Everyone heard Li Yang’s words and instinctively looked towards the door.
Seeing so many people looking at him, the shifty person at the door blushed and walked out sheepishly.
They then got a clear look at his appearance and attire. He was short and thin, with dark skin that looked tight and weathered, like a common old farmer from the countryside. Judging by the many wrinkles on his face, everyone thought he was at least seventy years old.
However, this old man was actually only in his early fifties.
It was just that country old men didn't bother with skincare. Compared to people in the city, he looked significantly older.
Wang Dongsheng and Qi Tongwei, who were also in their early fifties, were dressed in suits and looked well-groomed. They didn't have to endure the wind, rain, or sun, and most of their work was done sitting in offices, which made them look like they were in their early forties.
Compared to the old man, they looked excessively young.
Seeing the old man nervously chuckling without speaking, Li Yang walked over and said with a smile, "Uncle, this is an antique shop, not some man-eating dragon's lair. Since you've come in today, whether you're here to buy or sell, please sit down, have some tea, and rest for a while."
"Lao Dong, get some tea for Uncle."
"Yes, boss." Er Dong immediately and nimbly went to pour tea.
The old man waved his hands in flattered surprise, saying, "No, no, no, you don't have to be so good to me. I just want to ask about something here."
"If the price is right, I'll sell it to you. If not, I'll leave immediately and won't dirty your precious place."
"Uncle, you make me feel ashamed. We are all Chinese. I should be grateful that you've come to patronize my business. How can you say you'll dirty my place?" Li Yang smiled and took his hand, leading him to a comfortable seat.
Er Dong also brought tea and pastries, smiling kindly, "Elder, please have some tea and snacks."
"Thank you, thank you so much." The old man was again flattered and quickly stood up from his seat, taking the tea and pastries with both hands, feeling embarrassed to have them placed before him.
It was clear he was an honest farmer.
However, Wang Dongsheng and Qi Tongwei didn't pay much attention to this. One was a renowned appraisal master from the capital, and the other was the director of the Jiangcheng Museum. They often had people like this approach them, claiming to have some great treasure, but in reality, after examining it, eight out of ten were self-important, and the other two were simply misled by others.
After all, in this day and age, people considered all sorts of junk to be treasures.
Wang Dongsheng even leaned in towards Li Yang's ear, covering his mouth with his hand, and whispered, "Boss Li, you really don't need to pay too much attention. Nine out of ten are worthless. This kind of thing should be handled by the shop manager or other ordinary staff."
"If you personally entertain them, it might make them think you're interested in their items. They might even believe that what they have is a truly great treasure. If you don't buy it later, they'll say you have no vision. If you offer a low price, they'll think you're cheating them. It's very troublesome."
"This uncle doesn't seem like a cunning person. Besides, guests are guests. It's always right to treat them well," Li Yang replied with a smile, shaking his head.
Wang Dongsheng fell silent, simply thinking Li Yang was too young. What do you mean, guests are guests? Some guests are extremely difficult, and it's best not to entertain them, otherwise, it's bound to ruin your mood.
Qi Tongwei, who was beside them, had a similar thought. However, he wasn't affiliated with the shop. And since the chicken soup was so delicious, and Wang Dongsheng had spoken, he continued to drink his soup, waiting to see how things would unfold.
Just as the old man was about to take something out from himself, Li Yang said with a smile, "Uncle, there's no rush to discuss business. Please rest for a while first."
"Thank you, boss. You are truly a good person," the old man said emotionally. "I went to several shops before, and they kicked me out before I could even show them my items."
"You haven't even discussed business yet, and you're treating me like a Buddha. I truly thank you."
"Hahaha, Uncle, you jest. Hosting guests and offering tea and snacks is the most basic courtesy of our Li Hao Antique Shop," Li Yang said with a smile. "Have some tea."
"Truly worthy of being a century-old establishment. From now on, if I have anything, I won't go to other shops, I'll only come to yours." The old man said, then carefully picked up his teacup and took a sip. Afterward, he took out a cloth-wrapped item and handed it to Li Yang.
"Boss Li, I found this while digging in the cellar. Please give me a price."
"Alright, Uncle. However, there's a rule in our antique circle: hands do not touch objects. Please place your item on the table and open it yourself for me to see. I won't touch it. If it breaks, I'll have to bear the responsibility," Li Yang said with a smile.
The old man immediately followed his instructions, placing the cloth bundle on the table. He then unwrapped the coarse cloth, revealing a stack of circular metal pieces with a black surface. They had some patterns on them, and a few characters could still be vaguely seen.
"Xi Gong?" Er Dong leaned closer to take a look. Li Yang had told him that he would be entrusting him with opening a new shop in the future, so Er Dong had become particularly enthusiastic about appraisal.
Even if he couldn't become an appraisal master, he at least needed to possess some professional appraisal skills. Otherwise, if all these matters were left to the appraisers and eye-catchers below, and he knew nothing, he would be easily fooled. Wouldn't that be incompetent, and how could he be said to be able to handle things independently?
"What Xi Gong?"
Cai Yiming, who was slightly more skilled than him, stared at the metal pieces and said, "Why does it look like Xi Shang to me? Where is the character 'Gong'?"
"The last one is it," Er Dong said, pointing to the last character on the circular metal piece.
Cai Yiming narrowed his eyes, and his expression suddenly changed slightly, "Xi Wang Shang Gong!"
"What is it!"
Upon hearing his words, Wang Dongsheng and Qi Tongwei, who had been indifferent, both changed their expressions. They put down their thermoses and craned their necks to look.
Indeed!
On these circular metal pieces, there were indeed the four characters "Xi Wang Shang Gong"!
Wang Dongsheng exclaimed, "It's actually Xi Wang Shang Gong large coins! So many of them?"
"Yes, they were all dug up together. As for whether they are 'large coins,' I'm not sure," the old man nodded sheepishly.
Wang Dongsheng took a deep breath and suddenly looked at Li Yang. What great luck this Boss Li had!
In his usual dealings with such customers, he would encounter such good luck only two or three times in decades. He never expected that Li Yang would encounter it on his first reception!
He quickly whispered, "Boss Li, this farmer doesn't understand anything. Even if you buy them at a low price of five hundred yuan per piece, he'll think you've given him a lot. With so many Xi Wang Shang Gong large coins, you're sure to make a profit."