Chapter 44

Chapter 44

The vendor was wrapped in a tattered blue cloth jacket, his face half-hidden in the shadows, indistinct, leaving only a pair of eyes visible, sharp and piercing.

Seeing that the one asking the price was a young girl, Zhang Laosan didn’t even lift his head, muttering a few vague words: “Fifty, no bargaining.”

Feng Xia paused slightly in her movements. She had intended to pick up the pottery figurine for a closer look, but Lin Feihu stopped her. It was a local rule: if you don’t buy, don’t touch; touch it, and you’d have to buy it.

The yin energy she felt through her fingertips was no illusion. Without further hesitation, she pulled out five 100-yuan notes from her pocket and handed them to the slumped man. The vendor was momentarily stunned at such a generous display from a young girl, but the next moment he took the money without counting it and stuffed it straight into his pocket. Feng Xia told Lin Feihu to pack up the pottery figurine, and the two prepared to leave.

At this point, the vendor seemed intrigued and called out to them: “Are you two interested in this pottery?”

Feng Xia neither nodded nor spoke, just stared straight at the man. It was clearly the young girl who made the decisions between them. Zhang Laosan leaned in closer and casually said a few words: “I have plenty more of this stuff. If you’re interested, come to Huangqiao Crossroad tomorrow, and I’ll take you to see them—how about that?”

Feng Xia remained expressionless, just staring at him. Her eyes in the night sent a chill down people’s spines. Yet the more she acted this way, the more Zhang Laosan became convinced that this young girl was a wealthy and powerful client. They had too much stock on hand. Shipping it all abroad would draw too much attention. Selling what they could was what the higher-ups had said. Zhang Laosan also wanted to earn extra cash to stash away for peace of mind.

After a minute of silent staring, Feng Xia gave a slight nod. Lin Feihu set a time, and the three of them had an appointment.

The fish had taken the bait. There was no need to continue browsing the ghost market. The two exchanged a knowing glance and, trailed by a group of followers, headed to the most famous hotel in Xishan City, Shanxi Province. This guesthouse typically hosted overseas Chinese, foreign diplomats, and occasionally top-tier dignitaries. Staying here practically declared one’s wealth and background—someone you absolutely shouldn’t mess with.

Not to mention, two soldiers carrying rifles stood guard outside the hotel. One glance told the whole story.

Zhang Laosan received the report from his subordinates, and his suspicions grew even stronger. That evening, he didn’t even set up his stall. He went back with his men to prepare their treasures. Tomorrow, they would fleece this fat sheep thoroughly.

Back in the hotel room, Ning Yuanzhi and the others had been sitting and waiting for quite a while. Hearing a knock at the door, Ning Yuanzhi stepped forward but didn’t open it immediately. Instead, he asked, “Did you buy the treasure you wanted?”

Lin Feihu’s voice was low: “We bought the treasure, but it wasn’t cheap. We plan to go take another look tomorrow.”

Having confirmed the identity of the newcomers, Ning Yuanzhi opened the door.

Feng Xia was the first to step inside, while Lin Feihu carefully placed the pottery figurine on the table. The two old gentlemen took a look, and sure enough, it was genuine.

This meant the royal tomb had likely been looted. Treasures from Shanxi Province were usually transported by water, but exactly which dock they would use was something Ning Yuanzhi had been investigating in secret.

Feng Xia recounted what had happened that day, focusing on poking fun at the “night pearl” and the “tiger tally,” which made the two old men’s beards shook with laughter. She also described in detail the items on Zhang Laosan’s stall, all of which likely came from the same tomb, adding her own speculation.

Ning Yuanzhi was curious: “Feng Xia, how can you be so sure?”

Feng Xia took a sip of tea, her eyes half-closed, her pretty face serene as still water.

“All these things carry the same kind of energy. I can sense it clearly—the same energy as the pottery figurine you have. Also,” she reached into her pocket, and Little Black immediately coiled around her fingers and wrist, emerging into view, “my little snake is also sensitive to this energy. If there’s something you’re uncertain about, let it take a sniff—it can tell whether something is genuine or not.”

Ning Yuanzhi was quite bold. Seeing the ink-black little snake docilely wrapped around Feng Xia, he reached out to touch it, only for the snake to raise its head, its yellow-jade-like vertical pupils fixed on him with the cold-blooded chill of a reptile.

Ning Yuanzhi paused briefly, then smiled warmly: “What a clever little snake. Feng Xia, it seems everything around you is extraordinary!”

Feng Xia lazily toyed with the snake, lounging in the rosewood chair, listening as the others discussed the next steps, occasionally sipping her tea. The group didn’t get to sleep until around three in the morning.

The next day, after lunch, Feng Xia and Lin Feihu took another nap before heading out to their appointment. Their meeting time was three in the afternoon. When they arrived at Huangqiao Crossroad, a figure covered in dust was indeed standing under a tree, looking around furtively.

He spotted Feng Xia from a distance, his eyes lighting up brightly.

Feng Xia was wearing a sky-blue blouse embroidered with two lifelike azaleas, matched with straight-cut black trousers that were sharply pressed without a single wrinkle. Her hair was glossy and smooth, cascading over her fair cheeks, making her features even more striking and her demeanor extraordinary.

Zhang Laosan’s back bent even lower. His eyes swept over the azalea embroidery on Feng Xia’s blouse, further confirming that she was some young lady from a wealthy family out on a trip. The embroidery, the fabric—both were rare treasures almost impossible to find on the market.

Feng Xia glanced at him and could guess what he was thinking. She lowered her gaze and looked at her own outfit—all thanks to Ning Yuanzhi!

That man was someone who kept his cards close to his chest.

Zhang Laosan led them to an unassuming small house made of gray brick. He knocked three times, and a voice from inside asked, “Who is it?”

Zhang Laosan’s voice was hoarse: “It’s me, Zhang Laosan. I brought my niece to see some novelties. I gave the brothers a heads-up yesterday.”

Half a minute later, the door creaked open. Feng Xia’s eyes swept over the door—from the outside it looked like wood, but from the inside, it was clearly reinforced with iron. The courtyard was the same: small from the outside but spacious inside, with three sections and three exits. Many people were busy packing in the yard, carefully wrapping treasures in straw and placing them into sturdy wooden chests. There were many people, but almost no one spoke. Everyone worked in silence. When Feng Xia and her group entered, none of them even spared a glance.

Clearly, they were tightly disciplined and well-trained.

Going deeper inside, under the eaves of the innermost building, a person lay in a bamboo recliner. He was thin and gaunt, with shriveled skin, nothing but skin and bones, but his eyes were exceptionally sharp, cutting like a knife.

He scanned Feng Xia, and she couldn’t help but shiver, as if startled. She averted her gaze, refusing to meet his eyes, yet still held her chin high like a proud little peacock, frightened but unwilling to submit easily.

The old man scrutinized her for a long while and then Lin Feihu as well. Even Zhang Laosan’s legs were about to give out before the old man finally gave the order to take them to the back, where the items were ready.

Zhang Laosan wiped the sweat from his forehead, hurriedly agreed, and bent over to usher them away.