Chapter 1382: The ‘Preface to the Orchid Pavilion’ gets auctioned for an astronomical price! Translator: Legge Editor: Legge
The calligraphy piece was complete!
There were a total of 324 characters!
There was joy and there was melancholy!
It started off calmly and surged in emotion as it went on!
And from that surge, it returned back to calm!
It was a roller coaster of emotions that rose and fell beautifully!
Every word was like a raging torrent!
Every word was shocking to those who read it!
At this moment, no one at the venue said anything!
At this moment, there was a silence among those watching the live broadcast across Asia!
Everyone was quietly looking at this piece of calligraphy. At this precise point in time, it was as though no words could describe the shock they were feeling. It felt like this piece of calligraphy had been sent down from the Heavens for reasons unknown to amaze all mortals!
In Zhang Ye’s previous world, there weren’t too many people who could claim to be the world’s best at something. Who was the best Go player in the world? This was greatly disputable since no one particular person could be called so! Whose ink wash painting was the number one in the world? Everyone had their own candidate in mind, so that wasn’t a surety either! Who was the world’s best when it came to poetry? The Immortal Poet 1 ? The Sage of Poetry 2 ? There were still too many and no one dared to make a conclusion! But only in the domain of calligraphy was there an acknowledged world’s best! Only Wang Xizhi was worthy of the title!
Wang Xizhi!
“Preface to the Orchid Pavilion”!
The world’s best semi-cursive!
It was indisputable!
No one could suggest a second person for it!
In this world, it was clear that no one knew who Wang Xizhi was, nor had anyone heard of the famous “Preface to the Orchid Pavilion.” This was because they had never existed here. So when Zhang Ye was finally skilled enough to bring out this piece of calligraphy to amaze the people of this world, everyone was shocked by it. They could not help but be stunned by every written character and their strokes!
Xiaodong said in a daze, “Xiaoxian.”
Li Xiaoxian said, “Hm?”
Xiaodong asked, “Just how good is this calligraphy?”
Li Xiaoxian fell silent. She did not know how to answer the question. After thinking for a long time, she finally gave her opinion, “This is something that should only belong in the Heavens!”
Amy quickly asked, “How about as compared to Miyamoto Shinshou’s work?”
Chen Guang also asked, “Right, which of them is better?”
Other people around them were also talking.
The group of Chinese businesspeople.
“Who won?”
“So whose calligraphy is better?”
“Yeah, does anyone know?”
“Don’t just keep quiet. Who here knows anything about calligraphy?”
“Is there anyone who understands calligraphy?”
“Won’t someone please give us an analysis?”
Of course, some of the people in attendance knew calligraphy quite well. In fact, there was no shortage of experts here. But when they heard this question, they couldn’t be bothered to answer. Whose calligraphy was better? By now, after seeing Zhang Ye’s entire piece of calligraphy, why would anyone ask that? Aren’t you insulting others that way? Didn’t you see how even Miyamoto Shinshou has stopped talking? There was simply no way to compare Miyamoto Shinshou’s and Zhang Ye’s calligraphy!
Wasn’t it obvious enough?
Was there still doubt?
In the presence of the “Preface to the Orchid Pavilion,” no other semi-cursive could exist in this world!
The Korean host was staring at the calligraphy piece in bewilderment.
Zhang Ye turned and glanced at him.
Only then did the host react. He quickly said, “Th-Then let’s get the bidding started. Teacher Zhang, this calligraphy piece is called—”
Zhang Ye smiled and answered, “‘Preface to the Orchid Pavilion.’”
The Korean host announced, “Next up, we will hold the bidding for ‘Preface to the Orchid Pavilion—’”
But before he could even finish the announcement, people were already calling out bids from the crowd!
“1 million!” The person who called out this bid was a Japanese businessman!
A rather fat CEO from Korea even stood up to bid. “$1.2 million USD!”
Another Japanese businessman glared as he yelled, “2 million!”
Everyone was horrified!
Xiaodong nearly fainted. “My God!”
Amy was dumbfounded. “It surpassed the previous figure! It surpassed it!”
Chen Guang said in shock, “$2 million USD?”
Big Qi exclaimed, “This is ridiculous! Ridiculous!”
Only three bids had been placed so far!
Just three bids and it was already at $2 million USD?
This surpassed the final price of Miyamoto Shinshou’s item!
And the bidders were even those Japanese and Korean businessmen who had mocked Zhang Ye for thinking too highly of himself?
But they were still in for a greater shock. The next second, the Chinese businesspeople finally reacted as they rolled up their sleeves to join in the bidding!
“2.1 million!”
“2.4 million!”
“2.9 million!”
“3 million!”
“3.5 million!”
“5 million!”
The price was getting higher and higher!
The bids were getting scarier and scarier!
The price was even jumping up by the millions!
Boss Sun got angry. “Old Chu, why are you competing with me for it!”
Boss Chu rolled his eyes. “May the best man win!”
He raised up his paddle. “6 million!”
Boss Han, who was next to them, gave a fist and palm salute. “Everyone, I am older than you by a few years, so allow me to address all of you as my little brothers. Please give me some face and let me have this piece of calligraphy, alright?”
Boss Chu was having none of it. “Brother Han, that won’t do!”
Boss Han said, “Didn’t I give up that business deal to you the last time?”
Boss Chu said shamelessly, “Business is business; it has nothing to do with the auction!”
Boss Sun said, “That’s right! It belongs to whoever can fork out the most for it! I’m absolutely not giving up on it!”
He also raised his paddle. “7 million!”
A Japanese businessman sitting at a table across from them roared, “7.5 million!”
It was crazy!
The bidding on the floor had gone insane!
…
Japan.
Somewhere.
“Sir.”
“Who’s at the venue?”
“Mr. Matsuda.”
“Call him and tell him to make sure he gets that calligraphy piece!”
“Yes, sir!”
…
Korea.
“Quickly, make the phone call!”
“Yes!”
“Tell President Park! Make sure he wins the auction for this ‘Preface to the Orchid Pavilion!’”
“Then the price—”
“At all costs!”
“Understood!”
…
China.
At Zhang Ye’s maternal grandma’s house.
“Oh my God!”
“Are they high?”
“Is Brother’s calligraphy worth so much money?”
“Th-This is terrifying!”
“No way, I have to get home!”
“Mengmeng, why are you going back at this time? We’re still watching the live broadcast!”
“Shoot, I gotta go back home to sift through my workbooks from two years ago! Brother helped me with my homework back then! He wrote so many words in there! Just think how much that’ll be worth! I gotta find it and sell it, then I won’t have to go to school anymore!”
“Ah! I remember now as well. Brother has also helped me with my homework before! I’m rich! We’re rich!”
The sisters were extremely excited!
That left the adults of the family at a loss!
…
At the venue.
The bidding was still happening!
The bids had reached the frightening sum of more than $10 million USD!
The venue could only be described as insanity!
Zhang Ye had long since returned to his own seat in the audience to watch the bidding with the members of the Chinese celebrity team.
“15 million!”
“17 million!”
“I’ll bid 20 million!”
“I’ll bid 25 million!”
Boss Sun gave a bitter smile at those bids. He placed his paddle face down and was no longer in the race to win the item. He wasn’t rich enough to be so generous with his bidding. It was already above 100 million RMB. It still hurt to part with that much money.
Over there, Boss Chu and Boss Han were still fighting to outbid the Japanese and Korean businessmen!
“Damn! 26 million!”
“29 million!”
“30 million!”
At this moment, Boss Sun received a call and was stunned for a moment. Without even thinking after hanging up, he raised his paddle again and said, “$32 million dollars!”
Boss Chu was very shocked. “Old Sun, did you have too much to drink?”
Boss Han said angrily, “Didn’t you already give up on bidding for it?”
Boss Sun waved the phone in his hand helplessly and said, “Old Zhou just called me. He couldn’t be here, so he wanted me to help him bid for it.”
Boss Chu said exasperatedly, “That Old Zhou, what’s he joining in the fun for!”
The competition was getting even more intense!
It was reaching the climax!
The bids were going back and forth as the price kept climbing!
Japan, Korea, and China. The parties from these three countries had launched into a fierce fight for the item. The price had reached an astronomical figure that shocked many people!
“41 million!”
“42 million!”
Xiaodong was wiping away sweat!
Amy nearly pissed her pants!
Xu Meilan was stunned!
This was way too crazy!
Were they really going all out for it?!
But at this moment, just as the auction was reaching a stalemate with the bids seemingly unable to rise any further, and when many of the businesspeople were starting to hesitate!
A voice rang out!
“I’ll bid 100 million!”
The entire venue fell silent!
Everyone turned in shock to look at the person who had just spoken!
100 million?
$100 million USD?!
It was Qian Haitao!
China’s richest man, Qian Haitao!
Boss Sun gave a bitter smile.
Boss Han sighed.
The Japanese businessmen’s faces changed and they went quiet!
A Korean businessman was just about to say something but held back. In the end, he could only throw down his paddle!
The host said, “100 million, going once. Are there any higher bidders? 100 million, going twice? Anyone? Are there any higher bids? And sold!”
The hammer was dropped!
The deal was complete!
