Chapter 0651 – The Bottom Line (III)

The auction house in Paris organized a special auction of Chinese artworks, inviting more than 100 Chinese collectors from all over the world, while the total number of participants in the auction was less than 200 people.

It can be said that if all the Chinese in the venue left, the auction would have ended without a trace.

No matter how much the Chinese like infighting and how disunited they usually are, but after Zhuang Rui’s words, they all stood up and followed behind him, protesting against the auction organizing committee with speechless actions.

Even if some people don’t want to leave, in front of the power, can only tend to, from the auction platform to the door is only a few dozen short meters, walking in the forefront of the Zhuang Rui behind, has followed more than a hundred people.

The field of the flash constantly flashing, the Paris Chinese art auction, had been protested by the Chinese officials, is also concerned by the media, many media organizations have sent a reporter to focus on the auction.

At the scene there are not only the media in Paris, there are also news media from China, after the first lot, made such a big gimmick, undoubtedly let these people engaged in journalism work, are like a chicken blood general excitement.

“Hey man, move over, you’re taking my spot.” A man holding a camera was nudging the man in front of him.

“Sorry, but I’m way ahead of you.”

The man in front of him refused to push back in the slightest, this was big news! It’s sure to be on the headlines of all the major newspapers tomorrow, and the pictures he takes from a good position will surely fetch a good price, uh, this one is a freelance reporter.

“Excuse me, please make way.”

At this time, Zhuang Rui who walked in the forefront of the crowd, was blocked by a group of reporters who blocked his retreat, countless flash lights flashed in front of him, which made Zhuang Rui’s heart a little annoyed, buddy cynicism, how come he attracted so much attention ah?

“This gentleman, I’m a reporter from the London Times, may I have an exclusive interview with you?”

“Hey man, good point! Leave a contact number! I’ll be back to do an exclusive interview with you.”

“Hello sir, I’m a reporter from CNN in the U.S. Can I simply ask you a few questions?”

“Hello, I’m a reporter from the Evening de France, can I ask you a few questions about what you just said?”

For a while, countless microphones and recording pens were handed to Zhuang Rui’s mouth, some reporters who were far away even climbed onto the back of their counterparts in front of them, the scene was extremely chaotic.

“Shit, this when the reporter also need to have a good body ah!”

Zhuang Rui speechless looking at these people in front of him, he is also a little overwhelmed, originally just figure a heartache, did not expect actually incurred such a big storm, look at the momentum, I’m afraid not to wait until tomorrow, the whole world will know what happened today.

“Damn, God! If these things were reported by the reporters, it would be a huge scandal!”

Richard, who had just been confused by Zhuang Rui’s reaction, would suddenly react this time, but he didn’t have the slightest solution, losing his temper was out of his control.

“Fire George immediately, I don’t know what this pig said to that man?”

Poor lawyer George, he was only following his boss’s instructions to do things, but when it came to this moment, the unlucky one could only be him.

“It’s over, this auction is completely finished.”

The auction house’s boss Richard sat back on the sofa paralyzed, with a gray face, Richard did not think that the Chinese, who have not been very united, would actually be incited by a few words from this young man, the effect was simply better than Jefferson’s words as an auctioneer.

Organize an auction, in the early stage is to do a lot of work, auction printing publicity, all to spend a lot of money, Richard for this auction expectations are very high, in the early stage has spent hundreds of thousands of euros, and now it seems that it is likely that the blood money is not returned.

In addition for those who provide the owner of the lot, he also has to compensate for the loss, because some of the lots he signed an agreement, in a certain minimum price auction does not go out, he will have to eat down, so Richard’s loss is also big.

“Richard, now is not the time to pursue the responsibility, it’s better to think about it first, how to appease these Chinese people?”

Sitting beside Richard was the partner of the auction house, Daniel Handy, although at this time Daniel was also anxious with beads of sweat all over his forehead, but finally he put forward a constructive opinion.

“Right, right, Daniel, quickly notify the security guards and ask these Chinese to go to the conference room to get the situation under control.”

Richard jumped up like a dream when he heard Daniel’s words, what happened today was like a nightmare for him, he had been working in the auction house for decades and it was the first time he had seen a large-scale buyer withdrawing from a meeting.

After using the walkie-talkie to give instructions, Richard and Daniel also hurriedly headed downstairs, now counting on Jefferson to control the scene? That was almost impossible, because poor Jefferson, at this point, had already shouted at the top of his lungs on the stage, and no one paid any attention to him.

Just when the auction house owner was trying to find a way to calm things down, the auction hall was bustling with activity, at least more than ten reporters from various countries, surrounded Zhuang Rui with questions in different languages, making Zhuang Rui’s head almost explode.

“Say less, it’s best not to say a single word.”

Huangfu Yun, who was standing beside Zhuang Rui, was a lawyer, he knew that no matter what Zhuang Rui said, it would be twisted by these reporters, and hurriedly reminded him in Zhuang Rui’s ear.

“Sorry, no comment.”

After Zhuang Rui heard Huangfu Yun’s words, he suddenly remembered a line he often saw in movies, and blurted it out, but those reporters weren’t so easy to fool, still holding up their microphones and chattering questions.

“Mr. Zhuang, I heard that you serve as the director of the National Jade Association in China, so does your behavior today represent the opinion of Chinese officials?”

The reporter from the Evening de France who had just asked the question posed an unsavory question.

“Oh, I don’t think you understand the composition of the Jade Association, it’s just a civil organization, as well as the fact that my actions only represent individuals.”

Zhuang Rui couldn’t help but reply back after hearing the man’s words, hearing Huangfu Yun behind him in a cold sweat, but luckily, Zhuang Rui didn’t fall into the man’s trap.

“Then why are there so many people behind you?” That reporter saw Zhuang Rui open his mouth and relentlessly pursued the question.

“You have to ask them this question, I only represent me personally, I’m sorry, please make way, you’re blocking my way.”

After answering the man’s words with an expressionless face, Zhuang Rui gently pushed him aside, however, he still wasn’t able to walk out of this auction hall.

Because at this moment, the security guards of the venue, who had been dumbfounded just now, finally received instructions from the bosses to stop all those reporters, trying to salvage some impact as much as possible.

The bosses of the auction house knew that once this matter was publicized, it would be an extremely heavy blow to the credibility of their auction house.

No matter what the reason was, with buyers from an entire country or geographic region walking out en masse, the fault must be on the auction house’s side.

And it was also true that Jefferson informing the organizing party to send a lawyer to warn Zhuang Rui was indeed an incredibly stupid thing to do.

Obviously, the auction house didn’t pay enough attention to Zhuang Rui in the beginning, and they thought that sending a lawyer to warn the young man would definitely get them a satisfactory answer, but the development of the matter was completely opposite to what they had imagined.

This matter to a small point is to hurt the feelings of Chinese buyers, to a large point, that is France refuses to recognize history, this is to hurt the feelings of the people of China and France, the auction house’s boss Richard can not afford to carry this responsibility.

“Mr. Zhuang, Mr. Zhuang please stay, I make a sincere apology to you for the inappropriate words of some people, I also hope that we can communicate, this should be a misunderstanding.”

Richard who had just rushed down from the second floor private room, sweating profusely stood in front of Zhuang Rui, making an extremely sincere expression, the waist that had never been bent, at this moment also bent down to Zhuang Rui, there was even a pleading look on his face.

“Mr. Zhuang, I believe that what happened just now, is just the private behavior of some people, it doesn’t represent the auction house, I think, we can sit down and talk about it, for the harm caused to you, we will definitely make compensation and apologize.”

Daniel’s attitude was equally respectful, causing many of the auction house employees present to be shocked, the two big men appearing at the same time to plead with a young man, this was something they had never seen before.

As for George, the lawyer who was 10 or so meters away from Zhuang Rui and the others, he had an unbelievable expression on his face, what he said was authorized by them, how did it come to the point where it actually became his own private act?

“Daniel, you have to be responsible for your words, I’m a lawyer employed by your firm, all of my words are authorized by you, let go of me, I’m going to sue you.”

“Security, take him out, he doesn’t represent our auction house.”

Daniel didn’t wait for George to finish his words, and immediately signaled the security guard next to him, pulling him out, while George’s voice, still echoed in the ears of the crowd.

“The two of you are?”

Zhuang Rui looked at the two middle-aged men in front of him with some doubts, the scene just now looked in Zhuang Rui’s eyes, it was nothing more than a dog-eat-dog farce.

“I am the chairman of this auction house, Richard, this is Daniel, I think only our words can represent the will of the auction house, Mr. Zhuang, all of you friends, please also go to the conference room first, we can give you a satisfactory answer.”

Richard took the microphone that his employee just handed over and shouted loudly to the crowd in front of him.