天空社区

“Is this fortune-teller really so mystical, or was it just a lucky guess?” Zhao Huai walked away, thinking that something didn’t feel right.

He knew about the tricks these fortune tellers used, which usually involved observing people’s faces and having a basic understanding of psychology to con people.

Different people had different scripts, and they would get a few predictions right just by chance, all at no cost.

However, the old man he met was indeed quite skilled, managing to predict his fate so accurately, either by mysticism or just a lucky guess.

After walking for a while, Zhao Huai returned to the pawnshop.

However, he noticed a fancy bejeweled carriage parked in front of Huai’s pawnshop, with a long line of wooden carts behind it, surrounded by numerous bodyguards.

This was the mysterious merchant team he had seen before.

“They really came?”

Yan Jing had predicted earlier that the cunning merchant would come to find him, and Zhao Huai had prepared himself mentally.

He strode into the pawnshop and overheard a conversation.

“Madam, believe me, this night-luminous pearl is truly a priceless treasure, with an incredibly long history and high collection value. If you don’t buy it, you’ll surely regret it!”

“Really?”

“Of course it’s true. It also has practical use. It can emit dazzling light in the dark, far superior to inferior spiritual stones.”

The person sitting across from Yu Qinghan was none other than Master Huang.

This man wore brocade clothes and a jade belt, had a robust body, sharp eyes, and appeared to be the cunning merchant.

Zhao Huai thought to himself.

“Ahem, so we have guests.”

Zhao Huai coughed lightly, interrupting the two to make his presence known.

“Husband, you’re back.”

When Yu Qinghan saw the person at the door, she smiled and joyfully called out.

She had woken up in a daze earlier this morning to find her husband gone and only a cup of steaming hot sheep’s milk left on the table. She had barely finished washing up when customers arrived at the pawnshop, so she had to receive them temporarily.

“Husband, you should talk to him. I don’t understand these things. I’ll go prepare the ingredients for lunch.”

Yu Qinghan gently stood up, giving up her seat.

This merchant bombarded her with introductions about a variety of treasures, jewels, and antiques, which she didn’t understand at all. It seemed that the professional matters should still be left to her husband.

“Alright, leave it to me.”

Zhao Huai stepped forward resolutely and sat down, examining the merchant for a moment before saying with a faint smile:

“This guest has a kind face and the bodyguards outside are quite tall and strong. You must be from a merchant team from the north.”

Master Huang, seeing the woman leave and a handsome man taking her place, knew that this person must be the shopkeeper who was more difficult to deal with than the woman.

His smile on his face remained unchanged: “Shopkeeper, you have a keen eye. We came from the capital city, heading south just for business. Allow me to introduce myself.”

“My surname is Huang. I am the fourth child in my family, and people call me Fourth Brother. I have traveled across the north and south for many years and have a modest reputation in the two river regions. With the appreciation of my peers, I have earned the title of Master Huang.”

“So, it’s Master Huang, what a pleasure to meet you.”

Zhao Huai smiled faintly, but his heart was completely unruffled.

Normally, when people introduced themselves, they wouldn’t reveal so much personal information. The more information revealed, the more they wanted to give their counterpart a sense of security.

This was a trick commonly used by merchants.

Master Huang smiled and said, “Shopkeeper, let me get straight to the point. I’ve already discussed this night-luminous pearl with the madam. What do you think?”

Hearing this, Zhao Huai picked up the night-luminous pearl and carefully examined it.

The night-luminous pearl was about the size of a fist, with a jade-like body and clear patterns. Even in the daytime, it emitted a faint glow. At night, its glow would surely be even brighter.

However, Yan Jing had alluded to him before that this man was a cunning merchant, so how could Zhao Huai not be on guard?

Underneath the table, he flipped the golden bronze coin in the palm of his hand.

Soon, lines of characters appeared before him.

[Misfortune and fortune depend on each other; just observe this for now]

[Hexagram one: Timely rain at the pawnshop, sending money to a young child.

This is a luminous stone. Buy it, and the instruction you’ll get is “Misfortune”.]

Clue: A bead made of phosphorous stone is far different from a real night-luminous pearl.

[Hexagram two: Discerning all matters, seeing everything clearly at a glance. Refuse this night-luminous pearl, and the instruction you’ll get is “Fortune”.]

Clue: Deceitful merchant: refuse him directly, and there might be other gains.

Upon reading, Zhao Huai smiles to himself.

A deceitful merchant is always deceitful and can’t change his bad habits, coming up with such a big scam right away.

Zhao Huait, who had received nine years of compulsory education in his past life, naturally knew what phosphorous stone was.

Phosphorous stone is an extremely common mineral that oxidizes when exposed to air, emitting a faint light. Pure phosphorous stone can emit dazzling white light in the dark.

On the market, the real night-luminous pearls are mostly made of adamas, with a value equivalent to large modern diamonds.

Certain unscrupulous merchants sell pure phosphorous stones as night-luminous pearls to wealthy, vain nobles.

If they are not experts, it is difficult to see the difference, but with time, the verdict is clear.

A real night-luminous pearl can last for a hundred years without deterioration, remains extremely stable, and has excellent lighting effects.

While a phosphorous stone-made night-luminous pearl may not seem any different for a short time, as its use continues, the bead becomes smaller and smaller, then disappears completely.

Unscrupulous merchants take advantage of this to perpetrate fraud, knowing by the time the bead is gone, you can’t find them anymore.

“How is it?”

Master Huang, squinting his eyes in amusement, watches as Zhao Huai examines the “night-luminous pearl” for a long time. His impatience grows, and he can’t help but urge Zhao Huai. “Master Huang, isn’t this bead you’re selling a bit too perfect?”

Zhao Huai puts the bead back.

His eyes with a smile, look firm and unfathomable.

Master Huang’s smile remains, as he taps the table lightly with his hand: “Yes, a night-luminous pearl is that perfect. If you buy it, it’s sure to be the treasure of the shop.”

Zhao Huai’s mouth curls into a smile and says, “Master Huang, you’re truly a master of feigning ignorance.”

“Shopkeeper, what do you mean by that?”

Zhao Huai says indifferently, “Enough, don’t pretend. Just say what you want to sell. I don’t have time to go round and round with you.”

“If you have nothing good, please see the guest off.”

The tone gradually becomes impatient, with a clear intention of dismissing the guest.

Upon hearing this, Master Huang laughs instead, his mouth curling up at the corner and his eyes revealing his interest.

He pauses for a few seconds before laughing out loud.

“Hahaha! A straight talker doesn’t resort to insinuations. Shopkeeper, you’re a keen observer, not like those mediocrities. So I won’t beat around the bush.” “Shopkeeper, please come with me. I promise you won’t be disappointed.” Master Huang stands up directly and walks outside the house.

Zhao Huai does not hesitate, and directly follows.

Once outside, the burly bodyguards gather around, keeping Huang securely inside their formation.

Zhao Huai takes a slight glance, feeling the fluctuations of their True Qi; their cultivation is apparent to see.

Most of the bodyguards have power at the first stage of refining qi, while the leader is at the third stage of refining qi.

However, a middle-aged man carrying a sword nearby has cultivated to the fourth stage of refining qi, making him the strongest there.

“What does Master Huang want to show me?”

Zhao Huai, unflustered by the bodyguards’ stares, remains expressionless.

Master Huang smiles without answering. He lifts a coarse cloth covering a wooden cart and lets Zhao Huai see for himself.

Seeing the contents of the wooden cart, Zhao Huai’s pupils shrink slightly. He looks seriously at Master Huang and questions: “Where did you get these

things from?”