Chapter 159: Two Hammers

At the end of the ninth lunar month, the weather in Jingcheng had turned quite cold.

The willow leaves, as if sensing the first breath of winter, turned from green to yellow and drifted down from the branches, swirling through the air before landing on the ground.

To a poet, this scene might become a poignant, beautiful poem.

But to working people, it was merely an irritant—another chore: sweeping fallen leaves.

Guan Er Wang Dama rose early, emptied the chamber pot, made breakfast, then swept the leaves from the big willow tree at the gate; by the time she finished, sweat had beaded on her face.

But when she returned to the courtyard, she saw her son still hadn't gotten up.

"Da Sheng, why aren't you up? Are you skipping work again today?"

A lazy voice came from the side room: "Mom, my toes hurt today. I'm taking a day off."

Guan Er Wang Dama, having worked herself to exhaustion all morning, flew into a rage: "Your toes hurt today? Yesterday it was your pork kidneys. The day before that, you had diarrhea. You're going to lose your whole month's wage!"

"How could I lose it all?" the voice in the side room replied calmly: "I only need to show up five days a month to get thirteen yuan and fifty fen—that's two yuan and seventy fen per day.

Even if I work full month, it's only twenty-eight yuan and fifty fen, less than one yuan and ten fen per day. Why would I bother working full?"

"Now you're good at math? Then why did you score only thirteen points on your high school entrance exam? You good-for-nothing brat."

Guan Er Wang Dama ranted at the side room, but her son, having endured her shouting for over twenty years, was completely immune—he didn't stir from his bed.

After two minutes of yelling, Guan Er Wang Dama finally ran out of steam.

Back in the main room, she saw her husband had already finished breakfast and was sipping slowly from a pot of jasmine tea.

Guan Er Wang Dama immediately found a new target for her anger.

"Guan Guan Ciying, all you do all day is eat and drink—can't you teach your son some discipline? Da Sheng's become lazy because of you."

"Look at him—he's a grown man, finally got your job, and now he's turned into a layabout. How am I supposed to face your parents when he can't find a wife?"

Guan Guan Ciying watched his wife's tearful face and calmly sipped half a bowl of jasmine tea.

"Finding a wife isn't hard. Didn't your fourth sister just arrange a match for Da Sheng yesterday? If you're willing, we could have a grandchild next year."

"I'm not willing!" Guan Er Wang Dama snapped back, angrier than before: "I thought she was setting him up with a good match, but it's some country girl from the western hills—with three younger brothers and two sisters. She's after our money!"

"If we bring her in, she'll drag stuff back to her family every day—how long will our savings last?"

Guan Er Wang Dama kept ranting, completely unaware that her target had shifted from her son to her own fourth sister.

Guan Er Lu Daye sipped his tea with satisfaction, eyes half-closed, legs swinging lazily.

A woman, no matter how fierce, could ever outwit a man? Ridiculous.

But then, in a quieter tone, Guan Er Wang Dama asked: "Guan Ciying, you really think that teapot's worth several thousand yuan?"

Guan Guan Ciying sneered: "How can you know for sure? Some people love antiques—they'd pay ten thousand and think it cheap. Others don't recognize value—they'd think you're insulting them if you gave them an old thing for free."

"Then didn't we overdo it the other day? Da Sheng made that ridiculous demand, and you didn't stop him—you scared the buyer off. We were counting on that money to find Da Sheng a wife!"

Guan Er Wang Dama grew anxious. Though she complained the girl was after their money, if they had no money, who would marry Da Sheng, of all people?

But Guan Guan Ciying smiled: "Don't worry. He'll come back."

"."

"You two are a pair of stubborn asses," Guan Er Wang Dama spat. "You think the whole world owes you favors.

You're not even satisfied with a few thousand yuan for a broken teapot—I must've been blind to marry into this family."

"Tap-tap-tap~"

"Second brother, sister-in-law—you home?"

Guan Er Wang Dama had just finished cursing when someone knocked on the courtyard gate—and walked right in.

The couple turned to see an old man and a young man: Guan Guan Ciying's elder brother, Guan Guan Cihui, and his son, Guan Guan Dacheng.

Guan Guan Ciying, who had been sitting calmly, immediately stood up.

"Brother, you came? Why bring anything? Come in, come in—did you take the early bus?"

"The village donkey cart came into town to deliver straw, so we came by to visit. We just harvested some mung beans and red beans—brought you a little to taste."

Guan Guan Ciying ushered Guan Guan Cihui to sit, poured tea, and chatted warmly.

But Guan Er Wang Dama's face fell; she glanced disdainfully at the small sack on Guan Guan Dacheng's back and sneered.

Just a few pounds of beans? Worth making the trip from outside the city? Probably came to borrow money again.

But then Guan Guan Cihui pulled out a stack of large-denomination bills and placed them on the table—leaving Guan Er Wang Dama stunned.

"Brother, what's this?" Guan Guan Ciying frowned. "Didn't I say I didn't want that money? In '61, if you hadn't brought those two sacks of grain, we'd have starved to death."

Guan Er Wang Dama stamped her foot in agitation but dared not move to take the money.

Sure, she yelled at her son and husband every day—but when Guan Guan Ciying truly lost his temper, he'd lock the door and beat them for real.

"Second brother, I'm not here to repay you," Guan Guan Cihui waved his hand. "I'm here to split the money with you."

Guan Guan Ciying frowned. "Split money? What money?"

Guan Guan Cihui looked at his brother. "A few days ago, some He Lan people came to our village collecting antiques. They asked about our family.

I sold them an ancestral snuff bottle—got one hundred and sixty yuan. We're splitting it fifty-fifty—you get eighty."

Guan Er Wang Dama's eyelid twitched—she felt a terrible premonition.

Sure enough, Guan Guan Cihui casually asked: "Second brother, have you met any antique collectors lately?"

Guan Er Wang Dama's heart sank.

【You sneaky Guan Guan Cihui—you heard the gossip and came to claim our family's wealth? You two split households long ago—now you want to split money? And you're giving us eighty yuan? Pfft~】

But Guan Guan Ciying's focus wasn't the same as his wife's. He asked, puzzled: "Brother, how did you know people came to my place?"

Guan Guan Cihui stared steadily at Guan Guan Ciying. "Those He Lan people told me.

When they were chatting with me, they found out I was Guan, then said there was another Guan on Beier Street with good antiques. I figured the only Guan on Beier Street was you."

"Big brother, that's nonsense," Guan Er Wang Dama cut in quickly. "When you two split the household, there was nothing left—our place has no valuable antiques."

"Heh~"

Guan Guan Cihui glanced at Guan Er Wang Dama, picked up his teacup, and said nothing.

But Guan Guan Ciying coldly spat three words at his wife:

"Get out."

"."

Guan Er Wang Dama's anger suddenly vanished, like a spark doused in water.

She'd lived with Guan Guan Ciying for decades—she knew when he was truly furious. And this was fury.

Guan Er Wang Dama bowed her head and left the main room. The door slammed shut behind her.

She paced anxiously, then turned and rushed into her son's side room.

"Da Sheng, get up! Your poor bastard big brother's here to split our antiques!"

…………

In the main room, Guan Guan Ciying asked cautiously: "Brother, do you think those people found me first, then came to you?"

Guan Guan Cihui slowly shook his head. "I can't tell. I tested them with a snuff bottle—they were as clueless as a pair of hammers.

And they were stingy—definitely not big-time dealers. That's why I came to ask you—could it just be coincidence?"

"Maybe it is," Guan Guan Ciying sighed in relief. "Lately, several groups have come to me—some from the south, some from He Lan. They all came in clusters. Spreading rumors isn't unusual."

Guan Guan Cihui thought for a long while, then nodded.

His younger brother wasn't foolish—if anything was stirring, he'd sense it.

The two drank tea for a while, then Guan Guan Ciying suddenly asked: "Brother, you think the Prince Beile will ever come back?"

Guan Guan Cihui stayed silent, finished his tea slowly, then said softly: "Wait."

"Dad, Dad, open the door!"

Just as the brothers finished their discussion, they heard Guan Guan Ciying's son pounding on the door.

Guan Guan Cihui's lips curled into a faint, knowing smile; Guan Guan Ciying's face darkened.

He opened the door and glared at his son: "Now you're awake? Come to pay your respects?"

"."

Seeing his cold father, Da Sheng swallowed his words and mumbled: "I—I heard Big Brother came. I thought you hadn't eaten yet, so I wanted to take you both out for a meal."

"Hmph. Don't pretend you're hiding your thoughts," Guan Guan Ciying glanced at his wife. "Whatever price we get for that antique, your big brother gets half.

Don't complain. Don't act up. Or I'll beat you both."

"."

Da Sheng and Guan Er Wang Dama were stunned—they couldn't understand why Guan Guan Ciying, always so carefree, had suddenly turned so vicious.

Guan Guan Cihui patted his brother's shoulder. "Why yell at your sister-in-law? Your money's yours—I don't need it."

"Brother, what kind of life have we lived these years? Your house is falling apart. A few thousand yuan—why split it between us?"

Guan Guan Ciying ordered his wife directly: "Clean out the east wing. Let Guan Dacheng stay. You go back only after we sell the teapot and split the money."

Guan Guan Cihui smiled and didn't argue—he knew his brother's stubbornness was unmovable.

But to Guan Er Wang Dama and Da Sheng, his behavior was unbearable.

A perfect antique, now split in half—fine, just give them the teacups and keep the teapot for ourselves!

"Tap-tap-tap~"

As the two families sat awkwardly, the doorbell rang again.

…………

Wei Wei Jiaxian knocked on the Guan family's gate and whispered to his younger brother-in-law, Tan Min: "You stay quiet. Just be a prop."

Tan Min squinted at Wei Wei Jiaxian and muttered: "If you try anything underhanded, I won't follow you."

Wei Wei Jiaxian grunted: "I never do that kind of thing."

After a few words were exchanged, Guan Guan Dasheng stepped out of the courtyard.

"Who are you looking for?"

Wei Wei Jiaxian said, "We're antique collectors. We heard you have something to sell, so we came to take a look."

Guan Guan Dasheng, already angry inside, snapped, "Who told you we have anything to sell? Get out, get out!"

Wei Wei Jiaxian's expression didn't change; he pulled a thick stack of cash from his pocket. "We came with money."

"."

Both Guan Guan Dasheng and Tan Min were speechless.

Guan Guan Dasheng was speechless because, over these past days, countless antique collectors had come to their house—but never one so utterly clueless!

He walks in straightaway saying he's here to buy antiques, then pulls out cash right away—doesn't that just scream, "Your stuff's valuable, I'm happy to get ripped off"?

Tan Min was speechless not because he thought his brother-in-law was a fool; after all, both of them were quiet types—if Tan Min had to speak, he wouldn't have done any better.

His silence came from the fact that Wei Wei Jiaxian had spoken in He Lan dialect.

Tan Min had served in the military with He Lan comrades; he knew the dialect well. Though Wei Wei Jiaxian's He Lan speech had some flaws, it was more than enough to fool outsiders.

【You sneaky bastard, Wei Wei Jiaxian—you're no good at all.】

"Guan Dasheng, let them in!"

Guan Guan Ciying spoke from inside the courtyard, so Guan Guan Dasheng could no longer block Wei Wei Jiaxian from entering.

Besides, he'd seen the bills in Wei Wei Jiaxian's hand—estimated at three or four thousand yuan, quite tempting.

Over these past days, every antique collector who came had been vague, never naming a price—no one had ever just pulled out cash outright.

Wei Wei Jiaxian and Tan Min entered the Guan household and were greeted by Guan Guan Ciying in the main room, who even poured them tea.

Then he asked, "Where are you two from?"

Wei Wei Jiaxian said flatly, "People in this line don't talk about their hometowns—it's never true anyway. Don't ask, sir."

"."

Guan Guan Ciying and Guan Laoda were stunned; both were worldly men, yet they'd never met anyone as blunt as Wei Wei Jiaxian.

Guan Guan Ciying asked again, "Then how did you find out we had something to sell?"

Wei Wei Jiaxian said, "A fellow townsman told me—it's a Ming-dynasty imperial kiln five-color bird-and-flower teapot. So I brought the money."

This guy's either a complete idiot or a total fool!

Guan Laoda glanced at Guan Guan Ciying; both couldn't help but smile.

Can someone like this even do antique trading? He'd probably lose his pants and still be in debt!

After the reform and opening, many outsiders had flooded Beijing—scrap collectors even doubled as antique buyers, as if anyone could dabble in antiques.

Guan Guan Erdaye smiled and asked, "So how much are you offering?"

This time, Wei Wei Jiaxian didn't act foolish—he insisted, "I need to see the items first—check for damage, can't be fooled."

"Fine, go ahead and look."

Guan Guan Erdaye smiled and told his wife to bring out the items.

A set of white-glazed, colorful-flower teapots was placed on the table—nothing particularly remarkable.

But Wei Wei Jiaxian examined them closely; he stared at a single teacup for minutes, and the entire porcelain set took over twenty minutes to inspect.

During this time, Guan Guan Dasheng urged him repeatedly, but Wei Wei Jiaxian remained unmoved, his fingers as steady as machinery.

"Hey, brother, you're gonna stare these things right into your eyeballs!"

Finally, after he finished, Guan Guan Dasheng asked, "You've looked—now tell us what you're offering."

Wei Wei Jiaxian asked in return, "How much did others offer you?"

Guan Guan Dasheng laughed and said, "They offered twenty thousand—we didn't sell."

Wei Wei Jiaxian lowered his head and muttered, "Twenty thousand… then you need a buyer who truly loves it. I'll give eight thousand."

"Hahahahaha~"

Finally, everyone in the room burst into laughter.

Wei Wei Jiaxian's expression and tone clearly told everyone: "This isn't worth twenty thousand—but it's close."

Tan Min, who had come with Wei Wei Jiaxian, wanted to crawl into a crack in the floor.

【Even if I were the dumbest man alive, I couldn't be this dumb.】

But the next moment, Wei Wei Jiaxian lifted his head and said, "Actually, this set is museum-worthy. Why not donate it to the state?"

"."

Everyone stopped laughing.

(End of Chapter)