Appraising treasures is a time for everyone to showcase their unique skills, much like the legend of the Eight Immortals crossing the sea.
...
Wealthy individuals enjoy buying stones, hoping for a win. The thrill of cutting open a stone to reveal translucent, jade-green jade sends a rush of excitement through them. They are rich, coming from all over the country, and a few million dollars is nothing to them; they truly spend money like water.
However, indifference is not the same as recklessness. Even when playing Dou Dizhu, one considers strategy, right?
Therefore, buyers always bring an assistant; it's standard practice. Someone like Li Dazhi, arriving so casually and without a mask, is rare. But one shouldn't underestimate Li Dazhi because of this. Everyone calls him Captain, and it's not for nothing. His hard-won, firsthand experiences are something few could endure. He's far more seasoned than most.
...
Many familiar faces are present, entering the exhibition hall with polite demeanor.
Today, there are perhaps a few dozen major patrons, along with their assistants, making a total of over a hundred people. Clearly, the venue's crowd control is excellent. These people move through the exhibition area, neither too sparse nor too crowded. Shun Ge and I join the flow, and I observe that many are not locals, their accents varied. Some are strangers, others seem familiar with the routine. But regardless of who they are, their attention is fixed on the stones.
Understanding the situation, I immediately realize that if I keep watching others, I'll stand out. I decide to focus my attention on the stones. In a sense, the raw stones displayed on the racks are not truly "bagged roughs."
True bagged roughs are those that come directly from the mine, are cleaned of mud and sand, and then directly wrapped in burlap. These are called bagged roughs.
Although these bagged roughs show no signs of cutting or polishing, they have already undergone a first round of selection. Then, the assistants of these prominent figures present at the venue conduct a second round of screening.
Those who gamble on stones aren't truly gambling; it requires high technical skill. Raw stones have various patterns, like "python bands." Experienced masters can use these subtle marks to select valuable jade.
...
During the appraisal period, these individuals use their experience to identify raw stones, which they will then bid on in the "Qiang San" (Grab Three) event.
The "Qiang San" event is somewhat like an auction, but it resembles Dou Dizhu in its format.
Starting at 300,000, the second bid is 500,000, and the third is 1,000,000.
In addition to the three bids, there's also a "T" rule. A "T" costs 2,000,000, and there's a condition: only participants in "Qiang San" are eligible for "T."
In other words, to acquire a good stone at the Kong Wu venue, one needs not only the experience to identify stones but also the determination to win them.
For instance, if you hesitate at this point, the stone might be taken by someone else on the first bid. If you see someone buy it and impulsively spend 500,000 to snatch it, two things could happen.
First, you spend 500,000 on an uncertain stone that's not worth that price.
Second, 500,000 is just an intermediate step. Someone else bids 1,000,000, and the stone slips through your fingers. To get it again, you'd have to pay for "T," which means the full 2,000,000.
Spending 2,000,000 on a bagged rough might seem insane. On the market, these bagged roughs cost only 100-200 per kilogram. Assuming a raw stone weighs 50 kilograms, its market value would be just over 10,000, yet you're spending 2,000,000.
...
The math is simple, yet some people prefer to spend 2,000,000 here rather than 10,000 on the market. This puzzles me.
...
I don't understand stones, yet I'm blending in with these experts. Sometimes, listening to their hushed discussions, my questions become uncontainable. I finally ask, "Shun Ge, these don't look any different from the roughs you bid on. How are theirs so valuable?"
Shun Ge gives a wry smile. "They can't be the same. The bagged roughs brought by those Burmese at customs are, frankly, pre-selected. The mine workers sell them to the local Burmese because they deem them worthless. Buying those kinds of materials, you lose nine out of ten times."
I understand. No wonder those who wanted to get rich overnight in the jade gambling shops of Ruili ended up with nothing. So, this is the reason.
"No wonder you guys bring in raw stones and leave with raw stones, only profiting from the markup. So, you lose money gambling yourselves."
Shun Ge sighs. "Actually, the more stones we sell, the more I feel like I'm selling my conscience for a meager living."
"You can't blame yourselves. People keep flocking to gamble on stones because nine out of ten lose. There's still that one who doesn't."
Shun Ge nods with a wry smile, then asks me, "Have you seen anything you like?"
"Yes, item number 3 and item number 17."
...
During this appraisal period, most people remain silent, their entire focus on the stones. I, on the other hand, feel more relaxed and begin to ponder. The Kong Wu celebrity circle must be a scheme, but what kind of scheme? Even now, I'm still somewhat unclear.
Formulating a scheme follows the principles of heaven, earth, and man. Heaven represents the trend; for example, Boss Xie wanting to buy my premium jade rough is a trend. I used this trend, setting up the layout in the hotel, which is the earth, the location. Although I almost failed, Old Ghost compensated for my shortcomings in managing people, allowing me to bring the swindler Boss Xie to justice.
From the current stage, I can only discern two points. These wealthy individuals, due to some form of trust, spend large sums on raw stones at Kong Wu under the guise of celebrities. This is the trend. Based on the information I have, smuggling is a gimmick. These celebrities cannot buy directly from Burma, so Kong Wu uses illegal smuggling to allow them to spend lavishly on genuine jade roughs, a point recognized by all celebrities who come to Kong Wu.
Therefore, this willingness to spend, this trend, is the 'heaven' in the 'Kong Wu Celebrity Scheme.'
Besides heaven, the venue's arrangement and the rules for bidding on stones are the 'earth.'
With both opportune timing and favorable location, all that's needed is a suitable pawn to complete the scheme.
...
Who is the pawn?
This is something I haven't figured out yet.
While I'm lost in thought, the two hours of appraisal time pass swiftly. Judging by their expressions, many are confident.
A brief rest and discussion follow, after which the celebrities enter the final segment of the day: "Qiang San."
The seating for "Qiang San" is similar to an auction. Participants can choose their seats freely. When bidding, the auctioneer will tally bids based on their name tags, confirm the buyer, and then cut the stone on the spot.
Shun Ge and I find seats not too far from the front, watching as a woman in a cheongsam, exuding captivating charm, with exquisite makeup and a friendly smile, walks onto the stage under the soft lights.
"Hello everyone, I am Qin Sisi, and I am delighted that Kong Wu, after two months of restructuring, is once again meeting with you all. I must say, we have been through a lot these past few days, facing unimaginable difficulties. However, the owner of Kong Wu remains a trustworthy figure. He has promised that as long as he is alive, he will always present the finest raw stones on Kong Wu's auction stage."
Her words leave some confused, but they elicit warm applause from some of the regular customers.
Restructuring?
I glance at Captain Li Dazhi, who had sat near us earlier. Li Dazhi lowers his voice and says, "The police conducted a widespread crackdown, but it only grazed Kong Wu. They will never find out who the boss of Kong Wu truly is."
The police will undoubtedly target these smugglers. It makes me realize how difficult their job is. These smugglers are like weeds in a wasteland; even if they seem to be completely burned away, they flourish and regenerate in no time.
The roots of Kong Wu lie with its mysterious owner, a topic of much hushed conversation among celebrities. For the police to eradicate this method of profiting from smuggling, they must apprehend Kong Wu's boss. Currently, the police likely have no leads.
"Without further ado, as you all know, Kong Wu always likes to start with a bang. Therefore, the value of item number one is self-evident. It may not be the best tonight, but it is certainly good. Patrons, you may now bid. 300,000. Excellent, guest number 9, I see your signal. 500,000, someone's competing! Guest number 14, 1,000,000. You truly trust us, thank you!"
I am truly ignorant. I finally understand why this is called the "celebrity circle," why it's called "Qiang" (grab). In the blink of an eye, bids have reached a million.
"T."
Guest number 9 raises his hand without hesitation. I am close enough to him to stare, completely stunned.
I am stunned not because guest number 9 is spending lavishly, but because from my vantage point, I clearly see a character for "ghost" (鬼) on his arm. When the guests were entering, I saw someone with a "ghost" character on their clothing. At that time, I was certain it was a pawn sent by Old Ghost, and we would cooperate to acquire those two items. However, this person with the "ghost" character on their sleeve is not that person.
Could it be that these "ghosts" are not pawns sent by Old Ghost?
As if struck by enlightenment, I widen my eyes and scan the room. There are about 50 bidding parties, and an astonishing number, over a dozen, have the "ghost" character.
What are these "ghosts" for?
...
"What are you spacing out for? Let's cut the stone."
Shun Ge pulls me, bringing my attention back. I'm a bit surprised. "It's being cut already?"
How it's cut is up to the buyer. Guest number 9 draws a line with a marker. The cutting sound pierces the air, tugging at everyone's heartstrings. At this moment, everyone is staring intently at the stone. Only I let my gaze fall on Qin Sisi, wondering if she is the owner. This beautiful woman seems to sense my gaze, looks over at me, and gives me a radiant smile.
The stone is cut open, and exclamations of awe arise. I look at the opened section, recalling Old Ghost's description of jade: translucent as water.
"It's a good cut, isn't it?"
"Yes, this piece is worth eight figures."
"Why didn't you bid earlier? Do you think I'm broke?"
"If I see something suitable, I'll definitely go for it. We can't let others snatch it away."
"Boss, I honestly don't see anything particularly good about item number one."
"If you can't tell with your experience, how can Kong Wu stay in business?"
I strain my ears to gather the whispers, and the framework of the scheme in my mind begins to take shape. Item number 2 is presented. Fueled by the excitement of item number 1, the seemingly unremarkable item number 2 is also snatched up for a million.
However, this time, customer number 19, who acquired item number 2, is filled with regret. The stone is cut open on site, its quality is average, a "bean-grade" jade. Despite being a large piece, it could only yield a few dozen ring stones. A million dollars doesn't even recoup a fraction of the cost.
Perhaps because of this, the excitement significantly diminishes by the time item number 3 is presented.
I nudge Shun Ge, and he raises his hand.
Qin Sisi's eyes crinkle into a smile. "Guest number 2, 30... Oh, I thought everyone's blood had cooled down. Apparently not. Guest number 26, 500,000."
As guest number 26 raises his hand, I happen to see a "ghost" character on his shoulder.
Because I told Shun Ge that item number 3 is something good, Shun Ge intends to go all out and prepare to bid 1,000,000. He is about to make a move when I stop him. Shun Ge looks at me in surprise. "Don't bid. If you offer 1,000,000, he'll definitely T."
"How is that possible?"
Shun Ge doesn't believe me. Just then, someone raises their hand and bids 1,000,000.
As expected, guest number 26 raises his hand without hesitation: "T."