Chapter 5

Stepping out the door, a gust of hot wind blew by, and Yang Bo felt a wave of confusion. With a cost of two hundred yuan, Boss Jia's offer had left him with only fifty yuan. If he really sold it, he would definitely go hungry for the next few days of the month! But what should he do now?

Find another store to sell it? Yang Bo shook his head and smiled. This business, which seemed full of the allure of overnight wealth to outsiders, was actually a place where most people ended up impoverished overnight. More often, it was the cunning of the store owners, who, to gain huge profits, cheated ordinary sellers and bought items at extremely low prices!

But if he took it back to the night market, the price would certainly not be high, which left Yang Bo in a dilemma!

He walked down the road for a moment, seeing one antique shop after another. The shops were brightly lit. Yang Bo gritted his teeth and walked in. Rather than returning to the night market to sell at a low price, he might as well try his luck at the antique shop. Perhaps he could get a higher price!

Inside the shop, two middle-aged men were chatting. When they saw Yang Bo walk in, they stopped talking and turned to look at him.

"Hello!" The bearded middle-aged man greeted him and glanced at his companion. Both of them smiled, clearly having seen the item Yang Bo was holding and guessing his intention.

Yang Bo nodded, "Boss, I have a Qing Dynasty Yongzheng imitation Jun glaze fish basket vase. Take a look!"

Yang Bo was very clear about the nature of these bosses. If you lacked confidence in your item, they would naturally be perfunctory and try to drive the price down. Only by showing that you were in control could you gain their trust!

The bearded man was initially stunned, then laughed. Seeing Yang Bo's youthful appearance, he hadn't expected him to act so experienced. He wondered if it was an act.

"The old Liu, we have business. You handle it first, and we'll chat later!" The other man was thin and gaunt, like a bamboo pole, with loose clothing. Seeing the bearded boss pause, he thought the other man was being considerate.

The bearded man smiled, "Alright, I'll take a look first!"

As he spoke, he turned to Yang Bo, "Young man, from your appearance and the time you came in, I guess you got this from the ghost market, right? I have to say this upfront: the ghost market is well-known to everyone. I've seen many people get cheated, but few find a good deal. If there's something wrong with this fish basket vase, are you prepared for that?"

Yang Bo nodded, "Boss Liu, just take a look. If you find it unsuitable, I won't say another word."

"Good, you're a straightforward young man!" The bearded man smiled.

He took out a magnifying glass and a flashlight and began to examine the vase.

After a long while, the bearded man looked thoughtful and turned to the gaunt man, "Do you want to take a look?"

The gaunt man, seeing the bearded man's expression, realized something was unusual. When Yang Bo first came in, they had judged that he was from the ghost market and assumed the item was a fake. Seeing the bearded man's serious demeanor, it seemed different from their initial guess?

Taking the tools from the bearded man, the gaunt man also began to examine the vase.

While this was happening, the bearded man looked at Yang Bo with surprise, "What's your surname, young man?"

"My surname is Yang," Yang Bo replied calmly, despite his anxiety.

"Brother Yang, since you can name this item, you must be quite familiar with this Yongzheng imitation Jun glaze fish basket vase, right?" the bearded man asked.

Yang Bo didn't hesitate or show any weakness, "The fish basket vase is a display porcelain, more common in the early Ming and Qing dynasties, especially during the Yongzheng and Qianlong periods. This shape is elegant and full of life. The imitation Jun glaze of the Qing dynasty, especially during the Yongzheng period, is the most outstanding."

"At that time, the supervisor of the kilns, Tang Ying, sent people to Henan to investigate the method of making Song Jun glaze. After multiple trials, they successfully produced imitation Song Jun kiln products that were indistinguishable from the real thing in terms of shape and glaze color. Therefore, the Yongzheng fish basket vase has excellent glaze and shape, inheriting the practicality of ancient times and the refinement of Song dynasty kilns, while also promoting the innovative techniques of the Yongzheng period, creating such a fine piece."

"The imitation Jun glaze fish basket vase in my hand has a beautiful and varied glaze, with a smooth and graceful mouth and a dark brown base. The overall lines are fluid and full, elegant and noble, harmonious and expressive, fully embodying the refined style of the Song dynasty and the grandeur of the Yongzheng era!"

The bearded man and the gaunt man exchanged glances, both surprised. They had noticed some details, but Yang Bo's young age and his ability to speak knowledgeably about the item from the ghost market were truly surprising.

However, the bearded man, being an antique shop owner, was not a charity boss. He wouldn't raise the price just because of Yang Bo's words, "Brother Yang, what you said is correct, but the lines of this vase are slightly different from a typical fish basket vase, and there's a small crack. It might not be appropriate."

Yang Bo was delighted inside. He understood the implication: the bearded man was willing to make an offer. Being young, he couldn't help but ask, "How much is Boss Liu willing to offer?"

The bearded man smiled, seeing that Yang Bo was still a novice. If he had more experience, he would have engaged in a few rounds of negotiation to drive up the price, "Brother Yang, you're straightforward. I'm not one to drag things out. Two thousand yuan!"

Yang Bo was overjoyed. A hundredfold increase? But he quickly regained his composure. He knew that antique shop owners, regardless of their nature, always tried to get the best deal. His fish basket vase was certainly worth more than two thousand yuan. According to his estimate, it should be worth at least ten to fifteen thousand yuan.

But time was pressing. If he took it to an auction house, it would be worth that much, but in an antique shop, he would have to accept whatever price they offered. Still, he had to try to negotiate a bit. Every bit more he earned would bring him closer to the eighty-five thousand yuan he needed!

"Boss Liu, my father was originally unwilling to part with this fish basket vase, but we recently bought a new house and need funds for furniture. Selling it for two thousand yuan wouldn't be enough," Yang Bo said.

The bearded man understood Yang Bo's implication. He knew it was just an excuse, but there was a profit to be made, and the amount of profit was negotiable, "Brother Yang, why don't you name your price?"

Yang Bo pondered for a moment and then said seriously, "Six thousand yuan!"

The gaunt man glanced at the bearded man, seeing his hesitation, and said, "Brother Yang has an urgent need. Old Liu, consider it a favor. Six thousand yuan is a bit high, but I'll speak for you. Five thousand yuan, and it's a deal!"

Yang Bo hesitated, looking at the bearded man. They exchanged glances and both nodded, "Alright!"