"Lin really found a treasure at the flower and pet market..."
"How valuable could an old birdcage possibly be?"
"He said it belonged to a Qing dynasty prince. Why would a prince's cage end up here in Jinling?"
"Didn't you hear? He's supposedly a descendant of the Eight Banners."
Lin Xiao ignored the comments from the viewers. As soon as the cage was handed to him, information instantly appeared before his eyes.
Item: Birdcage
Description: Cloisonné Parrot Cage
Materials: Cloisonné, Copper, Gold...
Era: Qianlong Period, Qing Dynasty
Condition: Average
Quality: Good
Summary: A collectible antique.
Market Value: 16 million yuan
Recovery Price: 16 million yuan
Seeing this, Lin Xiao took a deep breath.
He had initially doubted his intuition, but it turned out to truly be a valuable antique!
Everything the Eight Banners descendant said was true!
This cage genuinely belonged to a Qing Dynasty prince!
Noticing Lin Xiao's sudden silence, the vendor thought he might have second thoughts and quickly reminded him, "Young man, we agreed on a thousand yuan. I've already taken it down—don't change your mind now."
Lin Xiao quickly came back to reality, smiled, and shook his head, "No worries, I won't back out. So, how much in total?"
"Two birds and a cage, 300 yuan. Bird feed is free, plus this cage—1,300 yuan altogether."
Lin Xiao scanned and paid, took the two cages, and walked away in high spirits.
Watching him leave, the vendor chuckled to himself, "Who knew someone would actually buy that old thing?"
He really hadn't expected it.
...
Outside, Lin Xiao hummed happily as he walked.
His viewers, seeing his cheerful demeanor, began to guess.
But considering it was just a birdcage, they were still puzzled.
"Could this cage really be something special?"
"Lin has never failed at treasure-hunting."
"But come on, it's just a birdcage!"
"I've never heard of a birdcage being valuable."
"Stop humming, Lin! Tell us, is it actually just a birdcage or what?"
"You even need to ask? Of course, it's just a birdcage!"
"I refuse to believe treasure-hunting works even at the pet market."
Everyone was bewildered.
Lin Xiao, still in high spirits, explained patiently, "Remember, the vendor mentioned that this cage belonged to a Qing Dynasty prince."
"You seriously believe the vendor's story?"
"Just because he said it belonged to a prince doesn't make it true!"
"That vendor was just desperate to get rid of the cage—you fell for it!"
"Lin never makes a bad deal—this cage must be unusual."
Lin Xiao continued, "I had doubts initially, but upon closer inspection, I realized this cage was indeed special. If I'm not mistaken, it's made from cloisonné and gilded copper. It's covered in dust and rust now, but after cleaning it, you'll clearly see its true quality."
"Even if it's not from the Qing Dynasty, the materials alone make it worth more than a thousand yuan."
"What's cloisonné?"
"Gilded copper? As in, gold?"
"Unbelievable, you really can find treasures at the pet market?"
"Quick, get it authenticated!"
Lin Xiao replied, "I'll call Mr. Xu first."
Authenticating a birdcage wasn't easy, and Mr. Xu had extensive connections and might know the right expert.
Receiving Lin Xiao's call, Xu Rushan was somewhat stunned.
Had Lin Xiao seriously found another treasure so soon?
"What's up, Lin Xiao?"
"Mr. Xu, I found a birdcage. Do you know anyone who can authenticate birdcages?"
"A birdcage?" Xu Rushan asked, making sure he'd heard correctly.
"Yes, an actual birdcage."
"You mean...the type used for birds?"
"Exactly. If I'm right, this cage is from the Qianlong period of the Qing Dynasty, made of cloisonné. Back then, only wealthy merchants or officials could afford something like this."
"A Qing Dynasty birdcage..."
Xu Rushan was speechless.
How incredibly lucky could Lin Xiao get?
How could he have possibly found something so rare?
And how did the seller not recognize it?
Without further questions, he said, "A birdcage... I don't personally know anyone who specializes in those. But I'll make some calls. Do you want to wait at my place meanwhile?"
Lin Xiao replied, "The market's pretty crowded right now, so I'll wait outside. Just let me know when you find someone."
"Alright."
Hanging up, Xu Rushan started reaching out to his contacts.
Birdcages weren't typically their own category, so he had to approach experts in Qing Dynasty antiques—luckily, he knew a few.
Like Qian He, for instance.
Meanwhile, the news of Lin Xiao finding a birdcage didn't attract much attention.
Most people couldn't associate a simple birdcage with valuable antiques.
Even if it was an antique, they didn't believe it could be very valuable.
Instead, everyone was still focused on Lin Xiao selling the blue-and-white porcelain plate for 48 million yuan.