pdf-ebookys Chapter 406 Since fate has brought us together, let's leave it at that.
Chapter 406 Since fate has brought us together, let's leave it at that.
Li Xiangyang patiently answered the villagers' questions.
Suddenly, a commotion arose in the crowd, and a large group of people gathered in the distance, occasionally bursting into exclamations of surprise.
"What are they doing over there?" Li Xiaohua asked curiously, standing on tiptoe to see what was going on.
"It looks like someone's selling something rare," Wang Ergou said to Li Xiangyang, glancing into the distance. "Shall we go take a look?"
Li Xiangyang nodded, and the group headed towards the place where the crowd had gathered.
After squeezing into the crowd, Li Xiangyang finally saw clearly that it was a middle-aged man who had set up a small stall.
The man wore an old military cap and a patched military overcoat, looking rather shabby.
"Folks, come and take a look!" The middle-aged man's voice boomed as he held a small, dark red porcelain bottle. "This is a treasure left over from the Qing Dynasty imperial kilns! I'm setting up a stall here today, and we'll see if it's meant to be; the price is fair!"
"Qing Dynasty official kiln?" Li Xiangyang raised an eyebrow and examined the artifacts with great interest.
Before his rebirth, he knew how popular the antique collecting industry would be in future generations.
Some things may be worthless now, but they could fetch a fortune in a few decades.
The middle-aged man seemed to notice Li Xiangyang's gaze and immediately greeted him warmly, "Young man, come and take a look? These are all genuine items, passed down from our ancestors."
Li Xiangyang stepped forward, picked up a blue and white porcelain bowl, and examined it carefully.
Although he wasn't an expert in appraisal, his experience from his previous life allowed him to discern some things.
The blue and white porcelain bowl in my hand features a landscape painting with lively lines and a deep blue hue. The brushstrokes are full of ancient charm. Regardless of whether it is genuine or not, the color and appearance alone are exquisite enough.
Looking again at the dark red porcelain bottle, its body was adorned with delicate lotus scroll patterns, its glaze was warm and bright, and its shape was elegant and unique. It was extraordinary at first glance, no wonder everyone gathered around.
"What era is this from?" Li Xiangyang asked casually, pretending not to know.
"This brother has a good eye!" The middle-aged man immediately perked up. "This is genuine blue and white porcelain from the Qianlong period! As the saying goes, 'The sky-blue color awaits the misty rain,' there's a lot more to it than meets the eye!"
"You must understand, for porcelain to achieve its sky-blue color, it requires a specific time of misty, rainy weather. The moisture, temperature, and firing temperature must all be perfect; even the slightest deviation will prevent it from reaching that perfect state."
"It's truly fate that we met today, brother. If you take this home, it might become a family heirloom, and your descendants will always remember your kindness!"
"Look at this mark on the base; the strokes are vigorous and powerful, neat and grand—it's clearly a product of the official kilns..."
Regardless of whether it's true or not, what the other party said was indeed reasonable and well-founded, which was reassuring.
As Li Xiangyang turned the bowl over, he indeed saw a few blurry characters, but he could tell at a glance that they were a later imitation.
"Oh? Is it true?" Li Xiangyang asked, feigning surprise.
“Of course! My ancestors served in the palace, and these are all heirlooms,” the middle-aged man said confidently. “Rest assured, they are absolutely genuine. If I weren’t short of money right now, I would never sell them unless absolutely necessary.”
Li Xiangyang smiled and didn't expose him.
After all, the antique trade has always been about mutual consent, relying entirely on one's eye for quality, and there's no need to dismantle someone else's collection.
Li Xiangyang put the bowl back on the table, smiled without saying a word, and continued to look at the other items.
Before long, his gaze was drawn to an inconspicuous little jade pendant in the corner.
It was a piece of bluish-white jade, carved into the shape of a lotus flower. Although it wasn't placed in a prominent position, it gave Li Xiangyang an unusual feeling.
"How much is this?" Li Xiangyang asked, pointing to the jade pendant.
The middle-aged man paused, seemingly surprised that Li Xiangyang would be interested in this. After a moment's hesitation, he said, "This... five yuan."
Five yuan is not a small amount these days, but if this jade is real, then it's well worth it.
"Xiangyang, don't waste money..." Li's mother tugged at her son's sleeve and whispered a reminder.
Li Xiangyang patted his mother's hand reassuringly, then asked the middle-aged man, "Could you lower the price? I just want it as a souvenir."
Seeing that Li Xiangyang seemed genuinely interested, the middle-aged man quickly picked up the jade pendant and handed it over: "Brother, considering your discerning eye, four yuan and fifty cents is the lowest I can offer."
Li Xiangyang took the jade pendant and examined it carefully. The delicate touch and warm luster indicated that it was likely a fine piece of jade.
“Okay, that’s the price.” Li Xiangyang nodded, took out the money from his pocket, and handed it to the middle-aged man.
The middle-aged man took the money, a strange expression flashing across his face, but it quickly turned into a wide smile: "Brother, you have a good eye! This is some good stuff!"
After buying the jade pendant, Li Xiangyang and his family were about to leave when they saw a clean and tidy old man squeeze into the crowd and walk quickly to the stall.
"Oh dear, I've finally found you!" The old man stared at the middle-aged man, his tone tinged with reproach. "What did I tell you yesterday? These things can't be sold so easily!"
The middle-aged man's smile froze, and he stammered, "Father, I..."
Before he could finish speaking, the old man turned to the villagers who had gathered around: "Fellow villagers, these are all old family items, not worth much money. Don't let this young man fool you."
The crowd immediately erupted in discussion, and some people left dejectedly, clearly having lost interest.
Li Xiangyang, however, was intrigued by this scene and stood aside without leaving.
The old man's gaze swept over the jade pendant in Li Xiangyang's hand, and his expression changed slightly: "Young man, you bought this?"
Li Xiangyang nodded: "Yes, I just bought it."
The old man sighed and said softly, "This thing... well, since fate has brought us together, let it be."
After saying that, the old man pulled the middle-aged man to pack up and leave.
"Wait a minute," Li Xiangyang called out to them, "Is there anything special about this jade pendant?"
The old man turned and gave Li Xiangyang a deep look, seemingly deep in thought. Finally, he said softly, "Young man, this jade pendant has been passed down from our ancestors; it's said to bring peace and protection. Since you've bought it, cherish it."
After saying that, the old man and the middle-aged man hurriedly packed up their stall and disappeared into the crowd.
"Xiangyang, what happened?" Li Xiaoyun asked curiously, "What did the old man mean?"
Li Xiangyang shook his head and handed the jade pendant to his wife: "I don't know, but this jade is genuine and worth the price."
Li Xiaoyun took the jade pendant and gently stroked it in her palm: "It is indeed quite beautiful."
“Brother, I think that old man and his son are acting strangely, like they’re hiding something,” Li Xiaohua said innocently.
Li Xiangyang patted his younger sister's head and laughed, "Stop guessing! Let's go, let's continue browsing the market."
The family continued to stroll around the market, buying New Year's goods.