The Panjiayuan Flea Market is quite famous, often featured in novels, films, and television dramas.
It's a popular destination for people searching for hidden treasures, and many male protagonists in treasure-hunting novels get their start here.
Jiang Hai, at one point, enjoyed reading such novels, but after a while, many of them began to feel repetitive. Furthermore, while some writers are well-informed, many simply follow trends without substantial knowledge, sometimes even less than their readers.
It's because of this that Jiang Hai knows how to spot some antiques. However, his knowledge is only basic—enough to fool those who know nothing but far from the expertise of a true professional.
He doesn't know the specifics like shape, dynasty, or color. The only thing he's familiar with is carbon-14 dating, though it's not a reliable method for determining authenticity, as it can only narrow the age down within a few hundred years.
To authenticate an item, you'd need to test something directly from the Shang or Zhou dynasties.
For most artifacts, particularly from the Ming and Qing dynasties, it's hard to tell whether they're genuine, so guessing is the best you can do.
Of course, Jiang Hai's reason for visiting was simply to wander, not to buy anything. He never believed in luck—he doesn't gamble or buy lottery tickets, although he once won five yuan. He also doesn't buy antiques or hunt for bargains.
Located on the South Road of the East Third Ring Road in the Imperial Capital, Panjiayuan Flea Market isn't far from where he is. With no traffic, it takes just over ten minutes by car. During the ride, Minister Qin enthusiastically shared the history of the place.
It was once known as an antique market, but after strict regulations by the imperial government, antiques became forbidden to trade privately. As a result, many merchants could no longer operate as they once had, and the market's name was changed to the second-hand goods market—making it harder for authorities to crack down on it.
Over time, this place became a hub for antiques and a notorious "liar street," known for its wide range of questionable items.
The market spans 48,600 square meters, far smaller than Jiang Hai's manor. It's divided into various sections, including stalls selling ancient buildings, classical furniture, modern collections, and stone carvings, along with a few restaurants.
While it may have started as a place for trading antiques, today it's more of a tourist attraction.
"There aren't any genuine antiques for sale here now. It's fine to take a look, but don't spend more than 100 yuan on small items. Money doesn't come easily, after all. Just buy what feels right," Minister Qin said with a smile. He was right—most of the items here are fake. They're fine as decorations or playthings, but investing heavily would only lead to disappointment.
"You say there's nothing real here now—so when can we buy genuine antiques?" Feng Yunchen, clearly interested, asked. After all, in her eyes, a good deal was still a good deal. If she could find something valuable at a bargain price, that would be ideal.
Minister Qin chuckled. "The real antiques are sold in the stores, but those come with a high price tag. The only time you can find a bargain is early on Saturday or Sunday mornings, around 4 AM, when it's still dark. That's when the ghost market opens, and you might find something good then."
The origin of this ghost market, as Jiang Hai recalled, dates back to the Qing Dynasty. At that time, people in the imperial capital were very conscious of their status and appearance. When some families fell on hard times, the wealthier citizens would sell antiques and other items, often covering their faces to avoid being recognized. This secretive, early-morning trade became known as the ghost market.
There's also another theory that suggests some stolen goods from the royal palace were sold here in secret.
Whatever the case, it became part of the capital's culture, and for the old-timers, it was a place to find hidden treasures.
Jiang Hai and his companions were merely here to look around, though. After parking the car, Minister Qin led them into the market. The crowds were already bustling, with not only many locals and tourists, but also a sizable number of foreigners.
Inside, the market was packed with stalls filled with items—everything from handicrafts to antiques. There were Buddha statues, porcelain, bronze items, bracelets, and various trinkets.
Jiang Hai was impressed by the variety of things on display.
"This place has everything you could want," Minister Qin remarked, seeing Jiang Hai's reaction. Indeed, there were sections devoted to classical and modern collections, as well as areas with antiques and other goods. The open-air stalls were the busiest, attracting the most visitors. This is also where Minister Qin had advised buying small items under 100 yuan.
In the stores, it was unlikely anything would cost less than that.
After browsing for a while, everyone bought something small, like commemorative medals, small bracelets, or trinkets. For example, Darlene and Marianne found Chinese-style commemorative medals, which they thought would make nice gifts for the people at the manor.
Qi Li and others picked up bracelets—mostly fake ones—but they bought them for fun. After all, the authenticity of the item didn't matter much to them. It was the style and who wore it that counted.
Penelope, being a lawyer, didn't have much interest in such things and didn't buy anything. Azarina, who had been to China before on a mission, knew better than to waste her money on them.
As for Jiang Hai, he didn't buy anything either. He was more interested in simply looking around. However, there were a few things he found intriguing, especially some of the wooden furniture on display.
"I didn't know that wooden furniture could be so expensive," Jiang Hai remarked, eyeing a set of mahogany furniture priced at 188,888 yuan. How could something like this be worth so much?
Minister Qin laughed. "This is cheap compared to the really expensive stuff. This is just regular redwood, not high-end types like rosewood or Huanghuali."
Jiang Hai nodded thoughtfully. Minister Qin then explained that there are many different types of redwood, some of which are far more valuable than others. It's hard for an outsider to understand the distinctions without delving into it.
Jiang Hai mused, considering whether he should acquire some trees to take home.
While he was reflecting, his eyes caught sight of someone in the crowd.
"Is that him?" Jiang Hai wondered, recognizing the figure ahead. The man, spotting Jiang Hai, smiled and it was clear he also recognized him.