Volume One, Chapter 10: First, Let Us Be Steadfast and Upright in Our Conduct

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Su Jin was pondering how to reply when three round bronze coins with square holes in the center suddenly appeared on the table. One of them was worn and the inscriptions were blurred, showing considerable signs of age. The other two were newer and bore the four characters "Great Yue Tongbao." Having studied the history of Yue for over a year, this was the first time Su Jin had seen coins from the Yue dynasty.

After examining them repeatedly, she reluctantly put them down and wrote a letter to Shen Yubai: "You've given me all the money; you must be out of funds now. I'll keep one coin for research." She then sent two of the coins along with the letter.

A few minutes later, the two coins and a reply arrived. "My mother borrowed six large coins from my maternal grandparents to buy medicine for me. After taking the medicine you gave, I've improved a lot and don't need to buy more. Keeping three large coins for emergencies is enough. Since you study the history of Yue, these Great Yue Tongbao coins might have research value. You could try selling them and perhaps earn some money."

Su Jin was stunned by the contents of the letter. A person from a thousand years ago actually understood how to sell antiques? If these coins could really be sold as antiques, she wouldn't have to worry about living expenses this month and could even help support Shen Yubai and his mother.

Determined, Su Jin decided to try her luck at an antique shop. She placed two of the coins in her pocket and opened the dormitory door, just in time to see her roommate Wang Qiqi standing anxiously in the living room, as if surprised by Su Jin's sudden appearance.

Su Jin smiled and greeted, "No classes this afternoon?"

Wang Qiqi gave a dry laugh, awkwardly brushing aside her bangs, "I took a leave."

Su Jin didn't press further. Although they were roommates, they mostly kept to themselves and hadn't developed a close friendship.

After locking the dorm door behind her and waving goodbye, Su Jin left. Once she was gone, Wang Qiqi rushed to Su Jin’s room and forcefully tried to turn the doorknob.

It wouldn’t open.

"She’s actually guarding against me!" Wang Qiqi grumbled in frustration.

Jiangcheng University was divided into an old and a new campus. The graduate dormitories in the old campus were mostly run-down four-person rooms, while the new campus offered better accommodations. Undergraduates still shared four-person rooms, but graduate students had single rooms with two bedrooms and a living area. This dorm housed only Su Jin and Wang Qiqi, so Wang naturally assumed Su Jin was deliberately keeping her out.

Unable to enter the room, she couldn’t find any proof. Wang had expected a fruitless day, but then she spotted various medicine boxes and bottles in the living room trash bin. She practically lunged forward, grabbing the boxes and bottles, tapping them repeatedly...

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Jiangcheng had many antique shops, the most famous being "Little Pan’s Garden," but it was too far from campus. Su Jin found a closer antique shop on the map and went there.

Inside, a young female appraiser in a pale blue qipao, barely in her twenties, with a wooden hairpin in her hair, greeted her with a sweet smile upon hearing the doorbell: "Welcome."

But when she saw a student entering, her smile faded. Students typically couldn’t afford the antiques in the shop.

Su Jin stepped forward and asked, "Do you buy antiques here?"

The appraiser sized her up coldly and asked, "What kind of antiques? Show me."

Su Jin pulled out a plastic bag from her pocket and took out two coins, placing them before the appraiser.

The appraiser didn’t want to look, but professional courtesy compelled her to examine the coins briefly. She scoffed and gave Su Jin a disdainful, contemptuous look. "Little girl, you’re bold to try to fool me."

Su Jin frowned, "What did I lie about?"

"Great Yue Tongbao? There was never a Great Yue in history. You’re making fakes, and you didn’t even bother to model them after real artifacts."

The appraiser tossed the coins onto the table with disdain. "Take them away!"

Su Jin put the coins back in the plastic bag and pocketed them, turning to leave. But the appraiser sneered behind her, "Better learn to be honest before trying to cheat your way through life."

Su Jin stopped and turned around. "Who’s not being honest?"

Seeing Su Jin still acting defiantly in the shop, the appraiser’s contempt deepened. "Anyone who sells fakes is dishonest."

A fire ignited in Su Jin’s chest. She had come to sell the coins; if they didn’t want them, fine, but what was with all the mockery? They thought she was easy to bully.

Su Jin was not one to swallow insults quietly. She strode back with firm steps.

"If you can’t recognize quality, find someone who can. I’ll wait right here."

The appraiser was startled by her boldness but quickly scowled. "Addicted to pretending, huh? Fine, when you’re exposed, don’t come crying."

Su Jin responded with a calm "Oh," then challenged, "Go find someone then. In such a big shop, there must be someone who knows antiques."

She was no fool. From the moment she entered, the appraiser’s gaze had appraised her attire and dismissed her. Even if she tried another shop, she would face the same disdain.

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Better to deliberately provoke the appraiser into calling over the experienced elder appraiser. Perhaps one of them would recognize the coins—and then she might be able to sell them.

If no one recognized them, she could just try elsewhere.

Before long, an elderly man wearing bifocal glasses and a Zhongshan suit entered the shop. The young appraiser greeted him like a gust of wind: "Grandpa!"

The old man patted her hand and asked, "What can’t you identify?"

The appraiser pointed at Su Jin. "She brought two fake coins. I refused to buy them, but she won’t leave, accusing me of lacking discernment and insisting I call someone better. So I brought you here."

The old man looked over just as Su Jin stood up. "I have two coins. I hope you can take a look."

"They’re fake. She’s just trying to fool me because I’m young," the appraiser warned him quickly.

The elder stopped her and smiled kindly at Su Jin. "Show me."

Su Jin retrieved the two darkened coins from the crumpled plastic bag and placed them on the table.

The old man chuckled. After years of appraising antiques, this was his first time seeing such a way of presenting them. Even fakes were usually kept in a delicate box.

No wonder his precious granddaughter doubted their authenticity.

He stepped forward and casually picked up the coins, inspecting them carefully. His eyes couldn’t leave them.

"Yao Yao, bring the flashlight and magnifying glass!"

Although she felt it unnecessary, the appraiser named Yao Yao obeyed when her grandfather asked.

The old man seized the flashlight, shining it over the coins thoroughly, then examined them point by point with the magnifying glass.

"Exactly the same as the specifications recorded in the books!"

His excitement made him tremble, yet he couldn’t tear his gaze away.

They weren’t unearthed from the earth.

"I never expected to encounter coins from the Great Yue dynasty!"

Su Jin’s heart stirred. "You’ve studied the Great Yue dynasty?"

The old man reluctantly lifted his eyes from the coins to Su Jin. "I’ve always researched Yue history, but I’ve never come across actual artifacts. The coins you brought might help us unveil the mysteries of the Great Yue."

"Grandpa, don’t be fooled! She’s tricking you!"