If you have just come to a strange city, if you have not found a job, if you still have a few hundred dollars in your pocket, then you open this book, it may be helpful to you: earn a little food and clothing, mix food, there should be no problem, if you are lucky, get rich overnight, it is not impossible to be angry!

There are many collectible books in which a single page is worth a page of gold.

The characters in this story are purely fictional, do not sit in the opposite seats, if there are similarities, it is pure coincidence.

- Author's note

Chapter 1: Ghost City

The ghost market mentioned here is not a place to sell ghosts, nor is it a place for ghosts to trade goods. Ghost markets are night markets, markets formed spontaneously by people – starting late at night and ending at dawn. At that time, the night was hazy, the stars were dotted, and the dark figures shuttled between the dark stalls, even if they walked on the opposite side, they couldn't see clearly, and they looked like ghosts fluttering from a distance. Most of them are people, but there are also some ghosts who are in the middle of it.

In a ghost market, you don't try to see a stranger's face. Perhaps, under your careful inquiry, a face with long hair and no facial features will appear in front of your eyes; Don't pay too much attention to where the person who was still around just now suddenly went。。。。。。

At the end of the eighties of the last century, or earlier, a ghost market for the trading of old books and antiques spontaneously formed near the Chaotian Palace in Nanjing.

At that time, every weekend, from one or two o'clock in the morning to seven or eight o'clock the next morning, the sidewalks next to the east and west gates of Chaotian Palace would be filled with dense stalls, and there were about one or two hundred in the heyday. Each stall is filled with all kinds of books, calligraphy and paintings, antiques and cultural toys.

Most of the vendors in the ghost market are old books. With only the faint light of the street lamp, it is impossible to see every item on the stall clearly, so the people who shop for goods basically have a miniature flashlight. They walked alone or in pairs, carefully selecting their favorite objects in front of each stall. From a distance, there are stars in front of each stall, sometimes wandering, sometimes stagnant, and from time to time there is a high or low bargaining sound. The whole market is full of people and lively.

Qian Yongqiang is one of the 200 vendors. He is from a remote village in northern Jiangsu. Medium-sized, although the person is thin and weak, white and pure, but has a hard-working quality beyond ordinary people. In order to occupy a good position, just after ten o'clock the night before, I hurriedly rode a tricycle full of books to the Chaotian Palace ghost market, and set up a bookstall in a place where the street lights were slightly bright. Before he could set up the stall completely, the first wave of book-seekers gathered around, everyone was in a hurry, quickly pulled the books they probably needed in front of them, and then carefully selected them one by one, brushed down the books they didn't need, threw them back to the stall, and finally patiently bargained with him.

Under normal circumstances, most of the people who come to buy books in the middle of the night are customers who have opened bookstores in Nanjing or all over the country, and they are very familiar with the vendors, and some of them are old customers for many years, and they can enjoy the treatment of wholesale prices.

Qian Yongqiang quickly sold out the books on the stall. Seeing that it was still early, he took a flashlight and searched around. I hope to find good books and earn a few dollars to spend.

After turning around for a long time, he didn't find a book that caught his eye. When he was about to go home in despair, he suddenly found that in a large stall, all the books were arranged in a mess, but there was a stack of books neatly stacked. Take a closer look, it is Qian Zhongshu's "Pipe Cone Knitting". A very sturdy stall owner sat on a small pony, stretched out one long leg, while looking at the bookstall and the stall owner next to him, he was full of energy and spittle. When Qian Yongqiang was passing by here just now, he found that a few bookstore owners were shopping for goods, so he didn't come up. Those shopkeepers are like going through a sieve, and it is difficult to have "fish that slip through the net". How could no one want this set of books? It must be that the stall owner's offer is too high. Qian Yongqiang thought about it: Since you have seen it, ask for a price and take a look.

"Boss, how do you sell this set of books?"

"Is that you? Money boss! Why are the books sold out, come over and 'pound two'? The stall owner skimmed the chatter and started talking to Qian Yongqiang.

"Well, it's you." Qian Yongqiang helped his eyes, the person in front of him was quite familiar, and when he remembered it, he had met him a few times at the acquisition station of Boss Gao in Qingshi Village, and probably knew that this person's name was Huang Youcai - with a loud voice, how could he speak bluffing.

"What, there's something you see?" Huang Youcai greeted Qian Yongqiang warmly, "They are all peers, how about giving you a discount on the price?" ”

"How much does that set of books cost?" Qian Yongqiang pointed to the set of "Pipe Cone Knitting" and asked.

"Hey, if it's any other book, the price is easy to say," Huang Youcai scratched his head and said, "I didn't sell this set of books just now when Boss Nanda Zhang gave me five hundred." Everyone is a peer, you want, take five hundred! ”

"It's so dark that I can't complain that this set of books hasn't been sold. Not to mention the stalls in the ghost market, even if they are placed in the bookstore, they can't sell for 500. Qian Yongqiang muttered in his heart, took a copy and flipped through it, just as he was about to say a few polite words, and then leave, he suddenly found that there were a few lines of pen words in the corner of the title page of the book, and when he looked at it, it seemed to be Qian Zhongshu's words for someone. These lines are not very conspicuous, and you really can't find them if you don't pay attention.

Qian Yongqiang's heart trembled, and he hurriedly stabilized his emotions. peeked at Huang Youcai and found that there was nothing unusual about him, and he was still chatting with the people next to him. Qian Yongqiang pretended to be indifferent and gently put down the book in his hand. I thought to myself, if this is the signature of Mr. Qian Zhongshu, it will be worth a lot of money - it should be able to sell for 8,000 yuan. Qian Yongqiang didn't dare to take a closer look, he was afraid that Huang Youcai would find out this secret, and he was afraid that it would be difficult to buy it for five thousand. Qian Yongqiang silently put down the book, walked to his side, and ordered five hundred yuan for him.

"I love this set of books, buy them and read them for myself. It's nothing more expensive or cheaper. Qian Yongqiang said something against his will, and walked over to hold the set of books in his arms, "Let's go, Boss Huang!" ”

"You go slowly, Boss Qian!" Boss Huang's attention was on money at this time, and while he counted the banknotes that Qian Yongqiang gave him, he said, "Let's see if there is anything else on my stall that you are interested in?" ”

"No more!"

Qian Yongqiang shook his head and slowly left with a stack of books. After walking a few steps, he peeked at Huang Youcai and the people around him, and found that no one was paying attention to him, so he quickly quickened his pace.

"Boss Qian, what good goods have you found?" Just as Qian Yongqiang lowered his head and walked quickly, a person stood in front of him and blocked the way. When I looked up, it was Boss Zhang of Nanda's "Self-improvement" bookstore. "Let me see."

Boss Zhang is a native of Jiangxi, in his fifties, not tall, dark-skinned, and stocky. When I came to Nanjing more than ten years ago, I first set up a stall and then opened a bookstore, and I am very knowledgeable and well-informed.

"A set of "Pipe Cone Knitting"." Qian Yongqiang stopped. In fact, whether Qian Yongqiang picked up the books at the acquisition station or the books he bought in the ghost market, he finally sold them to these bookstore owners at a higher price. "Buy it and see for yourself." That's all excuses.

"Is it Huang Youcai's set?" Boss Zhang looked at the book and asked, "How much did you buy it?" ”

"Five hundred!"

"You stupid! This set of books can only be sold for three or four hundred yuan in the store! Boss Zhang stomped his feet, "Just now he and I also opened five hundred yuan, and I didn't even pay attention to it!" When I went back, I saw that the book was gone, and I didn't expect to be bought by you! ”

"I like this set of books, it's more expensive, it's okay!" Qian Yongqiang said.

"Hey, forget it. You have to lose money on this set of books, so don't add me money, I'll help you eat it at the original price! Boss Zhang shook his head and sighed, "Who called us friends!" ”

"No, I'm signing it!" Qian Yongqiang leaned into Boss Zhang's ear and whispered.

"What, autograph? Qian Zhongshu's autographed book? Make no mistake! Boss Zhang's eyes widened and he said loudly, which immediately attracted the attention of the people next to him.

"Be quiet!" Qian Yongqiang scolded Boss Zhang dissatisfiedly, and ran towards his tricycle.

"There's a signature there? Let me see! Boss Zhang followed closely behind at a trot.

Seeing that it was far away from Huang Youcai's stall, and no one around paid attention to it, Qian Yongqiang pointed out the place where he signed it to Boss Zhang.

"Oops, why didn't I find the signature!" Boss Zhang patted his head and was annoyed.

Qian Yongqiang smiled and didn't speak. I thought to myself, "This is not your wealth." ”

"How do you know it's Qian Zhongshu's signature," Boss Zhang said, "If it's mud imitated by someone else?" ”

"I don't feel like it's a fake!" Qian Yongqiang took the book under the light and looked at it carefully, and then handed the book to Boss Zhang to read.

At this time, there were people around in twos and threes. Qian Yongqiang didn't want more people to know about this, after all, this was a book that had just been picked up from the ghost market. But even if there are more people around, Qian Yongqiang is helpless, because this is a super-free market. The sharp-eyed one found the clue from Boss Zhang's fingers: "Signed book!" Money Bell bookmarked! ”

I heard that it was Qian Zhongshu's autographed book, but the people around me didn't believe it.

"Qian Zhongshu's autographed book, how valuable it is, how can it flow to the ghost market?"

"Not necessarily, maybe it came from a collector. Some collectors themselves have passed away, and their families don't understand it, so it's normal to sell them. Besides, the ghost market often produces high-quality products, and you haven't seen it before! ”

"Hey, this set of books is so familiar."

"I heard it was just tao!"

"Xiao Huang had a set there just now, the price was five hundred, I didn't touch it, that kid is too dark!"

"That's it!"

"It's a pity! - It turned out to be a signed book, I can't complain - hey! ”

"I'm afraid Xiao Huang doesn't know it's a signed book, if he knows, he won't open five hundred。。。。。。"

The onlookers talked about it word by word. Among them, there are also experts in identification, but because the book is in the hands of Boss Zhang, everyone can't screen it carefully.

Some of these people have bookstores, and some are full-time collectors of rare books. There are several people who are familiar with Boss Zhang, and they usually have business dealings.

Boss Zhang ignored the discussions of the people around him, looked at Qian Yongqiang, smacked his lips and said, "I feel that this signature is eighty percent imitated。。。。。。 ”

"Boss Zhang, you and I are very familiar with each other, you know my level, and I also know your level. Neither of us can tell if it's real or not. Qian Yongqiang suggested, "Why don't you find an expert to see, the appraisal is correct, and you buy it again?" ”

In fact, whether the signature on this book is copied or not, Boss Zhang is really not sure. He, like Qian Yongqiang, is at the level of "half a bottle". Simple and inferior falsification can still be seen. If it is a high-imitation thing, Boss Zhang has no way to take it. Boss Zhang knows his level.

For a while, Boss Zhang fell into deep thought: "It's not that I haven't thought about finding an expert for identification." But once the authenticity is identified, then this business will be Ding to Ding Mao, and there is no loss to eat, but at the same time, there is no "leakage" to pick up. ”

"Boss Zhang, if you're not sure, why don't we take a look first?"

Seeing these two people grinding and chirping, it was a bit difficult to talk, and they couldn't talk for a while, and someone next to them couldn't bear it, so they just wanted to plug in a lever.

"Lao Zhu, Lao Sun, you two are not very good at the road today! Do you know the rules, grab business? When I say no, it's not too late for you to watch again! Boss Zhang glared at the two people who were coaxing next to him.

No matter where you buy something, it is taboo that the price here has not been negotiated, and there are waiting for the next family next to it.

In this case, Boss Zhang's mood became a little impatient, but on the surface, he had to pretend to be calm and light.

"Just tell me how much these books are, the price is right, whether it's true or not, I bought it." Zhang Ziqiang no longer paid attention to the people around him. They are all old oilers who have been in the market for many years, and everyone counts what they think and think. Don't look at the people they usually call brothers, in front of interests, no one has done anything less than tearing their faces and stabbing them in the back.

"Boss Zhang, we are all old friends, if you don't recognize that this is Qian Zhongshu's signature, I really can't open this price." Qian Yongqiang looked at Boss Zhang with some embarrassment.

"It's okay, I'll listen to you make a price!"

"Ten thousand dollars!" Qian Yongqiang looked at Boss Zhang and said, "Boss Zhang, we don't talk in secret, and I don't know whether the signature of this book is true or false." But you also know the rules of this industry: really, I naturally sell it seriously; Even if it's fake, I have to sell it seriously, but let's talk about it in the front, I don't 'cover it'! ”

The line of antique books, calligraphy, paintings, and antiques is a test of the eyesight of buyers and sellers. In order to prevent "leakage", the seller will make a real price regardless of whether the object is true or false, as long as he does not understand. Buyers buy, yes, normal; It's not right, it's fake, it's "eye-catching". This is different from other commodities, if you don't bring a back account, you can only knock out your teeth and swallow it in your stomach, and if you say it, you will be laughed at by others.

"Ten thousand dollars?" Boss Zhang shook his head, "Even if this is 'true', the price is too high." ”

"I've said it's not 'true', and besides, I'm not an auction house here, it's just a night market stall. As I said earlier, I'm not sure. Qian Yongqiang smiled at Boss Zhang and said, "Just this pile of things, for the sake of old friends, why don't you give nine thousand?" ”

"Nine thousand? I don't want to. It's true, there is no money to be made by taking back nine thousand. Why don't I gamble 4,000 yuan? I won't come back to you if it's fake. ”

Qian Yongqiang thought in his heart: "I really can't tell whether this thing is true or false." If it is true, it can still be sold at the market price of eight or nine thousand yuan; If it's fake, don't sell it to him now, and when an expert comes over and sees that something is wrong, I'm afraid it will be difficult to sell it for five hundred yuan. ”

"Boss Zhang, 4,000 yuan is too little, if you give 7,000 yuan, I'll sell it to you. I've taken it all the real and fake. ”

"I'll give up to five thousand dollars! Sell, I want it, don't sell pull down! Boss Zhang has a posture of not selling, as if he has seen through Qian Yongqiang's heart. One bite will give 5,000 yuan. ”

It seems that 5,000 yuan is the limit price in Boss Zhang's heart.

"Five thousand yuan is too low, and you can earn half of it if you take it back. This old Zhang is too dark! ”

"And what if something isn't right? Don't pay for death yet! ”

“。。。。。。”

"Old fox!" Qian Yongqiang scolded in his heart, but there was nothing he could do about him. Who says that their level is not high enough to distinguish the real from the fake.

"Boss Zhang! I'll give a step, and I won't sell 7,000 anymore, okay if you give 6,000? "Seeing that there is no problem in selling these books for 5,000 yuan, Qian Yongqiang has a bottom in his heart, but in order to maximize his interests, he still has to fight for it again.

Boss Zhang's face was expressionless, his brows were tightly locked, his eyes were slightly narrowed, he didn't say a word, for a long time, he shook his head slightly, handed the book into Qian Yongqiang's hands, and was about to retreat.

Qian Yongqiang thought to himself: Don't look at the people around you shouting energetically at this time, but there is no one who is happier than Boss Zhang when it comes to really doing business, if you don't sell it to him at this time, I'm afraid it will be hard to sell it for 5,000 yuan later.

Qian Yongqiang looked at Boss Zhang's face of the living dead again, and his teeth itched with hatred.

"Let's go, deal! Pay! Qian Yongqiang gritted his teeth and stomped his feet, and stuffed a few books into Boss Zhang's arms. Anyway, these books are cheap, and it doesn't take a few minutes to get a few thousand dollars, cool!

Boss Zhang opened the book and took a closer look at it. smacked his mouth, took out a handful of money from the waist bag he was carrying, counted five thousand yuan and handed it to Qian Yongqiang. Looking at the thick smashing of RMB in Boss Zhang's hand, Qian Yongqiang was very excited.

Qian Yongqiang took the money, his right index finger was dipped in saliva, carefully ordered one by one and put it in his pocket, and then pressed it with his hand before he was relieved. At the end, I still didn't forget to remind Boss Zhang: "Boss Zhang, let's talk about the ugly things in the front, and the truth of the things is not to find the back account!" ”

"Boss Qian, look at what you said, is our Lao Zhang the kind of person you said? Last year, I spent 20,000 yuan to buy Xu Beihong's "Running Horse" from Xiao Wang, who was inverted and painted, and I looked at it from connoisseurs, and they all said that it was a high imitation, and 2,000 yuan was not worth it, which made me so angry that I vomited blood - but who did I talk to? Can you ask Xiao Wang again, have I looked for him to settle the account?

"Xiao Wang's thing is really not a thing, it is a trick to make fake words and paintings! At the beginning, he told me that a certain expert had seen it, and it was a genuine work! Later, when I found him, I didn't admit to saying it again! ”

Boss Zhang remembered that he bought Wang's healthy paintings last year, and now he still has a grudge.

Qian Yongqiang smiled at Boss Zhang and didn't speak. I secretly said in my heart: "Aren't you just going to say this? Besides, it is estimated that if you go to Xiao Wang, that scoundrel will not admit it. ”

Seeing that the business of the two people has been closed, it is not interesting for everyone to stay any longer. One after another, they all dispersed.

After finishing Boss Zhang's business, Qian Yongqiang felt that he had gained a lot today, and he was satisfied, and then he stayed in the market, and when he ran into Huang Youcai, everyone was embarrassed. Thinking that he would have to receive the goods the next day, it was better to go back early to make up for sleep, so he packed up his stall and prepared to leave. At this moment, two middle-aged men dressed in black walked up to Qian Yongqiang's side. It was already late at night, the light was dim, and the two of them were wearing black clothes, and Qian Yongqiang was caught off guard. The two men in black are fat and thin: fat and short, bald, with a horizontal face, and round eyes, just like two copper bells; The thin man in black was thin and tall, with long hair in a shawl, and he thought it was a lady if he didn't pay attention to it. The thin man in black looked around, saw that no one was paying attention to this side, and motioned for the fat man in black to approach Qian Yongqiang. The fat man in black gently grabbed Qian Yongqiang's sleeve and asked in a low voice, "Boss, can you accept some old things?" ”

Qian Yongqiang saw a stranger approaching, and subconsciously covered the pocket containing the money with one hand, and looked at the other party with a frightened face. His instincts told him that these two men in black were not good people.