“You know him?” Li Chonglou asked upon hearing this.
“Of course, he used to be a prominent figure in Yong’an’s antique circle. I suffered a great loss at his hands once!” Ning Lang quietly explained the events of that year to Li Chonglou.
At that time, he had just dominated the southern city, and Fan Da had ordered him not to touch Old Ghost.
Angered in his heart, yet unable to disobey the order, he could only pour his energy into antiques.
He frequented antique markets, learning his craft.
It was at the City God Temple that he first encountered Zhu Changjiang. Zhu Changjiang had spotted an item first, but then tricked Ning Lang into giving it up with just a few words.
Later, he discovered that the item was worth nearly a million.
Money was not the issue; the key was that any antique enthusiast could stand by and watch their treasure be swindled away?
Ning Lang, having been outsmarted due to his lack of discernment, was a man of principle. He strictly forbade Zheng Rui from seeking revenge.
Instead, Zhu Changjiang mocked him as cowardly and spread rumors everywhere.
Later, Zhu Changjiang moved to the capital, and the matter faded away.
Seeing him again today, it was natural for emotions to flare.
“Don’t go out yet. I’ll help you vent this anger,” Li Chonglou said, his gaze fixed on Zhu Changjiang, a cold smile playing on his lips.
Although Ning Lang was a big boss, he had a surprisingly good temper and didn’t engage in anything illegal or immoral.
Li Chonglou, however, was different.
He was an ordinary, law-abiding citizen who needed to release his anger when it arose. If someone bullied his friend, he would retaliate tenfold.
With that, he smoothly pushed through the crowd.
He pointed at the pipe in Zhu Changjiang’s hand and said, “Boss, I want this. Ten thousand!”
Woosh…
This remark immediately startled the onlookers, who gasped in surprise.
“Where did this young kid come from, daring to snatch something from Master Zhu? He’s blind!”
“Master Zhu went to the capital these past few years and only recently returned. Besides us old players, not many recognize him. This kid has eyes but can’t see Mount Tai.”
“This kid looks like a novice, doesn’t even understand the rules. The guy hasn’t even let go of the item yet, and he’s already quoting a price…”
…
For a moment, all eyes were on Li Chonglou.
Scorn, disdain, mockery – all sorts of expressions were present.
Even Zhu Changjiang and the stall owner selling the item were drawn to him.
“Young man, you’re not in the antique business, are you?” Zhu Changjiang narrowed his eyes, his expression displeased. “Would you like Uncle to teach you the rules of the antique world?”
“This item, I got it first. Even if you like it, you have to wait until I’m done with it before you can ask about the price.”
“In this day and age, there are fewer and fewer people who understand the rules, and more and more hotheads.”
“It’s all the internet’s fault…”
His words seemed earnest but were laced with thinly veiled mockery and condescension.
That air of superiority made Li Chonglou feel nauseous.
Truly a half-empty jug rattling the most.
He dared to teach him the rules? He was here today to avenge his brother, not to discuss rules.
Furthermore, rules were for the living, and the living were dynamic. For someone who disregarded righteousness and rules first, he would use his own methods to slap him in the face.
Under everyone’s gaze, Li Chonglou remained calm, not even looking at Zhu Changjiang. He stretched out two fingers to the owner: “Twenty thousand!”
The stall owner’s eyes widened, and he excitedly stood up: “Sell… sell sell!”
Saying that, he reached out to snatch the pipe back from Zhu Changjiang.
He had bought this item for twenty yuan. Seeing Zhu Changjiang pick it up, he immediately quoted twenty thousand yuan. He knew Zhu Changjiang, knew he was the top figure in Yong’an’s antique circle.
As a result, Zhu Changjiang actually countered at eight thousand.
Having frequented the market for years, he immediately realized the value of the pipe, so he refused to budge.
He never expected someone to actually offer twenty thousand.
This made him feel a bit uneasy. After all, he couldn’t understand the pipe, and twenty thousand yuan was already a sky-high price.
“Wait, I said I was done with it?” Zhu Changjiang’s hand retracted, avoiding the stall owner’s grasp, his face tightening.
His gaze swept over the owner and Li Chonglou, his narrowed eyes exuding a chilling glint.
He had his eye on this old rosewood pipe. Offering eight thousand was actually a generous price.
Any higher and it would no longer be profitable.
He had originally planned to haggle with the owner, but unexpectedly, Li Chonglou appeared and raised the price.
Directly offering twenty thousand.
This made him a little suspicious.
Could it be that this kid was playing the fool to catch the tiger, and had seen something special about the pipe, thus deliberately driving up the price?
He had done this sort of thing before. When he first started frequenting markets, if he saw a good item being snatched up by someone else, he would do the same.
Was this kid trying to imitate him?
No…
He immediately dismissed the thought. He had examined this pipe over and over, and simply couldn’t find any other hidden mechanisms.
The mouthpiece and the bowl were confirmed to be agate, and ordinary white agate was worthless.
Moreover, it was agate with such severe alkaline issues, its value was negligible.
Even Ning Lang in the crowd looked puzzled, wondering what Li Chonglou was up to.
But he knew very well that Li Chonglou would never misjudge, nor would he break the rules for no reason.
“Oh, so you want it? Fine, you buy it first. This isn’t breaking the rules, is it?” Li Chonglou said, intentionally showing a look of dawning realization, and gestured for Zhu Changjiang to proceed.
This immediately confused Zhu Changjiang.
What kind of tactic was this?
First, he raises the price, then he yields, clearly trying to extort him.
Could it be that this kid was working with the owner to play a double act?
The antique market was always full of tricks. Such things were not uncommon; people would do anything for money.
Thinking of this, Zhu Changjiang couldn’t help but sneer, “Kid, you’re trying to pull a fast one on me.”
“Do you know who I am?”
Li Chonglou glanced at him and smiled, “We all have one nose and two eyes. I don’t know who you are.”
“Are you buying the pipe or not? If not, I’ll buy it!”
“Don’t say I broke the rules again.”
These words were a blatant provocation.
Human nature was most suspicious, especially for someone with Zhu Changjiang’s appearance, with prominent cheekbones and deep-set eye sockets, he was full of schemes.
He had come forward to bid twice, then deliberately retreated, all to pique Zhu Changjiang’s suspicion.
Li Chonglou believed that with Zhu Changjiang’s discernment, he couldn’t possibly see the true value of this pipe.
This item, he was determined to get!
It would serve both to humiliate Ning Lang and to acquire the treasure, killing two birds with one stone.
As expected, Zhu Changjiang’s eyes were filled with doubt, unable to make up his mind for a long time.
The people around him started to egg them on, “Kid, the person in front of you is a major figure in our Yong’an antique circle, Master Zhu Changjiang.”
“He’s a disciple of the nationally renowned antique master Lu Weishen, not someone you can compare to with your limited knowledge. Save yourself the trouble.”
“You’re too naive to bid against Master Zhu. Even I can see it. If he were to fall for it, wouldn’t that make him an idiot?”
…
In just a few words, the crowd felt they had exposed Li Chonglou’s true intentions.
Even Zhu Changjiang’s face showed a hint of pride, and he sneered, “Come, I’ll let you have it.”
“A petty trick, showing off in front of me.”
“Twenty thousand, right? Pay up.”
Saying that, he tossed the pipe back onto the stall.
The stall owner quickly caught it and handed it to Li Chonglou.
Li Chonglou took it and looked at it carefully, not rushing to pay.
Seeing this, Zhu Changjiang couldn’t help but sneer, “You messed up, didn’t you? This is just old rosewood, seven or eight thousand is already high, and you’re offering twenty thousand?”
“You want to trick me into being a sucker, but you don’t even know your own worth.”
“Kid, when I entered the antique business, you were still breastfeeding in your mother’s arms.”
Boo…
The surrounding crowd erupted in laughter.
They all showed schadenfreude. These were all players, and they hated decoys.
They all thought Li Chonglou was a decoy for the owner, but Zhu Changjiang didn’t bite, and he ended up hurting himself.
Li Chonglou didn’t even glance at them. He gently rubbed the mouthpiece with one hand.
With the other hand, he took out his phone, unlocked it, and made the payment.
Twenty thousand yuan instantly arrived. The owner beamed with joy.
Only he knew that Li Chonglou was not a decoy at all. He didn’t know him at all.
Of course, if someone voluntarily raised the price, it was definitely a good thing. Why would he expose it?
Taking the real money, he said proudly, “You idiots, have you ever seen a decoy pay up?”
His words caused the smiling faces of those who were gloating to freeze, their faces filled with astonishment.
Zhu Changjiang’s eyes overflowed with suspicion, his brows furrowed into a deep line.
But soon, the sneer reappeared on his face, “Truly foolish and rich.”
He was still quite confident in his own judgment. Although it was far inferior to his master Lu Weishen, he was considered one of the more outstanding disciples.
He was on par with Lin Ao. Such a pipe from the mid-Qing dynasty, impeccably made, he wouldn’t misjudge.
After speaking, he turned to leave.
“Stop,” Li Chonglou said with a smile at this moment. “Your good wishes are noted. I admit to being rich.”
“As for being foolish, I’m returning that word to you unchanged.”
“You only know that this is a rosewood pipe from the mid-Qing dynasty, but you fail to recognize the true treasure.”
What a joke, could he let him leave just like that?
Ning Lang’s revenge had not yet been served.
That was just an appetizer; the main course was yet to come.
As expected, Zhu Changjiang’s expression stiffened upon hearing this, and he turned back to ask, “What did you say?”
“A true treasure? An item worth twenty thousand yuan, and you call it a true treasure?”
“Truly ignorant and fearless.”
“That item is nothing more than old rosewood paired with two pieces of aged white agate. Even estimating it sky-high, it’s not worth this price!”
A person’s views were all based on their own knowledge.
Even if an immortal came today, they couldn’t convince him that this pipe was a true treasure.
Let alone a mere hotheaded kid.
“Zhu Changjiang, I think you’re blind. If Chonglou says it’s a true treasure, then it must be a true treasure!” Ning Lang’s voice came from the crowd at this moment.
Soon, he pushed his way through the crowd and stood beside Li Chonglou, full of confidence.
Although he couldn’t discern the origin of the pipe, Li Chonglou was helping him. At this moment, he couldn’t let Li Chonglou bear the criticism alone.
Even if this item was ordinary, he had to stand up.
Upon seeing him, Zhu Changjiang’s sneer intensified, “So it’s you, Ning Lang. A defeated foe, still daring to be brave?”
“A few years without seeing each other, your discernment hasn’t improved at all, but you’ve gotten a lot older.”
The blatant humiliation and sarcasm, spoken in front of so many people without regard for Ning Lang’s dignity.
By extension, he looked down on Li Chonglou even more.
How could a friend of a defeated foe be capable of much?
At this moment, Zhu Changjiang was full of confidence, his eyes flashing with a sinister glint. He intended to publicly put this ignorant kid Li Chonglou in his place.