Chapter 14

It's no wonder that ancient books often describe how a piece of high-quality agarwood is worth a fortune, making it a priceless treasure.

Qi Xiang sighed in his heart, feeling a bit hesitant as he weighed the pros and cons. Three hundred thousand was too expensive. He could afford it, but if he did, he would be left penniless, living on thin air.

Seemingly noticing his hesitation, the clerk added, "Master Wei just instructed that if you really intend to buy the agarwood, he can give you a ten percent discount..."

A ten percent discount would bring the price down to two hundred and seventy thousand, which was quite a saving, at least leaving him some money for living expenses.

Qi Xiang rubbed his brow and suddenly made a decision: "I only brought one hundred thousand in cash. Can I pay the rest by card?"

"Sure." The clerk smiled warmly, "There's a card machine at the counter downstairs. You can use it freely."

"Then wrap it up for me." Qi Xiang said, placing the agarwood back in the box.

"Sure thing!" The clerk quickly led the way.

Qi Xiang followed and left the reception room. As soon as he stepped outside, he saw a row of black-clad men standing on either side of a VIP room door. These men were tall and muscular, dressed in uniforms, and seemed to be bodyguards.

Qi Xiang was a bit curious and glanced over, then he was surprised to find a somewhat familiar face among the bodyguards.

He took a closer look, and the bodyguard also noticed his gaze. After a brief glance back, he awkwardly looked away, as if feeling guilty and not daring to make direct eye contact.

Qi Xiang's heart stirred, and he immediately remembered. The bodyguard was clearly one of Wang Dong's henchmen, who had helped move things on the rooftop. What was he doing here?

Qi Xiang's mind raced, and his gaze naturally shifted away. He then followed the clerk down the stairs without a care. As they walked down to the first floor, he casually said with a smile, "The reception upstairs is quite grand. Who is the guest?"

The clerk turned his head and smiled lightly, "I don't know either, but he must be a big spender. As soon as he came in, he asked us to display the most expensive treasures in the store for him to choose from..."

"Tsk tsk!" Qi Xiang's face showed admiration, "From the tone, is he a big shot? A sudden windfall, Master Wei is going to get rich."

"It's all thanks to everyone's support..."

The clerk said a few polite words and then took Qi Xiang to the counter to pay.

The one hundred thousand in cash given by Jiang Baiwan had barely warmed his hands before it was spent. After swiping the card and seeing the balance alert from the bank, Qi Xiang felt a sharp pain in his heart.

No matter what, he had obtained the agarwood. Qi Xiang calmed himself and said goodbye, "I'll be on my way. Please tell Master Wei for me and apologize on my behalf..."

"Of course, of course." The clerk was enthusiastic, "Thank you for your patronage. We look forward to your return."

"You can only come back if you have money," Qi Xiang sighed inwardly and quickly left the shop.

After walking a distance, Qi Xiang stopped, took out his phone, and dialed a number.

A moment later, the call was answered, and Jiang Baiwan's cheerful voice came through, "Brother Qi?"

"It's me..." Qi Xiang didn't beat around the bush and said directly, "Boss Jiang, I just saw someone at the Fuzimiao Antiques Shop. He seems to be one of Wang Dong's henchmen, and we even met on the rooftop before. But now, he has apparently transformed into a bodyguard for some big shot. Isn't that strange?"

"Oh?"

Jiang Baiwan was silent for a while before laughing, "Indeed, it is a bit strange... but that's their business. Brother, don't get involved... By the way, are you free tomorrow? If you are, come over, and I'll treat you to a meal..."

"...Okay, see you tomorrow!"

Jiang Baiwan hung up quickly, leaving Qi Xiang no chance to inquire about the ancient tripod.

"Has the appraisal result not come out yet?"

Qi Xiang thought for a moment and decided to go home. He vaguely understood Jiang Baiwan's implications. Perhaps the person was of significant importance, and Jiang Baiwan was worried he might get into trouble, hence the warning.

However, this also aligned with Qi Xiang's own intentions. If it weren't for Jiang Baiwan's frequent support, he probably wouldn't have made this call...

After returning home, Qi Xiang put the matter aside and began organizing the bags of spices.

Following the records in the basement's incense spectrum, he weighed different amounts of spices and placed them on a cutting board. He chopped them up quickly and ground them into a powder.

The agarwood worth two hundred and seventy thousand went through the same process.

While grinding the agarwood, Qi Xiang felt as if his heart was bleeding, and his arms trembled.

After much effort, he finally ground all the spices into powder. He then mixed the powder, added water, and stirred it evenly, placing it in a pot to boil over a high flame.

As he boiled and stirred, the paste-like powder began to boil, gradually forming a white paste.

At this moment, the entire kitchen was filled with a strong aroma.

The air was thick with fragrance, permeating the entire space. However, the scent was too strong, almost overwhelming and uncomfortable.

Holding his breath, Qi Xiang quickly turned off the heat once the paste was formed. He covered the pot with a lid and then with a thick towel before running out.

Next, he had to wait for the incense paste to cool and dry naturally, which would take quite a while.

"I wonder if it will succeed. If it doesn't, the loss will be significant."

Qi Xiang was a bit anxious. He hadn't expected that the simplest incense recipe in the incense spectrum would cost him his savings. If the incense-making failed, he would be devastated.

"Three Pure Ones, Jade Emperor, please bless me, please bless me..." Qi Xiang prayed and immediately ran back to his room, grabbing a teapot and taking a sip. He was exhausted from the hard work.

After catching his breath, his gaze fell on the walnuts he had bought from a street stall.

At this moment, the walnuts still looked unremarkable, but a clear and lively light flickered around their edges, ethereal and elusive.

Qi Xiang put down the teapot, his eyes filled with a scrutinizing look.

He knew that when something was out of the ordinary, there must be a reason. The walnuts' unusual state must conceal some mystery.

With this thought, Qi Xiang picked up one of the walnuts to examine it. Based on his knowledge, these walnuts were likely the Lion's Head variety, a short-stemmed Lion's Head.

Walnuts, originally called Hu Tao, are also known as Qiang Tao, Wan Sui Zi, or Chang Shou Guo.

Historical records show that they were introduced from the Western Regions during the Han Dynasty by Zhang Qian. During the Five Barbarians' Chaos, the Jin general Shi Le occupied Central China and established the Later Zhao. Because he disliked the word "Hu," he renamed Hu Tao to walnut, a name that has been used ever since.

Some research suggests that the custom of playing with walnuts originated in the Han and Sui dynasties, became popular during the Tang and Song dynasties, and flourished during the Ming and Qing dynasties. Over two thousand years, this unique Chinese walnut culture has been passed down.

Throughout history, from emperors and generals to scholars and beauties, and from officials and commoners, all have been proud to own a pair of exquisite, shiny walnuts.

By the late Qing Dynasty, the custom of playing with walnuts in the palace had become even more prevalent. Owning a good pair of walnuts became a symbol of status, value, and taste. At the time, it was said in the capital: "The prince has three treasures in his hand: a ring, walnuts, and a bird in a cage."

A pair of ordinary walnuts could reach the same status as precious treasures, which was indeed remarkable.

In modern society, the custom of playing with walnuts has not diminished. Experienced players have identified the four best varieties: Lion's Head, Tiger's Head, Official's Hat, and Chicken Heart, collectively known as the Four Famous Walnuts.

The Lion's Head is the top of the Four Famous Walnuts, with a full, nearly spherical shape and beautiful patterns, including spiral, winding, and twisted patterns, resembling a lion's head, hence the name.

Qi Xiang carefully examined the walnut in his hand. Although it was covered in cracks, he could still discern the patterns and lines, which were like flowers, twisted and winding, confirming it was a Lion's Head.

Even if Qi Xiang didn't know much about the prices of cultural walnuts, he had heard some basic information. He knew that a pair of well-aged, red, and shiny Lion's Head walnuts could be worth over one hundred thousand, and they were often hard to find.

This is the charm of cultural items. Ordinary things like bodhi seeds, hand-spun gourds, and mountain walnuts are not rare plants. However, after being played with, they immediately exude an infinite charm and their value increases a hundredfold.

However, Qi Xiang also knew that the value of cultural walnuts comes from the accumulation of time. A pair of ordinary walnuts, after seven to eight years of handling, would form a lustrous patina.

Walnuts with patina are as beautiful as amber, transparent and delicate, with a sound like bone, tooth, or stone when they collide, and a color as smooth as jade...

Such items are what experienced players call "toys."

However, once there is a profit to be made, things start to change.

The same is true for cultural walnuts. After being popularized, some people, eager for quick gains, began to use tricks. They processed, colored, polished, and oiled the walnuts to make them look very beautiful.

Ordinary people, not knowing how to appraise them, would be tempted to buy such beautiful walnuts.

The result is obvious: they would be cheated.

Moreover, over time, the beautifully processed walnuts would dry out and crack, becoming unsightly.

Qi Xiang suspected that the walnuts in his hand were the result of such quick gains. However, he couldn't understand why the broken walnuts still had a mysterious glow.

He found a magnifying glass and examined them carefully.

The walnuts were quite large, with a diameter of at least five centimeters. Holding one in his hand was relatively easy, but a pair would fill his palm, making them difficult to handle.

After a moment of study, Qi Xiang sniffed the walnut and felt a strange smell.

"Something's not right, it doesn't seem right..."

Qi Xiang pondered, absentmindedly playing with the walnut. Suddenly, a flash of insight came to him, and he realized, "If the walnut were dry and cracked, it wouldn't be this heavy."

............................

Please support by adding to your collection and recommending. Thank you.