Chapter 1054 – Bidding
Hearing the pronunciation of this Asian-faced man, Zhuang Rui frowned slightly and turned sideways to Huangfu Yun and asked, “Recognize who he is? Seems to be Japanese?”
Although it was no longer popular for Japanese to wear Rendan beards, the Chinese seemed to recognize the Japanese by nature, perhaps the two countries had too many intersections in history.
“That person is called Mao Watanabe, a senior and shareholder of Sony Japan, responsible for the business of Sony Pictures in the United States.”
Huangfu Yun used to work as a lawyer for high-end people, so he was more familiar with the people who were active in the upper class of the United States, and after taking a look at that Japanese man, he called out his origin.
“American Sony?”
Zhuang Rui heard the heart shook a little, that is a behemoth, Hollywood’s absolute predator level one of the film and television companies, the identity of this Japanese middle-aged man, far from those big-name stars can be compared.
Sony was originally no film and television business, but after spending tens of billions of dollars in the acquisition of Columbia Pictures Group Inc. and MGM studios, Sony Pictures Entertainment Ltd. ranks among the ranks of Hollywood’s six major film companies.
Zhuang Rui glanced at Bonadette, and then looked at Watanabe Zeno, in the heart of the heart did not have the good sense to think: “Grandma, let you protect small Japan? Sooner or later, your economic system will be eaten away.”
Japan’s cheap light automobiles, once the United States Ford and other famous automobile brands crowded once almost bankrupt, and now began to culturally enter the American market, not to mention how the Japanese people in other aspects, just say the business mind and enterprise group diversification development mode, I’m afraid that in addition to the Jews, there are very few can be compared to it.
“Mr. Watanabe Mao, on these precious ancient books bid for five and a half million U.S. dollars, gentlemen, ladies, these ancient books can be all the ancient Chinese artists hand copying, its value is inestimable, there is no friend to bid again?”
William saw Zhuang Rui did not increase the price in the first time, and began to show off his world auction first person skills, not to mention, his explanation, really caused a few on-site super-rich people’s attention.
“Six million dollars.”
The one who called out the price was also an Asian face, and after shouting out the price, he raised the wine glass in his hand and nodded to Zhuang Rui.
“Little Superman?”
Zhuang Rui froze for a moment when he saw that person, this was the successor of Hong Kong’s Cheung Kong Industries, in Hong Kong and Macau as well as in the mainland, the tycoon surnamed Li, who was known as the Little Superman, but Bonadette should have invited his father, who was present at this charity auction.
In recent years, the Chinese richest man has gradually faded out of people’s vision, and his two sons, a white-handed entrepreneurial mix of prosperity, the other is to take care of the family industry, gradually known, Zhuang Rui once in Hong Kong’s charity gala, and the little superhero chatted a few words.
“Seven million dollars.”
Although and Lee small superhero has a one-sided relationship, Zhuang Rui also do not want to give up on the “Yongle Dazhong” manuscript bidding, in fact, if on the market value, “Yongle Dazhong” may be far less than Zhuang Rui’s collection of some treasures, such as stereoscopic swords and so on.
But “Yongle Dazhen” carries the most informative history of China’s civilization before the 14th century, such as a condensed society, which can be used for modern historians to study countless subjects, its historical value, almost no antiques can exceed.
To know, in the archaeologists salvage excavation of ancient tombs, the economic value of those relatively expensive artifacts, and not their most important focus, they want to find, often with the text of things, such as bamboo slips and written on silk scrolls, these objects, in the archaeologists as well as historians, the value of its far more than those who can be sold at a shocking price of curiosity above.
The six books of Yongle Dazhi alone, its study of China’s social patterns before the Ming Dynasty, far from any of Zhuang Rui collection of objects can be compared, these are the most informative and detailed information six hundred years ago.
Zhuang Rui had studied archaeology for more than two years, and psychologically, he had gradually changed from a collector of antiques to a scholar who was half-collector and half-academic, which was why he was so excited and out of sorts after seeing the Yongle Canon, which was already an orphan copy.
“Eight million dollars.”
After the little superhero from Hong Kong called out seven million dollars, Watanabe Zhenyang almost didn’t pause and directly added another million dollars, Watanabe Zhenyang’s face was very calm, and in Zhuang Rui’s opinion, he should really want to get these six copies of the “Yongle Grand Canon”.
For Watanabe, as well as Hong Kong’s Li Sheng and others, money is already just a number, these super-rich people, perhaps usually very frugal, but the level and concept of their consumption, and ordinary people are already very different.
In Hong Kong there was once a super rich man who started out as a tie, usually eating and traveling are very simple, but the only thing he likes to watch sports events, and inside the TV is not too much to watch, spent tens of millions of dollars to buy a luxury airliner, is specifically for him to go to all over the world to watch sports matches used, this kind of behavior, people have already been very difficult to use luxury or simplicity to describe their lives.
“Nine million dollars.”
Hong Kong’s Li Sheng raised his hand again, in fact, he did not have much interest in these six books from China’s “Yongle Daxian”, mainly because today to participate in the charity auction, in order to show respect and support for the owner, more or less always have to spend money to shoot something, and so far, only these six books are estimated to be able to pull a little bit of relationship with China, it is with a small superhero before bidding to compete.
With the Lee family investment in Hong Kong and around the world, whether it is financial strength or influence, not much worse than Japan’s Sony, as for Zhuang Rui’s family, it is even less into the eyes of the small superhero, the area of billions of dollars are also mostly fixed assets of the family, making the small superhero pressure simply did not Zhuang Rui as a rival.
At this moment, the small superman bottom, unless these books were auctioned out a price and the actual value of the difference is too far, otherwise the small superman will not give up, since the bidding, halfway out, that face is also very bad.
“10 million dollars, two honorable friends, my family has a collection of 22 books of the Yongle Dazhen good, if you add these six books, it is 28 books, the Chinese have a saying that a gentleman does not take away a person’s good, but also hope that the two will be able to fulfill.”
Watanabe Zenyo from Japan after shouting out the second highest price of the night, walked in the direction of Zhuang Rui and the little superhero, deeply bowed, his mind Zhuang Rui understand very well, this Japanese buddies are reasoning with themselves, this thing our family can get together a little bit more, so it is more appropriate to be photographed away by me.
“Mr. Watanabe Zhenyang, I am really sorry, the Yongle Dazhong in the National Library of China, a total of 222 books, I think …… such a precious cultural relics, or exhibitions outside, for more people to see and understand as well.”
Zhuang Rui lightly looked at Watanabe Zhenyang glance, if the number of collections to calculate, your family those who do not know through what means collected to the “Yongle Daxian” scrolls, are not to be returned to China? Watanabe just did not say it, whoever has more to give.
“20 million dollars. Mr. Watanabe Mao Yao, I feel that these ancient books, in my library is more significant, do you think?”
Zhuang Rui directly doubled the original auction price, only one million dollars short of the ruby he had won flush, for these several books scattered abroad, the Yongle Dictionary, Zhuang Rui was determined to win.
To know, although the Yongle Canon still has private collections abroad, but few people conduct public auctions, such an opportunity, Zhuang Rui is absolutely not willing to miss.
“20 million dollars, isn’t this price a bit high?”
“Yes! My appraiser just told me that the price of these ancient books, should be between five million dollars and eight million dollars, this young man is a bit impulsive.”
“It’s just a few books, they’re not worth that much, right?”
After Zhuang Rui shouted out a high price of 20 million dollars, the venue was suddenly stirred up, these super rich people from all over the world, almost all of them are the most successful businessmen in their respective fields, they are already used to using money to measure the value of an item, so there is a little bit of incomprehensibility to the price shouted out by Zhuang Rui.
“Zhuang Rui, isn’t this price a bit too high?”
Huangfu Yun pulled him gently by Zhuang Rui’s side, after taking over the overall work of the Definitive Light Museum, Huangfu Yun often participated in the antique auctions held around the world, and he was very clear about the prices of these book-like antiques, he felt right now that Zhuang Rui was a bit spirited.
Zhuang Rui shook his head and said, “Brother Huangfu, these are things that can’t be bought with money on a regular basis, so now that I can settle for money, I must buy them.”
The Yongle Dictionary belongs to the kind of antique that has a price but no market, and its value also has a lot of speculation space, at least after Zhuang Rui buys it this time, if there is a Yongle Dictionary remnant for sale in the future, I am afraid that the auction price will have to refer to Zhuang Rui’s current price, so in a sense, the money he has spent has not depreciated in value.
“Mr. Zhuang from China, bidding $20 million, Mr. Watanabe, Mr. Li, do you still insist on pocketing these ancient books?”
After Zhuang Rui shouted out a high bid of 20 million dollars, it seemed that both Zeno Watanabe and the little superhero were a bit surprised, the scene became silent for a moment, and William had to play his profession to save the day.
“I give up, I think …… these ancient books in the hands of Mr. Zhuang, will play a greater role.”
Chinese people abroad, has always been known for disunity, but the little superhero is not fall into the well, shrugged his shoulders and directly withdrew from the bidding.