The north and south of the east city occupy two squares, and each side opens two gates, with a total of eight gates.

Because it is close to the Taiji Palace in the west, the Daming Palace in the east, and the Xingqing Palace in the south, and there are many royal nobles and dignitaries in the surrounding squares, so the goods operated in the market in the east market are mostly rare things to meet the needs of the royal family and nobles.

Jubao Zhai is located in the southeast corner of the east of the second store, more than 20 years of old shop, next to a pen and a pipa shop, at night, are closed.

The shopkeeper of Jubao Zhai is a little old man in his fifties, and the old customers call him Old Man Song. Over the past 20 years, I have touched countless treasures on my hands, and there are many things worth thousands of gold.

In this treasure circle of the East Market, everyone respectfully calls him Song Lao. There is no other reason, as long as the old man Song said that it was a genuine treasure, it could be sold for a good price, and if it was stamped with his mark, the price of a painting would have to be raised by one or two layers.

Old Man Song's Jubao Zhai is not the largest treasure store in this East Market, and the treasures are not the most, but with the golden sign of Old Man Song, he can sell several rare treasures every day, so that Old Man Song has made a lot of money.

Old man Song has no heirs, and he is a little picky, he doesn't talk much on weekdays, and he doesn't like to make friends with people.

The neighbors chewed their tongues behind their backs, saying that what was the use of him earning 10,000 taels of silver, and it was difficult to take it to the ground.

However, in the winter of two years ago, he picked up a little beggar who was dying of hunger from the door and came back and named him Song Xuelian. said that he was a young man in the shop, but in fact, he treated him like a grandson. An old man and a young man depend on each other for their lives, this lifeless Jubao Zhai. I can finally hear a few laughs from time to time.

Treasures, you have to take a closer look. Although Jubao Zhai has a good reputation in the East Market, there are few people who come to see and buy goods at night. So this year, the ten-year-old and cute Song Xue helped Old Man Song close the door as soon as it was dark, diligently cleaned up the cherished things placed outside, and walked upstairs with Old Man Song.

Old man Song's body was still stiff, and he didn't need to be carried by anyone, but now he put a hand on Song Xuelian's thin shoulder, and his face was full of relief.

Song Xuelian was still holding a square brocade box in her arms. As he walked, he looked up at Old Man Song and asked, "Grandpa, I heard you and Master Zhou say today that the bowl here is a white jade bowl handed down from the palace of the previous dynasty, which can be worth five thousand taels of silver, such a treasure, why haven't I heard you mention it before?" ”

Old man Song was holding a lantern in his hand, and the hand on Song Xuelian's shoulder was raised, and he gently rubbed his head. smiled and shook his head and said: "If it is really a white jade bowl handed down from the previous dynasty, grandpa will naturally teach you how to distinguish, you have learned everything I taught you well in the past two years, in terms of talent." You're so much better than I was back then. ”

Song Xuelian was slightly stunned when she heard this, her immature face showed a little doubt, and she asked a little puzzled: "Grandpa." You said that the most important thing in this business is credibility. According to your words, this white jade bowl is not real. Isn't it a lie to Master Zhou? ”

"The white jade bowl is naturally a real white jade bowl, although it is valuable, it is really not worth five thousand taels. But I didn't sell this bowl to Master Zhou, how can I lie to him. But if you can remember what I told you two years ago, it's not in vain that I taught you so much. Old man Song nodded with a smile.

"Grandpa, you often say that wealth does not leak wealth, if you don't plan to sell this white jade bowl, why do you want to release the news, wouldn't it attract people's attention." Song Xuelian's little face frowned together, she had been well fed and clothed in Jubaozhai in the past two years, although she was still a little thin now, but she was no longer the skinny black and thin beggar she was two years ago, but like a young master from a rich family, she looked quite cute.

On the second floor, there were two rooms, Old Man Song did not answer Song Xuelian's question, took the brocade box in Song Xuelian's hand, handed the lantern in his hand to him, took out a key from his arms, opened the room at the top of the stairs, put the brocade box on a small square table, exited the room, and locked the door.

Old man Song and Song Xue entered another room, lit the oil lamp in the corner of the room, the room was not big, there was a big bed, there was a desk by the window, the study room on the table was complete, and there were a few crooked copybooks, which should be written by Song Xue Lian.

Old man Song sat down on the edge of the bed, blew out the lantern, put it at the door, and gently covered the door Song Xuelian, beckoned, took his hand and sat on the edge of the bed, and suddenly asked for no reason: "Xuelian, are you afraid of death?" ”

What a big problem to die, and what a strange thing to ask a ten-year-old child.

But Song Xuelian didn't question Old Man Song's question, but thought about it carefully, shook her head and said, "Grandpa, you said that everyone in this world will die, and they will die anyway, what's the difference between early and late." And if it wasn't for my grandfather who carried me into the store two years ago, Xue Lian would have died, I've eaten everything in the past two years, and you love me so much, even if I die, I'm not afraid. ”

Old man Song's hands were full of ravines, wrapped in Song Xuelian's little hands, his eyes were full of pity, and he was silent for a while before he sighed lightly and said: "Grandpa is old, because of Mr.'s words, he has enjoyed more than 20 years of Qingfu in this treasure house, but he envies those old guys, and now he is estimated to be waiting for me to invite them to drink."

But you're different, you're still young, the world outside Jubaozhai is so big, there are still many things you should see, you have to remember that at your age, the most fearful thing is death, and if you die, there will be nothing. ”

Song Xue nodded as if she didn't understand, her face showed a little worry, she looked at Old Man Song and said softly, "Grandpa, why are you talking to me about this today?" ”

Old man Song grinned, and just as he wanted to speak, there was a soft sound at the back door downstairs, which was the sound of the door pin being pried open.

"Here we are." Old man Song whispered, stretched out his hand and rubbed Song Xuelian's head, stood up, led Song Xuelian to a landscape painting hanging next to the bed, pulled it up, and pressed it out of nowhere, and a dark pavilion four feet high, three feet wide, and three feet deep appeared on the wall.

Old man Song pulled Song Xuelian into the dark pavilion, looked at him and whispered: "Xuelian, remember, no matter what sound you hear, don't come out." Except for the Uncle Wuya who bought a broken bowl in the store last time, no one should believe it. ”

Song Xuelian looked at Old Man Song with some trepidation, glanced in the direction of the door again, and said with a crying voice: "Grandpa, don't you want Xue Lian?" Xue Lian don't leave you......"

"Silly boy, how can grandpa not want you, remember, live well, the outside world is wonderful." Old man Song looked at Song Xuelian lovingly and chuckled.

Old man Song took a step back, pressed a mechanism hidden behind the painting, looked at the slowly rising plank, his originally kind face slowly became resolute, and his voice was a little proud:

"A promiser, twenty-five years, Yuntai Division Vermilion Bird Fang Song Baoxuan, renamed today!" (To be continued.) )