Gu Hongming looked at Lu Shi and asked for advice,

Lu Shi gestured with a very small amplitude of his chin.

Gu Hongming stepped forward, looked at the painting scroll handed over by the other party, focused his attention on the jade button, nodded, and said, "Well, it's indeed not a jade pendant, it's a jade button." ”

The soldier saw that Gu Hongming knew how to do it, so he stretched out his right hand,

"Sir, I'm Captain of the 1st Bengal Cavalry Regiment, Claureus Johnson."

Lu Shi was a little surprised,

"Troops in India?"

Johnson glanced at him, did not answer, but stared at Gu Hongming, waiting for Gu Hongming to introduce himself.

Obviously, he felt that Lu Shi was too young.

Gu Hongming was unmoved, nor did he shake hands with the other party,

"Captain, do you know what a jade buckle is?"

Johnson shook his head,

"Frankly, all I know is that thing is a piece of jade."

Gu Hongming explained: "You see this piece of jade, the appearance is sleek and flexible, there are holes, and there is the practical value of the button, so it is called 'jade buckle'; ”

Johnson was overjoyed when he saw Gu Hongming's head,

But he was still worried about being deceived, so he had a tentative mind and asked: "The old gentleman said that 'Westerners like precious stones, and Orientals like jade', why is this?" ”

Gu Hongming scratched his head,

Lessons learned, where did it come from and why?

Unexpectedly, Lu Shi next to him opened his mouth,

"Geographically determined."

After that, he introduced himself: "I teach at the University of London Alliance and am a visiting professor. My name is Lu Shi. ”

The reason for not mentioning London is that London has only been established for a short time, and the other party is an officer of the 1st Bengal Cavalry Regiment who has lived in the South Asian subcontinent for a long time, so he may not have heard of it.

Johnson was really frightened by the name of the visiting professor,

"University of London!?"

Shock was written in his eyes.

Lu Shi waved his hand and said, "First answer your question just now." I say geographically determined because, in the East, there are high-quality jade veins; On the contrary, Westerners are exposed to high-quality gem mines earlier, so people will have the experience that 'Westerners like gemstones, and Orientals like jade'. ”

Gu Hongming disagrees,

"That's not right, right. Jade and gemstones are cultural carriers. ”

Lu Shi said: "It's in reverse order. It was the jade and gemstones that chose us, not the jade and gemstones that we chose. ”

He pointed to the jade buckle,

"Whether it's jade or gemstones, they all have something in common, that is, beauty and high hardness. The same beautiful and hard, as well as turquoise, agate, and crystal, are produced all over the world, resulting in the use of not only Orientals, but also Westerners, which is enough to show that the cultural carrier is actually acquired by human beings. ”

Gu Hongming lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then nodded slowly,

"That's true."

He told Johnson: "This Professor Lu is not an ordinary person, 'Guns, Germs and Steel' is his work. ”

Johnson didn't understand, but was shocked.

He said, "So, can you two help you take a closer look?" ”

Gu Hongming touched the jade buckle,

Mutton fat jade, delicate and moist, should be the best green and white jade,

To buckle with such exquisite materials is very loser.

He asked Johnson, "Captain Johnson, do you know how this jade buckle should be used?" ”

Johnson: "......"

Of course he didn't know.

Seeing that the other party was silent, Gu Hongming stopped asking questions, and turned to operation.

Just listen to the soft sound of "click-",

When the jade is fastened, there is a flower in the middle and a bee on each side.

Gu Hongming's expression was pleased,

"I saw it just now, when this jade buckle is separated, one of the bees is connected to the flower, there is a round hole in the flower, and the other bee has a long tenon in front of it, and the tenon has a round piece, which can be fastened into the round hole of the flower as a stamen."

He muttered to himself, "Conceive KitKat, conceive KitKat......"

The other three couldn't help but be amazed.

Johnson muttered, "This thing, no matter how you look at it, it's more than 25 pounds, right?" ”

Gu Hongming smiled disdainfully,

"25 pounds? That's because you Brits don't know the goods! ”

He reached into his pocket, pinched the thickness of the banknote inside, and said, "That's good, I'll ...... out."

Before he finished speaking, he was stopped by Lu Shi,

Lu Shi shook his head quietly, pulled Gu Hongming aside, and said in a low voice: "Mr. Gu, how much do you think that jade buckle is worth?" ”

Gu Hongming raised his eyebrows slightly,

"Lu Shi, I'm going to teach you this. Collecting is like falling in love, and the most important thing for Wang Ba to see mung beans is to be able to see the right eye. As long as it's something you like, or it's genuine, you can buy it in a reasonable price range, so there's no 'how much it's worth'. ”

God meows like being in love......

Lu Shi didn't expect that he was still educated.

He whispered, "My Mr. Gu, think about it, that jade buckle is so delicate, what about the painting scroll it protects?" ”

Gu Hongming's eyes shrank,

"When you say that, it reminds me of the Anglo-French forces, it must be ......"

The two looked at each other and had the same thought in their hearts.

Gu Hongming said in a low voice: "What should I do? ”

Lu Shi said: "Come here with your ears." ”

Gu Hongming approached, and his eyes widened more and more when he heard Lu Shi's arrangement like this and this.

After a while, he said, "The last time I met Zhengxiang and you, I had a feeling that you have a talent for business. After today's events, I am more and more convinced that it is a pity that you are not a businessman. ”

Lu Shi had a serious face and didn't say anything.

Gu Hongming turned around and said to Johnson: "Captain, I can pay 35 pounds." ”

When Johnson heard this, he immediately hated Lu Shi.

He could clearly feel that Gu Hongming was originally going to pay a high price, but after Lu Shi's whispering, he only gave ten pounds more.

Cutting off people's wealth is like killing parents!

Johnson glared at Lu Shi fiercely,

"This ...... Not suitable, right? ”

Lu Shi stood back, pretending not to see it.

Gu Hongming on the side said: "This price is not low. Besides, I still have to consider the origin of this jade buckle, only a beautiful story can make a cultural relic have more added value, you say? ”

Anyone can hear the inducement in this rhetoric,

But Johnson couldn't hear it.

He has been blinded by money.

Moreover, Gu Hongming's bid was just right, although it was only 35 pounds, it made Johnson think that Gu Hongming really wanted to pay for it.

If Gu Hongming opens his mouth for a thousand pounds, he may retreat.

That's how strange the mentality of people is.

Johnson explained: "It was a gift from a Chinese nobleman when I was in China. ”

Gu Hongming snorted coldly: "Do you think I look like a fool? ”

Johnson didn't answer, didn't even blush, just fell silent.

Gu Hongming turned to Lu Shi,

"Professor Lu?"

On the surface, he was asking Lu Shi's opinion, but in fact, he was squeezing his eyes at Lu Shi.

Lu Shi also knew that it was time for him to play,

"Well, I'll take a look."

He asked Johnson, "You don't mind if I get started, do you?" ”

Johnson nodded and said cautiously, "Don't break it." ”

Lu Shi said: "Don't worry. ”

He carefully unfastened the jade button, and then slowly pulled the scroll open,

As a result, after only a few feet of expansion, his movements couldn't help but pause slightly, on the surface he was not alarmed, but in fact, he had already set off a monstrous wave in his heart.

The painting in front of me turned out to be "The Female Historian"!

So, what Johnson just said is pure nonsense,

Where did the nobles give it?

The previous collector of this painting was obviously Qianlong!

In other words, it's something in the palace!

"The Female Historian" is an illustrated picture scroll made for the article "The Female Historian", made by the famous painter Gu Kaizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

Because of the long time of time, the original work of "The Female History of Zhentu" has been lost.

There are copies of the Tang Dynasty and the Song Dynasty.

However, even if it is a facsimile, the artistic attainment and value are still very high, taking the Tang facsimile as an example, some scholars deduce that it should be from the hand of the famous Tang Dynasty painter Yan Liben.

Emperor Qianlong's collection is a copy of the Tang Dynasty,

He loved it very much, and after re-framing it, he stamped more than 30 collection stamps of all sizes and placed them on the desk of the imperial study, and painted an orchid branch behind the volume, and inscribed "Tong Guan Fang" with the imperial pen.

Tong tube refers to the pen of the lacquer Zhu on the shaft of the shaft, which is used for the chronicle of women's history.

Therefore, later generations often used "Tong Guan Liufang" to refer to women's writing and ink.

Although Emperor Qianlong's act of stamping the seal made the painting appear to be cheap, this "Tong Guan Fang" and "Female History Atlas" complement each other.

At this moment, Lu Shi also remembered,

The Eight-Nation Coalition invaded and occupied the Summer Palace, and a captain of the 1st Bengal Cavalry Regiment of the British Army took advantage of the chaos to steal the Tang Dynasty copy of the "Female History Proverbs", and then brought it back to London.

The captain did not know the value of the painting, but asked the British Museum to estimate the jade buckle of the scroll.

The staff valued the whole painting at £25,

The Captain did not agree to the price until two months later, when he wrote to the British Museum's Prints and Paintings Department, deciding to accept it.

Since then, the thousand-year-old national treasure has been lost to foreign lands.

From the whole incident, it can be seen that the British Museum was not very clear about the value of the "Female Historian" at the beginning.

Otherwise, how could the captain be easily let go?

Lu Shi never expected that

Here

The painting was actually in his own hands!

He would never have imagined that, according to the original timeline, Johnson should return to China in 1902 and sell his paintings in 1903.

But because of Yes! The Prime Minister put the cabinet under tremendous pressure, and Prime Minister Cecil had to withdraw some soldiers from overseas to cut expenses.

Of course, the decision to withdraw several troops sent from India to China was the result of trade-offs.

The Eight-Nation Coalition invaded the capital, Germany and Russia took advantage of it, and Britain had already achieved huge political and economic benefits in the previous two Opium Wars.

Now that you have grabbed everything that should be grabbed, it is better to withdraw the troops.

Johnson returned home with "The Female Historian" in his arms.

It can be said that it was the crossing of land time that contributed to this.

Lu Shi remained silent and closed the painting shaft.

Gu Hongming approached and asked in a low voice, "That was ...... just now?"

The beginning of the 20th century was not a modern era with abundant prints, and Gu Hongming did not have the opportunity to receive art education systematically, and it was impossible for him to see the photos of "The Female Historian" in textbooks.

He just vaguely felt that the painting just now was very unusual.

In particular, the eyes of the characters in the painting are expressive and smart, as if they were painted by everyone.

Lu Shi said to Johnson: "50 pounds." ”

At this price, Johnson was not satisfied,

"You've been pretending to be a ghost for so long, and you ended up at this price? Give me back the jade buckle! ”

As he spoke, he took away the jade buckle that tied the painting, but the painting was confiscated.

Land Hours: ???

He looked at the "Female History Atlas" in his hand, and looked confused.

!

it!

In my heart, 10,000 grass and mud horses galloped by.

Johnson looked at Lu Shishi's face like a fly, his heart was determined, and he sneered: "Less than 100 pounds is not to be discussed." ”

He decided that Lu Shi would buy it,

If this is the case, then you have to take it hard.

Lu Shi was speechless for a while,

Add up all his money, and then sell people, it can't be worth this "Female History Map".

However, Johnson is illiterate.

Lu Shi checked the painting in his hand, and always felt that this world was so magical.

No wonder it is said that logic is needed, and reality does not,

The reality is much weirder.

Lu Shi said: "60 pounds." ”

When Johnson saw that Lu Shi had increased the price, he was even more convinced, and did not let go: "100 pounds." ”

The black lines on the land are full of heads,

￣□￣｜｜

He said: "Buying cultural toys and antiques is a bargain, and it is interesting that I didn't erase it first and then halve it." It's good that you don't have a loose price, so you can't talk about it at all. Well, I say a price, £75, that's my bottom line. ”

After speaking, he rolled up the "Female History Atlas" in his hand and was about to leave.

In this way, it seems that the painting is not important at all.

Johnson was also brought to the rhythm, focusing all his attention on the jade button, his heart was entangled, and even the green tendons on his forehead burst out.

After a few seconds, he said, "90 pounds, it can't be any lower." ”

Lu Shi shook his head decisively,

"I'll bid £75, and you can make it. For the rest of the year, I'll be giving guest lectures at the University of London Alliance's London University of Economics and Politics, so if you want to do so, write to me directly. ”

This kind of rhetoric is also a psychological suggestion,

Consciously or unconsciously moving out of the University of London Alliance to strengthen its credibility.

Lu Shi turned around and prepared to leave.

Johnson didn't expect Lu Shi to suddenly become so decisive, gritted his teeth, and said, "Okay! Just £75! I want cash, not checks! Of course, it is not unacceptable for you to give me the equivalent value of gold bars. ”

At the beginning of the 20th century, the gold standard, the pound was directly pegged to gold.

Lu Shi took out the banknote in his pocket, counted out 75 pounds, and handed it to Johnson.

Johnson was worried that Lu Shi would regret it, so he stuffed the jade buckle in his hand to the other party, and then left in a hurry, and even ran a few steps.

scene

“……”

“……”

“……”

There was silence.

The sun set slowly, and the red light shone on the three of them.

Gu Hongming asked Lu Shi again: "That was ...... just now?"

Lu Shi said: "The Female History of Zhentu. ”

Gu Hongming: !!

The whole person was stunned.

He asked, "We can't be deceived by someone, right?" ”

Lu Shi shook his head and replied: "Regardless of the value of the painting, we will also earn it by taking the jade buckle at a price of 75 pounds." So, it doesn't look like a hoax no matter how you look at it. ”

Gu Hongming was even more confused,

If you haven't been deceived, is that true?!

He looked at the painting scroll in Lu Shi's hand and wanted to touch it, but he didn't dare to do it.

After a long while, Gu Hongming reacted and asked in a low voice, "...... Forehead...... What are you going to do with this painting? Do you bring it back to China and present it to the emperor? ”

That must not be possible.

Bring it back, and then wait for the Qing court to fall, so that the last emperor can sell the national treasure for the ocean for personal pleasure?

Lu Shi said: "I decided to seal this painting for a hundred years. ”

Gu Hongming was very puzzled,

"You...... This ......"

He couldn't understand it.

When a collector buys a painting, he is naturally happy, so don't he want to play with it from time to time?

What did Lu Shi do this for?

Studied but cannot comprehend.

Lu Shi explained: "Reel sealing is easy to protect. If you always take it out for enjoyment, the painting is easily damaged if it is exposed to light or other environmental influences. Thankfully, the painting didn't fall into the hands of the British Museum. ”

Gu Hongming sighed,

"Compared to the so-called 'conservation' of the British Museum, this is the real conservation."

Lu Shi shook his head,

"But it also makes the painting lose its educational and research value, both good and bad. In short, I hope that Mr. Koo will keep today's matter a secret. ”

Gu Hongming nodded again and again,

"It's just a small episode. Neither you nor I, nor Mr. Natsume, have never happened to me. ”、

Lu Shi nodded,

"yes, what are we supposed to do."

(End of chapter)