Considering the market rates at the time, this pair of embroidered shoes from the Ming Dynasty, or even the early Qing Dynasty, was considered quite a find among folklore enthusiasts and serious collectors. While many well-preserved examples existed, they were almost exclusively from the late Republic or late Qing periods.

I asked Li Chunlai if he could procure the matching shoe. A single item felt incomplete; in the antique trade, completeness was paramount. The more sets or entire collections one possessed, the higher the value—sometimes an incomplete set's worth could multiply exponentially if the missing pieces were found.

Li Chunlai looked troubled. The other embroidered shoe had been lost to time long ago; he had only managed to keep this single one by hiding it away before bringing it to Beijing.

I said, "Let’s be straight with each other, Brother. I have a great affinity for our farming brothers. My own father gave up his studies to join the revolution for the liberation of China’s peasantry. He worked in revolutionary service his entire life—well, never mind him. Even the Chinese revolution succeeded by following the path of surrounding the cities from the countryside. So, I can assure you, hand on heart, that I won't cheat you just because you’re from the country. This single shoe could fetch six or seven hundred on the market, maybe more, but not easily. If you’re willing, I’ll take this one for six hundred. Consider it an introduction, and if you ever come across any other fine items, bring them straight to me first. What do you say?"

Li Chunlai looked startled. "What? Six hundred? Did I hear that right?"

I asked, "What? Is that too little? I can add another fifty for you."

Li Chunlai shook his hands rapidly. "No, no, not at all! I thought it might fetch three hundred at most."

I immediately paid him six hundred and fifty. Li Chunlai counted the money more than ten times, tucking it securely onto his person. I cautioned him to be careful, as he’d had quite a bit to drink and shouldn't risk losing the cash.

Afterward, I chatted with Li Chunlai about his hometown. His village was in Ganyuangou, north of the Yellow River in Shaanxi Province—one of the poorest counties in that region. Near them was a county called Longxiang, known for being incredibly mountainous. Legend had it that it was once an imperial burial ground, containing countless ancient tombs.

The sheer density of ancient tombs in Longxiang County was astonishing. In a single mu of land, one could find six or seven tombs, and those were just the ones visible on the surface; many more lay deeper below.

Tang Dynasty fencai (painted porcelain) pieces unearthed there could sell for over ten thousand yuan each. Many local farmers had accumulated several such items, becoming wealthy just by digging things up from their fields. Antiquity dealers had been flocking there since the Republic era, and most of the high-quality pieces had already been collected.

South across the Yellow River lay the Qinling Mountains, where, I heard, even more grand tombs rested. However, those were harder to locate. The easily accessible ones had long been stripped bare. One of the most famous Han Dynasty tombs there had been drilled into by over two hundred and eighty grave robbers’ tunnels, spanning from antiquity right up to recent times.

Many priceless treasures had also filtered out from that area, though Li Chunlai couldn't provide specifics; he had only heard these stories secondhand.

Seeing that the sky was darkening and Li Chunlai’s alcohol buzz had worn off, he prepared to leave. As he departed, he repeatedly insisted that I must visit his home if I ever had the chance. After exchanging pleasantries for a while longer, I finally saw him out.

Returning to the antique market, Fatty and Da Jinya were already growing impatient. Seeing me arrive, they rushed over to ask what treasures I had acquired.

I showed them the embroidered shoe. Fatty cursed, "That old fellow was clinging to it like it was a Dog-Head Gold Ingot! After all that fuss, he only brought out a single shoe?"

Da Jinya remarked, "Ah, but look at the detail on this shoe. How much silver did Master Hu pay for it?"

I told them the price. Da Jinya repeatedly praised me. "Master Hu’s discerning eye has improved remarkably lately. Selling this embroidered shoe for two thousand yuan would be no problem at all."

I felt a pang of regret. "Now what you’re saying makes me feel bad. If I had known it was worth this much, I would have given the old brother a bit more money. I genuinely thought it was only worth six or seven hundred; I misjudged it."

Da Jinya said, "Today is Monday, and business is slow on Mondays. Why don’t the three of us stop wasting time here? We haven't had mutton hot pot in ages. What do you say, gentlemen, let’s pack up and head to Dongsi?"

Fatty agreed instantly. "Great minds always think alike. I’ve been craving that myself these past couple of days. Why is it that one never tires of it?"

We went to the same establishment in Dongsi we frequented before. It was only four in the afternoon, and the restaurant was still empty. We took a table near the window in the corner. The waiter set up our pot and laid out the dishes, then retreated to the counter area to gossip with the others.

I took out cigarettes and lit up for Da Jinya and Fatty, then asked Da Jinya, "Master Jin, could you explain to my brother and me what makes this shoe so valuable?"

Da Jinya took the embroidered shoe and said, "This isn't footwear for just anyone. Do you see this? It’s the peony flower. Since the Tang Dynasty, the peony has been revered. While common folk might embroider peonies on their shoes, they certainly couldn't afford to inlay them with gold thread like this. Furthermore, look here: the flower's center is set with six small pearls. Although they aren't extremely precious gems, the overall artistic value is immense. Most importantly, consider the original owner of this shoe. Since this brother is from Shaanxi, where the local customs are simple and binding feet was never the norm historically, I estimate the owner was likely the wife of an official transferred from another province, or perhaps a noblewoman married into a powerful, wealthy family. In short, she was someone of high status or wealth. Therefore, this shoe has significant collection value. When I said two thousand in the market, I was holding back; I believe it’s worth at least six thousand, and if there were a pair, the price could easily quadruple or quintuple."

Fatty and I both gasped. We never imagined it was worth so much. I made a firm decision: I must visit Shaanxi later and make up the difference in payment to Li Chunlai; otherwise, he suffered too great a loss.

As we ate and talked, the conversation naturally drifted towards the ancient tombs in the Shaanxi region.

Da Jinya said, "Although I've never been to Shaanxi myself, I’ve heard accounts from colleagues who went there to acquire items. The Eight Hundred Li Qin Chuan region is a cradle of both military and scholarly excellence, with deep, rich soil. The treasures buried underground are countless. Longxiang County alone is rumored to house nearly one hundred thousand ancient tombs. In some places, tombs are stacked one atop another, creating cultural layers several strata deep. The Qinling and Bashan mountain ranges are also rumored to hide many large tombs. I’ve always wanted to make a trip there someday to procure some fine pieces, or even just to witness it firsthand. However, my health hasn't been good, so I never got the chance."

I said, "I was just thinking earlier about when I might find time to go. Why don’t the three of us make a trip together, perhaps pick up a few things along the way? If you come with us, we can look out for each other."

The three of us instantly agreed and began discussing the best time to depart. I had long heard about the numerous dragon veins in the Qinling Mountains and wanted to survey the area in person, hoping to strike it rich in a major tomb to clear that usurious debt owed to that American girl. Living under debt was unbearable.

Since we had no concrete target yet, we planned to see what materialized once we arrived. Consequently, we didn't intend to bring much equipment—just a folding shovel, a 'wolf's eye' flashlight, a simple gas mask, and a few other essentials. We decided to bring plenty of cash, hoping to bring back some genuine treasures.

Da Jinya noted, "The things excavated there are traded underground according to established procedures; it’s difficult for outsiders to interfere. If we want to acquire valuable items, we need to venture into the most remote areas. If nothing turns up, so be it, but if something does, we stand to make a fortune."

Fatty suddenly remembered something and said to us, "Shouldn't we bring more Black Donkey Hooves? I hear that’s where the most Jiangshi [zombies/vampires] are found."

I replied, "Carrying a few won't hurt; it’s better to be prepared. But we aren't going there specifically to tomb raid (daodou); we’re mainly going for a trip and to collect a few things. Don't worry about running into major zongzi [flesh-eating zombies]."

Da Jinya then asked, "Master Hu, you are an expert in Feng Shui. You mention that area yields a lot of Hei Xiong (Black Fierce) and Bai Xiong (White Fierce) phenomena. How does Feng Shui explain this?"

I answered, "Xiong can also refer to zombies, and the black and white likely denote different forms of corpse transformation. There’s an ancient concept of 'corpse-nurturing grounds,' but I don't understand those specifics. Since we’re on the topic, I can certainly offer an interpretation from a Feng Shui perspective."

(Two chapters will be updated tomorrow; see the side story for timing.)