Chapter 29 – Ghost Market

The so-called “Ghost Market” first appeared in old Beijing and was an antique trading market that operated from midnight to dawn. It typically dealt in items that couldn’t be openly traded, such as heirlooms sold off by fallen aristocrats, treasures stolen from the palace by eunuchs, or burial artifacts obtained by tomb robbers. Sellers would set up stalls in the open air in remote areas, and if a buyer was interested, they would negotiate prices by gesturing in their sleeves, without speaking a word. The entire market was eerily silent and pitch dark, hence the name “Ghost Market.” In such markets, rare and genuine items were plentiful, but fakes were just as common. Buyers had to bring their own lanterns to sift through the goods, and whether they scored a bargain or got scammed depended entirely on their judgment.

After the founding of the People’s Republic of China and the subsequent Cultural Revolution, more and more antiques were scattered among the populace, and the Ghost Market naturally flourished. Places like Beijing’s Panjiayuan and Tianjin’s Badangdao became prime examples. The items traded were no longer limited to treasures but expanded to include all kinds of cultural and daily-use items. Later, as the antique circle was deliberately hyped, Ghost Market culture emerged in various regions. Buyers dreamed of stumbling upon a great bargain, while sellers exploited this mentality to produce countless counterfeits. Yet, stories of people finding hidden treasures continued to circulate year after year, ensuring the enduring popularity of Ghost Market culture.

As a burgeoning city in the antique trade, this city naturally had its own Ghost Market. However, it didn’t operate at midnight but rather opened at 6 AM on Saturdays, and it went by the more refined name of “Antique Morning Market.” Located on Xizhao Road in the old city, not far from Fanglin Road, it was a product of the Cultural Street. Early in the morning, the street was lined with stalls, and shops of all kinds opened their doors. Paintings, porcelain, antique furniture, scholar’s utensils, gold and jade wares, as well as bamboo carvings, strange stones, and rare books were all on display. There were also plenty of scammers disguised as honest country folk, showcasing “thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum” or bronze artifacts covered in dirt, waiting for unsuspecting buyers.

In such a market, Wei Yang naturally had to keep a close eye on the person beside him, ensuring Zhang Xiuqi walked in the wider part of the road. He whispered, “Brother Qi, in a place like this, you need to be careful. Don’t get too close to the stalls with porcelain. Some unscrupulous vendors play the ‘bumping’ game, especially with newcomers or tourists. There’s no need for us to get involved in that. The coin vendors are in the eastern corner of the street. Some are real, some are fake. When you pick your coins, don’t haggle—leave that to me.”

Zhang Xiuqi merely nodded, his steps steady, his gaze still fixed on Wei Yang, as if the stalls on either side were selling nothing more than radishes and cabbage, unworthy of a second glance. Wei Yang couldn’t help but chuckle. Perhaps for this Little Celestial Master, antiques truly held no significance. The craftsmanship and materials meant nothing to him; only the elusive “qi” was worth his attention. Yet, in a Ghost Market where genuine items were scarce and fakes were abundant, catching his eye would be no easy feat.

Since they weren’t stopping at every stall, their pace was naturally quicker. Soon, they reached the eastern end of the street, where several coin vendors had set up shop on both sides of the road. The items on display were nearly identical, and Wei Yang immediately recognized this as a basic trick of the trade—one shop splitting into two stalls. If a buyer couldn’t negotiate a good price or got frustrated at one stall, they might move to the neighboring one, even if the prices were similar. Unbeknownst to them, both stalls were run by the same vendor, playing on the buyer’s desire to “compare” and “bargain.” This tactic wasn’t limited to antiques; even some fruit vendors in markets used it.

Knowing this trick, there was no need to choose between stalls. Wei Yang directly squatted in front of the one with the most goods. In the most prominent position were a dozen well-preserved coins in plastic sleeves, surrounded by various objects and ornaments strung with red thread, like variations of Five Emperor Coins. Behind them was a large pile of tattered ancient coins, stacked like scrap in a heap, with a few unopened sacks lying haphazardly, hinting at even more stock.

Seeing potential customers, the vendor squatting in front of the stall called out, “Looking for coins, gentlemen? I’ve got the most stock here, all collected from the countryside. Every era is represented, and everything’s genuine…”

This was a lie through and through. Wei Yang smirked, “Alright, boss, my family used to cast bronze pieces. Most of the stuff on your stall came from Fangkou, didn’t it? Today, I’m just here with a friend to have some fun. We’re not looking for anything rare. Just give us a fair price, and we’ll pick out some loose coins.”

Fangkou was another major hub for “crafts” in the city, filled with all kinds of fakes. The vendor glanced at the two of them, unsure if the young man was telling the truth or not, but his tone became less enthusiastic. He gestured to the pile of coins behind him, “I’m an honest man. Those are all genuine local finds. If you’re serious, eight yuan per coin. If you buy more, I can give you a discount.”

Coins could range from two yuan to twenty thousand yuan, depending on their era, craftsmanship, and condition. The purity of copper coins wasn’t high, and they weren’t resistant to corrosion. Unless they were buried in exceptionally good conditions, like in a cellar or tomb, they were unlikely to be well-preserved. Conversely, coins in poorer condition were more abundant, and their market price had always been low. Counterfeiting did exist, but for coins sold by the pound, some vendors didn’t even bother with the cost of faking them.

The vendor here was clearly a “collector,” dealing in “local finds” used for burials, so the chances of finding genuine items were higher. It was possible to score a bargain, but these coins had already been roughly sorted by the vendor. Even if there was a hidden gem, it would only be a small bargain worth a hundred yuan or so, not worth the effort. The price offered was fair, and Wei Yang, being knowledgeable, didn’t haggle further. He simply took Zhang Xiuqi to the back to pick out coins.

Although they were picking antiques, sifting through a mountain of old coins felt more like rummaging through garbage. Wei Yang only helped flip through a few before his hands were covered in copper rust and dirt. The inscriptions on most of these coins were barely visible, often only showing the characters “Tongbao,” making it impossible to determine their era. Yet, Zhang Xiuqi picked through them quickly, as if he could spot what he wanted with just a glance. However, he selected few Wuzhu coins, mostly Kaiyuan Tongbao, with a few Hongwu Tongbao and Yongle Tongbao mixed in—all small coins with poor condition.

Soon, a small pile of coins had accumulated beside them. Curious, Wei Yang picked up a few rust-covered coins and weighed them in his hand, “Do these things really have some kind of qi?”

Since they were in public, his voice was naturally soft, but Zhang Xiuqi still heard him. He paused, picked out three coins from the selected pile, and placed them in Wei Yang’s hand, “Three Talents.”

These were three Tongbao coins—two Hongwu and one Yongle, naturally bearing the reign titles of the Ming dynasty’s founding emperor and his successor. Without further explanation, Zhang Xiuqi flicked the top coin with his fingertip. With a soft ding, all three coins resonated in harmony, as if performing a symphony. Wei Yang was startled, “Is this for real? The Three Talents Formation?”

Zhang Xiuqi nodded and pointed to the coins on the ground, “Three Talents, Seven Killers, Nine Decays—ward off evil.”

Wei Yang suddenly remembered that when they killed the Yellow Husk, it was seven coins that trapped the monster. It seemed the Seven Killers Formation was no ordinary trick. The young swindler’s eyes gleamed, “Brother Qi, could you help me string together a set of Five Emperor Coins? The kind that wards off evil and brings prosperity would be best!”

However, Zhang Xiuqi frowned, “Talisman Jade, Talisman Jade is stronger.”

Oh… Wei Yang was momentarily speechless. Right, he still had the treasure from Longhu Mountain. What was there to fuss about with these coins? But these mysterious coin formations were still fascinating. Five Emperor Coins had been passed down for so long; wouldn’t it be cool to have a genuine set? Zhang Xiuqi looked at him seriously, seemingly sensing his disappointment. After a moment’s thought, he picked up a few coins from the ground and handed them to Wei Yang, “Cinnabar, chicken blood, red thread, pierce them. Can trap evil spirits.”

In an instant, Wei Yang deciphered the Little Celestial Master’s meaning. This coin formation was only for trapping, not killing or weakening, but on the other hand, the coins Zhang Xiuqi handed him were the most ordinary, randomly picked from the pile. It seemed the coins did carry some kind of malevolent energy. This simple trick was a genuine skill that could come in handy. Wei Yang was momentarily stunned, then laughed, “So there’s a simplified version? Thanks, Brother Qi!”

Seeing Wei Yang’s spirits lifted, Zhang Xiuqi seemed pleased as well. He bent down and rummaged through the pile for a while, gathering forty-nine coins, which he handed to Wei Yang.

“Is this enough?” Wei Yang quickly counted them, then without hesitation, added eleven more to make it an even sixty. He took them to the vendor.

“Hey, you two have a good eye…” the vendor began to praise.

Wei Yang waved him off, “We’re just taking these home for fun. We didn’t even pick based on condition. Boss, give us a price—sixty coins total.”

The vendor’s sales pitch was cut short. He gritted his teeth and said, “Four hundred yuan, and they’re yours.”

“That’s not much of a discount…” Wei Yang glanced around the stall, “How about throwing in a coffin nail?”

At the far right of the stall, there was indeed a coffin nail, about five inches long. However, the surface was completely corroded, leaving it looking like a rusty iron rod, likely used to weigh down fabric and not something the vendor paid much attention to. Hearing Wei Yang’s request, the vendor grew wary—wasn’t this the classic “bargain-hunting” tactic? He immediately retorted, “This was a costly acquisition…”

“Oh, then forget it. How about adding a few more coins?” Wei Yang interrupted, seemingly uninterested in the coffin nail.

The vendor, “…”

Was this guy actually hunting for a bargain or just trying to get a freebie? After a moment of hesitation, he finally said, “If you want the coffin nail, add another two hundred.”

“The nail’s almost completely rusted. Do you think I’m stupid?” Wei Yang scoffed, “Stop wasting my time. Just add a few more coins, and I’ll take it for four hundred.”

The vendor winced, then waved his hand, “Fine, add another fifty, and you can take the coffin nail too! It’s a genuine item, after all. You’re not losing out!”

The coffin nail had actually been used by the supplier to weigh down the coins and had been mixed in with the shipment. It was a total loss, unsellable but not worth throwing away. The vendor had been stuck with it for a long time, and now that someone wanted it, he wasn’t about to let it go. It didn’t seem like a hidden treasure anyway.

Wei Yang hesitated for a moment, then pointed to the pile of coins, “Then add a few more…”

Without another word, the vendor grabbed five more coins and slapped them into Wei Yang’s hand, “There, happy now?”

Those coins were the thinnest and most worn in the pile. Wei Yang reluctantly handed over four hundred and fifty yuan, had the vendor wrap up the coins and the iron nail, and then led Zhang Xiuqi to the next stall.

Once they were a safe distance away, Wei Yang leaned in and whispered to Zhang Xiuqi, “Brother Qi, I noticed you glanced at that coffin nail a couple of times. Is it something useful?”

Zhang Xiuqi nodded, “Nail for warding, too rusty.”

“Is it still useful?”

“Yes, but not much.”

“Great, as long as it’s useful, we didn’t lose out.” Wei Yang smugly tucked away the coffin nail. He knew all too well the difference between Zhang Xiuqi’s standard of “useful” and what was genuinely useful. Besides, he remembered the old swindler mentioning that Master Zeng had once used a five-inch nail to subdue a jiangshi. It was likely this kind of coffin nail, which also had the function of warding off evil in feng shui. It would probably serve well as a regular item.

Having spent only a few hundred yuan to acquire a pile of ritual tools, Wei Yang considered it a successful trip. Humming a tune and carrying his small bag, he was about to take the Little Celestial Master home when Zhang Xiuqi suddenly stopped at the entrance of an alley, his brow furrowing as he looked toward a small stall not far away.

Wei Yang turned to look and could vaguely make out a small stall. Curious, he asked, “What’s on that stall?”

“Zen luck.”

With that, Zhang Xiuqi started walking toward the stall. Wei Yang quickly grabbed his arm, “Brother Qi, vendors are really sharp these days. It’s not easy to score a bargain. When we get there, you can touch and look at the item, but don’t say anything, and don’t stare at it too long. Let me handle the buying, okay?”

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t seem to fully understand, but he nodded seriously, “Okay.”

Wei Yang relaxed, knowing he had managed to rein in the Little Celestial Master. At the same time, he was certain that if Zhang Xiuqi was so interested in something, it was almost certainly a good find. They had struck gold this time! Adjusting his expression, he grinned, “Let’s go hunt for a bargain.”