Although it's called a box, it's actually not very big; it's more like an official's box, measuring forty centimeters long, thirty centimeters high, and thirty centimeters wide.

Li Xiangdong carefully examined the pitch-black official box. It was quite heavy in his hand. He scraped off some of the mud on the surface with his fingernail, revealing a dark red, oily sheen.

Based on Li Xiangdong's knowledge of wood, this was probably rosewood, and quite old.

Zhou Hongsong used the key in his hand to unlock the cabinet door and opened the top cover, where he saw two white jade locks of the same size lying on it!

One is a "Top Scholar's Success" lucky lock, and the other is a "Blooming Flowers and Wealth" lucky lock.

Both locks are shaped like auspicious clouds, with openwork on the bolts. The white jade is smooth and lustrous, and although it has been weathered by time, it looks even more mellow and profound.

Li Xiangdong carefully picked up the white jade lock; it felt heavy in his hand.

The front of this lock is intricately carved, depicting a scholar wearing an official hat, holding osmanthus flowers, and smiling. Lingzhi flowers bloom everywhere, and even the scholar's beard and eyebrows are depicted in exquisite detail.

The back features the four large characters "状元及第" (meaning "top scholar in the imperial examination") in clerical script.

Li Xiangdong thought to himself, "This must be something from a hundred years ago."

Open the cabinet door below and pull out four small drawers, inside which are a celadon jade mountain-shaped seal with preserved skin, a celadon jade dragon-patterned belt plaque, a celadon jade begonia-patterned longevity character belt plaque, and a celadon jade egret rising high amidst spring waters belt plaque.

A jade belt plaque is a flat jade ornament inlaid on a belt, symbolizing status and position.

In ancient China, starting from the Northern Zhou Dynasty, royalty and officials used jade as ornaments on their belts, a custom that continued until the Ming Dynasty.

During the Ming Dynasty, only members of the imperial family, first-rank officials, or certain individuals specially granted jade belts by the emperor were allowed to use them. Within this system, there was an extremely strict hierarchy; for example, the number of jade belt plaques was determined by rank—the emperor used 20, a prince 16, and so on.

Later generations of Chinese people, influenced by the traditional concept of wealth and status associated with "python robes and jade belts," were also extremely eager to collect such jade artifacts.

Li Xiangdong carefully examined the jade belt plaques by the light and determined that they should be jade belt plaques from the Ming Dynasty.

Because most jade belt plaques from the Ming Dynasty were made using the "pulling bag" technique, which involves polishing and finishing the brushed surface, some "W" or "V" shaped brushing marks can still be seen on the edges of the jade belt plaques.

Zhou Hongsong said, "This was acquired by Grandpa Jin Deji. He said that his family had kept it for decades, and now that their grandson is getting married, they don't have a house, so they can only take these old things that they have stored away to a state-run antique shop to exchange for money."

Li Xiangdong asked, "How much did Old Master Jin pay them?"

He Chaochao was also present at the time. He has a good memory and recounted to Li Xiangdong what Jin Deji had said.

Grandpa Jin said, "Sister-in-law Mu, we've been neighbors for eighteen years. Since you've asked me to take a look at this for you today, I'll tell you the truth: this thing of yours has value, but it's not worth that much!"

Grandma Mu immediately became anxious, "Old Jin, I know you're in the antique business now, but you can't cheat your own people! Over the years, I've had my son take care of you quite a bit!"

Jin Deji is now eating and drinking well, and his demeanor has recovered to a fraction of what it was like to be a prince of the Rongwang Mansion in previous years.

He wasn't in a hurry upon hearing this. "Sister-in-law, not at all. I said this thing is valuable because it used to be worn by powerful and influential people; it brought good luck when word got out. But to say it's worthless..."

As he spoke, he took out a jade belt plaque, saying, "This bluish-white jade is used in the palace to make plates, bowls, and jars. It's readily available on the market now!"

"Look at this one of yours. The carving is nice, but the material is small, and the back is rough with pores. That's why I say, in the eyes of someone who doesn't care about good luck, this thing isn't that valuable!"

Grandma Mu hesitated for a moment. Although she felt that Jin Deji's words made some sense, she was still unwilling to admit that he was right.

"This, this, my old woman risked her life to hide this box of things, and now you're saying I can't even get a good price for it?"

Grandma Mu was so anxious when she said this that she jumped up and down.

Jin Deji stroked his beard. "Sister-in-law, if you take this box of things to the state-run antique shop, I reckon you can get two hundred yuan!"

Upon hearing the amount, Grandma Mu felt much more at ease.

Two hundred!

She thought it wasn't worth much!

Grandma Mu stamped her foot, "Two hundred it is! It's just a few hundred more for my grandson's wedding!"

Jin Deji stopped the old lady Mu, who was about to leave. The old lady was very anxious, "What are you doing, Jin? The 653 bus will be arriving soon!"

"Sister-in-law, how about this, you go to the state-run antique shop and ask about the price first. If it's less than three hundred yuan, bring it back to me and I'll take it!"

"What?! Three hundred yuan?!"

"right!"

Grandma Mu was a little confused by his constantly changing prices. She suspiciously took the official box to the state-run antique shop and didn't return until 5 p.m.

The family was eagerly waiting for the old lady to exchange money, but what they saw was that the old lady's clothes were all wrinkled like pickled vegetables, and she was still tightly hugging the official box in her arms!

"Grandma, you didn't manage to sell them?"

The old lady picked up the teacup on the table, drank it all in one gulp, and after catching her breath, said, "Old Jin is amazing! The state-run antique shop only offered me 150!"

"Then what should we do?"

"Sell it to Lao Jin!"

Of course, He Chaochao didn't hear these conversations between the Mu family members; they were all relayed to him by Old Master Jin.

Zhou Hongsong said, "Xiangdong, Mr. Jin specifically asked me to tell you that if this thing is stored for another few decades, its price can increase hundreds or thousands of times."

This chapter is not finished, please click the next page to continue reading!