The Beautiful Boss's Personal Bodyguard
Chapter 132

Chapter 132: Chapter 132

Ye Tian was at a loss where to begin, he only remembered Pig Hu telling him something about Yuangqinghua, so he reached out to pick up a piece of porcelain to check, but Little Bun who had followed him from behind, pulled him back.

"What’s the matter?"

Little Bun cast a glance, "They say you’re a country bumpkin, and you’re actually waiting to get fleeced?"

Ye Tian was stunned on the spot, as Little Bun didn’t seem to be joking.

"Master, you’re really good at doing business, targeting your fellow villagers to trick them, huh?"

"Oh my, look at how forgetful this old man has been," the old man with graying hair suddenly slapped his forehead and stood up, walking over to Ye Tian opposite him, "I was careless, sorry about that, brother."

"Hmph, you sure have a way with words, ’careless’? Your ’carelessness’ could have cost hundreds of thousands, couldn’t it? I hate to speak nastily, but Master, if you’re going to con someone, atleast choose your mark properly, no? Just look at him, ragged clothes, not much money on him, even a blind person wouldn’t pick him out. Tsk tsk, you’re something else."

Little Bun ranted on, saying some unpleasant things, and Ye Tian got up, looking like he was about to lose his temper, but then a hand landed on his shoulder; it was from that Master.

"Young man, don’t be upset about his foul words, it’s indeed my mistake."

Ye Tian frowned.

"The rule of buying and selling antiques is a cash-and-carry basis, to give you an example. Like just now, if you wanted to buy my item, I’d place it here, it’s fine, then you take it. But if something happens while it’s in your hands, then it’s on you, and whatever price I say, you have to pay."

"What if there’s a flaw that you purposely concealed? Like what if this vase has a crack at the bottom?"

"That’s when your eyesight and experience are tested. You can ask me to pick up the item for you to inspect again, but if you don’t make the request, then you’re just waiting to be fleeced."

That’s the cash-and-carry deal.

An enlightening experience indeed. Ye Tian touched his hands, inwardly lamenting that he almost had to compensate millions.

"Hmph, scared now, huh? I told you to stay put and not to wander, but no, you just had to touch stuff, and now you’re in this mess, thinking every pot and bowl here is some priceless treasure." Little Bun seized the opportunity to give Ye Tian a good tongue-lashing, while occasionally shooting disdainful glances with his piercing eyes at the old Master.

The old Master sighed heavily, his expression fallen, turned around and silently walked back to his stall, with Little Bun moving to Ye Tian’s side, "That’s enough, don’t look anymore, he’s just an old swindler, just be careful next time—ah!"

Suddenly, a loud "smash!" startled Little Bun, who turned around to see that the porcelain vase Ye Tian had been about to pick up had been shattered by the old Master, pieces scattered all over the ground. The old man was standing there, face ashen, staring at the broken shards.

"Oh my, Old Shi, what happened here?" A master of similar age hastily ran over, and upon picking up the fragments from the ground, he was even more shocked, "Old Shi, isn’t this the Jun Porcelain that’s been passed down in your family? Why’d you smash it?"

"It’s a loss of face, and a loss of trust. Unacceptable," Old Man Shi sighed, showing no pity for the broken pieces on the ground.

"Huh, what a convincing act! These two actors, they pair up well, don’t they?" Little Bun said disdainfully.

"I don’t think it looks like it," Ye Tian freed himself from Little Bun’s hold and slowly stepped forward.

As the neighboring old man raised the alarm, more and more people came over, including fellow business dealers as well as onlookers passing by; soon, various exclamations were heard from within the crowd.

"Well, this really is a piece of Jun Porcelain from the Qing Dynasty."

"And it’s from the official kiln at that."

"It must be worth at least two or three hundred thousand."

"What a pity, it’s too badly damaged. Otherwise, glued back together, it could still sell for thirty to fifty thousand."

There, Little Bun had nothing to say.

"So, according to you, these people are all shills?"

With one question, Little Bun was so tongue-tied he couldn’t speak, his face flushed red and his feet stamped in frustration.

A gap appeared in the crowd, and Old Man Shi walked out from within, heading straight for Ye Tian.

"Young man, my earlier behavior was inappropriate, I’ve lost the face of craftsmen and tarnished the reputation of our ancestors, I’m sorry!"

Ye Tian’s hand was gripped tightly by Old Man Shi; despite trying to withdraw it, the old man’s grip was firm, a testament to the conscience of the older generation that was still being passed down on this land. This legacy filled Ye Tian’s heart with deep emotion.

"Hey, what’s going on here? Old Man Shi, what’s this, a concert?"

It was as if someone had encountered an annoying nuisance; toward the source of the noise, the crowd quickly parted, and the person emerging from there, dressed in an expensive black suit and handmade, intricate leather shoes, appeared to be some rich upstart.

Old Man Shi’s face darkened, he let go of Ye Tian’s hand, and went back to his stall, quietly began packing up his things, sorting them into their proper places.

"Hey, Master Shi, why are you closing up shop just as I arrive? They say the customer is god, but you don’t seem to treat god very well."

"You...!"

The young man stepped on Master Shi’s hand, which was busy packing things up; it was a seemingly inadvertent touch but annoying enough.

"Master Shi, have you considered my offer? Will you sell that half Copper Coin or not! I’m offering a full million for it, and if you miss this chance, there won’t be another."

A million? What kind of deal was this?

Ye Tian quietly moved to the neighboring old man and asked in a low voice, quickly gaining an understanding of the situation.

Old Man Shi had an ancient coin in his possession called Deyi Yuanbao; it was a currency minted by Tang Dynasty rebel general Shi Siming after he declared himself emperor. However, its issuance was halted after just one month; thus, surviving specimens were extremely rare. According to historical records, there were only three such coins in existence, and their authenticity was still under debate. Yet Old Man Shi had half of one of these genuine Copper Coins.

Half of a coin, just half. Although Ye Tian didn’t understand antiques, he understood people, and he could tell from the young man’s appearance that he was no good.

"Here’s the deal, old man. In addition to this million, how about I give you two more stones? You can pick any stone from my collection, and whichever you choose, I’ll gift to you for free, and I’ll even open them up for you. What do you think?" The young man waved generously as if he owned everything in the yard.

"I’m not interested in your stones, nor your money. And as for that Copper Coin you’re talking about, I don’t know what it is. If you keep pestering me here, I’m going straight to Young Master Shen." Old Man Shi put down the items in his hands, stood up, and faced off against the young man.