Chapter 79

Wu Di successfully diverted the attention, and the group began to recall Chang Linlin's achievements. If Wu Di had a certain level of skill, Chang Linlin was purely a novice in jade gambling. Yet, this novice outperformed them, who had been playing with stones for decades. The fat man started to be suspicious and asked:

"Are you saying this stone can really talk?"

Chang Linlin's laughter was crisp,

"Ha ha, I was just fooling you! I just felt this stone looked good, or that one didn't. I bought it without thinking. Who knew it would turn out like this? It turns out jade gambling is so easy."

The fat man almost spat blood. Easy? Little miss, do you know how many people have gone bankrupt and lost their families over jade gambling?

There was a flight to Pengcheng in the evening, but only business class seats were available. Of course, it was no problem for Young Master Zhong. He casually swiped Wu Di's card. Why not, since this kid is rich now? I wouldn't even sit in economy class! What's hidden in the large white board this kid said he would give me? I'll have to ask Linlin later and see if she has any idea.

The class arrived at Pengcheng Airport at eleven. The weather here was much hotter than in Spring City. As soon as they landed, Linlin regretted it. How could she forget that August is the hottest time of the year in Hong Kong? Why did she come along for the fun?

At the airport exit, someone was waiting with a pass. As soon as they were picked up, they were arranged to be driven to a hotel in Luohu for rest. The next morning, a thirty-minute walk would take them to the Luohu Port. When they arrived at the hotel, Yang Yanzi was already waiting in the lobby. This girl, upon hearing the news, couldn't wait a moment longer. If it weren't for Chang Linlin holding her back, they would have met at the airport.

Now Zhong Qi was relieved. On the way out of the airport, Chang Linlin blamed him for the sunburn they would get in Hong Kong, and his arm suffered a lot of abuse.

The next morning, as soon as the Luohu Port opened, Yang Yanzi drove the three of them to Hong Kong. Her car had plates for both Guangdong and Hong Kong, but since Hong Kong drives on the left, it was a bit awkward driving in Luohu. Once they passed the port, it was like a fish in water.

Yang Yanzi had no intention of finding a hotel for them and drove straight to her family's mansion in the Hong Kong hills. Zhong Qi looked at the small buildings hidden among the green trees on the mountain road and sighed,

"This is the life of capitalism, Xiao Wu. You must hold on and not be corrupted and fall!"

"Ha, I've heard many great and glorious stories about Young Master Zhong. Do you want me to tell you some?"

"Ouch, I suddenly remembered I opened a piece of jade in Ruili to give to Sister Ziyi. Look at my memory, I forgot it in the hotel!"

On the hillside lived Yang Yanzi's grandfather and her parents. Yang Yanzi was clearly very pampered at home. The robust old man laughed heartily as he welcomed Wu Di and the others, and Yang Yanzi pouted and hugged his arm, making him shake his head helplessly.

Chang Linlin magically produced a beautifully wrapped gift box and handed it to a servant, smiling,

"Grandpa knew I was coming to see Grandpa Yang, so he asked me to bring you a little something. Grandpa Yang also wants you to go see him!"

"Good, good. I'm afraid that stubborn old man is just scolding me for not visiting him in the past two years. Ha ha ha ha."

Zhong Qi knew little about the Yang family, so Wu Di knew even less. He only knew that they were very influential merchants in Hong Kong, with businesses spanning multiple fields such as retail, real estate, and finance, now led by Yang Yanzi's father. The old man was also a lover of antiques and had a high level of expertise, making him a respected figure in the Hong Kong antique market. Yang Yanzi had a brother, and it was said that like the Chang family, the third generation had only one girl. Zhong Qi joked that if Wu Di married Yang Yanzi, he could retire directly.

In the living room, the old man asked a few questions about Old Chang's recent condition, and Wu Di responded carefully. The old man smiled,

"Old Brother Chang asked you to look at my collection yesterday, but, Xiao Wu, my collection isn't that easy to see!"

Wu Di's eyes lit up. He could charge the Heavenly Book with more energy! Hearing there were conditions, he smiled confidently and said,

"No problem, the process of the exam is also a learning experience. Whether I can see it or not isn't that important. If I can see it, it's my good fortune. If I can't, it means my skills aren't up to par, and I'll just have to keep working hard."

"Oh, you know there's an exam?"

"I guessed. My master was like that."

"Ha ha ha ha, it seems I'll have to come up with a harder test next time. This old trick has been seen through."

"Grandpa..."

"Good, good, let's not talk about this, let's not talk about this. Go out and play, remember to come back early tonight. You'll stay here! Anyone who has a problem, I'll be angry! Xiao Wu, we're not in a hurry. Old Brother Chang asked you to stay here and relax. In a few days, we'll go to Beijing together."

Yang Yanzi took Chang Linlin shopping, and Zhong Qi was dragged along to help. The three of them unceremoniously left Wu Di at the entrance of Man Lo Street, agreeing to meet for lunch, and then left.

Wu Di shook his head and strolled into Man Lo Street, looking for an antique shop with the character "雅" (elegant) in its name.

As an Eastern antique hub, Hong Kong, due to its unique geographical and political position, has become a center for antiques in Southeast Asia and even a bridge to Europe and America. Every year, a large number of antiques are traded here. In addition to formal auction houses, Hong Kong also has local antique markets similar to the Chao Tian Gong and Fuzi Temple in Ningcheng and Panjiayuan in Beijing. The small districts of Lekuk Dao, Hollywood Road, and Man Lo Street in Central are the centers of Hong Kong's local antique market.

Before the 20th century, a large number of Chinese antiques and artworks were legally or illegally exported from the mainland to various parts of the world, many of which are now in Hong Kong's antique market or in the hands of collectors.

The antique market on Man Lo Street and Hollywood Road in Sheung Wan is the largest antique market in Hong Kong. There are thousands of shops, each not very large but filled with a wide variety of items. In addition to familiar Ming and Qing dynasty ceramics, it also features a wide range of Southeast Asian artworks, which are generally more expensive than those in the mainland. Like the mainland antique market, Hong Kong's antique market is a mix of genuine and fake items, but the ratio of fakes is slightly better. The buyers come from all over the world, reflecting the international nature of Hong Kong's market.

The first shop Wu Di saw was a small store specializing in Thai handicrafts. Thai Chiang Mai handicrafts are world-renowned, mainly including wood carvings, lacquerware, silverware, rattan, and bamboo products. Wu Di looked around for a while, but most were modern products, and he had little interest in these small countries' items, so he turned and left.

Man Lo Street is divided into Upper and Lower Man Lo Street. Walking east along Hollywood Road to the end leads to the Man Lo Street Market. The entire street is about 200 meters long, with over thirty antique shops. They specialize in various Eastern antiques, including Chinese antique ceramics, jewelry, silk products, coins, Western phonographs, and other unique handicrafts. Inside, small stalls sell small antiques, such as jade, ceramics, bronze Buddhas, bronze tripods, gold and silver calligraphy and paintings, gold and lacquer wood items... and various small items like old watches, old fountain pens, old telephones, Mickey Mouse, and Barbie dolls are also displayed on the shelves, along with silk, embroidery, jade, and wood products.

Wu Di strolled around, paying attention to the shop names. Here, he felt like he was back in Panjiayuan, except that most of the passersby spoke languages he couldn't understand. But looking at the narrow streets lined with a variety of goods and hearing the mix of languages, it was a unique experience.

Seeing a shop selling seals, Wu Di went in. The shop had a wall full of seals made of various materials, including jade, Dushan jade, Hetian jade, agate, bloodstone, and tianhuang stone, with countless designs. Wu Di looked around for a moment and asked,

"Do you have any tianhuang stone carvings suitable for wishing someone a long life?"

The owner shook his head and smiled,

"Sir, you don't necessarily need a stone carving to wish an elder a long life. A seal is also a great gift. Look, this bloodstone seal has a blood content of over 50%, a rare find in recent years. This tianhuang stone..."

After listening to the owner's introduction in a mix of Mandarin, English, and Cantonese, Wu Di politely left. He then entered a small shop selling wood carvings. The shop had a wide range of wood carings, including many high-quality pieces made of rosewood and small-leaf purple sandalwood. Wu Di was considering whether to buy a couple to take back as gifts when he was suddenly drawn to a large item leaning against the wall.

It was a woodblock print plate, in good condition but definitely an old piece.

The woodblock prints from Zhuxian Town in Bianliang are the ancestors of Chinese woodblock prints. They are mainly distributed in Bianliang, Zhuxian Town, and surrounding areas, and the woodblock prints from Yangliuqing in Tianjin, Taohuawu in Suzhou, and Weifang in Shandong were all influenced by them. They are known for their rich and bright colors, which do not fade easily, strong contrast, ancient and rugged style, full and compact composition, and strong summarization. The prints are traditionally composed, with a clear main and secondary focus, and the arrangement of figures and scenes is skillful, creating a balanced and symmetrical beauty. This plate has the main characteristics of Zhuxian Town woodblock prints.

According to historical records, woodblock prints may have appeared in the Tang Dynasty, became widespread in the Song Dynasty, and flourished in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The themes of the prints are very rich. This one is a martial door god, featuring the images of Qin Qiong and Wei Chi Jingde.

Wu Di approached to examine it closely but couldn't identify which dynasty it was from. Seeing Wu Di's interest, the owner came over to introduce it,

"Sir, this is a woodblock print plate from Zhuxian Town in the Ming Dynasty. It's probably the only one in such good condition. Do you know Zhuxian Town? It's where Yue Fei fought the Jin army..."

"Boss, can you be sure it's from the Ming Dynasty?"

"Of course, it's obvious. And here's the authentication certificate, see!"

Wu Di glanced at it. This thing costs thirty dollars a sheet and can be found anywhere. If you believe in this, you're just waiting to hand your money over to someone else. However, this plate is at least from the early Qing Dynasty, with a rough and thick carving style, a full and compact composition, and exaggerated shapes, all characteristic of that period. And the owner's point is valid; there aren't many in such good condition. It's a nice collection piece.

"How much?"

Wu Di decided to ask the price. If it was reasonable, he would buy it to give to Grandpa Yang as a thank-you for letting him see his collection. A price of a few hundred thousand would be just right, and no one would really care.