It was already a quarter past seven in the evening when the plane landed at Saadi Airport, and the whole journey took almost four and a half hours. Li Mo had already put on his down jacket before stepping out of the plane, and the temperature outside had dropped to below zero. He followed the flow of people and kept walking forward. Chen Xiaoyan and Fu Liang followed behind and looked around. Behind him was Brown Bear with a group of people.
"This is not Kyoto, what can we see? Why do you two act like country bumpkins entering the city? Everything you see is strange."
Li Mo looked back at them and said, Fu Liang quickly ran two steps and said respectfully: "Uncle, isn't it said that people who have never been to a snow area will get altitude sickness when they come here for the first time? I think it's okay, it's quite normal. of."
Chen Xiaoyan walked up to him and said with a bit of ridicule: "Scientifically speaking, altitude sickness refers to a series of plateau hypoxic stress reactions that occur in the body after entering from the plains to the plateau or from the plateau to higher altitudes. The main manifestations They include headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, palpitation, shortness of breath, chest tightness, etc. The incidence of acute mountain sickness is related to the speed of climbing the mountain, altitude, length of residence and physical fitness. If you don’t feel any discomfort, it means your physical condition is still very good. of."
"Xiaoyan, you still know more."
Fu Liang quickly flattered him.
A slight smile appeared at the corner of Li Mo's mouth. This boy was a top student who graduated from Nanjing University. How could he not know this? Judging from his enthusiasm for flattering her, this kid must have been impressed by Chen Xiaoyan's personal charm.
Although it was a bit embarrassing to be defeated in a martial arts competition and kept being beaten by strong suppression, once I got used to the embarrassment, I felt that this was not bad.
"Brown bear."
Li Mo turned around and shouted, and the brown bear quickly ran to him: "Boss, what are your orders?"
"After checking into the hotel, let everyone get used to it for a day or two. If you are feeling unwell, we will provide you with information in a timely manner."
"Yes, boss."
The hotel they were staying in had been booked early, and the person who came to greet them was a tall man in his thirties, wearing traditional clothing in the snowy area, especially some beads in his hair, with dark and rough skin.
"Mr. Li, my name is Tashi Dorje. You can just call me Dorje. I will arrange any orders you have from now on. The car is outside, please follow me."
"Duoji, what's your relationship with Yan Xin?"
"In terms of seniority, he is my cousin. However, this branch of our snow area is a bit far away. My grandfather is the cousin of Mr. Li in Kyoto who has passed away. Anyway, it is a matter of two generations ago. I'm not too sure either."
"Have you ever thought about going to Kyoto to live?"
"It would be best if I have the chance. It's not that I want a better life, it's mainly for my children. The environment here is harsh, and both children have high-altitude heart disease. We must give them a good life."
"I won't bother you to worry about it while I'm here for a while. If you decide to settle down in the plains in the future, I can help you."
This was Li Mo's promise to him, and this Duoji would naturally do things well.
Regarding the so-called altitude sickness, Li Mo really didn't feel any physical discomfort. Chen Xiaoyan, Fu Liang, and Brown Bear all had some adverse reactions after staying in the hotel. Fortunately, they had already prepared for it, so they only needed to rest. It'll be fine after a day or two of getting used to it.
The next day, Duoji was waiting for Li Mo in the lobby on the first floor of the hotel early in the morning. Li Mo came to the first floor carrying his bag and waved to him and said, "This way."
"Mr. Li, what are your plans today?"
"Go to the local antique market."
"OK."
The antique market in Saadi is quite large, and there are many people visiting here. Compared with Panjiayuan in Kyoto, Liulichang, or the Chenghuang Temple Antique Street in Shanghai, the antique market here is full of rich ethnic minority elements in terms of architecture and decoration, making it a first-time visitor. People have different experiences. Of course, the interior decoration of some stores is similar to the antique stores in Kyoto.
"Dorji, are you familiar with this antique market?"
"I've been here a few times with my family, but mainly just to play. After all, I don't know anything about so-called antiques."
"It doesn't matter if you don't understand. From now on, you will be my guide. If I am lucky enough to come across something good later, and I just ask for a price, you will have to consider me and advise me, or help me. Let me tell you that the price offered by the boss is too high, this shouldn’t be difficult, right?”
"I have done business before. Although I lost money, I still know the inside story." Tashi Duoji knew very well how powerful the man in front of him was. As long as there was a treasure, he would definitely not escape his eyes.
Most of the people visiting the antique market are tourists from out of town. They all have the same characteristic of carrying large and small bags, but there are not many locals. Li Mo walked slowly along the street like an ordinary tourist. There was basically a small stall he had set up at the entrance of the shop. There were many kinds of things on it, mainly bracelets.
The bracelets you see in antique shops in the plain area are made of all kinds of beautiful stones, and the best ones are made of jade. The bracelets seen here are mainly made of silver products, with braided ropes rich in local characteristics, and embellished with some beautiful beads.
Li Mo walked around and looked at seven or eight different styles of bracelets, but he just looked at them and was not greeted by the boss's warm greeting.
"There is actually a shop selling porcelain here."
Li Mo came to a shop and looked inside curiously. The shop was not big, and there were three tourists looking around boredly.
"Mr. Li, do you want to go in and take a look?"
"have a look."
Li Mo put on his down jacket and hat, then followed Duoji into the shop. Duoji is a very good partner. As soon as he walked in, he entered the status of a tour guide. He pointed to the porcelain on the surrounding shelves and said: "Boss Li, this shop specializing in porcelain business is quite famous in our local area. The boss does business They are also very kind. If you like one, I can help you check the price with the boss."
Li Mo nodded, walked to the Bogu shelf and looked at it carefully. After a moment, he pointed at a red-glazed plum vase and asked, "Boss, can you get your hands on this?"
The boss is a man in his fifties, with a rugged appearance and a face full of vicissitudes of life. He walked up to Li Mo and asked in broken Mandarin: "Sir, if you like this porcelain, you can take it yourself."
"Thanks."
Li Mo took down the plum vase from the ancient shelf. To be honest, the plum vase was very well made both in terms of shape and glaze. The inscription on the bottom of the vase, 'Made in the Kangxi Year of the Qing Dynasty', was also very standard. Character.
"Boss, how do you sell this porcelain?"
Li Mo asked politely. As soon as he asked, Duoji, who was not far away, immediately cheered up. Are you ready to start? He was ready for a fight, just waiting for the boss to come up with an outrageous price.
Unexpectedly, the boss actually shook his head and waved his hands: "This plum vase made by the Kangxi official kiln in the Qing Dynasty is the treasure of my store, I will not sell it."
Li Mo was slightly startled. Is the boss really not interested in selling it or is he just trying to tempt him?
"it's beautiful."
Li Mo sighed with regret and looked at it with regret, but he still put the plum vase back to its original place.
The boss is a little dumbfounded. Why are you not curious at all? Why don't you ask why and just give up? Duo Ji, who was all prepared, saw Li Mo's actions and wondered in his heart, did he understand it wrong?
"Sir, is this your first time traveling here?"
"Yeah, I'm not familiar with the place and I spent money to find a local guide. He said your shop is very famous, so I came in to take a look. The porcelain made in the Kangxi period of the Qing Dynasty is really good. Boss, you are really discerning. The red color of this glaze is amazing." Li Mo glanced at Duoji and said, "The porcelain in this shop is all good. I'm afraid I can't afford it. Let's go shopping elsewhere. .”
"Oh, okay, Boss Li, I'll take you to another store to have a look."
Seeing that he was leaving, Duoji nodded hurriedly.
"Boss Li, please wait a moment." Seeing that he was leaving, the owner of the antique shop finally managed to catch an interested customer. How could he let him leave like this? He called out to Li Mo, with a hint of respect in his tone, "Boss Li, if you really like this Kangxi plum vase, we can have a good discussion on the price."
Li Mo asked in surprise: "Didn't you just say that the treasure of the store is not for sale?"
The boss showed an awkward smile and replied: "Normally, I won't sell it, but if the customer offers a price that I can't refuse, I will agree to transfer it."
This is the attitude towards doing business.
Li Mo turned around and looked at the stunning red plum vase, and then said: "Boss, can you tell me a price?"
"Two hundred and eighty-eight thousand."
Li Mo shook his head directly: "It's too expensive. I don't even have the confidence to bargain. Boss, don't waste your time on me. I can't afford it. I'll look at other porcelain. If it's good-looking, it's not expensive either." If you want to buy one and take it back as a souvenir, it’s not a worthwhile trip.”
Duoji then said a few words to the boss in dialect, and then the antique shop owner gave up.
Li Mo did not leave immediately. After shopping in the store for a week, every piece of porcelain on the Bogu shelf looked extremely exquisite. It could be said that it was no worse than the high-quality imitations produced in Gu Yunxuan's store. The boss is definitely a shrewd person. Rather than using those tattered fakes to fool people around, it is better to go directly to high-quality products. If you have no discernment, you will be unlucky. Regardless of whether you sell them at a high price or a low price, it is a profit for the boss.
There's nothing good in the store.
Li Mo turned around and was about to leave, when suddenly his eyes glanced at the basin on the counter two meters away. The water basin is a piece of porcelain with a folded rim painted in green and pastel colors. He immediately changed his direction slightly and walked towards the counter, but his eyes were fixed on the dozen or so pieces of porcelain on the row of cabinets behind the counter.
While looking at it, he glanced at the porcelain basin on the counter without trace. The boss had taken it to store various biscuits, probably for the guests. The strange pupils swept away, and a gray halo emerged from the body of the porcelain basin, turning into circles of light. It was definitely an authentic product from the official kilns of the mid-Qing Dynasty.
Those high imitation products are displayed on the antique shelves and praised by the boss as genuine, but the real good things are placed on the counter as storage.
Li Mo returned to the red-glazed plum vase, as if he would regret not taking it with him. When the boss saw this, his eyes moved, and he quickly stepped forward and said with a smile: "Boss Li, I can see that you really like this imperial plum vase from the Kangxi Dynasty of the Qing Dynasty. In this way, you can pay me a price. If I If you think it's still acceptable, how about I give it up to you."
"Hey, forget it, I can't eat this piece of porcelain."
Li Mo still let out a long sigh.
"Boss Li, you are quite knowledgeable about porcelain?"
"Of course." Li Mo said with a little arrogance, "I have extensive research experience in ceramics from the Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, Qing and Five Dynasties. But this plum vase gives me a very bad feeling. I have seen many large It is a genuine piece of Qing Dynasty porcelain, but I have never seen such a bright red glaze color. To say that one of the more famous red porcelains in the Qing Dynasty is Jihong glaze porcelain. This is the first time for me to have such a red glaze that is close to Chinese red. I saw it, so I was unsure. Generally, most of these porcelains are modern handicrafts. To tell you the truth, boss, I really couldn’t place this plum vase. If I hadn’t noticed its red color at first glance, I wouldn’t have I will consider buying it and taking it back as a souvenir.”
The boss was indeed frightened by Li Mo's words. He himself knew the origin of these porcelains, and he thought that when he met an outsider, he would fool him first. Unexpectedly, people still have some skills. Such people are difficult to fool and difficult to serve.
"Boss Li, what do you mean?"
Li Mo made a mental calculation before saying: "Boss, two thousand eight hundred and eighty, I will take it away."
Duoji was a little dazed. One dared to ask for a price, and the other dared to counteroffer, and he was so confident.
"Boss Li, I think you don't really like this red-glazed plum vase. Are you here to kill your boring time by talking nonsense with me?"
The antique shop owner wants to evict people.
However, Li Mo calmly took out a wad of money from his backpack. The new ones from the bank had not yet torn off the seal. He counted out twenty-nine cards in front of the boss, and then shook them angrily, making a clattering sound.
"Boss, I really don't like to hear what you're saying. It's rare for me to come out to play, but why can't I come out empty-handed?"
Li Mo said while looking towards Duoji.
Finally, the signal came to me, and Duoji hurriedly walked over with a straight face and said: "Boss Li, you still have to be careful when taking action. If you are really mistaken as you said, the porcelain is far from worth two thousand eight hundred and eighty yuan." One hundred and eighty.”
Li Mo waved the money away for a moment, with a look of realization on his face: "You are right, boss. If I really guessed it, then this plum vase is worth a few hundred or a thousand at most."
The owner of the antique shop couldn't hold on and agreed when he saw the money swinging up and down, but he didn't know that this stupid guy actually stepped in to mess up his first business of the day.
"Boss Li, you don't bargain like this. Don't you just want to pick up a piece of porcelain for free? I won't do this business. Please do whatever you want."
Li Mo had no choice but to stuff his money into his bag, and then said with great pity: "Boss, do you have porcelain worth about a thousand yuan in your store? As long as it looks good, I can accept a little more money?"
"Sorry, the cheapest porcelain in our store costs more than 10,000 yuan."
The antique shop owner said a little impatiently.
"The cheapest one costs more than 10,000 yuan. The one with snacks on the counter that looks like a basin is also worth 10,000 yuan? Boss, do you look down on me and think I don't have money to buy the porcelain in your store?" Li Mo said this. , his emotions started to get excited, he took out 10,000 yuan in cash from his bag and threw it heavily on the counter, "I bought this porcelain that you treat as rubbish. It's only 10,000 yuan. If you sell it, you charge the money and I will take it away. If you feel you are at a loss, I will collect the money and leave immediately."
Ten thousand yuan in cash was scattered on the counter, and he spent six to seven hundred yuan to find the porcelain basin for storing snacks. He made more than ten times the profit when he resold it. The owner of the antique shop looked serious this time. He collected the money silently, then walked to the water basin, poured out all the snacks inside, and found a cardboard box for him to wrap carefully.
"Boss Li, welcome to visit us next time."
Li Mo stood still, staring at the boss a little angrily. Now the boss felt even more proud, as the person who wanted to play tricks on him hadn't appeared yet.
"Doji, let's go."
Li Mo picked up the packaged porcelain basin, shouted very unhappily, and turned to leave the shop.
(End of chapter)
