When the man heard the price, he jumped up like a cat whose tail was stepped on, and said in a high-pitched voice to Xue Qinan and others: "You guys judge, this is a treasure, how can it be worth such a small amount of money? Five hundred thousand is already
It’s a huge bargain. Since you know the goods, you can’t bully us country people!”
You Fang smiled: "Bullying you? I'm sorry, it's worth this price. If you put it in a cultural relics store with the packaging and identification certificate, you can ask for 200,000 yuan! But you just hold it like this without any formalities.
When I bought it later, I couldn't even take it on the plane, so I could only pay 50,000 yuan at most. I didn't mean to lie to you, this is just an insider's talk."
He really didn't "lie" to the hawker, and his confession was simply "cute". At the same time, he paid attention to the other party's reaction. The hawker had a hint of doubt that was not easy to detect.
Although Xue Qinan saw that this was an ancient sword, she was not very interested. The handicrafts she trades are all international high-end, and she generally does not handle such things. Moreover, there is a difference between an archaeologist and an antique dealer.
, for example, when Wu Pingdong sees an object, he will first pay attention to its cultural relic value, while when Pan Jiayuan's antique insect sees an object, the first thought in his mind is how much it is worth.
It should be said that Xue Qinan has the vision of both an archaeologist and an antique dealer, and both are top-notch. He has already reached the "level" of the United Nations. Such "street stalls" cannot yet catch her eye. And this ancient sword stands out the most.
The value is that it is a spiritual evil blade that can be used by masters of arcane magic.
However, the physical properties of this kind of thing can not only be sensed by masters of secret arts. Xue Qinan, who has been engaged in archaeological research all his life, also felt that this was not an ordinary ancient sword, but had a certain mysterious atmosphere. He frowned slightly and said nothing. Shen Sibao
He stretched out his hand and gently stroked the looming pine lines on the sword, and asked: "Fellow, how much do you want to sell it for?"
He was obviously tempted. Although Shen Sibao was unwilling to take the initiative to reveal his identity, everyone knew that he was a guest house waiter in Chongqing. Later, when Shen Shen came, they realized that he was the eldest son of Sibaozhai in Hangzhou, but there was no outsider.
It is clear that he is still a descendant of the Nine Star Sect. But on the other hand, Shen Sibao does not have the need to deliberately hide his name in front of his fellow Jianghu. He still uses his original name when walking around the Jianghu, so he is not as vigilant as You Fang.
When the hawker saw this guy quarreling with him, he answered: "Didn't I just say that it's only five hundred thousand, not even a penny less!"
You Fang advised with "good intentions" from the side: "Xiaosi, you are an expert too. This thing is really not worth it. 50,000 yuan is worth it. If you have money, you can't spend it like that."
Shen Sibao chuckled: "I know this, but this thing is really special, don't you feel it?"
You Fang nodded and said thoughtfully: "Well, it's quite special. When I hold it in my hand, it somehow feels very sharp. I also had this feeling when I was playing with antiques before, as if the thing wanted to talk.
"Speaking such words shows that he can really immerse his mind into the artifacts he is studying, and it further proves that he is indeed an expert.
The hawker shouted dissatisfied: "Young man, if you don't want to buy it, you can't say my stuff is bad. This boss has great vision. What a special sword!" Just now he called You Fang "boss", but now
He was downgraded to "young man", and Shen Sibao became "boss" again, which sounded very much like a typical philistine peddler.
Xie Xiaoding stretched out his hand out of curiosity: "Let me see, well, it's quite special. The hairs on my hands stand up...fellow, are you selling this thing too expensive?"
The vendor rolled his eyes: "You get what you pay for, do you want to buy it or not? If not, give it back to me!"
Shen Sibao took the sword from Xie Xiaoding's hand again, without returning it to the vendor, and asked in a deep voice: "Who can travel with half a million in cash? Even if I want to buy it, how can I pay you?"
Hawker: "It doesn't matter. There is a bank in Lizhuang. If you have money in your account, just transfer it to me."
You Fang advised from the side: "Do you really want to buy it? The price is really not worth it. Even if it feels special, you can't rely on your feelings when buying antiques. You should pay whatever price you want according to the market situation."
At this time, Hua Youxian said in a low voice: "Brother Sibao, do you think it is reliable for us to go out and buy such a thing here? There should be no problem, right?"
This sentence reminded Shen Sibao that as the only son of the leader of the Nine Star Sect, he was traveling with a friend he had just met. People around him did not know his true identity. How could he come across a spiritual evil blade by such a chance? And it was not sold openly in the cultural relics market. It was as if the vendor had brought it to him on purpose.
As the saying goes, "If something goes wrong, it will be a monster." There is also a saying that "If you show courtesy for nothing, you will be a thief."
When Hua Youxian saw this sword, he felt very special. He felt a chill on the back of his neck for no apparent reason. He also heard from You Fang that it was a real antique, so he felt that something was wrong with this vendor. He was a man who had suffered a lot of losses. It's normal to think too much. Besides, how could a street vendor sell such valuable things in this way? Besides, there was an internationally renowned archaeologist among them. Could it be intentional?
If there is a question about the origin of this thing, it will be a trivial matter if it makes a joke. If it is something stolen by a tomb robber, if word spreads about it, it will be criticized and not explained clearly, it may even cause unexpected trouble.
Hearing this, Shen Sibao also frowned, figured out these joints, smiled and said to the hawker: "My friend is right, set the price here, I will pay up to 50,000, you can sell it if you like."
As he spoke, he was also paying attention to the reaction of the hawker. If the hawker knew the mystery of this item and deliberately brought it to his door, then there would be a problem. If the hawker really didn't know and was just asking for a high price, then there would still be room for transaction.
The vendor curled his lips and became a little anxious: "Since you know it's special, do you care about the money?"
Xie Xiaoding shouted dissatisfied: "That little money? Four hundred and fifty thousand!"
Shen Sibao said calmly: "It's only fifty thousand, think about it again."
The hawker reached out and took the sword, turned around and said, "I won't sell it, I won't sell it!"
Shen Sibao was about to call him to stop him, but Wu Yuchong shouted: "Fellow, I'll buy it for 150,000 yuan."
The hawker turned around and said, "Can't you add more?"
Wu Yuchong waved his hand: "It's only 150,000. If you don't want to sell it, you can leave."
The hawker glanced at Wu Yuchong, and Wu Yuchong suddenly smiled at him, indescribably charming and charming. The smile made the hawker's eyes straighten, and he suddenly sighed and said: "Who told me to wait for money in a hurry? I'll sell it to you. ."
Wu Yuchong asked mischievously: "Fellow, didn't you steal this thing?"
The hawker was startled, then an angry look appeared on his face: "You can say my products are bad, but you can't insult my people!"
You Fang advised in a low voice: "Yu Chong, do you really want to buy this thing? If the origin is unknown, I'm afraid there may be something wrong with it, and the price is too high."
Wu Yuchong still smiled nonchalantly: "I think it's worth it. I heard you guys say it's quite special. I also feel that it's different from ordinary ancient weapons...Grandma, what do you think?"
Xue Qinan finally spoke, stretched out his hand to the hawker and said: "Fellow, show me the sword... Well, it is indeed different from ordinary ancient weapons. It seems to have a unique mysterious atmosphere and a sense of historical sedimentation... Yu Chong
, do you really want to buy it? This thing is not a toy, and it cannot be placed in the bedroom."
Wu Yuchong smiled: "Don't worry, grandma, I understand all this. If it is placed in Yuchong Pavilion, it will be no problem to sell it for hundreds of thousands of dollars, right? In addition to the handling fees and taxes brought back, the rest can be considered as my profit
Is there any salary for working?... With your help, I just need to say hello and find a way to find a way. I will definitely be able to bring this sword back to Yuchong Pavilion. They sell it on the street anyway, so who can buy it? If you encounter someone who doesn’t know the goods, buy it.
Wouldn’t it be even more of a pity?”
Xue Qinan looked at his granddaughter and showed a helpless smile: "Okay, you can buy it if you want. But don't forget to record this gentleman's identity information and bank account information. If this is really stolen goods, you can tell it clearly later.
, You Fang and the others are all witnesses who can prove that you bought it from this gentleman."
The inner thoughts of everyone present are different. You Fang suspects that this person is trying to find out the truth. Now the undercurrent is surging, and caution is the first priority. Besides, with Shen Sibao present, You Fang is too lazy to argue with him. If Mr. Rand comes in the future,
To put it bluntly, the identity of the senior master will not be compromised.
Shen Sibao's expression was a bit bitter, and Hua Youxian's reminder was quite right. He suspected that there was something wrong with the origin of the sword, and he also doubted the vendor's intentions, but deep down he still wanted to buy it. It was not easy to come across such an artifact, and
He doesn't have as many scruples as You Fang.
But Wu Yuchong suddenly intervened and bought the sword for 150,000 yuan. I couldn't see any flaws in the hawker. It was only 150,000 yuan, but in Shen Sibao's eyes, it was just like choosing for nothing! 1.5 million yuan was enough.
It's worth it. Even if I couldn't afford it, I would definitely buy it if I told my father. Of course, I secretly regret it.
Everyone accompanied Wu Yuchong to find a bank nearby, and transferred money to the vendor on the spot. After coming out, Wu Yuchong casually threw the sword into his backpack, looking very cool. Shen Sibao came over and asked awkwardly
: "Miss Wu, do you really plan to take this sword to Yu Chong Pavilion in New York to sell it?"
Wu Yuchong puffed up his chest and said, "Of course, tuition at Yale is very expensive. I study in the United States and work to earn money."
Xue Qinan interjected: "If you don't have enough money, just ask grandma for it. Of course, you will make better money yourself."
Shen Sibao rubbed his hands and whispered: "If that's the case, there's no need to go to so much trouble. If you like this sword, just keep it for fun. When you want to sell it, just sell it to me directly at a higher price."
Wu Yuchong chuckled, his laughter was like a silver bell, and people were shaking like flowers: "Brother Sibao, why didn't you tell me earlier? It turns out you wanted it too, why just now..."
You Fang interrupted her and said: "We are traveling together to buy things. How can one of us raise the price? Of course the Four Treasures just couldn't raise the price to compete with you."
Xie Xiaoding secretly stretched out his hand and pinched Shen Sibao hard, while Wu Yuchong replied: "I will keep it in the countryside for self-defense until I want to sell it." He neither refused nor agreed on the spot, looking quite proud.
Hua Youxian said from the side: "Self-defense? With Brother You and me by your side, it's much stronger than that sword."
Just as he was talking, he walked into Lizhuang Ancient Town. The matter of buying the sword came to an end, and no one mentioned it again. Whether there was any problem with the vendor, You Fang was confused but had no evidence. It was impossible for him to follow him on this occasion. Investigation. But no matter what the other party's purpose was, or who was secretly observing and snooping, Yu Fang's reaction did not reveal any flaws.
As soon as he walked into the tourist area of Lizhuang Ancient Town, Xue Qinan sighed inexplicably. There have been great changes here. There are many tourists and many new buildings have been built, but they do not completely follow the original layout of the ancient town. Some places are simply nondescript. But the original appearance of the ancient town is still the same. It has been preserved largely intact, which is the only thing worth celebrating.
Walking along the stone alley, Xue Qinan patiently explained the history of this ancient town, the characteristics of various buildings, and the changes from then to today. Everyone listened carefully. As soon as Xue Qinan entered the town, he walked straight towards the famous mat lane.
This is an old alley less than 100 meters long and only over two meters wide. Both sides of the alley are lined with two-story stilted buildings with wooden structures. The attics with cantilevered beams on the left and right extend outwards. Together with the eaves, they almost cover the top of the street. , leaving only a strip of sky about a foot wide between the cornices.
Such an alley is both ventilated and sheltered from the rain, and also blocks the hustle and bustle of the outside world. If it is a rainy day, you can walk along both sides without holding an umbrella. The rainwater will remain between the cornices and splash small water splashes in the center of the stone alley. This is a rainy place. The people who drove carts to pull water, shook cattail fans to enjoy the shade, and made mats for sale are no longer here. This is a tourist attraction, with only tourists coming and going with admiration, curiosity, and lingering expressions on their faces.
Xue Qinan did not walk into the alley, but stood outside the alley and stared forward, suddenly lost in thought and did not speak for a long time. Wu Yuchong shook her arm and whispered: "Grandma, what's wrong with you?"
Xue Qinan came back to his senses and said sadly: "I think this is where I met your grandfather."
…
After liberation and before the Cultural Revolution, Xue Qinan was still a middle school student studying in the county town. He was only a teenager. However, people at that time seemed to be more mature than today's young people. At this age, they were generally able to manage the family business on their own. Xue Qinan pressed that In terms of that era, the family background was not very good, but in terms of today's terms, the family conditions are very good, and she belongs to a local enlightened gentry family, so she can go to the county to study in middle school.
Perhaps influenced by the scholarly atmosphere in her family, she liked to explore ancient times and occasionally go to Lizhuang Ancient Town to sketch, painting charcoal drawings that many people considered very fashionable at the time.
It was one afternoon, and it had just rained lightly. The stone slabs on the streets of Lizhuang were washed clean and shiny by the rain, and seemed to have an ancient warm luster. Xue Qinan had two braids, wearing a white shirt and a long black skirt. , I opened my painting folder and sketched at the entrance of the mat alley, but I frowned slightly and couldn't finish writing for a long time.
"Classmate, your position is wrong. From this angle of observation, it is difficult to draw the artistic conception of this alley." Someone suddenly spoke from behind, a soft male voice.
Xue Qinan looked back and saw that he was a boy about the same age as himself. He was also dressed as a student. He had an elegant and calm temperament at a young age. He had seen him in school and had an impression, but he was not in the same class and he had never spoken to Xue Qinan before.
He blinked and asked, "Then how do you think we should observe it?"
The young man waved his hand: "Come outside the alley and look at it from this angle...Actually, it is not necessary or possible for you to draw all the stilted buildings on both sides, the entire slate alley, and the sky above the cornice in one picture.
I want to make this structure imprinted in my heart and make people who look at the painting feel... The stone alley is drawn in the near distance, the line of sky is only drawn at the end, and the stilted buildings extend from both sides of the painting. This feels very good."
Xue Qinan walked to where the young man was pointing, looked at it, and suddenly handed him the painting folder. He looked a little naughty and asked unconvincingly: "Can you draw? Show me the drawing!"
The young man was a little surprised: "You really want me to draw?"
Xue Qinan deliberately made a serious face, nodded and said: "Well, you can't just talk without practicing. I want to see how you draw, so I must draw!"
The young man smiled, took the picture folder generously, and sat down on a stone pier under the wall outside the alley. The charcoal strips rustled on the white paper. He did not draw a detailed painting, but skillfully painted a mat.
After finishing the outline of the lane composition, he stood up and handed it to Xue Qinan.
Watching the young man write, Xue Qinan couldn't hide the look of surprise and appreciation in his eyes. When he raised his head and took the album, he felt that the young man's smile was so charming, and his face suddenly turned red. - This was her.
How to get acquainted with Wu Pingtung.
…
Xue Qinan told his granddaughter the story of that year. You Fang opened a notebook he brought with him and turned to one of the pages. Different from the other pages of meticulous paintings in the notebook, this one was the outline of Xizi Alley, using a pencil.
Rather than drawn with charcoal sticks.
The box of relics that Mr. Wu left for You Fang was too heavy to carry around when traveling, so they were all left at Xie Qin's house in Chongqing. You Fang only took the third of the five notebooks, and the scenery of Yibin was among them.
, was painted by Wu Pingtung when he revisited his hometown in the late 1970s.
As soon as the tourist turned around, he found the same stone pier where Mr. Wu had sat on when he first met Xue Qinan and later when he returned to his hometown. He also sat on it and looked towards Xizi Alley from here, and then looked at Mr. Wu's sketch of the outline.
, it is indeed like the artistic conception imprinted in the heart, and it is like the best explanation of the method of carrying the scene to refine the state.
At this moment, what he felt was that all dharmas were no longer illusory, but that all wonderful things had the same origin.
After Xue Qinan finished telling the story of that year, he led several young people slowly through Xizi Lane, speechless all the way. After leaving here, Wu Yuchong saw that his grandmother was a little distracted again, and as if to arouse her interest, he suggested: "
Let’s go visit the Xuanluo Palace, and grandma will tell us why Senior Liang Sicheng spoke so highly of it.”
Shen Sibao immediately nodded in agreement, and You Fang was also very interested. Before he came, he wanted to know what was so magical about that small pavilion. It would be praised by a generation of masters, and how it could be seen in the eyes of an expert in the secret arts.