Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 202 Zhang Juzheng's Night Visit to the West Mountain Auction
I heard that Shen Shi made these words.

"What were you going there for?" Zhang Juzheng asked, his brows furrowing. "To inflate that rebellious son's asking price?"

Shen Shixing couldn't help but feel a chill. It seemed that the relationship between the father and son was deeply fraught with resentment, making the woman in charge of the En family look like a resentful woman.

He couldn't help but offer a reminder.

"Has Your Excellency forgotten that Magistrate Zhang has always acted this way, creating seemingly absurd commotions, but in the end, he always had ulterior motives?"

Zhang Tongzhi's way of thinking is different from ours. Perhaps what others see as unorthodox actions are truly beneficial to the country and its people?

This mention made Zhang Juzheng somewhat uneasy.

Upon careful consideration, it is indeed as Shen Shixing said: Zhang Yunxiu's past actions, though seemingly absurd, were actually very useful.

Having learned from his mistakes, Zhang Juzheng was not a rash and impulsive man. He immediately had an idea and lowered his voice to speak.

"The Xishan Auction is tomorrow?"

"Exactly."

How can I get in?

"It should be no different from a medical clinic; just show your travel permit and household registration certificate."

"It shouldn't be difficult for us to forge our identities and get in, right?"

Upon hearing this question, Shen Shixing's expression turned somewhat strange.

Although this is to be expected, it would be an unprecedented event in history if two Grand Secretaries of the Imperial Cabinet were to sneak into Xishan to participate in an auction and be discovered.

Zhang Juzheng, however, made the decision without hesitation.

“That’s how it will be done. Ru Mo, get ready. I’ll have You Qi make the arrangements. Tomorrow, the two of us will sneak into the Western Hills to investigate!”

Shen Shixing quickly lowered his voice: "It's an investigation, it's an investigation of the Enfu residence!"

Xishan Theater.

Auctions have recently become incredibly popular, and this novel form of sales has become a coveted "entertainment activity" for the city's high-ranking officials and nobles. Theaters have even set up separate venues specifically for auctions.

For the prominent figures in the capital, being able to acquire one or two rare treasures at an auction was an extremely prestigious achievement.

As you may recall, after Duke Zhang Rong of England purchased a glass statue of Guan Yu, it sparked a frenzy of discussion throughout the capital, with many nobles flocking to Zhang's residence to view and worship Guan Yu.

With a mix of elements including high society, extravagance, respectability, and excitement, the auction's popularity is understandable.

Furthermore, the auctions are no longer limited to the sale of glass products produced in Xishan.

After all, if the auction is held every five days and all that's produced is glass, it's bound to make people wonder why Xishan can produce glass so continuously.

As a result, the auction began to accept external antique treasures for bidding.

Collectors only need to provide the items for auction, and after a specialist authenticates their authenticity, they can proceed with the auction process.

For each item that is ultimately sold, the auction house takes a 5% commission, ensuring a guaranteed profit.

As for who will verify the authenticity of the treasures, that will naturally be left to the experts.

In the back room of the auction, Zhu Yinghuai and Zhang Yuanhao carefully examined a painting and gave their own evaluations.

Zhu Yinghuai: "This painting bears the 'Xuanhe Zhong' seal, which is the seal of the Xuanhe Painting Academy established by Emperor Huizong of Song. It also bears the seal of 'Ke Shi Jingzhong,' which is the seal of Ke Jingzhong of the previous dynasty. This person served as the Kui Zhang Pavilion Doctor of Calligraphy and other positions in the previous dynasty, so it is probably correct."

Zhang Yuanhao nodded: "Indeed, Gu Changkang's painting is like 'silkworms spinning silk,' with fine, strong, and elegant lines in the figures' clothing. It seems that this painting is genuine. I think it would be best to set the starting price of six thousand taels at the auction."

These two men were usually idle and had spent a lot of time studying antiques and treasures, so they could be considered experts in appraising antiques.

Thinking of this, Zhu Yinghuai couldn't help but feel a little emotional.

"In earlier years, although this painting was precious, it wouldn't fetch six thousand taels; three thousand taels would be the absolute maximum. But things are different in recent years; the prices of all kinds of antiques and rare items are getting higher and higher."

His words made Zhang Yunxiu take notice.

The Xishan Auction has indeed driven up antique prices to some extent, but a single auction doesn't yet have that much influence.

The only explanation for the rise in antique prices is that, with the opening of new sea routes to the West, a large amount of silver began to flow into the Ming Dynasty.

The gentry and merchants who engaged in maritime trade and smuggling made a fortune.

Meanwhile, the Single Whip Law, which was first implemented in the first year of the Wanli reign and has been promoted nationwide this year, has also accelerated the process of monetary silverization.

All of these factors combined have led to a surge in the prices of various luxury goods, which is not incomprehensible.

Thinking about this, he couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency.

We need to quickly "trick" these gentry and merchants out of their money and put it into the right places.

There's also the matter of opening the sea to the sea.
Just as Zhang Yunxiu was pondering, Zhang Yuanhao tentatively asked, "What does Master think? Can this painting be put up for auction?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yunxiu glanced at it intently and frowned as he spoke.

"The design looks good, but something just doesn't feel right."

He didn't know much about antiques, but he had original images of related antiques from later generations in his mind, and by comparing them, he could tell that something was wrong.

At this moment, the Wanli Emperor, who had been sitting at the head of the table idly cracking melon seeds, glanced at it from afar and said with great disdain.

"fake."

For a moment, both Zhu Yinghuai and Zhang Yuanhao were surprised. They looked at the painting again and again, but still couldn't see anything special about it.

Zhu Yinghuai bowed and said, "I humbly request Your Majesty's guidance."

Emperor Wanli smiled slightly on his chubby face: "This 'Zhuoqin Tu' by Gu Kaizhi of the Eastern Jin Dynasty is indeed hidden in the palace."

The three men looked at each other in silence. If they really wanted to appraise treasures, they had to consult the emperor, since he had seen the most antiques and treasures in the world. Turning his head, Zhang Yunxiu ordered Yu Xiangdou to return the "Zhuoqin Tu" painting and to give the merchant who brought it a good beating, forbidding him from ever stepping into an auction house again.

It's getting dark.

The area outside Xishan was becoming increasingly lively.

The lights, covered by glass lampshades, illuminated the entire Xishan Theater.

Inside the theater, merchants and gentry thronged, finding their seats and discussing the auction list announced for today's auction.

These days, getting into this auction isn't cheap. Adhering to the principle of only ripping off the rich, every merchant and gentry who wants to participate in the auction has to pay an entry fee of ten taels of silver.

This is just for viewing. If you want to bid, you need to prepare a deposit of at least one thousand taels.

Zhang Juzheng naturally wouldn't participate in the auction. He and Shen Shixing only spent ten taels of silver to come in and find out what was going on.

After disguising themselves and removing their official robes, the two men looked nothing more than two old scholars.

Looking at the noisy surroundings, Zhang Juzheng frowned deeply and looked at Shen Shixing beside him.

"Is this the Xishan Auction? Why does it resemble a marketplace?"

Shen Shixing wore a pair of small-framed sunglasses, making him look like a storyteller. He had to lean close to Zhang Juzheng's ear to be able to speak clearly.

"This is the first time the students have come here either; perhaps we entered the regular area."

"Regular area?"

“Yes.” Shen Shixing pointed to the area behind him. “That’s the VIP area, only high-ranking officials and dignitaries can use it.”

Upon hearing this, Zhang Juzheng remembered that in order to anonymously infiltrate the Xishan Auction, he had You Qi find two identities as Confucian merchants. Without official titles or ranks, they naturally could not enter the VIP area.

Besides, going to the VIP area will inevitably make you recognized.

Seeing the dense crowd around him, Zhang Juzheng still felt somewhat unsafe. He glanced at Shen Shixing's sunglasses and couldn't help but ask.

"Is this a 'Aida'?"

"Exactly."

Shen Shixing chuckled and said.

"It comes from Xishan Workshop, but this 'Aida' is only for decoration and has no effect on treating eye diseases. It is said that by displaying ink on the outside, one can cover up the inner turmoil of the heart. It has recently become very popular in the capital."

"It's just a smokescreen."

Despite his apparent disdain, Zhang Juzheng couldn't help but ask, "Do you have any more? Let me try them too."

"Of course it's prepared." Shen Shixing took out a box from his pocket, opened it, and handed it over.

Zhang Juzheng didn't stand on ceremony; he took the sunglasses and put them on his face.

In an instant, the world before my eyes darkened, but I felt much more at ease, experiencing a strange sense of security.

Zhang Juzheng couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "The things this rebellious son has come up with are truly astonishing!"
Just as the two were talking, the auction had already begun in full swing.

"Three thousand taels for the first time!"

"I've already spent three thousand five hundred taels, and you old man Tong Ziming have stolen the show. Today, I'll put an end to your arrogance!"

Tong Pei glanced at the merchant who was speaking, but he didn't care much. He had become more and more familiar with the auction rules lately and already had a bottom line in mind.

"Four thousand taels, I won't pay any more than that."

His confident demeanor drew attention from everyone.

These days, Tong Pei has become the biggest buyer at auctions. He rarely bids for treasures like the Flying Horse of Qin, which costs tens of thousands of dollars, but he does so in large quantities.

In the past two weeks, he has purchased thirty or forty items, most of which are glass, but he shows no sign of stopping.

Seeing that this person was generous, Xishan Auction House opened a special channel for him and assigned a special person to take care of all his transactions, which made others envious.

Many people are drawn to the Xishan Auction because of its excellent service; not only can you buy rare items, but you can also enjoy corresponding services.

Those present were all members of the capital's upper class. To be called by name and publicly receive the dazzling treasures in front of these people would be intoxicating, not only for ordinary merchants but also for nobles.

The ancient painting in front of him was eventually sold to someone else. It was clear that Tong Pei's attention was not on this. He was more looking forward to the glass artifacts that were the highlight of the day!

Hu Mao, also a merchant from Longyou, chuckled and said in a low voice.

“Take it to him. This calligraphy and painting is worth at most three thousand seven or eight taels of silver, far less precious than glass.”

Others might not know, but these two Longyou merchants knew all too well that every piece of glass at this auction was a masterpiece!

The dozen or so glass products they bought half a month ago were sold for a high price immediately.

With the reputation of the Xishan Auction House, and the fact that the quality of the glassware far surpasses that of Western glassware, it has no trouble selling once it leaves Xishan.

Many businessmen believe that buying collectibles at auctions is tantamount to making money.

Many people even gave up their own businesses to wait for the auctions held every five days, where they could buy collectibles and resell them to make a considerable profit.

Zhang Juzheng sat among the crowd, observing all the developments with a detached eye. He was a person with an extremely strong learning ability.

After my last conversation with Zhang Yunxiu, and after carefully studying Xishan's accounts and "The Wealth of Nations," I consider myself to have a certain understanding of economics.

After talking to the people on either side and getting a brief understanding of the situation, he couldn't help but say with some concern.

"If this continues, it may cause trouble."

(End of this chapter)