Chapter 60

Although they didn't see clearly what the object was, Nie Tianbao and Mr. Zhao would never mistake the unique green color of jade. When Qin Feng lifted the yellow silk cloth, even the edges of the cloth were bathed in a lush green.

"Right, it's jade, so what?"

Qin Feng was pressed into a chair by Nie Tianbao, and he uncomfortably raised his head to glance at the glass cabinet nearby, a look of disdain on his face. "You guys are supposed to be selling jade, but what kind of junk is this?"

"Brat, can you speak properly? Our 'Jade Hall' has the best jade in the city!"

Hearing Qin Feng's words, Zhou Bing glared. He had been thinking about whether to wait for the kid to leave and then find a few brothers to beat him up, since he had lost the fight earlier.

"Damn, I see you still need a beating!"

Qin Feng fully displayed his spoiled nature, not only with his words but also by standing up, ready to confront Zhou Bing.

Nie Tianbao, who was anxiously trying to persuade Qin Feng, grabbed him just as he was about to fight, turned around, and slapped Zhou Bing hard, shouting, "Zhou Bing, get out, the farther the better!"

"Uncle Nie, you... you..."

Zhou Bing clearly didn't expect Nie Tianbao to lash out at him. But seeing Nie Tianbao's cold stare, he didn't dare say another word and slunk out of the antique shop.

"Hiring such an employee, your judgment is really poor."

After Zhou Bing left, Qin Feng laughed with a sense of schadenfreude, his face showing a look that invited a beating.

"Cough, Brother Ma, I apologize for my poor management."

Although they hadn't known each other long, Nie Tianbao could tell that the young man in front of him had a bad temper. He didn't respond directly but said, "Brother Ma, if you're looking for a pawnshop, you're not thinking of pawning that jade in your pocket, are you?"

"What's it to you?"

Qin Feng stiffened his neck and grumbled, "Just because I lost some money in Macau, does that mean freezing my card? I'll sell this thing and see if the old man will be heartbroken."

"Macau, lost money?"

Nie Tianbao seemed to understand something and his smile became even more enthusiastic. "Brother Ma, there are no pawnshops now, it's not like the old days. The government wouldn't allow private pawnshops. Even if there were, you'd need to provide invoices and receipts to pawn anything!"

Nie Tianbao wasn't lying to Qin Feng. Although there had been rumors that the government was considering opening up personal collateral pawn services, there was still strong opposition, and no official announcement had been made.

"Damn, why can Macau have them?" Qin Feng stood up and said, "If there's none, forget it. I have nothing to say to you. I'm leaving!"

"Hey, Brother Ma, tell me what you want to pawn. Maybe I can help," Nie Tianbao thought it was truly laughable. He had never seen such a stubborn young man before.

"You? You look like a swindler. What can you do for me?" Qin Feng stopped, looking at Nie Tianbao with a half-believing, half-doubting expression, which made Nie Tianbao's teeth grind.

"Brother Ma, that's not right. I, Old Nie, am a well-known figure in the business world of Shijiazhuang. I always deal fairly. Don't believe me? Go ask around!"

This was the second time Nie Tianbao had slapped his chest today. He had never seen such a stubborn young man, who was completely unreasonable.

"Really?" Qin Feng knew he was overacting, so he took out the yellow silk cloth from his pocket and said, "Then take a look. How much is this worth?"

"No, little brother, just put it on the coffee table."

Seeing Nie Tianbao reach for the silk cloth, Mr. Zhao coughed. The term "bumping porcelain" originated from the antique trade, and he was afraid the young man might drop it and then cause trouble for the antique shop.

Qin Feng pretended not to understand Mr. Zhao's words and casually placed the item on the coffee table. Nie Tianbao and Mr. Zhao quickly gathered around and carefully unfolded the multiple layers of silk cloth.

"This... what grade of jade is this?"

When the pair of earrings appeared before Nie Tianbao and Mr. Zhao, they were stunned. The almost transparent quality and the deep, rich green color exuded a sense of grandeur and luxury.

"Could... could this be the legendary Imperial Green?"

Nie Tianbao and Mr. Zhao exchanged a glance, but neither of them said it out loud. Qin Feng's earlier words were not entirely unjustified; these two were indeed a pair of swindlers.

Qin Feng sneered, putting on a wastrel's act, and said, "Who knows what grade it is? The old man treasures it like a gem, but it's useless. It can't be eaten or drunk. What good is it?"

"Brother Ma, do you want a cigarette?"

Nie Tianbao gave Mr. Zhao a look and then took out a pack of Hongtashan cigarettes. "Brother Ma, is this a family heirloom? If you sell it, won't your parents beat you? I think you should return it..."

The moment he saw the pair of jade earrings, Nie Tianbao was captivated. He was just trying to get more information from Qin Feng. If Qin Feng's family had a strong background, he wouldn't dare to take the risk.

Taking the cigarette from Nie Tianbao, Qin Feng stiffened his neck and said, "Who dares to hit me? I'm the only heir in the Ma family. If anyone touches me, I'll make sure they have no descendants. Forget this trinket, even if I burn down the house, what can they do?"

Seemingly provoked by Nie Tianbao's words, Qin Feng started talking more, spilling out the whole story.

"So, you're a descendant of the Qing dynasty, maybe even a yellow belt. Your family must still have someone in power, otherwise, you wouldn't be so arrogant."

After a while, Nie Tianbao picked up some clues from Qin Feng's words. The young man in front of him was named "Ma Zibian."

According to "Ma Zibian," he was originally a member of the Qing royal family, surnamed Aisin Gioro. However, after the "Mingxue Incident" during the Jiajing era, his ancestors were exiled to Shengjing, and one branch changed their surname to Ma.

But even a dead camel is bigger than a horse. Decades after Jiajing's death, "Ma Zibian's" ancestors managed to reconnect with Empress Dowager Cixi and returned to Beijing, where they thrived. After the liberation, they didn't suffer much, and his uncle was now a high-ranking official in a ministry.

As for the pair of earrings Qin Feng had brought, they were part of a set of Empress Dowager Cixi's jewelry, one of "Ma Zibian's" grandfather's most cherished collections.

"Ma Zibian" was in Shijiazhuang because he had come to play with a friend and had stolen his grandfather's collection. It was hard to sell in Beijing because many people knew its origin.

"Brother Ma, this is quite valuable. If your grandfather finds out you sold it, he'll break your legs!"

Hearing "Ma Zibian's" words, Nie Tianbao was unsure. He had a family to support, and if the other party came looking after he bought the earrings, it would be a problem.

"How much is this worth?"

"Ma Zibian's" eyes lit up, and he pulled out a completely green jade pendant from his neck. "The old man has plenty of these. What's there to fear? Hey, how much is this worth?"

"Damn, this... this Buddha is also made of jade? Can I see it?"

Seeing the pendant around "Ma Zibian's" neck, Nie Tianbao's eyes widened. The Buddha pendant was as big as a baby's palm and of a quality that rivaled the earrings.

"Ma Zibian" reluctantly took off the pendant and said, "The old man said it's jade, but I don't know. Be careful, don't drop it. I've worn it for years."

"How could I? If I drop it, I'll pay for it."

Nie Tianbao spoke confidently but handled the pendant with great care. He had seen many high-quality jade pieces in Myanmar, but none could match the two items in front of him.

PS: Not feeling well, going to sleep after posting this chapter. Please give more recommendations!