I trade in both worlds

Chapter 351 Tianjin

The group packed their luggage, bid farewell to the hustle and bustle of Qizhou, and set off on their journey home.

The scenery along the way is picturesque, but it cannot hide the hardships of the journey.

After a long journey of more than ten days, both the men and the horses were exhausted. It was already dusk when they arrived at the bustling city of Tianjin.

Tianjin, a city located at the confluence of the Haihe River, is famous for its unique geographical location and prosperous overseas trade.

"Uncle, we are finally in Tianjin." Xu Qiwei shouted excitedly.

"Yeah, we are exhausted from the journey." Xu Zhun rubbed his sore shoulders, but a smile was on his face.

Xu Jin looked at the tired smiles on Xu Zhun and Xu Qiwei's faces, thought for a moment, and suggested, "We've been traveling for so many days in a row, and everyone is tired. Why don't we rest in Tianjin for a day and set off the next day."

Everyone nodded in agreement when they heard this. So, they settled down in a clean-looking inn and prepared to have a good night's rest.

As night fell, the inn was brightly lit. Xu Jin and the other two sat around the table, listening to the innkeeper tell stories about Tianjin and the grand occasion of overseas trade.

"You may not know that our Tianjin Port is very lively. Every day, ships from all over the world dock here, bringing with them all kinds of rare items."

"If you are interested, you may go to the port tomorrow to have a look. It will definitely open your eyes." The shopkeeper's words were full of pride.

After hearing this, Xu Jin and the other two became even more curious and decided to go to the port the next day to find out what was going on.

The next morning, the sun shone into the house through the window lattices. Xu Jin and the other two could no longer contain their excitement, and after a quick breakfast, they took the escorts to the Tianjin Port.

Along the way, they passed through the bustling crowds and felt the vitality and hustle and bustle of the city.

There are shops on both sides of the street, and various signs sway gently in the breeze.

When they arrived at the port, Xu Jin and the other two were shocked by the scene before them.

There were ships shuttling back and forth in the harbor, masts like a forest, and all kinds of flags fluttering in the wind, creating a busy scene.

At the dock, people were busy moving goods, merchants were shouting, and the sounds of bargaining were heard one after another.

There are so many rare items from overseas that it is hard to take your eyes off them all, as if you are in an exotic world.

Xu Jin and the other two stood at the port, looking at the magnificent scene they had never seen before, curiosity and shock flashing in their eyes.

"Wow, is this the Port of Tianjin? It's even more lively than I imagined." Xu Zhun shouted excitedly, his eyes wide open as if he wanted to take in all the scenes.

Xu Jin and Xu Zhun also smiled at each other. They had never seen such a spectacular sight.

The three of them walked through the crowd and came to the trading area.

There are all kinds of goods piled up like mountains, from precious jewels to daily cloth, from exotic spices to local specialties, everything is available, which is dazzling.

"Hey, young man, come and take a look at this jade pendant." A stall owner greeted enthusiastically.

In his hand, he held a jade pendant that was as smooth as jade. In the sunlight, the jade pendant shone with a soft luster, as if it had spirituality.

Xu Jin stopped and his eyes were instantly attracted. He gently picked up the jade pendant and looked at it carefully. The jade pendant had a warm color and exquisite carving.

He secretly admired the exquisite craftsmanship of the jade pendant, but did not show much joy.

"This jade pendant is indeed nice. I wonder where it came from?" Xu Jin asked, with a hint of curiosity in his voice.

The stall owner smiled and responded, "Young man, you have good taste. This jade pendant was purchased from a merchant in the Western Regions. It is absolutely authentic Hetian jade. If you like it, just give me a reasonable price and take it."

Xu Jin frowned slightly, calculating the price in his mind, but said calmly: "How much?"

Thinking of how Xu Xu and Xu Ziqing made a lot of money by selling raw jade, Xu Jin suddenly wanted to pick up some good stuff here and take it to a modern auction.

"Young man, you really know what's good. I originally wanted fifty taels for this jade pendant, but seeing that you know so much about it, I'll sell it to you for forty taels." The stall owner looked at Xu Jin with a smile.

Xu Jin thought to himself that although forty taels was not a large sum for this trip, it was not a small amount either, not to mention that he had bigger plans in mind.

He smiled slightly and returned the jade pendant to the stall owner. "Forty taels is too expensive. Can you make it cheaper?"

The stall owner was delighted when he saw this, knowing that the young man was interested in the jade pendant.

Then he handed the jade pendant to Xu Jin and said, "Brother, please take a closer look. The carving and quality of this jade pendant are both first-class and definitely worth collecting. If you really want it, I can give you another three taels off. This is the lowest price."

Xu Jin was silent for a moment, then turned to look at Xu Zhun and Xu Qiwei, wanting to get some advice from them.

Xu Zhun was looking down at the patterns on the jade pendant, with admiration gleaming in his eyes.

Xu Qiwei had an excited look on his face and was obviously quite interested in the jade pendant.

"This jade pendant is really good, with exquisite carving and a smooth texture." Xu Zhun said softly, "If you like it, buy it."

Xu Jin made up his mind. He turned to the stall owner and smiled, "Okay, I'll take this jade pendant."

As he spoke, he took out a silver note from his pocket and completed the transaction with the stall owner.

I was still wondering whether this jade pendant would be valuable in modern times.

Xu Jin carefully put away the jade pendant. He turned to Xu Zhun and Xu Qiwei and said, "Let's continue shopping and see if there are any other interesting things."

The three of them continued to walk around the trading area, and at each stall they came to, Xu Jin would carefully observe the various goods and inquire about their origins and uses.

Xu Zhun and Xu Qiwei followed behind him, looking at everything around them curiously.

They saw spices from the far East, smelled exotic scents from foreign lands, and felt the vastness and diversity of this world.

As they walked, they came to a stall that specialized in selling jade.

Jade stones of various shapes and colors are displayed on the stalls. Some have been carved into various exquisite ornaments, shining brightly; some are still uncarved raw stones, emitting a faint luster.

Xu Jin and the other two were deeply attracted by these jades and stopped to watch.

Xu Jin's eyes lingered on several uncarved jades. The jades were of different colors, some were emerald green, some were white as snow, and some were faintly purple.

"Is this... jade from Bagan?" Xu Jin asked in surprise, with a strong interest in his heart.

He has followed Xu Ziqi over the years and watched how he traded jade and gemstones.

Having some knowledge of jade and gemstones, he knew that the jade from Bagan was famous for its fine texture and pure color.

"That's right, young man. You have a good eye. These jades are all from Bagan. Although they are uncarved, they have a unique flavor." The stall owner is a middle-aged man with an honest face and a sincere tone.