Chapter 13: The aning of Lion Tar (1)
“Oh, it is an honor to et you. I am Choi Byeongguk. I am an art dealer.”
Haejin knew that Byeongguk couldn’t say that he was a grave robber, but art dealer… he had to restrain his laughter.
“An art dealer? Well, what kind of artifacts have you sold?”
Byeongguk was over 50, but Sungjun talked to him as if he was his superior.
“I mainly sell porcelains of Ming and Qing dynasties. I have also sold a few Korean white porcelains and celadons. I mostly trade with Eastern artifacts more than Western artifacts.”
“Hmm… I have heard of all the good art dealers in this country, but you are new to .”
He was the leader of Hwajin, the richest corporation group in Korea, so he was very charismatic. The statent may sound rude but, coming from him, it sounded like Byeongguk needed to explain himself.
Haejin was worried that Byeongguk might be discouraged but, contrary to his expectations, Byeongguk smiled and kept speaking.
“Congressman Kim Manbok, who has been elected five tis in a row, used to proudly talk about a white porcelain soone presented him last year. Actually, that porcelain used to be in my hands. Unfortunately, I cannot tell you who I sold it to, but I guess you can find out, Mr. Lim.”
If you think about it, Byeongguk used to deal with the most powerful people in China and gangs like the Triad, so he would not be scared by soone like Sungjun.
“I rember. It was a Moon Porcelain as white as snow.”
“Yes, Mr. Lim. It was worth over five billion.”
“Yes, right. The developnt of the Yongin area, which had been very slow, suddenly proceeded in a flash. About 17,000 square ters of the greenbelt area was changed into a residential area. Which company did that construction?”
Lee Minsung quickly answered.
“It was Pyeonghwa Construction.”
“Hmm… so, Oh Jaeman of Pyeonghwa Construction bought that porcelain from you.”
When the rumor ca out that rich people moved hundreds of billions to bribe governnt officials, the news, instead, just said they gave only about tens or hundreds of millions. Would the officials take the risks to get that amount of money?
When businessn bribed, they used antiques more than money. Antiques could not be tracked and were accepted more easily.
“Haha, I cannot say his na out loud, but I sold that porcelain.”
“Well, then let’s see your artifact.”
Byeongguk carefully put down the box he had and carefully opened it.
“Hmm… do you know how this kettle was used?”
Byeongguk looked at Haejin. He didn’t know since he had spent his life in excavating artifacts instead of studying.
Haejin had no choice but to speak up instead of Byeongguk.
“In the 13 th century, Goryeo people liked to drink tea using the Jeomda thod. To make tea with the Jeomda thod, one must put soft, well-grounded tea powder into a teacup instead of a teapot, make it gooey like an ointnt, pour so hot water and stir it well to make it foam. This kettle was for that hot water.”
At this, Sungjun looked at Haejin for the first ti. He had glanced at Haejin when they first entered, but now, he was looking at him properly.
“Really? You seem to know this well. Who are you?”
“He is my nephew.”
Byeongguk answered instead, but Sungjun frowned.
“Soone’s nephew isn’t a proper answer. I also don’t like it when soone interrupts . Understood?”
His gaze was sharp. Byeongguk could only drop his head.
“I am Park Haejin. I appraise antiques.”
“You look too young to be an appraiser. How old are you?”
“I am 31 years old.”
“31… that’s too young.”
“Is it? I am not interested in becoming your son-in-law.”
Sungjun didn’t see that coming. He tilted his head backward and laughed.
“Hahaha! You are bold. Okay, yes. It’s not like you are going to marry my daughter. As long as you are good at your job, it’s fine. I made a mistake.”
“Sir…”
Minsung tried to interrupt them at seeing Sungjun apologize to soone so young, but Sungjun raised his hand to stop him.
“It’s okay. It can happen.”
Even Byeongguk was surprised at Haejin’s bold answer and looked back. He knew that Haejin was proud and stiff, but he didn’t imagine it to be this serious.
Haejin himself also knew that if it wasn’t for the thing his father had given him, he wouldn’t have been so confident in front of the most powerful man in Korea.
“Uhhh! You are funny. Good. Then, how much you think this is?”
“My uncle will negotiate the price. I only appraise.”
“No, no. I want to hear the real appraisal, including the price.”
“If this were yours, I would tell you the price but, as I am here to help the seller, I’m afraid I can’t.”
Haejin didn’t step back even a little so Sungjun’s face started to harden.
“Really? Then, I don’t have a choice. Tell the price.”
Sungjun was cold, not like when they just t. Byeongguk got tense and said the price he had in mind.
“I am thinking of three billion.”
Byeongguk had heard from Haejin that the celadon was worth two billion at the hotel, but he said three billion. It ant he wasn’t thinking of lowering the price to two billion.
It’s not like he was selling a pair of pants. Lowering the price from three billion to two billion would an he was mocking Sungjun. He was not going to go below 2.5 billion.
Haejin knew that Byonegguk was bold, but not this much. He suddenly looked like soone new.
Sungjun didn’t say anything, his eyes t Haejin’s. After staring at Haejin’s calm eyes, he then turned away.
“No. I don’t need it. Take it away.”
Haejin was surprised to see that Sungjun was not going to negotiate, but Byeongguk’s reaction was also shocking.
“Okay. It has been a great ti.”
Byeongguk started to re-wrap the celadon without having any further talks. He wasn’t hesitating at all, as if he had been waiting for Sungjun to not buy it.
Sungjun also hadn’t expected Byeongguk to act so coolly.
He couldn’t help but ask, “Don’t you think three billion for this is too much?”
“Haha. Well, I guess it will et its true owner so other day.”
That was strange. It sounded more like he would find another idiot to buy it soday but, from a different perspective, it could also an ‘you don’t know the value of this celadon’.
Haejin quietly watched Byeongguk from behind. He was impressed.
He was seeing Byeongguk’s courage and skills with which he had been dealing with people at the center of power without having a discerning eye about antiques.
“So, I am not the true owner of that?”
“Strangely, each antique has its true owner. So, I understand why you don’t like this celadon. You don’t have to worry about this.”
They both knew Sungjun wasn’t asking because he cared about Byeongguk’s feelings. Sungjun knew that Byeongguk was saying that to try for the last ti. However, provoking soone doesn’t really work well if they don’t see it coming. It’s called provocation because they are stirred if they see it coming.
“Huh! You think I am an idiot? You dare to try to get three billion from for this?”
Byeongguk shook his head while looking sorry.
“If you think so, sir, it should be right. It’s just that we have a different view about value. I understand.”
If Byeongguk tried to argue that Sungjun was wrong, he would have kicked Haejin and Byeongguk out of his ho, but Byeongguk sounded more like he really was sorry while packing and getting up.
Sungjun couldn’t help but think, ‘What if?’.
“Then goodbye, Mr. Lim.”
Byeongguk got up with the box and bowed deeply to Sungjun, who asked him another question.
“Goodbye. But… whom are you going to sell it to?”
“Haha, you are so thoughtful. Please, don’t worry. I have soone I am eting nearby. It’s been an honor to be here.”
As Sungjun was implying it, Byeongguk could have resud the negotiation. However, Byeongguk was behaving strangely, he kept sharply cutting Sungjun off. Now, Sungjun couldn’t talk more because of the price.
Finally, he got angry.
“Well, good luck with selling that. I don’t know if there would be soone who would pay three billion for that. I didn’t know this country was so full of idiots.”
Haejin was going to leave after Byeongguk, but Sungjun’s last words offended him. He wanted to make him pay for that. So, he dipped his finger into so water and used his magic.
He got dizzy and nauseous again, but it wasn’t as painful as the first ti. He could now control himself.
He stopped on his way to the front door. He was looking at a painting of a lion sitting on a chair while a man was studying it.
Byeongguk found it strange seeing him stare at the painting and dragged him by hand. Then, the silence was broken.
“Nice painting. May I ask where you bought it?”
Haejin casually asked while staring at the painting. Everyone looked at him.
Next, they heard a new voice.
“At Haevici Gallery. But who are you?”
Haejin looked at the direction of the voice. There was a young girl, about twenty years old, coming down the stairs.
She was a classical beautiful lady with white, flawless skin and an arrogant gaze. She was wearing makeup even though she was at ho. Haejin didn’t know much about fashion, but the dress she was wearing looked quite expensive, even to him. She was clearly soone important.
“I am an antique appraiser.”
“Oh… one of those people who ca to sell?”
A side of her lips curled up into a sneer. She considered Haejin and Byoengguk like so sort of hawkers.
“Yes, we ca here to sell.”
“It seems like you are done here. Why are you still lingering around? Are you too sorry to just leave?”
Sungjun just watched Haejin, he was curious about his reply.
“This painting isn’t mine, so it’s none of my business… but I feel a little bad.”
“What? Are you saying you feel bad about us?”
She studied Haejin from the bottom to the top. Her expression just said, ‘Who do you think you are?’.
She was nothing like Eunhae, who at least respected others.
“I just couldn’t leave knowing that you were awed by this painting and bought it.”
At that mont, Sungjun stood up.
“Say that again.”
Reviews
All reviews (0)