Chapter 298: This Thing Is Enough to Change the World!
Can 2 Billion Even be Considered Expensive? (3)
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Such a small imperial edict is worth a starting bid of one billion yuan?
How terrifying!
The entire venue was in shock.
However, the representatives from major museums knew the significance of this item, so their expressions remained unchanged. On the other hand, the wealthy individuals who did not understand its importance were quite astonished.
“Hehe, 1 billion? What does that mean? Is it more valuable than the set of chime bells earlier?”
“Has Qin Rubing, that silly girl, gone mad? Why start with such a high price?”
“We are not even qualified to bid. This is a first-class cultural relic, almost of national treasure level. What does it matter how much it costs?”
“This is an edict that changed the course of history. A price of one billion seems reasonable to me!”
“What nonsense! Even without Emperor Qin Il, there would have been an Emperor Qin Ill! I think the problem was with the Qin Dynasty’s system itself. Their system was only suitable for establishing a powerful nation, but not for unifying a vast empire! Fusu and Huhai would have been the same as emperors!”
“That point has indeed been studied by experts…”
“Yes, it is not certain that if Fusu had ascended to the throne, the Qin Dynasty could have changed. Their system made them strong, but it also made it impossible for them to maintain their rule.”
The people at the scene discussed what could have changed history, and of course, they were skeptical. The Qin Dynasty’s model and system were considered by many as unsuitable for a unified dynasty but only for regional domination. The Han Dynasty was much more remarkable, incorporating defectors and adopting a laissez-faire policy, which led to the era of Wen and Jing. When Emperor Wu of Han ascended the throne, he fought and conquered neighboring territories with the support of a robust foundation.
“I, representing the Shanghai Museum, bid 1.02 billion!”
“I, representing the Forbidden City Museum, bid 1.1 billion!”
Seeing these museums actually placing bids, many wealthy individuals who had never encountered such a scene thought it was a foolish move. But in reality, although the appeal of the cultural relic was not significant, local officials from various places hoped that their museums could collect such items, so they were not short of money.
“I suspect they are laundering money. It is just an edict, how could it be worth more than a billion?”
“As I said, this kind of item is the only sample of a Qin imperial decree, and it even bears the Emperor’s personal seal. Have you ever seen any other genuine Qin imperial decrees on the market? The key is that this is the edict in which Emperor Qin Shi Huang passed the throne to Fusu. I think a value of one billion is justifiable.”
Gradually, many laymen began to understand the significance of the edict after hearing explanations from knowledgeable people around them.
“We, the Forbidden City Museum, bid 1.4 billion!”
“We, the Modu Museum, bid 1.42 billion!”
Everyone was quite puzzled today. They had brought a lot of funds, but it seemed that the other museums were not short of money either. Could it be that they had all brought about 10 billion yuan? Were they all going mad?
Before they knew it, the edict’s price had reached nearly 1.5 billion yuan. Everyone was astounded.
“I am not saying this edict might be auctioned off at a price of 2 billion, right?” “Who knows? These museums have gone mad, and they seem to have endless funds!”
“I think 2 billion is a bit doubtful, perhaps around 1.6 billion?”
The wealthy people discussed animatedly. Today’s auction was truly worth attending. Not only had they acquired their favorite antique trinkets, but they had also witnessed transactions worth more than a billion yuan. It was truly spectacular.
In the end, the edict did not disappoint the wealthy individuals. It was acquired by the Xianyang Museum for a staggering 2 billion yuan, ensuring they obtained the edict left by Emperor Qin Shi Huang for their region. For the local officials in Xianyang, this item held extraordinary significance. If it had been snatched away by museums such as the Shanghai or Guangdi museums, the internet users’ criticism might have drowned the Xianyang Museum. “Hehe, 2 billion yuan! The Xianyang Museum has really bled for this!”
“But after acquiring this item, they probably cannot afford anything else, right?”
“In my opinion, this edict only ranks within the top five in value!”
“Yes, we must save some money to compete for the top three treasures!”
At this moment, Qin Rubing, seeing the wealthy museums continuously raising their bids, was sweating profusely. 2 billion yuan? That was quite intense!
As for the subsequent counterfeit edict, it was the one forged by Zhao Gao and Li Si. The final price was also quite expensive, reaching 80 million yuan. But when compared to the genuine edict dictated by Emperor Qin Shi Huang, the difference was enormous.
Soon after, Qin Rubing did not dwell on the matter. She looked at the bronze tripod, even taller than herself, which had already been moved onto the stage. She looked up and said, “This bronze tripod, after our experts’ appraisal, is the alchemy furnace used by Emperor Qin Shi Huang to create the elixir of immortality.. It is over two meters tall and weighs 1,800 kilograms! It can be said that in the history of cultural relics, this is the largest bronze tripod! The starting bid is 900 million yuan!”
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