Chapter 0663 – Castle (I)

“No …… no, Mr. Zhuang, compared to these jewels, I’m a bit more interested in those Picasso sketches in your hands ……”

Ezkena just saw Zhuang Rui at the opening ceremony, has been in the venue to find him, just in the venue around a few laps, have not seen Zhuang Rui’s silhouette, Ezkena where to know, Zhuang Rui just took Qin Xuanbing to go upstairs.

“But this showroom, but is under my banner a handicraft company layout, Mr. Zhuang look at what favorite objects, I let them put away, is a little bit of my humble intentions!”

“Oh? Mr. Ezkena, those Chinese bronzes you have here, but they are worth a lot!”

Zhuang Rui heard Ezkena words, deliberately said, he also wants to test the character of Ezkena, if this guy empty words to admit down, then Zhuang Rui on the back of the deal is not very good, who knows this English gentleman, will not those fake porcelain to fool themselves?

“Mr. Zhuang jokes, those are modern crafts, can not be called a work of art, there is not much money.”

Ezekiel Kenner very frankly said out, which makes Zhuang Rui on his good sense greatly increased, at least in front of himself, Ezekiel Kenner did not take himself as “kai zi” idea.

“Oh, I don’t know Mr. Ezkena, have you sorted out the items on the list you made earlier?”

Zhuang Rui topic turned, back to the two previously discussed the exchange of goods, from recognizing Ezkena in Paris, after the jewelry exposition is to become secondary, Zhuang Rui the purpose of this trip, the main purpose is to facilitate and Ezkena’s transactions.

“Of course, I have been waiting for Mr. Zhuang’s driving, if you have time today, you can come to my castle as a guest, there is an old Chinese saying, called there are friends from afar, the heart is twice as happy, I’m in such a mood now.”

Ezkena in order to draw close and Zhuang Rui’s relationship, changed to use Chinese to talk with Zhuang Rui, only to teach him the Chinese language of that person, is estimated to be a two-stroke, will be the Confucius of that sentence to change the incongruous, listen to Zhuang Rui and Qin Xuan Bing almost laughed out.

“Gladly, I’m also glad to go to Mr. Ezkena’s house as a guest, I wonder when Mr. Ezkena has time?”

Zhuang Rui saw Ezkena’s list of antiques before, has long been a surge of heart, whether it is a ghost valley down the mountain Yuan blue and white porcelain pots, or the five famous kilns of the Southern Song Dynasty porcelain, are extremely rare in the country, even if this time the exchange can not be in the hands of the hand, can play with it in person, that is Zhuang Rui dreamed of.

“Well …… night it! In order to welcome you and this beautiful lady, I’m going to organize a party in the evening, dear Zhuang, what do you think?”

After Ezkena thought for a while, he decided to treat Zhuang Rui with the grandest courtesy, in the British high society, a reception organized for a certain person, that is a way to express the most respect for his person.

Of course, Ezkena specified that he was not honoring Zhuang Rui himself, but was honoring those Picasso works in Zhuang Rui’s hands.

“A party?”

When Zhuang Rui heard this, his head suddenly grew big, he was most afraid of attending these so-called high class people’s parties.

When he was in the country, due to Ouyang Zhenshan entering into the center, Ouyang Jun’s social circle has also changed, in the past half a year or so, there was no shortage of shouts for him to get to know some of the capital’s sons, all of which were rejected by Zhuang Rui, and when he came to a foreign country, Zhuang Rui even more so didn’t want to be in this kind of limelight.

Zhuang Rui glanced at Qin Xuan Bing, saw that she also shook her head slightly, so he looked at Ezkena and said, “Mr. Ezkena, for your sincerity, I express my ten thousand thanks, but you also know that I am a collector, for me, the joy that a fine piece of artwork brings to me, is the greatest.”

Although there is no direct refusal, but Zhuang Rui words in the meaning of the expression is very clear, buddy I’m interested in your family’s antiques, as for the other Well, that’s still forget it!

“Then …… Mr. Zhuang have time to go to my castle as a guest at noon? I still have a bottle of 1870 red wine there, guarantee you will be satisfied.”

Ezkena is very knowledgeable about Chinese culture, he can tell that what Zhuang Rui said is sincere, not the polite words of some people, he also would like Zhuang Rui to select a few pieces of his own collection, which can be exchanged with Zhuang Rui to those Picasso’s sketches.

Although Ezkena is specializing in the collection of Chinese antiques, but for the Western art, he is also doubly concerned, because the top Western art, its value is far beyond the Oriental antiques, which is in the international auction, has long been verified by the facts.

As an antique dealer, Ezekiel will not let go of the opportunity to exchange Picasso’s works from Zhuang Rui’s hands, because if the Europeans have Picasso’s works, Ezekiel wants to use Chinese antiques to exchange with it, which is absolutely a heavenly thing.

Otherwise, not to mention the 1870 red wine, even if it was produced in 2005 this year, I’m afraid that Ezkena wouldn’t even take it out.

“Of course, I’m very happy to receive your invitation.”

Zhuang Rui nodded his head and agreed, but talking to an English gentleman like Ezkena made him uncomfortable.

“Oh great, Mr. Zhuang Rui, I’m going to make some arrangements first, and at noon, there will be a car to pick up the two of you.”

Ezkena’s face showed a happy look when he saw Zhuang Rui agreed, after agreeing on a time with Zhuang Rui, he left the hall of the expo, he must have gone to arrange for the wine banquet at noon.

“I want the freshest foie gras, oh, and caviar, all the best, get someone to send it to my castle right away; go, be quick, it must be done by noon.”

Walking out of the expo, Ezkena took out his cell phone and dialed, which, if heard by Zhuang Rui, would surely rebuke those who are only entertained by salad and fruit plates in foreign countries: who says foreigners are not hospitable?

In foreign countries, go to other people’s homes as a guest, more or less to bring some gifts, of course, the gift is expensive or not is not important, the main is a heart, Zhuang Rui back to the room rummage half a day, did not find any suitable objects.

Finally Zhuang Rui ran to the crew a few people live in the room, took a bottle of He Shuang from Paris to buy red wine, although not 1870, but there are 10 years of years, Ezekiel Kenner is not China? Surely understand the reasoning of sending goose feather …… gift is light and heavy.

At 11 o’clock at noon, Zhuang Rui received a phone call from Ezkena, he has sent a car in front of the hotel waiting, Zhuang Rui with Peng Fei and Qin Xuanbing, plus the white lion, came to the door of the hotel.

This foreign trip, but the white lion to suffocate, far less comfortable than stay in Beijing courtyard house, Zhuang Rui is also heard before Ezkena said, his home is a castle, which is thinking of bringing the white lion out to spread the wind.

“Mr. Zhuang, I am Mr. Ezkena’s butler, here to pick you up, please a few get on the car.”

Ezkena sent a double door extended Rolls Royce, the body was eight or nine meters long, at the door of the car stood a middle-aged white man, after seeing Zhuang Rui, pulled open the door, for the appearance of the white lion, this middle-aged man acted calmly, and did not have the meaning of fear.

Zhuang Rui often heard the name of Rolls Royce, but this is still the first time to sit, the car interior is very spacious, three people plus the white lion sat in, do not feel crowded, and in the two rows of sofas, there are wine coolers and stereo and other things.

The white butler sat in the passenger seat, the car drove out of the hotel, to the suburbs of London in the direction of driving, this road is not close, has been driving for about forty minutes of time, came to the lower reaches of the Thames.

“Mr. Zhuang, in front of you is Mr. Ezkena’s castle, you are welcome to come as a guest.”

In front of the car, Zhuang Rui could see that there stood an imposing ancient castle, compared to which, what villas and what manor houses Zhuang Rui had previously seen appeared to be so small and inconspicuous.

Zhuang Rui know, in Britain, the castle everywhere, although the number is not more than the church, but the history of the long, beautiful landscape, the richness of the connotation, but the church is difficult to compare.

It can be said that: the castle is a great wonder of Britain, England and Scotland between the years of war, and the strategic relationship with the European countries, as well as a long history of the monarchy, so that the island of Great Britain is distributed in large and small, countless castles of all kinds.

Castles were built for two purposes, one is the owner’s residence, to include bedrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, banquet halls and other places of life, princes and noblemen try to decorate the gorgeous and comfortable and to beautiful scenery.

Another role is naturally defense, both self-contained self-sufficiency and can resist foreign invasions, so the castle is mostly built in strategic locations, the use of natural hazards and with strong walls and military equipment.

However, in the 20th century, most of the castles in the United Kingdom were taken back by the British royal family, managed, protected, maintained and introduced to the public by specialized foundations.

Some castles, however, are private property, but the huge inheritance tax makes the descendants of the heirs of various titles happy to open their castles to the public, not only as a good way to raise funds, but also to show tourists from all over the world a variety of rich collections collected over the years.

Only the truly super-rich lived in these historic castles and spent huge sums of money on their annual restoration, and it was clear that Ezkena was one of them.

Books said, and their own eyes see, or not the same, far from looking at this belongs to Ezkena’s private castle, or let Zhuang Rui heart shocked.

There is a special road leading to the castle, according to the housekeeper said, from that road, all belong to Ezkena’s private territory, the car after passing through several iron gates, directly parked in the open space in front of the castle gate.