"How do you plan to collect the works of those old guys?" Wu Xinping asked with a smile.
"Price increase! It turns out that when you receive a painting, you pay more than one yuan, sometimes a few yuan.
Now, I have increased the price, a hundredfold increase.
Famous artists such as Qi Gong, Wu Zuoren, Wu Guanzhong, Fan Zeng, Cui Ruzhuo, and Huang Yongyu all raised prices a hundred times to acquire their works.
Of course, this requires Master's intervention!" Zhang Junping said with a smile.
Becoming a disciple cannot be in vain.
Being a master gives you strength.
It is not easy to get the works of those artists who are currently active in the domestic calligraphy and painting circle.
To reach their current status, they don't need much money.
It doesn’t mean that if I increase the price a hundred times, I can successfully win over everyone’s paintings.
That's impossible, it can only be a pipe dream.
As for cultivating artists, that can only be done after the art company has established a foothold.
It is not possible to see results in just one or two years.
It is a long-term investment.
Now, those who can achieve results quickly are these contemporary artists who are active in the circle of calligraphy and painting.
He may not be able to take it down, but Wu Xinping can. With his connections and status in the calligraphy and painting circle, he can wipe out everyone before they react.
Although I can't say that I can win them all, I can still win most of them without any problem.
"Haha, you kid, you just started to call your master, and you started calling him.
Everyone has something to do and the disciple has to do their job, but you have something to do and the master has to do it." Wu Xinping was in a good mood and joked with Zhang Junping.
"Master, this calls for those who are capable to work harder.
The connections you have made over the decades in the art shop cannot be replaced by anyone.
If there is anyone in this country who can collect all their works, it must be Master." Zhang Junping said with a smile.
"I understand that you are doing the same thing.
Even your master is included in this!" Wu Xinping laughed and cursed.
Wu Xinping now understands that as his apprentice, he can really take one step at a time and see the next.
Sending gifts, raising prices, holding symposiums, forming public opinion guidance, expanding influence, and collecting paintings are all step-by-step calculations, not just taking one step at a time and looking at three steps.
"Dad, are there guests at home?" A girl of seventeen or eighteen years old came in from outside. She was stunned for a moment when she saw Zhang Junping and asked crisply.
"Xinxin is back! This is the apprentice I just accepted today.
You call me Senior Brother." When Wu Xinping saw his daughter, he couldn't help but reveal a doting smile on his face.
"Xiao Zhang, this is my youngest daughter, her name is Wu Xin, who is studying Chinese painting at CAFA." Wu Xinping proudly introduced to Zhang Junping.
"Dad, he just became a disciple today, should he call me senior sister?" The pretty girl wrinkled her nose at Zhang Junping and protested softly.
"Don't be ridiculous. Although Xiao Zhang just became an apprentice today, he is self-taught and his attainments in calligraphy and painting are no worse than your father's.
So, please call me senior brother honestly!" Wu Xinping scolded with a smile.
It's just that this reprimand has no deterrent effect at all, but more like an explanation.
"Oh well!
Hello, senior brother!" Wu Xin made an ancient salute to Zhang Junping, and then extended a slender jade hand.
"What are you doing Xinxin?"
"What a meeting gift!
Senior brother, this is the Chinese New Year, you didn’t prepare a gift for me, right?” Wu Xin looked at Zhang Junping and said with a smile.
"Don't say it yet!
Originally, I didn't know that Master had such a beautiful and lovely little junior sister like you.
But, I don’t know what happened today, but on a whim, I put something in my bag.
It seems that this is fate!
Somehow, it is destined that this thing is a gift prepared for my junior sister." Zhang Junping patted his forehead and said with a smile.
"Really? Senior brother, you must have prepared this gift for me. If you don't like me, don't take it!" Wu Xin winked mischievously.
Zhang Junping picked up the briefcase, took out a box from it, and handed it to Wu Xin.
He smiled and said: "Little junior sister, let's see if you like this gift.
If you don't like it, senior brother will prepare another gift for you later."
"You kid, why do you ask your senior brother for a gift as soon as we meet?" At this time, Zhou Yuzhen walked in with a plate of dishes. Seeing Wu Xin asking for a gift from Zhang Junping, he frowned and scolded.
Then he smiled and explained to Zhang Junping: "Xiao Zhang, don't be the same as her. This girl has been spoiled by your master!"
"Wow!
The watch is so beautiful! I like it!" Wu Xin didn't care at all about Zhou Yuzhen's reprimand, and opened the box to herself, shouting with joy.
"Master's wife is fine. Junior sister is so innocent. Why should I mind?" Zhang Junping first said something to Zhou Yuzhen, then smiled at Wu Xin and said, "As long as junior sister likes it!"
"Go, ask your brother to come out for dinner! There is no rush to study at this moment." Zhou Yuzhen said to Wu Xin.
"Senior brother is here too?" Zhang Junping was stunned. Just now he thought they were the only three in Wu Xinping's family.
"He is younger than you, just call him Xiaohui.
The educated youth who just went to the countryside have just returned and are reviewing at home to prepare for the college entrance examination next year." Wu Xinping explained to Zhang Junping with a smile.
"Dad! Mom!
Hello!" A handsome young man in his twenties walked out of the east wing, entered the main room and saw Zhang Junping, and nodded politely to him.
"This is the apprentice I just accepted today. Just call me Brother Zhang." Wu Xinping introduced Zhang Junping to his son.
Zhang Junping was a little confused. Just now, his daughter asked to call him Senior Brother. Why did his son only ask him to call him Brother Zhang?
Perhaps seeing Zhang Junping's confusion, Wu Xinping explained with a smile: "This is my youngest son, his name is Wu Minghui.
He does not study calligraphy and painting, and he has no intention of entering this circle in the future.
So, as long as you are brothers, it will be fine."
"Hello, Brother Zhang!" Wu Minghui nodded to Zhang Junping politely.
"Senior brother, this is my brother, do you also have to give me a greeting gift?
Is there something in your bag that can be used as a gift?" Wu Xin said mischievously.
"Hey! Junior sister, why are you so smart?
Have you guessed this?" Zhang Junping said with a smile.
Zhang Junping said as he took out another box from his briefcase and handed it to Wu Minghui, "Xiaohui, this is the first time we meet, Brother Zhang is not prepared at all, so he is not careful at all."
"Brother Zhang, how can I ask for your..."
"Thank you, senior brother!" Wu Xin took the box first and thanked Zhang Junping.
"Fifth brother, don't you want a watch? Well, why don't you thank my senior brother quickly?" Wu Xin opened the box, took out the watch inside and said to Wu Minghui with a smile.
"Xinxin, how can you be so rude?" Zhou Yuzhen was a little angry when he saw his daughter's behavior, and scolded her with a straight face.
"Mom, what's wrong? Senior brother is not an outsider!" Wu Xin said aggrievedly.
"Xiao Zhang, I'm sorry! This girl was spoiled by her senior brothers and sisters." Zhou Yuzhen apologized to Zhang Junping.
"Master's wife, it's okay! Just like Xinxin said, I'm not an outsider.
If you are too polite, I will feel uncomfortable.
By the way, Mistress, this is a gift for you, I hope you like it." Zhang Junping quickly took out the gift he had prepared.
"No, no! It's your first day here. It's your wife who should give you a greeting gift." Zhou Yuzhen quickly declined.
"Okay, Yuzhen, this is Xiao Zhang's tribute to you, just accept it!
Xiaohui, your brother Zhang gave it to you, just accept it!
He is a rich man." Wu Xinping said with a smile.
Wu Xinping spoke, and then the two of them put away the gifts.
After Zhou Yuzhen thanked Zhang Junping, he went to the kitchen to serve food.
"Xiao Zhang, I am in a hurry today and have nothing to prepare. Just a few home-cooked dishes. Don't dislike it." Zhou Yuzhen said to Zhang Junping with a smile.
"Master Wife, this is already very good!
Your craftsmanship is so good! This dish is made like a work of art, and it feels like eating when you look at it." Zhang Junping quickly stood up and said with a smile.
"If you like it, come here often." Zhou Yuzhen said politely with a smile.
Then he took Wu Xin to another room to eat.
"Master, why don't you ask your junior wife and junior sister to eat together?"
Zhang Junping did not expect that the master's family still had the custom of women not serving at the table.
"Don't worry about them! Let's eat ours!
Xiao Zhang, I see you brought wine, so let’s drink the wine you brought.” Wu Xinping said with a smile.
"Okay!" Zhang Junping stood up and took out two bottles of Maotai from the gift he brought.
"Hey! You guys are so willing to give up!" Wu Xinping said with a smile.
"How can you be stingy when you come to Master's home for the first time?" Zhang Junping said with a smile.
Wu Minghui took the wine proactively, first poured a glass for Wu Xinping, then poured a glass for Zhang Junping, and finally got a glass for himself.
After two glasses of wine, Zhang Junping discovered that Wu Xinping's drinking capacity was really bad.
After drinking two glasses of wine from a three-cent wine cup, an abnormal blush appeared on my face.
Wu Xinping also started to talk more, and he kept talking non-stop.
They were talking about some interesting gossip in the calligraphy and painting circle, and Zhang Junping was very happy to listen to it.
This was very helpful for him to understand the circle of calligraphy and painting.
After drinking two more glasses of wine, Wu Xinping was already drunk, his eyes were hazy, and he could not speak clearly.
Zhang Junping did not dare to continue drinking with him.
Looking back at Wu Minghui, Zhang Junping couldn't help but laugh. They were really two brothers, with the same drinking capacity.
At this time, Wu Minghui was sitting on a chair and had already begun to kowtow and take a nap.
Fortunately, when Wu Xinping was telling the secrets of the calligraphy and painting circle just now, Zhang Junping was not idle. Most of the six dishes on the table went into his stomach, and he was finally half full.
"Master's wife!" Zhang Junping stood up and left the house, standing in the yard and shouted.
"Xiao Zhang, what's wrong?" Zhou Yuzhen heard the shout and walked out of the kitchen.
"Master and Xiaohui drank too much.
You see..." Zhang Junping was a little embarrassed.
"It's okay, it's okay! This is how much your master can drink. Two drinks is a crime." Zhou Yuzhen was obviously used to it.
The first time I was a guest at Master's home, I drank Master down. This was indeed a bit inappropriate.
But who knows, the two drinks Wu Xinping said were really two drinks.
Zhang Junping helped Zhou Yuzhen help Wu Xinping and Wu Minghui to the bed, and then quickly said goodbye and left.
Zhang Junping returned to the courtyard.
This is the first time in this period that he has come back so early.
As soon as I entered the courtyard, I saw that the courtyard was full of people and it was very lively.
"Hey! Everyone is here? What are you talking about? It's so lively?"
"Hirako is back?"
"Pingzi, but Chengzi has never seen you come back so early."
"Yes, have you finished finishing the furniture?"
Seeing Zhang Junping, everyone talked to him and said hello.
Very enthusiastic.
"No! I have something to do today, so I didn't go to pack furniture." Zhang Junping replied with a smile.
"Pingzi, I heard that you were transferred from the Materials Bureau?" Brother Zhu asked.
Unexpectedly, there were well-informed people who knew that he had changed his job.
No one said anything about him changing jobs.
Including Tian Shumei, he did not say that he had not seen Tian Shumei during the time when he returned from abroad.
Zhang Junping nodded and said, "Yes, I just changed my job a few days ago."
"Where did it go?" Everyone asked with concern.
"The BJ Painting Shop on Wangfujing Street." Zhang Junping didn't hide anything and said it truthfully.
"Why did you go to the painting shop?"
"Yes! Pingzi, you shouldn't have offended anyone, right?
Why were you transferred there?"
"Hingzi, you didn't make a mistake, did you?"
For a moment, Zhang Junping felt the harshness of the world and the warmth of human relationships from everyone's words.
Some people really care, while others are happy and happy.
"The painting shop is a little more relaxed. I'm going to get married soon! I can go to a more relaxed place and save myself from frequent business trips." Zhang Junping was too lazy to introduce it to them so much.
"Then there's no need to go to such a deserted unit!"
"BJ Painting Shop, I know that my brother-in-law's sister-in-law works there.
It’s so busy there, there’s often not even one customer a day.” Sister-in-law Zhao said as if she had some inside information.
"I've also heard that BJ's Painting Shop not only has no profit, but also has poor holiday benefits.
This year during the Mid-Autumn Festival, half a catty of mooncakes were distributed."
"Okay, you women with long hair and short knowledge, what are you talking about?" Brother Zhu couldn't stand it and scolded.
"What happened to us? What happened to us?
Isn't that right, Xiao Zhang?" Sister-in-law Zhu glared at Brother Zhu fiercely and said to Zhang Junping with a smile.
"It's okay, the painting shop is just like the Qingshui Yamen you mentioned.
Actually, for me, it’s pretty good!
It just so happens that in the past few years, I have been running outside every day and I am tired.
Qingshui Yamen is great! You can have a good rest." Zhang Junping said with a smile.
"That's right, I think it's good to go to the painting shop! Your previous job looked pretty good, and it's not easy to be able to run outside for more than half a year." Brother Zhu smiled awkwardly at Zhang Junping to smooth things over.
"Yes! I'm getting married soon! It would be great if I could change my job and stay at home with my wife and children." Zhang Junping said with a smile.
After saying a few more words, Zhang Junping pushed his bicycle to the door of his room, parked the bicycle and entered the house.
This person is really realistic. As soon as he heard that he was no longer working in the Materials Bureau, Brother Pingzi immediately turned into Xiao Zhang.
After washing up, Zhang Junping took out the cooked food he had put in before from his own space, and took out a bottle of chrysanthemum white, and started eating and drinking leisurely.
I was half-full at Wu Xinping's house just now.
"Bangbang!"
"Who!"
"Pingzi, it's me!" Tian Shumei opened the door and came in.
"Oh, how come Sister Tian has learned to knock on the door?" Zhang Junping said with a smile when he saw it was Tian Shumei.
"Hingzi, what's going on? I heard from Dashan and the others that you were transferred to a painting shop. How come you were transferred to a painting shop?
Did you really offend someone? Didn't you find your father-in-law?" Tian Shumei asked with concern.
"Haha...ha!" Zhang Junping couldn't help laughing, "Sister Tian, how could you think I had offended someone?"
"You're still laughing! You didn't offend anyone, why did you suddenly go to such a place?
Or did you make a mistake?"
"Sister Tian, don't listen to those old ladies!
I am currently a cadre at the deputy division level and will be directly promoted to division level next spring.
Triple jump.
If you were promoted to three levels in another unit, wouldn't you think it would be too eye-catching?" Zhang Junping explained with a smile.
"Ah? You were promoted to the rank of deputy director?
It scared me to death! I thought..." Tian Shumei took a deep breath and patted her towering chest.
"Okay, stop talking about me!
How are you doing lately? Is the business in Pigeon Market okay?" Zhang Junping looked at Tian Shumei and asked with a smile.
I haven’t seen her for a while, and Tian Shumei has really changed a lot, but she is still very beautiful.
But my temperament has changed and I am more confident than before.
Life has its rush and hard days, but it's just different.
"Hingzi, I never had time to thank you!
It was you who pointed out a clear path to my sister.
Do you know how much money I have made in these few months?
When I say it, I can't believe it myself. I dared to dream about it before!" When talking about her business, Tian Shumei's eyes lit up with excitement.
"How much?" Zhang Junping took a sip of wine and asked cooperatively.
"More than 20,000 yuan! My sister earned more than 20,000 yuan in just over two months!
Especially in the past few days, I can make more than a thousand yuan a day.
By the Chinese New Year, I will be able to earn 30,000 yuan." Tian Shumei whispered excitedly.
"You're not worried now, are you? With thirty thousand yuan, you can buy a small courtyard house.
Go back and ask Dashan to find you a decent courtyard house.
You and your family of five don’t have to squeeze into one room anymore." Zhang Junping said with a smile.
"Next year, next year I will buy a courtyard house."
"Sister Tian, if you buy a courtyard house, let me know and I will find someone to help you transfer the title.
By the way, what are you going to do next?"
"What's next?
Of course I will continue to sell things in the pigeon market!" Tian Shumei said matter-of-factly.
"Next year, Dashan and the others will go to Xiangjiang, and Pigeon City will slowly give up."
"Give up? The business in Pigeon Market is so good now, why give up?"
"No matter how good the pigeon market is, it is not a formal business, it is speculation.
Just like you, do you dare to take the goods back to the yard?
Do you dare to tell the people in the yard that you are setting up a stall in Pigeon Market?
So the pigeon market is not a long-term solution."
Looking at Tian Shumei who looked confused, Zhang Junping shook his head.
"Sister Tian, you are now facing a difficult choice.
The first is to continue to set up a stall in Pigeon Market, but once you leave the mountains, no one will provide you with supplies.
You need to find a way to source the goods yourself.”
"What about number two?"
"The second is to quit my job at the fertilizer factory and find a serious business.
This is called burning the cauldron!
Do you have the courage to smash your own iron rice bowl?" Zhang Junping asked with a smile.
"Pingzi, you said it very lightly.
Is it allowed by the state to do business with a door curtain?"
"Sister Tian, didn't you listen to the news?
The 12th National Congress of the Communist Party of China said: The individual economy is a necessary supplement to the public economy.
Therefore, the country now allows self-employment."