Emerging from the Tianyin Pavilion, Ye Fan's brow was furrowed with worry. What he lacked most at the moment was money.
Whether it was to give his mother a better life or to treat his sister's illness, a large sum of money was needed.
Fortunately, his extraordinary appraisal skills were his greatest asset. In Jiangcheng, as long as one's eyes were sharp enough, making money was not difficult…
Ten minutes later, on Jiangcheng’s largest antique street, Ye Fan’s gaze continuously swept across the stalls on both sides.
This was Jiangcheng’s largest antique trading market, but it was a mixed bag, filled with fakes. Without sufficiently keen eyesight, one could easily be cheated and lose everything.
As the saying goes, nine out of ten treasures are fake. Finding a hidden gem in the antique circle was as difficult as ascending to heaven!
“Young man, take a look at my bronze ware from the Shang and Zhou dynasties. It’s genuine.”
“Little brother, want to buy porcelain? My porcelain is the most famous in the antique street, and I deal honestly with everyone.”
“Famous calligraphy and paintings, stationery and four treasures, all from the hands of masters. You won’t lose money, and you won’t be cheated.”
…
The various shouts mingled together, making the place seem even more bustling.
But Ye Fan merely glanced and shook his head in disappointment. Bronze ware? It was probably made just last week. As for the porcelain and famous calligraphy and paintings, they made him want to laugh and cry.
Tang Dynasty court ladies porcelain bearing the mark of Emperor Qianlong’s reign, and a painting by Yan Liben depicting Wu Song fighting a tiger.
Such fakes were truly disheartening.
To find a hidden gem on the antique street, one could only rely on luck.
Ye Fan thought to himself. Just then, a pocket watch on a nearby stall caught his attention.
He didn't rush over immediately. Instead, he scanned the pocket watch a few times, then looked at other items, and slowly moved towards it.
This stall displayed dozens of items. Besides over a dozen pocket watches, the other items, including tea cups, porcelain bowls, and wine vessels, were almost all damaged.
With just a simple glance, Ye Fan knew that although not all these items were genuine, they could be considered high-quality replicas.
From their condition and material, they were not too different from genuine items of the same period.
One must know that in China’s vast five thousand years of history, very few treasures have been passed down. Moreover, many have been monopolized by major auction houses, making genuine items in the market extremely rare.
For collectors, obtaining a high-quality replica would already be a rare find…
After scanning the stall a few times, Ye Fan finally looked at the pocket watch.
It had a white enamel dial, bright and shiny, without cracks or any flaws. The pear-shaped hands moved slowly, as if recounting the passage of time.
“Boss, wishing you prosperous business.”
Looking up at the stall owner, Ye Fan said with a smile.
This was a common saying in the antique trade. To buy an item, one would wish the boss a prosperous business, so the boss would know the intention and naturally entertain them warmly.
The stall owner was a thin, dark man around forty years old. To Ye Fan’s surprise, the stall owner didn’t even look up. He moved his eyelids and said, “Take whatever you like. All items are priced at three thousand. If you want to haggle, go to another stall. All sales are final.”
The stall owner said in a low, gruff voice, showing no enthusiasm.
But Ye Fan didn’t mind. He preferred dealing with people like this – straightforward, no beating around the bush.
Just as he was about to pick up the pocket watch, an arrogant voice sounded from behind him.
“I heard someone on the antique street is selling items at a fixed price. I, this young master, must see if there are any treasures.”
Hearing this voice, Ye Fan couldn’t help but frown and turn his head. He saw that the surrounding crowd had already parted, making way. It was clear that the person’s identity was extraordinary, causing everyone to be wary.
The newcomer was no more than twenty-three or twenty-four years old, followed by four people. Among them, an old man’s gaze was fixed on the stall in front of him with burning intensity.
“You scoundrel! Our Young Master Jiang is here, and you’re still putting on airs? Believe it or not, I’ll flip your damned stall!”
Seeing that the stall owner hadn’t moved, a subordinate behind him cursed angrily, stepping forward to attack the stall owner.
But the stall owner suddenly picked up a walking stick from the side and, as if by chance, propped it on the ground, preparing to stand up.
However, in the next moment, the subordinate’s heart-wrenching scream was heard.
“Ah.”
Everyone’s gaze turned towards them. The walking stick had landed precisely on the subordinate’s instep, sinking into it.
“Hiss.”
The crowd gasped. Only Ye Fan’s eyes flashed with shock. This stall owner was not simple.
What seemed like an unintentional move just now had actually used internal force. Otherwise, it would not have caused the subordinate’s instep to be indented. This was not something that could be achieved by brute force alone.
Young Master Jiang’s face darkened, and he looked at the stall owner with cold eyes: “So, you’re a master. No wonder you’re so arrogant. But if I find that you’re selling fakes, the Jiangcheng antique circle won’t tolerate you.”
It was understandable for there to be fakes in a place like the antique street, where all sorts of people gathered. However, this Young Master Jiang was acting so domineeringly, clearly making unreasonable demands.
A hint of anger flashed in the stall owner’s eyes. His grip on the walking stick tightened, and veins began to bulge.
Clearly, he was furious at the moment.
But in the end, the anger was not vented. The stall owner sighed lightly, “Why must Young Master Jiang trouble a disabled person like me?”
No matter how stubborn a person was, they had to bow their head in such a situation.
But how could Young Master Jiang let him off easily?
He snorted coldly, “Begging for mercy? Begging for mercy is useless with me. What I say, I will do. Everyone in Jiangcheng knows this. Old Master Gu, please appraise it.”
Saying that, he gave a look to the old man behind him.
Seeing the old man step forward, the surrounding crowd immediately let out exclamations.
“Young Master Jiang actually invited Old Master Gu. No wonder he’s so confident.”
“Old Master Gu is one of the few Level 2 appraisers in Jiangcheng. With him personally handling it, there will be a good show.”
“Alas, why must they trouble a disabled person?”
The crowd chattered, but no one dared to step forward to help the stall owner.
Old Master Gu stepped forward slowly, about to begin the appraisal, but at this moment, Ye Fan said coldly, “Since he is a Level 2 appraiser, does he not understand the rules of the antique trade?”
His words made Old Master Gu’s forward steps freeze. He immediately narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with anger.
In Jiangcheng, a Level 2 appraiser was at the top of the antique circle. When had anyone dared to speak to him like this?
Young Master Jiang, standing beside him, was also taken aback, but then his expression turned grim.
“Kid, get lost before I make a move, otherwise, you won’t be able to bear the consequences.”
But at this moment, Old Master Gu raised his hand to stop Young Master Jiang. A cold smile tugged at the corners of his lips, and a hint of sinister cunning flashed in the depths of his eyes.
“Young Master Jiang, there’s no need to be angry. This old man hasn’t seen such a bold young man in many years. Why don’t I see what abilities he has…”