Chapter 281: A Blind Cat Stumbles Upon a Dead Mouse
Chapter 281: A Blind Cat Stumbles Upon a Dead Mouse
All of Master Sun's precious collectibles had been transported to the coastal city, and any new valuable acquisitions were now being handled by Master Qian. Only ordinary antiques remained in the shop, with genuine items kept securely behind the counter while replicas and crafts from the Republic of China era were displayed on the floor.
Lu Jiaxin glanced around but didn't find anything to her liking. She then took Gu Wenfeng and the others to explore the antique market. At one stall, they came across an oil painting with vivid colors.
Noticing her interest, the stall owner said with a smile, "Young lady, this painting is from the Western world. It's a bargain at just 200 yuan."
Lu Jiaxin smiled and countered, "Ten yuan."
The stall owner didn't shoo her away, merely indicating that he couldn't sell it at that price. He invited her to browse his other items, insisting that they were all of excellent quality.
Lu Jiaxin perused the selection and spotted a snuff bottle in the shape of a peony flower made of enamel. She picked it up, admiring the exquisite coloring. "Boss, how much for this?"
"This was used by Emperor Yongzheng himself. I won't take a penny less than a thousand yuan," the stall owner declared.
This was blatant price gouging. If an unsuspecting customer fell for it, they'd be ripped off. However, in the world of antiques, all sales were final. No matter how high the price, once you bought an item, you couldn't return it to the seller even if it turned out to be a fake. Of course, there was always the option of seeking private retribution.
"I truly like this snuff bottle," Lu Jiaxin said. "Give me a fair price."
The stall owner insisted that his price was already fair.
Lu Jiaxin smiled. "Don't tell me this was used by Emperor Yongzheng. If it truly belonged to the Emperor, I'd pay even ten thousand yuan without hesitation. But would a snuff bottle used by the Emperor be sold at your humble stall?"
"Fifty yuan, and it's yours. Otherwise, forget it," she offered.
As Lu Jiaxin turned to leave, the stall owner hesitated and called out, "Alright, a hundred yuan, and I'll sell it to you. Young lady, I paid eighty myself. Let me make a little profit, please!"
Lu Jiaxin genuinely loved the snuff bottle and found its craftsmanship exquisite. Even if it turned out to be a replica, she felt it was worth a hundred yuan.
They spent most of the day at the antique market, and Lu Jiaxin bought quite a few items. When they returned to the shop, Master Qian saw her purchases and asked Master Sun, "Which of these items our boss bought are genuine?"
Lu Jiaxin laughed. "I don't understand antiques. I just buy what I like."
Initially, she had hoped to find hidden treasures at bargain prices, but after being disappointed twice, she gave up on that idea. She figured it was better to spend her time making more money so she could buy authentic pieces directly.
Master Sun carefully examined each of her purchases and finally picked out the enamel peony-shaped snuff bottle. After studying it for a while, he smiled and said, "Boss, this snuff bottle is the real deal."
Lu Jiaxin was surprised. "The stall owner claimed it was used by Emperor Yongzheng. Could it be true?"
Master Sun took a magnifying glass to inspect it further and confirmed, "It bears the mark of the Imperial Household Department, but that doesn't necessarily mean it was used by the Emperor himself. It could have been a gift to a royal relative or a powerful minister."
Lu Jiaxin didn't understand the intricacies, but she found the idea of discovering hidden treasures quite intriguing.
Master Qian thought Lu Jiaxin had incredible luck when it came to finances. He asked curiously, "If we were to sell this snuff bottle, how much could we get for it?"
When he was younger, he had considered entering the antique business because of its profitability. He had even wanted to hire an elderly expert to appraise items for him. However, that expert had refused to work for him, saying he wasn't cut out for the trade, so he had given up on the idea.
Master Sun replied, "On the mainland, a snuff bottle like this would fetch around 500 yuan. I'm not sure about the market in the coastal city, though."
Lu Jiaxin was equally clueless about the antique market in the coastal city. "I really like the pattern on it, so I don't plan on selling it."
Master Qian laughed. "It's all thanks to our boss's deep pockets. Otherwise, this shop would've gone bankrupt long ago."
On this note, Lu Jiaxin felt that Master Sun was quite a rare find. Despite keeping the best items for himself and not selling them, he had still managed to balance the shop's finances last year. However, today's purchases would undoubtedly result in a loss.
Master Qian said, "Boss, since you made such a huge profit today, how about treating me to some braised pig head?"
"Braised pig head?"
Master Qian explained that there was a stall on the next street that sold delicious braised dishes. The meat was so tender and flavorful that you'd end up swallowing your tongue along with it. "It's absolutely mouthwatering, but expensive. Even the braised pig head meat costs six yuan per pound."
Meat was currently priced at around 1.2 to 1.3 yuan per pound, so pig head meat was even cheaper. Yet, the braised version was six yuan per pound, and other dishes were even pricier. However, every era had its wealthy individuals, and these vendors had no shortage of customers despite their high prices.
Lu Jiaxin generously gave fifty yuan for an extra meal, and then they headed back. She didn't feel the need to be discreet, but she felt that Old Master Sun and the children were uncomfortable around her.
For the next three days, Lu Jiaxin visited various places in the ancient capital, including the city walls, and took numerous photos everywhere she went. She had a penchant for capturing the charm of narrow alleyways and bustling streets. Previously, this had been Gu Wenfeng's task, but ever since Zong Jinghua had specially learned photography for his daughter, this honorable duty had been passed on to him.
On the fourth day, Gu Wenfeng said, "Jiaxin, your request to visit the Terracotta Army has been approved."
Lu Jiaxin was thrilled. "When can I go?"
She had seen the Terracotta Army in her previous life, but it wasn't open to the public at this time. Only authorized personnel were allowed access. She found it quite meaningful, so she had mentioned it to Gu Wenfeng, and she was delighted that her wish would come true.
Gu Wenfeng reminded her, "Jiaxin, there's no problem with you wanting to see the Terracotta Army, but you mustn't touch anything, and you won't be able to interfere with the work of the staff."
"Can I take photos?" Lu Jiaxin asked.
Gu Wenfeng had specifically inquired about this and shared the disappointing answer. "Currently, the site is still in the excavation phase, and according to the rules, outsiders are not allowed to take photographs."
"Alright," she agreed.
The next day, Lu Jiaxin set off, accompanied only by Gu Wenfeng. Zong Jinghua, feeling bored and impatient, stayed at home to look after the house. He decided to join Qian Xiaoshu in exploring the antique market.
Qian Xiaoshu said, "Brother Zong, don't even think about finding hidden treasures. I'll tell you, it's extremely difficult. The odds are one in ten thousand. Our boss was just incredibly lucky—a blind cat stumbling upon a dead mouse—when she bought that genuine snuff bottle. If you go, you'll be stripped of your pants."
There was no way Zong Jinghua could find hidden treasures, as he was completely clueless about antiques. "I saw a stall selling dolls yesterday, and there were two porcelain dolls that were so adorable. I wanted to buy them for my daughter. She would've loved them."
"Why didn't you buy them yesterday?" Qian Xiaoshu asked.
"Yesterday, I had to focus on protecting the boss and couldn't be distracted," Zong Jinghua explained.
Yesterday had been a workday, so he couldn't afford to slack off. Today was different, as it was a day off.
Touched by his paternal love, Qian Xiaoshu offered, "I'll take you to buy them. Otherwise, with your Hong Kong accent, those vendors will take you for a ride and fleece you."
Zong Jinghua laughed. "I don't have any money."
Even if they wanted to cheat him, they couldn't, as he was currently quite poor and couldn't afford anything too expensive.
(End of Chapter)
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