Actually, most of the people visiting Confucius Temple at this time are tourists from other places who admire its reputation and come for the lively atmosphere. They are not interested in antiques or looking to find bargains. As for the stalls, not all of them are modern handicrafts. Zhuang Rui walked through seven or eight stalls and casually scanned them with his eyes, but he did not find a single item with any spiritual quality. In this way, tourists can buy some souvenirs at a low price, and stall owners can earn some hard-earned money. It is a win-win situation.
The real local veterans also come to Confucius Temple, but they mostly come in the early morning to visit the "ghost market." The so-called "ghost market" is actually what people now call a night market, but before liberation it was called a morning market or "ghost market." Young people have started to call it a night market, but in the antique trade, the name "ghost market" has been used.
Antique ghost markets typically operate from late at night until dawn, which differs from the current night markets. Because transactions take place at night, it's difficult to distinguish between genuine and fake goods, as well as good and bad items, making it easy to be deceived. In particular, many stolen goods are often sold here, which can easily lead to legal trouble and leave one with no way to defend oneself.
After liberation, the People's Government stipulated that no transactions were allowed before the streetlights were turned off, and the ghost markets were gradually abolished. However, ghost markets have now reappeared in various places. The most famous are Panjiayuan in Beijing and Confucius Temple in Nanjing. Other places also have them, though they are not all the same. The time is generally from midnight to seven or eight o'clock in the morning. Some second-hand goods vendors will continue until noon. The vendors come from all over the country, and the goods are all kinds of things. Most of them are imitations of antiques, but there are also some rare items.
Unfortunately, Liu Chuan had only come here to buy pets in the past and didn't know much about the antique market or the existence of the Ghost Market. Otherwise, with Zhuang Rui's eye for quality, he would definitely have found a lot of good stuff in the Ghost Market. You know, although there are a lot of fakes and counterfeits in the Ghost Market, the chances of finding genuine treasures are much higher than in this street stall.
Seeing Qin Xuanbing and Lei Lei frowning and constantly dodging the crowd, Zhuang Rui figured there were probably some shady hands trying to take advantage of the women. He said, "Let's go inside the shops. Even if there are any good items here, they've probably already been snapped up. There's no chance for us."
Liu Chuan and Zhuang Rui protected the two women and squeezed behind the scattered stalls, entering a relatively large antique shop from the outside.
It seems that there are quite a few people who think the same way as Zhuang Rui. Regardless of whether the business of this antique shop is good or bad, it is at least popular. Three or five shop assistants dressed in ancient short clothes are talking non-stop to recommend the items in the shop to tourists. Zhuang Rui suddenly remembered a story and couldn't help but chuckle.
"Zhuang Rui, what are you laughing at all? Is what that person said wrong?"
Qin Xuanbing, standing to the side, pointed at the eloquent shop assistant and asked Zhuang Rui a question.
"No, I just thought of a joke and I'll tell you. There was an antique shop that was hiring sales clerks. They advertised for over a month and got a lot of applications, but not a single one got the job."
Two young men came that day. One of them had been there for more than five minutes. As soon as he entered the shop, the owner picked up a small piece of wood shavings from the ground, placed it on a red silk mat, and asked the young man, "What is this?"
The young man paused for a moment, then replied, "It's a wood shaving!"
The shopkeeper shook his head, casually tossed the wood shavings from the red silk mat back onto the ground, and said, "Young man, you haven't been accepted."
The young man was a little confused, but since the other person was the boss, he couldn't do anything about it. Just as he was about to leave, another job applicant walked in, so he stopped and wanted to see how that person would answer.
Sure enough, the shopkeeper used the same trick again: he picked up the sawdust that had been thrown on the ground, carefully placed it on the red silk mat, and asked the young man who had just entered, "Can you tell me what this is?"
The young man was taken aback for a moment upon hearing this, but then a smile appeared on his face, and he said, "These are toothpicks that Empress Dowager Cixi used to use."
"Great, you can start working now."
The boss was overjoyed and immediately decided to hire the young man, while the first one left dejectedly, covering his face.
"Xuanbing, look at that shop assistant, doesn't she look a bit like the person I was talking about? All her skill is in her words."
Zhuang Rui's words made Qin Xuanbing and Lei Lei laugh, but Liu Chuan had obviously heard the story before and said unconvinced, "Wood, your story is outdated. Let me tell you one."
"You can tell stories too?"
Zhuang Rui's words and the disdainful look he gave Liu Chuan greatly displeased him.
"What are you talking about? Listen carefully. Once upon a time, there was an antique dealer who had been married for over forty years and was nearly sixty years old. He fell in love with his wife's maid and would secretly make advances towards her. When his wife found out, she and the maid devised a plan."
One day, a maid said to the antique dealer, "Master, come to my room at midnight tonight." The antique dealer was overjoyed. At midnight, he secretly slipped into the maid's room. By then, the maid had switched rooms with the lady. After the antique dealer got into bed, he didn't say a word and went at it like a torrential downpour, as if he had taken Viagra.
Afterwards, the antique dealer lay on the bed, happily saying, "You're much better than my old hag." No sooner had he finished speaking than his wife kicked him to the ground, yelling, "You've been collecting antiques your whole life, and you can't even recognize such an old thing!"
"Liu Chuan, you lecherous scoundrel, you're no good at all!"
After Liu Chuan finished telling this joke, Qin Xuanbing and Lei Lei blushed. Lei Lei even went up and pinched Liu Chuan's soft flesh, causing Liu Chuan to beg for mercy in a low voice.
"Young man, you're not talking about me, are you? I am the old man you're talking about, over sixty years old, but my vigor is gone, I'm old, I'm old."
Suddenly, a voice came from behind Liu Chuan, startling the group. If this joke were taken seriously, they could incur someone's wrath for no reason.
The speaker was indeed an old man, plump and fair-skinned with a ruddy complexion. He looked to be in his sixties, with half of his hair black and half white. He wore glasses on his nose and a bright green thumb ring on his right thumb. He smiled and squinted at Zhuang Rui and the others. If this old man were dressed in a brocade robe, he would look like a wealthy and plump man from ancient times.
"Old man, we were just joking. How could we dare to say anything to you? Besides, you're not an antique dealer."
Liu Chuan freed himself from Lei Lei's small hand and said to the old man with a forced smile.
"Hey, what a coincidence, I am indeed an antique dealer and the owner of this shop."
The old man had a good temper and wasn't angry. He replied with a smile, but Liu Chuan was speechless. If what the old man said was true, then what he had just said was indeed calling a monk a bald monk. The age and status matched. How could it be such a coincidence?
"Old man, don't be angry. This guy just has this bad habit. Liu Chuan, why don't you apologize to the boss?"
Zhuang Rui didn't know if the old man's smile was genuine or not, but it was certainly inappropriate for Liu Chuan to make such a joke in someone else's shop.
"I'm not angry, I'm not angry. You guys like these things too? Can you tell which one of my items is the most valuable?"
The fat old man waved his hands repeatedly, not at all like he was angry. The other employees were busy as bees, but instead of offering to help, he had the leisure to chat with Zhuang Rui and the others. Whether he was truly the boss or not, he certainly put on a show of being the boss.
Chapter 120 Attempt to Steal a Chicken Backfires (1)
Qian Yaosi was indeed the owner of this antique shop. Moreover, he was one of the founders of the Confucius Temple Antique City. Furthermore, he came from a family with a strong academic background. Before the liberation, his father was a history professor at Peking University. Later, he disapproved of some of the authorities' practices and published some opinions in the newspapers, which aroused the resentment of the authorities. As a result, he resigned from Peking University and returned to his hometown of Nanjing to open an antique shop.
When this old man was in Beijing, he often visited antique markets such as Liulichang. In those years, many things flowed out of the palace. Even the emperor who was imprisoned in the Forbidden City was selling off items. This allowed him to acquire many good things. In addition, he was very knowledgeable and could quote classics to explain the origin and provenance of each antique. Before the liberation, he was one of the more famous collectors and appraisers in the country.
After returning to Nanjing, he spent his days writing calligraphy for people or appraising antiques and paintings, living a carefree life. The Confucius Temple and Qinhuai River were places he often frequented. However, he later fled Nanjing due to war and did not return until the 1940s. As for Qian Yaosi, he was influenced by his father from birth and developed a strong interest in the antique business.
The chaotic ten years after liberation turned Qian Yaosi's father from an intellectual into a "stinking intellectual," and he passed away after enduring countless hardships. All the antiques and paintings in the family were confiscated. In the late 1970s, Mr. Qian was rehabilitated, and Qian Yaosi repeatedly went to the relevant departments to try to recover some of the things that had been confiscated from the family. However, some of the paintings and calligraphy were burned and could not be restored, which made Qian Yaosi very distressed.
In the early 1980s, when most people in China were still living on the same communal pot, Qian Yaosi, who was just over forty years old, resigned from the job that had been arranged for him to take care of him. He took the several thousand yuan in state compensation and became a self-employed individual, and in the most despised way: a scrap collector. Qian Yaosi rode his dilapidated tricycle around the streets and alleys of Nanjing all day long, and only collected old books, paintings, newspapers, and some broken ceramic pots and jars. At that time, he was called "Crazy Qian" by some neighbors.
After the 1990s, Qian Yaosi turned his fortunes around. With the relaxation of policies, he found an old friend of his father in Hong Kong and took several antiques that were not subject to export restrictions to Hong Kong for auction. His value increased a hundredfold. Afterwards, he opened several antique shops in Chaotian Palace and Confucius Temple, and his business grew bigger and bigger. He became a well-known collector in the domestic art collecting world.
Since he was in the antique business, he couldn't just buy and not sell. However, Qian Yaosi had an extremely sharp eye and a wide range of interests, from calligraphy and paintings to ceramics and bronzes. As long as the items were genuine, he rarely made a mistake. This increased his chances of finding bargains.
However, while Qian Yaosi could buy things cheaply, no one else could sell them cheaply. The items that came out of his hands were indeed old, but their prices were often comparable to what he could get at auction. Over time, people gave him the nickname: "Money-grubbing."
The purpose of doing business is to maximize profits, so Mr. Qian was not angry about the nickname; in fact, he was quite pleased with himself.
The nickname sounds somewhat similar to his name when read backwards, but Qian Yaosi is indeed wronged. He was given this name because his mother's surname was Yao. Mr. Qian and his first wife were very loving, and after Qian Yaosi's mother passed away, they changed his name to the one he has now. Originally, it was the "Si" meaning to miss, but they thought it was a bit inelegant for a man to have such a name, so it was changed to the "Si" meaning refined.
In recent years, Qian Yaosi has gotten older and rarely goes out anymore. He spends his free time browsing between two antique shops, mostly drinking tea and chatting with old friends. He doesn't personally handle these miscellaneous matters anymore. He would normally be out of the shop by now, but today an old friend he hadn't seen for several years called, saying he had an item he wasn't sure about and wanted Qian Yaosi's opinion, so he was waiting in the shop.
To succeed in the antique business, you need a good eye. Otherwise, you can't do it at all. This eye is not only about looking at things, but also about looking at people. Qian Yaosi has been in this business his whole life, so it goes without saying that he can tell at a glance that all the guests in this room are just ordinary tourists, not experts. These people won't spend a lot of money to buy things they are not sure about.
When Zhuang Rui and the others came in, Manager Qian didn't pay much attention. Although they were all dressed well, these days, people who can afford to travel are usually those with some spare money, so dressing nicely isn't unusual. However, the two Tibetan mastiff puppies caught Manager Qian's attention. But as is often the case with those in different trades, and given that they were puppies, he wasn't sure if they were purebred. So he took a few steps closer to get a better look.
Shopkeeper Qian's original intention was just to take a look. He wasn't a pet owner, so even if the Tibetan Mastiff was valuable, it had nothing to do with him. However, when he got closer, Zhuang Rui raised his hand, revealing his wrist to Qian Yaosi behind him. Shopkeeper Qian immediately noticed the dzi bead on Zhuang Rui's wrist, and once he saw it, Qian Yaosi was hooked and couldn't take it off.
The dzi beads on Zhuang Rui's wrist were a deep red, almost blackish-brown, and not particularly eye-catching. However, Qian Yaosi knew that top-grade natural agate and chalcedony dzi beads were this color, and after special processing, the color would be even deeper.
Manager Qian himself had a string of dzi beads, but it only had two old dzi beads on it, and the rest were made of other jade stones. When he suddenly saw a string of beads made entirely of old dzi beads, Qian Yaosi naturally wanted to see for himself whether he had misjudged it or whether the young man was wearing genuine dzi beads.
Dzi beads are the most precious amulets for Tibetans. Sincere worship and wearing of dzi beads can eliminate karmic obstacles, bring good fortune, prevent strokes and protect against harm from evil spirits, as well as enhance physical strength and increase wealth, etc.
These are all folk beliefs. As you know, Dzi beads are made from nine-eyed shale, a type of sedimentary rock containing jade and agate components. Red Dzi beads have the strongest magnetic waves and are a rare gemstone. The magnetic field of Dzi beads is three times that of crystal. Wearing them for a long time can prevent and treat heart disease, high blood pressure, and various other blood-related illnesses. They can also prevent and treat nightmares, insomnia, headaches, and other nervous system diseases.
The price of a genuine Dzi bead isn't calculated based on the price of jewelry, but rather per bead. A single genuine antique Dzi bead is worth over 100,000. As people age, they value their health. Qian Yaosi has a heart condition and high blood pressure; the two beads he owns cost him nearly 400,000. Seeing the bracelet on Zhuang Rui's wrist, which closely resembled a genuine antique Dzi bead, and having just overheard Liu Chuan's vulgar joke, the scene of his attempt to strike up a conversation ensued.
Zhuang Rui noticed the waiter's gaze and the old man's obvious awe, which suggested he was indeed a man of high status. He felt a bit awkward; Liu Chuan was a loose tongue, and his joke was essentially a veiled insult. Someone with a bad temper might have kicked them out.
"Grandpa, I'm just a beginner, how dare I embarrass myself in front of you?"
Zhuang Rui looked around the antique shop and found various ceramics and exquisite bronzes on the shelves, ancient calligraphy and paintings by famous people hanging on the walls, and some jade, ancient coins, writing implements and miscellaneous items in the counter. He didn't even know the names of many of them, so he didn't dare to make any comments.
Qian Yaosi had already moved his eyes away from the dzi bead on Zhuang Rui's wrist. He looked at Zhuang Rui with a harmless smile and said, "Young man, as the saying goes: 'Young people should be arrogant, and old people should be steady' (this can also be said in reverse, and each has its own logic). I think you're quite pleasing to the eye. How about we make a bet?"
Zhuang Rui was taken aback, somewhat confused by the fat old man's intentions. Why was he making a bet with him for no reason? Zhuang Rui was always quite cautious and rarely did things he wasn't sure of. He immediately said, "Sir, I'm just taking a stroll. Let's forget about the bet. Liu Chuan, Xuan Bing, let's go."
This whole thing felt a bit eerie, and Zhuang Rui didn't want to stay in this shop any longer. Anyway, there were dozens of shops on the antique street, so why not just wander around somewhere else? There was no need to waste time with this strange fat old man.
When Qian Yaosi saw Zhuang Rui about to leave, he became anxious and hurriedly said, "Young man, don't be in such a hurry to leave. Let me tell you what I have to say. I have an old item in my shop. Although it's not very valuable, it's still worth seven or eight hundred thousand RMB. If you can find it, I'll give it to you for free. If you can't find it, I want to buy something from you. I hope you'll part with it. How about it? Do you dare to make a bet with this old man?"
Old dzi beads are not something that money can buy. Today, Qian Yaosi came across one, and he was not about to let it go. Qian Yaosi knew the taboos of wearing dzi beads, so he did not touch it. However, he was already certain that it was indeed a pure old dzi bead. Fearing that Zhuang Rui would not sell it, he simply used a provocation tactic.
As mentioned above, the saying about "fishing" in the antique trade is specifically used to attract some newcomers who are only half-knowledgeable. The so-called drowning people are mostly swimmers. When these people see old items in the store, they often assume that other things are also genuine. However, what they buy and take home are all fakes.
The antique worth seven or eight hundred thousand that Qian Yaosi mentioned was probably the one he used for fishing in the shop.
Chapter 121 A Failed Attempt to Steal a Chicken Backfires (2)
Zhuang Rui had been spending all his time at the Pengcheng Antique Market recently. He spent his days chatting and boasting with Song Jun and the others, so he was quite familiar with the jargon. Moreover, the fat old man's eyes were glued to his right wrist, so he must have his eye on Zhuang Rui's string of dzi beads. Zhuang Rui found it somewhat amusing. If he were asked to evaluate the items in the shop, he absolutely... couldn't do it. But if he was asked to distinguish between real and fake, the fat old man had miscalculated.
"With so many customers, I think... let's just forget it, sir. It would be so embarrassing if I took your prized possession for nothing."
After feigning hesitation, Zhuang Rui said something that left the "money-grubbing" man speechless.
"Everyone, everyone, I'm really sorry, but our shop is closed today."
Although Qian Yaosi was old, he was quite decisive in his actions. Seeing that Zhuang Rui seemed to agree, he simply told the customers to leave. To him, even if these people bought all the fake items in the shop, it wouldn't be worth as much as the single dzi bead in Zhuang Rui's possession.
Seeing the boss speak, the shop assistants also started to shoo people out. Five or six minutes later, the once noisy antique shop became quiet. In order not to be disturbed, Qian Yaosi even asked the shop assistants to pull down the roller shutter door at the entrance of the shop halfway.
"Hey, old man, are you trying to force me to buy or not? Do you think these few people in your shop can stop me? Wood, let's go..."
Liu Chuan was startled by the fat old man's actions. In just a few minutes, everyone in the shop had been chased away, leaving only a few of them in the huge shop.
"No, young man, please don't misunderstand. My surname is Qian, and my name is Qian Yaosi. You can ask around in the antique market in Nanjing; everyone knows my name. How could an old man force a sale? I just want to discuss business with this young man. May I ask your surnames?"
Qian Yaosi had a chubby, round face and looked harmless no matter how you looked at him. He was also smiling obsequiously when he spoke, so Zhuang Rui and the others said their names.
"Zhuang Rui. There are so many things here, and judging from what this person is saying, it seems like only one is real. Can you tell the difference?"
Qin Xuanbing was a little worried. They had all noticed Qian Yaosi's gaze earlier and knew that the fat old man was after Zhuang Rui's dzi bead bracelet. Qin Xuanbing and the others knew that the dzi bead was a gift from the Living Buddha, and they were afraid that Zhuang Rui would agree to the bet, lose the bet, and have to give up the dzi bead.
Liu Chuan hadn't expected this, but when Qin Xuanbing mentioned it, he immediately became furious. He glared at Qian Yaosi and said, "I'm telling you, old man, you're being a bit dishonest. There are at least several hundred items displayed here. If you ask my brother to pick out the real from the fake, it would probably take him until next year. You're not just calling a pockmarked man a pockmarked man, you're ripping him off."
Upon hearing Liu Chuan's words, Qian Yaosi realized that what he had said earlier was inappropriate. Even he himself would struggle to distinguish the genuine from the fake among all the items in the room within three to five days; how much more so for the young man before him? If word got out, it would likely damage his reputation. Although Manager Qian didn't care much about his reputation—everyone knew he was known for his "money-grubbing"—he couldn't pretend to be ignorant now that someone had brought it up.
After thinking for a moment, Qian Yaosi said, "Young man, you're right. I misspoke. How about this, the real item I mentioned is just some ceramic stuff. There are only twenty or thirty ceramic items here. Young man Zhuang, you won't lose out now. I won't hide anything anymore. I'm interested in your string of dzi beads, and even if you lose, I'll buy them at a fair price, at least 100,000 yuan per bead. What do you think?"
"Ten thousand for one bead? Go buy it from someone else. This string of dzi beads that Mu Tou has been worn by the reincarnated Living Buddha of Jokhang Temple for decades and has been consecrated. You think you can buy it for ten thousand? No way. Mu Tou, let's go. This old man is really dishonest."
In truth, Liu Chuan didn't know whether 100,000 yuan per piece was expensive or cheap. However, looking at the dozens of ceramic products of various styles in the shop, he didn't believe that Zhuang Rui, with his limited knowledge, could identify the authenticity. So, he made an excuse to slip away.
"Blessed by a Living Buddha at Jokhang Temple? And worn for decades?"
Qian Yaosi was stunned upon hearing this. He had been to Tibet in the late 1980s and had the good fortune to meet the Living Buddha at the Jokhang Temple. However, at that time, Qian Yaosi naturally wouldn't have been interested in the items the Living Buddha carried with him. He also knew that Living Buddhas would keep such items for use when searching for reincarnated children and identifying them, and would not easily give them to others. He never expected that this ordinary-looking young man would have such a great opportunity.
Qian Yaosi wasn't afraid that the young man would deceive him. He would know whether it was real or fake after examining it. He naturally had his own methods for authenticating Buddhist artifacts.
However, after learning that this was once a personal amulet of the Living Buddha, Qian Yaosi's desire to own this dzi bead became even stronger. He looked at Zhuang Rui and said, "Three hundred thousand for one, how about it, Brother Zhuang? You can search all over the country and you definitely won't find anyone who can offer a higher price than me."
Zhuang Rui remained noncommittal, but Liu Chuan was taken aback. He could accept the price of 100,000 per bead earlier; the string of dzi beads had eighteen beads in total, amounting to 1.8 million. While that was a considerable sum, it wouldn't have surprised Liu Chuan given his current wealth. But now, hearing that the price had risen to 300,000 per bead, eighteen beads would be a full 5.4 million RMB! Zhuang Rui didn't react much to Qian Yaosi's words, but Liu Chuan's heart began to pound.
“This dzi bead of mine is a nine-eyed dzi bead, the finest among the purest dzi beads.”
Zhuang Rui said calmly that he had already thoroughly investigated the origin of the dzi bead in his hand. Genuine nine-eyed dzi beads are extremely rare. Apart from places like the Potala Palace or Jokhang Temple in Tibet, they are basically not circulated outside. Putting all that aside, this dzi bead has been blessed by the Buddhist teachings of successive Living Buddhas, and it would fetch an astronomical price if sold. This fat old man seemed to be offering a very high price, but in fact, he had set a trap for Zhuang Rui.
Qian Yaosi didn't expect this young man to be so difficult to deal with. He offered a sky-high price of 300,000 yuan per bead. He thought that even if Zhuang Rui had some wealth, he would be shocked by the price. However, the young man was not moved by the price at all. Instead, he talked about the quality of the dzi beads in his hand.
"Of course I know that your celestial bead has at least seven eyes."