Chapter 128: Chapter 123: Yilin Hall
Before entering the cigar room, Gu Heng’s group had been four people.
Now, there were seven of them.
In addition, the number of professional shoppers surrounding them had also increased from the original six to eight.
Chatting and laughing, the group followed the professional shoppers to the Yilin Hall concept store.
Yilin Hall, one of the ten famous kilns of Jingdezhen.
Fencai porcelain is one of the four famous traditional porcelains of Jingdezhen. Its craftsmanship is delicate, elegant, and gentle, possessing strong artistic and aesthetic value, earning it the moniker "Treasure of Oriental Art."
And Yilin Hall was the kiln in Jingdezhen most skilled in fencai porcelain. With an attitude of striving for perfection and a spirit of groundbreaking innovation, they balanced antique imitation with new creations. They quickly made a name for themselves in China’s high-end porcelain market, attracting countless wealthy enthusiasts to collect their work.
For tea ceremony enthusiasts, teacups and gaiwans were like Sildenafil and Dapoxetine to a middle-aged man—indispensable for obtaining pleasure.
Gu Heng wanted to fill the leisure room on the third floor of his mountaintop villa. Cigars alone certainly wouldn’t be enough; wine and tea were also on his shopping list for this spree.
Good wine goes with good cigars, and good tea naturally requires good porcelain.
As it happened, the fencai porcelain that Yilin Hall specialized in was a perfect match for Gu Heng’s aesthetic tastes.
The group walked into the Yilin Hall concept store.
Just as before, only two professional shoppers followed Gu Heng and his group into the Yilin Hall concept store; the others waited by the entrance.
"Gentlemen, ladies, I am the manager of this store."
"How may I help you?"
The manager of this Yilin Hall store saw Gu Heng’s group, dressed in fine clothes with an extraordinary air about them, and surrounded by numerous professional shoppers. They were clearly people of wealth and status, so she immediately came over to greet them personally.
Faced with the manager’s polite reception, no one in the group spoke, all turning their gazes to Gu Heng.
Seeing this, the manager instantly realized that Gu Heng was the core of the group.
"Sir, how may I help you?"
The manager bowed slightly to Gu Heng and asked again.
"I’ve always heard your fencai porcelain is excellent. I happened to be passing by, so I thought I’d come in and have a look."
Gu Heng’s gaze swept over the numerous glass display cases. "Are all these pieces you have on display available for sale?"
"Most of them are for sale. Only a small portion require pre-ordering."
The manager answered truthfully.
"For example, your Molong Series, which is very popular online, requires a pre-order, right?"
The Yilin Hall concept store felt somewhat like a porcelain museum. Each piece was placed individually in a glass display case, accompanied by perfectly placed soft lighting that gave every item a look of immense texture and luster, flawlessly showcasing China’s millennia-old fencai craft.
"Yes, that’s correct."
The manager responded.
"And the timing?"
Gu Heng raised an eyebrow. "After placing a pre-order, how long is the wait to receive it?"
Hearing this, the manager showed a hint of hesitation. "Sir, the waiting time is hard to say. It could be as short as a month or so, or as long as several years."
"I understand."
Gu Heng let out a soft chuckle, his tone implying he saw through the situation but chose not to comment.
At that moment, the professional shopper who had accompanied Gu Heng’s group into the cigar room earlier walked quickly to the manager’s side, raised a hand, and whispered a few words in her ear.
After she finished, the professional shopper returned to her original position.
"Sir, if you are truly interested in the Molong Series, I can contact our headquarters for you and upgrade your reservation priority. I can ensure you receive the complete Molong Series within two months."
The manager looked at Gu Heng, the shock in her eyes impossible to conceal.
She could hardly imagine that this young man before her had spent twenty million on cigars alone just ten minutes ago.
’Just who is this person!?’
Yilin Hall was a high-end porcelain brand, with products easily costing tens or even hundreds of thousands. Over the years, she had seen many powerful and influential people, but this was the first time she had met someone who spent money so lavishly.
"Do you have a display set?"
Gu Heng asked the manager directly, without any further questions or comments.
Some things were best left to a tacit understanding.
Any brand aiming for the high-end market inevitably had to use scarcity marketing.
"Scarcity creates value"—this was a principle understood throughout history and across the world.
"We do."
"This way, please."
Compared to before, the manager’s expression and tone had unconsciously become much more respectful.
The group moved and soon arrived at the center of the Yilin Hall concept store.
"Chairman Gu, this is our Yilin Hall’s Molong Series."
"The complete Molong Series consists of nine pieces: the Ink-Color Nine Dragons Gaiwan, the Ink-Color Five Dragons Recumbent-Foot Cup, the Soaring Dragon Bringing Rain Fan-Shaped Porcelain Plaque, the Soaring Dragon Bringing Rain Coke Cup, the Soaring Dragon Bringing Rain Tall Aroma Cup, the Soaring Dragon Bringing Rain Gaiwan, the Soaring Dragon Bringing Rain Jingyu Teapot, the Soaring Dragon Bringing Rain Folded-Base Cup, and the Soaring Dragon Bringing Rain Molong Teapot Stand."
As the Yilin Hall series currently enjoying the most popularity online, the Molong Series’ glass display was noticeably more spacious and grand than those for other products.
It had to be said, there was a good reason the Molong Series was so beloved by the wealthy.
On each cup and saucer, ink dragons were rendered so lifelike they seemed to writhe with energy.
The composition was magnificent and grand, the brushwork firm and decisive.
The outlines were solid and robust, the clay trimming technique intricate and refined.
The depiction of the ink dragons’ light and shadow gave them a powerful sense of volume.
The background featured rich, dynamic cloud patterns, with the ink dragons appearing and disappearing within the mist, making them seem even more agile and mysterious.
"Sir, here at Yilin Hall, we based the image of the ink dragon on descriptions from ancient texts, combining the charm of ink painting with ceramic craftsmanship. By using the enamel black pigment from the Qing dynasty imperial court, we achieve a delicate and stable coloration that creates a rich, glossy texture. The light and shadow, expressed through the texture of the ink, reflect the ink dragon’s imposing and domineering presence..."
The manager stood before Gu Heng and his group, her voice calm and steady as she introduced the Molong Series.
"You’re not wrong, Yilin Hall’s fencai porcelain really is beautiful."
Wang Yan said in a low voice, "The dragon is a totem of our Chinese Nation. It used to appear often on Cyan Flower porcelain, but when you compare the Cyan Flower color to black ink, it’s clear the ink dragon has more spirit and looks more commanding."
"It’s definitely cool."
Gu Heng nodded slightly, his gaze never leaving the display case before him.
The manager spoke about the Molong Series for a full ten minutes before finishing her introduction; it was truly a very detailed explanation.
From its creative origins to its underlying concepts, from the craftsmanship to its symbolic meaning.
"Give me a price."
Gu Heng’s gaze returned to the manager as he asked concisely.
As Wang Yan and the others, who had followed Gu Heng from the cigar room to Yilin Hall, heard him utter those four words, they all felt a strange sense of familiarity.
’Good lord!’
’He’s at it again!’
’He just finished cleaning out the cigar room, and now it’s Yilin Hall’s turn, is it?’
’So rich it’s inhuman!’
’It’s just obscenely rich!’
Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!
Use arrow keys (or A / D) to PREV/NEXT chapter