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墨書 Inktalez
"How do you say?"
"A few days ago, I told him that I ruined a painting of bamboo by Zheng Banqiao with a single pee!" Fat Ma said nonchalantly.
I finally understood what Fat Ma meant; after all, boasting doesn't cost anything.
"Are you done talking?"
"Not even close. There’s still a lot you need to learn, like what 'water goods' are. Do you know what that means?"
I shook my head.
"Water goods refer to items smuggled back from abroad. When dealing with foreigners, we in the trade call it 'da yang zhuang,' while doing business with our own people is referred to as 'ben zhuang.' But let's put that aside for now; there’s plenty of insider talk just within the Antique Market. Terms like 'laying eggs,' 'aging,' 'high imitation,' 'old imitation,' 'judging eyes,' and 'climbing the mountain' each have their meanings: replicas, making new items look old, well-aged items, imitations from the Republic of China era, judging eyes refers to poorly aged items, and climbing the mountain means repairing damaged antiques."
I couldn't help but marvel at the intricacies of it all.
"And that's not all. 'Qian zuo' means consignment, 'da zhang' refers to bartering, and you know what 'sky-high prices' means without me saying. Then there's 'one shot selling good and bad goods together,' and if you come across 'eating elixirs,' that's good luck—buying high-value items at low prices. 'Kai chong' is the first deal of the day, while 'dao mei' refers to selling high-value items at low prices."
At this point, Fat Ma was like a teacher, clearing up my confusion.
"Alright, that’s about it for now. The rest will be taught in practice next time."
I nodded, still pondering over what Fat Ma had explained.
By now, it was almost lunchtime. Following Fat Ma, we arrived at a bustling restaurant filled with people both upstairs and downstairs.
As soon as Fat Ma entered, a waiter came up to greet him: "Master Ma, it's been a while since you've come!"
"Call the Shopkeeper over," the Fat Ma said grandly.
The attendant responded and soon a middle-aged man approached, warmly greeting Fat Ma and leading us to a private room.
"Where has Master Ma been making money lately?"
"Nowhere, Li the Shopkeeper, you know me well enough—just muddling through."
Li the Shopkeeper smiled so broadly that his eyes nearly closed into slits. "Master Ma is still so humble. What would you like to eat today?"
"The usual," Fat Ma said, and Li the Shopkeeper stepped back out.
I had been in Changsha a few times, and although I had spent some time here, Fat Ma had never brought me to this restaurant before.
"Fatty, it seems you're a regular here," I remarked.
"Yeah, this place serves authentic Hunan cuisine, and the chef's skills are excellent." As he spoke, Fat Ma handed a cigarette to both me and the clay figurine.
The clay figurine waved his hand, saying he was trying to quit smoking.
Fat Ma didn’t insist and put the cigarette back into the pack.
"Actually, there's a reason I brought you to this restaurant."
Hearing this, both the clay figurine and I perked up. "What reason?" the clay figurine asked.
"This restaurant has a long-standing reputation. Its boss is also in our line of work, but he no longer operates directly; instead, he focuses on acquiring Mingqi. That's what I was just telling you about Ben Zhuang. He has a great reputation in the industry; no matter where your Mingqi comes from, if others won't take it, he will. The key is that your items must be good—if they are, there's nothing he can't buy."
Fat Ma fixed his gaze on us.
"What are you looking at?" I replied awkwardly.
Fat Ma let out a slight sigh. "Old Sun, Niren, Fat Master truly considers you both as brothers, even closer than blood brothers. Today, I'm laying everything out for you. Later, you two will call out all your Mingqi, and we three will redistribute them."
"Get lost..."
Fat Ma's smile faded. Just then, the dishes were served. Hunan cuisine is known for its spiciness, the kind that can penetrate to the bone. As the dishes were placed on the table, the pungent smell of spice filled the air.
Fat Ma was delighted, taking deep breaths of the aroma. Soon, all the dishes were on the table when Li the Shopkeeper pushed the door open and whispered a few words in Fat Ma's ear. Fat Ma's expression changed slightly.
Once Li the Shopkeeper closed the door, Fat Ma's face returned to normal.
Noticing his unusual demeanor, I asked, "What's wrong?"
"Old Ghost is coming to see me. Damn it, he took such a big advantage last time; now he's back again," Fat Ma said indignantly.
"Who is Old Ghost? I've never heard you mention him before," I asked in confusion.
"Old Ghost is my old rival. Damn it, he often competes with me for business."
"Whoever he is, as long as he bullies us, we'll turn the tables on him," Niren said dismissively.
"With a buddy like you saying that, I have to give him a hard time later," Fat Ma grinned wickedly.
"Let's eat first; otherwise, everything will get cold," the Fat Ma reminded us.
I picked up the chopsticks and grabbed some food, and immediately the spiciness hit me to the bone. I quickly lifted my cup of tea and gulped it down.
Fat Ma and the clay figure were teasing me.
At that moment, the door was suddenly pushed open, and in walked an elderly man with graying hair, wearing a pair of reading glasses. His face was so wrinkled from smiling that it looked like it could burst into laughter at any moment. He was dressed in a long black robe, and on his thumb was a green jade ring.
A voice called out "Master Ma," sending shivers down my spine. No one greeted him as he sat down next to Fat Ma.
"Don't call me so affectionately; we're not that close."
"Master Ma, saying that really hurts my feelings. Back in the day, we grew up wearing the same pair of shorts."
"Get lost..."
Old Ghost ignored the Fat Ma and turned to me and the clay figure, cupping his hands in greeting. "Gentlemen, which path do you walk?"
"Old Ghost, when are you going to change that temperament of yours?"
"I can't change it; this is how I make my living. As the saying goes, people thrive by moving around while trees die if they move. You can't rely on dough alone for sustenance."
Fat Ma was at a loss for words.
It's known that Fat Ma never backs down when it comes to banter. He had argued with Xiao Nan in the tomb simply because Xiao Nan was younger, and Fat Ma couldn't bring himself to argue with someone so much younger.
However, when it came to others, Fat Ma usually dominated. This situation was quite rare; it was a good show, and I waited for Fat Ma to respond.
But before Fat Ma could say anything, Old Ghost continued, "I can't compare to you, Master Ma. You travel far and wide and always find great opportunities. I just scrape by, picking up scraps here and there. If I could just get my hands on a celestial pill once in a while, I'd wake up happy every night."
"What is it? Just say it directly," Fat Ma said, unwilling to engage in banter.
"Master Ma, I heard that you have gained quite a lot from your trip back. Can you enlighten me?"
Fat Ma rolled his eyes and replied, "Old Ghost, who told you such nonsense?"
Old Ghost chuckled a few times, "Master Ma, don't beat around the bush with me. I've been struggling just to get a meal lately, and I'm counting on you for some help."
"Don't give me that. If you're starving, it's not my problem. Let's not even talk about that Liangzi incident last time."
"You’re right, Master Ma. Let bygones be bygones; Old Ti isn't exactly innocent either."
"I haven't had any fun lately, so go find someone else."
Old Ghost remained unfazed, still wearing a smile. "And who are these two gentlemen?"
"That's none of your business," Fat Ma replied bluntly.
As the saying goes, one shouldn't strike a smiling face. Since they were calling him 'sir,' I felt I couldn't remain silent any longer; otherwise, it would seem rude. I stood up and said, "We're distant relatives of Fat Ma."
The Mud Man sat silently without saying a word.
Old Ghost, however, did not back down. He turned to the Mud Man and said, "I see this gentleman has an extraordinary presence; he must not be an ordinary person!"
The Mud Man didn't even lift his eyelids, clearly uninterested in Old Ghost.
Old Ghost felt the cold shoulder and showed a hint of embarrassment on his face but quickly composed himself.
I replied for the clay figure, "Don't take it to heart; my brother here doesn't like to talk."
Old Ghost immediately burst into laughter. Then, without lingering any longer, he cupped his hands in a gesture of farewell and left. I stared blankly in the direction he had gone.
"That bastard, I'll deal with him sooner or later," Fat Ma said, still fuming.
Fat Ma added, "Stop staring; let's eat. This is just bad luck."
"Did he come here just to exchange pleasantries with you? Your relationship hasn't reached that point, has it?"
My words reminded Fat Ma. "Old Sun, if you hadn't said anything, I might have overlooked it. That kid must be probing into my affairs." Fat Ma's tone softened. "Old Sun, I didn't give anything away just now, did I?"
"I don't know," I replied.
Fat Ma sighed heavily. "Can't worry about that now; even a meal can stir up trouble."
"Come on, come on, Old Sun, let's eat."
After a few rounds of drinks, we returned to Fat Ma's place.
When dawn broke and after breakfast, someone came knocking with a message that Master Wu was looking for him.
Fat Ma cursed his bad luck and then proceeded to insult Old Ghost's ancestors from top to bottom. After tidying himself up a bit, Fat Ma headed out.
It wasn't until the afternoon that Fat Ma returned. "As soon as I walked in, I was met with curses. What kind of nonsense is this? Does he really think he's something special?"
Seeing Fat Ma worked up, I didn't ask for the details.
"Does he really think he's still in charge? He dares to criticize me, Fat Master won't take that nonsense."
Both I and the Clay Man remained silent.
Fat Master talked for a few minutes before losing interest. He shouted at us, "You two should say something!"
"What should we say?" I asked.
Fat Master was momentarily at a loss for words. "Even if you don't know what to say, just comfort Fat Master a bit."
" Fat Ma, stop being so dramatic. If you're not satisfied, don't go home and complain. Call them out right here; that's what a real man does," the Clay Man said sarcastically.
Fat Master's face immediately fell. "Forget it, I still want to get by for a few more years!"
Seeing Fat Master so subdued was unlike him, so I asked, "What did they say about you?"
"It must be that Old Ghost stirring things up, saying I'm not delivering goods and ruining the rules. Damn it, who in our line of work doesn't know that if there's something good, no one can bring it out? Those bastards."
I was confused and didn't quite understand. "Is there really an organization in our line of work?"
Fat Master sighed. "Old Sun, you wouldn't believe it, but there actually is. I got into this mess on a whim."
Fat Master pounded his chest in regret. "Forget about those things. In the afternoon, I'll take you guys around Changsha. You've been here so many times and haven't had a proper look around."
Since Fat Master didn't elaborate further, I decided not to press the issue.
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