It must be noted that since the Qin and Han dynasties, especially after Emperor Wu of Han dismissed the hundred schools of thought and honored Confucianism exclusively, the previously respected ranks of shamans, physicians, artisans, and craftsmen—the Wuyi Baigong—were suddenly relegated to the status of base servants.

The proclaimed hierarchy of scholar, farmer, artisan, and merchant was an outright fabrication. In reality, there were only two classes: first, the gentry and officials; and second, everyone else who could be oppressed.

Under such conditions, the status of the craftsman is easily imagined: they possessed virtually no rights. Even if a master craftsman of profound skill emerged, one must remember that the pen—the power to record history—was firmly held by the scholar-officials. These elites generally disdained such ingenious technical skills and certainly held no intention of immortalizing their names favorably.

Of course, if the object crafted happened to be related to literary pursuits, the haughty scholar-officials might deign to help spread the creator's name. Consider Li Tinggui of the Southern Tang or Pan Gu of the Northern Song who invented superior inks, or Bi Sheng who invented movable type printing…

Yet, despite these names being famous today, receiving much praise and commendation, appearing like great scientists who brought glory to the nation, in their own eras, they were profoundly humble artisans whom no one paid heed to. The scholar-officials valued the objects they created, not the men themselves.

The food they ate, the clothes they wore, the tools they used—none of it was derived from the officials' own labor. Still, these officials looked down upon the very people who provided them with sustenance and shelter. Is that not an utterly bizarre mentality?

No, it is entirely normal, because this situation is not confined to ancient times; it is extremely common even today. To put it elegantly, one might say, "It is easier to change the rivers and mountains than a man's inherent nature." To put it plainly, it is that a dog cannot change its ingrained habits...

However, society progresses, and human thought, along with its constraints, gradually liberates itself. This is an unstoppable trend, a wave that no single person or small group can halt. By the mid-Ming dynasty, in the prosperous and affluent region of Jiangnan, what we would now call the nascent stirrings of capitalism began to appear.

The social atmosphere of that time had become exceedingly relaxed, giving rise to a multitude of painters, writers, and calligraphers. In the realm of craftsmanship, which also falls under the scope of art, particularly jade carving, masters emerged ceaselessly.

The most conspicuous among them was naturally Lu Zigang. As someone who dared to innovate boldly, reform traditional techniques, invent the carving method and the Lianhuan Hui (Linked Painting) technique, and crucially, the first person in the history of Chinese jade culture to insist on leaving his signature on every piece, it is no wonder he is revered as the Patriarch by the jade carving world.

The Ming Dynasty represented the zenith of Neo-Confucianism as championed by Cheng and Zhu. The social ethos of "of the ten thousand trades, only scholarship is noble" was firmly established. Nevertheless, Lu Zigang’s exquisite skill allowed him, in the lowly status of a craftsman, to become a figure highly esteemed and respected by the scholar-officials.

Many exquisite jade objects he produced became favorites among officials and collectors; a single hairpin carved with a narcissus flower could fetch the price of fifty or sixty jin (gold/silver units). Many of these pieces found their way into the palace, becoming treasures for imperial appreciation.

However, what made Zigang’s name also undid him. The greatest characteristic of the jade pieces carved by Lu Zigang was his penchant for leaving his mark—the Zigang seal—in inconspicuous spots on the jade.

It was precisely this habit that cost him his life. Legend has it that Lu Zigang was ordered by the Emperor to carve a dragon-shaped jade artifact. The Emperor had explicitly commanded him not to leave his signature seal, yet he defiantly carved his name. Later, someone informed on him, naturally offending the Emperor, and he was secretly executed under the charge of deceiving the throne.

Hearing Wang Guan’s account, Beiye couldn't help but sigh softly, "How pitiful."

"Of course, this is just a legend," Wang Guan explained with a smile. "After all, no matter how brilliant Lu Zigang’s skill was, his name being mentioned in some literati notes was already remarkable; they certainly wouldn't write biographies for him. Thus, the details of his life carry a degree of fictional embellishment. We can believe some parts, but not everything."

"Then what about this jade thumb ring?" Beiye asked curiously. "What is its provenance?"

"Its origin is quite extraordinary."

Wang Guan smiled, then turned his head, "Uncle De, you brought your treasure box, didn't you?"

"Naturally, just wait."

As he spoke, Gao Dequan returned to the room and soon reappeared carrying a small portable leather case. He then opened the case, revealing numerous small bottles and jars inside, along with various appraisal tools.

"Uncle De, should you do it, or shall I?" Wang Guan asked again.

"You do it," Gao Dequan waved his hand. "I want to see if you’ve improved."

"Then allow me to embarrass myself," Wang Guan smiled, picking up an empty glass beaker. He then took the small bottles and jars from the case, used a tiny spoon to measure and mix powders and liquids from the jars in specific proportions, and finally poured in clear water.

Just then, Wang Guan immediately dropped the jade thumb ring into the cup. Instantly, clusters of foam, resembling beer heads, surged forth, and the clear water in the beaker underwent a vigorous chemical reaction.

"Eh!"

Beiye started, utterly confused. "What are you doing?"

"Cleaning the surface grime."

Wang Guan chuckled. "Actually, the mottled marks on the jade thumb ring’s surface are because someone coated the surface with an adhesive, made some minor modifications, and then buried it for a period, causing such severe staining from the earth permeation. The reason Uncle De was rubbing inside the ring’s aperture for so long earlier wasn't to detect a signature, but because he sensed the tactile feedback was wrong."

"That's right,"

Gao Dequan nodded. "Even ancient jade with the thickest patina allows one to feel the inherent texture of the jade material itself. But this thumb ring felt separated by a layer—it possessed the visual quality of jade, but lacked the true feel of jade. There was definitely something suspicious."

"Oh."

Beiye nodded slightly. She might not have fully understood, but that didn't prevent her bright eyes from reflecting admiration.

Meanwhile, the foamy agitation in the cup gradually subsided. The formerly clear water turned turbid, taking on the color of the Yellow River. The jade thumb ring settled at the bottom of the cup, its current appearance unknown.

Seeing this, Wang Guan poured another cup of clean water, then used small tweezers to retrieve the jade thumb ring from the murky solution, quickly placing it into the fresh water. With a soft plop, a spray of water splashed up before immediately calming down.

In that instant, everyone’s gaze focused on the cup of clean water. A gentle, warm, pale yellow luster tinted the clear water with the same hue; the delicate yellow color was as tender as the stamen of a flower, inspiring awe.

"So beautiful!" Beiye couldn't help but exclaim, a captivating light shimmering in her bright eyes. It wasn't just her; Wang Guan and Gao Dequan were also staring intently at the jade thumb ring without blinking.

At this moment, the mottled surface layer of the thumb ring had completely vanished, completing a magnificent transformation. The whole piece was seamless, without the slightest flaw, and the pale yellow color was exceptionally pure.

Everyone knew that when a color reaches a certain degree of purity, it begins to emit a precious radiance.

It was like how a person of deep learning naturally possesses an inherent grace; this yellow jade thumb ring now manifested a moving halo on its own, even without external light shining upon it. This wonderful luminescence held an intoxicating charm that made one involuntarily drawn in.

After a long while, Wang Guan gradually came back to himself, marveling softly, "Uncle De, this must be the 'Mutton Fat Yellow' you mentioned."

"Yes..."

Gao Dequan slowly exhaled a breath, sighing, "Top-grade Mutton Fat Yellow, on par with the finest Sheep Fat Jade!"

"A piece of imperial court ware, an item exclusively for the Emperor; the quality is certainly guaranteed," Wang Guan chuckled, then used the tweezers to lift the yellow jade thumb ring out again. After a brief rinse, he carefully dried the moisture and slowly began to examine and handle it.

At first glance, Wang Guan’s face registered a mix of pleasant surprise and shock again. "Uncle De, you were right; it is exactly as the legend describes."

"Let me see..."

Despite having some psychological preparation, Gao Dequan was somewhat eager, hurrying over to closely inspect the surface of the yellow jade thumb ring. He saw fine, shallow engravings, arranged with a thoughtful balance of density and sparsity, and an artistic conception that was profoundly deep.

"The 'Hundred Steeds' painting—it truly is the Bai Jun Tu." After observing for a moment, Gao Dequan’s face was filled with reverence, deeply moved. "There is no doubt now; this is absolutely the work of Lu Zigang."

The Bai Jun Tu did not, of course, mean that one hundred horses were physically carved onto the tiny jade thumb ring.

In fact, there is a historical anecdote tied to this. Legend holds that due to Lu Zigang’s superb and outstanding skill, he gained the Emperor's favor and was summoned to serve within the palace. One day, the Emperor wished to test Lu Zigang’s talent and presented him with a jade thumb ring used for drawing a bow, commanding him to carve a Bai Jun Tu onto it.

A jade thumb ring is barely the size of a thumb; to carve one hundred galloping steeds onto its surface would be impossible, even for someone with heaven-defying skill. Yet, Lu Zigang readily accepted the task. Furthermore, shortly thereafter, Lu Zigang presented the carved Bai Jun Tu jade thumb ring as requested by the Emperor.

The Emperor examined the ring and was immensely satisfied, lavishing praise upon Lu Zigang’s artistry. He bestowed generous rewards and granted him great trust. It is likely this very favor that led to the jealousy of his peers, resulting in the subsequent denunciation and death sentence.

Of course, this is all speculation. In reality, regarding this jade thumb ring, most people considered it mere folklore, something listened to as a story, with hardly anyone taking it seriously.

But this yellow jade thumb ring before him told Wang Guan that sometimes legends are not fabricated. Whether others believed it or not, he believed it. Because the Bai Jun Tu jade thumb ring carved by Lu Zigang was now in his hands.

At this moment, Wang Guan’s finger gently brushed across the surface of the ring. The subtle engravings did not number a hundred horses, but instead depicted three vivid, hoof-raised, galloping steeds. Trailing behind these three horses was a magnificent city built amidst towering, undulating mountains. One of the horses was shown rushing toward the city gate, another had already reached the gate and was entering the city, and the third only showed its head emerging from a valley.

Within the limited space, Lu Zigang cleverly employed the technique of illustrating the real through the implied, incorporating the 'hundred horses' concept into the viewer's imagination, perfectly embodying the theme of the Bai Jun Tu. It showed vision and creativity, and remarkably, the carving lines were fluid, giving the scene a powerful sense of three-dimensionality. This explains why the Emperor praised him instead of accusing Lu Zigang of deception.

A true master is a master; his execution is undoubtedly extraordinary... (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, you are welcome to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly passes at Qidian (. ). Your support is my greatest motivation.) No pop-up novel website www.RT