Siheyuan: The romantic and suave Xu Damao

"Beautiful! It's really beautiful!"

As Xu Damao examined it carefully, he couldn't help but praise it.

Xu Damao had seen this kind of thing on TV in his previous life. Yes, on TV. This thing was in the Palace Museum. You can imagine how high its level is.

At least a national first-class cultural relic!

This radish was carved from fine African ivory by a master from the palace at the time. Even the fine roots at the root of the radish were carved vividly.

The upper half of the radish and the leaves are dyed with oil paint and chemical pigments. They are so juicy green that Xu Damao wants to take a bite.

The lower part of the radish slowly turned white, and on the leaves there was a very lifelike cricket that looked vivid and lifelike. The more Xu Damao looked at it, the more he liked it.

"Sister Qian, do you know where this thing came from?"

"How would I know? This is something from my mother's house, but it was hidden very carefully."

"Then I will tell you a legend about this thing, but I can't guarantee the truth of this story."

"Little brother, you are very knowledgeable and you can tell stories. I remember that only the master can tell stories, right? Go ahead and tell your stories. Sister Qian is listening."

"The dynasty of this treasure can be locked in the Qianlong period. The Qing Dynasty was relatively rich and the national strength was abundant during the Qianlong period, so Emperor Qianlong loved to collect cultural relics. This thing is very likely one of his collections."

“Here’s the little story.”

"Back then, Emperor Qianlong spent a large sum of money to buy ivory from Africa, which was of very fine texture and the best quality."

"Qianlong thought that these things couldn't just be left there, no matter how good they were, they would only look the same, so he asked the most skilled craftsmen to carve them."

"During the Qianlong period, ivory carving techniques were already very sophisticated. But this also made the craftsmen feel troubled. The emperor had seen everything, so what could he carve into it?"

"When the craftsmen timidly presented the carved ivory to Emperor Qianlong, he became furious."

"Where is my fine ivory? You are trying to fool me with this carrot and cabbage. There is even a katydid on top. I am so pissed! Someone, come here!"

"Your Majesty, this is your ivory, not radish or cabbage!"

Qianlong dismissed the guards and stepped forward to take a closer look at the "radish" and "cabbage".

The craftsman said: "The length of the radish is about the same as that of a real radish. In order to make them more realistic and fit better, katydids, wild flowers and seven-spotted ladybugs were carved into them during the carving process."

"It took a lot of effort to carve this object from the beginning to the successful completion. Carving on ivory is a very complicated process, including chiseling, shoveling, face opening, polishing, and fumigation. Each step is a test for the craftsman."

"That is why this ivory carving is extremely precious."

Xu Damao finished speaking in one breath, then felt his throat a little dry, so he picked up the cup of water on the table and took a sip of water.

"How valuable is it? Is it more valuable than the red sandalwood gift box just now?"

Sister Qian asked with a puzzled look on her face.

"It's definitely more valuable than that rosewood box. This thing is an antique, a cultural relic."

"But that box is also an antique?"

"Well, that's true, but this ivory carrot is more valuable than the rosewood box just now. It is a first-class cultural relic."

"I don't understand. I can see that you like this thing very much, so I'll sell it to you. Just the same price as the wooden box."

Sister Qian was very generous and wanted to sell the ivory radish to Xu Damao.

"Who wouldn't like this? But it's only three hundred dollars, are you serious, Sister Qian?"

Xu Damao was a little bit unbelieving. He had already said clearly that the value of this radish was much higher than that of the rosewood box.

"I'm serious. Liu Guaizi and I don't understand these things. If we go to the city to sell them, we can only get some silver dollars at most, and the rosewood box will be used as a gift."

"As for this carrot, I think I can only sell it for 100 yuan at most. I sold it to you for 300 yuan, and I still made a lot of money. You should be content with what you have."

"You are an honest man, brother. To put it bluntly, even if you lied to me and said that this rosewood box and ivory are not worth much, who can refute you?"

"You can obviously buy them at a lower price, but you told Sister Qian their actual value. Sister Qian can't let you suffer a loss."

"Also, it's like a pearl covered in dust if I keep this thing here. It's better to let my brother take it and sell it. If my brother makes a lot of money, he can come back and bring Sister Qian some good things from the city."

Qian Longmei spoke in a serious tone, and she didn't look like she was joking.

"Since Sister Qian is so generous, I would seem petty if I refuse. If you need anything, please tell me now. I will bring it to you next time you come."

As Xu Damao spoke, he put the ivory radish into the basket at the back of the bicycle, and at the same time took out three stacks of money and handed them to Sister Qian.

"I don't lack anything, I just want some rouge and powder, and some nice jewelry. Don't buy anything too expensive, I can't afford it."

"No problem. Since Sister Qian trusts me so much, I will definitely bring these things with me next time I come here. I will make sure Sister Qian is satisfied!"

As Xu Damao spoke, he took out four stacks (ten in each small stack) of brand new Great Unity banknotes and handed them to Qian Longmei.

"Didn't we agree on three hundred? Why is there a hundred more?"

"This hundred is the money for buying the piglets. Sister Qian, you must keep it."

"Those piglets are not worth that much money. No, no, no."

"I know those piglets are not worth that much money, so just take it, Qianjie. If you ever separate from Liu Guaizi, this money will be a guarantee."

After Xu Damao's repeated persuasion, Qian Longmei finally accepted the money.

"Sister Qian, let me take a few eggs from this pot."

"Just take it. Why are you being so polite? You cooked it in the first place."

After helping Xu Damao pack the piglets, the two separated.

Xu Damao pushed his bicycle out of the gate, waved to Sister Qian, got on his bike and left.

After turning a corner, Xu Damao looked around and saw that there was no one around, so he put the piglets in the basket at the back, the rosewood box containing silver dollars, and the large wooden box containing ivory radishes into his personal space.

"Brother, come here!"

The two eight or nine-year-old children who were being dragged by Xu Damao to see his projection equipment came over to greet him enthusiastically when they saw Xu Damao.

"Have you eaten yet?"

"We've been looking at this thing and haven't gone back to eat yet!"

"Well, you have completed the task well, this is your reward!"

Xu Damao took out the boiled eggs he had just received from Sister Qian, handed them to the two children, and grabbed a handful of Cuban sugar.

"Two eggs per person!"

"Hehe, thank you, big brother!"

"Go home!"