Movie variety show soul travels between two worlds to become a rich man

Chapter 176 Adventure in the Ghost Market
What is a ghost market?

The so-called ghost market always appears in the middle of the night, that is, at three or four o'clock in the morning every Wednesday, which is known as the critical point of "Gate of Hell".

When the sky gets light, they will quickly disappear without a trace, as if a gust of wind can blow them away, giving people a mysterious feeling, so it is jokingly called the "Ghost Market".

The reason why the ghost market has been able to survive in the capital for hundreds of years and has not completely disappeared is mainly because it embodies the traditional culture and living customs of the people of the capital.

The ghost market is not only a place where all kinds of goods are traded, but also a microcosm of the living conditions of the people in the old capital, emphasizing a special culture of obscurity and low-keyness.

As the night deepened, Duanjia Hutong was filled with people and almost silent. Only when you walked closer could you hear the conversations of mosquitoes and flies, mixed with a bit of caution and secrecy.

Most people who come here wear black cotton jackets and trousers, hats and scarves, and some even wear outer coats. Regardless of whether they are fat or thin, everyone is bloated and looks similar in size.

The entire Duanjia Hutong was lit by only two dim street lamps. The sellers squatted or sat against the wall with the items they were selling in front of them. They did not shout, and people who came to see the goods did not ask the price.

The ghost market has its own rules. Apart from the two cents fee required for admission, the most important thing is to "control your mouth."

Once you take a fancy to an item, you can observe it carefully and repeatedly, but you must never ask the stall owner directly for the price.

Unless you intend to buy the item, the stall owner will not tell you the price.

Moreover, buyers must never shine the flashlight directly into the seller's face to avoid causing unnecessary trouble.

You are not allowed to ask about the origin of the goods. This is the biggest taboo. In short, in the ghost market, everyone is very cautious, for fear of causing trouble, and it is better to say less.

Because once you talk too much, ask too many questions, or even bargain too hard, the seller may simply not sell the item, because in their opinion, asking too many questions is disrespectful and suspicious of them.

Gao Dongxu pretended to hide something in his arms, paid two cents to the two guards at the entrance of the alley, pulled up his cotton hat and scarf, leaving only his eyes exposed, walked into the alley, and began to look at the goods sold on each stall as he walked.

After a round of visits, Gao Dongxu finally understood the prices of several hard currencies in this black market.

A pound of food coupons in Beijing cost 4 yuan, while a pound of food coupons used nationwide cost 5 yuan, and it was the most sought-after commodity on the black market.

Fine grains, such as white flour and rice, cost five yuan per pound per ticket, coarse grains cost three yuan per pound per ticket, pork cost eight yuan per pound, beef cost ten yuan per pound, eggs cost one yuan each, pumpkins cost two yuan per pound, sugar cost three yuan per pound, live chickens cost fifty yuan each, and leaf tobacco cost thirty yuan per pound...

(Don't doubt it, I searched a lot of literature and data to find the data of Beijing's black market.)
The price of grain purchased through regular channels was 1.3 cents per pound of rice plus food coupons. White flour was 1.6 cents per pound plus food coupons, and coarse grains were 9 cents per pound plus food coupons.

Don't think these prices are too high. This is because the national economy recovered and improved in 62, which is why we have the current prices. The food prices in 60 and 61 were even more frightening.

That’s how it is. In the entire ghost market, there are very few people selling fine grains, and most of them are coarse grains.

Gao Dongxu saw a few more people selling antiques at several stalls. There weren't many items, and almost each person was guarding one or two items.

He was not in a hurry to act. At this time of year, not many people were buying antiques that could not be eaten or drunk on the black market. Those who came to sell antiques were almost all those who had no other choice but to sell their so-called family heirlooms in exchange for food.

When Gao Dongxu was taking a quick look around, he found a place where things were sold. He walked straight over, squatted down and leaned against the wall, took out ten black carp wrapped in several pieces of newspaper from his arms, unfolded the newspaper, and arranged the black carp.

As soon as the fish were put on display, they immediately attracted several customers.

"How much is it?"

"Three yuan for one." Gao Dongxu lowered his voice and said in a muffled voice.

"Slow down..."

No one bargained. Gao Dongxu's asking price was considered fair on the black market: a black carp weighing three or four taels was sold for three yuan.

"I want three—"

The guy who complained the fish were too small didn't have time to react before the guy next to him picked three and paid for them.

Gao Dongxu took the nine yuan and handed the other party two newspapers. The other party wrapped the three fish in newspapers and stuffed them into his arms.

"Give me two—"

"I want two too..."

"I want all the rest..."

All ten fish were sold in less than ten minutes. After packing them up for thirty yuan, Gao Dongxu smiled. In this era, food, chicken, duck, fish and meat are the real hard currency.

Gao Dongxu walked towards a stall owner who was wearing glasses and covering his mouth and nose with a scarf. When he got there, he squatted down and reached out to pick up two small cloisonné jars placed on a bundle.

This pair of small jars is about ten centimeters high and feels very heavy, with one weighing almost two kilograms, which is enough to show the exquisite materials and superb craftsmanship.

Holding it in your hand is like holding ice, and you will feel more spiritually filled once you try it.

With the help of the faint light, Gao Dongxu carefully looked at the patterns on the body of the jar. Using the cloisonné enamel technique, he cleverly combined various colors such as blue, red, yellow, and green to create a visual effect with rich layers and bright colors.

Against the backdrop of the blue background, the red, yellow and green floral patterns appear particularly vivid. These patterns use complex plants and geometric shapes as elements, full of artistic sense and decorativeness.

Gao Dongxu was particularly struck by the Sanskrit mantra "Om Mani Padme Hum" adorning the jars, one of the most common and sacred mantras in Tibetan Buddhism. During the Qing Dynasty, such Sanskrit decorations were often found on items bestowed upon the imperial court by the emperor. Therefore, the jars possess not only artistic value but also profound historical and cultural significance.

The bottom of the jar is inscribed with the four characters "Made in the Qianlong Period" in regular script, which is a typical symbol of the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty.

It is worth noting that during the reign of Emperor Qianlong, he was particularly fond of cloisonné art, promoting its prosperity and development. Therefore, it is rare that this pair of small jars has survived to this day and preserved in such good condition.

"Twenty jins of food coupons--" When the stall owner heard Gao Dongxu asking the price, he couldn't help but change his dejected look and said with a hint of excitement in his voice.

When Gao Dongxu heard the price, he put down the two small jars and was about to leave.

Upon seeing this situation, the stall owner hurriedly whispered, "Comrade, don't leave so quickly, we can discuss..."

"Ten kilograms of Beijing food coupons. If you want to sell them, pack them up for me. If not, I will turn around and leave." Gao Dongxu said in a low voice.

"This... Comrade, please add some more. This was truly a treasure from the palace back then..."

"Don't listen to the story. Just take this price. If you send it to the antique shop, I'll give you 20 yuan at most..." Gao Dongxu has already understood the helplessness, anxiety and necessity of those who are trying to exchange family heirlooms for money or food at this time.

Of course, Gao Dongxu couldn't be considered a robber. This was the market price for antiques in this day and age.

"Please add some more, add some more... This is truly a family heirloom. Hey - okay, okay, I'll wrap it up for you..."

Seeing Gao Dongxu preparing to leave, the stall owner grabbed Gao Dongxu's wrist and agreed with a wry smile.

Gao Dongxu did not hesitate. When the other party picked up the two small cloisonné jars, he took out ten Beijing food coupons from his pocket and handed them to the other party.

The stall owner held the food coupons in his hand, and looked at Gao Dongxu with a helpless and complicated look as he put a pair of small jars into his arms and turned to leave. Finally, he shook his head sadly and sighed.

Gao Dongxu, who had collected a bunch of national treasures, decided to stop here today and could not stay in the ghost market for a long time. You know, the police have always been very strict with the ghost market and the black market, and they might be wiped out.

The crime of speculation and profiteering is a serious crime in this era.

However, just as Gao Dongxu quickly walked to the end of the alley, his attention was attracted by three middle-aged men with suspicious behavior.

They hid in a dark corner, their faces pale and thin, their eyes filled with vigilance and a hint of anxiety. They seemed to be whispering questions to every passerby, but they were always cautious, for fear of attracting unnecessary attention.

Gao Dongxu's curiosity was piqued, and he decided to get closer to find out. As he passed by three people, one of them lowered his voice and asked, "Comrade, do you want any antiques?"

Gao Dongxu was immediately interested when he heard this, but also wary. He looked at the three middle-aged men who looked like farmers and asked in a low voice, "What is it?"

Seeing Gao Dongxu's interest, the three of them exchanged glances, as if silently evaluating each other. Ultimately, they decided to trust this young man, who didn't look like a plainclothes police officer, and slowly took an item out of his worn bag.

At that moment, time seemed to freeze. The moment the bundle was opened, Gao Dongxu saw a colorful and vivid Tang Dynasty three-color pottery horse statue in the moonlight.

Even under the dim light of the black market, the glaze's luster appears particularly dazzling, revealing the calmness and mystery of the thousand-year-old tomb.

Gao Dongxu could tell at a glance that this Tang Sancai was newly unearthed, with some dirt still stuck to the horse.

"Raw pit?"

Gao Dongxu frowned and glanced at the three of them, then whispered something in a low voice. The three of them looked at him blankly, not understanding what was going on. They said, "Comrade, you have a good eye. You really dug it out from the pit..."

Gao Dongxu was certain that these three people were typical amateurs. A cunning glint flashed in his eyes, and he whispered, "Can I take a look at it?"

"Okay, but you have to be careful not to bump into anything. This is a treasure."

Listening to the instructions of the leader of the three and the careful handing of the Tang Sancai horse to him, Gao Dongxu took the horse with a smile, took out a flashlight from his pocket, and turned it on the Tang Sancai horse.

Under the bright light, every pattern and every color on the Tang Sancai horse reveals the vicissitudes of history and the exquisite craftsmanship of the craftsmen.

Feeling the cold temperature of the Tang Sancai horse, Gao Dongxu confirmed that it was authentic, but unfortunately it had no spiritual energy.

He calmly returned the Tang Sancai horse to the other party, then looked at the bundle hidden behind the three people and asked in a low voice: "Can I see the others?"

"This..." The three of them looked embarrassed and looked at each other, as if they were discussing something.

"Don't worry, if the item is genuine and the price is right, I can cover everything." Gao Dongxu lowered his voice and took out a handful of money he had just earned from selling fish to show off his financial strength.

"Okay - Third Brother, move aside and let him see -"

"Ah."

Gao Dongxu squatted down and looked at the opened bundle. His heart beat faster when he saw what was in front of him.

They are all Tang Sancai.

In addition to the Tang Sancai horse, there is also a Tang Sancai camel, a pair of Tang Sancai tomb guardian beasts shaped like Qilin, and a Tang Sancai maid figurine.

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(End of this chapter)