In truth, when I was out, I always thought about returning to Guangling, but after returning to Guangling, I found myself bored to death.
An Yuan Tang didn't need me to manage, nor were there any antiques for me to appraise. Most of the time, they collaborated directly with appraisal institutions partnered with An Yuan Tang to issue appraisal certificates.
Nothing needed my concern; I felt like I was just freeloading every day, and it was unbearable.
Upon receiving the contact information from Hong Yun Peng, Fatty and I immediately bought tickets to Gui Cheng that very evening.
It was already past three in the morning when we arrived. After finding a hotel and settling in, I contacted the person with the original rubbing the next day at noon.
This person's surname was Li, but he didn't disclose his full name. He simply said that if I wanted the stone tablet in the photo, I should bring 100,000 yuan to Gui Cheng to meet him for the transaction.
When I called, the other party seemed surprised to learn I had already arrived in Gui Cheng. "You're already here?"
"Yes, what time would be suitable for us to meet?"
"Did you bring the money?"
I was a bit puzzled. Generally, when trading antiques, sellers wouldn't directly ask buyers if they brought money. After all, the item hadn't even been seen, and they were already asking about payment. This was unusual even for selling other goods.
"I need to see the item first," I said.
The person on the other end paused for a moment and replied, "I'll definitely show you the item, but I don't have much time. If you're not genuinely interested in buying, wouldn't that be a waste of my time?"
I hesitated, then decided I couldn't be bothered with more pointless talk. "I will definitely buy it, and I've brought the money. When can I see the item?"
"Alright, wait for my call. I'll notify you once arrangements are made."
Before I could say anything more, the line went dead.
"What's the situation?" Fatty asked.
"The other party wants us to wait for news."
"Wait for news? Could it be that they're selling grave goods?"
I shook my head. "I'm not sure, but since we're out here, we should still be cautious. Pay attention if we go over there later."
Fatty nodded. "Don't worry, who am I, Fatty? No matter what tricks they pull, if they dare to set a trap for us, I'll finish them."
I expected the other party to call by afternoon, but we waited all day and received no call.
In the evening, Fatty and I went downstairs for a quick bite. We watched some TV back at the hotel, and it wasn't until past ten that my phone rang.
"I'll give you an address now. Come over. Remember to bring the money, the goods are definitely real. If you don't bring money, you won't see the item," the person on the phone said before hanging up.
Judging by their tone, it seemed very likely they were tomb raiders. Fatty and I discussed it, and finally put the prepared cash into one canvas bag, and two bricks into another.
We then took a taxi to the location he mentioned. This place was outside the city. Along the way, the driver asked us what we were doing coming here so late at night.
I didn't know how to answer, so I just said, "Meeting a friend."
The driver chuckled. "A friend? I think you're here to deal in antiques, aren't you?"
I was taken aback. "Master, how did you know?"
"We often have people coming here to collect antiques. They all act so mysteriously. I've driven quite a few people to this area," the driver said. "But I think you should be careful..."
"Why so?"
"If you outsiders come here to buy antiques and get ripped off, there's nowhere to turn for help." The driver offered this advice kindly.
Fatty and I exchanged glances. I gave him a look, signaling that if things went south, we should run first.
Fatty understood and nodded.
We soon arrived at our destination. Not only was the place secluded, but it was also pitch black as far as the eye could see, situated right by the national highway.
A village could be vaguely seen in the distance, with faint lights twinkling.
I called the person again. Upon hearing I had arrived, he started directing me down a small path.
After about a ten-minute walk, we reached the foot of a mountain. This reminded me of my previous "banquet," and I wondered if these people were also involved in "banquets."
Before long, a flashlight beam shone towards us, blinding me with its bright light as it was aimed directly at our faces, forcing me to shield my eyes with my hand.
Soon, a man in his thirties appeared before us. He glanced at Fatty and me and said, "Follow me."
We followed him, and after a short while, we arrived at an open space. On the ground, there was freshly dug earth, and about seven to eight meters away, a gleaming tomb entrance.
It turned out they were indeed a group involved in "banquets."
"What you want is inside," the man said, pointing at the tomb entrance. "Give me the money, and you can go in and get it yourselves."
I chuckled. "Isn't that against the rules? I haven't seen the item, and you want me to pay?"
"Rules? What rules?" The man's expression faltered, and he put his hand to his mouth and whistled.
Suddenly, seven or eight people emerged from all directions. Fatty and I were startled.
"I'll say it again. If you want the item, give me the money and retrieve it yourselves!" the man said coldly.
Seeing this, I knew that Fatty and I had truly had a run of bad luck today.
However, I remained calm, surveying our surroundings.
If the other party had only three or four people, Fatty and I could handle it and even make our escape.
But with so many people, running seemed unrealistic. Moreover, engaging in a direct fight would likely not be advantageous.
After some thought, I handed over the canvas bag I was holding. "Here."
The man took the canvas bag, opened it, and his eyes lit up. Two other people leaned in to take a look.
"I've given you the money. Could you perhaps do us a favor and retrieve the item? I'm not going into the tomb," I said.
"I told you, the item is inside, and you have to go in yourselves to get it. If you don't want to go in, that's fine too. You can just forget about the item," the man replied unceremoniously.
Fatty whispered to me, his voice like a mosquito's, "Master Xiang... are we going in?"
Looking at the tomb entrance, I sighed. I had sworn I wouldn't enter tombs anymore, but only a few days had passed, and now I had to crawl into another hole.
After thinking for a moment, I asked, "Can you lend us a hand then?"
The man hesitated and glanced at the others. "Fine. You go in first, and we'll be behind you."
"No, we need to leave someone outside," I insisted.
The man's brows furrowed, and his eyes darted around. I saw him reach towards his waist, and my heart leaped, thinking, "This is bad!"
As expected, in the blink of an eye, the man pulled out a knife, and the others also produced knives.
The man barked, "We told you to go in, so go in! What's with all the nonsense?!"