Spy Wars: I can get rewards by being a bully!

Chapter 488 No, why did I start calling him Master Lin!

Liulichang has been a trading center for calligraphy and paintings since the previous dynasty.

Compared to other antique markets where there are all kinds of people, this place has more intellectuals coming and going. Although it lacks the hustle and bustle of a market, it has a more scholarly atmosphere.

Of course, no matter where you are, if you want to buy real things, you still have to have a good eye. There are many fake things in Liulichang, especially in calligraphy and painting. The various counterfeiting methods are so advanced that even people who have been hanging around in this antique market since childhood often get fooled.

Duan Wenxuan was wearing a moon-white satin gown. It had rained this morning and there was a little fog in the morning, so there were not many people on the street at the east gate of the factory.

Although he was wearing an old-fashioned long gown, he was wearing a pair of leather boots on his feet.

This was the fashionable way of dressing at the time. If cloth shoes were worn with a long gown, it would look rustic. If leather boots were worn with a long gown, it would look steady yet a little trendy, and was very popular among the wealthy children of Peking at the time.

Turning to the door of an antique shop, there were three golden characters written on the plaque: Jiugu Pavilion.

Before he entered, the sharp-eyed clerk lifted the blue curtain and said, "Oh, my good Mr. Duan, I was just about to send you an invitation. Guess what we got in the shop? A fragment of the Yongle Encyclopedia from the Jiajing period. It's a first-rate treasure! Please come in, please come in!"

As he was speaking, Zhou Yanqiu, the shop owner behind the counter, also stood up to greet him.

Shopkeeper Zhou was in his thirties and came from a noble family. His grandfather had been a Hanlin in the previous dynasty and had also been sent out to serve as a provincial education commissioner for several years. He had saved up quite a bit of wealth. By the time of Zhou Yanqiu's generation, he did not run any other businesses but opened an antique bookstore, where he would invite friends to read books and appreciate paintings every day, and he was very comfortable.

Although Zhou Yanqiu is not very old, he has liked hanging out in Liulichang since he was a child. He has trained himself to be observant and attentive, and he can always make friends with people no matter who they are.

A few days ago, Duan Wenxuan came to sell things and found this shop. Zhou Yanqiu paid attention to him at that time. Seeing that Duan was an extraordinary person, he did not try to cheat him. He gave a good price for the several books he brought. After a few visits, the two became friends.

After learning that Duan Wenxuan was working in the detective team, Zhou Yanqiu became even more enthusiastic.

Nowadays, good stuff often flows out of the hands of those people in the detective team and the police department. Real collectors hold on to them and are reluctant to sell them. In the end, if anything happens to these people, things like gold and silver will be taken by high-ranking officials. On the contrary, calligraphy and paintings are divided among themselves and then sold in Liulichang.

It's a turbulent time now, and things like calligraphy and paintings are not valuable. But the so-called worthless depends on what you compare them to. Just like the books that Duan Wenxuan brought in two days ago, I sold them for nearly two hundred dollars, which is not a small amount of money!

Xiao Duan bowed and said, "Manager Zhou, I'm sorry to bother you."

Zhou Yanqiu invited Xiao Duan to sit at the Eight Immortals Table and made tea himself.

Xiao Duan took out a long rosewood cigarette holder, then took out a three-gun cigarette from the cigarette holder, knocked it slowly on the table, and then screwed it into the cigarette holder.

Shopkeeper Zhou lit a match at the right time and lit it for him.

I thought that Mr. Duan not only worked in the detective team, but also had a wealthy family. This rosewood cigarette holder of his was not a new item. It was inlaid with jadeite. Although it was not priceless, it could be exchanged for a few hundred dollars.

After chatting for a while and waiting for Duan Wenxuan to finish his cigarette, Shopkeeper Zhou took out the incomplete copy of the Yongle Encyclopedia.

The two of them looked at it seriously for a long time. Xiao Duan patiently looked at the paper and the print.

I will consult Manager Zhou carefully and make up for the missed lessons.

Seeing that it was noon, Duan Wenxuan suggested: "I have bothered Manager Zhou for a long time today, and I have heard you talk about so many ways to identify ancient books. Now that we are at the restaurant, why don't I host the dinner and we can eat, drink and chat. What do you think, Manager Zhou?"

Zhou Yanqiu certainly wanted to get closer to Duan Wenxuan, but when he heard about eating and drinking, he hesitated and said, "To be honest with you, Master Duan, I have been a vegetarian since my mother passed away, and I have never broken the fast until now..."

I thought a playboy like Xiao Duan would be unhappy, but unexpectedly Duan Wenxuan was considerate and said, "In this case, Shopkeeper Zhou must know a suitable place. Why don't we find a simple and clean restaurant?"

Zhou Yanqiu was overjoyed!

Oh, this brother Duan is quite particular!

"There is a teahouse nearby called Guangdelou, which was opened by someone from Guangdong Province. It not only has a variety of good teas, but also northern and southern snacks. The vegetarian noodles are especially delicious. Why don't we go and try them?"

When Xiao Duan heard this, he thought, well, now there’s no need to waste time.

Being a spy is so fucking tiring!

The two of them got up and went to Guangde Building.

As soon as we got there, we saw a lot of people. Zhou Yanqiu seemed to be a regular customer, and people greeted him from time to time. Duan Wenxuan, who was following him, also attracted a lot of attention.

Zhou Yanqiu was worried that some shady people would target Xiao Duan, so he deliberately said loudly when chatting with people: "This is Master Duan, a leading figure in the detective team!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the teahouse suddenly became quiet, and then the voices of conversation became much quieter.

Duan Wenxuan is still a young man after all, and he was secretly happy!

..........................

In the detective team, Xiao Duan, who had been busy all day, finally came back and Jiao Zhenguo was waiting for him in the office.

"You're back, how's it going?"

Xiao Duan lit a cigarette and said, "Don't mention it. He talks in a flowery way all day and still wears a long gown and uses a cigarette holder to smoke, just like a woman!"

Jiao Zhenguo was delighted. "I say, you are a foreign student after all."

Xiao Duan curled his lips and said, "Foreign students wear suits and ties..."

"Going out on a date with Mr. Yang's daughter?"

Jiao Zhenguo knew some things about his past, so he teased him.

Xiao Duan felt embarrassed and laughed, "Captain, when did I let the word out that I wanted to collect that Jifu Tongzhi?"

Jiao Zhenguo leaned back in his chair, crossed his legs, and picked up a newspaper. "Don't worry. Go to Liulichang whenever you have time. I'll let you know when the time is right."

But I thought to myself, how would I know when to start preparing for the meeting? I have to wait for that guy Old Sun to give the order.

We need to observe discipline!

When Xiao Duan heard that he had to go, he felt a little discouraged.

He slumped in a chair, smoking intermittently.

Jiao Zhenguo saw his expression and said with a smile: "Do you think this is boring?"

Xiao Duan looked at the doors and windows and whispered, "Captain, they are not as good as my classmates. They are from the Anti-Traitor Group. At least they can fire a few shots and drop a bomb from time to time..."

Jiao Zhenguo turned another page of the newspaper. "You still have to learn. In our business, what's important is not shooting or dropping bombs, but life."

Speaking of this, Jiao Zhenguo thought of Lin Ze again for some reason.

Damn, I wish I could be as cool and cool as Master Lin!

No! Why did I start calling him Uncle Lin?