As always, the small seal script signboard overhead and the antique carved doors before him still carried the heavy sense of history.
Lu Zigang stood before Ya She’s entrance, feeling somewhat melancholy.
It had been over two months since his last visit to this mysterious antique shop, and his memories had gradually filled with fragments that didn’t belong to him. Even Lu Zigang, who was an atheist, couldn’t help but suspect he might truly be the reincarnation of the Ming dynasty’s Lu Zigang.
Otherwise, how could he so coincidentally share the same surname and given name? How could he have obtained the cutting knife? And how could he have inexplicably gained jade-carving skills?
Lu Zigang pressed his slightly aching temples. Ever since the cutting knife had been stained with Hu Hai’s blood, he didn’t know if it was his imagination, but he always felt something was wrong with him – he would inexplicably feel alarmed and uneasy from time to time.
When the owner had given him the cutting knife, he had specifically warned him not to let the blade touch blood. But in his previous life’s memories, the kun knife used by the divine chef Xia Zelan would inevitably be stained with blood…
Lu Zigang thought that he had inexplicably received a phone call from the owner and traveled all this way by plane, partly because he wanted to ask about this matter.
Lu Zigang took a deep breath, reached out to push open that carved door, and was greeted by a refreshing sandalwood fragrance that lifted his spirits. The shop’s interior arrangement was no different from his last visit. Perhaps it was just psychological, but Lu Zigang, remembering his strange encounter at Ya She last time, felt uneasy looking at any antique here.
“You’ve come?” The owner’s indifferent voice echoed in the shop. Lu Zigang looked toward the sound and saw the owner emerge from behind the jade screen in the inner room, with a cute rabbit plushie actually perched on his shoulder. The long rabbit ears drooped in front of the owner – no matter how you looked at it, this scene was discordant.
Lu Zigang stared wide-eyed as the owner walked past him as if nothing was amiss, then skillfully boiled water and brewed tea. When the tea fragrance overpowered the sandalwood scent, Lu Zigang finally came to his senses and coughed embarrassedly: “Owner, I actually have something I want to ask you too.”
Carefully taking out the cutting knife he carried with him from his pocket, Lu Zigang hesitated for a moment before saying: “Last time, by accident, this cutting knife got stained with blood…” His voice grew quieter and quieter, like a child waiting for a teacher’s scolding.
This couldn’t be blamed on Lu Zigang’s attitude, because in the inexplicably appearing memories of his past life, the owner existed like a teacher figure. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have immediately flown over just because of the other’s vague phone call.
“Was it your blood?” The owner didn’t take the cutting knife but handed over the blue-green glazed gold-painted teacup in his hand.
“No…” Lu Zigang quickly set down the cutting knife and received the cup with both hands. After taking a light sip of the fragrant tea, he said: “It was that Hu Hai’s blood, when he was summoning souls with the Book of the Dead.” Lu Zigang didn’t continue because he saw the owner’s brow clearly furrow at his words.
Had he really committed a taboo? Lu Zigang became terrified, realizing his hands holding the blue-green glazed gold-painted teacup were involuntarily trembling. He quickly placed this precious teacup on the counter.
The owner’s furrowed brow lasted only an instant, then he said calmly: “This matter isn’t your fault. It’s fine.” Everything was probably predestined – even if he tried to prevent it, it would be useless.
Really no problem? Lu Zigang wanted to ask further, but he intuitively felt that even if he continued asking, the owner wouldn’t easily speak. He put away the cutting knife and picked up the teacup again to drink tea. Only then did he calm down and feel the tea fragrance filling his mouth, sighing a few appreciative words before saying: “Owner, what did you call me here for?” As Lu Zigang spoke, his gaze fell on the rabbit plushie on the owner’s shoulder, still unable to adapt to this bizarre scene.
The owner took out a small brocade box from the counter, only palm-sized. When opened, it revealed a copper piece the size of a fingertip – one end straight, the other with a ring-shaped connection. The copper piece also bore spots of verdigris, showing its ancient age.
Lu Zigang raised an eyebrow and immediately leaned in for a closer look. Having been immersed in antiquities for a long time, he could tell at a glance what it was: “This is a copper clapper? I wonder which bell it’s a component from?”
“This is a copper clapper from a dragon-patterned bell.” The owner paused for a moment, then explained in detail: “A bell is an ancient musical instrument – basically a slightly larger bell, shaped like a nao or zheng but with a clapper. It was used in ancient times to announce governmental and religious decrees, and was also an ancient musical instrument popular in China from the Spring and Autumn period to the Han dynasty. It makes sound when shaken, and depending on the clapper’s material, it’s divided into two types: metal bells and wooden bells – those with copper clappers are metal bells, those with wooden clappers are wooden bells.”
Lu Zigang looked up strangely. He wasn’t ignorant of this basic knowledge – why would the owner… wait, why did he see the rabbit plushie’s ears on the owner’s shoulder move? Lu Zigang steadied himself and said: “Owner, what’s the origin of this copper clapper? Where is the dragon-patterned bell that goes with this copper clapper?”
“That dragon-patterned bell should currently be in Storage Room 12 of the National Museum.” The owner spoke with great certainty, as if he’d seen it with his own eyes. He took out a piece of paper and handed it over: “I’m willing to trade the three antiques listed here for it.”
Lu Zigang took the paper, and his heart jumped the moment his hand touched it. The paper was white, dense, with pure texture and contained hidden cloud patterns – truly top-grade Xuan paper. Before he could ponder the paper’s origins, he was shocked speechless by the three antique names written in Han clerical script.
The owner had anticipated his reaction and calmly drank tea while waiting for him to recover, occasionally reaching out to pet the rabbit plushie on his shoulder.
Even Lu Zigang, who knew Ya She contained countless treasures, couldn’t help losing composure upon suddenly seeing these three antique names. He smiled bitterly: “Owner, this puts me in a difficult position. I’m just an intern researcher – I can’t make such decisions.”
“Then go find someone who can make decisions.” The owner blew on his hot tea and said indifferently: “Trading object for object is reasonable. That dragon-patterned bell is just an inconspicuous antique, at a level the state can trade. Moreover, I can give you one of these items first as a deposit. But I require the dragon-patterned bell to be brought to me before the end of the month, otherwise the deal is void.”
Lu Zigang tactfully didn’t ask about the dragon-patterned bell’s origins. After all, the owner had no obligation to explain, and any one of the three antiques on this Xuan paper seemed comparable to that dragon-patterned bell.
He pondered while drinking tea for a long time before nodding: “I’ll do my best. But owner, it would be best if I could take this copper clapper too. After all, only after restoring that dragon-patterned bell might it be possible for the experts above to reach a final appraisal conclusion.”
The owner nodded indifferently, took out a brocade box from the counter, and handed it to Lu Zigang along with the small box containing the copper clapper. Finally, he warned: “Remember, restoring the dragon-patterned bell doesn’t matter, but absolutely do not shake the dragon-patterned bell to make it sound.”
Lu Zigang raised his eyebrows in surprise but didn’t take it too seriously. After checking the antiques he’d received, he left in a hurry.
Almost the moment Lu Zigang left, the rabbit plushie on the owner’s shoulder sat up straight, its two long ears swaying: “Owner, what is that bell? Which emperor’s antique is it?”
The owner picked up the blue-green glazed gold-painted teacup Lu Zigang had used, carefully washed it clean with water, then put it back in its place before saying: “In the Bronze Age, bronze artifacts could only be used by the most noble people. Bronze ritual vessels were praised as media for communicating with the gods. Bronze instruments that could make sounds – bells, nao, zheng, duo, chunyu, goujian, and others – became tools exclusive to those in power, used for issuing decrees, military movements, banquet entertainment, religious sacrifices, and other activities. The duo was specifically used when announcing governmental and religious decrees.”
The doctor knew the owner hadn’t finished speaking, so he listened patiently. These days after losing his body had been incredibly carefree – no need to wake up early and stay up late, no need to clock in at work. Every day he just followed the owner cleaning and maintaining various strange antiques, gaining much knowledge. The only thing the doctor was dissatisfied with was that he couldn’t eat anymore – otherwise he wouldn’t mind having this kind of vacation for longer.
“Do you know King Zhou of Shang? The dragon-patterned bell I want belonged to him. That dragon-patterned bell had the ability to make people obey commands. Every time King Zhou issued decrees, he would shake that dragon-patterned bell. Legend says it was made by Daji’s hand.” After washing his hands, the owner added more hot water to the teapot.
“Wow! No wonder you warned that Lu fellow not to shake the dragon-patterned bell! This means if he really shook it, wouldn’t he be able to control others to listen to him?” The doctor was filled with envy, jealousy, and hatred – this was basically a divine artifact!
“Such a powerful weapon… no, such a demonic object – why don’t you keep it in Ya She, owner?”
Did he think he was Fahai, collecting demonic objects… The owner complained silently and took a sip of tea: “Do you think Ya She can contain all things under heaven? Ridiculous. This dragon-patterned bell caused great chaos in the realm. King Wu of Zhou’s destruction of Shang was after he first stole the dragon-patterned bell. King Wu once said that although this dragon-patterned bell was extremely useful, it was a demonic object that led people to corruption, and had Jiang Taigong cast spells to seal it.”
“After that, this dragon-patterned bell became an ordinary antique, until over a thousand years later when Jiang Taigong’s seal gradually wore off, and this dragon-patterned bell eventually fell into the hands of Yang Guang, who was still a prince at the time.”
“Yang Guang? I know him – that’s the one who used schemes to usurp his elder brother the crown prince’s position, the militaristic Emperor Yang of Sui!” The doctor suddenly understood: “I thought that Emperor Wen of Sui, who unified the realm, wouldn’t be so foolish as to depose the crown prince – so there was another reason! But the Qin and Sui dynasties were quite similar – both unified the realm from chaos, then collapsed after two generations, followed by the rare prosperous Han and Tang dynasties. Speaking of which, this Emperor Yang of Sui was the same kind of spendthrift as Hu Hai…”
The doctor rarely had something to say, so naturally he rambled on for quite a while before noticing the owner seemed somewhat distracted, then brought the topic back: “Owner, how did this dragon-patterned bell’s copper clapper get separated from the bell?”
“Oh, Yang Guang abused the dragon-patterned bell, bringing disaster to the people. But as emperor he covered the sky with one hand. In my haste, I couldn’t find a suitable replica to replace it, so I could only swap out the clapper inside.” The owner explained matter-of-factly.
“Wow…” The doctor imagined that after the tyrant Yang Guang discovered the dragon-patterned bell no longer worked, he was overthrown by rebel armies from various regions. It had to be said, the owner’s move was even more impressive than King Wu of Zhou’s – separating the copper clapper from the dragon-patterned bell eliminated the danger of future exploitation. But having Lu Zigang restore the dragon-patterned bell now, though it was to suppress the Heaven and Earth Grand Formation, who could guarantee no accidents would occur?
The doctor wouldn’t forget that Fusu, who was occupying his body, planned to unify the realm.
The owner seemed to see through the doctor’s worries and sighed lightly: “Everything is fate. Let’s wait and see.”
Hu Hai removed the golden ghost mask from his face, hesitated for a long while, then finally made up his mind and walked toward the study.
The small red bird eating beef jerky on a nearby shelf tilted its head to look at its master, decided not to follow, and continued working hard with its head down. It still preferred this spacious, bright house. Since master’s brother arrived, master no longer lived in dark, damp tomb chambers. Mm, this was a good sign.
Hu Hai lightly knocked on the study door a few times, and only after the person inside gave permission did he push the door open.