The Versatile Master Artist

”Just giving the young men a chance to work for Brother Hao; not everyone, like Mr. Xiao Gu, can work for Brother Hao, which is an honor for 99% of the people in this city.”

The bald man made no effort to conceal his intentions.

In Myanmar, a mogul like Brother Hao, navigating both the black and white worlds, is akin to the Italian godfathers of Chicago or Atlantic City before World War I.

His social status is extremely high,

even the police respect him, sometimes even becoming accomplices.

”Mr. Xiao Gu, Brother Hao wants to collaborate with you.”

The bald man inserted a plastic straw and took a sip, staring intently at Gu Weijing.

”I’ve already answered this question during the Spring Festival, and my stance remains unchanged.”

Gu Weijing shook his head: ”Sir, please allow me to speak frankly. There are many people who can paint in Myanmar, why must you hold on to me?”

Gu Weijing genuinely couldn’t understand.

His original painting skills were decent, he had some talent, but he was only considered outstanding among the local young students.

The bald man was right; not everyone has strict family teachings like Elder Gu Tongxiang.

Ninety-nine percent of people in this city consider working for Brother Hao as an honor and an opportunity to get rich.

You can’t make a sweet deal by forcing it,

why insist on me?

”Brother Hao always likes using young lads. They have passion, courage, and are more obedient and loyal than adult painters. Besides, Brother Hao really likes you; you have principles and determination. He thinks you can accomplish great things.”

The bald man pondered: ”Brother Hao was initially a painter himself, I think he sees in you the reflection of his younger self.”

”Being a forger, I don’t feel proud of it.”

Gu Weijing shook his head.

”Oh? Who said I’m here to invite you to be a forger?”

The bald man chuckled.

”Isn’t that your original message?”

Gu Weijing was puzzled.

”That was us not recognizing Mount Tai. You can consider this matter a joke, Mr. Xiao Gu. Not to mention we’ve already found young forgers willing to work for Brother Hao. For someone like you, appreciated by Elder Cao, asking Mr. Xiao Gu to do such things is both an offense and a waste of talent.”

”The ’Buddha Worship and Protection Painting’, right? I heard Mr. Xiao Gu adjusted the colors, and Brother Hao personally went to see it. The colors were truly splendid, he couldn’t stop praising your talent. It’s rare for a fellow from Yangon to be recognized by Elder Cao as even better than me.”

The bald man admired.

Gu Weijing was momentarily stunned.

He knew that with Brother Hao’s connections in Yangon, it wasn’t surprising he was aware of what was happening with the mural restoration project.

But why was the bald man telling him about this?

”Mr. Xiao Gu, you always say you want to become a painter. Have you ever imagined your works selling for five million, eight million, or even ten million dollars?”

The bald man’s eyes glimmered.

A month ago, when he visited Gu’s Calligraphy and Painting Shop, he still had a condescending attitude, but now he appeared somewhat obsequious.

”This opportunity is right in front of you. Brother Hao wants to collaborate with you, not as a subordinate, but as an equal partnership. He loves giving young people opportunities, only taking a small cut from your commission.”

”Are you talking about... money laundering?”

Gu Weijing finally understood.

The art market has always been a major hotspot for international money laundering.

The reason is simple: whether in the maritime or continental law systems, large financial transactions must be strictly registered and reviewed under anti-money laundering laws.

But the Auction Law additionally states that if the principal or buyer requests confidentiality, the auctioneer must keep their identity secret.

This creates a space for the black money laundering industry.

Before the emergence of virtual currencies, massive art transactions were the safest and fastest means of money laundering, bar none.

Even today, Interpol estimates that every year, hundreds of billions of dollars are laundered through the art market and spread across anonymous global accounts.

Nothing generates wealth more efficiently than war and drugs.

In Myanmar,

warlords and drug dealers aren’t entirely lacking in funds.

They have plenty of people and money, sometimes even more than the Myanmar Government.

But they are limited by international sanctions, lacking ways to spend their money.

You can’t just deposit money earned from drug trafficking or scams into a bank.

Someone like Brother Hao, the Yangon Godfather, fills this ”market gap.”

Even the powerful warlords in the Golden Triangle and Northern Myanmar can only watch their money become meaningless numbers without Brother Hao.

That’s why Brother Hao’s influence is unexpectedly vast.

Even his subordinate, the bald man, refers to the drug dealers as ”small-time coke dealers.”

”I personally prefer to call it a win-win collaboration, Mr. Xiao Gu.”

The bald man licked his lips.

Early art money laundering was simple and crude,

casually creating a fake piece of art, hype it up, and the money would circle around.

But Interpol and financial audit agencies aren’t fools; doing it this way hasn’t been effective for about the last decade.

Nowadays, the preferred method is the hype around the artist themselves.

The artist ideally already has a certain level of skill, especially young people like Gu Weijing, appreciated by masters like Cao Xuan.

Inflating their fame, cycling hundreds of millions in funds through fluctuations in their market prices.