Chapter 22: The Ghost Market
Old Hu nodded, it turned out that this cold-faced Yan Wang, named Leng Sheng, in the north mixed very open, no matter the black road or white road, see him have to shout so a cold master. This person is mixed in the underworld, forces across the entire north, and even with Hong Kong, Taiwan and Asia abroad have his power network. Years to do some large-scale smuggling black work, under the help of no one knows the number of underground forces in the north can call the shots, the status and high. The government also wanted to rule him before, but because he has a great network of relations, coupled with the government can not get the exact strong evidence, so also a moment to help him not to do anything. Anyway, this time we screwed up his job, we will not have a good time. You have to know that the cold-faced king of hell's name, not without words for no reason shouted out, but kill kill out.
After listening to the old Hu they put the cold-faced Yama this person introduced, I realized that the original cold master of this person is really a murderous, no evil do nothing cold-blooded ruthless role, it seems that the next is really very troublesome.
When we arrived in Beijing, it was two days later. Old Hu their stores in Panjiayuan antique market, talking about antiques, fat and old Hu can not stop talking, all the way to me constantly told the antique line of a variety of seen and heard, of course, there are rules of the line and a variety of cheating, so let me more and more on the line of antiques to feel curious and mysterious.
Speaking of Panjiayuan, in recent years, China and abroad circulated a playful phrase: "Beijing has two major must-see crowd landscape - . Square look up to see the national flag; Panjiayuan stalls look down to find national treasures!" This saying is very humorous, also **one **this **read . Fiction . Very realistic. Some people have made special statistics, Panjiayuan daily traffic is generally about 80,000 people, to the holidays, it is a tide of tourists, shoulder to shoulder. Mention of Beijing Panjiayuan, now the world as long as the ancient Chinese works of art slightly interested in people, I am afraid that no one knows, no one knows. In the domestic antique world is even more so, the circle of people who have not been to Panjiayuan, I'm afraid to talk to people about the industry will be looked down upon, as those antique customers did not come to Liulichang in the early years in general.
Panjiayuan old goods market is located in the East Third Ring Panjiayuan Bridge west side, before 1995, this has been formed here known as the "ghost market". Of course, this does not mean that the real ghosts, this name is derived from the "do not do people specializing in ghosts" of the cockroaches and thieves, to steal things while it is dark to take out to sell, called "not to be seen in the light".
In the old days, the "ghost market" in an open space, no lighting, stroll "ghost market" people or carry a lantern, or playing flint, light ghostly, illuminated by the shadow of the people fluctuating; there are even more unscrupulous merchants to take advantage of the darkness to sell some of the unseemly forgeries, buy and sell all in the Buy and sell all in the dark, the two sides of the transaction is based on wishful thinking, so the "ghost market" of the name gradually spread. At that time, every day before dawn, some unknown "ghosts" have drilled out of the hutongs, occupy the open space on both sides of the street, put down the burlap sacks or snakeskin bags, and pull out some of the old goods from the inside of the stalls on the ground.
Don't see the "ghost market" crowded, but the large market does not appear to be the noise of the crowd. With "a zipper a box, a piece of cloth to go around" to describe the Panjiayuan "ghost market" on the seller is very appropriate. Sellers rent a good site, a piece of cloth on the ground, from the box out of a newspaper wrapped objects, a line of business will be counted as open. Buyers patronize, picking and choosing, at their disposal, never shouting. Therefore, thousands of stalls Panjiayuan "ghost market" can not hear the sound of any selling. And buyers equipped with a small flashlight, there is a "equipment" is commonly known as the cummerbund cloth pockets. These people first carefully study the favorite items, once the deal, immediately put their favorite treasure into the bag. In the old days, the cummerbund has two pockets, can be back and forth on the shoulder, and now just a rough cloth pocket, the style has changed, the function is the same, these rules passed down in the old days, and now can not be undermined.
It is said that Beijing Panjiayuan "ghost market" is some origin, the end of the Qing dynasty, social unrest, a large number of the palace collection into the market. Especially after the death of the Qing dynasty, the palace aristocracy of the playboys, court officials of the wives and children of the old and young life in trouble, have no choice but to start selling their babies at home, these people specialize in picking the remote and dark "Ghost Market" stand, there is a collection of antique hobbies people tend to be able to find the rare treasures.
Earlier years, in Panjiayuan "ghost market" pick up the leakage of the story often happen. Some people spend 150 yuan to buy a porcelain vase home, signing found that this is the Song dynasty official kiln palace imperial things, worth 3 million; there is an old man spent 20 dollars to buy a carved inscription of the Yuan dynasty Jingdezhen colored porcelain goblet, after identification that is worth a lot of national treasures; there are also 300 yuan to buy a terracotta figurines home, experts signed for the Northern Wei Dynasty, the value of the city is immeasurable. In recent years, the legend of the leakage when a collector in Panjiayuan with a price of 1,000 yuan to get a good book of the scriptures, after identification, the value of each page of the scriptures as high as 10,000 yuan.
Of course, these are the harvest of the lucky ones. More with the mindset of picking up leaks to Panjiayuan "ghost market" people, the result is to buy fakes and counterfeits, a large amount of money even paid tuition. Want to find a good treasure, there is no very deep "Dao Xing" will certainly hit the "ghost".
Old Hu Fatty walk and talk, not long before they took me to the market in front of a two-story wooden building. Just see this building has two floors, ancient, like a tea house in the ancient costume drama. I asked Old Hu, is this your store?
Old Hu nodded, and then opened the door, into the house, I will marvel in awe, only to see the head of the cabinet is full of colorful antique play pieces, while the wall is hung with large and small antique paintings, very bright.
Looking at so many antiques in front of me, I can not help but smack call: "I said the old Hu, you store so many antiques, that has to be worth a lot of money it, you still go to steal what tomb ah?"
Which know the two heard, smiling wistfully, looked at the door no one, then said: "brother, do not look at this on the surface of things, here are not a few is the real thing."
Upon hearing this, I was immediately dumbfounded, this motherfucker is also too treacherous, motherfucker full of treacherous merchants ah. I cursed a few times in my heart and asked him, "All fake? That can be sold? Is not on the head of your store to all fools not."
Old Hu laughed, said I will know this business later, and then went to pack up the luggage to go. Fatty came over and patted me on the shoulder, "Those like you will buy it."
"Do I look like a fool? Hey, first do not busy ah, first with me to say clearly to ah, I am like a fool?"
That night, the old man said is to give me to receive wind washing dust, three big rub a meal, drink is drunk, the next morning, we are a burst of urgent knocking on the door to wake up. Only to see the old Hu suddenly sat up with a brain, alarmed: "Oh no, must be the Leng master's people received the news that we came back, so they sent people!"
Hearing Old Hu say so, I was directly startled, thinking that what should come is finally coming. Besides that fat man, originally slept with a dead pig like, spare to hear this is also suddenly like a corpse straight up, fraudulent call: "What, on the come? It seems that today the fat master my life is off!"
I and the old Hu rolled his eyes, and then the old Hu went to open the door, only to see the people are two men in their twenties, a black suit, wearing sunglasses, face with a murderous spirit, live like a triad.
After the sunglasses man scanned us, he said, "Master Leng ordered that you go see him as soon as possible." After saying that, he stretched out his hand and made a gesture of "please".
Following his hand, I saw that there was already a big car parked outside the door. Originally, I wanted to prepare first, and then go to see Cold Face Yama, but it seems that the other party is not willing to give us time to prepare.
In this way, the three of us were half invited and half coerced to get into the car.
I was the first time to ride the big Ben, originally should feel excited, but at this time I was filled with sadness, or worry, may be the last time in my life to ride the car may also say.
The three of them didn't say a word and just looked out the car window.
Because I am new to Beijing, the roads and place names here do not know, the city through and through, a few minutes after the car directly out of the city, and finally the car came to the outskirts of a compound behind the door.
The entrance to the compound is a large iron gate, the iron gate stood two people in black, see our car will rush to open the door for us, and then the car around a flower bushes, and finally parked in the courtyard of a large villa door.
Once the car, a careful survey of the surroundings, only to see the villa outside the stand of a hundred black-clothed people, and there are all kinds of crowd to this rush. Those who come and go, in addition to the black clothes and sunglasses of the fighter, is a ferocious face of the big brother-like characters. See this situation, I froze the whole person, originally thought that in case the talk is not good, relying on their own hands, perhaps also can spell a life out, but look at today's situation, clearly caught up with their triad party, now not to mention I'm just a small life, even if it is to give me nine lives will have to be chopped up by them not.
I quietly asked the old Hu, how this moment here so many people, are some characters. Old Hu put his head back: "Tomorrow will be August Mid-Autumn Festival, think today they are coming to celebrate the festival, the mob on the level of the big brother should come."
I was very surprised, only heard of the company will organize such celebrations, but never heard of the triads will also come to this set. At this time, Old Hu added: "Later I will tell Master Leng that the matter of the ancient jade has nothing to do with you, and beg him to let you go. Anyway, just don't talk nonsense when the time comes."
Seeing Old Hu's serious face, I knew that he meant what he said. However, I came today, I did not think of going back alone, after all, the ancient jade is what I told them to hand over, if I do not help them to resolve this matter, I will be uneasy in my heart for the rest of my life, then what is the point of living alone.
I did not answer the old Hu, just began to think about what to do later.
