For a Qin Dynasty treasure, coupled with a Tang Dynasty Buddhist prayer bead, thirty million still seemed a steep price, but this was only to the eyes of ordinary people.
Setting aside the Tang Dynasty prayer bead, the Golden Mandarin Duck alone was worth more than that in Yan Shouyi’s estimation.
An ordinary person might take the Golden Mandarin Duck as mere decoration, but Yan Shouyi could study its structure, replicate it using Luban’s skills, and perhaps even enhance his San Yuan abilities through it.
After a symbolic haggle, the agreed-upon price was twenty-eight million.
The two short men remained somewhat uncertain. They weren't sure if their price was appropriate, nor if Yan Shouyi could truly afford it.
However, judging by Yan Shouyi’s demeanor and bearing, he was likely no ordinary person.
Yan Shouyi beckoned to Lin Zitong, who was in the teahouse.
As Lin Zitong approached, Yan Shouyi smiled and said, "Wife, these two items cost twenty-eight million."
The two short men were stunned. They had thought highly of Yan Shouyi just moments before, only to discover he was a pretty boy living off his wife!
Lin Zitong snorted, "These two pieces of scrap metal are worth twenty-eight million?"
"Is it a deal or not?" Yan Shouyi pleaded playfully.
Seeing Yan Shouyi’s act, Lin Zitong was both annoyed and amused. She took out her phone and called Ye Chengfu.
After a brief conversation, Lin Zitong asked the short men for their bank account details.
The two short men quickly produced pre-prepared slips of paper and read the numbers to Lin Zitong.
Less than three minutes after Lin Zitong hung up the phone, the substantial sum of twenty-eight million had been transferred.
She had prepared the money in advance, which was why the transfer was so swift.
Upon receiving the notification, the two short men, even with their faces covered, couldn't hide their smiles.
Yan Shouyi decided to play the role of the dependent husband to the fullest, kissing Lin Zitong on the cheek and calling her "good wife" several times, making her blush furiously.
The short men cast envious glances. While Lin Zitong was only "average-looking" at the moment, Yan Shouyi was even less attractive. But what mattered was that he had money!
The short man wearing a hat said, "The money has arrived. These two treasures are yours."
Yan Shouyi collected the prayer bead and the Golden Mandarin Duck, casually stuffing them into his satchel. However, he didn't leave. Instead, he said,
"The transaction is complete, and we are now friends. I'd like to see if you have any other treasures on hand."
The two short men froze, their relaxed expressions instantly replaced by vigilance.
"Don't be nervous. If I wanted to do anything to you, I would have already," Yan Shouyi spread his hands to show he meant no harm. "Let's be frank, I want to buy the Yangling Tiger Tally."
The vigilance in the eyes of the two short men intensified, confirming Yan Shouyi's suspicion.
The Yangling Tiger Tally was indeed in their possession!
The two men took a few steps back and began whispering to each other. Yan Shouyi didn't hurry, using the opportunity to hold Lin Zitong's hand a little longer, earning a playful scolding from her, "What time is it, and you're still not serious."
"I'm suddenly realizing that being seen as a man who lives off his wife is incredibly cool," Yan Shouyi said with a grin.
"Don't men generally prefer machismo?" Lin Zitong asked, confused. "How is living off your wife cool?"
"The point isn't living off your wife, but being cool," Yan Shouyi explained. "Because while I'm living off my wife, other men always look at me with confusion and jealousy, wondering why a man like me can live this way, but they can't. In other words, I just enjoy seeing them hate me but be unable to do anything about it."
Lin Zitong gave Yan Shouyi a sidelong glance. "So, you plan to live off your wife forever?"
"Is that not allowed?"
"Of course, it is."
Lin Zitong actually enjoyed this feeling of "keeping a kept man" even more. After all, she was a strong woman.
After a brief consultation, the two short men returned and said, "If you want to buy the Yangling Tiger Tally, you'll have to come with us."
"Alright, I'll call a few friends."
As Yan Shouyi was about to turn and call for others, he was informed that he couldn't. At most, he could bring Lin Zitong.
It seemed that because Lin Zitong was a woman, and the actual payer with significant influence, if Yan Shouyi hadn't spoken first, the two short men might have only allowed Lin Zitong to go alone.
However, whether to bring someone else was irrelevant. Besides Wei Changqing, Yan Shouyi and Lin Zitong were the strongest combatants in their group.
As long as they didn't encounter more than three Ghost Kings, the two of them had the means to protect themselves.
Thus, the bold and skilled pair agreed to the terms. After informing Wei Changqing and the others, they followed the two short men into a narrow alley.
The two seemed very familiar with the layout of the ghost market, weaving through the alley with practiced ease.
Yan Shouyi took the opportunity to strike up a conversation, managing to get a preliminary understanding of their identities and backgrounds.
These two short men were brothers. The one whose face was covered was Ji Zhan, and the younger brother, Ji Xiong, was the one who had initially sat at the stall.
They were inheritors of Dao Zhi.
Dao Zhi was from the State of Lu during the late Spring and Autumn period, a fellow townsman of Luban. Legend had it that he was the brother of Liu Xiahui, a wise minister of Lu at the time. At his peak, he commanded thousands of great bandits, rivaling an army.
Few people knew the name Dao Zhi, but he had a famous saying: "Even thieves have their way."
According to Zhuangzi's "Qū Qiè": "Dao Zhi's disciples asked Dao Zhi, 'Do even thieves have a way?' Dao Zhi replied, 'Where is there anything without a way? To dare to enter the inner chamber is wisdom; to be the first to enter is courage; to be the last to leave is righteousness; to know what is possible and what is not is knowledge; to divide equally is benevolence.'"
Setting aside the true circumstances of Dao Zhi during the Spring and Autumn period, the current inheritors of Dao Zhi were known as righteous heroes who robbed the rich to help the poor.
They were skilled in picking locks and breaking into houses. Not only did they possess excellent lightness skills, allowing them to easily scale walls and traverse rooftops, but they had also mastered the art of bone-shrinking, claiming that they could pass through anywhere their head could fit.
Although folk sects varied greatly in their methods, they shared a common trait: rooted in the populace, serving the nation and its people, and embodying a spirit of chivalry.
While the inheritors of Dao Zhi did not vanquish demons and monsters, their actions were fundamentally similar to other folk sects, all aimed at upholding justice.
Yan Shouyi also learned that Ji Zhan and Ji Xiong had accomplices. There were twelve of them in total on this trip, all led by their master, Ji Fusui.
Treasures like the Yangling Tiger Tally were not something they were authorized to handle. Therefore, they were taking Yan Shouyi to meet Ji Fusui, who would personally negotiate the transaction with him.
When Lin Zitong inquired about the destination of the twenty-eight million, Ji Zhan and Ji Xiong proudly stated that their master had donated to dozens of Project Hope schools and welfare institutions in impoverished mountainous areas. These funds would be handed over to their master, who would then consolidate their charitable acts.
Lin Zitong and Yan Shouyi merely smiled at this, saying nothing further.