"Brother, you're setting up your stall so early?"
"Come on, there's no one around; let's have a smoke before we get started..."
"What should I call you? Are you friends of Man Ge?"
The next morning, as Fang Yi and Fatty entered the market, greetings echoed all around them. Several vendors, who had been chatting nearby, quickly gathered around, offering cigarettes and friendly salutations, clearly eager to forge a connection with Fang Yi and his companions.
"Ah, Wang Ge, smoke mine. My surname is Wei; just call me Hua Zi. This is my brother, Fang Yi..." Fatty greeted them with familiarity, his memory serving him well as he recognized one of the stall owners from the previous morning.
"Hua Zi, Fang Zi, you two must be starving after arriving so early!" The stall owner known as Wang Ge called out to the vendor selling duck blood vermicelli soup, "Bring us two bowls, and put it on my tab..."
"Wang Ge, that's too generous!" Fatty said, distributing cigarettes with a beaming smile.
"Are you looking down on Wang Ge? It's just a bowl of duck blood vermicelli soup; if it's not enough, we'll order more..."
Wang Ge displayed a hearty generosity. As the saying goes, good news travels slowly while bad news spreads like wildfire. The events from the previous day had already circulated, and everyone knew that the young brothers under Man Jun had formidable connections, managing to topple the once-dominant Gu Director of the market.
"Thank you, Wang Ge..."
Fatty accepted graciously, pulling Fang Yi to sit down. He had been overly excited the day before, tossing and turning throughout the night, rising around six or seven to play with beads, skipping breakfast to rush to the market with Fang Yi.
"Hua Zi, I heard that Old Sun visited the market yesterday. Did you see him?" Old Wang sat down beside Fatty, seemingly engaging in casual conversation, but actually probing for information.
"I did see him; he came with Deputy Director Zhao..." Fatty chuckled, adding, "We even had a meal together..."
Fatty, with his innocent demeanor, was not lacking in cunning. He understood that some truths were better left unsaid, so he straightforwardly mentioned their shared meal from the night before.
"Had a meal together? You're just boasting..."
Old Wang scoffed at Fatty's words. It was well-known that Old Sun had little regard for antique dealers; despite the antique market's long existence, he had never set foot in it during his tenure at the museum, only occasionally visiting after retirement.
"Hey, Wang Ge, you might not believe it, but Old Sun even said he wants to take us as disciples..." Fatty said, half-jokingly. Yet, none of the others at the table took him seriously, assuming he was just bragging.
"Oh, come on, Hua Zi, stop boasting. We all know you have some connection with Old Sun. If there are issues in the market in the future, make sure to look out for us..."
Old Wang chuckled as he pulled out his wallet to pay for breakfast. He had specifically sought out Er Liu the day before and learned that Old Sun seemed to know Fang Yi and his friends, though the depth of their relationship was questionable, given Old Sun's notorious disdain for antique dealers.
"Wang Ge, you flatter me. As newcomers, it's you and your friends who are looking out for us..." Fatty chatted amiably with Old Wang and the others, almost as if they had known each other for years.
"Fatty, just be cautious when dealing with them..." As they went to fetch goods from Man Jun's shop, Fang Yi advised Fatty. Those who thrived in the eclectic world of the antique market were rarely straightforward.
"I understand; you can rest easy..." Fatty maintained his innocent grin, but Fang Yi felt reassured. Fatty's charm could easily deceive others, and it was possible someone might be unwittingly aiding Fatty while being taken advantage of.
Not long after Fang Yi and Fatty set up their stall, San Pao arrived, his face beaming with pride, which Fatty found quite irksome. The two couldn't help but engage in some playful banter.
"By the way, San Pao, what does your fiancée do for a living?"
Business on Mondays was considerably slower than on weekends. By nine in the morning, the market was sparsely populated, with fewer tourists than vendors. After San Pao's arrival, Fatty wandered off to mingle with other stalls, leaving Fang Yi and San Pao to chat.
"Her name is Ye Qianqian, and she works as a sales clerk in a mall. I'll bring her here on Sunday..."
Mentioning his girlfriend brought a glimmer of happiness to San Pao's face. He was genuinely invested in this relationship; after meeting her during a family visit while on leave from the army last year, he had insisted on leaving the military, unwilling to remain any longer.
Ye Qianqian's family had once lived in the outskirts of Jinling, which had only recently been incorporated into the city as it expanded. She was the eldest sibling, with two younger siblings, and had left school to work before graduating from high school, being a year younger than San Pao.
According to San Pao, the girl had a wonderful personality and was very gentle, never minding that he had been discharged for over six months without securing a job. Their relationship was progressing well; they had long since passed the hand-holding and kissing stage, yet the final barrier had yet to be broken.
"Hey, you're doing well; aim for an early marriage..."
Fang Yi chuckled, giving San Pao a light pat on the shoulder. He had originally trained as a wild Taoist under his master, with no restrictions on marriage or family. The old Taoist had once mentioned that, aside from his legitimate wife, he had three concubines in his youth.
"Yi Ge, once we start making money, I... I want to rent a place to live. What do you think?" After introducing his girlfriend, San Pao spoke hesitantly, his face betraying a hint of anxiety. He felt that voicing such intentions might seem a bit too focused on romance over friendship.
"Of course, why not?"
Fang Yi saw no issue with it and replied, "We currently have over twenty thousand on hand, and housing here isn't expensive. You could rent a place nearby to start. When we're no longer staying at Man Ge's, you can move in..."
In the year 2000, properties near Chaotian Palace were selling for only one or two thousand per square meter. Renting a two-bedroom apartment would cost no more than three hundred yuan a month. Fang Yi believed they could easily afford that expense each month.
"Wait, don't be hasty, Fang Yi. We haven't even started making money yet; let's talk about it later..." Upon hearing Fang Yi's suggestion, San Pao quickly waved his hands. Regardless of the situation, he now considered himself a city dweller; relying on Fatty and Fang Yi for income was one thing, but he didn't want to take advantage of them.
"Alright, let's see how business goes. If it's good, we can have your girlfriend come and join us..." Fang Yi pondered for a moment and nodded. They were all still dependent on others; if he and Fatty were living rent-free at Man Jun's while San Pao rented his own place, it would indeed be awkward to explain.
"This business is significantly slower than yesterday..."
By noon, their stall had yet to make a sale, causing both San Pao and Fatty to grow anxious. However, Fang Yi remained calm, quietly fiddling with his beads, showing no signs of impatience.
"San Pao, you can close up today. Fang Yi and I will head to Zhao Ge's..."
It seemed that Man Jun had overindulged the previous day and hadn't shown up at the shop by noon. After a quick lunch, Fang Yi and his companions prepared to visit the museum to see Zhao Hongtao. For Fang Yi, the opportunity to learn during the midday hours was far more valuable than selling goods.
Before entering the museum, Fang Yi called Zhao Hongtao, who personally came out to greet them and instructed the staff at the entrance to allow them direct access to the office in the future.
"Who are these two young men? Are they relatives of Deputy Director Zhao?"
Seeing the two young men so familiar with Deputy Director Zhao puzzled the staff at the entrance, one of whom vaguely remembered Fang Yi and Fatty from their visit to the management office the day before to secure their stall.
"Probably. It seems they rented a stall at the antique market yesterday, and Old Gu got taken down; perhaps it crossed paths with Deputy Director Zhao's relatives..."
One staff member remarked with a hint of schadenfreude. Although they were both part of the logistics department, they were not under Old Gu's purview, and manning the entrance was a thankless job. They had long wished for Old Gu's misfortune.
"Make sure to inform the shift workers not to provoke these two..." An older staff member cautioned. They had both temporary and permanent workers, but offending Deputy Director Zhao could spell trouble for anyone, regardless of their employment status.
"Zhao Ge, your office is truly impressive..." Fatty exclaimed as he and Fang Yi followed Zhao Hongtao into his office, unaware of the discussions happening behind them.
Zhao Hongtao's office was located in a two-story building on the east side of the museum, which had originally been part of Chaotian Palace, serving as a residence for Taoists. After the palace was converted into a museum, the building was renovated into office space.
As the first deputy director of the museum, Zhao Hongtao occupied an office of around forty square meters, furnished in a classical style that exuded elegance. When he opened the window, a magnificent view of the Chaotian Palace complex came into sight, making the location truly exceptional.
"Come, have a seat, Xiao Fang. What tea would you like? Green tea or Tieguanyin? I also have the finest Da Hong Pao; would you care to try it?"
After ushering Fang Yi and Fatty into his office, Zhao Hongtao inquired, revealing his passion for tea alongside his interest in cultural artifacts. His desk was adorned with an array of tea leaves.
"Brother Zhao, is it the Da Hong Pao harvested from the ancient mother trees of Wuyi Mountain?"
Upon hearing Zhao Hongtao's offer, Fang Yi's eyes sparkled with excitement. Although he had only sampled tea from wild tea trees in the mountains, the old Taoist had instilled in him a love for tea from a young age, having made him memorize Lu Yu's "The Classic of Tea" at the tender age of seven or eight, and explaining the distinctions among various regional teas.
Yet, despite his theoretical knowledge, the finest tea Fang Yi had ever tasted was the West Lake Longjing he had enjoyed in Man Jun's home just days prior, not to mention the highly esteemed Wuyi Da Hong Pao revered by his master.
"You rascal, do you think I can just procure that kind of tea for you?"
Zhao Hongtao was momentarily taken aback by Fang Yi's remark, then broke into a wry smile. Wuyi Da Hong Pao is a gem in the realm of Chinese tea, often referred to as the "champion of tea," the king of rock teas, and a national treasure, celebrated as the "King of Wuyi Tea."
The ancient mother trees Fang Yi mentioned were among the last four remaining millennium-old tea trees precariously perched on the steep cliffs of Jiulongke in Wuyi Mountain, yielding a meager harvest and regarded as a rare treasure, historically reserved as tribute, thus entirely unattainable in the market.
A tea enthusiast, Zhao Hongtao once made a special trip to Jiulongke during a business trip, hoping to procure some tea. However, he was stopped by the armed police just a few dozen meters from the mother trees, forced to gaze at them from afar.
"Oh, so it's not tea from the mother trees..."
Fang Yi's disappointment was palpable. His master had once clandestinely harvested leaves from those ancient trees when he was young, claiming them to be the best tea he had ever tasted, leaving a lasting impression on Fang Yi.
"Do you think such treasures can be bought with money?" Zhao Hongtao shot Fang Yi an exasperated glance. Not only could one not purchase tea from those trees with money, but even if it were available, it would likely be exorbitantly priced—beyond his means.
"I'll let you sample my exquisite tea..." Initially intending to serve Fang Yi some ordinary tea, Zhao Hongtao, spurred by Fang Yi's words, decided to present his prized stock instead.
"Fang Yi, this tea costs fifty-eight thousand per kilogram. Give it a taste, but if you can't say something nice about it, I won't let you off easily..."
Being a tea aficionado, Zhao Hongtao had a complete set of tea utensils. After retrieving his finest tea set, he expertly brewed a bowl of Da Hong Pao using traditional kung fu tea techniques.
"Hey, Brother Zhao, what about mine?" Seeing that Zhao Hongtao had only brewed a single bowl of tea, Fatty grew anxious, his thirst unquenched after just finishing a meal, and he was dismayed that there was none for him.
"I have tea leaves on my desk; help yourself..."
Zhao Hongtao waved his hand dismissively. What a joke! He had only brewed this top-tier tea for his mentor, Sun Lianda, and the current director had never tasted it. Had it not been for Fang Yi's earlier remark, Zhao Hongtao would never have brought it out.
"Fine, I'll brew my own then..." Fatty was indifferent about the type of tea; even if it were a mix of top-tier Da Hong Pao and some cheap tea costing just a few yuan a kilogram, he likely wouldn't discern any difference.
"Xiao Fang, how does it taste? Give it a try," Zhao Hongtao said, pouring tea for Fang Yi with practiced ease, a hint of pride gracing his features.
"Brother Zhao, your technique is commendable; you've executed the 'high pour, low pour, skim the foam, and cover the lid' method flawlessly..." After Zhao Hongtao finished brewing, Fang Yi refrained from immediately lifting the bowl. Instead, he offered a thumbs-up, recognizing Zhao Hongtao's skill, which he admired but could not replicate with the same finesse.
"Ah, you actually know about tea?" Zhao Hongtao regarded Fang Yi with newfound respect, for the terminology he used was specific to tea brewing, not easily grasped by casual drinkers.
"Hehe, I have a modest understanding..."
Fang Yi chuckled, holding the tea bowl with his right hand, fingers poised delicately, bringing it to his lips. However, he did not drink just yet; instead, he inhaled the fragrant aroma of the tea.
"Interesting, who taught you this?"
Witnessing Fang Yi's actions, Zhao Hongtao's curiosity deepened, while Fatty looked on in confusion. Zhao Hongtao recognized that Fang Yi's grip on the tea bowl was a gesture affectionately dubbed "Three Dragons Guarding the Cauldron" among seasoned tea drinkers.
"I often drank tea with my master when there was nothing else to do in the mountains..." Fang Yi replied with a smile, finally taking a small sip from the bowl.
"Well? What do you think?" Zhao Hongtao's gaze was fixed intently on Fang Yi, eager to hear his evaluation. Unbeknownst to him, he had begun to regard Fang Yi as an equal in understanding tea.
"This is exquisite tea. Although I have never tasted the Da Hong Pao from the mother trees, I believe this is quite comparable..."
After praising the tea, Fang Yi took another sip before placing the bowl on the table. "With its 'polished jade, woven crimson gauze, simmered yellow stamen, and melodious floral notes,' I shall use these four lines to critique this tea..."
"You rascal, you even know Yuan Zhen's poetry?"
Zhao Hongtao was astounded, nearly dropping his jaw. He recognized the lines as coming from Yuan Zhen's poem "From One Character to Seven Characters: Tea," which was not widely known among tea verses. He was surprised that Fang Yi could recite it.
"Fang Yi, you truly haven't attended school?"
Zhao Hongtao couldn't help but ask, knowing that even graduate students studying ancient texts might struggle to memorize Yuan Zhen's poem. This alone revealed Fang Yi's profound grasp of classical literature.
"No, but I have read extensively, including many ancient texts..." At this moment, Fang Yi felt a pang of nostalgia, recalling how his master had once amassed a vast collection of books, only to give them away in the end, leaving Fang Yi with a sense of loss.
From his earliest memories, Fang Yi recalled the old Taoist's room overflowing with books. According to his master, these tomes were collected during the tumultuous years when he sought to protect them from destruction.
At that time, Fang Yi did not fully grasp his master's words, but as he matured and learned about the chaotic decade, he understood that had his master not brought those books to the mountains, they would likely have been reduced to ashes, with not a single scrap remaining.
However, when Fang Yi turned twelve and had nearly memorized all the content within those books, he returned from playing one day to find a throng of people in the temple, both Taoists and laypeople, packing up his master's books to take away.
Afterward, Fang Yi inquired about the fate of the books. The old Taoist simply said he had given them away, asserting that books were meant for learning, not for hoarding, and as long as their knowledge was retained in one's heart, they would always belong to him.
"Your master sounds like a truly enlightened individual!"
Hearing Fang Yi recount tales of the old Taoist, Zhao Hongtao expressed admiration. Having lived through that era, he understood the madness of the times, where even Confucius's tomb was nearly desecrated, let alone the countless precious artifacts and ancient texts destroyed.
"What enlightened individual? Just a scruffy Taoist..."
Fatty, who had been silent until now, couldn't help but interject upon hearing Zhao Hongtao praise the old Taoist. He had spent considerable time in the temple and his impression of the old man was one of dishevelment and eccentricity; the nickname "little diviner" for Fang Yi had originated from the old Taoist.
"What do you know..."
Zhao Hongtao shook his head, now understanding why his mentor valued Fang Yi so highly. This young man's historical knowledge surpassed that of many graduate students; with a little guidance, he could easily thrive in the antique trade.
"Fang Yi, from now on, feel free to sample any tea in my office, except for this one..."
Having encountered someone who appreciated tea, Zhao Hongtao was generous, though he could not allow Fang Yi to indulge in the fifty-eight thousand per kilogram tea, akin to the rare ancient Pu'er tea from the Forbidden City, as once consumed, it would be irreplaceable.
"Thank you, Brother Zhao, but I don't drink tea; I merely savor it..."
Fang Yi's response brought a smile to Zhao Hongtao's face, for it was the mark of a true tea connoisseur. Unlike Fatty, who would pour boiling water into a large cup and brew a haphazard tea, Zhao Hongtao found such behavior akin to chewing on peony petals, lamenting the waste even if the tea cost merely ten yuan a kilogram.
"By the way, there's one more thing..."
Zhao Hongtao retrieved a card from his desk drawer and said, "Fang Yi, the museum has a cafeteria. My mentor asked me to arrange meal cards for you all, so you can have lunch here; the food outside isn't very sanitary..."
"Brother Zhao, that's too kind! We could easily grab a quick meal outside..."
Touched by Zhao Hongtao's thoughtful gesture, Fang Yi felt a warmth in his heart; apart from his master, who had raised him like a shepherd tending sheep, no one had ever shown such genuine concern for him.
"Your master has taken you as his disciple; we are now family..." Zhao Hongtao pushed the meal card toward Fang Yi with a smile, adding, "Your Brother Zhao is also not wealthy; this card holds only three hundred yuan. You can recharge it at the cafeteria and spend according to what you eat..."
The arrangement of the meal card was indeed a request from Old Sun, who understood that Fang Yi and his companions would be too busy to cook while setting up their stalls. The cafeteria's meals were both affordable and hygienic, and Old Sun was particularly attentive to Fang Yi, his disciple.
"Brother Zhao, thank you and the teacher for this..."
Fang Yi stood and respectfully bowed to Zhao Hongtao, his gratitude stemming not from the meal card or the modest sum of money, but from the heartfelt care Zhao Hongtao and his mentor had shown him.
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