"Mr. Li, you came prepared today. I underestimated you just now," Gui Bunian said through gritted teeth. "I will compensate you double for these stones."
"But this matter isn't over between us. You'd better be careful when you go out from now on. I'll make you pay."
"Boss Gui is truly generous," Li Yang said with a smile. "I bought them for eight million. Including the principal, you should give me twenty-four million."
"Please hurry, I'm busy."
"This card is enough!" Gui Bunian took out a card and threw it at him, then turned and walked back into the stone gambling arena.
Li Yang glanced at the card, smiled, and transferred a bonus to his own people. "Thank you for coming. This is your hard work fee. Pack up and head back."
"Thank you, Boss Li," everyone said gratefully.
Li Yang walked towards his car with a smile.
Watching them leave, those who had bet on Gui Bunian to win couldn't help but curse. "This Boss Gui, I heard he had issues from the start. I didn't expect them to be so serious."
"Heh, you can all look into how he made his fortune. Back then, he forced people to sell their stone gambling arena to him at a ridiculously low price through violent means."
"So that's how it is. Truly shameless."
"I want him dead, do you hear me!" Back in his office, Gui Bunian roared furiously into the phone.
"I know. How much are you willing to pay?"
"Whatever it takes! As long as he dies!"
"Then thirty million!"
"What? Why don't you go rob a bank!" Gui Bunian roared in anger.
The voice on the other end was cold, "If you can't afford it, don't come to me."
"You, fine, fine. King of Assassins, I'll give you thirty million, but only ten million upfront. The remaining twenty million will be paid after the job is done!" Gui Bunian said angrily.
The King of Assassins said, "Agreed. Once the money is in my account and the time is right, I will act."
"Hmph, you'd better be quick," Gui Bunian said.
After hanging up, the King of Assassins' fair and alluring face looked exceptionally captivating under the light. Recalling what Li Yang had done to her at the Kuncheng Hotel that day, she couldn't help but grit her teeth.
"So many people want you dead, Li Yang, you have to die!"
"Achoo." Li Yang rubbed his nose and looked around suspiciously, wondering who was thinking so ill of him.
Seeing him, some people in the market remembered him. "Isn't that the rich young man from last time?"
"Yo, what are you buying this time?"
"Hahaha."
Many people laughed.
Li Yang ignored them and bought some ingredients, intending to leave. But as he turned, he spotted a small stall with porcelain tableware. He wondered, "Are they selling porcelain in the market too?"
"Don't supermarkets sell everything? This old market has to keep up with the times," the vendor said with a smile. "Handsome guy, want to buy a few?"
"Don't let my porcelain fool you into thinking it's old, they are all good stuff. How about you go support my wife's vegetable stall?"
"Sure, I'll buy two then." Li Yang picked up a plate and then a porcelain bowl, smiling, "How much in total?"
"I'll give you a good price, twenty yuan." The vendor smiled.
Li Yang didn't haggle and paid him twenty yuan directly.
Many people immediately burst into laughter. Young people nowadays really don't know anything. These old items, at first glance, were clearly second-hand and usually sold at antique furniture markets for two or three yuan each.
Twenty yuan was simply too expensive.
However, Li Yang carefully tucked the plate into his spinach and walked quickly out of the market.
At once, many people burst into laughter. "Did you see that? That kid is hilarious!"
"Haha, treating junk like treasure, he's never seen the world."
"Boss, you must have made quite a profit."
"Heh, not much, not much. Definitely at cost price." The vendor said with a chuckle, of course not admitting he had overcharged.
Just as Li Yang was about to leave, a middle-aged man quickly caught up with him, calling out, "Hey, young man ahead, wait a moment."
"Calling me?" Li Yang turned his head and asked suspiciously.
The middle-aged man was dressed ordinarily, looking like a common uncle, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp, and his face, though rough, had the look of a true man.
He smiled and said, "You heard correctly, I am calling you. May I know your name, young man?"
"My surname is Li. Is there something you need?" Li Yang asked.
The man smiled and said, "Mr. Li, I don't like to beat around the bush. Everyone was discussing behind your back, and you must have heard it."
"I really can't bear to see you being ripped off. How about this, I'll give you thirty yuan for those two porcelain items?"
"Wow! Is there such a good person!" Many people looked at the middle-aged man in surprise, while only a few had a hint of hesitation in their eyes.
They didn't know Li Yang's true identity. However, this middle-aged man was a familiar figure in the neighborhood, a well-known antique appraiser.
His coming forward to buy back those two porcelain items probably meant there was something more to it.
Perhaps those items were not simple.
Li Yang's lips curved into a smile. "As the saying goes, you can't judge a book by its cover, and it's absolutely true. Brother, you look like an upright man, saying you don't beat around the bush and can't bear to see me lose money, but in reality, you want to get a bargain. Isn't that a bit ridiculous?"
"You,"
The middle-aged man was startled and asked in surprise, "Are you also in the antique business?"
Not everyone would use the word "bargain."
Li Yang smiled and said, "You don't need to know who I am. You just need to know one thing: I might not sell that plate to you even for three hundred thousand."
"Mr. Li, you are indeed an expert," the middle-aged man said with a wry smile.
If he wasn't mistaken, that plate should be an imperial item from the Qing Dynasty. Imperial items were not only used in special settings but were also limited in quantity.
Because imperial items were used in the palace, only the best were used. Most of the porcelain fired together would be destroyed and remelted for the next batch. Then, from the next batch, the best would be selected as imperial items to be offered as tribute, while the rest would all be destroyed.
Therefore, any item from the imperial palace was much more expensive than similar items.
Especially this plate, with its faint dragon pattern, it was highly likely to be for the emperor's exclusive use. Its value would be even higher.
He hadn't thought much of it when he first passed by the stall. It was only when Li Yang was buying that he took a distant look and realized that the dragon pattern was exceptionally extraordinary, unlike modern craftsmanship, and only then did he understand.
He had intended to get a bargain, but he hadn't expected Li Yang to be knowledgeable.
"How about this, Mr. Li, I'll offer three hundred and fifty thousand. Will you sell me this plate?"