Liulichang is a place that enjoys a reputation in Beiping to operate antique calligraphy and painting, an inconspicuous and not too big face in the north of this street is the antique shop run by Huang Tingting's father, the big-character plaque of "Bogu Zhai" is hung on the door frame, and there is an ancient acacia tree of more than 100 years old in front of the store. This antique shop is in the form of a front shop and a back factory, with the front shop displaying goods and buying and selling antiques; The back door of the shop connects to a courtyard that serves as a storeroom and a place to frame calligraphy and paintings, and Huang Tingting's family lives in it.

The history of this antique shop is not very long compared with the many antique shops in Liulichang, it was opened by a businessman who is said to have come from Shandong in the second year after the "77" incident, and the owner of this antique shop from Shandong is Huang Tingting's father, Huang Boyang. Huang Boyang was ostensibly the owner of antiques, calligraphy and paintings, but in fact he was an underground traffic officer sent to Beiping by the Communist Party, and his wife was also a member of the Communist Party.

The antique shop was an underground liaison station that delivered a lot of valuable information to the Communists during the Sino-Japanese War, which was never exposed. After the liberation of Peiping, the organization instructed it to continue to lurk and prepare for the struggle against the Kuomintang. Under the influence of her parents, Huang Tingting also joined the Communist Party at the age of 16, and their family of three were all underground members of the Communist Party.

At the beginning of 1948, the Kuomintang-Communist civil war developed in favor of the Communists, and the Kuomintang troops, which the Americans had so vigorously financed, were losing ground on the battlefield. The Central Committee of the Communist Party instructed the Party organizations in Peiping to take active action to develop the peripheral organizations of the Communist Party, unite all those who can be united, and make use of all available opportunities to strengthen the people's democratic forces, weaken and disintegrate the ruling base of the Kuomintang authorities in Peiping, and make preparations for the liberation of Beiping. Huang Tingting's organization of reading clubs on campus is to implement the instructions of the higher-level party organizations, and her first task is to propagate communist ideas among progressive students, expand the party's peripheral organizations, and develop the party's new forces.

After Huang Tingting came into contact with Wang Hongju, she felt that Wang Hongju was an upright person with beautiful pursuits. She wanted to guide Wang Hongju step by step onto the road of revolution. When Huang Tingting reported to her father, she talked about Wang Hongju and her family, and it happened that her father Huang Boyang and Wang Hongju's father Wang Yunqing still had some friendship.

Huang Boyang came to Peking from Qingdao to study in his youth, and he graduated from the Department of History of Fu Jen University, where he stayed after graduation. Because of his love of studying history, he is interested in antiques and traditional calligraphy and painting. In Beiping, he participated in the "129 Student Movement" and "May Fourth Movement"; After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, he ran to Yan'an with a group of young students and joined the Communist Party of China. In 1939, he was assigned by the Communist Party to return to Beiping. After returning to Beiping, Huang Boyang opened an antique shop in Liulichang, secretly carried out underground anti-Japanese activities as the owner of the antique shop, and used the antique trade to earn funds for the party's activities.

In Beiping during the Japanese occupation, there were not many people who played antique calligraphy and painting. Those who play antiques are those who dare to play and can afford to play. At that time, people in the antique circle basically knew, who collected what good treasures and who sold what things, and the insiders basically knew. At that time, Wang Hongju's father, Wang Yunqing, was idle at home, and he basically cut off contact with the outside world, and only Liulichang was a place he frequented.

Wang Yunqing is knowledgeable, appreciative and skilled, and his collection is not small in the circle in terms of financial resources; Huang Boyang is good at carving seals, and everyone in the glaze factory knows that Huang Boyang is an expert in seal appreciation. One day, Wang Yunqing once took a pair of Zheng Banqiao's ink and bamboo stone drawings to find Huang Boyang and asked him to identify the authenticity. Judging from the style of pen and ink and the material of rice paper, this painting is indeed the work of Zheng Banqiao, and Wang Yunqing is only a little suspicious of the mud color of the seal. He came to Huang Boyang to ask for advice. Huang Boyang looked at it carefully and told him that the seal of this painting was fine, and that this painting was Zheng Banqiao's authentic handiwork, and Wang Yunqing was very happy. In the following interactions, the two felt that the conversation was quite opportunistic. Temperament is like-minded, and there is a feeling of seeing each other late, so they become good friends. Later, for some reason, Wang Yunqing did not go to Liulichang for several years, and Huang Boyang didn't know what happened to this old friend. I still think about him from time to time.

After Huang Boyang learned about Wang Yunqing's situation from his daughter's mouth, he had the idea of looking for a chance to meet Wang Yunqing, but he didn't expect that an unexpected thing happened in the store a few days later and it was related to Wang Yunqing.

It was dusk. There was cold rain falling from the sky, and there were not many pedestrians on the streets. When Huang Boyang was about to close his room to rest, a man and a woman walked in from outside, both in their twenties. As soon as the young man entered the store, he took out a painting scroll from his beige windbreaker and asked the boss if he would accept it, and Huang Boyang said that he would take a look at the painting first. When the young man carefully opened the painting, Huang Boyang's eyes suddenly lit up, and he intuitively felt that the painting was good. He looked up at the people, and hurriedly picked up the magnifying glass, leaned over the counter, and looked at the painting carefully. After reading it carefully, his heart snickered with joy. He was 100% sure that this painting was Zheng Banqiao's authentic work! A rare treasure. People who really know how to draw will not easily sell it.

Huang Boyang was afraid that the seller would see his true mood and not be able to lower the price, so he put on an indifferent appearance and said lightly: "You can collect it, but it's just an ordinary painting, and it's not worth much." ”

The young man was a little anxious when he heard him say this, "Who said that this painting is worthless!" This is Zheng Banqiao's work, you know? Great painter of the Qing Dynasty! One of the Eight Monsters of Yangzhou. ”

Huang Boyang said unhurriedly: "Young man, don't worry, let me ask you, Zheng Banqiao's paintings must be valuable?" ”

"Anyway, this painting of mine is a treasure, don't look away! I was born in a wealthy family, I grew up in antique calligraphy and paintings, and I am well-informed, so don't take me as a hillbilly! ”

Huang Boyang said in his heart that this person's tone is not small, and he may be a little bit of a background. So he asked the guy to serve tea and politely let the two sit down. "Well, you two sit down for a moment, and then let me take a closer look at the painting."

Huang Boyang looked at the painting while looking at the person in front of him with his eyes. I saw that this young man was well-dressed, with fine skin and tender meat, with oil on his head in the middle, and a little arrogance in his eyes, not like a down-and-out child who relied on selling money to make a living; That girl was a little jasper-looking, beautiful and likable, but a little cheesy.

Huang Boyang raised his head and asked the young man: "You said that this painting is so valuable, so why do you want to sell it?" Wouldn't it be better to keep it at home? ”

The young man explained, "There is an urgent matter at home waiting for money before I was asked to sell it." ”

Huang Boyang asked on his lips, but he was thinking in his heart, how could such a precious painting be in the hands of two young people? He took a magnifying glass to look at the painting, and the more he looked at it, the more he liked it, and he couldn't stop admiring it in his heart: What a painting, it is really a rare treasure! When he was admiring it, he suddenly felt that the painting was familiar. Looks like I saw it a few years ago! He laid the painting on the table and looked at it unhurriedly, thinking about it. In order to delay time, Huang Boyang deliberately accosted two young people who sold paintings without saying anything. In the conversation between the two, the young man said that his family was full of people with yellow flags, and he had been a big official for generations, and his grandfather was the governor of Liangjiang, and this painting was passed down by his ancestors. Nowadays, the family road is dilapidated and needs money in an emergency, so I have to sell paintings when I have no way. The girl echoed and looked out of the store from time to time, a little nervously.

"Young man, why didn't your elders come to buy paintings, but let you two come?"

"Alas. It's a shame to sit and eat empty, my father is a face-saving person, he is afraid of laughing at people! ”

"Oh, that's what you're saying."

After looking at this painting carefully, Huang Boyang confidently put away the scroll. He was sure from the seal that this painting was the one that Wang Yunqing asked him to do the appraisal back then, and he had never heard of this painting on the market, and now the owner of this painting should be Wang Yunqing. He judged from the costumes and slightly immature speech and demeanor of these two people: this young man and woman would not be thieves in the market, the person dressed as a rich kid must be Wang Yunqing's family, and the girl must be his good look. It seems that the painting was stolen from the house by the two children and sold. Coincidentally, I was the buyer they were looking for. Otherwise, if it is sold to someone else, then Mr. Wang will definitely not be able to find this painting, and I will accept this painting today no matter what. He thought to himself that he slowly rolled up the painting.

"Shopkeeper, do you want to accept this painting? Otherwise, I'll find another shop and ask for a price. "The lad waited a little impatiently.

"Who said no?" Huang Boyang looked at him with a smile and said, "I took a closer look." This painting is indeed Zheng Banqiao's authentic work, but this is just his ordinary entertainment work, not a masterpiece. Tell me a price first. ”

"At this price, I think so." The young man looked at his girlfriend and put on a very sophisticated look and said, "Your old gentleman is an expert, you can give me a price first." ”

"My dad said he wanted dry goods." The girl poked the man and whispered in his ear.

"Shopkeeper's. I want gold bars, do you have them?" The lad asked.

Huang Boyang replied cheerfully: "I have gold bars!" As long as the painting is worth it, I'll give it. He smiled and gave a thumbs up to the two visitors: "As the saying goes: 'The world is safe to buy antiques, and gold is ready in times of war.'" 'Don't look at your two young years, you really have brains!' Admire! Admire! ”

"Do you think this painting is worth that much?" The woman didn't wait for the young man to answer, and hurriedly stepped forward and stretched out five fingers to Huang Boyang.

"Girl, didn't you kill me with a knife? I can't take that price. Huang Boyang raised his eyebrows as if he was frightened.

Hearing what the shopkeeper said, the girl's face, which was still shining just now, suddenly dimmed.

"Shopkeeper, we didn't ask you for a high price, if you want to hack us, we will find another place to sell! Anyway, there are antique shops on this street one by one! The young man picked up the painting and dragged his girlfriend out.

Seeing this, Huang Boyang hurriedly walked out of the counter with a smile and said: "Wait, listen to me, I guess you have also been to a few stores to inquire about the price, I dare to say that the price you want is that no one can give it even if you go all over the glass factory, if you don't believe it, you two will try it!" You don't want to think about it, when the world is in turmoil, it's too late to collect gold, who still pays gold? Moreover, at this time, the antique calligraphy and paintings in Xiali were priceless, and no one bought them. Hearing Huang Boyang say this, the young man and the girl stopped and looked at each other.

Huang Boyang saw the opportunity and said: "You two want to sell paintings, and I want to collect them." How can there be anything that is not bargained for when buying and selling things? As long as you really want to sell it, I really want to accept it, we can negotiate this price. Huang Boyang patted his thigh as if he had made a lot of determination: "I still lack Zheng Banqiao's painting here, so I have collected this painting!" I'll take it if you offer a high price! ”

"Well, since you're so sincere, we're not going anywhere!" The young man had a smug smile on his face. In fact, the two people who sold the paintings didn't really want to leave, and turned around when they heard the owner of the antique shop say this.

Huang Boyang pointed to the inner room with his hand and said: "Please go to the inner room to sit down first, I have a good West Lake Longjing, please taste it, and I will ask the guy to serve tea." ”

"Shopkeeper, we want gold bars! Do you have one? The young man asked uneasily.

Huang Boyang smiled and opened the curtain of the inner room and said, "It's no problem, who dares to ask for that broken paper?" I'll give you the gold bars, but you two don't knock me on the bamboo bar, let's talk inside, please come in! "A few people went into the house.

This is an antique Chinese small living room, furnishings are all mahogany Qing style furniture, there are a few calligraphy and paintings hanging on the white wall, the room is floating with a faint fragrance of ink, the living room is not big but very elegant. The two young men were not polite when they entered the house, sitting on the wide Luohan bed on one side, and Huang Boyang on the other side. After the shop guy served the tea, the buyer and seller began to negotiate the price of the tea, and the two sides bargained several times.

"Come, have some more tea." Huang Boyang very politely poured tea for the young man and girl.

The young man took a sip of tea and said, "Well, this tea is good!" The real West Lake Dragon Well. It is produced in Meishanwu in West Lake, Hangzhou. Except for the tea in the acres of tea plantations in Meishanwu, the tea produced in other places in Hangzhou is not a real Longjing. People who often drink Longjing will know its authenticity as long as they taste it carefully. ”

"That's right! You are absolutely right! There are not many young people like you who can taste tea, and you are worthy of being born in a family of eunuchs and well-informed. Huang Boyang nodded approvingly.

A pot of Longjing tea was drunk, and the business was closed. The lad said with great reluctance: "Alas! If it weren't for the family's rush to use the money, it wouldn't have made you pick up a big bargain. ”

Huang Boyang nodded and said with a smile: "Now the world is unstable, and the antique business is not easy to do. Now that we've made a deal, I'll make another pot of tea, and please sit down a little longer. ”

"It's not early, let's go!" The woman took a small cloth bag wrapped in gold bars, and then carefully took the young man's hand and was about to go out of the house, when the young man turned and pleaded, "Shopkeeper, if anyone asks about the provenance of this painting in the future, you must keep it a secret!" We have a good face, so as not to make people laugh at our family and ruin our reputation! ”

"Childe, don't worry, there are rules for doing our business, and you can't casually disclose the seller's privacy. I'm not going to talk about it! ”

"Thank you very much!"

Huang Boyang politely sent them outside the door to say goodbye, and the two left in a hurry. Huang Boyang looked at their backs and shook his head with a sneer, and said to himself: "The two of you haven't faded the yellow mouth, and you are still playing tricks with me?" I already knew what was going on! ”

Huang Boyang returned to the store, and he picked up the painting again and admired it for a while. He was planning to meet Wang Yunqing, an old friend, at this moment, he never dreamed that this painting of his old friend would run into his hands in such an unexpected way, and he could just borrow the painting to meet Wang Yunqing. He smiled, maybe it was providence! (To be continued......)