Multiverse: Deathstroke

Chapter 150: Ch.149 Not Just Pawning

Chapter 150: Ch.149 Not Just Pawning

The purpose of taking a boat to Honolulu was achieved, and the plan went smoothly. Now, it all depends on how much these gold items will fetch.

Currently, the U.S. dollar is in circulation in Honolulu. At this time, the best Remington double-barreled shotgun costs only around ten dollars; a Comet-brand bicycle is just four dollars.

These things will be highly valued in the future. If kept in good condition, by 2018, an old Remington shotgun could sell for up to $7,000, and the Comet bicycle could go for $5,000.

Su Ming's gold jewelry should be worth about $2,000, at least in a jewelry store. But a pawnshop would never offer that price.

However, Su Ming was determined to sell these pieces at a high price.

Weaving through the crowds at the port, he easily dispatched a few pickpockets who didn't know better, casually snapping their fingers before walking naturally into the pawnshop.

The interior had an old-fashioned look with antique counters and barriers, decorated with vases and calligraphy as displays. Behind the counter, an old man with a round pair of glasses and a graying beard was dozing off.

He was dressed in a traditional Chinese long gown, with a black mandarin hat perched on his head. Beside him were an abacus and a magnifying glass.

Su Ming tapped the counter with his knuckles, placing a small cloth bundle on the counter.

"Shopkeeper, there's business for you."

The old man took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. It was odd—clearly, the person in front of him was a young white man, yet he spoke with an authentic Beijing accent.

But the rule was not to ask questions about origins, so the old man just smiled politely and took the small cloth bundle to unwrap it.

Suddenly, a golden light flashed, and the old man gasped as if he had just sipped hot soup.

"Hiss—"

He didn't even need to say anything. The gold's quality was excellent, and the gemstones sparkled brilliantly. The craftsmanship and design were top-notch, a masterpiece.

Of course, it was—this was modern craftsmanship with a more inclusive aesthetic. In this era, it could certainly be considered the best in the world. Ever heard of vacuum casting machines and computerized micro lathes?

The old man picked up his abacus, slid the beads with a quick clatter, indicating he was willing to do the deal.

"Young man, these are fine items, pure gold, and I won't deceive you. But here in the pawn business, the rule is that the value drops by half once you step through the door. You understand that, right?"

The old man had a southern accent, and Su Ming immediately switched to the same dialect. In the age of the internet, who doesn't know a few dialects?

"Shopkeeper, I understand the rules, but I'm not here to pawn these. I'm offering you a chance to make a fortune."

The old man was taken aback—what, this foreigner turned into a fellow countryman? He decided to hear what this man had to say.

"Oh, I'm all ears."

He clicked the abacus beads, signaling Su Ming to start his performance.

Su Ming took the lead, as expected. If the old man was willing to listen to a story, the price would naturally go up.

"Let's not talk about anything else first. Just look at the color of the gold, the craftsmanship, and the quality of the gemstones. Have you seen anything like this before?"

The old man frowned. Naturally, when doing business, the more profit, the better. But this foreigner wasn't pawning, and he mentioned a path to wealth. That was intriguing; he wanted to hear more.

In the pawn business, having a sharp eye was crucial. The favorite customers were the clueless second-generation rich kids who didn't understand the value of the treasures they were pawning.

This foreigner, who spoke fluent Chinese and brought such surprises, must have seen a lot in life.

"No, I haven't. As I said, these are fine items," the old man stroked his beard. "People say we in this business are heartless, profiting from others' misfortune, but I'm still a businessman. I value integrity. I have a rough estimate of the value of your items, and I'm willing to take them."

Su Ming nodded with a smile, but he didn't believe a word of it. If the old man wanted him to pawn, he would instead propose a different kind of collaboration.

"To be honest, these treasures came from a palace—not the one in Beijing, but from the Louvre in France. Ever heard of it?"

In truth, the jewelry came from the Batcave, but could Su Ming tell him that?

"I've heard of it."

The old man sipped his tea, trying to remain composed, but he felt a bit of a dry mouth. The mere mention of such a name was overwhelming.

"Hehe, France is currently the world's strongest land power, incomparable to the former Qing Dynasty. And these items once belonged to Marie Louise, the wife of Emperor Napoleon, the Empress of the First French Empire," Su Ming continued to spin a tale. After all, the people involved were long dead, and there was no carbon-14 dating in this era to verify it: "But an accident occurred. Napoleon was defeated and captured, and Marie was exiled overseas. So, these jewels... well, you understand."

Did the old man understand? Not really. He had no idea what those foreign names meant.

But he understood the words "Emperor," "Empire," "Strongest Nation," and "Empress."

"No wonder. Such exquisite jewels are indeed fit for royalty."

The old man kept a calm exterior but was thrilled inside. He just needed to remember this story, and he could make a huge profit when he resold them.

Su Ming didn't care what the old man thought. He could see the interest in his eyes. All he needed was a little push to ensure he wouldn't be shortchanged.

"These treasures later came into my ancestor's possession. But as fate would have it, my father's fleet recently disappeared at sea, and I need to buy a ship and hire a crew to search for him. So, I've taken out these valuable items, looking for the right person to pass them on to."

The old man glanced at him—this guy must be a fake foreigner, right? His expressions were just too fluent.

But a "right person," huh?

He didn't say anything, calculating the value of the jewels in his mind. Even setting aside the path to wealth and the truth of the story, the items themselves were valuable.

"Shopkeeper, you're a man with a keen eye. If you take these treasures to the Dingling Mausoleum in Hebei, even the Empress Dowager would crawl out of her grave to give you two thumbs up."

"Pfft!"

The old man didn't know if the Empress Dowager would crawl out, but he did spit out a mouthful of tea. This foreigner was something else—fearless, saying whatever he wanted.

Although the Qing Dynasty had fallen, respect for the dead was still important.

Little did the old man know that Su Ming came from the future, where he had no positive opinions about Empress Dowager Cixi. Making a joke at her expense was mild. If he had traveled back a few more years, he would have looted her tomb before Sun Dianying.

The treasures buried with her were worth over a billion taels of silver. Blasting it open with C4 would have been like picking up money off the ground.

After coughing for a while, the old man finally spoke: "Young man, do you know what we do with gold and jewelry in this business?"

Su Ming nodded. "It's nothing more than reselling to wealthy individuals or melting it down and recasting."

"Indeed. But these jewels are not cheap. Now that the Qing Dynasty is gone, who has the right to wear such jewels?"

The old man was making one last effort to haggle, suggesting that he might not be able to find a buyer for such expensive items.

But this was all part of Su Ming's plan. He didn't want to cheat his fellow countryman, so he had already prepared a straightforward path for the old man.

Su Ming laughed heartily: "Shopkeeper, that's where you're wrong. You're not in the Qing Dynasty anymore; you're in Honolulu! While the Queen of Hawaii has abdicated, she's still alive, isn't she?"

The old man's eyes lit up. Of course! He had been too caught up in the moment. The Hawaiian royal family, which had ruled for hundreds of years, still had money!

The United States had forcibly annexed Hawaii, compensating the Queen with $420,000 and a sugarcane plantation. Now, the Queen of Hawaii had nothing but money.

If he bought these jewels and resold them to the royal family, he would make a sure profit. With some clever maneuvering, he could even double his earnings.

This was the path to wealth. It could even lead to connections with the old nobility, who still wielded considerable power in Honolulu. This wasn't just a financial opportunity; it was a ladder to the top.

The old man didn't know why Su Ming had come to his pawnshop, but if they couldn't reach an agreement, Su Ming could turn around and sell to a foreign buyer, and the opportunity would slip away.