The Eye of the Beholder

"Fang Yi, what do you think?" According to their division of labor, Fang Yi was responsible for the procurement, so the chubby one naturally turned his gaze toward him. 

"Ma Ge, why wait until the afternoon? Why not take the chubby one and San Pao with you now?" Fang Yi glanced at the old pocket watch in his hand and said, "I have something to attend to at noon, so I won't be joining you. Chubby, why don't you treat Ma Ge to a meal outside and enjoy a few drinks with him..." 

Aside from the chubby one and San Pao, only Man Jun was aware of Fang Yi's attendance in Zhao Hongtao's class. Fang Yi wished to keep this matter under wraps, so he merely excused himself by claiming he had other obligations. 

"Don't worry, Yi Ge, we brothers wouldn't let Ma Ge suffer a loss." 

Seeing that the stall next to them had already sold two strings of beads adorned with accessories, the chubby one could no longer sit still. He stood up and said, "Ma Ge, why don't you place your items in Man Jun's shop for now? It'll be more convenient to retrieve them when we return in the afternoon..." 

What made the chubby one envious was the realization that the beaded strings with accessories had seen a price increase; items that originally sold for two hundred yuan could now fetch three hundred, a full one-third rise. If accessories were indeed as inexpensive as Old Ma claimed, this could translate into a substantial profit. 

"That sounds great! Let's go right now..." 

Upon hearing the chubby one's words, Old Ma couldn't help but chuckle. While the benefits of befriending Fang Yi and the others had yet to materialize, he was already reaping rewards. If he could consistently store his goods in Man Jun's shop at the end of the day, it would spare him the hassle of cycling with a heavy load every day. 

"Chubby, don't go overboard; just procure what we currently need..." Before they departed, Fang Yi specifically reminded him, as their funds were limited and they needed to reserve a significant portion for future purchases of primary art items. 

"I understand; San Pao is keeping track of the accounts, so you can rest assured..." The chubby one was brimming with excitement, eager to embellish their hundreds of strings of beads with accessories and sell them at a premium. 

Fang Yi and his companions had their stall packed away in the shop with Old Ma. After browsing the market for a while, it was time for lunch. Armed with a meal card from Zhao Hongtao, Fang Yi hurried to the museum's cafeteria to enjoy a complimentary meal. The food was average in taste, but the ingredients were prepared with care, which Fang Yi could immediately discern. 

"Zhao Ge, I'm here!" After finishing his meal, Fang Yi knocked on Zhao Hongtao's office door and curiously asked, "Zhao Ge, why didn't I see you in the cafeteria? Have you eaten lunch yet?" 

"I've already eaten; we don't dine in the staff cafeteria..." 

Zhao Hongtao casually explained. It's worth noting that the Jinling Museum is a unit of provincial rank; although not a governmental department, its status is significant, and it would be unthinkable for senior officials to share a cafeteria with regular employees. 

"Why are you the only one here? What about that chubby one and your other friend?" Zhao Hongtao inquired after noticing Fang Yi was alone; in his impression, the trio was inseparable. 

"Zhao Ge, let me brew you some tea..." 

Eager to show diligence in his learning, Fang Yi noticed that Zhao Hongtao hadn't brewed tea yet, so he promptly got to work, washing the tea utensils with hot water while saying, "They went to the eastern city to procure goods; our beads are too plain, and the girls aren't interested. The chubby one and San Pao went to find some accessories to re-string them..." 

"Ah? You're quite prompt in your endeavors!" Upon hearing Fang Yi's words, Zhao Hongtao couldn't help but smile and said, "Just in time, I wanted to discuss the various categories of accessories within the realm of art crafts..." 

"Zhao Ge, your lesson is a timely blessing; I'll be able to apply it right away..." 

Fang Yi skillfully poured a cup of tea for Zhao Hongtao and said, "Zhao Ge, let's discuss accessories a bit later. First, could you help me assess the market value of this string of beads?" 

"Is that the large bodhi bracelet you're wearing?" 

From the moment Fang Yi entered, Zhao Hongtao had noticed the bracelet on his wrist, which had been polished to a remarkable sheen. Any enthusiast of art crafts would be drawn to its luster. 

"Exactly this one..." 

Fang Yi nodded, removing the large bodhi bracelet from his wrist and saying, "This is a hand string I've been playing with since childhood; it has over a decade of history. My teacher said it can be considered a ritual object; Zhao Ge, could you take a closer look?" 

"Another ritual object?" 

Zhao Hongtao was momentarily taken aback, quickly accepting the beads and saying, "I wouldn't dare use the term 'eye of the beholder' for items my teacher has examined, but Fang Yi, how did you come by so many ritual objects?" 

Zhao Hongtao's understanding was similar to that of Sun Lianda; whether Taoist or Buddhist, most ritual objects were found in temples or museums, with genuine artifacts being exceedingly rare in the secular world. Yet, in just two days, Fang Yi had managed to acquire two, leaving Zhao Hongtao astonished. 

"Zhao Ge, I grew up in a temple..." Fang Yi had prepared this excuse in advance and smiled, saying, "Every day I meditate and recite scriptures; after so many years, even a piece of wood could become a ritual object..." 

When it came to understanding ritual objects, Fang Yi had knowledge that surpassed Zhao Hongtao's. To him, those items merely enshrined in temples or monasteries, even after years of scripture recitation, could not truly be called ritual objects. 

Only those objects imbued with genuine power through the dual enhancement of true energy and scripture by a practitioner could be acknowledged as ritual objects by Fang Yi. The so-called consecrated items were, at best, ceremonial tools used for financial gain within Buddhism and Taoism. 

In the market, Fang Yi had encountered countless so-called consecrated treasures, none of which contained any genuine power. After over a decade of Taoist practice, he was astonished to learn that consecration could be performed en masse. If the old Taoist priest were to find out, he would surely rise in outrage from his grave. 

"You make a valid point, Fang Yi. Your master is indeed a person of genuine skill, unlike the charlatans that abound..." 

Upon hearing Fang Yi's words, Zhao Hongtao nodded. In this day and age, many monks and priests were mere impostors. Not to mention, those dressed in Taoist robes outside the Chaotian Palace were often fraudulent. 

Thus, in Zhao Hongtao's eyes, only those like Fang Yi and his master, who could endure solitude in the deep mountains, were true masters; the temples and monasteries in the city had long since degraded. 

"Zhao Ge, the world is divided into nine streams; those people are merely trying to make a living..." 

Fang Yi held no disdain for Zhao Hongtao's observations. He too had once traversed the world like that old Taoist priest, and his lineage practiced a more unconventional path, having no connection to the current orthodox sects. 

"You have a broad perspective..." 

Zhao Hongtao chuckled at Fang Yi's words, shaking his head and saying, "But let's talk about your large bodhi bracelet. To be honest, I've seen better-quality bracelets, but none with such a rich patina and age as yours." 

Zhao Hongtao was generous in his praise for Fang Yi's large bodhi bracelet because, aside from some residual dirt in the crevices that had not been cleaned properly, the only imperfection was a slight deficiency in material quality.