"Yoho, who would have thought that Emperor's Auction House would poach Liu Zimo?"
"Of course. Emperor's Auction House has been making bigger moves in the past two years. I reckon it won't be long before the title of the top auction house in the capital changes hands."
"While poaching Liu Zimo shows some real capability, thinking they can become the top auction house in the capital based on this alone is a bit too dismissive of Sotheby's and Christie's."
"Exactly. Those two auction houses are world-class, and they've been operating in China for so many years. They're far from being comparable to Emperor's Auction House, a newcomer to the industry."
As Liu Zimo appeared on the auction stage, a murmur rippled through the crowd below.
The reason for such a reaction was that the Liu Zimo standing on stage was originally the top auctioneer for Sotheby's Auction House.
Someone once joked that if Liu Zimo claimed to be the second-best auctioneer, no one would dare to claim the first.
This might have been an exaggeration, but it reflected Liu Zimo's considerable fame.
After all, to be the top auctioneer for Sotheby's, the leading auction house in the capital, one must possess considerable talent.
It was just that the owner of Emperor's Auction House also seemed to have exceptional skills, managing to lure away Sotheby's top auctioneer, which no one had anticipated.
Liu Zimo's appearance on stage, while surprising the crowd, was merely a minor interlude.
Soon, the auction officially commenced.
"First, allow me to unveil the first item of tonight's auction."
As Liu Zimo's words fell.
A beautiful woman, wearing a long red dress, with her hair elegantly pulled up at the back of her head, walked gracefully onto the stage. She possessed a dignified and elegant demeanor.
In her hands, she carried an object covered by a red cloth.
"A Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Washer."
When the woman in the red dress reached Liu Zimo's side, he swiftly removed the red cloth, revealing the object beneath.
*Hua!*
As Liu Zimo announced the name of the first auction item, the entire auction hall erupted in a clamor, with some people even jumping up in excitement.
"Holy cow! No way, what is Emperor's Auction House doing?"
"Is Liu Zimo trying to be funny by daring to auction a fake?"
"What's going on this time? Emperor's Auction House is supposed to be one of the top auction houses, how could they make such a huge blunder?"
For a moment, the auction site descended into chaos, with everyone discussing loudly.
While not necessarily the most expensive item in a typical auction, the first item presented should, as an opening, naturally make a striking impression.
However, the first item presented by Emperor's Auction House caused an unprecedented uproar among those present.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Ladies and gentlemen!"
Despite the pandemonium, Liu Zimo on stage remained remarkably calm and composed.
"I know why you are all so agitated, but please, could you let me finish speaking?"
"Liu Zimo, how dare you call yourself a top auctioneer? The Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Washer previously sold for over two hundred million at Sotheby's, and now Emperor's Auction House is presenting a fake. This is simply absurd!"
At this point, an authority on antiques stood up and declared.
His statement was immediately echoed by many in the audience.
While it was true that some auction houses might occasionally present fakes, this was usually due to poor judgment.
However, Emperor's Auction House was considered one of the top three auction houses in the capital, and the Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Washer was a renowned top-tier porcelain piece within the antique circle. How could they make such a rookie mistake and present a fake for auction?
If this were the case, Emperor's Auction House would be ruined.
Many in the audience silently thought this after the authoritative figure voiced his opinion.
"Brother Zhang, I appreciate your high opinion of me, but I, Liu Zimo, have never claimed to be a top auctioneer. Besides, as I clearly stated just now, I asked for a moment to finish speaking."
Liu Zimo maintained a calm and confident smile.
The authoritative figure who had spoken earlier scoffed, "Fine, let's hear your sophistry."
In his mind, he had already condemned Emperor's Auction House and decided never to return.
As for Liu Zimo, he believed the man had been bought off with a hefty sum by Emperor's Auction House, willing to do anything unprincipled, and that his reputation would be utterly ruined.
"Ahem, firstly, I want to ask everyone to listen carefully to what I just said. When I introduced this auction item, I never claimed it was the Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Washer. I very clearly stated it was the Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Ci!"
"Although 'washer' and 'ci' differ by only one character, the difference is like heaven and earth."
Liu Zimo spoke slowly.
This time, the audience was stunned again.
What?
A Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Ci?
"This Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Ci was recently acquired by our auction house. In fact, it can be said to be a product of the same era as the Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Washer, just not as famous as the latter."
"Please rest assured, since Emperor's Auction House dares to put it up for auction, its authenticity is guaranteed. You need not worry about this at all."
After Liu Zimo's explanation, everyone finally understood.
The item being auctioned on stage was merely from the same era as the top-tier porcelain piece, the Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Washer, auctioned by Sotheby's, and bore a strong resemblance to it.
But thinking about it, Emperor's Auction House was one of the top three auction houses in the capital. How could they possibly sell a fake?
Moreover, Liu Zimo had been in the industry for so many years and had earned his current reputation not through empty praise, but through genuine skill.
Seeing the reaction of the audience, Liu Zimo on stage felt a surge of pride.
The reason he had chosen this Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Ci as the opening item today was precisely to generate sufficient buzz.
He believed that after today's auction, it would immediately become a hot topic of discussion, and Emperor's Auction House's reputation would ascend to new heights.
With the matter clarified, the auction continued.
The Ru Ware Celadon Glazed Peony Ci, used to create a stir, did not fetch an extraordinarily high price, but it successfully fulfilled its purpose.
Subsequently, Liu Zimo quickly introduced the next auction item to the audience.
Pearls, gemstones, antiques, calligraphy and paintings, limited edition luxury goods.
Various auction items were brought onto the stage one after another.
Under Liu Zimo's eloquent persuasion, each item was sold at a very high price.