Chapter 2 Chapter 2 Several guys took the goods from the box...
Several guys took the goods out of the box and went out to inspect them.
Jiang Wan stood by the door and saw the guys busying around.
She wanted to say something, but the shopkeeper waved his hand and insisted on testing it in his own way.
I saw these guys immersing the metal in water and then recording the amount of water that came out.
Jiang Wan understood that the density was measured by: metal mass/volume = density.
The principle is similar to the modern density method.
Although the measurements in the era that Jiang Wan traveled through were not that precise, the density difference between brass and gold was large enough to distinguish them.
However, after the guy ran back and forth several times, his expression gradually became impatient, and the time interval between each trip gradually shortened from a quarter of an hour to half a quarter of an hour. It was obvious that the inspection speed was getting faster and faster.
Jiang Wan frowned, feeling something was amiss. If they had indeed discovered a fake, the staff would have paid more attention and conducted a more thorough inspection. Could something have gone wrong? But she had clearly heard the jars clashing against each other; it was definitely not the sound of pure gold colliding.
After waiting for a while, the clerk came back and said, "Boss, we have checked and they are all genuine goods. There is no problem."
Jiang Wan's heart sank suddenly.
The caravan leader glanced at Jiang Wan with a smug look and said to the shopkeeper, "Brother Xu, do you believe me this time? The bottom of this gold artifact has been rubbed a little during transportation, so it's normal for the color to be a little darker. We're old acquaintances, why would I lie to you?"
"It's all my fault for listening to this criminal and misunderstanding you." The shopkeeper bowed, turned around and pointed at Jiang Wan, scolding: "You little girl, you're so young and full of lies, get out of here!"
Ordinary brass should be detectable. Since no problems were found, it's likely that some metal with a density similar to gold was used. However, achieving a similar density without a significant difference in color is difficult, especially in this era, where it's almost impossible to find. Jiang Wan's mind raced, trying to recall the counterfeiting incidents he encountered in his past life, hoping for some inspiration.
Seeing Jiang Wan standing still, the shopkeeper came up and pulled her sleeve, trying to push her out the door.
Jiang Wan was pushed out the door by the shopkeeper, and suddenly caught a glimpse of a small silver flower embroidered on the shopkeeper's sleeves, with large green leaves dotted with silver spots.
Jiang Wan suddenly had an idea and shouted, "You used the water immersion method and only tested the weight, right? What if the material used in the imitation is similar in weight to real gold?"
"As everyone knows, the only thing that has a color similar to gold is brass. One inch of copper weighs seven and a half taels, which is far from gold. How can it be similar?" The caravan leader snorted disdainfully, not even wanting to look at Jiang Wan.
Jiang Wan just stared at the shopkeeper. "Have you heard of a material called Raven Stone?"
Legend has it that long ago, a craftsman discovered a silvery-white metal in a forest inhabited by crows. Unsure of its origin, he named it Raven Stone. Later, after being refined by alchemists, the surface of the Raven Stone became remarkably bright, and many Western nobles admired this stone.
The shopkeeper looked at Jiang Wan in surprise, as if he thought it was very strange that a little girl like her could know about the Raven Stone.
In fact, the main component of this crow stone is tungsten, and the density of this metal is almost the same as that of gold. In his previous life, Jiang Wan also studied the characteristics and uses of this material, but he did not expect that the businessmen in this time and space have already thought of this way of counterfeiting.
"Its weight is almost the same as real gold, only the color is different. If you mix it with brass to imitate the inside, and then plate real gold on the surface, not only will there be no abnormality in appearance, but it will also be difficult to detect using ordinary methods," she explained.
The shopkeeper listened to Jiang Wan's words with much more seriousness, but after thinking for a while, he shook his head and said, "I've never heard of such a counterfeiting method. If they can't detect it by immersing it in water and measuring the weight, how else can we tell?"
"Yes, the most commonly used method for testing gold artifacts is to immerse it in water and measure its weight. Can you, a mere criminal slave, come up with any other method?" the caravan leader said hurriedly.
Jiang Wan pointed at one of the boxes and said, "The method is very simple. Just cut the object open and see if there is any difference in color."
The caravan leader's face turned pale and he shouted, "What nonsense! How much is this piece of gold worth? If I cut it in half, I wouldn't be able to pay you back even if I sold you!"
"That's right. How can we destroy the goods just to test their authenticity? This jar costs fifty taels." The shopkeeper also agreed.
Jiang Wan thought about it and made up his mind: "Boss, just cut it open. If this jar is real, I will work for you for ten years without any money. Is that enough to pay back the fifty taels?"
The shopkeeper counted on his fingers and replied, "It's enough, but you're a convict, and you have to do hard labor for the government every day. How can you have time to come to me? Besides, I don't need any employees."
According to current laws, Jiang Wan had to start work at dawn, starting at Maoshi, and finish at sunset, with no time to rest. By the time she finished work, it was often dark, and the convicts were too exhausted to move. Furthermore, convicts only had one day off in ten days, so she was able to come to the pawnshop today because it was a day off.
Jiang Wandao said, "I do hard labor during the day, but I'm still free at night! I can come over and watch over your store. I heard that you have a lot of foreign caravans that deliver goods at night, but the guys don't want to work all night! You have to receive them yourself. It just so happens that after I finish work at the government office, I can help you out."
This was a gamble of her entire time.
Jiang Wan said firmly, "This jar can't be real!"
The shopkeeper snorted coldly and said, "Okay! Since you are so confident, come here, cut this jar open and check it!"
The caravan leader opened his mouth, as if wanting to explain to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper patted his hand and said, "Brother Qian, don't worry. We've already checked it out, and we'll check it to the end. If it's really not fake, you can completely get rid of the suspicion and restore your innocence. As a businessman, we don't have to worry about this, right?"
The caravan leader's face turned pale: "But..."
As he was talking, two men came with sharp knives. One of them held the mouth of the jar while the other chopped it down, cutting it neatly in half.
The silvery-white raven stone at the cut surface gleams brightly in the sunlight.
The shopkeeper was stunned for a moment, staring blankly at the silver light, then came to his senses and glared at the caravan leader. The latter's eyes flickered and he took a step back, the thick soles of his boots hitting the wall with a loud thud.
The raven stone is covered with a layer of dark yellow and black copper, with only a thin layer of real gold plated on the surface.
The shopkeeper's tone was filled with disbelief, his face flushed slightly, and he angrily said, "It's actually a counterfeit—Brother Qian, we've done a lot of business together, and you actually cheated me!"
"No, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding—" the leader waved his hands repeatedly.
The shopkeeper said angrily, "We've done so many transactions before. Brother Qian, tell me, do you always give me fake goods?"
The caravan leader panicked and grabbed the shopkeeper's sleeve, trying to explain something. But the shopkeeper refused to listen and swung his hand, causing the leader to stagger and nearly fall to the ground.
"Take this liar out and report him to the police!"
"No! Brother Xu, please listen to my explanation--" When several guys surrounded and pulled the leader out, the latter was still shouting and struggling desperately.
But when he was the leader, he had left all the heavy work to his men, so of course they were no match for these guys who were used to carrying things, and they were pushed out.
When the servants in the caravan heard that they were going to see an official, they were all so scared that their hands and feet went limp. Some of them even tried to sneak away, but were pulled back by the servants' quick eyes and hands.
Jiang Wan watched coldly until they walked away, and could still hear the leader's shouts coming from the street.
Many pedestrians outside the store heard the commotion and gathered around, pointing at the leader.
"You sold fake goods and you still have the nerve to complain, tsk tsk——"
"Let's follow him to the government office and see what happens to this liar!"
"Thank you so much this time, otherwise I would still be in the dark."
The shopkeeper turned and saw Jiang Wan standing there. He took a few deep breaths, and the slight anger on his face gradually faded. A smile appeared on his face. He walked over, invited her to sit down, and ordered tea. His previous expression of disdain changed, and he said in a friendly manner, "I didn't expect that a young lady like you could have such insight."
"You're too polite. I just saw a lot of gold in the capital." Jiang Wan took out the phoenix hairpin again. "Can you examine this gold hairpin now?"
"Oh, of course. Miss, you have helped me so much. I have to show the hairpin to you first, and then we can go to the yamen. The guys are there." This time the shopkeeper did not refuse. He took the hairpin with a smile, called his men, and ordered them to find an expert in treasure appraisal to check it.
Xiaofangpan City is remote, and high-quality jewelry isn't common. The shopkeepers can only verify the materials used. However, unlike gold, jewelry's value isn't solely determined by the material; more importantly, the style and craftsman's skill are crucial.
For example, Jiang Wan's hairpin was crafted by a skilled craftsman commissioned by the late emperor. Its style is unique, and because it's a relic of the Imperial Concubine, it's worth several hundred taels of silver. If an ordinary craftsman, using the same materials, crafted it in a common style, its value would likely be half that.
It is said that this treasure appraiser is very proficient in identifying all kinds of jewelry. He has appraised tens of thousands of treasures and has never made a mistake. Even local officials often invite him to inspect.
The shopkeeper asked the largest gold jewelry store here to check, which showed that he trusted Jiang Wan and thought there would be no problem.
After a while, the shopkeeper's men came back and explained the situation to the shopkeeper.
Seeing Jiang Wan, he smiled and went to greet her: "Miss, this gold hairpin is actually real! I almost missed such a treasure just now! But, Miss, you pawned it in a hurry, and you see there are a few scratches on it, so I'm afraid the price will have to be discounted. How about one hundred and ten taels?"
At that time, one tael of silver was equivalent to about 700 yuan today. One tael of silver was equivalent to 1,000 copper coins, and one copper coin could buy a vegetarian bun at the restaurant next door.
One hundred taels is equivalent to 77,000 yuan in modern times.
Jiang Wan was stunned.
The shopkeeper is obviously trying to lower the price.
If his mother's illness was not so serious, and if she could rest for a few more days, Jiang Wan would be fully confident that he could sell this gold hairpin for a higher price.
For Jiang Wan, curing her illness was the most important thing, and she had already prepared to sell it at a low price.
"As you wish. However, this hairpin is of great significance to me. Could you please not sell it for the next six months? Perhaps I can redeem it in the future if the opportunity arises."
This hairpin was a dowry given by the original owner's grandmother. She remembered cherishing it so much that she hadn't pawned it until now. Now that she had taken over the original owner's body, she would naturally find a way to get it back.
The shopkeeper nodded casually and agreed. Jiang Wan knew that the shopkeeper had no faith that she would have the money to redeem the hairpin someday. Furthermore, unlike the capital, where many noble ladies lived, Xiaofangpan City was unlikely to sell the hairpin within six months. Therefore, the shopkeeper agreed without hesitation.
But there is still a long way to go. If she can cure her mother's illness first, she will naturally find a way to make money.
The shopkeeper took out the banknotes and handed them to Jiang Wan. He also brought out the account book for Jiang Wan to register, and then said, "There's one more thing. My pawnshop lacks experts who can identify treasures. Whenever we have expensive gold and silver items, we always have to hire experts to identify them, which is very troublesome. [I saw that the young lady's eye for identifying the authenticity of the gold just now was very accurate, and her knowledge is very admirable. Have these young ladies ever learned it before?
Jiang Wan replied, "I have indeed learned. Back in the capital, I had a few friends who owned antique shops. I helped them organize their collections and learned a lot about identifying materials and styles. Now, I can roughly distinguish between the rare antiques circulating on the market."
The shopkeeper's eyes flickered when he heard Jiang Wan say this. "Could you please come to my place when you're free or after work to help me identify the jewelry? I know your hard labor is very busy and your life is very difficult, but if you are willing to come, I can guarantee that you will have enough food and clothing."
Jiang Wan pondered for a moment. Although work was tough, she longed to rest and spend more time with her family. However, the money earned from selling jewelry was ultimately short-lived. Only if she could earn some money herself would she not have to beg for help if her mother and brother fell ill.
But how to hide this from the guards was a problem. The guards always tried to squeeze as much out of the convicts as possible, wanting to make them work day and night. Although the laws of the Great Zhou Dynasty did not prohibit convicts from working to earn money, the guards certainly did not want them to have the energy to work elsewhere.
Jiang Wan thought for a moment and said, "But I'm a criminal slave. Even on my days off, I often have to work overtime. If the officers find out that I'm working for you, they'll probably try to stop me."
"No problem, I have my own way." The shopkeeper patted his chest confidently, "If the young lady is willing to come, then of course I will be waiting for you."
Jiang Wan's eyes lit up: Really?
"Of course I'm serious. I've been doing business here for quite some time, so I do have some connections in the government." The shopkeeper said with a smile.
The shopkeeper watched Jiang Wan sign her name on the account book and said as he put the book away, "Thank you, Miss Jiang."
Jiang Wan took the banknote and left. The shopkeeper looked at her back, feeling very happy. With such an expert appraiser, he dared to accept many rare and exotic goods without worrying about encountering fakes.
As he thought about it, the shopkeeper couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips and stroked his beard.
Jiang Wan left the pawnshop, the winter sun bathing her in warmth. She looked back at the Xu's pawnshop, her mind racing back to the moment her grandmother placed the golden hairpin in her palm before her passing. Suddenly, a wave of reluctance washed over her. She knew those were the original owner's emotions, but her grandmother's wistful, worried gaze still etched a pang of sadness in her heart.
In her previous life, no one had ever cared about her and worried about her so much.
Jiang Wan stroked his chest, secretly thinking that he must redeem the gold hairpin.
Medical clinic.
Jiang Wan ran to the doctor's desk yesterday and said, "Sir! I've got the money!"
"Are you serious? The cost of this medicine plus the previous debt is a full fifteen taels of silver." The doctor didn't believe it.
Jiang Wan directly took out twenty taels and placed them on the examination table: "Can I use some better herbs?"
The doctor looked at the heavy twenty taels of silver on the table and stared at her suspiciously, as if he was considering what to say, but was afraid that what he said would hurt the little girl's feelings.
"Don't worry, sir. I pawned my dowry for the money. I didn't steal or rob it." Jiang Wan hurriedly explained.
The doctor breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Jiang Wan with a complicated expression, his eyes seemed to contain some sympathy: "Wait." He turned and went into the pharmacy, and soon took out a few packets of medicine.
"Boil it in water and give it to your mother to drink. Take two doses a day for seven days and she will be cured. The patient should pay attention to rest and avoid worrying or overwork." The doctor sighed and added, "In your case, overwork is inevitable. You should comfort your mother more."
Jiang Wan thanked the master and carried the medicine bag home. On the way, he saw a vendor selling malt sugar. After thinking for a moment, he took out three copper coins and bought a small bag of malt sugar, which he put in his pocket.
Jiang family wooden house.
"Mom! Brother! I bought the medicine!" Jiang Wan ran all the way and pushed the door open. Jiang's mother was lying half-lying on the bed, with thick straw padding around her waist to support her frail body. Jiang An sat on the edge of the bed, holding a bowl and feeding his mother water. Hearing Jiang Wan's voice, they both turned around to look at her in surprise.
Jiang An stood up and took the medicine bag from Jiang Wan's hand. He asked his sister to sit down and said happily, "That's great. Mother is saved! Please sit down first, little sister. I will go and boil the medicine."
After Jiang An left, only Jiang's mother and Jiang Wan were left in the narrow wooden house.
"Wanwan, where did you get the money to buy medicine?" Jiang's mother coughed a few times, her voice weak.
Jiang Wan quickly patted Jiang's mother on the back to calm her down. "My brother and I do odd jobs for the owner of Xu's Pawnshop. He's kind enough to agree to use this month's wages to buy medicine for me."
If her mother knew that she had pawned the gold hairpin left by her grandmother, she would be sad again, so she had to find an excuse to hide it. When her brother came back later, she would remind him not to let it slip and make her mother worry.
Mother Jiang nodded. "We're not like we were before. We have to be frugal. Don't take the medicine if you can avoid it. I can handle it."
Jiang Wan was so anxious that he kept shaking his head. "How can that be possible? Money is just a material possession. If you lose it, you can always earn more. How can it be more important than Mom's health? You don't have to worry about these things. Just focus on recuperating. My brother and I will find a way to make money."
Mother Jiang looked at the little girl before her, and recalled the daughter who used to be so coquettish as to demand her to feed her, the daughter who pestered her to go shopping for jewelry, the daughter who played with the young lady in the mansion—but unfortunately, everything changed after her exile. Her daughter had become stronger and more sensible, learning to earn money and take care of herself. But she, as a mother, had grown old, unable to withstand the harsh winds of the Western Regions, unable to protect her children from the wind and rain, and even becoming a burden to them.
Thinking of this, tears welled up in Jiang Wan's mother's cloudy eyes. She stretched out her hand with difficulty and stroked Jiang Wan's head, looking guilty: "Wan Wan, I'm sorry, it's my mother who has dragged you down-"
"Mom, what are you talking about?" Jiang Wan covered his mother's mouth to stop her from blaming herself. "We are a family, we should stand together. Mom has always taken care of me and cared about me. Now she always encourages me and mends my clothes. Only if you are alive and healthy can my brother and I live well!"
She raised her arm to show Jiang's mother her patched sleeve, and acted coquettishly to her: "Look, this was mended by you. The corner of my clothes is also torn. You have to get well soon and help me mend my clothes." Perhaps it was affected by the original owner's emotions, but as Jiang Wan spoke, her voice was choked with sobs.
Mother Jiang was stunned for a moment, then she put on a smile and patted Jiang Wan's arm. The force was very light, but it seemed to touch Jiang Wan's heart: "Okay - when Mom gets better, I'll make it up to you!"
The mother and daughter were looking at each other and smiling when they suddenly heard a creaking sound. It was Jiang An who came in with the boiled medicine. Jiang Wan took the medicine bowl and fed her mother to drink. She also took out the malt sugar she had just bought and brought it to her mother's mouth.
"You child, you are spending money recklessly again," Jiang's mother scolded.
Jiang Wan stuffed the candy directly into his mother's mouth. "The doctor said that you need to be in a good mood to recover faster. The medicine is bitter, but if you eat the candy, it won't be bitter. That way you can feel better and get better faster. You can also save two doses of medicine and save money."
Jiang's mother gently pulled Jiang Wan's ear and said, "You're the only one who can talk!"
Jiang Wan and Jiang An waited until their mother fell asleep before quietly leaving the house and returning to their respective rooms.
**
The room was silent. There was no wind tonight, and the bright moonlight shone through the dilapidated window onto the ground, and Jiang Wan's heart became peaceful.
She was tired after a day and was about to lie down on the bed to have a good sleep, but just as she closed her eyes, she suddenly heard a burst of electric sound.
"Ding—Congratulations to the host for successfully binding to the craft system."
A system sound appeared in Jiang Wan's mind, accompanied by the appearance of an unfamiliar space.
Yes, she traveled through time and the situation was difficult, but fortunately God gave her a system.
This time, she traveled through time and the situation was difficult, but fortunately, God gave her a system.
Before, when she was in exile, she had no use for the things in it. Now that she is here, she finally has time to tinker with this system and see if there is anything in it that can help herself, her mother, and her brother survive.
A ray of light flashed through Jiang Wan's mind, and he saw hope of leaving here.
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