Originally, Elder Li did not hold much hope for Ye Fan's first appraisal.
Although Ye Fan had shown decent appraisal skills, he was still too young and it was his first time working in the factory's style.
It was understandable that some mistakes might occur.
However, he never expected Ye Fan to perform so flawlessly, leaving no room for error.
His gaze towards Ye Fan held a newfound admiration.
"The appraisal is very detailed, but are the proposed methods for improving the replication techniques feasible?"
Elder Li stared at Ye Fan and asked in a low voice.
This directly concerned the factory's efficiency and the competition results.
After all, they, like Fatty Chen, were linked to the factory. If the factory's ranking suffered, they would also be in trouble.
Ye Fan smiled slightly, "Although I haven't personally practiced them, based on the condition of these items, these should be the optimal solutions."
Ye Fan did not overstep his bounds, as he was not entirely confident in the art of forgery.
Moreover, he had never done such work before; these plans were entirely conceived from the appraisal results and the characteristics of these items.
Hearing Ye Fan's words, Elder Li smiled, "Although these methods have not been put to practice, having a plan is better than none. What do you think, Old Wang?"
Elder Li smiled and handed the report to Elder Wang.
Elder Wang, who was usually stern, unexpectedly showed a hint of a smile on his usually somber face after carefully examining the improvement methods.
He nodded, "Indeed, these methods are theoretically feasible. We can first fire a batch of porcelain for testing. If successful, we can promote them on a large scale."
The appraisal stage was ultimately where Elder Wang held the authority. Hearing his words, Elder Li nodded in agreement.
Then, he called for Fatty Chen.
After Manager Hu's inspection yesterday, Fatty Chen had become even more fearful of the appraisal team.
These people possessed genuine skills, and he could not afford to offend them. Even though he was the manager, he had to defer to them in many matters, as they held the core technology.
"Old Wang, Elder Li, what did you call me for?"
Sweat beaded on his forehead, indicating he had rushed over.
Elder Wang handed him the list compiled by Ye Fan.
"This is the list of items acquired this time, along with the precautions needed during replication. Arrange for a batch of porcelain to be fired according to the improved methods marked here and see how they turn out."
Upon hearing Elder Wang's words, Fatty Chen's eyes lit up.
His desire to improve the quality of porcelain was even stronger than that of Elder Wang and Elder Li.
Once the quality of these porcelain pieces improved, he was certain to dominate the competition this time, washing away the shame of previous years.
"I'll get right on it."
Fatty Chen took the list excitedly and left quickly.
Watching Fatty Chen's retreating figure, a flicker of disdain crossed Elder Wang's eyes.
Appraisers, especially seasoned ones like Elder Wang, looked down on profit-driven businessmen like Fatty Chen.
Ye Fan had completed his work exceptionally well, so he had a relatively leisurely few days.
Apart from the ancient painting, there were no other issues with the batch of items he had organized.
Fatty Chen did not pursue the defective items that Dongzi had collected either.
He was not particularly knowledgeable about antiques, so knowing they were defective items, he naturally paid them no mind.
With Fatty Chen's indifference, Dongzi was naturally pleased. By keeping these items, he could use the defective pieces to create fused porcelain once he left, making a considerable profit.
Fused porcelain involved using fragments of porcelain from different eras, reassembling them according to their shapes and gaps, leaving no flaws.
This technique could only be achieved by those with exceptional skill.
Ye Fan was well aware of Dongzi's little scheme, but he merely smiled and said nothing.
That evening, Elder Li visited Ye Fan's room.
Elder Li often came over to chat, but tonight, it was a bit later, and Ye Fan knew Elder Li must have something to tell him.
"Brother Ye, have you ever thought about escaping from here?"
Elder Li got straight to the point, which caught Ye Fan by surprise, making him a little unaccustomed.
Although Elder Li was generally amiable, he had never been so direct before.
Seeing the surprised expression on Ye Fan's face, Elder Li chuckled.
"Do you think I'm trying to trick you into saying something?"
Ye Fan was completely taken aback. Why did Elder Li seem different today?
However, he still managed a faint smile.
"Elder Li, we hit it off from the moment we met. If you have something to say, please be direct."
As he spoke, he picked up his water glass to mask his awkwardness.
Seeing Ye Fan's reaction, Elder Li did not mind and said plainly, "The antique industry is currently in chaos. Both senior and ordinary appraisers, driven by profit, have flocked to powerful families. But in doing so, they've become lackeys of these families. If they don't, it's impossible to get by in the antique industry, and they must find another way. Brother Ye, I've spent a few days with you and know your background is not ordinary, so I have some thoughts I wish to share with you today."
Elder Li paused for a moment, still seeming hesitant.
Ye Fan stared intently at him, as if he already understood what he wanted to say.
"Although I am only a Grade Two appraiser, I am unwilling to engage in illicit activities. Over the years, I've been forced to comply, but if one day, Brother Ye can leave this place, I will surely leave with you."
As he said this, Elder Li's eyes were fixed on Ye Fan, his gaze filled with determination.
Ye Fan knew that these words were spoken from the bottom of Elder Li's heart.
After all, as appraisers, they always possessed a sense of justice.
The desecration of ancient artifacts was the greatest insult to them.
However, at this moment, Ye Fan did not commit himself, merely asking indifferently, "But if Elder Li leaves here, where will you go? You must know that the outside world is the real den of dragons and tigers."
Ye Fan's words were not unfounded. Not to mention elsewhere, even in Jiangnan City, the antique industry was controlled by three forces. Others who wanted to do business in antiques found it impossible to proceed. Even with the supervision of the Antique Association, they would eventually be absorbed by other forces, as the association had limited manpower and could not manage everyone.
Elder Li smiled faintly, "The world is vast, where can one not find a place to settle? In the past, I thought too highly of myself, believing myself to be a supreme Grade Two appraiser. But my energy has waned over the years, and I no longer have the competitive spirit. Once I leave here, finding an antique shop and working as an assistant would be a good choice. With my experience, being an assistant should be more than enough."