang Feng wanted to subtly warn him.

Zhang Jicheng, always observant of his apprentice’s actions, noticed his expression and promptly tugged at him, “I’d advise you not to meddle.”

Tang Feng was displeased, “Isn’t this a bit too unscrupulous? Selling a bracelet that’s worth two hundred thousand for five hundred thousand?”

Zhang Jicheng looked at him and couldn’t help but sigh, “This leads me to the fifth rule: never undermine your peers. Whether their prices are high or low, you must speak well of them and never cause them to lose face.”

“Isn’t this collusion?” Tang Feng couldn’t help but mutter.

“It may sound unpleasant, but that’s the way it is. If we start undermining each other’s business, the industry itself wouldn’t last long,” Zhang Jicheng admitted candidly.

Tang Feng was speechless, yet he began to understand the rationale.

Zhang Jicheng then pointed to another customer.

That customer was just about to receive a porcelain vase from the clerk, and nearly let it slip from his grip.

Fortunately, he managed to catch it in time, averting potential disaster.

“The sixth rule of the antique industry: never pass items directly. If you’re interested in something, you must wait for the other person to put it down on the table before you touch it. If any mishap occurs during the handover, it’s very difficult to clarify the responsibility.”

After hearing these six rules, Tang Feng grew to deeply respect his teacher.

He had indeed chosen the right master.