Embroidered ShoeAfter returning to Beijing, I hadn’t seen Shirley Yang for a while. She might have been busy finding a doctor for Professor Chen or handling the affairs of the victims. This time, the archaeological team lost several members, and the authorities were sure to investigate. I was worried about being discovered as a tomb raider, so I tried to downplay my involvement and spoke vaguely. Going into the desert for archaeology is already dangerous, but losing four people—a teacher and three students—along with one professor going mad was a significant incident.
One day, Fatty invited me to go dancing with two girls. I had been having nightmares for several nights and had a headache, so I decided to stay in bed. Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. I got up, cursing under my breath, thinking it was probably someone here to investigate.
When I opened the door, I was surprised to see Shirley Yang, whom I hadn’t seen in days. I quickly invited her in and asked how she found me. She said it was Big Gold Tooth who gave her the address.
I was curious, “You know Big Gold Tooth?”
Shirley replied, “I guess you could say that. We’re not very close, but my father used to collect antiques and did some business with him. Professor Chen is also acquainted with him. I came to see you to give you and Fatty your money. In a couple of days, I plan to take Professor Chen abroad for treatment, and during this time, I need to investigate some matters, so we won’t meet for a while.”
I hadn’t expected to hear about the money, so I was pleasantly surprised. I pretended to be polite, “You’re going back home? Is Professor Chen feeling any better? I was just thinking of visiting him. And about the money, it seems inappropriate. We didn’t really help much; we just caused you trouble. You Americans aren’t exactly rich, are you? Is it cash?”
Shirley placed the money on the table, “The money is due; we agreed on it beforehand. However… I hope you can promise me one thing.”
I thought to myself that this girl might be looking for revenge or trying to dig up my past. I quickly came up with a response, “What could you possibly want from me? It seems even rich people have their troubles. You’re not asking me to help you spend money, are you?”
Shirley said, “Our families have some connections; we’re kind of in the same line of work. My grandfather retired from tomb raiding because it harms one’s virtue. Even the toughest people can meet with accidents in this line of work. I hope you’ll stop doing this in the future. If you ever come to America, I can arrange things for you…”
Hearing this, I felt uneasy. This American girl wanted me to work under her? I thought, I’ve been a squad leader before; how could I thrive under someone else’s roof? Besides, if I had to please her, what would be left of my dignity? So, I interrupted her, “I appreciate your good intentions, but you only see one side of the story. Tomb raiding isn’t great, but as Chairman Mao taught us, everything has two sides. Good things can turn bad, and bad things can turn good; that’s called dialectical materialism. Since you know I’m a tomb raider, I won’t hide anything from you. I have principles and a stance. I won’t touch tombs that are protected or discovered. There are countless undiscovered tombs and relics in the deep mountains, filled with treasures that only those who understand the art of Feng Shui can find. If we don’t raid these tombs, they might remain buried forever. Moreover, natural changes pose a great threat to these forgotten tombs, and it pains me to see it…”
Shirley listened to my reasoning and sighed, “Alright, I tried to advise you to turn back, but I didn’t expect you to be so reasonable. You’re quite bold in your arguments; I doubt there’s anyone else who can debate like you. Since you’re so determined, I’ll take back what I said, and I assume you won’t want this money…”
I quickly placed my hand on the bag of money, “Wait, this money is a loan from you… Let’s calculate the interest at the rate of the People’s Bank of China.”
That night, Fatty sat under the light, counting the money over and over but couldn’t get a clear count. It wasn’t his fault; I was also dazed seeing so much money for the first time.
Fatty finally gave up counting and lit a cigarette, saying, “Old Hu, what can I say? You’re smart most of the time but foolish at times. How can you say this money is a loan? And now you have to pay interest to that American girl. I think we should just leave, head back to our hometown in the south, and make it so she can never find us. That would drive her crazy.”
I replied, “You’re being too shortsighted. What’s a little money compared to what we could earn in the future? I’ll take you to dig up some real treasures, and we can easily pay her back. What we need now is this capital. With money, we won’t have to worry about what to eat tomorrow, and we can buy better equipment. From now on, we’ll start fresh and prepare well. I’m determined to make a big score.”
After discussing, we realized that finding hidden tombs in the deep mountains wouldn’t be easy, and we didn’t know when we might find them. Although we had a lot of money, we were also worried about running out.
Fatty was a practical person. He thought Big Gold Tooth’s business was good; dealing in antiques was definitely a lucrative industry, especially selling to foreigners. However, the foreigners who frequently came to China had become more savvy and were harder to deceive. But as long as we had genuine good items, we wouldn’t have to worry about them not spending money.
Fatty suggested, “Old Hu, what do you think about us investing a bit to open a shop? We could collect some antiques and sell them. If we do well, we might not even need to raid tombs anymore. Tomb raiding may bring quick money, but it’s really not easy work.”
I nodded, “That’s a great idea. You’re quite clever, Fatty. Now that we have some funds, we can start small and learn about antique appraisal along the way.”
So, we started looking for a place to open the shop, but we couldn’t find a suitable place. Eventually, we decided to skip the shop and just set up a stall at Panjiayuan.
Panjiayuan is known for its variety; it has all sorts of items from different times and places, but truly valuable artifacts are rare. Those are usually traded privately and seldom seen on the market.
At first, under Big Gold Tooth’s guidance, we collected some small items from the Qing Dynasty, like bowls, jars, old coins, snuff bottles, and pocket watches, and brought them back to sell at the antique market.
Perhaps I wasn’t cut out for business; my judgment was off. I ended up buying worthless items thinking they were treasures, while I sold valuable items as if they were ordinary. I didn’t make much money and ended up losing quite a bit instead.
However, we didn’t spend much on these small items, so losing some money wasn’t a big deal. The main goal was to practice our eye for antiques and gain some knowledge. After spending more time at Panjiayuan, I realized that the world of antiques is incredibly vast and complex, even more so than Feng Shui, and it’s not something you can learn overnight.
One day, as noon approached, the antique market was a bit quiet, with not many people around. Fatty, Big Gold Tooth, and I were gathered together playing cards.
Just as we were getting into the game, a man approached and started wandering around our stall without leaving. Fatty thought he was interested in our items and asked, “What’s up, sir? Looking for something?”
The man hesitated and said, “Not really looking, but do you buy antiques?”
I took a good look at him. He looked to be in his late thirties, with reddish-purple skin that suggested he worked outdoors a lot. He was dressed plainly and carried a worn leather bag, speaking with a thick accent from the Loess Plateau.
I thought to myself, what kind of antiques could this guy have? I exchanged glances with Big Gold Tooth. Although the man looked unremarkable, Big Gold Tooth didn’t underestimate him. He signaled me to keep the conversation going and find out more.
I took out a cigarette and offered him one, lighting it for him and inviting him to sit down.
The man clearly wasn’t used to socializing and sat on the stool I offered, tightly clutching his worn bag and saying nothing.
I glanced at his bag, wondering if he was hiding something valuable inside. I tried to keep my tone friendly and asked, “Brother, don’t be shy. Have a smoke; this is Yunyun brand. What’s your name?”
He replied, “Call me Li Chunlai.” He seemed uncomfortable on the stool, so he pushed it aside and squatted on the ground, appearing more relaxed and smoking more easily.
Big Gold Tooth and Fatty pretended to continue their card game. In this line of work, it’s better to keep the conversation private; it’s a rule, and you don’t want to scare off potential sellers. Generally, people looking to sell antiques are quite nervous, fearing they might be robbed.
While smoking, I smiled and asked, “So, your last name is Li. Since you’re older than me, I’ll call you Brother. Brother Chunlai, you asked if we buy antiques. Do you have any artifacts you want to sell?”
Li Chunlai looked confused, “What’s artifact?”
Realizing he was just a simple farmer, I directly asked, “Do you have any antiques or something like that you want to sell? Can I take a look?”
Li Chunlai glanced around and quietly said, “I have a shoe. How much can you give me for it?”
I was taken aback. A worn-out shoe? He thought he could sell that? I thought to myself that he’d be lucky if someone would even take it for free. But then I considered that there might be more to this than it seemed, so I patiently asked, “What kind of shoe? Whose shoe is it?”
Seeing that I was friendly, Li Chunlai gained a bit of courage and opened his bag just a crack for me to peek inside. I leaned forward and saw an ancient embroidered shoe meant for a three-inch golden lotus.
Before I could examine it closely, he quickly closed the bag, as if afraid that the shoe would fly away if I looked too long.
I said, “Is it really necessary to be so cautious? Let me see it properly; I haven’t had a good look yet. Where did you get this shoe?”
Li Chunlai said, “If you want it, just name a price. Don’t worry about anything else.”
I replied, “Brother Chunlai, you have to let me see it first. How can I make an offer without looking closely?” I lowered my voice and added, “Are you worried about being seen? How about I treat you to some lamb dumplings at a restaurant nearby? I often do business there; it’s quiet. If it’s a good item, we can negotiate a fair price afterward. What do you think?”
Upon hearing about the lamb dumplings, Li Chunlai swallowed hard, clearly tempted. “Sounds good! Let’s not sit here in the sun. We can talk after we eat some dumplings.”
I exchanged glances with Big Gold Tooth and Fatty, then led Li Chunlai to a dumpling restaurant on the next street. This lamb dumpling place was quite popular in the area. The owners were honest and hardworking, and their dumplings were generously filled and uniquely flavored. Not only were they affordable, but the environment was also very clean.
As we approached noon, more and more people were arriving to eat. I was familiar with the owners, so I greeted them, and the owner’s wife led us to a back room, setting up a table with chairs and utensils before heading back to the front to serve other customers.
This room was my usual spot for business discussions. The only thing in the storage room besides bags of flour was our table. After each meal, I didn’t let the owners give me change, considering it a fee for using the private room.
I turned to Li Chunlai and said, “Brother Chunlai, this place is quiet enough. Can I see that little embroidered shoe now?”
Li Chunlai was so distracted by the aroma of the dumplings wafting in from outside that he didn’t respond to me, eagerly waiting to eat.
Seeing his excitement, I could only smile helplessly. I nudged his arm and said, “Don’t rush; the owner will bring them out soon. If you can sell that shoe for a good price, you can enjoy lamb dumplings every day!”
Li Chunlai snapped back to reality at my nudge and shook his head, “No, no, once I get the money, I need to marry and have kids.”
I laughed, “You’re not married yet? Neither am I. Why the rush? Once you have money, you can marry a great girl.”
Just then, the owner’s wife brought out steaming dumplings and two bottles of beer. Li Chunlai couldn’t wait to dig in, shoving dumplings into his mouth one after another.
Seeing how he was eating, I quickly ordered another two pounds of dumplings, then poured some vinegar into a small dish for him. “Brother Chunlai, there aren’t any of those sour soup dumplings you like around here, but you can make do with this. Have some vinegar and a beer.”
Li Chunlai stuffed his mouth with dumplings, too busy eating to talk. Once he had eaten enough, I finally brought up the topic of the embroidered shoe.
By this time, Li Chunlai had developed a lot of trust in me. He pulled the embroidered shoe out of his worn bag for me to see.
Having dealt with antiques for a while, I considered myself somewhat knowledgeable. I examined the shoe closely. It was less than a hand’s length in front, with a pointed toe like a bamboo shoot. The base was made of green satin, and it was embroidered with peony flowers in blue, gold, and red threads. The sole was made of sandalwood, with a compartment inside for holding perfume.
From its appearance and embroidery, it seemed to be from the Ming Dynasty. Not many women in Shaanxi bound their feet, and if they did, it was usually from wealthy families, so the craftsmanship of this shoe was quite exquisite.
If Big Gold Tooth were here, he could probably sniff out its origin, but I didn’t have such skills. However, it didn’t look like a fake. This type of three-inch golden lotus embroidered shoe was quite popular and had significant collectible value.
I asked Li Chunlai where he got the shoe, and he didn’t hold back, recounting the whole story.
In his area, drought was common, and this year they faced a severe drought with no rain at all. The villagers, desperate, resorted to some strange ideas.
To pray for rain, they tried every method. A fortune-telling blind man claimed that the drought was caused by a drought demon, and they needed to defeat it to bring rain.
“Drought demon hunting,” as it was called, was a practice common in the Central Plains before the liberation, especially in remote areas of Henan, Shandong, and Shaanxi.
The villagers asked the blind man where they could find this drought demon, but after much divination, he couldn’t pinpoint its location. Just then, a shepherd boy spoke up, saying that while tending to his sheep, he had seen a small green child running into an abandoned grave in the eastern part of the village. The grave had long been neglected, and no one had been buried there for years. Strangely, the old coffin had not yet decayed.
Upon hearing this, the fortune-telling blind man immediately declared that the drought demon must be hiding in that coffin. The villagers discussed it and decided to open the coffin to see if there was indeed a drought demon inside.
However, the village chief disagreed, saying the blind man was just talking nonsense. The blind man, feeling insulted, bet the village chief that if they didn’t find the drought demon in the coffin, his son would have to tend sheep for the chief’s family for a year.
The villagers all gathered at the abandoned grave in the east, and without hesitation, they decided to open the coffin.
As soon as the lid was lifted, a foul stench erupted, reminiscent of rotting fish left out in the sun. Those brave enough to approach the coffin were shocked to find a female corpse inside. The clothing and jewelry were remarkably well-preserved, looking as if they were brand new, but it was clear that this was an ancient body.
Although the attire was intact, the corpse had shriveled, with skin and muscle resembling dried tree bark.
Perched atop the corpse was a small, green-furred creature, about seven inches long, resembling a monkey, and it was alive, curled up and sleeping.
Upon hearing the villagers’ description, the blind man insisted that this green creature was the drought demon and needed to be killed immediately. He warned that if they didn’t act quickly, it would vanish by nightfall, making it impossible to find again.
A few daring villagers caught the green creature and killed it with a hammer, then whipped it with a lash. Strangely, it didn’t bleed; instead, black smoke billowed from its body with each strike. Eventually, they beat it to a pulp and burned it to ashes.
As night fell, the villagers turned to the blind man, asking what to do with the female corpse. He advised that it should be burned as well, warning that keeping it would only bring disaster. He insisted that no one should take anything from the coffin.
Initially, the villagers hesitated; after all, the corpse was ancient and adorned with gold and silver jewelry. Burning it seemed like a waste.
Just then, dark clouds gathered in the sky, and distant thunder rumbled, signaling an impending downpour. The villagers cheered, and their skepticism of the blind man turned into reverence.
Since the blind man insisted that the coffin must be burned, the village chief decided that Li Chunlai should stay behind to set the fire. Li Chunlai was a timid man, always following the chief’s orders. Although he was scared, he had no choice but to stay.
In a hurry to burn the coffin before the rain arrived, he gathered some dry firewood and piled it under the coffin, lighting it quickly.
As Li Chunlai squatted nearby, he couldn’t help but think about the gold and silver inside the coffin. He was a poor man nearing forty, unable to afford a wife. The thought of the treasures made him restless. Unfortunately, he hadn’t dared to take anything earlier, and now that the fire was lit, it was too late to grab anything without risking damage.
Just as he lamented his missed opportunity, a flash of white light illuminated the sky, followed by several loud cracks of thunder. A torrential downpour began, extinguishing the flames that had barely started.
Soaked to the bone, Li Chunlai stared at the half-burned coffin, his heart racing. This was a chance from the heavens! The fire hadn’t destroyed the contents yet, and if he wanted to retrieve anything, now was the time.
The other villagers had already left, busy preparing for the rain. Alone in the desolate area, Li Chunlai felt a mix of fear and excitement at the thought of the strange female corpse inside the coffin.
But the prospect of exchanging gold and silver for money to marry a woman spurred him on. No longer hesitating, he raised his hoe and began to pry open the coffin lid. The coffin, already partially burned, was easy to push aside, and he quickly moved the lid out of the way.
Earlier, when the villagers had opened the coffin, Li Chunlai had only dared to glance inside. Now, he needed to see the corpse closely to remove any valuable jewelry.
The foul odor had mostly dissipated, but the combination of burnt flesh, dampness, and decay created an unbearable stench that lingered in the air, overpowering even the rain.
Li Chunlai held his nose, forcing himself to look inside the charred coffin. The sight made him gag, and he couldn’t help but vomit.
As the rain intensified and darkness fell, he knew he had to act quickly. Wiping his mouth, he focused on a gold bracelet on the corpse’s wrist, ready to reach for it when suddenly, he felt a hand slap him on the back.
The unexpected touch startled Li Chunlai so much that he nearly wet his pants, thinking it was a zombie rising from the nearby graves. There were frequent rumors of zombies in the area, and he never expected to encounter one for real.
When he turned around, he realized it wasn’t a zombie but Ma Shun, a neighbor from the village. Ma Shun is a big and strong man who was not afraid of anything. With a bad temper, he could hit hard, so villagers usually avoided provoking him.
Earlier, Ma Shun had seen some jewelry on the female corpse in the coffin and had the idea to take it for himself. However, with so many people around and the village chief ordering Li Chunlai to burn the coffin, he abandoned that thought. Not long after returning home, a heavy rain started. Ma Shun thought it was a stroke of luck; perhaps the coffin wasn’t completely burned. Seizing the opportunity while no one was watching, he sneaked back.
Ma Shun didn’t want to waste time talking to the cowardly Li Chunlai. He began to strip the jewelry and clothes off the female corpse, packing them into a small bundle. Just as he was about to leave, he noticed Li Chunlai squatting nearby, staring at him.
Ma Shun warned Li Chunlai not to tell anyone, or he would throw him into the ditch to feed the wolves. Then he rummaged through the bundle and pulled out a shoe he had taken from the corpse’s foot, offering it as a bribe to keep Li Chunlai quiet.
Holding the shoe, Li Chunlai felt furious but dared not offend Ma Shun, so he swallowed his anger and agreed. By this time, the coffin was soaked from the rain, making it impossible to burn. The two of them decided to dig a pit nearby and buried the coffin there.
Back in the village, they told the village chief and the blind man that they had burned the coffin and the body as instructed. The blind man nodded in satisfaction and said, “That’s good. I once heard my master talk about the dangers of improperly buried corpses. If a body is buried in the wrong place, it can turn into a zombie, which can then become a drought demon. Droughts are caused by these demons. Although I can’t see, I understand well. Just hearing about that coffin and the corpse inside tells me it’s unusual. Perhaps the ancient corpse was pregnant when she died, and if the child was buried alive, it couldn’t survive. A child turned into a drought demon is even more vicious. If both mother and child become zombies, they are called a ‘mother and child disaster,’ which is extremely dangerous. Now that they are ashes, they can’t harm anyone anymore.”
The more Li Chunlai listened, the more uneasy he felt, but fearing punishment from the village chief for revealing the truth, he could only mumble a few words and went home to sleep.
That night, he tossed and turned in bed, unable to sleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he dreamed of the female corpse and her child choking him, leaving him drenched in cold sweat.
The rain continued all night, and as morning approached, he heard a commotion outside. Li Chunlai hurriedly put on his clothes and went out to see what was happening.
It turned out that Ma Shun’s house had been struck by lightning, killing him, his wife, and their two children—four lives lost.
Li Chunlai thought this was bad news. He was already timid, and the more he thought about it, the more frightened he became. His back felt cold, and he couldn’t hold it any longer, wetting his pants.
The villagers discovered treasures on the ancient corpse at Ma Shun’s house. Seeing this, the village chief pressed Li Chunlai for answers, and he had no choice but to confess the truth.
The village chief had scolded Li Chunlai privately several times, reminding him to keep quiet about the matter. Li Chunlai, though usually timid, was quite clever. He didn’t tell anyone about the embroidered shoe he had hidden. With Ma Shun dead, he shifted the blame entirely onto him, claiming that Ma Shun had forced him to do it. Since he was generally seen as weak, the villagers believed him and didn’t pursue the matter further. After all, the deaths of Ma Shun’s family were due to his own greed.
Li Chunlai was too afraid to show the embroidered shoe to anyone. Although he was uneducated, he knew it was an item from a previous dynasty, and he hoped to use it to marry a wife. In Shaanxi, tomb raiding was common, and the trade of cultural relics was booming. People from outside often came to the village looking for antiques, but Li Chunlai, being timid, had never dared to act.
One day, a distant relative from a neighboring county came to Beijing for transport. After flattering him, Li Chunlai managed to hitch a ride to Beijing, where he learned that there were places in the Panjiayuan area that bought antiques. He asked for directions and eventually found his way there. It was quite a coincidence that he found me on his first attempt.
Li Chunlai appeared simple and timid, but he hid a subtle cunning that was hard to detect. After drinking quite a bit of beer, his face flushed and his neck thickened. Fueled by the alcohol, he recounted the story of the embroidered shoe, though he skipped over some details and struggled to express himself clearly. I understood about eighty to ninety percent of what he said.
I said to Li Chunlai, “Your shoe has quite a story. I just took a look, and this sandalwood-bottomed embroidered shoe is not bad at all. It’s rare to find a shoe from hundreds of years ago in such good condition. I’ve handled a few pairs before, but the satin tops were all worn out.”
Li Chunlai, worried that I might say the shoe wasn’t worth much, became very anxious and quickly asked, “How much is this shoe worth?”
Feigning helplessness, I clicked my tongue and said, “Brother, if you had a pair, it would be worth something, but you only have one…”
At that time, based on the market, these small embroidered shoes from the Ming and early Qing dynasties were considered valuable by many folk enthusiasts and collectors. While there were quite a few well-preserved small embroidered shoes on the market, most were from the late Qing or Republic periods.
I asked Li Chunlai if he could find the other shoe, as having just one seemed a bit lacking. In the antique trade, completeness is key; the more complete a set, the more valuable it is. Sometimes, a couple of unremarkable items can skyrocket in price if they are part of a complete set.
Li Chunlai looked troubled, saying he had no idea where the other shoe was. He had only managed to bring this one to Beijing.
I said, “Let me be honest with you. I have a special fondness for farmers. My father dedicated his life to the revolution for the sake of Chinese farmers. He gave up his studies to join the revolutionary cause and worked his whole life for it. Let’s not dwell on him, but the Chinese revolution succeeded by surrounding the cities from the countryside. So I can assure you, I won’t take advantage of you just because you’re from the countryside. If sold well, this shoe could fetch six to seven hundred. Anything more would be difficult. If you’re willing, I’ll buy this shoe for six hundred. Consider it a friendship; if you have any good items in the future, just bring them to me. How does that sound?”
Li Chunlai was shocked, saying, “What? Six hundred? Did I hear that right?”
I replied, “What? Is that too little? I’ll add fifty more.”
Li Chunlai quickly shook his head, “No, no, that’s plenty. I thought it would only be worth three hundred at most.”
I handed him six hundred and fifty right then. Li Chunlai counted the money over ten times, carefully hiding it on his person. I reminded him to be careful, especially after drinking so much, not to lose the money.
Afterward, I chatted with Li Chunlai about his hometown. He was from Ganyuan Valley, a poor county by the Yellow River in Shaanxi Province. Nearby was Longxiang County, known for its mountains and ridges, which was said to be an ancient burial area with countless tombs.
Just how many ancient tombs were there in Longxiang County? In a plot of land the size of an acre, there could be six or seven visible tombs, and there were even more hidden deeper underground.
Tang dynasty porcelain pieces dug up from there could sell for over ten thousand yuan each. Many local farmers had a few pieces at home, having become wealthy from what they unearthed. Since the Republic era, many antique dealers had come to buy, and most of the decent items had already been collected.
To the south, the Qinling Mountains were rumored to have even more tombs, but they were hard to find. The easily accessible ones had already been stripped bare. There was one particularly famous Han tomb that had over two hundred and eighty theft holes, dating back to ancient times.
Many valuable items had also surfaced from that area, but Li Chunlai couldn’t specify what they were; he had only heard about them.
Noticing that it was getting late and Li Chunlai’s buzz was wearing off, he stood up to leave. Before he left, he repeatedly urged me to visit his home someday. I exchanged pleasantries with him for a while before finally seeing him off.
Back at the antique market, Fatty and Big Gold Tooth were impatiently waiting for me. When they saw me return, they quickly asked what good items I had found.
I showed them the embroidered shoe, and Fatty exclaimed, “This old fool is like someone holding a gold nugget, and after all that fuss, he just brought back this shoe?”
Big Gold Tooth added, “Hey, this shoe is quite exquisite. How much did Master Hu pay for it?”
I mentioned the price, and Big Gold Tooth exclaimed, “Master Hu’s eye for value has really improved! This embroidered shoe could easily sell for two thousand without any problem.”
I felt a bit regretful. “If I had known it was worth that much, I would have given that old guy a bit more money. I thought it was only worth six or seven hundred; I really misjudged it.”
Big Gold Tooth replied, “Today is Monday, and business is slow. I think we shouldn’t waste time here. It’s been a while since I’ve had hot pot. How about we head to Dongsi?”
Fatty chimed in, “Great minds think alike! I’ve been craving that too. How can you ever get tired of it?”
We went to the same restaurant in Dongsi as before. It was just four in the afternoon, and there were still no other customers. We sat at a table by the window in the corner. The waiter set up the pot and arranged the ingredients, then went back to the counter to chat with his colleagues.
I took out some cigarettes and lit them for Big Gold Tooth and Fatty. I asked Big Gold Tooth, “Master Jin, can you tell us what makes this shoe so valuable?”
Big Gold Tooth picked up the embroidered shoe and said, “This shoe is not for ordinary people. Look closely; this is a peony flower. Since the Tang dynasty, peonies have been highly valued. While ordinary folks might also embroider peonies on shoes, they certainly can’t afford to use gold thread like this. Also, see these six small beads embedded in the flower? They may not be very precious, but they add to the overall artistic value. The most important thing is the shoe’s owner. That old guy is from Shaanxi, where the customs are simple, and foot binding is not practiced. I suspect the owner of this shoe was likely a family member of an official from another province or a wealthy woman married into a prominent family. In short, this shoe’s owner is either rich or noble. So, it has great collectible value. When I say two thousand in the market, I don’t want to make a big deal out of it. In my opinion, it’s worth at least six thousand. If it were a pair, the price could easily quadruple or quintuple.”
Fatty and I exchanged glances, surprised at how valuable it was. I resolved to visit Shaanxi again and give Li Chunlai some extra money; otherwise, he would be at a loss.
As we ate and chatted, the conversation naturally shifted to the ancient tombs in Shaanxi.
Big Gold Tooth said, “Although I haven’t been to Shaanxi myself, I’ve heard stories from colleagues who have gone there to collect items. The Qin River area is rich in culture and resources, and there are countless treasures buried underground. Just in Longxiang County alone, there are nearly a hundred thousand ancient tombs. In some places, one tomb is built on top of another, with multiple cultural layers. The Qinling and Daba Mountains are said to have many large tombs as well. I keep thinking that I must go there one day to collect some good items. Even if I can’t find anything, it would be good to see it for myself, but my health hasn’t allowed me to go.”
I said, “I was just thinking about when I could find the time to go. Why don’t we go together and collect some items? It would be good to have each other’s backs on the journey.”
The three of us quickly agreed and started discussing when to set off. I had heard that the Qinling Mountains had many dragon veins, and I wanted to investigate them in person. It would be great to find something valuable to pay off that American woman’s high-interest loan; living under debt was tough.
Big Gold Tooth said, “The items dug up from there are usually traded underground, and there’s a certain process to it. It’s hard for outsiders to get involved. If we want to find valuable items, we need to go to the most remote areas. If there’s nothing, that’s fine, but if there is, we could make a fortune.”
Fatty suddenly remembered something and said, “Shouldn’t we bring more black donkey hooves? I heard there are a lot of zombies over there.”
I replied, “We’re mainly going for fun and to collect some items. We don’t need to worry about running into any big zombies.”
Big Gold Tooth added, “Master Hu, you’re an expert in Feng Shui. What do you think about the presence of black and white zombies in that area? How does Feng Shui explain that?”
I said, “The ‘evil’ refers to zombies, while ‘black’ and ‘white’ indicate different types of corpse transformations. Since we’re on the topic, let me share my thoughts from a Feng Shui perspective.”