I changed the world.

After parking his car outside the store, Zhang Jing pushed open the door of Jiguzhai.

"Good morning, Uncle Baoping!"

"It's Hongjian! Come, come, sit down. You have time to come and visit today?" Old Mr. Zheng Han was sitting in a grand chair reading a newspaper. When he saw Zhang Jing come in, he smiled and got up to greet him.

"I brought some things for you to see." Zhang Jingyang waved the plastic bag in his hand.

Sitting down on the sofa, Zhang Jing took out the contents of the plastic bag. It was the raw stone he had previously purchased in Yutian. He had already removed part of the outer skin from each stone, a task he had accomplished himself using tools over the past few days.

"Khotan jade pebble?" The old gentleman took out his reading glasses, put them on his face, and picked up a fist-sized piece of jade to examine it closely.

"Yes, it's what I brought back from Khotan. Do you think it's alright?" Zhang Jing said with a smile.

"Quite good..." The old gentleman looked at several pieces and nodded, saying, "I didn't expect you to have such a talent for picking jade. But let me tell you, you still have to be careful when buying rough stones; you can easily be fooled if you're not careful..."

"You're right, sir. It was just good luck. I saw someone selling a batch of stones that time. The price wasn't high, and they were all raw jade with the skin on. I thought they looked good, so I bought them. When I cleaned them up, they were all pretty good." Zhang Jing didn't want to reveal that he had any secret techniques, so he gave a different explanation. However, all sorts of things are common in the collecting world, and the old gentleman didn't ask too many questions about this.

The old gentleman quickly examined all the jade pieces and laughed upon hearing this, "You really managed to buy them. You look like a lucky guy." He and Zhang Jing were gradually becoming familiar with each other, and their conversation had become quite casual.

"What? Are you looking for someone to help you?"

"Yes, I brought these stones for you to see because you have many connections. I wonder if these rough stones are easy to sell?" Zhang Jing said with a smile. Actually, he still had some business cards from jade merchants he had received during his last trip to Khotan. However, he still planned to check the market in Linzhou as well. After all, the economy of the southeast has always been the driving force of the empire, and Linzhou, as a major port in the southeast, has one of the highest consumption capabilities in the country. Zhang Jing felt that if he could find some powerful buyers, the profit might be even higher.

“Of course it’s easy to sell. There’s no such thing as an unsellable jade. In the jade industry, there’s never a shortage of buyers for good materials. The key issue is the price.” The old gentleman stroked his beard and said, “If you want to sell it for a higher price, then it will be a bit more complicated. I’ll help you find a jade carver to cut and process it, and make some Zigan plaques, Futu plaques, bracelets, thumb rings, and the like. You can put them here to sell on consignment. It’s just that I can’t be sure when they will be sold out.”

"Another way is for me to directly find a reputable merchant to take over the rough stones. Of course, they are all insiders in the industry, so the price will be a bit cheaper."

Zhang Jing knew that although the old gentleman sold antiques, his shop also had a considerable number of jade items. In fact, even though the shop mainly dealt in antiques, many of the mid- to low-end items were still modern imitations. Therefore, it was no exaggeration to say that the old gentleman was very experienced in this area of ​​business.

“Making carvings is too much trouble, so I’ll just use the raw stone. I’ll have to trouble Uncle Baoping to help me with the process,” Zhang Jing said without hesitation.

Previously, he brought back a total of 10 raw jade pebbles from Hotan, but he didn't plan to sell them all. Instead, he kept two that looked to be of the best quality for his own collection. This time, he brought back a total of 8 raw jade pebbles, of varying sizes, but all of them were white jade pebbles. Even the worst one had a whiteness level of at least grade two.

"Don't mention it, it's just a matter of making a connection, please wait a moment." The old man waved his hand, took out his phone, and dialed a number...

"Hey, Zizhong, yes, this is Baoping... Hahaha, no, no, I didn't ask you to join the party... It's serious business. I have a batch of excellent Hotan jade pebbles here, all white jade, very white, some are mutton fat jade... A little brother of mine wants to sell them, and is planning to find some capable people to take a look. Okay, okay, I know, I'll keep them all, hurry up and come over."

"Hey, is this Fatty Jin? Yes, it's me. Are you in Linzhou today? Good thing you are. I have a batch of top-quality Hetian jade pebbles here. Hmm, the skin color and whiteness are excellent, some are mutton fat jade... A little brother of mine wants to sell them..."

........................

The old man made three phone calls in a row, then turned to Zhang Jing beside him and said, "Alright, just wait, they'll be here in a bit. I've called three people, all capable and trustworthy. In a bit, divide them into two groups..."

........................

About fifteen minutes later, a burly fat man wearing a narrow-sleeved silk robe pushed open the door and walked in. He wiped his sweat with a handkerchief as he walked in. After bowing slightly, he complained, "Brother, you really rushed me here. I came over as soon as I got your call."

“That’s great, you can even lose some weight. Come, let me introduce you…” Zheng Han simply cupped his hands in greeting and then joked, clearly quite familiar with him. He then pulled over Zhang Jing, who had already stood up, and said, “I want a good little brother, Zhang Jing, Zhang Hongjian.”

"Jin Wang, courtesy name Fuyuan, everyone calls me Fatty Jin. This Brother Hongjian is truly a handsome man! It's a pleasure to meet you!" This fat man was obviously a shrewd and charming person. Without waiting for an introduction, he cupped his hands and smiled like Maitreya Buddha.

"Brother Fuyuan, it's a pleasure to meet you!"

After exchanging greetings, the three sat down again, and the atmosphere quickly became harmonious. During their conversation, Zhang Jing learned that this fat man was a wealthy jade merchant who owned more than twenty sizable shops throughout the south, mainly dealing in jadeite and other precious stones. It was said that his wife's family had kinship ties with the prominent Shen family in Linzhou.

Not long after, two more people arrived one after the other. One was a middle-aged man wearing a thin down jacket and carrying two walnuts in his hand, while the other was an elderly man with white hair who looked to be about the same age as Zheng Han. The group then exchanged greetings once again.

After some introductions, Zhang Jing learned that the middle-aged man's surname was Ma, given name Bo, courtesy name Duzhi, and he was the manager of the century-old brand "Qianyufu". The other elderly man's surname was Li, given name Xuezhe, courtesy name Zizhong, and he was a major local jeweler in Jiangdong, mainly dealing in traditional jewelry such as gold and jade from the Zhao Dynasty.

It was obvious that the group was already acquainted. After sitting down and chatting for a while, Zhang Jing took out eight rough stones at Zheng Han's suggestion. He divided these stones into two groups of roughly equal value, one group with three stones and the other group with five stones, and placed them on the coffee table for the three people present to examine.

..............................

"Hongjian wants to sell these jade pieces, and that's why he asked me to invite everyone here today." Seeing that the three of them had looked at them for a while, Zheng Han coughed lightly, composed himself, and said, "Everyone has seen the items and is an expert. You all know what you're talking about, so I won't say any more."

"We're all friends who know each other well, so let's keep it simple: highest bidder wins. Is that alright?" The old gentleman glanced around and, seeing no one had any objections, nodded in satisfaction. "Eight pieces of Khotan white jade pebbles, with their natural skin, will be divided into two groups. The starting price for each group is 70. So, let's start with the first group..."

..............................

The two sets of raw stones were sold for a total of 280 million yuan. One set was bought by Fatty Jin Wang, and the other by Mr. Li Xuezhe. This price was indeed much higher than Zhang Jing's expected price. If calculated according to the market price in Khotan, Zhang Jing felt that the final price of these jade stones should not have exceeded 220 million yuan.

All of them were meticulous people, so they exchanged money for goods. As a result, Zhang Jing's bank card had an additional 280 million yuan in cash, bringing the total amount of cash in his bank card to more than 2490 million yuan.

"Thank you so much, Uncle Baoping, for your help today. I've met some seniors. I'll be hosting lunch at Juyuan Restaurant next door. Please do me the honor of joining us..." Seeing that it was almost lunchtime, Zhang Jing stood up, cupped his hands, and smiled.

The people present were also looking to make acquaintances, and even Ma Bo, who returned empty-handed today, did not refuse him this favor.

..............................

Juyuanlou is located about 50 meters away from Tongbao City in Linzhou. It is a traditional Chinese restaurant that mainly serves local Linzhou cuisine. When we arrived, it was peak dining time, so we had to wait a while before we got a private room facing the street.

At the dinner table, as glasses clinked and toasts were exchanged, the atmosphere gradually became lively.

Since most of the people present were businessmen in the same industry and were all acquaintances, there were no reservations in their conversation, and the main topic was business.

Zhang Jing listened from the side and also heard some things he didn't know before. For example, in recent years, due to the overall economic prosperity, there is generally more spare money in society, and the demand for collectibles has been rising steadily. Therefore, those who do business in this field are actually quite prosperous. For example, several people at the dinner table are considering opening new stores to varying degrees, or have already opened new stores.

However, this has also brought a happy problem: the demand for raw materials has increased. Recently, the prices of high-quality jade, gemstones and other materials on the market have risen to varying degrees. What is most troubling for them is that high-quality goods are becoming increasingly scarce. Some middlemen are even hoarding goods in anticipation of further price increases.

"By the way, are you guys planning to go check out the Nanzhao Zhaozhong Gongpan next week?" Jin Wang asked suddenly after taking a sip of his drink.

"Zhaozhong Public Auction?" Ma Bo, sitting next to him, thought for a moment and asked, "Fatty, is that the newly opened public auction you're talking about? I did receive an invitation, but I haven't really decided whether to go or not."

"Yes, that's it. I heard it's because the locals saw how big the public auctions in Lishan and Guizhou were, especially the record-breaking transaction volume of the Guizhou public auction at the beginning of the year, which really spurred them on."

Chapter Ninety-Eight: Land of Demons

Hearing this, Zhang Jing immediately understood that the people were referring to the jadeite auction in the southwestern Nanzhao province. This world also possessed jadeite, with its main production area being the Pegu Kingdom, a vassal state of the Great Zhao Dynasty in the southwest. Jadeite trading was a significant source of revenue for the Pegu Kingdom. Therefore, for over a decade, the kingdom had prohibited private jadeite transactions; the only open channel for buying and selling raw jadeite was the annual Pegu auction, guaranteed by the royal family.

As a result, the price of jadeite has been rising steadily and has now become the most expensive type of jade. Within the Zhao Kingdom, jadeite rough stones imported from Bago are traded through centralized public auctions. Currently, the two largest public auctions in the country are located in the Nanzhao Province, which borders Bago: the Guizhou Public Auction in Guizhou, the provincial capital, and the Lishan Public Auction in Lishan City, which directly borders Bago.

“White silver, red eyes, a transaction volume of nearly 10 billion, how can one not be envious…” Li Xuezhe picked up a piece of food: “However, I heard that the security at the border is not very good. After all, it is a new development, and the people and people are unfamiliar with the area.”

“I specifically asked Cai Ruoxu, that local bigwig,” Jin Wang said in a low voice, “I heard that the local government also wants to build up this brand, so the local government has taken the lead in uniting several local big families to jointly ensure that this public auction will be successful. It is said that several noble families in Guizhou City have also gotten involved in this matter.”

"If that's the case, then it's quite interesting..." Li Xuezhe said thoughtfully.

"I've been thinking, since we all know each other well, why don't we go together to scout things out? If there's something we all like but can't afford, we can split the cost. With more people, we can look out for each other. What do you all think?"

"The main thing is the quality of the goods. I'm afraid there won't be any good stuff, and I'll have made a wasted trip..." Ma Bo said, quite tempted.

"Zhaozhong borders Bago. According to Cai Ruoxu, there used to be very few caravans traveling through there because the roads were bad. However, I heard that the roads there have been repaired in recent years, and the trade routes have become prosperous. Moreover, I'm thinking that since they're going to do this, they must have some good things to offer. There will definitely be fewer competitors for new projects, so maybe we can get a good deal?"

“In that case, let’s go take a look together.” Ma Bo nodded after a slight hesitation.

“I’m one of them too. I’m actually planning to stock up on another batch of jadeite material recently.” Li Xuezhe nodded in agreement.

"Where's Brother Baoping?" Jin Wang turned to Zheng Han again.

"I mainly deal in antiques; jade is just a side business. Besides, I'm getting old and don't want to bother with it anymore," Zheng Han said with a smile, waving his hand. Jin Wang had obviously expected this response, and his question was more out of politeness.

"Brother Fuyuan, may I go with you brothers to broaden my horizons?" Zhang Jing, having heard enough about the matter, asked with clasped hands.

"Of course you're welcome! I'll call you in advance!" Jin Wang said, patting his chest.

........................

The meal lasted for more than an hour before everyone left, having enjoyed themselves immensely.

On their way back to the shop, Zheng Han specifically instructed Zhang Jing: "Fatty Jin is a good person, you can rest assured. However, jade is a very risky business, so it's fine if you go and take a look, but try to look more and buy less."

"Thank you for the reminder, Uncle Baoping. I will be careful." Zhang Jing knew the old man meant well, so he bowed respectfully.

...........................

It was 14:08 PM when Zhang Jing got home. Back in the main room, he pulled up the wishing book again to check the current status of the wishing points.

Special Event: You released the original songs "Sky City," "Flowers Bloom, Old Friends Return," "Thoughts Across Time," and "Rotting Grass Turns into Fireflies" on "Shell Music" under the stage name "Rain Falls at Tianmen."

A total of 4125 wish points have been added. (897 wish points were added yesterday)

Special Event: You saved actress Li Yun. This event has been filmed and uploaded by the crew of "After the Sword is Sealed"...

A total of 26184 wish points have been added. (2893 wish points were added yesterday)

Special Incident: A local spirit has been found haunting No. 356, Mijiafang, Nanmen District, Kuaizhou City; a victim has been identified…

A total of 52758 wish points have been added. (2819 wish points were added yesterday)

Seeing the current status of his wish points, Zhang Jing felt a mix of joy and worry. He was pleased that his wish points were increasing rapidly, currently reaching 64336 points, a significant increase. At the same time, his music points were also growing quite quickly, indicating that his popularity was rapidly rising, and the recommendations from Beike Music were indeed very effective.

However, what worries me is that the video from "Master Flower," which is currently my biggest source of wish points, seems to be nearing the end of its life cycle, especially after "Master Flower" admitted that it was just a marketing event, the subsequent growth rate of wish points has slowed down rapidly.

Meanwhile, Zhang Jing noticed online these past few days that a mysterious force was clearly suppressing such messages. Videos and posts that had previously generated significant discussion had been quietly suppressed or simply deleted. This behavior was done discreetly, unnoticed by most netizens, but as someone with a keen eye, he noticed it.