Incense Burner

Tang Wan Hong's expression indeed settled considerably.

In truth, judging from Duan Rong's ability to identify authenticity with a single glance, he was clearly an expert.

Yet he completely lacked the mannerisms of the antiques trade.

In the antiques business, everyone started as an apprentice and slowly honed their skills.

There were many tricks and strict rules in this trade. Stay in it long enough, and even the sharpest edges would be ground smooth.

Someone with Duan Rong's manner was clearly a child of a great family, taught by his family from a young age.

Even if such great families fell into decline, they often left their descendants with a foundation to rise again.

Fan Yunlin's Portrait of a Lady had likely come from just such an origin.

With just this one painting in hand, opening a shop on this street would be no problem at all.

Tang Wan Hong smiled and said, "There's nothing wrong with the item. Young friend, name your price."

No need to beat around the bush before an honest man. Duan Rong was an expert, and this was something passed down through his family.

If Tang Wan Hong continued to haggle over the item itself, it would only lower his standing.

Duan Rong gave Tang Wan Hong an expressionless glance and said, "Eight hundred taels."

That Ink Chrysanthemum Painting from earlier had a fifth-rank artifact spirit, and the clerk had quoted three hundred taels.

The Portrait of a Lady in his hands had a sixth-rank artifact spirit. Duan Rong deliberately named a higher price. If he asked too much, that fat shopkeeper was clearly an old fox and would surely bargain him down. But if he asked too little, would he not suffer a huge loss?

The muscles on Tang Wan Hong's face twitched. Eight hundred taels was not considered expensive, but he still put on a troubled expression. "Eight hundred taels is no small sum. This little shop does not have that much cash on hand for the moment, and besides..."

Before Tang Wan Hong could finish, Duan Rong suddenly cut him off. "No matter! Shopkeeper, pay whatever cash you have first. For the remainder, write an IOU and pay it in a few months when you have it. That would be fine too, wouldn't it? Business is all about give and take!"

Tang Wan Hong had originally intended to use his next words to press down the price, but Duan Rong deliberately seized upon his earlier pleasantries and continued for him, choking back the words he had meant to use for bargaining.

Upon hearing this, Tang Wan Hong gave Duan Rong a strange look, as though saying, Why doesn't this kid play by the rules?

Tang Wan Hong was considering how to phrase his next words when a figure suddenly entered the shop.

It was a tall, thin man dressed like a farmer. His bones were large, his hands callused, and his eyes held a trace of cunning and evasiveness.

The moment he entered, the man looked over the three people in the shop and rasped, "Who's the shopkeeper?"

Tang Wan Hong sized him up from head to toe. Seeing his rustic clothes, he coldly asked, "What is it?"

The tall, thin man fixed his eyes on Tang Wan Hong, his gaze flickering as he looked him over, before saying, "Shopkeeper, I've got something here. Take a look!"

Without waiting for a response, the tall, thin man pulled a bronze Incense Burner slightly larger than a fist from his clothes and handed it directly toward Tang Wan Hong.

Tang Wan Hong was slightly taken aback. When he saw that the nail crevices of the rough hand offering him the burner were filled with black mud and grime, a wave of disgust rose in his heart.

Village men often brought things into his shop to sell, but they were usually worthless goods that could not be displayed in polite company.

So when this man had entered, Tang Wan Hong had not paid him much attention.

He cast a sidelong glance at Duan Rong, also intending to leave him hanging for a while.

Tang Wan Hong took a few steps forward, accepted the bronze burner from the man, and examined it carefully by the daylight outside the door.

After looking at it several times, Tang Wan Hong's heart tightened. "This..."

What was going on today? Fine items were crowding their way right before his eyes?

Not only was this bronze Incense Burner finely crafted with exquisite carvings, but more importantly, it seemed to be genuine!

Tang Wan Hong took two steps toward the door and carefully examined the green patina along the burner's rim in the sunlight. Then he lowered his nose and sniffed the smell inside it.

There was a stale scent of earth. Tang Wan Hong turned to glance at the tall, thin man, whose gaze shifted away somewhat unnaturally.

Tang Wan Hong carefully examined the bronze burner in his hands again. Though his initial judgment was that it seemed to be a genuine piece, something still felt wrong, and he could not put his finger on it.

As Tang Wan Hong held the bronze burner and wrestled with the matter, he suddenly caught sight of Duan Rong leisurely sipping tea in the Grand Tutor Chair beside him.

Tang Wan Hong said, "Young friend, could you take a look for me?"

Duan Rong set down his teacup, shook his head, and said, "This is your business. As an outsider, it would not be appropriate for me to interfere."

Tang Wan Hong smiled. "How about this, young friend? Take a look at this item, and I'll buy the painting at the price you named. What do you say?"

Duan Rong froze for a moment. Looks like the painting really is worth eight hundred taels. Maybe I even quoted too low.

But the fat shopkeeper had already put it this way. If he refused again, it would seem rather heartless.

Duan Rong accepted the bronze Incense Burner and silently recited in his heart, Read Artifact Spirit.

Item: Damaged Bronze Incense Burner

Artifact Spirit Rank: Rank 4 (Damaged)

Devouring Requirement: Host Mental Strength Level 4 (Not Met)

Devouring Effect: Scent Identification Level 4

Duan Rong looked at the data before him, deeply puzzled.

"Damaged Incense Burner?"

"Isn't this Incense Burner completely intact?"

Duan Rong's eyes suddenly lit up. He understood—the Incense Burner had been repaired afterward.

Duan Rong set down the Incense Burner and secretly shook his head.

Seeing the meaningful expression on Duan Rong's face, Tang Wan Hong asked, "Young friend, what is it..."

Duan Rong glanced at the tall, thin man. "This Incense Burner was repaired, wasn't it?"

The tall, thin man's face immediately darkened, and he angrily said, "You... what nonsense are you talking about!"

Hearing this, Tang Wan Hong immediately picked up the bronze burner and examined it again. Then he slipped a finger inside and felt around its inner surface. Before long, a strange expression appeared on his face.

He turned the Incense Burner back toward the daylight and stared closely at that spot, inspecting it carefully.

The moment the tall, thin man saw the place Tang Wan Hong was staring at, he stepped forward, snatched the bronze burner from Tang Wan Hong's hands, wrapped it in cloth, and tucked it into his clothes. "You can't recognize good goods, and you dare run a shop? You might as well close down early!"

As he spoke, the tall, thin man walked out. Before leaving, he shot Duan Rong a vicious glare.

After the man had left, Tang Wan Hong turned and looked at Duan Rong with a light smile.

The repaired area on the Incense Burner was not large, and the workmanship was exquisite. Tang Wan Hong had spent decades in the antiques trade and had nearly been fooled, yet this young man had spotted it at a glance.

What kind of skill was that?

Tang Wan Hong brought out three Silver Notes from the Inner Room—two worth three hundred taels and one worth two hundred—and handed them to Duan Rong. "Cloud Water Bank notes. Young friend, count them."

Duan Rong took them, checked the denominations and red seals, then immediately swallowed. Eight hundred taels. I've struck it rich this time!

Cloud Water Bank was a bank established in Qing Province by Taiyi Sect. It had branches throughout Qing Province, and local government offices and somewhat larger shops everywhere accepted its notes in trade.

After all, with Taiyi Sect—the ruler of Qing Province and one of the Eight Great Sects—standing behind it, it was essentially the equivalent of a state-owned bank.

Once he saw Duan Rong finish counting and put them away, Tang Wan Hong smiled. "Young friend, your family learning runs deep, and your attainments in the antiques trade are considerable. I am inferior to you. If it is convenient in the future, I hope you will offer this shop a little guidance."

"Of course. If I have goods in the future, I'll certainly bring them through your shop again." Duan Rong smiled modestly.

Tang Wan Hong chuckled. "That's good. If this little shop comes across an item we cannot judge with certainty in the future, we will have to ask young friend for guidance as well."

Duan Rong's expression stiffened slightly. This old fellow really knows how to climb the pole once it's set! Does he really think I'm that easygoing?

The moment Tang Wan Hong saw Duan Rong's reaction, he immediately clasped his hands in salute. "Young friend, do not misunderstand! In our trade, we would never ask you to inspect things for free. For every item young friend accurately appraises for this shop, the shop will pay you thirty taels of silver as travel expenses."

"Thirty taels?" Duan Rong's heart skipped a beat, and he smiled. "Ah... then that's easy to discuss! If the shopkeeper truly has good goods he wishes to discuss with me, just send someone to Yuan Shun Escort Agency to find me. I am Duan Rong, an Apprentice Escort of Yuan Shun Escort Agency."

Tang Wan Hong glanced at the marking on Duan Rong's Waist Tag and smiled. "Yuan Shun Escort Agency—good work, good work!"

Duan Rong clasped his hands and walked out of Gu Yue Zhai.

Tang Wan Hong watched Duan Rong leave, a deep light gleaming in his eyes. "He is not old, yet he handles conversation with great maturity."

"He is indeed a child of a great family. Even if the frame has fallen, the knowledge remains. He does not shrink from the occasion!"

He had taken quite a liking to Duan Rong. Aside from concluding a business deal, Duan Rong's ability to appraise antiques had astonished him. Added to that, the young man was clever, and Tang Wan Hong even found himself developing a desire to cherish such talent.