Before Liu Gaolou left, he gave Li Long a small bag, saying his uncle Liu Shanmin had specifically given it to him to pass on to Li Long.
"My uncle said there were quite a lot of these over there too, but he didn't know whether they were any use. If they are, he'll bring more back next time."
Li Long opened the little leather bag and saw a pair of horns inside.
Saiga antelope horns!
They weren't the horns of goitered gazelles, also known as Mongolian gazelles, but of saiga antelopes, which lived in large numbers on the Kazakh side!
Li Long had shot a few before, so he had seen them and knew what they were.
Liu Shanmin had given Li Long a complete set-a pair. Judging by their heft, they weighed a little over a kilogram.
"The market price for these should be a few dozen yuan." Li Long hadn't asked Jia Tianlong, but he guessed that was about right.
After all, the Protection Law had only just been announced, and implementation would take some time. Once it was enforced nationwide, these things should become expensive.
"A few dozen yuan?" Liu Gaolou brightened. "That's great! I'll tell my uncle to get more of them."
"Sure." Li Long nodded. These would become increasingly scarce. Even if he bought them at current market prices, they would rise tenfold or twentyfold after a few years in storage, so the more, the better.
Li Long also invited Liu Gaolou to a meal. After a little polite demurral, Liu Gaolou agreed.
After eating, Liu Gaolou hurried away with the truck, saying he had to get back to the border crossing. The truck itself had been hired over there too.
After returning, Li Long moved the licorice and astragalus into the warehouse with