The gaze of everyone turned in unison, and under the red cloth was an ancient human figure sculpture carved from pale green jade. The figure depicted a man well past seventy, dressed in coarse linen, with one hand behind his back and the other open, on which rested a serene white jade ring.
The image on the large electronic screen rotated, finally settling on the white jade ring in the figure's hand.
"This is..."
Elder Zhou and Elder Mu were both surprised, their eyes filled with astonishment and disbelief, and then, delightful surprise flooded their old eyes.
Among the guests, there were many with sharp eyesight; at this moment, they shared the same expressions as the two elders: shock and disbelief, all turning into delight, clearly the piece delivered a significant impact on them.
"Indeed, many guests present have already recognized it; this jade sculpture piece is the work of the Ming Dynasty jade carving master Lu Zigang, the Hundred Horses Jade Ring!"
The auctioneer's voice was vibrant and high-pitched.
With the words spoken, the scene immediately surged with excitement. Evidently, "Lu Zigang" alone struck their hearts.
"Wasn't this piece lost in China?"
"Could it be a fake? Previously, there were claims of having the Hundred Horses Jade Ring, but were proven counterfeit..."
"If authentic, its value is immense..."
"..."
The voices of the crowd discussing various opinions echoed, and the auctioneer glanced over the crowd, finally focusing on Elder Zhou and Elder Mu in the front row, announcing loudly, "We have already had this piece authenticated by top-tier domestic experts; it is indeed genuine. However, given its rarity, and to calm any doubts, let's invite Masters Zhou Yihai and Mu Yueshan to authenticate it on-site, shall we?"
Upon hearing the auctioneer's proposal, all eyes turned simultaneously to the two honored elders, their prestige evidently very high.
"I'm itching to take a look now; even if the auctioneer hadn't suggested it, I would have volunteered to authenticate it," Elder Zhou joked, pulling a magnifying glass from his pocket and showing it to the crowd with a smile.
Elder Zhou's humorous remark evoked understanding laughter from the crowd.
The two elders, holding magnifying glasses, stepped onto the auction block, carefully scrutinizing every detail of the jade ring.
Their examination was thorough and meticulous, taking a bit longer, with the crowd holding their breath, eagerly waiting for their conclusion.
After more than ten minutes, Elder Zhou and Elder Mu finally straightened up, exchanged glances, and in each other's eyes, found the same conclusion they reached.
"Regarding the origin of this Hundred Horses Jade Ring, I believe everyone has some understanding. At the time, Lu Zigang was renowned for his exquisite craftsmanship, known throughout the realm. Upon learning this, Ming Muzong sought to challenge him, commanding him to carve a hundred horses image on the jade ring. Lu Zigang was not troubled by the task, amazingly completing it in just a few days."
"Legend has it, he engraved high, layered moods and a wide-open city gate on the tiny jade ring, with only three horses depicted: one galloping within the city, one dashing toward the gate, and one revealing its head from the valleys."
As Elder Zhou explained, the electronic screen displayed the patterns on the jade ring in full view.
"Observe, everyone, this jade ring matches perfectly with the legendary descriptions. Lu Zigang's jade carving skills were truly remarkable, his raised relief work, openwork carving, and intricate line engraving were refined to perfection. He excelled at techniques of shallow relief which imparted a bas-relief effect."
"The design on the jade ring slightly protrudes, extremely skillful, showcasing the artistic features of emptiness, grace, and delicacy. Although there are only three horses, surrounded by hills and gates, it gives the impression of countless horses poised to burst forth, truly a craftsmanship that only a master could create. Thus, I conclude, this Hundred Horses Jade Ring is authentic."
Elder Zhou's eyes shone with delight as he declared his conclusion.
"I agree with Elder Zhou's assessment; it is indeed genuine," Elder Mu nodded and said.
With their words, the audience erupted. Among the two elders, one was a great figure in the jade realm, and the other a titan in the collection world; their combined judgment left little room for error.
"Masters, we've heard that every piece Lu Zigang carved includes the inscription 'Zigang' or 'Made by Zigang'; does this Hundred Horses Jade Ring have one?" A somewhat well-off middle-aged man stood up in the venue and asked.
Elder Mu chuckled and said, "We found it as well."
"Please have our technical staff fix the screen on the left side of the ear of the first horse, then zoom in," Elder Zhou suggested with a smile.
On the electronic screen, the image was fixed on that horse's ear, and then it was magnified several dozen times, bringing the two clear characters into everyone's view.
"There are words, there are indeed words!"
Already many in the audience exclaimed aloud.
"The engraved seal characters 'Zigang' are the best evidence of this piece's authenticity. Forged fakes find it extremely difficult to carve these characters in such an inconspicuous and challenging spot," Elder Mu asserted emphatically.
"It truly is Lu Zigang's work!"
"A true masterpiece is indeed extraordinary..."
"I must bid on it, with all my might..."
"..."
The exciting voices echoed in the room, with many wealthy businessmen quietly resolving to acquire this heirloom treasure.
"It truly is a remarkable masterpiece indeed."
Ruan Xinxue's beautiful eyes glowed bright, expressing admiration, marveling at how such a feeling of galloping horses was captured on such a small ring, even more impressive was Lu Zigang's name engraved within the tiny ear of the first horse.
"This jade ring is small in size, containing little spiritual energy, but the lines are quite filled with spirituality..."
Qin Yang whispered in his heart, his eyes gleaming with bright light.
"Celestial Eye Opening!"
Qin Yang murmured silently in his heart, reactivating the Celestial Eye, a faint azure sheen surged in his eyes.
Under the superior vision of the Celestial Eye, the entire scenery on the jade ring was vividly presented: the cascading hills, the towering city gate, the galloping horses... every carved line detail was revealed, filled with spirituality.
"Something is amiss; this astounding jade sculpture, beyond the creator's remarkable craftsmanship, seems to possess something more. Each pattern and carving subtly has spiritual energy attached, unchanged through thousands of years; this is the state that only a treasure or spiritual artifact reveals after being influenced by an engraving knife."
Qin Yang retracted the Celestial Eye and pondered for a moment, asking Ruan Xinxue beside him, "Regarding Lu Zigang, has it ever been mentioned in history what kind of engraving knife or anything else he used?"
"Indeed so," Ruan Xinxue nodded, "It's said he used a finely crafted engraving knife named 'Kunwu' for his carvings."
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