Siheyuan: Relieve stress and relieve worries

Chapter 422 Father Yan Picks Up a Lot
Comrade Xiaopang was a little self-indulgent on the campus of Tsinghua University. Not only did he take Shi Lei's car for himself, he also organized a band called "Hutong Band". The other children never told Yan Jiekuang and his wife about these things, but Yongxin was different. She was well-behaved and sensible since she was a child, and she always talked about everything with her mother Shi Xiaoya.

This Hutong band was very popular in colleges and universities. When the band came to Yongxin's school to perform, Yongxin looked at Xiaopang on the stage with disbelief. Xiaopang always felt that someone was looking at him during the performance, so he followed the gaze and almost threw his guitar away.

Just this time, Xiaopang messed up the performance and Yongxin was laughing so hard in the audience. Xiaopang went straight to Yongxin after the performance and asked her to keep everything confidential. He also promised her a lot of benefits. Unfortunately, it was Yongxin he met. Yan Yongxin went home and told her mother about it. Of course, he told it to Shi Xiaoya as a funny story.

The west wing was getting quieter and quieter, only because the only male owner started to wander around again, and this time he dragged Yi Zhonghai along. Yi Zhonghai was actually not interested in antiques, but he couldn't resist Yan Bugui's constant nagging. Yi Zhonghai thought, since he was free anyway, he might as well take it as some exercise, and so he followed Yan Bugui around everywhere.

Yan Jiekuang didn't know about these things. He now focused all his energy on his own coffee shop. This time he put his heart into it, from the decoration design, to the purchase of raw materials, to the coffee technology, he was meticulous in everything. Now he just needed to get the business license, he could open the shop for business. The operation of the shop was also very simple. In addition to freshly brewed coffee, it also provided some Western pastries and snacks.

He plans to open the store in autumn. At that time, it will be so happy to drink a cup of hot coffee in autumn and winter. In recent days, he has been adjusting the lighting in the store. He wants the lighting of the entire coffee shop to have a sense of hierarchy, from outside to inside, from bright to dark. Of course, the lighting here refers to dim lights.

While Yan Jiekuang was busy with his own affairs, Yan Bugui actually found the treasure. However, his calculating character almost made him miss the treasure.

On this day, Yan Bugui and Yi Zhonghai came to Baliwang, where there was a demolition going on, so a second-hand market was formed. This was temporary, and when the demolition was over, the market would be disbanded. While the two were strolling, Yan Bugui saw a large blue and white plate, which was very beautiful. Although Comrade Yan was not so accomplished in porcelain appreciation, he still understood how to look at the glaze color, the bottom pattern, and how to distinguish the new and old porcelain.

He picked it up and looked at it for a long time, and finally confirmed that it was from a folk kiln, but it should be from the mid-Qing Dynasty. He wanted to buy it, so he asked the price. The small vendor also collected it for sale, and when he saw Yan Bugui and Yi Zhonghai's attire, he directly quoted a price of five thousand. This price was a bit high, so Yan Bugui used his advantage to bargain with the small vendor. The small vendor gave him a 50% discount, but Yan Bugui was still not satisfied.

The peddler was a bit impatient, but the two were older men, and he didn't want to make them angry, so he said, "Uncle, let me make a loss to attract customers, so don't ask for fifteen hundred yuan, and I won't ask for two thousand and five hundred yuan. Just two thousand yuan. Look at that pile." The peddler pointed to a pile of small items, including rings, jade pendants, seals, snuff bottles, a lot of things, but most of them looked like imitations.

The vendor said, "Just take two of them and consider them as gifts from me, okay? If that doesn't work, go out and look for another one."

Yan Bugui thought that this was the only price he could get, but he still felt it was expensive and wanted to give up. At this time, Yi Zhonghai said jokingly, "Okay, what if it appreciates in value in the future? Even if it doesn't, it can be used as a decoration at home. Your third son is so rich, just let him pay for it and you can say you bought it for him."

When Yan Bugui heard this, he gritted his teeth and accepted it. He went directly to the bank nearby to withdraw money and bought the plate. When he left, he did not forget to pick out two items from the pile of sundries, one was a Tianhuang seal, and the other was a snuff bottle. Of course, Yan Bugui did not think they were real.

The two old men continued shopping with their things and returned to their home around noon. After they came back, Yan Bugui asked Yang Ruiping to prepare some side dishes and started drinking with Yi Zhonghai in the front yard.

Coincidentally, a bunch of crabs arrived at the cold storage today. In addition to supplying the restaurant, they were also distributed as benefits to the employees. Xiaobao called his master happily and asked him if he wanted any. When Yan Jiekuang heard this, he asked him to send them to a private restaurant and he would go over to pick them later. He wanted to pick some fresh ones for his parents.

At noon, Yan Jiekuang came to the private restaurant, picked up seven or eight flying crabs, and carried them to the west wing. When Yang Ruiping saw the third brother coming with the crabs, he quickly took them and said, "Well, Lao Yi is in for a treat now."

Yan Bugui said, "Steam it quickly, it's perfect for drinking." Yi Zhonghai also had a smile on his face.

Yan Bugui said: "You came at the right time. Come, have dinner first, and then help me look after something after dinner."

Yan Jiekuang sat down next to his father. Yi Zhonghai said, "Old Third, what have you been busy with recently? I can't see you here."

Yan Jiekuang said: "I am cleaning up a shop and preparing to open a coffee shop."

Yi Zhonghai was stunned and said, "You are really free. Why do you open a coffee shop when you have such a big company?"

Yan Jiekuang chuckled and said, "It's just a personal hobby. I want to know more about the thinking of young people nowadays. Making money is secondary. You don't know that Houhai is the mainstream now."

Yi Zhonghai didn't understand and asked, "What, mainstream?"

"It's the main direction of social development. You won't understand even if I tell you. I just want to experience it. Maybe I won't do it in a few years." Yan Jiekuang said.

Yan Bugui said, "Let's not worry about young people's affairs. Come on, Lao Yi, have a drink."

After Yang Ruiping came to the table, the four of them started eating. After dinner, Yan Bugui took Yi Zhonghai and Yan Jiekuang to the study. After dinner, Yan Bugui couldn't wait to take Yan Jiekuang to his study, and Yi Zhonghai followed behind with his hands behind his back.

When he arrived at the study, Yan Jiekuang saw the large blue and white plate on the table. He picked it up and looked at it, saying, "This is an item from the late Qing Dynasty, the Xuantong period. It is from a folk kiln, and it should be called the Xuantong Blue and White Entwined Flower Plate. Although it is not so valuable now, it will definitely appreciate in value."

Yan Bugui was not that disappointed. As it was consistent with his own judgment, he did not say anything else. Yan Jiekuang inadvertently saw a seal placed next to it. It was one of the items given by Yan Bugui. Yan Bugui thought it was too fake. How could the real Tianhuang stone be like plastic? So he threw it aside.

Yan Jiekuang picked up the seal and looked at it carefully. The more he looked at it, the more shocked he was. The more he looked at it, the more he couldn't let it go. Yan Bugui felt strange and said, "It's fake. It's treated like a treasure. Is there anyone called General Wang? Do you think there really is a Wei Xiaobao?"

Yan Jiekuang laughed and said, "Dad, you've made a fortune this time. There really was a great general in the Qing Dynasty, and the emperor even gave him a seal."

Yi Zhonghai became interested when he heard this and asked, "Who is it?"

Yan Jiekuang said: "When Emperor Kangxi's fourteenth son, Aixinjueluo Yinzhen, was conferred the title of Great General King, Kangxi gave him a seal. It is said that Emperor Kangxi loved Tianhuang very much, and it seems to be true."

Upon hearing this, Yan Bugui jumped out from his seat and tried to grab the seal from Yan Jiekuang's hand. Yan Jiekuang said, "I'm not going to grab it from you. Take it and keep it well. It has a provenance and is a priceless treasure."

Yan Bugui smiled with wrinkles all over his face, and said, "I really found a great bargain. I wonder if there are any treasures in his pile of things."

Yan Jiekuang said, "This kind of thing is hard to come by. Your snuff bottle is made of glass and it's probably less than a month old. How can there be so many treasures for you to pick up?"

Yi Zhonghai was amazed and said, "Old Third, you know what, this is really a very learned and interesting story. I thought it was fake just by listening to the story. It turns out that there really is a great general Wang Qishi. Old Yan, let me see it. Old Yan, don't put it away. I haven't read it yet."

Yan Jiekuang shook his head and walked out of the room. Yang Ruiping asked, "How is it?"

Yan Jiekuang said: "My father really found a treasure, but it was not the plate, but the seal, the seal of Emperor Kangxi's fourteenth son Yinzhen. I don't know how it ended up on a street stall."

Yang Ruiping was stunned and said, "Are you talking about the seal of the fourteenth prince, Yongzheng's younger brother, who was one of the nine princes competing for the throne?"

Yan Jiekuang was stunned and said, "Mom, you know that too?"

Yang Ruiping rolled his eyes and said, "A few days ago, a storyteller came to the teahouse and told a story about the nine princes competing for the throne. He told it so well."

Yan Jiekuang really didn't know about this. There were storytellers in teahouses, so he asked, "Is there one today?"

"Yes, I just heard cheers from the teahouse in the front yard." Yang Ruiping said.

Yan Jiekuang smiled and said, "Okay, I'll go listen to a book and drink tea." Then he turned around and ran towards the door.

There were quite a few people in the teahouse. Jia Zhang was busy running around. At a table near the west wall, sat an old man in his sixties or seventies, wearing a gown and holding a fan. He was talking about Emperor Qianlong's seven trips to the south of the Yangtze River. The guests in the teahouse were silent, listening attentively. Yan Jiekuang sat down at a seat near the counter. As soon as he sat down, Jia Zhang came over and said, "Third brother, hurry up and make me some water. The water is running out. Don't act like a big shot here."

Yan Jiekuang rolled his eyes and went to the next room, which was the water room. After a while, the water was turned on. Yan Jiekuang and Jia Zhangshi brought all the empty thermoses, filled them one by one, and then took them to the teahouse next door.

After finishing all this, when Yan Jiekuang returned to the teahouse, the storytellers had already left. Yan Jiekuang saw this, stopped drinking his tea, and went home angrily.

(End of this chapter)