True and False Indistinguishable

Nian Dasha wore a mournful expression as he said, "After that, I haggled with the old man and finally got the price down to eighty thousand yuan. I happily bought it, never expecting the thing to be a fake!"

After hearing the whole story from Nian Dasha, the four were rendered speechless. This was clearly the simplest kind of trap in the antiques trade, aimed precisely at someone like Nian Dasha, who had only half-baked knowledge and was driven by the hope of finding a bargain.

This method was actually very common. For example, someone might have a piece of Xuande blue-and-white porcelain that was actually counterfeit, but deliberately claim it was from the late Qing Dynasty. People who knew only a little about Xuande blue-and-white porcelain would see it and assume they had encountered an ignorant fool. Stimulated by the hope of finding a bargain, they would eventually fall into the trap.

Meng Yixian said speechlessly, "I say, Nian Dasha, have you been so dazzled by your dream of getting rich that you've lost your mind? With your eyesight, you actually dared to spend eighty thousand yuan on something?"

Nian Dasha also knew that he was ultimately in the wrong. He stood to the side, stammering incoherently.

"Forget it. I've made a wasted trip again today! If I'd known you were this unreliable, I wouldn't have come." Meng Yixian shook his head and stood up to leave.

"Shopkeeper Meng, please wait!" Nian Dasha hurriedly raised a hand to stop him. "Look at how badly I've suffered this loss. Couldn't you do me a favor and buy something from me?"

Meng Yixian replied with a smile, "Of course I can do you that favor, but you have to bring out some decent goods. If you pile up a bunch of