Chapter 116: A Chest Full of Gold Is No Match for a Single Piece of Ebony

Naturally, the three girls couldn’t discern anything and after a long look, they still thought that the jade thumb ring might be the most valuable, followed by the thick gold chain around the neck, then the gold rings, with the silver ring being the least valuable.

Zhu Senlin was far more perceptive than the girls. After a while, he pointed at the jade thumb ring and said, “This jade thumb ring should be worth something, of course, except for that smoking pipe the old brother mentioned. But I want to ask, this smoking pipe is black and short, just a few inches long, seemingly cast with iron at both ends. How could such a small piece of wood, no thicker than a finger, be worth much?”

Since Zhu Senlin had last received a piece of golden Phoebe wood brought back from Zhang Can’s hometown, he had gained a better understanding of wood and knew the preciousness of golden Phoebe. But the small smoking pipe of Gu Jiulong appeared somewhat blackened and didn’t look like golden Phoebe at all. Besides, if you consider the price, a single golden Phoebe pillar the size of a beam would be worth over a million, whereas this pipe was only about three inches long and finger-thick. Even if made of golden Phoebe, by proportion, it could only be worth a few tens of thousands at most.

Either Gu Jiulong’s smoking pipe was indeed worth only a few tens of thousands, and the other items he carried were worthless, making the pipe the most valuable, or there was more to it. However, Zhu Senlin knew that the true value would only be revealed after Zhang Can explained.

Zhang Can glanced at the silent old man, who was clearly shocked by his words. The old man naturally didn’t know about Zhang Can’s ability to see through objects in black and white. With such a power, it was something the old man could never have imagined.

“Hmm, Old Zhu made a good point. Let me add something,” Zhang Can smiled without reservation. As the saying goes, excess modesty is arrogance, and Zhang Can was not one to be arrogant, but he was also not one to be overly modest.

“First, let me talk about the seven rings and the chain,” Zhang Can said. “Only the silver ring has some value; the rest, including that jade thumb ring, are fake.”

His words startled everyone present!

The three girls were not very surprised, but Zhu Senlin and Gu Jiulong were quite shocked, especially the old man. Zhang Can had said the smoking pipe was the most valuable, which had already astonished him. Now he said the rings were fake and his assessment was precise. Reflecting on Zhu Senlin’s introduction that Zhang Can was a master among masters, could it be true?

Was this young man, Zhang Can, truly that skilled, even surpassing his own eyesight?

Though puzzled and amazed, the old man refrained from asking immediately. He wanted to see what else Zhang Can might reveal.

Zhang Can pointed to some rings on the tea table, casually picked one up, shook it in his hand, then put it down. “These rings aren’t gold at all. They’re copper mixed with other colored metals, but their density is close to gold’s, so their color and weight are similar. This easily fools an ordinary person into thinking they are gold. As for that jade thumb ring...”

Zhang Can then pointed again at the thumb ring. “That thumb ring isn’t jade at all; it’s glass, highly processed with advanced technology. Some ultra-hard elements were added to the glass and then treated at high temperatures, making it much harder than ordinary glass. Jadeite has the highest hardness among jades, but if hardness alone is tested, this specially made glass is almost indistinguishable. When tested for color, transparency, and so on, even some experts would be fooled!”

The old man listened to Zhang Can’s explanation, eyes narrowing with doubt and amazement. Such high-tech products had only recently appeared on the market and were exceedingly rare. He had already shown these rings to many peers, and none suspected they were fake. What puzzled him was that Zhang Can had only looked at them with his eyes; he hadn’t even touched them!

Gu Jiulong immediately suspected that Zhang Can must have seen such high-tech products before. Otherwise, it was impossible for someone his age and experience to recognize them so accurately. Either he had seen them, been fooled before, or had connections to obtain such items and then used them to deceive others.

Gu Jiulong hesitated thoughtfully. Zhang Can continued, “These rings also have some technological components, especially that thumb ring. But that thick chain is entirely fake. Its core is probably iron, so it has weight, but the surface is only gold-plated, just a thin layer of gold. Although it looks thick, it’s actually the least valuable item.”

“Really?” Liu Xiaoli took the thick chain, turning it over and over. She was much more discerning than her younger sister Liu Xinqin and Zhang Hua, but she still couldn’t tell if the chain was genuine.

Still, Zhang Can’s assessment of the seven rings and one chain was remarkably precise, and he was also correct about the smoking pipe being the most valuable, though he hadn’t yet revealed its origin.

The old man pondered and, seeing Zhang Can smiling at him, nodded and said, “Young Master Zhang, then tell me, why is this smoking pipe the most valuable? What makes it so precious?”

Zhang Can smiled. “I don’t know if you’ve heard the saying: ‘Even a chest full of gold is no match for a piece of ebony.’ This pipe is made of ebony wood, isn’t it?”

“Gasp...” Gu Jiulong involuntarily drew a sharp breath and was speechless for a long moment.

This Zhang Can, whom he had initially intended to embarrass on their first meeting, had instead delivered an even greater shock!

Gu Jiulong was stunned for some time before asking again, “If you say it’s ebony, then have you seen ebony yourself? Do you really know it?”

Zhu Senlin, who had never seen ebony, smiled and said, “Old Gu, if Young Brother Zhang had never seen ebony, how could he recognize it?”

Zhang Can smiled and explained, “Ebony has several other names, such as submerged wood, black dragon wood, and the divine wood of the East. In ancient times, in primitive forests, many precious woods were buried deep under rivers, lakes, or seas due to natural disasters like earthquakes or floods. These submerged tree roots and deadwood, soaked and polished by mud and water over time, gradually changed their physical properties. The material was reinforced, and after prolonged polishing, this submerged wood became carbonized. Typically, submerged wood is at least three to four thousand years old to be useful; a common one is ten thousand years, and only those tens of thousands of years old are considered of quality.

Submerged wood doesn’t warp, is heavy and dense, and never suffers from insect damage. Ancient submerged wood can rival rosewood and is considered the essence and soul of trees. Items made from this wood are often used to ward off evil, bring blessings, and protect homes. Because submerged wood lies at the very bottom of deep rivers, seas, and lakes, it is incredibly difficult to obtain. Surviving artifacts made of submerged wood are extremely rare. Hence the saying, ‘Even a chest full of gold is no match for a piece of ebony.’

In fact, since the Qing Dynasty, ebony wood no longer fell under the category of ordinary wood but was classified as a treasure. However...”

Zhang Can’s words left Zhang Hua and the Liu sisters, as well as Zhu Senlin, feeling as if they were dreaming. Gu Jiulong was also mesmerized. He couldn’t understand how such a seemingly inexperienced young man could know so much.

While the claims about the rings being fake might have been learned from other sources, this smoking pipe was indeed made of submerged wood. Gu Jiulong had acquired it through great difficulty and carried it with him year-round. He used it for smoking, so no one suspected it was a valuable item.

But when the old man heard Zhang Can say “however,” he was startled again. He knew the value of this submerged wood smoking pipe well. Zhang Can was the first person besides himself to recognize it, which was astonishing. Yet Zhang Can’s tone suggested something was amiss, causing the old man to quickly ask, “Young Master Zhang, tell me, what’s the ‘however’? Is there something wrong? Is this item fake as well?”

Zhang Can shook his head. “It’s not fake and there is nothing wrong with it. It’s a valuable item. Submerged wood is rare and indeed more precious than gold. But what’s a bit unfortunate is that this smoking pipe is made from a relatively ordinary grade of submerged wood, not the most valuable kind called ‘yinchen wood.’ Yinchen wood’s value among woods is truly unparalleled, far surpassing rosewood. Of course, Old Gu, you know that among trees, rosewood is the most prized. But submerged wood, after being soaked and polished by sea water and mud for millions of years, can no longer be considered ordinary wood. It’s like petroleum or coal – they all come from wood, but can you still call them wood?”

Hearing this, the old man breathed a long sigh of relief. So, it wasn’t that his pipe was not precious or worthless, it just wasn’t made from the rarest ‘yinchen wood.’

Gu Jiulong knew well the preciousness of yinchen wood. It was rare worldwide and could rival any precious gem or jade. There was a saying, “Mud cannot damage its firm bones; once brought into the hall, it shines upon the clothes.” But due to its extreme rarity, low yield, and non-renewable nature, the chances of finding it were incredibly slim. It was the finest among submerged woods.

The old man stared at Zhang Can for a while, then smiled wryly and sighed, “Young Master Zhang, when I heard Old Zhu talk about you, I was very skeptical, refusing to believe that someone so young could have such keen eyesight. I thought you were just lucky. But now I see I was wrong, and wildly so. It seems in the antiques trade, the new generation really does surpass the old. With your eyesight, I feel unworthy even to tie your shoes!”

“Heh heh...” Zhang Can couldn’t help but laugh. Although the old man was somewhat old-fashioned, he liked his straightforward, unyielding character. If he accepted defeat, he did so wholeheartedly, without caring for face. Such people were rare nowadays.

Regarding the old man working as the chief appraiser in his shop, Zhang Can was now completely satisfied. The old man’s appraisal skills were undeniably solid. Without Zhang Can’s own black-and-white vision ability, he would have been far inferior to the old man.

Zhang Can then smiled again. “Old Gu, actually, it was just luck. I happened to come across a book about submerged wood. I studied it carefully, and when I first saw your smoking pipe, I really paid attention and made a guess. I didn’t expect to be right!”

Gu Jiulong shook his head and sighed, “Young Master Zhang, you don’t need to hide it. Your appraisal skills are excellent, and your character and generosity are even rarer qualities. I truly feel this trip was worthwhile!”