"The flower and pet market? Can you really find treasures here?"
"What kind of treasure could you possibly find in such a place? Sorry, my imagination isn't good enough."
"You'd have a better chance of finding something worthwhile at a second-hand car market."
"Hey Lin, when are you heading to Chaotian Palace? The antique market there is way bigger and filled with better stuff."
Lin Xiao walked and replied casually, "I'll go there when I have time."
He had wandered around the Confucius Temple area for two days but hadn't finished exploring it yet.
His treasure-hunting had instantly propelled the Confucius Temple onto the trending topics list.
The treasure-hunting craze he sparked today would probably last quite a while.
Therefore, he decided not to continue treasure-hunting here.
Moreover, as his viewers pointed out, the antique market at Chaotian Palace was indeed larger, offering more opportunities.
Lost in thought, Lin Xiao stepped into the flower and pet market.
It was the largest comprehensive flower and pet market in Jinling, with vendors selling flowers, birds, ornamental fish, cats, dogs, and more.
Lin Xiao strolled around leisurely, not solely focused on treasure-hunting.
He genuinely enjoyed looking at these things—tropical fish, turtles, lizards, snakes—it was all quite fascinating.
"Lin, let's go somewhere else."
"Come on, go to Chaotian Palace. This place is dull."
"We're here to see you hunt for treasures, not go shopping!"
His audience was bored, yawning continuously.
But Lin Xiao ignored them, continuing his relaxed stroll.
Soon, he reached the bird vendors' area.
Parrots, finches, canaries… all kinds of birds were on display.
Lin Xiao had loved birds since childhood, having raised parrots and mynahs before, and now he was engrossed, unable to move on.
As he enjoyed watching, his gaze suddenly caught on a cage hanging in a shop.
It wasn't big, about 40 centimeters tall, round-domed, and covered in rust.
Lin Xiao had no particular expertise with bird cages, but after accumulating considerable antique knowledge, he had developed an instinct for old items.
His intuition told him this cage was extraordinary.
Keeping his composure, Lin Xiao pointed at the parrots inside the cage. "Boss, how much for these budgies?"
"150 yuan for a pair."
"That expensive?" Lin Xiao clicked his tongue. He remembered buying them for just 10 yuan each when he was young.
Had the price skyrocketed that much?
The boss didn't reply. Lin Xiao continued, "I'll take a pair, these two... Do you have cages here?"
"Sure, plenty right here. Take your pick."
Lin Xiao pretended to look around before pointing at the rusty cage, asking, "This one looks old."
The owner glanced back and suddenly became talkative. Smiling, he said, "It might look shabby, but it's actually valuable."
"Valuable? How so?"
The boss explained, "A Beijing guy who used to live around here was obsessed with cricket-fighting and bird-keeping. Later, he fell seriously ill and ran out of savings, so he sold me this cage. I didn't really want it, but I knew him for years, so I bought it. Guess how much I paid?"
Lin Xiao was genuinely curious, "A hundred?"
The boss shook his head, "Add a zero!"
"A thousand? That expensive?"
"Well, we were acquaintances, and at that time he was desperate. Seven or eight years ago, a thousand yuan was worth more than now!"
Lin Xiao asked, "You mentioned he was from Beijing. Why was he living here?"
"Who knows?" The owner shrugged, "He claimed to be a descendant of the Eight Banners and said his ancestor was a prince. According to him, this cage was used by that prince. He planned to buy it back when he had money again, but sadly, he passed away shortly after. Who knows if it's true? The cage was rusty when I got it, so I didn't care much."
Lin Xiao probed further, "This cage looks genuinely old. Did you try taking it to the antique market nearby?"
The boss replied, "Of course I did! But nobody wanted it. I just wanted my money back—a thousand yuan. Those vendors only offered me 200 yuan max. Do I look like I need those 200 yuan?"
Lin Xiao hadn't examined the cage up close yet, as it hung too high to reach easily.
Thinking for a moment, he decided, "I think this cage might actually be something valuable. I'll take it. How much?"
The boss warned, "Think carefully. Once you pay, there's no refund."
"Understood."
"Then it's a thousand yuan—just my original price. I won't make a profit from you."
"Deal." Lin Xiao nodded, "Please take it down for me."
The boss asked, "Should I put the birds in this cage?"
"No, pick another cage. This one is rusty. I don't want the birds pecking at it."
"All right."
The owner transferred the birds to another cage before taking down the old one, placing it carefully on the ground.
The cage clearly hadn't been touched for years; it was covered in spiderwebs and a thick layer of dust.