Da Ming: Father, step aside, I'll be the prime minister!

Chapter 212 You also have a Supreme Sage Master of Glazed Glass?

"Speaking of which, this glass statue of Confucian sages is said to have been made by putting meteorite iron from outer space into a kiln and refining it through nine ancient methods."

The student had carefully examined the man at home and found that although Zhang Shiyuan was not well-versed in classics and history, he was quite skilled in ingenious crafts.

This person is of questionable character, but we cannot let this bury these ingenious ideas.

Wang Shizhen spoke with great logic and reasoning.

Wang Xijue stroked his beard and nodded: "I have also heard that the glass products produced in Xishan are of amazing quality. If they didn't have some expertise, how could they have won the trust of the nobles in the capital?"

The gentry despised Zhang Yunxiu's character, but they highly approved of the things he produced.

Medicines from Renmin Medical Clinic and exquisite items from Xishan Workshop are all of outstanding quality.

Especially items like garlic extract and hemorrhoid cream—which gentry or official didn't have some kind of ailment on a daily basis?
They verbally accused Zhang Yunxiu of being a treacherous minister who brought disaster to the world, but their actions betrayed their words as they accepted Zhang Yunxiu's inventions.

They euphemistically call it "focusing on the issue, not the person."

"Statues of Confucian sages made of glass?" Xu Jie raised an eyebrow, seemingly puzzled.

"Indeed." Wang Shizhen bowed respectfully, his eyes shining with excitement. "I have seen quite a few glass artifacts, but I have never seen such a masterpiece before. It is probably not just a gimmick. Zhang Shiyuan must have hired many Portuguese craftsmen to polish it."

The ancient sages seemed to exude a gentle breeze from their robes, and their eyes held the spirit of a thousand years; it would not be an exaggeration to call them the treasures of scholars throughout the world.

Xu Jie paused for a moment, then said with a rather strange expression.

"I recently acquired a statue of Confucius, which is said to have been made by a master glassmaker with superb Western skills."

Having traveled across the ocean, the sea voyage was fraught with difficulties, and only about one in ten managed to reach the Ming Dynasty.

I spent a lot of money to buy it from a Western merchant.

It has recently been enshrined in my study. This statue of the Sage Confucius is clear and pure, possessing the majestic aura of a sage.

"This"

Wang Shizhen felt embarrassed. It was supposed to be a statue of Confucius, the Sage Teacher. When did so many pieces of glass appear in the world?

But he still didn't quite believe in such a coincidence, since Xu Jie said it was purchased from the West.

"How much silver did you spend?" Xu Jie asked, his suspicion growing, staring intently at Wang Shizhen.

Wang Shizhen said with some reluctance, "This statue of mine is a set of seventeen sculptures. It cost more than 80,000 taels of silver at the auction in Xishan. The price was a bit high, but if it can protect the reputation of the Confucian scholars and prevent them from being tarnished, this amount of silver is nothing."

Wang Xijue smiled and said, "Yuanmei, why worry? With the exquisite nature of this item, it's not difficult to make it disappear completely, and you might even make a profit."

"Let's leave that aside for now."

Xu Jie was somewhat impatient, feeling uneasy, and glared at Wang Shizhen as he spoke.

"Go and fetch that glass statue of a Confucian sage. The three of us will examine it carefully and make sure no one tries to pass it off as something inferior!"

Upon hearing this, Wang Shizhen was also unsure of himself and dared not delay, so he immediately stood up and spoke.

"Please wait a moment, Master Xu, and I will have someone fetch it for you."

He left in a hurry, and Wang Xijue couldn't help but look at Xu Jie with curiosity and ask him.

"Approximately how much silver did Master Xu spend on that statue of the Sage Confucius?"

Inside the Xu family's study, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.

The furnishings here are quite exquisite, with rows of sandalwood bookshelves filled with stacks of classic books, exuding a leisurely and ancient charm.

On the central nanmu altar, a glass statue of Confucius stands out.

The statue is about a foot tall, crystal clear, and even has a specially made wide-sleeved Confucian robe. Confucius's face is dignified and fitting, and his slightly clasped hands convey a sense of earnest teaching.

Needless to say, even ordinary people would admire his saintly demeanor upon seeing him.

Wang Xijue couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "The statue and the study complement each other perfectly. It truly is a place steeped in scholarly tradition, showcasing the profound scholarly heritage of the Xu family. I imagine that the Xu family descendants will surely produce many prominent officials in the future!"

Such flattery is to be expected; otherwise, the master's money would have been wasted.

"This statue was hard to come by!"

Xu Jie stroked his beard and sighed. Seeing the statue again now boosted his confidence considerably.

After all, such wondrous sculptures cannot be said to be everywhere.

In the past, a glass bottle from the West would be highly sought after in the Ming Dynasty, let alone a glass sculpture, which was extremely rare.

When Wang Shizhen rushed over, Xu Jie's face had regained some color, and he looked quite pleased with himself. He turned to the side and noticed a brocade box in the other's hand, and said with a rather smug expression.

"Yuanmei, what do you think of my glass statue?"

Wang Shizhen, panting heavily, nodded slightly and looked up at the statue of Confucius.

But the more he looked, the more familiar it seemed, and his complexion worsened. Could it be?
He gripped the brocade box even tighter, and sweat broke out on his forehead.

Such a wondrous glass statue, there are actually two in the world?

This is simply a fantasy!

Wang Shizhen had seen countless treasures and hundreds, if not thousands, of glass artifacts.

However, the craftsmanship of this glass statue of Confucian sages is still unprecedented. Otherwise, why would he have wanted to present it to Xu Jie?

However, the glass statue before us is not fake; it is almost identical to our own!
What should we do!

For a moment, Wang Shizhen froze on the spot, caught in a dilemma.

Wang Xijue thought of a possibility and said comfortingly.

"Brother Yuanmei, why are you in such a panic? I'm sure that the products from Xishan are not as good as Master Xu's amazing work."

Even if Zhang Shiyuan hired Western craftsmen, how could they compare to the treasures that traveled across the ocean from overseas?

He stroked his beard.

"This matter is not your fault. Just let us see it. In the future, we must never let Zhang Shiyuan scheme against us."

In Wang Xijue's view, the probability of these two glass artifacts being identical is almost negligible.

Where can you find another glass sculpture like this?

Anyone with even a little knowledge knows that this item is priceless, let alone something that has traveled across the ocean.

Perhaps Wang Shizhen, seeing the wondrous image of the Supreme Sage, felt that his own ceremony was somewhat inadequate.

Upon hearing this, Xu Jie agreed and offered gentle words of comfort.

“Yuanmei, you’ve reached the age of fifty, how can you be so petty? You can tell just by taking out the treasure.”

Wang Shizhen looked embarrassed, not knowing how to begin.

Should I tell him, "Master Xu, you bought the Sage Confucius for 50,000 taels, but I bought it for 80,000 taels, and it even comes with a complete set of sixteen Confucian scholars as a bonus!"
How is this any different from directly slapping Xu Jie in the face?
Therefore, Wang Shizhen could only sigh, cup his hands in greeting, and say, "Just as Yuan Yu said, my treasure is truly lacking, and I dare not embarrass myself before Master Xu. I have been rather presumptuous this time."

The more he said this, the more pleased Xu Jie felt, and he let out a hearty laugh.

"Hahaha~ I see~ Yuanmei, you really gave this old man a fright~"

While laughing, he suddenly turned serious and began to lecture him.

"What does Yuanmei regard me as?"

Needless to say, even if the quality is slightly inferior, or even if it is as light as a feather, it still represents the sentiment.

As a disciple of a sage, when appreciating scholar's objects, one should prioritize personal taste and not be concerned with profit.

Wang Xijue nodded in agreement: "Master Xu's words are from the bottom of his heart. Yuanmei, please take them out and have a look."

However, the two men's words of comfort did not ease Wang Shizhen's expression much. He became increasingly nervous and finally bowed to Xu Jie.

"Please forgive me, Master Xu, but in my opinion, it would be best to postpone viewing this statue for the time being."

Upon hearing this, Xu Jie was immediately displeased. He put on a stern face and said, "What is the reason for this?"

"Student." Wang Shizhen looked embarrassed and didn't know how to answer.

At that moment, he deeply regretted bringing the item with him.

There is no other choice.

"Alas—" Wang Shizhen sighed heavily. "To be honest, it's rather shameful. This glass statue bears some resemblance to Master Xu. Perhaps they are from the same school? Or perhaps it's just a coincidence."

He added another sentence.

"However, its quality is still somewhat inferior to that of Master Xu's."

"Stop being so fussy," Xu Jie said impatiently. "Just open it and take a look. Do you think I'll blame you?"

"Ai--"

Wang Shizhen sighed again. His movements were very slow, and each movement felt like an eternity.

But soon the brocade box was opened, and the covering silk cloth was lifted, revealing the glass statue to everyone.

Xu Jie's eyes lit up when he saw that there were actually seventeen glass statues, which piqued his interest. He quickly said something.

"Quickly! Put them on the table and compare!"

Wang Shizhen dared not disobey. He and Wang Xijue carefully placed the glass statue of Confucius in front of the study, so that it would shine brightly in the distance!
(End of this chapter)