C2 The Double Dragon Stamps

Liu Gaang set out with a plan to hail a taxi to Antique Street, eager to spend the nearly two thousand yuan burning a hole in his pocket on a potential hidden treasure.

As he rode in the car, the image of that peculiar old man involuntarily surfaced in his mind. What was his story? It was beginning to look like there was truth in the old man's odd words.

By 2 PM, Antique Street was alive with a vibrant hustle and bustle, vendors crowding both sides of the road.

With the zeal of someone on a mission, Liu Gaang approached a stall and casually picked up an item. "This porcelain bowl is a rough imitation of Qing official kiln Ru ware. Evaluation: utterly worthless for collection."

"Enamelware imitating modern craftsmanship. Mediocre at best. Evaluation: worthless for collection."

And on it went. Liu Gaang sifted through item after item, his expression growing increasingly crestfallen.

"Damn it, what's going on here?" he thought, frustration mounting. He had used up more than half of his mysterious gray mist and still hadn't uncovered a single genuine antique—nothing but fakes. Was finding a bargain really this difficult?

The vendor, losing patience, snapped, "Hey, are you going to buy anything or what?"

Just as Liu Gaang picked up a bronze mirror to respond, that voice rang out in his head again. "A glass mirror framed in brass from the Republic of China era, average craftsmanship, but conceals a Republic-era stamp—Double Dragons. Evaluation: extremely high collectible value."

"Stamps? That could be worth a fortune..." A jolt of excitement shot through Liu Gaang, though he managed to maintain a cool facade. "Boss, of course I'm here to buy, but I need to inspect the merchandise first. How much for this brass-framed glass mirror?"

"Eight hundred," the vendor replied, sensing an easy mark. "Young man, you've got quite the eye. This is a Qing Dynasty relic, rumored to have been used by Empress Dowager Ci Xi herself. Just look at the fine craftsmanship."

Liu Gaang scoffed. "Right, as if it was actually used by Empress Dowager Ci Xi. If it were truly hers, would you part with it for a mere eight hundred yuan? It's obviously a modern imitation with no collectible value. I'm only interested because it caught my eye."

Liu Gaang was certain that the vendor had no idea the item was a relic from the Republic of China era; otherwise, he would never have let it go for a mere eight hundred yuan.

"This..." The vendor, caught with his thoughts laid bare, chuckled awkwardly and offered, "How about five hundred?"

"Two hundred. Take it or leave it," Liu Gaang countered firmly.

"Little brother, what do you say to three hundred?" the vendor tried to negotiate.

"It's two hundred, take it or leave it," Liu Gaang insisted, feigning a departure.

"Fine, two hundred it is," the vendor conceded. After all, he had only paid a few dozen yuan for it in the countryside, so making a hundred yuan profit wasn't too shabby.

Liu Gaang quickly paid and eagerly examined the Republic-era mirror in his hands once more.

The stamps must be sandwiched between the glass and the bronze frame, he mused.

"Young man, may I have a look at that mirror you're holding?" a voice interrupted his reverie. Liu Gaang looked up to find an elderly man in a Sun Yat-sen suit standing before him.

Liu Gaang appraised the man in the Sun Yat-sen suit, noting his distinguished air, the suit's fine craftsmanship, and the pricey watch on his wrist. Clearly, he was no ordinary individual.

"Of course," Liu Gaang replied, passing the mirror over.

The elder examined the mirror intently before inquiring, "Young man, did you just purchase this? How much did you pay?"

"Two hundred," Liu Gaang answered nonchalantly.

"Here's my offer: two thousand for the mirror. Just think, you'd make ten times your money instantly. Where else could you find such a deal?" the old man proposed, looking as though he had Liu Gaang's best interests at heart.

"Are you sure the mirror is all you're interested in?" Liu Gaang probed, aware that the stamps were hidden within the layers. Without his unique ability, they'd be undetectable. He was convinced that even an expert like the old man wouldn't notice the stamps concealed there.

There was only one possibility left: the elderly gentleman had recognized the item as a relic from the Republic of China era.

Liu Gaang wasn't sure about the value of the copper mirror, but flipping it for ten times the purchase price seemed like a good deal to him.

The old man in the Zhongshan suit paused, looking somewhat bewildered as he responded, "Yes, this mirror is quite nice. I'm rather fond of it."

"Okay, if that's the case, I'll sell you the mirror after I remove the items inside," Liu Gaang offered with a smile.

The old man in the Zhongshan suit was taken aback once more, examining the mirror intently and running his fingers gently across the surface, pressing down firmly.

There was a compartment inside, and this time he had been careless for not noticing it within the copper mirror.

"Young man, you've got a good eye," the old man in the Zhongshan suit complimented with a chuckle. "How about this, let me open the compartment in the mirror to see what kind of treasure is hidden inside?"

"Please, old sir, no need to make fun of me. My modest skills are nothing more than luck," Liu Gaang said, nodding in agreement.

The old man in the Zhongshan suit simply smiled and held his peace. The oversight with the copper mirror was just a rare lapse in attention. After all, stumbling upon a valuable find wasn't something that happened every day. Had he not been quietly rejoicing over the Republic of China-era copper mirror, he surely would have noticed it. When it came to antiques, he had full confidence in his expertise. Even across the whole of Pingnan, there were only a handful who could match his knowledge.

He produced a small carving knife from his pocket and carefully pried open the glass of the mirror.

As the mirror surface sprang open, the old man lifted it and extracted a stamp from the hidden compartment.

The Great Qing, Double Dragons Stamp.