Chapter 263: Panjiayuan Antique Market

Liu Dashao hurriedly asked, “Where are we now?”

The driver gave Liu Dashao a strange look, as if regarding him as a lunatic escaped from an asylum, and replied, “Where do you want to go?”

“The nearest town.”

“Thirty kilometers ahead is Nyingchi. If you’re going there, it’s five yuan per person.”

“Nyingchi?” Liu Dashao was startled. Nyingchi was a small town in the Tibet Autonomous Region. Though small, it was well-known—especially for its notoriously bad security. The local Tibetans were known for their fierce temperaments, often fighting in the streets with buffalo-horn knives over minor disputes. What surprised Liu Dashao even more was how, after crawling just a few kilometers through an underground tunnel, they had somehow traveled from the heart of Xinjiang to Tibet. Everyone exchanged glances, silently saying, “Wow.”

Liu Dashao patted his pockets only to find he had no wallet on him. Neither Fan Debiao nor Master Diao had brought any money either. Fortunately, Wang Feifei had cash. She pulled out a 100-yuan bill and handed it to the driver with a smile. “Master driver, thank you so much. We’ll be heading to Nyingchi ahead.”

The driver took the money without hesitation, stuffed it into his jacket pocket, and waved his big hand. “Get on.” The vehicle wasn’t big, so those who boarded later had to sit on suitcases. With a grand procession, they set off.

After Liu Dashao and the others settled into their seats, the driver glanced at them again and asked, “Where are you all from? Your accents don’t sound like local Tibetans.”

Liu Dashao smiled slightly and replied, “We came to Tibet for tourism but got lost in the Gobi Desert. We wandered around for two days before finally finding our way out.”

The driver responded with an “Oh,” and said, “You’re lucky you met me. This area is rarely populated, and even passing vehicles are few and far between…”

Liu Dashao, growing impatient with the driver’s chatter, interrupted him slightly impatiently. “Master driver, we haven’t slept for two days. We’ll take a short nap. Please wake us up when we arrive in Nyingchi.”

The driver readily agreed. After the tense days in the Golden Ancient City, everyone’s nerves had been on high alert. Now finally in the vehicle, a heavy weight lifted from their hearts, and they immediately felt drowsy and exhausted. Combined with the gentle bumps of the car on the road, they gradually fell asleep.

The thirty-kilometer journey wasn’t very far. It felt like they had just dozed off when they faintly heard the driver shouting, “We’re here. You can get off now.”

Liu Dashao opened his sleepy eyes, looked around, and then woke up Wang Feifei, Fan Debiao, Master Diao, and Clay Zhang. After thanking the driver, they got off the car.

At this time, Clay Zhang had already removed the bandages from his body. His complexion had turned somewhat rosy, looking much better than before. It seemed those insects indeed had healing effects. Seeing the obvious improvement in his condition, Clay Zhang smiled joyfully and bowed to everyone. “Thank you all. I think it’s time for us to part ways. I’ve decided to settle down somewhere and spend the rest of my life. Through all these experiences, I’ve come to understand: what’s destined for you will eventually come to you; what’s not, don’t force it.”

Liu Dashao nodded. “Alright then. Take care on your journey.”

“Thank you for your kind words!” Clay Zhang laughed heartily as he patted Liu Dashao’s shoulder. “Also, let me give you a piece of advice, Master Liu. Since fate has chosen you to accomplish what others cannot, as the protagonist, you absolutely cannot escape it!”

“What do you mean?”

“Secrets of fate must not be revealed.”

“Pfft, trying to sound mysterious!”

“You’ll understand in the future.” With that, Clay Zhang turned and left.

After watching Clay Zhang leave, Wang Feifei said to Liu Dashao, “Let’s first find a hotel, book a few rooms, rest well tonight, and tomorrow we should also say our goodbyes.”

“Goodbyes?”

Master Diao approached Liu Dashao. “Do you remember that tiger-shaped mask?”

“Of course!” Liu Dashao nodded.

“The moment I saw the tiger-shaped mask, all my lost memories returned,” Master Diao said calmly.

“What?”

“Now I have to fulfill a wish I couldn’t complete decades ago, and also help Miss Wang find her parents.”

“Can I help?” Liu Dashao asked.

“No need!” Master Diao waved his hand. “You’re too exhausted. Take a good rest. I’m giving you a three-month vacation.”

“Well then, take care!” Liu Dashao knew once Master Diao made a decision, no one could change it, so he didn’t try to persuade him further.

Everyone spent the night in Nyingchi. The next day, they took a long-distance bus to Lhasa. In Lhasa, Wang Feifei left Liu Dashao’s phone number and took a photo with him. They acted quite intimately, like a loving young couple. Then she simply said goodbye to everyone and left with Jackson and Master Diao.

To be honest, Wang Feifei was a beautiful woman. During the time they had spent together, she had given everyone a very pleasant impression, especially creating some unspoken emotional connection with Liu Dashao. As observant people, Master Diao and others had noticed this but never mentioned it. At this moment, Liu Dashao was watching Wang Feifei’s back as she descended the stairs, pondering her parting words, saying nothing.

Once Wang Feifei left, Liu Dashao and Fan Debiao, now free of any burdens, hurriedly headed for Beijing. Fan Debiao had been pent up for a while; the moment he stepped off the train, upon seeing his long-lost friend Cai Qingchong, he immediately started calling him brother this and brother that, and they found a tavern to start drinking. Liu Dashao poured him a few drinks too, as he really had grown fond of this lovable fat guy. But don’t get the wrong idea—it wasn’t that kind of fondness. Liu Dashao’s sexual orientation was perfectly normal. In fact, he had no real mood for drinking at the moment, as there was still a pile of treasures waiting in the hotel room! Seeing Liu Dashao drinking absentmindedly, Cai Qingchong quickly made plans to meet Fan Debiao the next day, and the drinking session ended shortly.

After leaving the tavern, Fan Debiao excitedly told Cai Qingchong which girls in the street’s hair salons were pretty and which were particularly warm and friendly. Cai Qingchong responded half-heartedly. As they approached the hotel’s corner, Fan Debiao parted ways with them and headed toward a convenience store. Watching Fan Debiao’s light and cheerful steps, Liu Dashao smiled and returned to the hotel with Cai Qingchong.

That night, Liu Dashao slept like the world had ended, waking up at around ten the next morning. As soon as he got up, he felt like his entire body had been dislocated. He ordered fried dough sticks and porridge from outside and was halfway through eating when Fan Debiao pushed the door open and came in. Seeing the food, he didn’t hesitate, grabbed two big dough sticks, and started wolfing them down while talking, “I thought I’d take you guys out to eat, but you’ve already started here.”

Liu Dashao smiled, thinking Fan Debiao must have been too tired and hungry from last night’s escapades.

“Old Fan…” Liu Dashao thought about how unfamiliar they were with mainland China, not knowing how to sell the stolen goods yet. Fan Debiao, being an experienced tomb robber, should know something about this. He continued, “Have you sold the treasures you carried out?”

Fan Debiao was taken aback by the question but quickly understood and replied, “Master Liu, you don’t know, this time I was collecting medical fees for the boss…” As he spoke, Fan Debiao hesitated, glanced left and right—there was no one else around—and then pulled out a few items from his pants pocket, placing them in his palm and showing them to Liu Dashao. “But, hehe, I, your fat master, also took a little commission for my hard work, secretly hiding a few small trinkets. What do you think? Let’s sell them together with yours?”

Liu Dashao looked at the three delicate and small jade rings in Fan Debiao’s big palm, half-amused and half-exasperated, and said, “Although I’ve worked in the antiques trade, this is my first time dealing with stolen goods! I don’t even know how to sell these things!”

Fan Debiao suddenly understood, “Oh! So that’s what’s bothering you!” He put the rings back into his pocket and continued, “You’re too naive! Go to Panyuan Market and sell them there!”

Liu Dashao awkwardly scratched his head. “Aren’t these things illegal? Won’t we get caught if we sell them so openly?”

Fan Debiao burst out laughing. “Man, you’re too honest! Can’t you just sell one item at one place, then go to another shop to sell another? You don’t have to sell everything to one person, right?”

Liu Dashao thought for a moment and then made a decision. They definitely needed to go downtown—on one hand, to sell the items at the antique market, and on the other, he wanted to see the big grasshopper. Once the plan was set, the three of them stored their luggage and took only a small bronze bell. Liu Dashao placed the bell in his waist bag and stuffed some newspapers on top. He looked left and right for a long time before finally feeling reassured enough to head out.

As soon as they stepped outside, they hailed a taxi. “Master driver, where is the biggest antique market around here?”

The driver was very enthusiastic. “If you’re visiting Beijing and don’t go to Panyuan Market, you’ve come for nothing! There are lots of good things there and lots of people. Go check it out!”

The driver dropped them off at a corner near the Sanmen Archway. Liu Dashao paid the fare and got out. The group plunged into the bustling crowd. Row after row of shops were densely lined up. After wandering around for a while, Liu Dashao stopped in front of an antique shop called “Shufang Zhai.”

He chose this shop because it had fewer people, clearly revealing his guilty conscience as a thief.

Gathering his courage, he strutted in with an air of confidence. A young employee approached with a smile. “Oh! Gentlemen, please come in! What are you looking for?”

The employee was around twenty years old, his words brimming with cleverness.

Liu Dashao didn’t dare to respond. Fan Debiao smiled. “We’ve got some family heirlooms. We’re starting a business and need some money. Do you buy things here?”

“Of course! Of course! Gentlemen, please come inside. I’ll call our boss!” He led the three of them into the back room. Behind the storefront was a hall, decorated in an antique style, with all sorts of items displayed on the shelves.

Not long after the young man went in, a middle-aged man who looked like the shop owner followed him out.

Liu Dashao took out the small bronze bell from his bag and placed it on the table. “Boss, take a look and give us an appraisal.”

The middle-aged man’s eyes lit up. He took out a magnifying glass, lifted the small bell, and examined the bottom carefully. After a moment, he put the small bell down and smiled. “Gentlemen, you must be craftsmen?”

Liu Dashao didn’t understand and looked at him in confusion. Seeing their puzzled expressions, the boss continued, “This small bell is a rare treasure from the Eastern Han Dynasty. In terms of craftsmanship and material quality, it’s top-notch. However…”

The boss stretched out the word, looking at their tense expressions, he continued, “However, this is a recently unearthed item. Look at the patina; it’s all harmless rust.”

Liu Dashao didn’t understand what harmless rust meant, but the boss seemed to have sensed their identities. Would he go to the police? Thinking about this, Liu Dashao picked up the small bell. “If you don’t want to buy it, forget it. We’re leaving!”

Seeing this, the boss hurriedly stopped Liu Dashao. “Don’t rush. Sit down, sit down. Guni! Bring tea. Close the shop door.”

The young man called Guni responded and quickly went to get busy. The boss cleared his throat. “Gentlemen, since you don’t want me to know too much, I won’t ask. Just tell me, how much do you want for this item?”

Liu Dashao looked at Fan Debiao and then at Cai Qingchong. Obviously, none of them knew the item’s actual value. However, in business negotiations, they couldn’t let the other side see through their ignorance. So Liu Dashao tried to maintain a composed appearance. “Seeing as you’re an honest person, you name the price!”

The boss smiled and held up one finger. Liu Dashao was completely confused. What did one finger mean? One thousand? Ten thousand? One hundred thousand? One million? He pretended to be experienced and said, “No, no, that’s too low.”

“Then how much do you want?” The boss smiled.

Liu Dashao thought for a moment and held up five fingers. The boss was visibly shocked. “Fifty thousand? Brother, you’re really stretching it!”

OK, Liu Dashao now understood what one finger meant—it was fifty thousand!

The boss looked at their expressions. “I’ll add another ten thousand. That’s really the most I can offer. If you ask around Panyuan Market, no one is more honest than me.”

Fan Debiao kept tugging Liu Dashao from behind, signaling that it was enough. Liu Dashao thought for a moment. “Alright, we’ll go with your offer. We want cash.”

“Sure! No problem!” The boss, seeing Liu Dashao agree, quickly responded. “Just wait a moment, Guni! Bring out forty thousand!”

Guni responded from the backyard. The boss stood up, took a teacup from a small table, poured tea for them, and asked with a smile, “Say, gentlemen, is this the only item you have? Don’t you have anything else? Don’t worry, we’ll become familiar with each other after doing business once. You can trust me on the price.”

Liu Dashao thought for a moment. After all, money could cost lives. This boss must have his own sales channels, which is why he dared to buy the goods. Since he could take all the items at once, it would be safer than risking going to other shops again. So he spoke up. “We do have more goods. Can you buy them all?”

The boss smiled and nodded. “Of course! If you have more, I can offer an even better price.” He glanced around and added, “But can you tell me what else you have so I can prepare the cash accordingly?”

Liu Dashao thought for a moment. Actually, he didn’t have many large items. There were only about four or five bronze items, most of them were small jade and agate ornaments, which shouldn’t be hard to sell. However, the bronze items were too conspicuous. He spoke up. “There are about four or five bronze items, two of which are even bigger than this. How much more discount can you offer?”

The boss thought for a moment, then wrote down an address on a piece of paper. “How about this? Tomorrow night, bring the goods here. I’ll bring cash. We’ll inspect the goods and pay cash on the spot. We can adjust the price based on the actual condition. What do you think? It’s not safe to bring so many items during the day when there are too many people around.”

Liu Dashao thought, this boss must have done this kind of thing many times before. He was very thorough. He must have assumed they were experienced tomb robbers and wanted to establish a long-term relationship. So he agreed. At this time, Guni came out from the back with a handbag wrapped in newspaper, filled with bundles of cash. Liu Dashao took it out and carefully counted it for a long time before repackaging it into the handbag. The boss and Guni smiled and sent them out the door.

On the way back to the hotel, Liu Dashao felt extremely unsafe, always feeling like someone wanted to rob them. He looked at everyone suspiciously until he returned to the room and finally breathed a sigh of relief. Fan Debiao suggested going out for a good meal, but Liu Dashao refused, insisting on staying in the room to guard the money. Fan Debiao had no choice but to find a nearby restaurant and ordered some food and drinks to be brought to the room.

Liu Dashao always felt he had a bit of a supernatural aura—not anything else, just that his premonitions were particularly accurate. One spring in the countryside of Northeast China, he had been restless for no reason. Not long after, he received the sad news of his grandfather’s passing. This time, for some unknown reason, he felt uneasy again. That shop owner gave him a feeling of a smiling tiger—his heart was unsettled, fearing that this bad premonition might come true. Then he comforted himself, thinking maybe it was just nervousness from doing this kind of thing for the first time. After holding it in for a while, he finally couldn’t take it anymore and told Cai Qingchong and Fan Debiao about his feelings.

Fan Debiao laughed heartily after hearing this. “Master Liu, you’re too timid. We’ll bring the goods tomorrow night, take the money, and leave. He doesn’t know who we are. Where can he find us?”

Cai Qingchong patted his shoulder. “Brother, don’t worry. Nothing will happen. Tomorrow we’ll each carry some tools for self-defense. There won’t be any problems.”

Liu Dashao wanted to say something else, but he opened his mouth and couldn’t speak.

The next night, as soon as it got dark, Liu Dashao used a woven bag handbag bought by Fan Debiao to pack four larger bronze bells. He hailed a minivan and headed to the address on the note. It was a repair shop in the outskirts. The workshop was huge, with many scrapped cars parked inside. The big iron gate was half-closed. In a room built with aluminum panels resembling an office, a beam of light shone through the window. It looked like this was the place.