Chapter 216 (1/2)
Chapter 216: Fireflies in the Summer
Jun Huang's eyes grew cold and deadly. She could barely stop herself from going after the man for insulting Western Que. Nan Xun calmly held onto her cold fingers.
”This gentleman doesn't know what to say. Everyone knows even though Western Que has been destroyed, their jade is still widely sought after for its quality. Many people have been searching for their national treasure, but very few have gotten a look at it in person. I only took it to the market because my master is looking for something different. I'm not going to let you spread rumors about it.”
The servant holding the jade tree had a sharp tongue. He looked down on the others like he was better than all of them.
Another man said, ”Who knows if the jade tree really is the national treasure of Western Que? You've said yourself that very few people have seen it with their own eyes. How do we know if this tree isn't some random object you're using to cheat us? How do we know you're telling the truth?”
The man had voiced the doubt many people shared. The crowd went silent. Everyone turned to the servant, waiting for him to answer the question.
The servant had come prepared. He handed the jade tree to another man before taking a scroll painting out from his clothes.
The art was beautiful. Jun Huang immediately recognized the royal garden of Western Que palace. The couple in the painting looked at each other with adoring eyes, the man dressed in dragon robe and the woman wearing a phoenix cap. Next to the woman stood a pretty little girl who deserved all the praises in the world. Jun Huang remembered someone said that she must be a pupil of the Grand Supreme Elderly Lord. No other child would be born with such a good look.
The man dressed in dragon robe was holding a baby in his arms. The endearing boy swung his chubby hands around as he babbled. Between the couple stood the national treasure of Western Que. The jade tree gained a translucent quality under the sun, enabling one to look into the past and the future.
The edges of the painting were yellowed by time. And yet the people and the animals depicted were so lifelike it was difficult to look away.
A thunderstorm rose within Jun Huang's head. Her temples throbbed painfully. The place was brightly lit, and yet her vision was going dark. Her anger translated into trembling hands and quickened breaths. Her eyes were br.i.m.m.i.n.g with tears.
The servant pointed at the jade tree in the painting. ”See? It's right here!”
A man jokingly said, ”I find this painting more captivating than the tree itself!”
He broke into laughter. As if being infected, the crowd started to laugh as well. No one noticed the dark look on Jun Huang's face. Nan Xun frowned. He could tell Jun Huang was struggling to control herself. He had to keep a level head at time like this. It was natural for Jun Huang to lose her calm faced with an artifact of the home she had lost. He had to find a solution.
”Listen to me, we have to stay calm,” Nan Xun tried. ”We'll find a way.”
Jun Huang scoffed. ”It's easy for you to say. You don't understand my pain. You can't empathize with my feelings.”
Jun Huang turned to Nan Xun with red eyes. Nan Xun's heart clenched. He barely suppressed his urge to pull Jun Huang into his arms. He took a deep breath and said, ”Don't accuse me of lacking in empathy. You're smart enough to know what we can and can't do in Eastern Wu. We have to keep our ident.i.ties secret. Otherwise troubles will come knocking. We'll do our best to get your national treasure regardless of the price we'll have to pay; I promise I won't judge or intervene. However, we have to consider the situation we're in.”
His words helped Jun Huang recovered her calm. She stared at him for a while before muttering a faint thanks.
”What are you trading it for?” asked a bystander.
The servant called out to get everyone's attention and unfolded a list his master had given him. ”My master said it has to be jadeware of similar value…” The servant listed out the requirements. Some had been deterred by the strict standards, but many were still interested in a trade.
Jun Huang and Nan Xun had come to Eastern Wu in a rush. They didn't think of taking valuable items with them. She deflated. Nan Xun looked down at the ancient jade in his hand. This might do.
Before he could get close to the servant, another man offered his ware.
There was a thirty centimeters tall box in his hand. The onlookers looked at him in confusion until the man opened the box. Confusion quickly gave way to awe.