Chapter 102

I saw it while I was taking a walk yesterday, bought it for fifty yuan, washed it when I got home and started using it.

Gu Jinshui glanced at it and couldn't help but exclaim, "This teapot must be from the Wanli period! Judging by the shape, it's probably Old Brother Pot by Li Zhongfang."

A smile appeared in Xi Han's eyes, and he nodded slightly.

Professor Bai found this amusing and came over to ask, "Why is this pot called 'Old Brother Pot'?"

Gu Jinshui laughed and said, "Professor Bai, there is a story behind this. Li Zhongfang was a master potter, and his father, Li Maolin, was also a famous master. However, the two had different styles. The father always hoped that his son would become a dragon, so he urged his son to make pots that were more in line with the ancient style. Li Zhongfang picked up a pot and asked, 'Brother, how about this one?' From then on, his pots were called 'Old Brother Pot.'"[1]

Professor Bai suddenly understood and clapped his hands in admiration.

He said to Xi Han with envy, "Old Xi, you've really found a good disciple. He even knows this. You've got a worthy successor."

Xi Han was secretly pleased, but pretended to be nonchalant, saying, "Stop praising him so much, he's just a kid who can't handle being praised."

Gu Jinshui's lips twitched.

His daughter is already in elementary school; he's still a child.

Professor Bai laughed heartily, "Jin Shui, what did you bring to show your master?"

Gu Jinshui hurriedly took out the porcelain pieces from his backpack and placed them on the table one by one. "Master, I just acquired these today. I can tell they are from the late Ming Dynasty, but the patterns look a bit off."

Xi Han called Gu Jinshui into the house to get his reading glasses and magnifying glass.

He picked up a blue-and-white porcelain plate, examined it carefully, and then smiled, "What do you think is wrong?"

Professor Bai knew that Xi Han was going to teach his apprentice, so he quietly stayed to the side, also wanting to broaden his horizons. He also felt that the plates were somewhat special. They didn't seem to be from the official kilns of the late Ming Dynasty, but if you said they were from folk kilns, the patterns were a bit special and the craftsmanship was a bit exquisite.

"I think the way these patterns are drawn doesn't seem to be purely our country's style; it seems to incorporate some Western painting techniques, like perspective."

Gu Jinshui stroked his chin and said, "And look, this plate even has tulip patterns on it. We didn't really appreciate that in the late Ming Dynasty."

Xi Han nodded. "You're right. These items are quite different from our traditional tastes. These should be export porcelain from the late Ming Dynasty folk kilns. Export, as the name suggests, means sold overseas, so naturally, local characteristics had to be considered. For example, this tulip plate—the tulip is the national flower of the Netherlands, so this plate was probably shipped to the Netherlands for sale."

"Oh dear, if this is export porcelain, how come it can be seen domestically?"

Professor Bai initially didn't want to speak, but he became so engrossed in listening that he couldn't help but ask for advice.

Xi Han said calmly, "Professor Bai, do you have any Foreign Exchange Certificate on you?"

"There are a few in this dormitory..." Professor Bai said, and then suddenly understood. There's always a way around a policy. While export porcelain is meant to be sold abroad, it doesn't necessarily mean it can't be sold to our own people. Just like how Foreign Exchange Certificate were originally intended to make it easier for foreign friends to spend money in Beijing, but since the Friendship Store only accepts Foreign Exchange Certificate, ordinary people also want to get some so they can go to the Friendship Store and broaden their horizons.

Professor Bai clapped his hands and said, "That's how it is. You have a good eye."

Xi Han smiled and said, "These are secondary. The main thing is that I once acquired a piece like this. This kind of export porcelain is not popular in China, but people used to like to use it as funerary objects. Therefore, when they circulated on the market, they often had cracks or damage. These pieces just happen to be the same, so I concluded that they are export porcelain."

Gu Jinshui suddenly realized, "No wonder these are all incomplete, so that's why."

In the past, when people were buried, porcelain and pottery were often smashed and buried with the deceased. If we think about it that way, these few porcelain pieces were lucky to escape this fate, at least they still have some intact appearance.

Professor Bai listened with rapt attention.

He sighed, "These porcelain pieces are lucky to have met Jin Shui; they've found a wise master. If they had met anyone else, they would probably have been considered trash. Jin Shui, I really want to go with you sometime and broaden my horizons."

Gu Jinshui laughed and said, "Professor Bai, please don't joke with me. You are a professor, and I am illiterate. I should be the one learning from you."

"That's not how it works. There's a sequence to learning, and everyone has their own area of expertise."

Professor Bai shook his head, his expression very serious. "Your expertise in the antique business is probably among the best in Beijing. I mean it when I say I want to learn from you. If you agree, it would be my great honor."

Gu Jinshui paused for a moment, then looked at Xi Han with some hesitation.

Professor Bai is considerably older than him and a professor at Peking University; how could he possibly put on airs?

Xi Han picked up the teapot, took a sip, and said, "If you want my student to teach you, how do we calculate the tuition?"

Professor Bai smiled and said, "Old Xi, just say what you want to say."

Xi Han looked at Gu Jinshui, "Old Bai is good at wood carving, and his skills are pretty good. How about we have him carve the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea for you?"

Gu Jinshui immediately realized what was going on and said, "How could we possibly accept that? This whole thing is quite a hassle. I think we should just ask Professor Bai to make us a table. We can put it in your study later, using that Golden-Silk Nanmu wood."

"Golden-Silk Nanmu? You still have this kind of material?"

Professor Bai was overjoyed.

Gu Jinshui smiled and said, "I acquired some by chance before, but I was always worried about not finding an expert to handle them, fearing that they would be ruined. My master praised you so highly, you must be a master. We're relieved to entrust these materials to you."

Professor Bai was also eager to try it out. He adjusted his glasses and said, "That's no problem. I'd like to practice myself. It's been a while since I've done it, and I'm really itching to get my hands dirty. We can discuss the style of the desk later."

"Okay," Gu Jinshui readily agreed. "You and my master can discuss this. I won't worry about it. Anyway, you two have good taste. As for our business, if you want to see it, you'll have to go to the stalls in places like Panjiayuan and Liangmaqiao. We'll have to wait until Saturday and Sunday when there are more people and the goods are more complete."

Professor Bai readily agreed.

Early Saturday morning, Gu Jinshui went straight to Panjiayuan after breakfast. Professor Bai was already waiting there, the old gentleman wearing glasses and holding a flashlight.

Winter has arrived, and the sky was still overcast early in the morning. Gu Jinshui spotted him from afar, greeted him, and led his men to check out the street stalls on Huawei Road.

This was the first time Professor Bai had come here so early. Seeing the large crowd, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "So many people! Are they all from here?"

"That's not necessarily true. Some come from other places, like Tianjin and Hebei. People know that we have Panjiayuan here, and wealthy foreigners also like to shop here, so many of them make a special trip here," Gu Jinshui said.

Professor Bai was astonished, "Coming all this way, how much money must have cost?"

Gu Jinshui laughed and said, "It costs some money, so these people are easier to bargain with. As long as your price isn't too bad, they'll mostly agree. But if they hear our accent, it's harder to bargain. They'd rather keep it or take it home."

Professor Bai has truly learned a lot.

He hadn't realized there was such an art to haggling, and couldn't help but sigh, "It's true that traveling ten thousand miles is worse than reading ten thousand books. If I were always cooped up in school reading books, how would I know these things?"

Before Professor Bai could speak, Gu Jinshui gave him a look. Professor Bai followed his gaze and saw several bottles and jars on a stall. One of them was a dragon and phoenix patterned zun (a type of ancient Chinese wine vessel). Judging from its style, patterns, and workmanship, it was undoubtedly from the Shang-Zhou dynasties. The exterior was brown with blue spots on it.

Professor Bai, with his keen eye, immediately exclaimed in surprise, "These are bronze artifacts from the Shang-Zhou?!"

Gu Jinshui ignored that question and asked with a smile, "How about it, why don't we go take a look?"

Professor Bai was eager to see it, but he still managed to restrain his joy and didn't show it too openly.

After Gu Jinshui and Professor Bai went over, Professor Bai picked up the dragon and phoenix patterned halberd and pretended to look at it casually.

The stall owner squatted on the ground, hands in his pockets, wearing a cotton-padded jacket. "Look, good stuff! I'm the only one in the whole Panjiayuan market with such good goods."

Professor Bai was initially pleased, but after examining it closely, he gradually realized something was amiss. Since the time of Yu the Great, the inscriptions on bronze artifacts had always been in intaglio, never in relief, but the inscription on this dragon and phoenix patterned vessel was in relief.

He immediately realized why Gu Jinshui hadn't responded earlier, and was about to put his things down when a familiar voice came from the side, "Professor Bai, what brings you here today?"

Professor Bai turned his head and saw that the people who came were familiar faces: Professor Lin and his student Sun Zhiping.

Sun Zhiping was dressed smartly, with a leather bag tucked into his waistband. He looked more like a gangster than a student.

"Professor Lin, Xiao Sun, you're here too, what a coincidence." Professor Bai stood up and greeted them, "This is Professor Xiao Gu, we've met before. Today, Professor Xiao Gu and I are here to broaden our horizons."

Professor Lin and Sun Zhiping were both taken aback by this form of address.

Sun Zhiping laughed and said, "Professor Bai, isn't he illiterate? Why is he calling me 'teacher'?"

Professor Bai's expression was somewhat displeased. "Little Sun, those who are accomplished should come first. Xiao Gu's knowledge surpasses that of many of us. It's only right that he be called 'teacher.'"

"Professor Bai, please don't flatter me. Just call me Xiao Gu."

Gu Jinshui felt embarrassed by the address.

He quickly waved his hand, glancing at the two condescending teachers and students opposite him, "You're here at the morning market to buy antiques too?"

"Yes, we were just looking to buy some bronze artifacts, and we didn't expect to run into you by chance."

Professor Lin was quite arrogant. He squatted down to examine the bronze artifact, not even glancing at Gu Jinshui. After looking at it for a while, he asked, "What's the price?"

The stall owner overheard the conversation and realized that this group was probably someone of importance, especially since they were dressed well. He then made an outrageous demand. "Two thousand!"

"Two thousand?" Professor Lin was clearly taken aback.

A professor's salary is not small, but it's only a little over two hundred a month.

The stall owner hurriedly replied, "Yes, two thousand is a bargain. This is only because we're both China. We shouldn't let the profits go to outsiders. If I were to sell this to a foreigner, I'd easily sell it for ten thousand!"

"Professor Lin,"

Professor Bai is a good person. Although he and Professor Lin don't get along well, he couldn't bear to see Professor Lin get scammed. "I just examined this bronze artifact, no..."

"Hey, Professor Bai, you arrived first, but you've already put your things down. You can't take them from us now."

Sun Zhiping immediately looked at Professor Bai.

Professor Bai looked speechless, while Gu Jinshui couldn't help but laugh out loud, "Yes, Professor Bai, even if we don't want it, we can't stop others from buying it. If someone likes it and insists on paying for it, that's their freedom."

Professor Lin snorted. "So you mean you don't think this thing is good?"

The stall owner's gaze towards Gu Jinshui immediately became somewhat impolite.

Gu Jinshui wasn't afraid of him. After all, they were both locals from Beijing, and if it came down to who was tougher, it was hard to say.

He crossed his arms. "I didn't say that. But two thousand? You'd better think it over carefully."

If this were a normal person, they would have stopped by now, given all the advice Gu Jinshui had given them.

Professor Lin, on the one hand, looked down on Gu Jinshui from the bottom of his heart, thinking that he was just an illiterate man who relied on a little skill to be so arrogant and even pointed fingers at him, a professor, and was really ignorant of his own limitations; on the other hand, he was too conceited, always thinking that he had good eyesight and good luck, and that Professor Bai and the others had taken a liking to him first and snatched it away, which meant that he was lucky.

He decisively replied, "You don't need to worry about it. I'll take this for 1,800!"

The stall owner was overjoyed, practically jumping for joy, and then pretended to say, "No way, two thousand it is! This is a fine piece from the Shang-Zhou, ancient and precious!"

"One thousand nine hundred!" Professor Lin hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to succumb to the allure of money or stick to his decision.

"Nineteen thousand is quite a lot. If you don't want to pay, then we're leaving."

Sun Zhiping chimed in.

That