Siheyuan: Smiling at the Birds

Li Tianyou was eating with Gao Meiyu and Zheng Yanran, and said as they ate: "After dinner, I will go out for a while. If you two want to go out and play, you don't have to wait for me."

Gao Meiyu heard this and said, "Brother Tianyou, where are you going after dinner?"

Zheng Yanran also looked at Li Tianyou curiously. She knew too little about the inland and also wanted to go out for a walk.

Li Tianyou swallowed the food in his mouth and said, "Didn't I ask Guangtian to help me collect antiques? Guangtian has already collected a batch. I will go to see those antiques, calligraphy and paintings in the afternoon."

Zheng Yanran's eyes lit up when she heard this and said, "Brother Tianyou, can the two of us go with you?"

Gao Meiyu also looked at Li Tianyou eagerly.

Li Tianyou looked at the two girls, shook his head and smiled: "Of course, I'm just afraid that you would find it boring to go to those places."

Zheng Yanran was pleasantly surprised and said, "How could it be boring to go and see calligraphy and paintings?"

Gao Meiyu also said: "Brother Tianyou, I also want to go and see it."

Li Tianyou smiled and said, "Okay, you two will come with me later. But, Yanran, you have to be careful, talk less and watch more, and don't act too close to me. Just follow Yu'er."

Zheng Yanran nodded and smiled: "Don't worry, I'm not stupid."

After Li Tianyou had dinner with the two girls, he also called Liu Guangtian to go to Liulichang.

Liulichang Cultural Street is located outside Heping Gate in Xicheng District of the old city. It starts from Nanxinhua Street in the east and ends at Nanliu Lane in the west. It is 340 meters long and 9 meters wide.

The rise of Liulichang was related to the Qing Dynasty's management policy of separating bannermen from the city, and it gradually became one of the important areas for cultural activities in the city. In the Yuan Dynasty, Liulichang opened an official kiln to produce glazed tiles. After the construction of the outer city in the 32nd year of Jiajing in the Ming Dynasty, Liulichang became an urban area, and the official kiln was moved to Liuliqu Village in Mentougou District, but the name "Liulichang" was retained. During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, Liulichang became a commercial street dominated by the book market and supplemented by stationery and calligraphy and painting, attracting scholars, literati, cultural merchants and opera artists from all over the country to live. During the warlord years, the book market declined, and the antique and stationery market emerged. There are many old shops in Liulichang Cultural Street, such as Rongbaozhai, Huaiyinshanfang, Ruguzhai, Cuiwen Pavilion, Yide Pavilion, etc., which gradually developed into a gathering place for literati, students from all over the country, and officials. Various cultural atmospheres gathered and merged here, forming a unique cultural atmosphere. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Liulichang entered a new period and became a carrier and distribution center for displaying the traditional culture of the Xia Kingdom.

After Li Tianyou and the two girls arrived at Liulichang, Zheng Yanran seemed very curious about everything here. She looked here and there, and kept whispering to Gao Meiyu.

Li Tianyou couldn't help but smile bitterly when he saw this.

Liu Guangtian took Li Tianyou and the others to a store and said, "Chief Li, this is it. Let's go in!"

Li Tianyou nodded and followed him into the store.

Liu Guangtian’s brother is called Wang Ermaizi, and Wang Ermaizi’s father is the owner of this shop.

(Readers who have read this must be wondering, is there still a sale of antiques in Liulichang at this time? Yes, you can find the details yourself. The easiest one is a certain treasure house. Water characters are really happy.)

Wang Ermaizi's father was Wang Defa.

Seeing Liu Guangtian coming with his men, Wang Defa also said: "Follow me."

As he spoke, Li Tianyou and others followed Wang Defa to a remote house.

After Li Tianyou entered the house, he looked at the various things placed inside.

Li Tianyou picked up a painting and started looking at it. It was a painting by Mr. Qi Baishi. If Li Tianyou remembered correctly, the price of this painting was twenty-five yuan on the list.

Li Tianyou looked at the painting in his hand and sighed in his heart! You know, this painting can be sold for at least tens of millions in the future.

It only costs twenty-five dollars now. Yes, you heard it right, twenty-five dollars.

Li Tianyou immediately opened the Eye of Truth and looked at them one by one.

There are calligraphy works by Qi Baishi, Zhang Daqian, and even Wang Xizhi, which makes Li Tianyou feel that the 1000 yuan he spent is truly worth it!

Li Tianyou said: "Can these things be transported to Courtyard No. 95?"

Wang Defa said: "It's ok at night, but it's too conspicuous in the daytime."

Li Tianyou looked at Wang Defa and said, "Old man, can you still accept it?"

Wang Defa stared at Li Tianyou for a while and asked: "Young man, can you tell me why you collected these things?"

Zheng Yanran and Gao Meiyu, who were originally looking at calligraphy and paintings, put down the calligraphy and paintings in their hands and looked at Li Tianyou after hearing this.

Li Tianyou said calmly: "Collect it."

Wang Defa shook his head and said, "Young man, if you don't tell the truth, I won't help you collect it in the future."

Li Tianyou smiled bitterly and said, "Old man, to tell you the truth, I recently heard that many foreigners are collecting these things and shipping them back to their countries, so I collected them. I don't want our descendants to have to go abroad to see these things in a few years."

Wang Defa sighed bitterly when he heard this: "Young man, you are thoughtful."

Li Tianyou smiled and said, "Why? Don't you believe me, old man?"

Liu Guangtian said: "Uncle Wang, Section Chief Li is the section chief of the steel mill, he won't lie to you."

Wang Defa sighed, his eyes slightly red, and said in a choked voice: "No, I just feel bad after listening to what this young man said. This young man is right. These good things left by our ancestors were taken back to their own country by those foreigners. It makes me feel bad just thinking about it!"

Li Tianyou was also deeply touched after listening to this. Just think about the future generations, where things from one's own country were sold at sky-high prices at foreign auctions. How embarrassing it was that things from one's own country were auctioned off by foreigners in foreign countries.

Wang Defa said: "Young man, are you rich?"

Li Tianyou was stunned for a moment and said: "Old sir, where did you get this from?"

Wang Defa said: "I have a few old friends who have a lot of good stuff. They are afraid that their unfilial children and grandchildren will secretly sell it, so now they want to find people from our country to sell it, but they are afraid of being cheated, so they have not had the opportunity to sell it yet."

After listening to Wang Defa's words, Li Tianyou understood. Yes, if it was a foreigner who dragged his feet, it would be like throwing a meat bun at a dog.

Now that I know I am a section-level cadre in a state-owned enterprise, I will definitely not act as an agent for foreigners, so they want to sell things to themselves.

Li Tianyou said: "Old man, how much money do you think it will cost?"

Wang Defa looked into Li Tianyou's eyes and said, "At least 100 yuan, maybe more. You know, if other people know about it, they will definitely want to sell it to their own people."

Liu Guangtian also took a breath after hearing what Wang Defa said.

Although Gao Meiyu was slightly startled, she quickly suppressed it.

Zheng Yanran was also shocked. She was shocked that it was so cheap.

You have to know that her monthly pocket money in Hong Kong is more than this. She didn't expect that in the mainland, she could buy so many things with such a small amount of money.

Zheng Yanran's mind also became active.

Li Tianyou smiled and said, "Old man, just take it. Money is not a problem."

Wang Defa frowned and said, "Do you really have so much money?"

Liu Guangtian also looked at Li Tianyou excitedly.

Li Tianyou smiled and said, "Old sir, I know you have doubts, but I assure you that I must have used my own money."

Li Tianyou looked at Gao Meiyu, and said with a ruthless heart: "This girl is the daughter of Gao Shanhai, the director of the Public Security Bureau of Sijiu City. Her name is Gao Meiyu. If you don't believe me, we can go to the Public Security Bureau with you."

This was the first time that Li Tianyou revealed Gao Meiyu's identity. Li Tianyou was unwilling to do so because he knew that a famous person in later generations once said, "When you are unsuccessful, you will find that you are surrounded by people with disgusting faces. When you are successful, you will also find that you are surrounded by people with smiling faces who cater to you."

Li Tianyou was still thinking about the deaf old lady in his heart. He didn't want the deaf old lady to know Gao Meiyu's identity and then lie there waiting to die. Li Tianyou said that he didn't want the deaf old lady to have a good end.

It’s not that Li Tianyou is cruel, but the way the deaf old lady looked at Gao Meiyu that day made Li Tianyou realize that this damn old woman was plotting against him and his wife.

After hearing what Li Tianyou said, Liu Guangtian's eyes widened and he said, "Chief Li, is your sister-in-law the daughter of Director Gao?"

Li Tianyou nodded and said, "Guangtian, remember not to tell anyone when you return to the hospital, okay? Don't ask why, we are just ordinary people, we don't want to attract attention everywhere."

Liu Guangtian nodded blankly, his heart already in turmoil.

Wang Defa frowned as he looked at Gao Meiyu and said, "Girl, are you really Director Gao's daughter?"

Hearing this, Gao Meiyu smiled and said, "Old sir, yes, my father is Gao Shanhai, and my name is Gao Meiyu. If you don't believe me, I can accompany you to the nearest police station in Liulichang to verify it."

Zheng Yanran was also surprised when she looked at Gao Meiyu. She didn't expect that Gao Meiyu was the daughter of the Public Security Bureau Chief of the inland city of Sijiu.

Li Tianyou looked at Wang Defa and said, "Old man, do you need me to accompany you to the police station?"

Wang Defa shook his head and said, "No need, I believe you."

Gao Meiyu said: "Old sir, you don't have to believe it. Just go and ask it yourself later. You can't fool people with this kind of thing."

Wang Defa shook his head and said, "Young man, I believe you. I will deliver these things to your courtyard in the evening. You just need to pay the full amount then."

Li Tianyou knew that Wang Defa was talking about the two hundred yuan. Li Tianyou nodded and said, "Okay, old sir, but what about those old things you mentioned?"

Wang De said with a smile: "I'll count them. You can prepare the money when you go back. I'm afraid you don't have enough money."

Li Tianyou laughed and said, "Old man, take whatever you want. Money is not a problem."

Zheng Yanran looked at the heroic Li Tianyou and felt full of pride.

Gao Meiyu also smiled and said, "Old sir, money is really not a problem, but you have to keep these things confidential and not tell anyone."

Wang Defa nodded and said, "Don't worry, I know the rules of this business."

Li Tianyou said, "It's settled then. I'll wait for you in the courtyard tonight."

Wang Defa smiled and said, "It's a deal."

Li Tianyou smiled and said, "It's a deal."