Siheyuan: Pretend to be a Pig and Eat the Tiger

The man who had been selling rags really wanted to cry. It would have been fine if he had spent a thousand or eight hundred, but to get such a treasure for only a hundred? Is there any justice in this world?
Unfortunately, He Yuzhu got this opportunity. The thought of having to come here every day made the ragpicker Hou feel so sad he wanted to cry!
"Alright, let's go to the tavern. There aren't enough seats for all these people. We can't just turn away all these customers for an old man like you, can we?"

"Huh? My yard isn't short of seats, what's wrong with having more people? He Yuzhu, it's not right to not even give them this much face, is it?"

"You greedy glutton, there's no point in going to your place. Either go to a tavern, or forget it, it's not like I have nowhere else to go!"

Upon seeing the ragged man, He Yuzhu immediately thought of a solution. This guy had quite a few items, and aside from some that couldn't leave the country, the rest could definitely be sold.
Since that's the case, why not find a way to give these rich kids from Hong Kong a chance? Of course, this can't be brought up by me; Han Chunming is the most suitable person to do it!
Regardless, Hong Kong Island is still a part of China. As long as it is not sold to foreign devils, it does not violate their bottom line!
"Chunming, come here for a second!"

Since these people have come to Panjiayuan, they must be hoping to find a good item or two for their elders. In that case, why not just go to the ragpicker? They don't need anything anyway!
"Master, what are you doing?"

Han Chunming looked at He Yuzhu with suspicion. Was it a bit disrespectful to call him aside to speak quietly at this moment?
"Chunming, no matter what it takes, you have to get the ragpicker to sell some not-so-important old things to the customers in Hong Kong. Otherwise, you'll be spending all your time shopping with him!"

"Master, it's impossible! If I really made this happen, Grandpa Guan would beat me to death!"

Han Chunming shook his head repeatedly. Grandpa Guan had lived for so long and fought against foreign devils many times, but when had he ever made that old man back down?
For many years, what Grandpa Guan and the ragpickers have hated most is selling the things left by our ancestors abroad.
“You blockhead, what I mean is, it’s not good to sell some unimportant items that are just taking up space to customers in Hong Kong.”
Some folk kiln porcelain, or some official kiln porcelain, or those that are old but whose collection value is not very high, cannot be taken out.
These are the elite of the Hong Kong Chinese community. The old folks in my family all love antiques; otherwise, why would they have time to stroll around like this?

He Yuzhu curled his lips. Han Chunming and Grandpa Guan also had quite a few collections, but these two guys weren't as pedantic as the ragpicker Hou. They would sell off some of the less important items as soon as they got them.

Only rare items or those with historical significance are collected, which is why Han Chunming and Grandpa Guan can collect things with ease.
Unlike the old man who only took in goods and never gave them out, he hid everything he got his hands on, regardless of its quality, which often led to financial difficulties!

"That's possible, but what if these people are given to foreigners? Hong Kong Island is still in John Bull's hands. Master, let's forget about it. Let's just wander around here and rely on luck. The ragpicker will definitely not agree to this!"

Han Chunming still felt it was unreliable. He knew the rag-and-bone Hou's character too well. He thought that selling it to people in Hong Kong might get him a price higher than the market value.
But if the item goes abroad, wouldn't his master break his legs if he found out? This is simply not feasible, probably not even possible!
“Here’s what we’ll do. I’ll have them write a guarantee in the name of their families. You talk to the ragpicker Hou. The people who came this time are all patriotic businessmen who have their hearts set on China. The Huo family, the Bao family, and the Shao family. If they don’t trust others, how can they not trust the Huo family?”

He Yuzhu knew this matter would be difficult, but he didn't expect Han Chunming to be so resistant. However, this matter had to be brought to fruition, and then these people had to go and investigate the market and invest as soon as possible. Otherwise, the leaders would get restless if they just stayed here all day!

"The Huo family? From Hong Kong Island, could it be that Huo family?"

Han Chunming's attitude changed immediately upon hearing about the Huo family. This was mainly because the Huo family was extraordinary. Thirty years ago, the Huo family had become a symbol of patriotism, and their influence was evident in events such as the Olympic bid.
"That's right, it's the Huo family. That's the real reason I had you work for the ragtag Marquis. It's a win-win situation."
Think about it, Hou will get a lot of money, these people in Hong Kong will get gifts, and these people won't give them to the foreigners; they'll even focus on market research. The higher-ups will be happy too. This time, you have a heavy responsibility on your shoulders!

"Alright, leave this to me, Master. Don't worry, you won't be disappointed!" Han Chunming knew the real reason these people came from Shenzhou; it was mainly because Shenzhou needed a lot of investment, otherwise, things wouldn't have turned out this way.

Since that's the case, as long as the old items aren't passed on to outsiders, they can be in anyone's hands. The Huo family's reputation can still be guaranteed, so it can be facilitated!

"Han Chunming, don't pull me! What did He Yuzhu say?"

"Lord of the Broken House, you have to agree now, whether you like it or not, otherwise you'll be a sinner against China, understand?"

Han Chunming naturally knew how to communicate with the ragged Hou. This guy was the kind of person who wouldn't budge no matter how you tried to lead him, and would only back down when you tried to push him. Ordinary methods were useless. The mountain man had his own clever plan.
"Han Chunming, don't try to intimidate me with your big accusations, it won't work. Just show me what you're capable of!"

The ragged man glanced at him sideways. This guy was a bad seed. He was whispering with He Yuzhu just now. It couldn't be anything good!
"Hehe, these people are not simple, for example..."

"What? The Huo family?"

"That's right, it's the Huo family that Old Master Huo is from. Now you should believe me, right?"

"Hmm, but what does this have to do with me? Don't even think about coveting my things, it's impossible, utterly absurd!"

"These people were originally going to invest, but they've been wandering around aimlessly trying to find a suitable gift for their elders. Not only are the higher-ups getting anxious, but the Ministry of Commerce is also getting anxious."

But these are all wealthy people, and we dare not rush them, since they're carrying large sums of money. That's why my master, upon learning there were quite a few unimportant items, then…”

"Not important?"

"Yes, one set of Ming and Qing dynasty official kiln porcelain is enough. You can also sell some folk kiln porcelain, calligraphy and paintings, etc., for a good price and continue to support your collecting career."
Think about it, with the improvement of living standards, collecting things is becoming more and more expensive. How long can you keep going like this, only buying and not selling?
My master said that anyone who leaves your place must write a guarantee that the items will not fall into the hands of foreigners.

Since we're all from China, does it really matter whose things are in our hands? You've probably already studied your stuff pretty thoroughly, haven't you?
Haven't you ever thought about switching to a different research group? Look at my master, he sleeps all day long and it doesn't affect his collection at all. And look at you, wandering the streets and alleys, you're not even as well off as my master..." (End of this chapter)