Artifact Reading Inspector

Chapter 24: Winner of the Auction (1)

The moment Haejin heard that, he was dumbfounded. How could he even claim to help Eunhae when he was so ignorant…

Eunhae was more than embarrassed by Jongmyeong’s stupid question and scolded him.

“He was a scholar and artist of Joseon, he is great. His self-portrait has become a national treasure… I told you not to come along.”

Jongmyeong’s face hardened at this.

“I didn’t know it would be an eastern painting.”

They finished it there because there were others with them, but anyone could tell that the engaged couple wasn’t very close.

Haejin found the situation awkward and tried to change the subject, but Eunhae spoke with a sorry face.

“You said it is Yoon Duseo’s?”

Ordinary people only knew of Kim Hongdo and Sin Yoonbok when it came to paintings of Joseon, and those who know a little more knew of Jeong Seon and Jand Seungup.

“Yes. He described the situation of the characters with just one touch of a brush. This painting shows his unique structure of focusing more on characters than on the background and his own style of lines.”

“Oh… it’s impressive. You have also restored it so perfectly… then how much is the price?”

Haejin took a step back and looked at Byeongguk. He was implying Eunhae should negotiate with him.

Eunhae looked at him and smiled brightly.

“You will sell it at a good price, right?”

Normally, Byeongguk would have agreed at her angelic smile, but as he thought she was his daughter’s rival in love, he wasn’t moved.

“It is Yoon Duseo’s new painting that hasn’t been revealed. It also has a story behind as a painting that was lying in a corner of the flea market in France, it should be quite a sensation. I think the right price would be 1.3 billion. It isn’t that expensive, right?”

Actually, the price of the artifact changed all the time since all artifacts were basically one of a kind.

So, if the seller insists, discussing whether his price is high or not would mean nothing.

“Umm… I think it is a little expensive. Although a new painting of Yoon Duseo is meaningful, Yoon Duseo is not that popular in Korea.”

Jongmyeong saw things were not in their favor and spoke to turn the tide around. However, he was way too inexperienced to overcome Byeongguk.

“You know there are many cow paintings of the artist Lee Jungseop, right? There are dozens. Their structure and shape are all alike that ordinary people cannot tell them apart. Still, when a new cow painting of Lee Jungseop is found, it is worth at least billions…”

“That is because he is Lee Jungseop…”

“So, Yoon Duseo is not as good as Lee Jungseop? Judging by the current popularity, yes, but if we tell the media this is a painting found in France, its value would increase way over 1.3 billion. Well, if you think it is expensive, then I have no choice. There are many other galleries.”

“Why don’t you give us some time to think? You don’t have any reason to sell it so hastily, right?”

“Yes, but we don’t have any reason to drag the time. There must be many people who would want this, including Yang Sojin. They will decide if we show it to them. It’s not like we would have to hand out flyers…”

As the painting had been restored and wasn’t in Yoon Duseo’s picture book, if they pointed out the authenticity, there were chances of lowering the price. So, Byeongguk had said 1.3 billion when he had a billion as the Maginot Line, but lowering the price is not an easy thing to do unless you are an expert.

“Then we will decide till tomorrow. As we have some history with Mr. Haejin, I hope you can wait until tomorrow?”

“Well, okay. A day would be fine…”

After Eunhae and Jongmyeong left, Sujeong and Byeongguk were glad as they were about to get an extra three hundred million. Haejin left the workshop. He felt the painting on which he had cast the tracking spell was moving.

“Incheon…”

If an antique headed to Incheon, there could only be two destinations. One would be dealing on a boat out at the empty ocean, and the other would be sending it on a container ship that had been acquired in advance. However, unless they were sending a large number of artifacts at once, they usually made deals inside the ship.

Haejin used a public phone to tip off the maritime police. He said there was an artifact being illegally traded on a ship at Incheon Port right now and hung up. He thought if the police could not capture them, then there was nothing he could do.

Later that evening, reports about the illegal trade of artifacts came out and Haejin thought Yang Sojin’s days of crimes were over. However, strangely, the next morning, all reports about it were gone.

Haejin asked Eunhae about the reports when they met in front of Korea Auction, and she told him something unexpected.

“Oh, you’ve seen the reports, too?”

“Yes. They are really bad people. They should all be convicted… but there’s no report about them today.”

Eunhae slightly frowned.

“This is a secret, so don’t tell anyone.”

“Oh, of course. My lips are sealed.”

“Actually, these people who illegally sold artifacts are the employees of Yang Sojin’s Hanbit Gallery.”

Was it because she was a member of Hwajin family? How could she be so accurate? Anyway, Haejin overreacted as if he knew nothing about it.

“Really? Wow! So?”

“People of the Cultural Heritage Administration are checking the artifacts that were confiscated last night, but all the employees of Hanbit Gallery who were arrested have been set free. The others will be freed soon.”

What the… Haejin knew Sojin was powerful, but they were freed in a day.

“How were they freed so easily?”

“Yang Sojin has great influence on politicians. Well, at least she must have received quite some damage this time. She will have to cancel the upcoming exhibition and stay low for a while.”

“Why would she cancel the exhibition?”

“There must be some problematic artifacts among the artifacts that were going to be exhibited. I never exhibit artifacts like that, but she is different. As things are serious now, if something bigger happens, even she would not be able to handle the consequences. She was powerful enough to take care of this one, but that’s it.”

“Wow… she is really powerful.”

As Byeongguk had said, Sojin had great powers. Haejin decided to be content about retrieving the painting that was about to be sold abroad.

“Then what will you do about yesterday’s painting?”

“I will buy it. I am thinking of planning a new exhibition with it. How about the ‘First Stroll of Yoon Duseo back from France’? Oh, but you are giving me a discount, right?”

“That is… you should talk to Byeongguk about that.”

“Hmm… okay. Well, shall we go in?”

Eunhae went to the front row of the saleroom on the first floor and sat down. She was natural as if it were her seat but, surprisingly, a familiar face soon sat next to her.

“Long time no see.”

She was lifting her chin high with a cold face. It was Yaerin who they had met at the preview. Haejin remembered her and Eunhae arguing as if they had killed each other’s parents.

“Yes. You came together.”

Eunhae nodded at the middle-aged appraiser next to Yaerin.

He bowed to Eunhae and was surprised to see that Haejin was with Eunhae.

“You are…”

“Hello. It is the second time.”

Yaerin frowned at this. She had been concentrating on Eunhae and didn’t care about the guy next to her. Only now she recognized he was the one who had humiliated her before.

“Oh… that show-off?”

“I may not have money, but when it comes to antiques, I do know a lot. Oh, and I think my appearance is also above average…”

Yaerin snorted at Haejin’s joke and ignored him.

“Your mouth is alive, just as before. Oh, right! I heard your uncle has turned the Haevici Gallery upside down. What was it about?”

Haejin had thought Lim Sungjun, who had bought the fake Lion Tamer of Max Beckmann, would not let that go.

“Well… I think it is a little inappropriate to talk about it here…”

“Inappropriate? Ha… well, everyone in that family is so full of whims… they said they will invest and changed their mind, they said they will buy the painting and changed your mind… aren’t you going to change your mind about your engagement?”

That was enough to make one mad, but Eunhae smiled and replied with ease.

“Marriage is not an easy thing. You always miss your first love, but others don’t live so foolishly. Or they will end up getting betrayed like you…”

Even Haejin, who knew nothing about it, was surprised, so there was no way Yaerin would stand that.

“Shut up! What do you know?”

There were dozens of people in that room, but she didn’t seem to care.

“I am getting embarrassed and tempted to go back. Sit. How can I say something to you when your aunt has said nothing?”

It turned out the director of Haevici Gallery was Yaerin’s aunt. Yaerin’s face was so red that it could explode at any moment. She bit her lip and sat down. Then, she stretched out her hand to her appraiser with a temper.

The appraiser gave her the catalog of today’s auction as if nothing had happened.

Buyers of an auction don’t get what will be on auction on the day. The auction agency would choose the things and make a catalog.

When making a catalog, professional photographers worked, they added a detailed explanation of the piece and stories of the maker. So, the buyers would be able to know what kind of thing it is and what value it has by reading the catalog.

People usually read the catalog and attend the preview. You should see the thing you saw on the catalog at the preview for real and then go to the auction in order to not regret it.

So, the people in the room knew well what kind of artifacts would come out and when. They had also thought in advance how much they should call.

In addition, the auction proceeded in the catalog’s order and the agency took care to set that order. Of course, things that came out later tended to be more valuable.

Yaerin was going through her catalog not to choose artifacts, but to check again the artifacts she wanted.

“Is there anything you like? Let’s not strain ourselves.”

Eunhae put her catalog on her lap and spoke. She was going to choose and focus while giving up the ones she didn’t really want.

“Hmm… fine. I don’t want to spend money on useless things, either. 68, 72, 79. Those are what I want.”

It sounded she was accepting Eunhae’s offer, but Eunhae clenched her teeth to hear that.

“68… Didn’t you criticize that before? Saying that if it is worth billions, I don’t know how to discern good artifacts.”

Haejin quickly opened his catalog at this. That jade buddha was No.68. Wow… Yaerin was as shameless as she was rich.