Ancient books are something that few people in the antique circles of Tanzhou City truly understand. In the antique business, it’s a gathering place for the illiterate and semi-illiterate—many can barely recognize a few simplified characters, let alone the dizzying traditional ones. That’s why old books are relatively cheap. Even though Edward Clark always bids low due to financial constraints, he can still acquire plenty of stock.

Having seen so much, Edward Clark has developed a unique insight into the value of ancient books, believing that their prices are the lowest in the antique trade—practically treasures being sold at the price of cabbage. As his research into ancient books deepened, Edward Clark’s standards grew ever higher, and he kept thinking about buying some books from before the Ming dynasty.

Books from the Song and Yuan dynasties were already hot commodities during the Qing and Republican eras among antique dealers, and high officials and nobles flocked to them. So, even a hundred years ago, their value was already astonishingly high. Buying Song and Yuan books naturally became a dream in Edward Clark’s heart. He quietly observed from his own little corner, waiting, having long since accumulated enough knowledge to authenticate Song and Yuan books. Just now, he saw from afar that William Thompson had arrived at the market, so he strolled over. But before he could reach the stall, the transaction between David Carter and William Thompson was already complete.

Even though it was just a distant glance, that stunning feeling sent a rush of adrenaline to his brain—something he hadn’t felt in years. Even his long-standing nearsightedness seemed to suddenly improve; he could see the characters on the ancient book, even the texture of the paper, with perfect clarity.

“Straw Sandal, when did you acquire this book?” Edward Clark asked urgently. He had always kept an eye on William Thompson’s stall, and whenever there was any new stock of ancient books, he was always the first to get his hands on it.

“I went to pick up some goods yesterday afternoon. By the time I got back, it was already evening, so I didn’t contact you,” William Thompson said apologetically, seeing Edward Clark’s anxiety. There aren’t many people who buy ancient books, so he never expected that as soon as he put it out, someone would buy it right away.

“Young man, could I take a look at that book just now?” Edward Clark was so anxious he stamped his feet, not even bothering to blame William Thompson. Right now, he just wanted to confirm his judgment—was that fleeting glimpse just his imagination?

“All right.” Seeing the longing and anticipation in Edward Clark’s eyes, David Carter softened and took out the old Nanyue manuscript again.

When David Carter produced the ancient book, Edward Clark took a deep breath to calm his feverish heart. Although he had never seen a Song edition book before, the features of the item before him were obvious and matched perfectly with the knowledge he had memorized by heart. In his vast experience, this book was indeed different from any he had ever seen—the script imitated the Liu style, fitting the characteristics of Song edition books. The quality of the paper and the exquisite engraving and printing ruled out the possibility of later reproductions.

Edward Clark carefully flipped through the book from beginning to end, completely certain that it was a treasure—exactly the kind he had dreamed of. Although Edward Clark never went to college, he became fond of reading later in life, had a wealth of knowledge, and was shrewd. He took a few deep breaths to suppress his excitement and asked as calmly as possible, “Young man, are you willing to resell this book?”

“Sorry, it’s not for sale.” David Carter had already noticed the fervor in Edward Clark’s eyes and was a bit nervous. He wasn’t afraid of trouble, but he didn’t want to invite it either. He intended this book as a gift for someone—the price was low, and most importantly, the item was excellent. It was the perfect gift. Spending a little to accomplish a lot is a golden rule in life.

“I can offer more. Straw Sandal, how much did you sell this book for?” Edward Clark turned to ask William Thompson. Although this wasn’t quite proper, he couldn’t care less at the moment.

“Fifty,” William Thompson replied. He was starting to realize that this book was indeed something special, but he simply hadn’t recognized it.

“Young man, I’ll offer one hundred. Will you resell it to me?” Edward Clark said, immediately pulling out a hundred yuan.

“Sorry, it’s not for sale.” David Carter repeated. To him, no matter how much Edward Clark offered, he wouldn’t resell it. This was the gift he had chosen to repay Henry Brooks for a favor. He felt it was perfect, and if he had to find another such gift, he might not have enough time, nor might he ever encounter something that moved him like this again.

“Five hundred!” Edward Clark was relentless. Although he devoted all his energy to the study of ancient books, he was also a good judge of character. David Carter’s living conditions weren’t great, so he figured money might persuade him to let go.

“Sorry, I have to go.” David Carter remained unmoved. He did need money, but repaying the favor he owed Henry Brooks was more important. Owing someone money is quantifiable—you know exactly how much you owe. But owing someone a favor is immeasurable. To repay even a drop of kindness with a spring in return is one of his guiding principles.

“Five thousand!” Edward Clark gritted his teeth and shouted an astronomical price. In the street market, items over a hundred are rare, and those over a thousand are even rarer. If these stall owners had something truly valuable, they would usually take it directly to a shop or invite someone to their home to see it—it would never be put out on display.