Chapter 002: The Sin of Holding a Precious Gem
Yang Han closed the folding fan and sat down on the long bench with a commanding presence. Du Xiaoniang had already skillfully brought him the dishes and wine he requested, smiling at him shyly and saying, "Han Ge'er, please enjoy your meal."
Li Xiangrong played with it for a while, then picked up a charcoal pencil and began to carefully sketch its auspicious form on paper, along with the surrounding nebulae. He meticulously recorded its dimensions and his impressions of its texture beside the drawing. He intended to write a detailed letter to send to Hangzhou, to share with his friend at the Astronomical Bureau, in hopes of uncovering the origins of this extraordinary object
Yang Han knows that with today's appearance, the news will likely reach the ears of Lord Li by tomorrow. At that time, he will probably feel quite uncomfortable with the mixed emotions in his heart Ha! Haha!
The paparazzi each display their unique skills: some specialize in seeking out eunuchs and palace maids to inquire about the emotional entanglements between the emperor and his seventy-two concubines, known as "internal scouts"; others gather information from various departments in the court regarding officials' appointments, bribery, and whether they have kept mistresses, referred to as "provincial scouts"; and there are those who investigate the progress of homicide cases, particularly in prisons, known as "bureau scouts". Therefore, the popularity of tabloids far exceeds that of official court newspapers.
Du Xiaoniang angrily chopped the coriander, her little mouth pouting as if it could hang an oil bottle: "These two dog men and women!"
Enough, enough..." Yang Han hurriedly shouted to stop. After Du Xiaoniang angrily left, he picked up a spoon and took a taste, immediately making a grimace, looking like a steamed bun... It is too salty, this would kill a salt seller...
Li Xiangrong, the deputy magistrate of Jiankang Prefecture, sat under the lamp, contemplating the ancient artifact that resembled a ruyi. The more he looked at it, the more pleased he became. This ruyi was made of an unknown material, appearing crystal clear, with faint patterns resembling nebulae within it, yet when held in hand, it felt as light as a feather, as if it barely existed at all
During the Song Dynasty, families with a bit of disposable income generally subscribed to two newspapers. One was the official "Zhaobao," which was equivalent to the official newspapers of later times. The other was a privately run "Xiaobao," akin to modern entertainment magazines. The Xiaobao specialized in collecting unusual anecdotes and sensational news, and to boost sales, it even employed a large number of paparazzi.
He gently shook the scepter of unknown material, and a cool breeze seemed to waft through the room, instantly calming his previously agitated mood, making him feel even more fond of it.
"Treasure, it truly is a treasure..." Li Tongpan said with a smile, stroking his beard
The young woman spoke, her pair of beautiful eyes continuously gazing at Yang Han, and her voice was directed towards him.
On that eerie mask of the smiling girl, only a pair of eyes appeared lively, yet those eyes conveyed an indescribable strangeness. Those eyes were fixed intently on the light and translucent ruyi held by Li Tongpan, burning with a fervor as if they were gazing upon a long-lost lover.
Yang Han smiled and nodded, without picking up the chopsticks. Instead, he took out a "newsletter" from his pocket, reading it under the light while pouring himself a drink, enjoying his own company.
Before Master Du could say a word, Miss Du was already furious. She grabbed the jar of salt and stormed towards Yang Han, opened the lid, and poured the salt into his duck blood vermicelli soup without a care for the cost, saying fiercely: "Not flavorful, huh? Come, come, let me add some flavor for you!"
Yang Hanzheng pretended to look at a piece of gossip in the tabloid, and upon hearing the young lady's words, he felt a stir in his heart, as if she was clearly speaking to him. He raised his head to glance at the young lady, who was a beauty rated seven, eight, or even nine out of ten, with a figure that scored a perfect ninety points, and his eyes brightened.
Today, he held a refined gathering with several distinguished individuals and celebrities, and he specifically brought this item along. He was very interested in the subtle nebula pattern that was faintly revealed within this translucent ruyi. Unfortunately, none of the officials or celebrities present could discern its origins or understand the mysteries contained within it. However, this only served to highlight its rarity even more.
It was the face of a young girl, with delicate brows and eyes, yet that face was made of porcelain, crafted from white porcelain. Thus, the beautiful face carried an indescribable eeriness. The light reflected off that porcelain surface, emanating a ghastly pale glow, which was exceptionally unsettling.
This treasure was given to him by Yang Han; it is a family heirloom of Yang Han. However, despite its seemingly magical appearance, its true utility remains unknown to all. It cannot be eaten or worn, yet it has been passed down through generations.
Sure! Guo'er girl readily agreed and soon joyfully brought over her dishes, combining them into one table. In a short while, as you spoke eloquently, I smiled gently with my head down, feeling as intimate as a pair of young lovers
Ultimately, this reflects Yang Han's youthful pride and unwillingness to concede. Are you trying to force me to marry your daughter? If I refuse, will you ruin my livelihood? Haha, if I am not welcome here, there will be other places that will welcome me! In just three days, I have managed to elevate my status and position to a level not inferior to yours. Let's see who lacks interest in their heart.
In this shop, there was originally a young lady sitting. Ever since Yang Han entered, with his handsome brows and eyes, and a flower adorning his temple, exuding a hint of charm, the young lady's beautiful eyes lingered on him incessantly. At this moment, seeing that the young man was also literate and well-read, her heart warmed even more.
Li Tongpan, who was seriously engrossed in his drawing, was completely unaware that the tiles on the roof above him were being silently removed. Suddenly, a snow-white face appeared, perfectly blocking the gap left by the tiles. The light that reached the roof had already dimmed, yet that face remained illuminated in a brilliant white.
However, as a young lady, how should one approach a conversation? Today, I had a chance encounter, and after parting ways, I find myself at a loss as to how to find her again in the future. The young lady bit her lip, and suddenly an idea struck her. She immediately slapped the table and exclaimed in a delicate voice: "Innkeeper, how is it that this bowl of pufferfish has been served without salt? It is so bland and tasteless. Do you think that just because I am here alone, I am easy to bully? Let me make it clear to you, I am the daughter of Li Dalang from Wuyi Alley, my nickname is Guo'er, I am seventeen years old, an unmarried young lady, and I have not fallen victim to anyone's schemes."
Yang Han slammed the newspaper onto the table and immediately called out: "Shopkeeper, you truly forgot to add salt today, is this how you deceive your customers? Do you know who I am? I am Yang Han, the steward of Li Xiangrong, the magistrate of Jiankang Prefecture. I am twenty-one years old and have never married."
After Yang Han was expelled from the Street Office by Chief Li, he took this treasure, which had been passed down for many generations and had never been of much use, and gave it to Li Tongpan, who had a fondness for collecting antiques, in exchange for a position as a minor steward in the Tongpan's residence. For Li Xiangrong, this was an opportunity that was hard to come by.
Yang Han's gaze shifted, and he suddenly saw that Guo'er, the young lady, was looking at him with affectionate eyes. He immediately said with enthusiasm: "Guo'er, the young lady, look, your fish soup is too bland, and my duck blood soup is too salty. The shopkeeper runs a small business, which is not easy, so let us not make it difficult for him. Why don't we share a table and make do with each other, so it won't be too salty or too bland."