Li Ping'an followed the pawnshop owner inside.
The owner immediately shut the door, then glanced around again, still uneasy.
"Come on, follow me. I'll show you a real treasure."
So said the owner.
Li Ping'an gave a dry chuckle. "A real treasure?"
They entered the back courtyard, where three burly, bare-chested men stood, all with blue-gray tunics and cloth shoes tied onto their feet.
One of them also had a saber hanging from his body.
The owner shut the door and regarded Li Ping'an with a faint, ambiguous smile. "Blind man, where exactly did this thing come from?"
Li Ping'an asked in a low voice, "What are you trying to do?"
"What am I trying to do?" The owner took a step forward. "If you can't tell me where this thing came from today, don't even think about walking out of here."
"Aren't you afraid the authorities will come after you?"
"Nobody would know even if I slaughtered you here today. If I were afraid of the authorities, I wouldn't be making my living here."
Li Ping'an nodded and said, very obligingly, "Twenty taels of silver, and we'll call it even. How about it?"
The owner couldn't help laughing. "Twenty taels? Didn't realize you had such deep pockets!"
Li Ping'an held out his hand. "Then hand it over."
The owner froze, then flew into a rage.
"You little bastard, are you asking for a beating? Why don't you go ask around about my name!"
"Here are your twenty taels of silver."
The owner respectfully handed over the money pouch.
Li Ping'an hefted it, then slung it over his shoulder.
"Thank you."
"Don't mention it." The owner smiled ingratiatingly.
Li Ping'an left with the money on his back.
Twenty taels of silver was enough to do a great many things.