Chapter 306: One Good Piece of News, One Bad Piece of News

After a rough flip-through, the remaining items were not of very high value. Lin Sicheng only picked out three books: *Gu Wang Yan*, *Jade Marrow True Scripture*, and *Hu Ji Fan Xiang Tu*, which was the *Yuan Palace Dance Score*.

He gathered them together: "Boss, name your price!"

"We're all from the same hometown, so I won't ask for an unreasonable amount." The stall owner's face was piled with smiles, "Two thousand for one!"

Lin Sicheng sighed: You call this not asking for an unreasonable amount?

They say when fellow townsmen meet, it's a joyous occasion, but you—you're the one slaughtering your own townsman...

No need to guess, the stall owner must be thinking: That boxing manual last time was so tattered, yet you were still willing to pay two thousand; these three are preserved so well, surely the price can't be lower than last time?

Lin Sicheng flipped through the pages: "The one last time was a hand-copied manuscript by Ji Jike. Could these three be the same?"

The stall owner was stunned: "Ah!"

"Don't believe me? You said it yourself, that boxing manual had quite a background and its value wasn't low. Why not be a bit bolder and think bigger: could it be a personal hand-copied manuscript by Ji Jike?"

Lin Sicheng pointed at the three books before him: "Then you compare them—how much difference is there between these three and the last one, and how much should they be worth?"

The stall owner was suspicious and uncertain, his face shifting between dark and bright.

He had acquired these items himself, and it was right in Ji Jike's hometown of Yongji, so he had always suspected that the boxing manual was a relic left by Ji Jike's descendants. But he had never once thought it could actually be the *Heart-Intention Fist Original Manual*?

They say antiques are antiques; as long as an old object has some history or origin, its price is guaranteed to skyrocket. If it can be linked to a famous historical figure, the price rises a hundredfold at the least, or even ten thousand times over.

Sometimes, even a single page can sell for the price of gold.

By this calculation, that tattered boxing manual was worth at least forty or fifty thousand, and it might even sell for eighty, ninety, or a hundred thousand. Yet he had only spent thirty yuan when he acquired it. When he split up with Liu Dongzi, they had only valued it at two hundred.

What a massive gap that was!

Although he thought this way, the boss was more skeptical: those books had been on the stall for over three years, and Liu Dongzi alone had tried to use them for a scam seven or eight times, and one of those people was even a somewhat famous appraisal Expert from Beijing.

If it really were some original Ji Jike manuscript, it wouldn't be likely to still be here, right?

Nine times out of ten, this was just a psychological tactic to drive down the price...

In a flash of thought, the stall owner smiled: "If you can pick up a bargain, Boss, that's because your eye is sharp. Let's not talk about the boxing manual; let's talk about these three. They say the first time is strange, the second time is familiar; I'm in this for the long haul. If you think it's too high, I'll lower it a bit: one thousand for one!"

What kind of "long haul" business could there be in a place like this?

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "One thousand for all three. If that works, it works; if not, we'll keep looking!"

The boss froze for a moment, his expression pained as if he had a toothache: "Add a little more, just add a little more... didn't you just say yourself that these three are quite valuable?"

That was true, he had said they were quite valuable, but it depended on what kind of value.

Like the first two books, they didn't touch upon anything like a unique copy, a rare edition, or a precious volume. Although they weren't common, they were far from being rare or scarce. If you put in the effort to look, you could always find them.

If you had to estimate a price, one hundred per book would be the absolute limit.

His target was the last one: the one titled *Hu Ji Fan Xiang Tu*, which was actually the lost *Yuan Palace Dance Score*.

This book was a true rare edition: it possessed historical value as a Cultural Relic, academic value as a reference, and artistic significance.

Furthermore, it was a precious volume: a legitimate "rare document with historical and artistic value," whose worth was no longer limited to just being "precious," but rather, it was hard to come by.

If given to the Forbidden City, it could at least be traded for a piece of Blue and White Glaze Red from the Kangxi and Qianlong Period.

So, let alone two thousand, even if it were one hundred thousand, Lin Sicheng would be willing to pay.

But in this place, business wasn't done that way, and antiques weren't hunted like that. Anyone who could set up a stall here considered "sizing up the customer" and "going back on one's word" to be basic skills.

And this boss was exceptionally shrewd; while it was unclear how high his appraisal ability was, his skill at reading people's expressions was absolutely top-tier.

He asked for two thousand; if you didn't haggle at all, before you could even get your wallet out, he would dare to raise it to twenty thousand immediately.

Therefore, one thing at a time.

More importantly: there were very few people who recognized this book and knew its true value.

It wasn't Lin Sicheng boasting: unless one was a Yuan Dynasty historian who specialized in Yuan court music and dance, or perhaps a Researcher at the Dunhuang Academy who focused on ancient music and dance art.

Aside from those two types, even if you found a professor teaching classical music at the Central Conservatory of Music, they wouldn't recognize what this was. They would only assume it was foreign music and dance that flowed into the country from Central Asia during the Qing Dynasty.

The reason was simple: China's five thousand years of history, even counting from the Spring and Autumn period when history-keeping began, occupied a full majority of that time. Nearly twenty-eight hundred years.

Yet the Yuan Dynasty history was only about ninety years, and it was a regime of an ethnic minority; most research units focused their research directions on politics, culture, science, and craftsmanship.

Even when studying art, it was primarily focused on Mongolian ethnic art. If one wanted to study court music and art, there was the Song Dynasty before and the Ming Dynasty after—which one wasn't more cost-effective to study than the Yuan Dynasty?

Lin Sicheng couldn't be bothered to bicker with him and stood up directly: "Alright then, I wish you prosperous business, Boss."

Ah, just leaving like that?

Could it be a tactic of playing hard to get?

The boss also subconsciously stood up, watching Lin Sicheng leave the stall.

One thousand for three books, he would still make at least nine hundred. He just suspected Lin Sicheng was an expert and was afraid of missing out on a treasure, so he wanted to try and hold the price.

So Lin Sicheng hadn't guessed wrong at all: as long as he didn't haggle, the stall owner would dare to raise the price on the spot.

And precisely because Lin Sicheng stood up without a moment's hesitation, walking away decisively without any dragging of feet, the stall owner began to waver:

These books hadn't been on the stall for the first time, and it wasn't like no one had looked at them, right?

That dance score was from the late Qing, that Feng Shui manual was from the Republic of China; they were both ordinary local woodblock prints, and their value was just average.

The remaining erotic novel was just a Taiwan edition from ten years ago, even less valuable.

So, anything could happen, but missing a treasure... no matter how he thought about it, it seemed impossible.

No, he couldn't hold the price anymore; being able to make nine hundred wasn't a small amount...

Thinking this to himself, the group walked further and further away.

The stall owner paused, grabbed the three books, and chased after them.

But just as he caught up, before he could even open his mouth, Lin Sicheng smiled: "Eight hundred!"

The stall owner was stunned, his face contorting: "Have mercy, look, can't we just stick to the one thousand we agreed on?"

Lin Sicheng feigned hesitation: "No matter what, we're fellow townsmen!"

He reluctantly took out his wallet and counted the bills one by one.

The money and goods were exchanged, the stall owner cupped his hands in a salute and said a few polite words about "visiting again next time."

Lin Sicheng gave the books to Fang Jin and told him to put them in his bag.

Xu Qin thought that, just as Lin Sicheng had said, the value of these three books was average, so she didn't pay much attention to them.

Fang Jin and Jing Zeyang were different; one was so happy it was written all over his face, while the other's eyes were darting around.

Fang Jin was, after all, an Assistant. No matter how deep Lin Sicheng's schemes were or how composed he could remain, his style of doing things couldn't change from day to day. Fang Jin basically knew in his heart what to say at what time and how to handle each matter.

And having followed him for so long, how many times had Lin Sicheng spent such a long time haggling with someone, being so long-winded?

It's no exaggeration to say he could count them on one hand. And every single time, wasn't it because Lin Sicheng had picked up a massive bargain, earning hundreds of thousands or even a million in one go?

Jing Zeyang was the exact opposite: he didn't understand Appraisal, had only been in contact for a short time, and didn't know Lin Sicheng very well. But he knew how to read people, and even better, how to read expressions.

He truly couldn't figure out Lin Sicheng, but someone like Fang Jin had a personality as white as a sheet of paper, with all his joys and sorrows written on his face. Just like now: if Lin Sicheng hadn't picked up a massive bargain, why would he be so excited his eyes were glowing?

Thinking of what his cousin had told him about the bargains Lin Sicheng had picked up, Jing Zeyang's heart pounded with excitement: there were three Imperial Seals alone.

Then what about this book?

But both of them had a sense of propriety, and neither made a sound.

Only Tang Nan Yan, following at the very back, would occasionally lower her head to think, and then occasionally look at the bag hanging in front of Fang Jin's chest.

Seeing that her expression was off, as if she were lost in thought, Xu Qin poked her with her finger: "What's wrong with you?"

Tang Nan Yan looked at the back of Lin Sicheng's head: "That boxing manual, the original of those photocopies that Teacher Lin was studying in the lounge that day, does it really seem to be the original manual for Xingyi Quan?"

Xu Qin didn't understand: "And then?"

After all, Xu Qin didn't practice martial arts; if one just said it was an ancient manual, she certainly couldn't grasp it.

Pondering for a moment, Tang Nan Yan had a flash of inspiration: "It's like, say, the handwritten manuscript of 'Washing Away of Wrongs' by Song Ci (Great Song Forensic Scientist)."

Xu Qin froze, her eyes bulging out.

All criminal investigations, trace evidence, physical evidence, and forensic medicine could be considered the descendants of Song Ci. Although she didn't know much about antiques, Xu Qin at least knew what her mood would be if someone gave her a handwritten manuscript of 'Washing Away of Wrongs' by Song Ci.

A sect treasure, the notes of a founding master.

Xu Qin steadied herself: "You want it?"

"I don't like collecting, why would I want this? But I know many people want it... including the Martial Arts Association, and even the General Administration of Sport..."

Tang Nan Yan thought for a moment, "So, it must be very valuable, maybe over a hundred thousand, or even several hundred thousand!"

Xu Qin calculated silently, her gaze fixed as if frozen.

Several hundred thousand?

How much does a house within the Third Ring Road even sell for?

While she was still stunned, Tang Nan Yan pursed her lips toward the front and lowered her voice: "Sister Xu, look at Assistant Fang, and look at Jing Zeyang..."

Xu Qin paused and looked carefully: Fang Jin's hands were pressed tightly against the bag, his eyes darting left and right, as if he were watching for thieves.

His eyes were full of vigilance, his body slightly stiff, and he would clench his hands on the bag from time to time, as if afraid the things inside would fly away.

Looking at Jing Zeyang again, his eyes would dart over to the bag under Fang Jin's hands from time to time. Then he would dart them away, and look at the bag under Fang Jin's hands again.

Having been a Police officer for so many years, even if she hadn't eaten pork, hadn't she seen a pig run?

Xu Qin suddenly realized: one was afraid of being robbed by a thief, and the other was as curious as a thief...

Lin Sicheng said that boxing manual was an original, and it actually really was an original.

He also said that the three books bought today were all very valuable; were they actually really very valuable?

And they were definitely far more valuable than that boxing manual, otherwise his assistant wouldn't be this nervous, looking at everyone like they were a thief.

And Jing Zeyang, who was at least a child of a prominent family; if he weren't too shocked, why would he show this "unsophisticated" look?

So, how many "several hundred thousands" should those three books be worth?

For a moment, Xu Qin only felt her throat go dry.

Suddenly she turned her head, staring at Tang Nan Yan, and just as she wanted to say something, the words reached her lips and she swallowed them back.

Before, she had felt that while Lin Sicheng was indeed excellent, there was a gap between them. But now it seemed, perhaps it wasn't impossible to bridge?

But this girl was simple-minded; saying anything would be in vain, and it might even backfire.

It would be better to talk directly to his mother.

Looking at Lin Sicheng's back, Xu Qin began to calculate secretly.

Tang Nan Yan was still pondering which of the three books was the bargain, or if all three were.

The two of them were just instinctively following along, basically not looking at the road conditions, and did not see a woman holding a box walking toward them from the opposite side.

The woman seemed to be in a great hurry, her footsteps hurried, and she would glance back from time to time, also basically not looking at what was in front of her.

Both sides got closer and closer; Lin Sicheng saw the situation quickly and moved aside early.

Jing Zeyang was quite clever and also moved aside, not forgetting to pull Fang Jin along.

The two sides brushed past each other, and just perfectly, the woman glanced back again.

What was even more coincidental was that Tang Nan Yan was still lost in thought. Then, without any surprise, the woman crashed straight into Tang Nan Yan's arms.

Having practiced martial arts, at the moment of near-impact, her body made an instinctive reaction, and Tang Nan Yan suddenly dodged to the side.

The woman, however, was startled by her quick reaction, and the wooden box slipped from her hands, smashing heavily onto the hard concrete floor.

Then: "Bang..."

"Clatter..."

"Clang-clang-clang-clang-clang..."

The copper coins inside poured out, scattering all over the ground.

Some were covered in rust, some were black and shiny, some were gleaming yellow... Kangxi, Qianlong, Jiaqing, Daoguang, Xianfeng, Tongzhi, Guangxu, Xuantong... except for Shunzhi and Yongzheng, almost all the square-holed coins of the Qing Dynasty were there.

Jing Zeyang stretched his neck: "Damn, did we fall into a money pit?"

The woman only then reacted, let out an "ah," and used both hands to grab frantically into the box.

Tang Nan Yan was stunned for a moment, hurriedly said "sorry," and she and Xu Qin also bent down to start picking them up.

Fang Jin's mind was entirely on those three books; let alone copper coins, even if a piece of gold were dropped in front of him, he wouldn't even blink, firmly pressing down on his bag and not daring to move.

Lin Sicheng didn't move either, his gaze like a falcon, scanning back and forth.

If this woman was a scammer, there must be accomplices nearby. If not, then one had to guard against others fishing in troubled waters.

Most Qing Dynasty copper coins aren't worth much, ranging from a dozen to several hundred yuan. But there were so many spilled out that if a dozen of the ones worth several hundred were lost, it would equal three months of Tang Nan Yan's salary...

Thinking secretly, he gave Jing Zeyang a wink.

The latter understood in a second, had a flash of inspiration, and cupped his hands into a megaphone: "Everyone make way, there are gold coins in here; go around if you can, and wait a moment if you can!"

The passing pedestrians stopped abruptly. Those who had originally wanted to help pick them up immediately straightened their backs. Those who were slightly closer retreated two steps as if to avoid suspicion.

Don't doubt it: anywhere else, upon hearing "gold coins," one's heart would definitely skip a beat: Holy crap, am I rich?

They might even swarm forward.

But here, the first reaction of ninety-nine out of a hundred people would definitely be: This damn scammer, better stay far away...

Just like that, in a small area, the three women kept picking them up. There were many customers coming and going, but once they heard that copper coins had been scattered and there were gold coins among them, they all stopped in their tracks.

Neither noisy nor rowdy, they just blindly watched the spectacle.

After about two or three minutes, the ground was picked clean. The woman closed the lid, locked the latch, and said thank you to Tang Nan Yan and Xu Qin.

It was a small accident, and just as the woman was about to leave, Lin Sicheng pointed: "There is one more there!"

The few of them turned their heads and searched carefully.

Not far away, right by a nearby stall. It had happened to roll under the stall cloth, so none of them had seen it.

Tang Nan Yan walked over quickly and picked it up. Just as she was about to hand it over, the woman shook her head: "Little girl, thank you for helping me. This one is for you; it's not worth much anyway..."

It was a Qianlong Tongbao, and indeed, it wasn't worth much.

Tang Nan Yan said thank you and was just about to put it in her pocket when Lin Sicheng narrowed his eyes slightly.

Very quickly, just a glance, lasting only two or three seconds. He looked at Tang Nan Yan and smiled:

"As the saying goes, 'Falling gold coins, treasure horses soaring' (from *Quanzhen Qingxuan Jilian Yankou Tieguan Shishi*)... This is an auspicious omen; you can't take it for nothing, you must pay for it, thirty or fifty is fine."

"Huh?"

The woman was stunned for a moment, and Tang Nan Yan was also stunned.

Lin Sicheng actually believed in this?

Just as she was thinking this, she saw Jing Zeyang signaling her hard with his eyes, and she paused, her eyes brightening.

In an instant, her wallet was out. Tang Nan Yan's speed was very fast, and in the blink of an eye, she stuffed a fifty-yuan bill into the woman's hand.

She even smiled: "Thank you, big sister!"

The woman was confused, but didn't say anything, hugged her box, and left.

With no more spectacle to watch, the tourists gradually dispersed. Tang Nan Yan held the copper coin, looking curious.

At first, she was still thinking: Why is Lin Sicheng also superstitious? It wasn't until Jing Zeyang signaled her that Tang Nan Yan realized: she might have picked up a bargain.

Looking at this copper coin again: Qianlong Tongbao, it feels quite ordinary, doesn't it?

Thinking secretly, with a little excitement, she handed the copper coin over: "Teacher Lin, look!"

Lin Sicheng took it in his hand, looked at it carefully, and then said half-jokingly: "Officer Tang, there is good news and bad news."

Tang Nan Yan was stunned: "Huh?"

Lin Sicheng smiled again: "The good news is that this is a Xinjiang Red Coin. It's a big bargain, enough to cover several of Brother Jing's Bronze Mirrors..."

"The bad news is that the woman must have just picked up a huge bargain, likely the box of copper coins she was holding. But I suspect the seller has regretted it and is looking for her all over the market..."

Tang Nan Yan was first startled, then half-believing.

What startled her was that Jing Zeyang's Bronze Mirror was worth at least ten or twenty thousand; if this copper coin could cover several Bronze Mirrors, then how much must it be worth?

What she half-believed was, how did Lin Sicheng know so clearly?

The woman was indeed quite anxious and a bit panicked, but how was Lin Sicheng so certain that she had picked up a bargain and the seller had regretted it?

Just as she was pondering, Lin Sicheng pointed: "Look!"

The few of them stretched their necks and stood on tiptoe in unison.

Not far away, about ten meters or so, by eight or nine stalls, several men were walking in a hurry, asking questions as they walked.

Passing tourists pointed in this direction.

At the same time, faint sounds drifted over: woman, box, copper coins...

(End of this chapter)