Qin Hao was on duty at the Jiyun Pavilion today. Just as he finished cleaning a row of porcelain, he heard footsteps at the door.
The visitor was a plump and chubby man, neatly dressed and with his hair neatly combed, but his face was full of weariness crushed by exhaustion. His eyes, as small as sesame seeds, swept around the store and finally landed on Qin Hao, his tone arrogant:
"Are you the boss of Jiyun Pavilion?" I'm going to sell something. Come and see how much this treasure of mine is worth."
Qin Hao is twenty-three years old. He is thin and handsome, looking like a college student who has just graduated from school not long ago. When he looked up, his attention was already drawn to the purple sandalwood box in the fat man's hand - with a steady color and fine texture, it was by no means the exterior of an ordinary object.
Ignoring the other person's tone, Qin Hao put down the feather duster and stepped forward: "Sir, I'm sorry. I'm not the boss, just an employee." But if you want to sell your treasure, could you let me have a look first? After determining the value, I will inform the boss to come."
The fat man raised his eyebrows, looking even more disdainful: "You're not the boss. Why should I tell you all this?" What if it breaks? Can you afford to pay for it? Saying that, he was about to turn around and leave.
At this moment, Qin Hao's heart stirred instead - the more precious something is, the more resolute its holder is. The reaction of this fat man was not like that of someone who came to deceive with a fake. In addition, the rule of the Jiyun Pavilion is that he can get a 1% commission for transactions made by him. Last month, the painting "Leisurely Living in the Wild Mountains" brought him a full 25,000 yuan... Although the boss Wu Liang hasn't paid him the money yet, he can't refuse.
A thought flashed through his mind. Qin Hao hurriedly smiled and stopped him, "Brother, I think you seem to be in a hurry for money." If you go to another place, you may not be able to settle the payment on the same day. But our Jiyun Pavilion is different - as soon as the deal is made, the money and goods are settled immediately."
The fat man paused in his steps and turned around suspiciously, "Really the money and goods are settled?"
"Why did I deceive you?" " Qin Hao looked calm and composed.
The reputation of Jiyun Pavilion is average, but it is known throughout the entire street for its "quick action".
The fat man hesitated for a while and finally handed over the sandalwood box: "Be careful!" It was thanks to it that our company turned its situation around."
Qin Hao suppressed his joy and carefully took it. The moment he got the box, his heart gave a jolt - the wood was warm and mellow with agarwood, and the texture was delicate. Just the box itself was quite valuable, even enough to buy a house in the city center.
Stabilizing his emotions, he opened the silver lock as the fat man indicated.
"Huh?" "
Qin Hao was stunned. He had thought it was jade or porcelain inside, but to his surprise, there was a bronze statue the size of a palm placed inside.
Even stranger is the design - a sheep-like body with a human face, tiger-toothed teeth and human claws, but the two eyes are not on the face but are squeezed on both sides of the huge mouth under the armpits.
He was stunned for a few seconds, then looked up at the fat man and said, "Brother, why is this thing in this box?"
The fat man's expression tightened obviously: "This is a family heirloom that my grandfather picked up from a downcast rich merchant. Can't it be put in a rosewood box?" "
Qin Hao didn't respond and his gaze fell back to the statue. He gently took it out and placed it in front of his eyes. The more he looked at it, the more frightened he became - this was the image of the "Taotie"!
One of the four ferocious beasts of ancient times, commonly found in the most important bronze wares of the Shang, Zhou, Qin and Han dynasties. Bronze wares worthy of the Taotie pattern were either placed in palaces or buried with nobles...
If it's true, it's definitely worth a fortune!
Just as I was about to start asking the fat man in detail, a loud noise suddenly came from outside the store.
"Bang!"
The fat man was already standing on tiptoe to check. He was so frightened by the loud noise that his body trembled and he crashed into Qin Hao.
Qin Hao, caught off guard, was knocked down.
"Pop!" "
The bronze Taotie statue fell onto the bluestone ground and shattered into several pieces directly.
Qin Hao felt a momentary daze - the invaluable treasure had broken in his hands? ! Not caring that his palm was cut, he hurriedly got up to check, but suddenly froze.
His vision was enveloped in a layer of gold - the counter, the bookcase, the ground, and even the shattered bronze statues all shone with golden light.
His heart gave a jolt:
Bronze statue... Poisonous?
"Roar!!"
Just as the thought flashed through his mind, a golden, gluttonous phantom pounced out from the largest fragment, bared its teeth and claws, and shot straight into his left eye!
Immediately after, countless images flooded into his mind like a tide, causing his consciousness to churn uncontrollably.
It was unknown how long it had been before Qin Hao recovered from the chaos. He digested most of the fragments of the picture, subconsciously touching his left eye and murmuring:
"... "Taotie's Eye?" "
As if responding to his call, a glimmer of golden light flashed in the depth of his left eye.
Among the contents that flooded into his mind, he had roughly understood the origin of the anomaly
The Taotie is one of the four ferocious beasts, capable of swallowing all things. Its eyes are supreme treasures, able to see through the real and the illusory and recognize the origin.
For some unknown reason, a wisp of its remnant soul attached itself to the bronze statue until it was activated by his blood...
Before his thoughts had settled, Qin Hao suddenly turned over and got up from the ground.
His fate has been completely rewritten.