"Haha! This kid is just too funny, talking about the Tang and Song dynasties! Dreaming! Do you really think you can get lucky?"
"Exactly, just a foolish kid who knows nothing, yet dares to speak!"
A group of shop owners mocked.
Shopkeeper Moore laughed, "Oh dear, Ninth Master, this youngster really speaks big! Talking about pre-Tang dynasty, it's clearly a replica, worth nothing."
Ninth Master Thomas furrowed his eyebrows, glanced at me, feeling a bit puzzled but said nothing.
"What, you don't believe me?" I asked.
"Of course not, you'd have to be crazy to believe!" Shopkeeper Moore laughed.
"Since you don't believe it, then let's make a bet."
"A bet?" Shopkeeper Moore was stunned, "What's the bet?"
"Money, of course! Do you dare to bet?"
"Sure!" At the mention of money, Shopkeeper Moore immediately perked up, secretly amused.
This simpleton, silly and adorable, being so kind to give him money, how could anyone refuse?
"How much?"
"One million!" I extended a finger, decisively.
As soon as I spoke, there was a sudden uproar, the crowd boiled over.
"One million? Oh my! This kid is crazy!" The shop owners shouted in disbelief.
Shopkeeper Moore was also taken aback, he thought it would be tens of thousands, or maybe a hundred thousand, but didn't expect this kid to start with one million.
One million, it's quite a significant amount!
He hesitated for a moment but quickly became excited, eager to say, "Okay! One million! But can you really come up with that much money?"
"Don't worry about that!" I replied.
Shopkeeper Moore looked at Ninth Master and nodded, "Since he's here with you, Ninth Master, he must have some money, so let's settle it! Everyone, please be witnesses!"
He turned around, clasping his hands toward the group of shop owners.
"Thompson! What are you..." Ninth Master walked up, looking worried.
"Rest assured, Ninth Master, I know what I'm doing." I comforted.
"Well... sigh!" Seeing Charlie Thompson's firm expression, Ninth Master could only sigh and no longer speak.
Shopkeeper Moore said, "This pottery, Old Mr. Taylor is the authority, let's have Old Mr. Taylor take a look! If he says it's real, it's real; if it's fake, then it's fake. Ninth Master, what do you think?"
"Alright! With Old Mr. Taylor on the case, there should be no problem."
Shopkeeper Moore sent someone out, and soon, they returned with an elderly gentleman, about seventy years old, hair white but looking vigorous.
"Old sir!"
The shop owners greeted respectfully.
"Shopkeeper Moore, I heard you're arguing with a youngster, and an outsider at that, which isn't good!" Old Mr. Taylor remarked.
"Old sir, I didn't start this; it's this youngster who insisted on competing with me," Shopkeeper Moore said.
"Alright, I can't intervene in that! Where's the pottery figurine? I need to take a good look!"
"Here!" I responded, stepped forward, and handed over the pottery figurine.
Old Mr. Taylor accepted it and went under the light to examine it closely.
"Old sir, it's just a replica, this kid is an outsider, knows nothing, yet claims it to be genuine!"
Shopkeeper Moore stood by, speaking with a sneer while glancing at me and Ninth Master.
I remained calm, not worried at all.
Ninth Master, however, appeared a bit anxious.
Old Mr. Taylor focused intently, holding the pottery figurine, examining it thoroughly, his expression growing more serious.
After more than ten minutes, he finally put down the pottery figurine.
"Well, Old sir, it's fake, right?" Shopkeeper Moore chuckled.
Old Mr. Taylor turned around, somewhat excited, looked at me, then at Shopkeeper Moore, "Who says it's fake, Shopkeeper Moore, this time you've misjudged."
Shopkeeper Moore's smile suddenly froze, his whole body stiffened.
Then his face turned pale.
The news hit him like a bolt from the blue, bewildering him.
"Real? This... how is this possible, impossible! Old sir, did you make a mistake?"
"Humph! Would I make a mistake? Shopkeeper Moore, I tell you, this pottery figurine is truly valuable, from the Warring States period, if auctioned, it could easily fetch five or six million."
Old Mr. Taylor flicked his sleeve, irritated, "If you don't believe me, you can ask others, the result will be the same."
"Wa... Warring States?"
Shopkeeper Moore exclaimed, swaying, feeling dizzy, almost fainted.
One million gone just like that, more regrettably, he misjudged and missed such a treasure.
At this moment, he regretted deeply.
The shop owners were also stunned, unable to comprehend for a moment.
"Oh my! It's real, and from the Warring States, this kid hit it big!"
"Dammit, how did I miss seeing that it's real!"
The shop owners lamented.
Ninth Master also paused, finding it hard to believe.
"Sigh! I didn't expect even I misjudged!" He sighed softly, somewhat emotional.
"Thank you, Old Mr. Taylor!"
I cupped my hands towards Old Mr. Taylor.
Actually, I was also surprised, originally estimated around Tang-Song period, unexpectedly it was from the Warring States, truly a delight.
"Congratulations, young man! Congratulations!" Old Mr. Taylor smiled.
"Baker man, sell it to me! I'll offer five million!"
"I'll offer five million and one hundred thousand!"
The shop owners crowded around, competing to offer prices, soon exceeding six million.
I felt like it was a dream, in an instant, ten thousand turned into more than six million, such a huge amount, I never dared to imagine, even selling medicine, it would require a lot to earn so much.
"Ninth Master, six million, it's yours!" I offered the pottery figurine to Ninth Master.
"How could I accept, better add some more."
"No need, just six million! If it weren't for you bringing me here, I wouldn't have had such an opportunity."
"Well... alright then! Thank you, Charlie Thompson!"
Ninth Master smiled gleefully, carefully accepting the pottery figurine, glanced at it, and handed it to Paul Thomas.
"Unexpected, Charlie Thompson, your skill is really high, you claimed no expertise in antiques, yet your first shot hit the mark, truly humbling." Ninth Master praised.
"You're too kind, Ninth Master!" I humbly replied.
"Bah! What's there to brag about, just blind luck like a cat finding a dead mouse, no skill there!" Shopkeeper Moore retorted with jealousy.
Then his gaze fell on the statue in my hand.
"If he truly had skill, he wouldn't have spent thirty thousand buying that broken statue."
Upon hearing this, I couldn't help but laugh, "Who says it's a broken statue? Thirty thousand is absolutely worth it!"
"Nonsense! Just this broken statue, worth thirty thousand? At most, it's worth ten thousand." Shopkeeper Moore sneered.
"You don't believe it? Fine! Shall we bet again?"