70: Chapter 70 Is it fate that has led me to become a doctor?

【Today's Intelligence (Red): Stall No. 44 on Antique Street is selling a collection of ancient Chinese medical prescriptions titled "Hundred Families' Prescriptions." A nameless wandering physician from the Qing Dynasty traveled everywhere and compiled this book specifically to treat difficult and miscellaneous illnesses. The book itself is worth 25,000 yuan. However, page 29 consists of three layers of thin paper, and the middle layer contains a Southern Song Dynasty reproduction of the Han Dynasty Tianhui Medical Slips, worth 120,000 yuan!】

What medicine? What slips?

First ginseng, now medical books.

Could this be a hint for him to give up entertainment and practice medicine?

But he couldn't even understand the names of these so-called ancient medical books.

He only understood the value: 120,000.

He set off.

Antique Street was a place he was quite familiar with, and he quickly found Stall No. 44.

The stall owner hadn't arrived yet.

It was still early, so Zhao Jian strolled around the area casually.

He also took the opportunity to grab breakfast.

While he was waiting, shop owners with some connections on Antique Street were busy swapping out the merchandise on their shelves, replacing fakes with authentic goods.

However, a very small number of merchants intentionally kept one or two fakes that were crafted to look very close to the genuine articles.

This was because they had received news that the Vice President of the Xiong City Antique Association would be accompanied by a reporter today, pretending to be a passerby to expose the "underground world" of the antique market.

In reality, there was no such "underground world."

It was nothing more than judging people by their appearance. When they encountered an expert, they would bring out authentic items, not looking to make a profit, but just to avoid trouble by losing a little money. Breaking even was enough.

When they encountered a novice who had just entered the trade, or a sucker who had read a few novels and came to hunt for treasures on a whim, they would bring out fake items and demand a high price.

They would take a huge bite out of them!

The Xiong City Antique Association was not an official organization, and most of its members had some real skills.

Plus, with a reporter in tow, this was clearly a move to smash their reputation.

The shop owners were naturally cautious.

As for the street vendors outside?

It wouldn't do to let the honorable Vice President make a wasted trip.

Those vendors outside without connections were naturally the sacrificial offerings for his "crackdown on fakes."

This way, the Antique Association gained a reputation, and the shop owners with fixed storefronts in the antique market preserved their honor.

Everyone was happy.

Zhao Jian bought a few fried dough sticks and soy milk at a nearby breakfast shop.

The fried dough sticks tasted okay.

The soy milk wasn't sweet.

He finally waited for Stall No. 44 to open.

He didn't rush over to treasure hunt.

Being too purposeful made it easy to be manipulated.

He first wandered aimlessly through other stalls.

If there were cheap items for a dozen yuan or so, he wouldn't mind buying them as a cover.

This way, when he wandered over to Stall No. 44, his image would be that of an ordinary person casually shopping for bargains.

Unfortunately, there were no items under 8,000.

Some even opened their mouths like lions; a common ashtray was claimed to be Li Shimin's personal ashtray, with an asking price of 80,000!

He might not be a professional, but he wasn't stupid!

After encountering several stall owners who wanted to fleece him like a fat sheep, Zhao Jian finally arrived at Stall No. 44.

The stall owner was an old man.

Just from his appearance, he was no different from those who had tried to scam him earlier.

He had dark skin and a face with rough pits and bumps.

These were the signs of long-term exposure to wind and sun.

It showed that the other party was also an old hand at Antique Street.

"Little boss, what would you like? Everything here is a boutique item, everything is authentic. One fake, pay back three!"

One fake, pay back three fakes?

Zhao Jian didn't respond, just squatted in front of the stall and pretended to pick things out casually.

The stall owner didn't mind his coldness.

After all, even if the customer's attitude was cold, the customer's money was hot.

He saw Zhao Jian turning over a "Heirloom Seal of the Realm" as if he couldn't put it down, and said with a smile: "This is fake. The authentic one went missing back in the Later Tang Dynasty."

This remark made Zhao Jian pause.

He thought to himself that you can't judge a book by its cover.

The previous stall owners were bad-hearted and all wanted to scam him.

This stall owner, however, bluntly pointed out the fake.

Moved, Zhao Jian immediately wanted to buy a few more items.

But the old man changed the subject: "The one in your hand was a replica made by Zhao Kuangyin in the early Northern Song Dynasty. It's not that old. It's only worth about 20 million-plus. If you're sincere, I'll sell it to you for 8 million, just for good luck."

Zhao Jian thought to himself: Wouldn't that be lucky? Whoever gives me eight million for no reason, that day would be my lucky day.

Putting down the seal in his hand, Zhao Jian stood up and pretended to leave.

According to convention, the stall owner would try to keep him at this point.

After all, the 8 million asking price was intended to let the customer bargain.

Once the customer was scared off, they would need to take the initiative to lower the price.

Sure enough, as expected, the old man hurriedly shouted: "Hey? If you think it's expensive, make an offer. This is our own stuff, everything is negotiable!"

"Fifty."

"Alright, let's just consider it making a friend."

"Huh?"

Zhao Jian regretted it so much he wanted to slap himself!

Is it easy to earn fifty yuan? And he actually opened his mouth with fifty!

If he had known, he should have shouted five!

However, since he had quoted the price himself, there was no need to go back on it.

He picked up the seal, then pretended to be unwilling and pointed to a medical book, saying: "This one, 5 yuan!"

The old man said happily: "This one!"

He was just about to say: Alright.

After all, when he bought it, he bought it by the catty, at 30 cents a catty.

He couldn't understand this thin booklet either.

He put it on the stall just to fill up space.

But before the old man could finish his sentence, he heard a Middle-aged Man passing by shout: "I'll take it for five thousand!"

Zhao Jian was so angry he wanted to curse!

Where did this reckless fool come from to spoil his good deed!

Turning around, the first thing he saw was a pair of long legs wrapped in jeans and a pair of exquisite little leather shoes.

It didn't match the voice.

Straining to look further back, he finally saw the Middle-aged Man with gold-rimmed glasses next to them.

It was him!

Were they a father-daughter duo out treasure hunting?

Before Zhao Jian could react, the medical book in his hand was snatched away by the old man, who was smiling happily and about to hand it to the Middle-aged Man.

And the Middle-aged Man smiled even more happily.

That medical book was worth 25,000!

"I'll pay 25,000!" Zhao Jian stood up, gritting his teeth.

He pushed the price directly to the other party's limit.

The old man quickly pulled back the hand he was about to extend and returned to Zhao Jian with a happy smile.

At the same time, he secretly glanced at the Middle-aged Man out of the corner of his eye.

He thought it could still go higher.

But he thought wrong.

The Middle-aged Man's face turned livid.

He saw that the book's value should be around 20,000.

He had thought he could pick up a bargain as soon as he arrived and show off in front of the beautiful reporter.

But he hadn't expected to meet a reckless fool who pushed the price right up.

"Little Brother, this is not the attitude for doing antique business!"

He wanted to pull rank while speaking.

But considering this was an 'undercover visit,' it wouldn't be good to reveal his identity.

So he only pointed out that Zhao Jian's overpaying for antiques violated the rules of treasure hunting.

Zhao Jian was still fuming; would he take a lecture from him?

He immediately replied: "Is butting in your attitude for doing antique business? Are you going to raise the price or not? If not, don't get in the way!"

Although the Antique Association was a non-governmental organization, the Vice President was used to throwing his weight around.

Wherever he went, wasn't he pampered by a crowd of people!

Today, he was actually confronted by a brat.

He was so angry he immediately wanted to reveal his identity!

"How dare you talk to me like that? I am..."

"Idiot!"

Before the Middle-aged Man could finish, Zhao Jian had already started cursing!