“A famous pearl?” For a moment, Yu Feibai pondered, “Could it be the renowned Sui Hou Pearl?” At this moment, above this space, only a few small lights were arranged in a measured pattern, as if the stars were orbiting the moon, encircling a single lustrous pearl.
Under the gentle illumination of these lights, the pearl emitted a soft, diffusing glow that bathed the entire space in light as bright as day, yet the light was not dazzling at all, providing comfort while simultaneously feeling utterly miraculous.
It was seeing this sight, and hearing Elder Hou mention it was a famous pearl from history, that caused Yu Feibai’s first thought to be the Sui Hou Pearl.
There was no helping it; among all the famous pearls throughout history, the Sui Hou Pearl held the greatest renown.
Historical records stated that the Pearl of Marquis Sui and the Jade of Bian He were collectively known as the Two Treasures of the Spring and Autumn period.
There was no need to elaborate on the Jade of Bian He; that was the He Shi Bi, later transformed into the Imperial Seal, famous throughout the ages.
As for the Pearl of Marquis Sui, it was no less significant, also known as the Bright Moon Pearl or the Spirit Snake Pearl.
The name Bright Moon Pearl suggested the pearl’s luminescence was akin to moonlight, its radiance exceptionally clear and gentle.
The alternative name, Spirit Snake Pearl, stemmed from a legend.
The legend told of Duan She Qiu (Broken Snake Mound) in the State of Sui during the Spring and Autumn period.
The Marquis of Sui was traveling when he saw a large snake cut in two. Noticing the snake seemed somewhat spiritual, he ordered his retinue to apply medicine to heal it, and the snake was immediately able to move.
A year later, the snake returned carrying a bright pearl as a token of gratitude to the Marquis.
However, by the Warring States period, the State of Sui was annihilated by the State of Chu, and the Sui Hou Pearl fell into the hands of the King of Chu.
But such a fine treasure did not remain long in Chu; as the State of Qin was consolidating its dominance over the realm, Chu had no choice but to dutifully present the item to appease Qin.
Before Li Si achieved prominence as Qin’s Chancellor, he penned the Memorial Against the Dismissal of Guests, in which he mentioned: "Now Your Majesty possesses the jade of Kunlun, the treasures of Sui and He, and has attained the Pearl of the Bright Moon..." Here, the treasures of Sui and He actually referred to the Sui Hou Pearl and the He Shi Bi.
Regrettably, while the He Shi Bi at least had traceable records until the Yuan Dynasty, the Sui Hou Pearl vanished after the reign of Qin Shi Huang.
Some speculated that the Sui Hou Pearl was buried alongside Qin Shi Huang, intended to serve as an illuminating source, replacing tallow candles in the tomb chamber.
Of course, all this was mere conjecture, just like Yu Feibai’s current assumption.
It was also a guess that the item was the Sui Hou Pearl.
But whether it was correct or not depended on what Elder Hou had to say.
“This is not the Sui Hou Pearl.”
However, at this moment, Elder Hou shook his head, “It is the Shangqing Pearl!”
“Shangqing Pearl? What in the world is that?” Upon hearing this, Yu Feibai was instantly confused, “Is there such a pearl in history?”
“Truly ignorant.”
At this point.
Elder Qian could not help but criticize, “Not even knowing the Shangqing Pearl—you must read more books in the future.”
“Oh.”
Yu Feibai obediently listened to the lecture, then quietly asked, “Wang Guan, do you know about the Shangqing Pearl?” Evidently, unwilling to take the criticism alone, he sought to drag Wang Guan down with him.
To this, Wang Guan merely smiled lightly.
He nodded, “Of course I know it. This dates back to the Tang Dynasty. Not only is there the Shangqing Pearl, but also the Memory Pearl and the Dust-Repelling Pearl; these three items are hailed as the Three Great Pearls of the Tang Dynasty.”
“No way,” Yu Feibai started, “I can understand the Dust-Repelling Pearl. But what about the Memory Pearl and the Shangqing Pearl?”
“Speaking of the Memory Pearl, it also possesses a certain mystique,” Wang Guan explained with a smile at this time, “It is said that during the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty, the Chancellor Zhang Yue possessed a pearl. It was of a dark azure color with a soft light, as warm and lustrous as jade. If one had forgotten something, merely handling the pearl would clear the mind, and all details, no matter how small, would become perfectly clear, leaving nothing forgotten. Hence, it was also called the Memory Pearl.”
“Is it really that profound?” Yu Feibai felt a measure of doubt, “Is that true or false...”
“There might be some exaggeration involved, but the pearl itself is real,” Elder Hou chuckled at this moment, “And we believe this might be a form of psychological suggestion. Handling the treasured pearl is essentially a process of calming the mind. When one is tranquil, certain matters naturally become clear.”
“Hmm, that’s not impossible,” Yu Feibai considered and agreed, “After all, many things become exaggerated during the process of transmission.”
“It is good that you understand,” Elder Hou nodded, then continued, “As for the Shangqing Pearl, it was a gift bestowed by Emperor Xuanzong of Tang upon his son, Li Heng.”
“When Li Heng was young, he was greatly favored by Emperor Xuanzong, who once told others, ‘This child shows signs of extraordinary character; in time, he too shall be an auspicious emperor for our house.’ After offering praise, he ordered someone to retrieve the treasured Shangqing Pearl from the imperial vault, personally wrapped it in crimson gauze, and tied it around Li Heng’s neck to enhance his auspicious fortune.”
As he spoke, Elder Hou sighed, “However, ancient emperors were prone to forgetfulness; this is the so-called ruthlessness of the imperial family. In any case, after Li Heng grew up, especially after becoming Crown Prince, a gulf formed between father and son, and Emperor Xuanzong even considered deposing him several times. It was only the An Lushan Rebellion that saved him; Emperor Xuanzong was forced to abdicate, allowing Li Heng to finally rise and become emperor.”
“But Li Heng’s reign as emperor was also difficult; he died after only six years. During those six years, the An Lushan Rebellion had not yet ended, and he died under ignominious circumstances, frightened to death by Li Fuguo, the first eunuch in the Tang Dynasty to wield military power and wreak havoc in the palace.”
At this point, Elder Hou shook his head, “The power struggles in the Tang court, from beginning to end, were steeped in blood. This must be blamed on Li Shimin, who set the precedent with the Xuanwu Gate Incident; his descendants followed suit, and the strife never truly ceased...”
“Let’s not dwell on the Tang Dynasty. From ancient times to the present, which dynasty’s power struggles were conducted with perfect courtesy? Even during the Northern Song Dynasty, there were incidents like the Shadow of the Candle, the Case of the Fox Replacing the Crown Prince, and the Palace Siege Riot,” Yu Feibai said dismissively, “Whether ancient or modern, whenever power and interests are involved, the struggle is utterly sordid. Compared to court power struggles, I’m more interested in the specific origins of this Shangqing Pearl. Why is it called the Shangqing Pearl, and what caused it to appear in the Tang Dynasty imperial treasury?”
“Historical records state that the Shangqing Pearl was a treasure presented by the State of Jibin in the Western Regions,” Elder Hou explained at the same time. “If one gazes at it for a prolonged period, one gradually feels that flying immortals, jade maidens, and white cranes appear within the pearl, swaying their forms as if in the Shangqing Immortal Realm, hence the name Shangqing Pearl.”
“Is that true?” Upon hearing this, Yu Feibai quickly looked up to observe.
“Of course not, you silly boy; you believe anything so easily,” Elder Zhou interjected with a hearty laugh. “At that time, the item was enshrined in the Shangqing Hall within the palace, so it was simply named the Shangqing Pearl.”
“Ah…” Yu Feibai froze for a moment, realizing Elder Hou had completely misled him.
“That’s why we say you should read more books usually, lest you be fooled by a few simple words,” Elder Qian chuckled, shaking his head. “Learn from this stumble; be smarter next time, don't be so easily tricked.”
Amidst the laughter of the others, Yu Feibai looked thoroughly embarrassed. After muttering a few private complaints, he quickly changed the subject: “If the object above our heads is the Shangqing Pearl, then what are the things on the floor?”
This room was not large, but it wasn't small either. Besides the Shangqing Pearl set into the ceiling, there was a square table resting on the floor, and upon the table were two boxes—one long and one square.
Yu Feibai pointed to the boxes, both diverting the attention of the others and harboring a curiosity of his own, surmising that whatever was inside these boxes would not be simple.
The reality proved him right. Elder Hou walked over and casually opened one box, taking out an object. Instantly, a crystal-clear, brilliant luster flashed forth.
“What is this?” Wang Guan and Yu Feibai focused their gazes. The object was about the thickness of a thumb, cylindrical, resembling a small rod. However, it was not made of wood but rather seemed to be of jade quality, subtly echoing the light from the Shangqing Pearl above, radiating a lustrous sheen.
“This is a whip, a Soft Jade Whip,” Elder Hou stated. As he spoke, he bent the cylindrical object between his hands, and the smooth item immediately curved, its ends meeting. Then, he effortlessly released one hand, and the object sprang straight, trembling slightly.
“A whip made of soft jade?” Wang Guan felt a degree of astonishment, “Does soft jade really exist in the world?” Of course, the soft jade here did not refer to the nephrite contrasted with jadeite; it meant jade that was physically soft. Generally, so-called soft jade referred to physical properties. When measuring the hardness of jade, there is the Mohs scale; jade with a coefficient above 6.5 is considered hard jade, and below 6.5 is soft jade. However, the soft jade Elder Hou spoke of clearly was not the scientific definition of soft jade, but actual soft, spring-like material that could be bent and straightened arbitrarily, possessing softness combined with strength.
“Although it’s called soft jade, the name is somewhat misleading, but it does contain jade components,” Elder Hou smiled at this point. “According to our research, this Soft Jade Whip is actually a composite of jade powder and some kind of resin. It was likely that anciently, jade dust mixed with a certain resin, and after evolving over several millennia, although it didn't form true amber, it underwent some mutation, resulting in this soft jade.”
“Ah, I see.” Having had it explained, Yu Feibai’s excitement did not wane. After taking the Soft Jade Whip from Elder Hou and examining it for a few minutes, he finally let go with lingering satisfaction and looked toward the other box, “What treasure is inside that one?”
“Something similar,” Elder Hou chuckled. “But this item has almost formed into amber.” As he spoke, Elder Hou also opened the other box. Wang Guan and the others quickly looked over and saw an object in the box similar to a whip. However, this whip was far more exquisitely crafted; someone had engraved images of Qilin, Phoenix, Tortoise, and Dragon upon it, causing it to shimmer brilliantly under the light, looking incredibly magnificent.
“This is the Auspicious Whip!” Elder Hou explained at the right moment. “Although its texture is not as soft as the Soft Jade Whip, it is more crystalline and transparent, with better purity. In any case, both whips are treasures from the ancient imperial courts, classified as rare marvels.”
The others strongly agreed; setting aside ancient times, such objects were rare even in the modern era.
However, Yu Feibai could not overcome his nature of favoring the new over the old. After viewing these few treasures, upon realizing there were no other artifacts in the room, he immediately urged Elder Hou to move onward.
A moment later, the group ventured deeper and slowly arrived at a spacious area, where treasures were naturally also present...〖Book Network ∷ Fast Update ∷ No Pop-ups ∷ Pure Text ∷ www.〗