Chapter 120: Shipping Out

I could not help but ask, "How much is that worth?"

Jin Sanshou smiled and said, "This piece is worth at least thirty thousand!"

Thirty thousand was certainly a significant amount. However, before I could speak again, Monk Wei suddenly interjected, "Old Jin, I’ve taken a liking to this young brother of mine. Take another good look."

Jin Sanshou hesitated for a moment, sized me up again, and then said, "I understand. Let’s make it fifty thousand. Brother Wei, you certainly have a sharp eye. How does that sound?"

"Heh, ordinary jade beads are worth at most ten thousand. From the Song or Ming dynasties, maybe twenty thousand. The further back you go, the older and more valuable they become. This isn't just an ordinary jade bead; it’s a 'Jade Linglong.' That doubles the price. Come on, Old Jin, even if my eye isn't as sharp as yours, I can see this is at least from before the Tang Dynasty—likely a Han Dynasty piece. Fifty thousand is too little," Monk Wei said with a faint smile, casting a sidelong glance at Jin Sanshou.

"Brother Wei, it seems your relationship with this young man is quite special," Jin Sanshou began, but Monk Wei cut him off: "I’ve already said as much—no need for the usual haggling. You handle it."

Jin Sanshou nodded and said earnestly, "I understand. Since you’ve said so, I’ll be perfectly frank. This jade bead is indeed a Han Dynasty piece, likely from the early Han. Fifty thousand for the bead, doubled for the Jade Linglong—one hundred thousand."

I was startled. The price gap was enormous. It had started at fifty thousand, but after Monk Wei’s subtle hint, it instantly doubled. I was truly taken aback. With that in mind, I took off my backpack and began to lay out the items one by one.

I had brought out six of those Jade Linglong beads, two small bronze artifacts, two red stones that looked like gemstones, three gold ornaments, and a white horn that resembled that of some animal. I had grabbed these items on a whim; some were chosen because I had seen the guy in the black sunglasses pick up similar ones, and I figured his judgment must be better than mine. I had simply followed his lead and stuffed them into my bag.

As I laid the items out, both Jin Sanshou and Monk Wei stared in disbelief, their eyes wide with shock.

Jin Sanshou gazed at the small pile of antiques, muttering, "Treasures, treasures, these are all true treasures."

I found a seat and watched as Jin Sanshou meticulously examined each piece with his magnifying glass. Monk Wei smacked his lips and asked, "Young man, it seems you and Old Black-Glasses managed to get your hands on quite a haul. Did you strike a rich tomb?"

Having been through so much, I was no longer the naive boy I once was. I understood the subtext of Monk Wei’s question—he wanted to know if I was still holding things back. I shook my head and smiled, "Brother Monk, don't tease me. These items almost cost me my life. It was a narrow escape."

I exaggerated slightly, maintaining a sincere expression. Whether Monk Wei believed me or not, he simply nodded, sipped his tea, and returned his attention to Jin Sanshou. After about half an hour, Jin Sanshou finished his inspection. He pushed up his glasses and said with a joyous look, "I’ve examined everything. They are all authentic, and essentially all from the Han Dynasty. Young man, are you looking to sell these as quickly as possible, or would you prefer to wait for a better price?"

I didn't quite understand, so I asked him to clarify. Jin Sanshou explained that if I wanted to sell immediately, he would find a buyer to take the entire lot at once—usually an antique dealer or a private collector. The advantage was speed and convenience. If I waited, the items could enter underground auction houses, which could fetch at least ten percent more, though the exact amount would be uncertain.

Though I hoped for the highest price, I was short on time. Speed was the priority, even if it meant earning less. Jin Sanshou nodded, indicating he understood, and began to outline the approximate values. These were conservative estimates, he noted; final prices would depend on the buyer.

The Jade Linglong beads were valued at one hundred thousand each, totaling six hundred thousand for the six. The two small bronze items were likely dowry pieces from a Han princess; otherwise, it would have been nearly impossible for the nomadic Loufan state to craft such high-quality bronzes. Being royal items, they were quite valuable despite their small size—worth over five hundred thousand each, totaling one million. I was stunned; had I known, I would have taken more bronzes.

The two red stones were red agate. They were difficult to preserve and had suffered some corrosion even in the underwater vault, but they were still worth twenty thousand each, totaling forty thousand. The three pure gold ornaments were less valuable, as I had long known that ancient gold isn't worth much in modern times due to its impurity.

However, while the material wasn't particularly valuable, the historical significance was. Each item was inscribed with a single character, likely meaning "joy" or "celebration," confirming they were indeed part of a dowry. In modern terms, it was like an ornament inscribed with "fortune," "wealth," or "longevity." Each piece was worth two hundred thousand for the historical value plus one hundred thousand for the gold, matching the price of a Jade Linglong. Given their exquisite craftsmanship for the era, the three pieces were worth nine hundred thousand.

As for the white horn, it was a rhinoceros horn. In the Han Dynasty, these were highly versatile, used as musical instruments or symbols of good fortune, carrying deep symbolic meaning.