Ya She

Chapter 29 Dragon-Patterned Bell

As always, the signboard with small seal script overhead and the antique carved gate in front still carry a sense of historical weight.

Lu Zigang stood in front of the Silent Shop, feeling somewhat lost.

More than two months had passed since he last visited this mysterious antique shop, and fragments of memories that didn't belong to her began to surface in his mind. Even Lu Zigang, an atheist, couldn't help but wonder if he might truly be the reincarnation of Lu Zigang from the Ming Dynasty.

Otherwise, how could he have coincidentally shared the same surname and name as him? How could he have obtained the jade knife? And how could he have suddenly acquired the skill of jade carving?
Lu Zigang pressed his slightly aching temples. Ever since the Wu Dao was stained with Hu Hai's blood, he didn't know if it was just his imagination, but he always felt that something was wrong with him, and he would feel inexplicably frightened from time to time.

When the boss gave him the rolling pin, he specifically instructed him not to let it get stained with blood. However, in his memories from his previous life, the rolling pin used by Xia Zhelan, the chef from Shenwei, was inevitably stained with blood…

Lu Zigang thought that he had been called by his boss for no reason and had flown all the way here, probably because he wanted to ask about this matter.

Lu Zigang took a deep breath, reached out and pushed open the carved door. A comforting scent of sandalwood wafted out, instantly invigorating him. The shop's furnishings were no different from his last visit. Perhaps it was just a mental exercise, but Lu Zigang recalled his extraordinary encounter at the Silent Shop, which made him feel uneasy looking at any of the antiques here.

"You're here?" The owner's calm voice rang out in the shop. Lu Zigang looked in the direction of the voice and saw the owner walk out from behind the jade screen in the inner room. There was even an adorable plush rabbit doll on his shoulder, with long rabbit ears drooping in front of him. The scene looked rather incongruous.

Lu Zigang stared wide-eyed, not seeing the shopkeeper casually walk past him and then skillfully boil water and brew tea. Only when the aroma of tea overpowered the scent of agarwood did Lu Zigang come to his senses, coughing apologetically and saying, "Shopkeeper, I also have something I want to ask you."

Carefully taking out the halberd he carried with him from his pocket, Lu Zigang hesitated for a moment before saying, "Last time, because of an accident, this halberd got covered in blood..." His voice grew softer and softer, like a child waiting for a teacher's scolding.

This cannot be blamed on Lu Zigang's attitude, because in his past life memories that appeared out of nowhere, the boss was like a mentor. Otherwise, he would not have flown over from Beijing immediately just because of a vague phone call from the other party.

"Is it your blood?" The shopkeeper did not take the scalpel, but instead handed over the green-glazed, gold-painted teacup in his hand.

"No..." Lu Zigang hurriedly put down the dagger, took it with both hands, and sipped the fragrant tea before saying, "It's the blood of that young master Hu Hai, it got on him when he used the Book of the Dead to summon spirits." Lu Zigang didn't continue, because he saw his boss's brows visibly furrow at his words.

Had he really broken a taboo? Lu Zigang was terrified. He found that his hands, which were holding the celadon-glazed and gold-painted teacup, were trembling uncontrollably. He quickly placed the precious teacup on the counter.

The boss's frown was only for a moment, and then he said calmly, "It's not your fault, it's alright." He figured it was all destined, and there was no point in trying to stop him.

"Are you really alright?" Lu Zigang wanted to press further, but he instinctively knew that even if he asked again, the boss wouldn't speak easily. He put away his dagger, picked up his teacup again, took a sip of tea, and calmed himself down. He savored the aroma of the tea on his lips and teeth, and after a few words, he said, "Boss, what did you call me here for?" As he spoke, Lu Zigang's gaze fell on the rabbit doll on the boss's shoulder, still feeling quite uncomfortable with this strange sight.

The shopkeeper took out a small brocade box from the counter, only the size of a palm. When he opened it, he found a copper piece about the size of a finger. One end was straight, and the other end had a ring-shaped joint. The copper piece was covered with patina, indicating that it was very old.

Lu Zigang raised an eyebrow and immediately leaned closer to examine it closely. Having been acquainted with antiques for a long time, he immediately recognized it: "Is this a copper tongue? I wonder which bell it's from?"

"This is a copper tongue piece from a dragon-patterned bell." The shopkeeper paused for a moment, then explained in detail: "A bell is an ancient musical instrument, a slightly larger bell, shaped like a gong, but with a tongue. It was used in ancient times to announce political and religious decrees, and was popular in China from the Spring and Autumn Period to the Han Dynasty. It produces sound when shaken. Depending on the material of the tongue, bells are divided into two types: metal bells and wooden bells. Those with copper tongues are metal bells, and those with wooden tongues are wooden bells."

Lu Zigang looked up in surprise. He knew these basic facts, so why did the shopkeeper notice that the rabbit doll's ears twitched? Lu Zigang composed himself before asking, "Sir, what's the origin of this bronze tongue? And what about the dragon-patterned bell that accompanies it?"

“That dragon-patterned bell should be in Room 12 of the National Museum right now,” the shopkeeper said with absolute certainty, as if he had seen it with his own eyes. He then took out a piece of paper and handed it over, “I’m willing to exchange these three antiques for it.”

Lu Zigang took the paper, and his heart skipped a beat the moment he touched it. The paper was pure white, dense, and had a clean texture with subtle cloud patterns, making it a top-grade Xuan paper. Before he could ponder the origin of this Xuan paper, he was stunned into silence by the three ancient artifact names written on it in Han Dynasty clerical script.

The shop owner anticipated his reaction and calmly sipped his tea while waiting for him to come to his senses, occasionally reaching out to touch the rabbit plush toy on his shoulder.

Even Lu Zigang, who knew that the Silent Shop held countless treasures, couldn't hide his unease upon seeing the names of these three antiques. He said with a wry smile, "Boss, this is putting me in a difficult position. I'm just an intern researcher; I can't make the decision."

“Then let’s find someone who can make the decision,” the shopkeeper said calmly, blowing on his hot tea. “Bartering is reasonable. That Dragon Pattern Bell is just an insignificant antique, belonging to the level that the country can trade. Moreover, I can give you one of the items in advance as a deposit. But my requirement is that you must give me the Dragon Pattern Bell by the end of the month, otherwise the transaction will be void.”

Lu Zigang wisely refrained from asking about the origin of the dragon-patterned bell. After all, the shopkeeper had no obligation to explain, and besides, Lu Zigang felt that any one of the three antiques on the Xuan paper could rival the dragon-patterned bell.

He pondered for a long time while sipping his tea before nodding and saying, "I will do my best. However, boss, it would be best if I could take this copper tongue piece as well. After all, only after restoring the dragon-patterned bell can the experts above make their final judgment."

The shopkeeper nodded indifferently, took out a brocade box from the counter, and handed it to Lu Zigang along with the small brocade box that had previously contained the copper tongue piece. He then added a final instruction: "Remember, restoring the dragon-patterned bell is fine, but whatever you do, do not shake the dragon-patterned bell to make it make a sound."

Lu Zigang raised an eyebrow in surprise, but didn't take it too seriously. After inspecting the antique he had acquired, he left in a hurry.

Almost the instant Lu Zigang left, the rabbit doll on the boss's shoulder sat up straight, its two long ears twitching: "Boss, what is that 'duo'? And which emperor's antique is it?"

The shopkeeper picked up the celadon-glazed, gold-painted teacup that Lu Zigang had used, carefully washed it with water, and then put it back in its place before saying, "In the Bronze Age, bronze ware was only used by the most noble people. Bronze ritual vessels were even hailed as a medium for communicating with the gods. Bronze bells, cymbals, gongs, cymbals, chimes, and hooks, etc., which could produce sound, became tools exclusively for those in power, used for issuing government decrees, military movements, banquets and entertainment, religious sacrifices, and so on." The cymbal was used specifically when announcing political and religious decrees.

The doctor knew the boss hadn't finished speaking, so he listened patiently. These days without his body had been incredibly carefree for him. He didn't have to work long hours or clock in; he spent his days cleaning and maintaining all sorts of strange and unusual antiques with his boss, learning a great deal. The only thing the doctor was unhappy about was that he couldn't eat anymore; otherwise, he wouldn't mind having more of this leave.

"Do you know King Zhou of Shang? The dragon-patterned bell I asked for belonged to him. That bell had the power to command people, and King Zhou would ring it whenever he issued a decree. Legend has it that it was made by Daji." After washing his hands, the shopkeeper refilled the teapot with hot water.

"Wow! No wonder you told that kid surnamed Lu not to shake that dragon-patterned bell! So if he really did shake it, wouldn't he be able to control others to obey him?" The doctor was filled with envy and jealousy; this was simply a divine artifact!
"Such a powerful weapon... no, such a monster, why don't you keep it in the Silent Shop, boss?"

"Do you think he's Fahai? Collecting demons..." The shopkeeper muttered to himself, speechless, taking a sip of tea. "Do you think the Silent Shop can collect everything in the world? Nonsense. This Dragon-Patterned Bell caused chaos throughout the land. King Wu of Zhou stole it before he destroyed the Shang Dynasty. King Wu once said that although the Dragon-Patterned Bell was extremely useful, it was a demonic object that led people astray, and ordered Jiang Ziya to seal it with magic."

"After that, the dragon-patterned bell was just an ordinary antique until more than a thousand years later, when Jiang Taigong's seal gradually peeled off, and the dragon-patterned bell eventually fell into the hands of Yang Guang, who was then a prince."

"Yang Guang? I know him! He's the Sui Emperor Yang, who schemed to usurp his brother's position as crown prince and waged endless wars!" The doctor exclaimed in sudden realization. "I knew Emperor Wen of Sui, who unified the country, wouldn't be so foolish as to depose the crown prince. So there's a reason for it! But the Qin and Sui dynasties are quite similar. Both unified the country during a period of chaos, then died after only two generations, while the subsequent Han and Tang dynasties were rare golden ages. Speaking of which, Emperor Yang of Sui and Hu Hai were both equally profligate spendthrifts..."

The doctor, who rarely spoke up, launched into a long rant before noticing the boss's distracted state. He then steered the conversation back on track, asking, "Boss, how come the copper tongue of this Dragon Pattern Bell is separated from the bell itself?"

"Oh, Yang Guang abused the Dragon-Patterned Bell, bringing disaster to the people. But as emperor, he held absolute power, and I couldn't find a suitable fake to replace it in time, so I had to replace the inner tongue piece," the shopkeeper explained casually. "Wow..." The doctor imagined the scene: after the incompetent emperor Yang Guang discovered the Dragon-Patterned Bell was no longer effective, he was overthrown by rebel armies from all over the country. It has to be said, the shopkeeper's move was even more brilliant than King Wu of Zhou's; separating the copper tongue piece from the Dragon-Patterned Bell reduced the risk of it being misused by later generations. However, although having Lu Zigang put the Dragon-Patterned Bell back together was to suppress the Qiankun Array, who could guarantee that no accidents would happen?
The doctor will not forget that Fusu, who is currently possessing his body, is plotting to unify the world.

The boss seemed to understand the doctor's worries and sighed softly, "Everything is fate. Let's wait and see."

Hu Hai removed the golden demon mask from his face, hesitated for a long time, and finally made up his mind to walk towards the study.

The little red bird, munching on beef jerky on a nearby shelf, glanced at its owner, then decided not to follow and continued its diligent work. It still preferred this spacious and bright house; ever since its owner's brother arrived, its owner had stopped living in the dark and damp grave. Hmm, that's a good sign.

Hu Hai knocked lightly on the study door a few times, and only entered after the person inside responded.

On the sunlit bay window, Fusu, dressed in loose loungewear, sat cross-legged as he had in his previous life. Sunlight bathed his handsome face, casting a golden halo around him, making him appear even more noble and imposing.

Hu Hai stared blankly at his elder brother. Although his appearance had changed, his demeanor was even more impressive than before. Even though they were in a modern room, Hu Hai felt as if he had returned to more than two thousand years ago.

Hu Hai couldn't help but take a step forward, but immediately stopped. He looked down at the ends of his hair, which had been scorched and dried by the sunlight, and silently retreated into the shadows where the sun couldn't reach.

Yes, he was no longer the Qin Er Shi who could act recklessly and capriciously; he was merely a ghost who had stolen into the human world.

After Fusu put down his book and looked over, Hu Hai composed himself and recounted in detail what he had just seen through the golden ghost mask.

"A dragon-patterned bell that can command people?" Fusu stroked his chin, his handsome eyes narrowing slightly. He never doubted that such an incredible ancient artifact existed in the world, because the distant Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties were always hailed as the age of mythology, and nothing from that era would be considered unusual.

"If this item is used by my elder brother, it will certainly not remain unused," Hu Hai said cautiously.

Ever since Fusu agreed to move out of the doctor's dilapidated little apartment and live with him, Hu Hai immediately bought a very large and luxurious house. Anyway, over the past two thousand years, he had accumulated no less antiques than the shopkeeper, but he usually preferred to leave those antiques in the ancient tomb where he temporarily resided. He didn't know much about those antiques; he would just pick one or two that caught his eye to sell.

Fusu glanced at his younger brother with a half-smile. Although they had been together for several months, he still found the silver-white hair and blood-red eyes incredibly glaring.

Without making a sound, Fusu shifted his gaze and said with a slight sneer, "You know who the two monarchs who used the Dragon-Patterned Bell were before, right? And what good endings did they have?"

Hu Hai's heart skipped a beat. The two emperors the boss mentioned were King Zhou of Shang and Emperor Yang of Sui, both rulers who lost their kingdoms, their posthumous titles being unusually tyrannical—very few emperors could bear such titles. Hu Hai was embarrassed and didn't know what to say, so he could only stand with his hands at his sides. Ever since he was a child, he had never been able to hold his head high in front of his elder brother, and he never expected that more than two thousand years later, it would still be the same. Seeing this, Fu Su shook his head and chuckled, "Even our father can be accused of being a tyrant. In fact, these two were not entirely as incompetent as described in the history books. It's all the result of thousands of years of slander from later generations." Fu Su pointed to the stacks of history books piled up beside him. These days, apart from going to work at the hospital, he had been sitting here reading history books.

"Emperor Xin was both a scholar and a warrior. He led his army to unify the Dongyi tribes in the southeast, but at a great cost. There were too many Dongyi prisoners to suppress. In addition, his years of warfare weakened the country, and popular resentment was rampant. King Wu of Zhou took advantage of the situation to launch an attack, and a large number of prisoners defected, resulting in the downfall of the Shang Dynasty." Fusu summarized the historical facts he had seen in the past few days, carefully analyzing the accounts of the crowd to choose the closest conclusion. Emperor Xin was the name of King Zhou of Shang. In the Yin Shang Dynasty, the Ying family was a powerful and wealthy noble family, so Fusu knew some of these secrets and that the situation was not as described in the Book of Documents.

Hu Hai listened quietly with his head bowed. He knew that his elder brother wasn't deliberately giving him a gentle lecture, but rather habitually discussing issues and organizing his thoughts. If that person shared his elder brother's ambitions, then he wouldn't be standing here now.

"As for Yang Guang... Hmph!" Fusu smiled contemptuously, "Li Shimin was also guilty of killing his brothers and forcing his father to abdicate, but why doesn't he have the infamy of being condemned throughout history?"

Hearing the usually gentle Fusu's uncharacteristically sarcastic tone, Hu Hai, who was also guilty of fratricide and patricide, broke out in a cold sweat. Well, strictly speaking, he was not responsible for Qin Shi Huang's death, and Fusu's murder was orchestrated by Zhao Gao, but Hu Hai knew his bad reputation in history was not a fabrication by later generations.

Fusu seemed oblivious to Huhai's unusual behavior, casually picking up the history book beside him and turning precisely to a page, saying: "The Book of Sui praises Yang Guang for pacifying Wu and Kuai in the south and repelling the Xiongnu in the north. Among his brothers, he alone achieved remarkable feats. At the age of thirteen, Yang Guang was appointed as the governor of Bingzhou; at eighteen, he entered the court as the governor of Yongzhou; and at twenty, he was promoted to general, leading troops south to destroy the Chen Dynasty and unify Jiangnan. Afterward, he carefully won over the hearts of the people, resolving many political and cultural barriers. Later, he led troops north to defeat the Turks. This was the first true unification of the North and South since the Northern and Southern Dynasties; otherwise, how could there have been the Tang Dynasty's golden age?"

"After Yang Guang ascended the throne, he established the imperial examination system to select officials, a system that lasted for over a thousand years. He then reformed weights and measures, promulgated the Daye Law, developed the Silk Road, and attracted tribute from all nations. If we look at the first half of Yang Guang's life, he can be called a wise ruler. Just look at how he named his reign title Daye, and you can see his lofty ambitions."

Hu Hai's face burned with embarrassment as he listened. He too had ascended the throne at the age of twenty, yet he was utterly clueless about politics. After his attempts to intervene in several matters of state all ended in disarray, he simply gave up entirely. He himself had received no formal education, while Yang Guang was deliberately groomed by Emperor Wen of Sui, Yang Jian, precisely to prevent a potential coup by a Northern Zhou general. However, Emperor Wen probably never imagined that even his own son, with his powerful army and prestige, would not be content to be subservient to anyone.

"It is said that Emperor Yang Guang moved the capital to Luoyang and embarked on a massive construction project. However, moving the capital eastward was actually beneficial for controlling the entire country. Chang'an was located in the western regions and had little influence over the Central Plains. Therefore, Luoyang remained an important economic and cultural center during the Song Dynasty. As for the Grand Canal, it was a magnificent feat that facilitated north-south transportation. In terms of influence, it was no less than the Great Wall built by my father!"

Fusu was deeply moved. He spoke these words aloud, but in his heart, he believed that the Grand Canal was actually more useful to the people than the Great Wall. Although his father had been dead for many years, his respect for him remained unchanged. Emperor Yang of Sui's construction of the Grand Canal, like the Great Wall, was a drain on the people and resources. Such a large-scale project, beneficial to the country and its people, was bad no matter who built it, yet later generations continued to repair it while simultaneously criticizing it—a testament to this. But what brought it success also brought it failure. The more than 5,000 li of the Grand Canal was completed in just six years, resulting in enormous losses to the Sui Dynasty's treasury. This waste of resources and manpower ultimately sowed the seeds of future trouble.

Hu Hai blushed, but felt that his elder brother's words were barbed and pointed. So he raised his head and returned to the original topic, saying, "Brother, should we keep the dragon-patterned bell or not?"

Fusu stared intently at Huhai's silver hair and crimson eyes, and after a long while, he nodded and said, "Yes, why not? Go and fetch it, but remember to be careful." Fusu's tone returned to its usual calm and unhurried manner.

"Yes." Hu Hai took a deep breath, turned and left.

Fusu could no longer concentrate on the history book in his hands. He looked out the window at the tree branches that were beginning to sprout green buds and at the spring colors blooming on the branches. He was lost in thought for a long time.

Lu Zigang carefully opened the brocade box on the right, revealing the ancient dragon-patterned bell inside.

The barter transaction proposed by the boss is actually not easy to arrange; it's quite complicated in terms of procedures.

This dragon-patterned bell underwent various examinations, including X-ray detection, fluorescence spectroscopy analysis, and thermoluminescence dating of the clay sample. Experts concluded that it was likely a forgery from the early Qing Dynasty's widespread bronze counterfeiting frenzy. Because it was so new, even the patina was only superficially visible. While bronze artifacts are not as accurately identified as porcelain using carbon-14 dating, the experts, after this series of sophisticated instrumental analyses, agreed to the owner's request for a barter.

This dragon-patterned bell had remained in the museum's collection because very few bells have survived to this day, and its ultimate fate remained uncertain. It wasn't considered a national-level cultural relic, and wouldn't qualify for a museum display. This, however, solved a problem with an unused item. While everyone was puzzled as to why the owner would exchange three priceless antiques for this dragon-patterned bell, they all speculated that it might be an heirloom passed down through generations.

Lu Zigang didn't take out the copper tongue piece his boss had given him. He'd only asked for it on a whim, remembering how he'd pieced together a blank stele in the Silent Workshop before. Now it was his turn to ponder it, wasn't it? Besides, the more his boss valued this dragon-patterned bell, the more intrigued Lu Zigang became, given how unreliable modern instruments were. He was certain the bell possessed some magical quality, so he dared not install the copper tongue piece in public. Instead, he secretly hid in his laboratory after get off work.

Lu Zigang put on gloves, took the palm-sized dragon-patterned bell in his hand, turned it over and saw that the bell cavity was indeed empty, with a connecting part at the bottom.

Lu Zigang secured the dragon-patterned bell with a stand, then opened the small brocade box on the left, took out the copper tongue piece, and carefully used tools to install it. He then waited quietly for a few minutes.

Nothing happened. Lu Zigang held the dragon-patterned bell in his hand, stared at the exquisite dragon pattern on it for a while, and hesitated whether he should shake it to see what would happen.

Although the boss had warned him not to shake the dragon-patterned bell to make it make a sound, he had also warned him not to let the Kunwu knife get wet with blood! His Kunwu knife had been wet with blood long ago, and nothing had ever happened to it.
Lu Zigang was always cautious, which was essential for his line of work, so he pondered the Dragon Pattern Bell for a long time without coming to a conclusion.

“If I were you, I wouldn’t shake that dragon-patterned bell.” A sudden voice rang out from the laboratory. Lu Zigang was startled and almost dropped the dragon-patterned bell in his hand. He carefully placed the bell back on the soft cloth before looking up at the uninvited guest who had come a second time.

Young Master Hu was still wearing that white hooded coat, his handsome face was still so pale, his long silver hair was neatly tied behind his head, and his red eyes were staring fixedly at the dragon-patterned bell in front of him.

Lu Zigang recalled that chaotic night a few months ago, when he woke up after learning about his past life and saw the longevity lock broken in two in Hu Hai's hand. His mind was in turmoil for a moment, and he subconsciously felt that Hu Hai was the reincarnation of Xia Zhelan, whom he had been infatuated with in his past life, which inevitably caused him inner turmoil.

But as he gradually calmed down over the days, Lu Zigang also began to let go. All the events of his past life seemed like a grand dream. His attitude towards his boss changed drastically, partly because his boss remained the same person after all these years, but Lu Zigang didn't believe that the Hu Hai before him was Xia Zhelan; after all, they were completely different people. Xia Zhelan was dead, becoming a brand etched into his heart from his past life, indelible and impossible to erase. He would miss her, he would reminisce, but he was no longer the Lu Zigang of his past life.

Composing himself, Lu Zigang asked the young master Hu, who was freely entering and leaving the forbidden area of ​​the collection, with a hint of annoyance, "Why can't I shake it?" Lu Zigang maintained his usual attitude towards him. Although he knew that this young master was definitely hiding a big secret, he had no interest in knowing it.

Hu Hai was too lazy to lie to him, especially since he was a prince of Qin and had even been an emperor. Naturally, he wouldn't compromise his principles over such a trivial matter. So he simply raised an eyebrow and said, "Didn't the person who gave you this copper tongue tell you not to shake it?" Hu Hai spoke with certainty because he had seen everything through the golden ghost mask.

Lu Zigang was completely disheartened this time. If even Hu Hai said so, then he must know something. Seeing that Hu Hai's gaze was fixed on the Dragon Pattern Bell, and his crimson eyes were burning with undisguised intensity, Lu Zigang subconsciously said, "You came here for this Dragon Pattern Bell? No, this Dragon Pattern Bell already has an owner."

Hu Hai knew everything about his deal with the boss. Although he hadn't seen clearly what level of antiques the boss had given Lu Zigang, he was confident that he could offer more antiques to compete with him. So Hu Hai took out something that looked like a silk handkerchief from his pocket and threw it at Lu Zigang: "This is my price, in exchange for this dragon-patterned bell."

The thin silk handkerchief traced a graceful arc in the air, like a butterfly in flight, and landed precisely in Lu Zigang's hand. The moment Lu Zigang felt its touch, his expression changed instantly.

He had once seen the plain silk gauze robe unearthed from the Mawangdui Han Tomb. The silk threads were extremely fine, using only about 2.6 square meters of material and weighing a mere 49 grams—less than an ounce. When folded, it could even fit into a matchbox. This was an artifact that even modern technology could not replicate. The gauze robe had a sparse mesh, making it semi-transparent, while this piece of silk in his hand had dense, silvery-white threads, almost weightless, and carried a strong, smoky scent. Lu Zigang had an exceptionally discerning eye, but even he couldn't immediately ascertain the origin of this ancient silk. What was even more infuriating was that such a precious piece of silk actually had writing on it.

The Mozi states, "Written on bamboo and silk, engraved on metal and stone." Before the invention of paper, silk was reserved for writing and painting by the nobility; commoners, unable to afford it, continued to use bamboo slips. Although paper was invented during the Han Dynasty, everyone knew that silk was expensive and paper was cheap. Those who used paper were mostly commoners who couldn't afford silk, while the court and nobility generally preferred silk. And on the very piece of silk he held, six columns of Qin seal script were written.

Qin seal script, also known as small seal script, is a simplified version of large seal script. It originated in the Qin state during the late Warring States period and was used throughout the Qin Dynasty and the early Western Han Dynasty. It was a political measure implemented by Qin Shi Huang after unifying the six states, promoting the standardization of cart tracks and writing. Because the different scripts used by various states during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods were inconvenient for governance, Prime Minister Li Si was commissioned to standardize them. Later generations commonly refer to this script as small seal script, but like Han clerical script, calling it Qin seal script better reflects its representative meaning.

The Qin seal script has smooth, rounded lines and a tight structure. Each stroke is like a silver hook and an iron brush, neat and elegant. Lu Zigang was also quite knowledgeable about Qin Dynasty inscriptions. He quickly finished reading what was written in these six columns of Qin seal script and was immediately speechless, unable to even find his own voice.

Hu Hai was quite pleased with Lu Zigang's expression. He had seen plenty of antiques in tombs; a few of them could easily overwhelm him. Young Master Hu was in a good mood after winning the wealth contest, so the magnanimous master tolerated Lu Zigang's lack of immediate response, only pursing his lips and urging, "So? You agree to exchange Yong for that dragon-patterned bell?"

Lu Zigang's hands, holding the silk, trembled slightly. He couldn't hold back any longer and asked in shock, "What's so special about this dragon-patterned bell? Why do you all want it?"

Hu Hai did not give him an answer, but only frowned slightly.

Lu Zigang knew that this was a refusal through silence. He reluctantly squeezed the silk in his hand, looked down at the six columns of Qin seal script on it again and again, and finally shook his head firmly and said: "Young Master Hu, I appreciate your sincerity, but I have a deal with the boss first, and I cannot break my promise."

Although Lu Zigang was unwilling, he spoke with absolute certainty. He didn't want to break his promise to his boss, after all, he had already paid the deposit, and the antique he was given was already in the museum's collection, with a themed exhibition planned for it in a few days. On the other hand, while he was confident he could produce the antique from Young Master Hu, he had a feeling it would cause endless trouble. Ultimately, Lu Zigang still felt his boss was much more reliable than this capricious Young Master Hu.

Upon hearing this, Hu Hai narrowed his crimson eyes with ill intent. In his view, he had already given Lu Zigang enough room for choice, yet the latter continued to test his patience. Hu Hai was too lazy to waste any more words on him. Since this man wouldn't listen to reason, he wouldn't mind making him suffer a penalty.

Seeing Hu Hai approach with a grim expression, Lu Zigang's first reaction was to protect the dragon-patterned bell in front of him. How could he have forgotten that this man was no pushover? Back in the Liubo chess mansion, this man had watched the tragedy unfold without batting an eye. For a moment, Lu Zigang regretted not calling the police immediately upon discovering Hu Hai's intrusion, instead of standing there chatting with him.

In Hu Hai's view, Lu Zigang's obstruction posed no threat at all. He nimbly took the dragon-patterned bell into his hand, and as he watched Lu Zigang pick up his phone to dial the police, a playful thought flashed through his mind.

"Ding--"

Hu Hai slightly moved his wrist, and the dragon-patterned bell in his hand emitted a clear, bell-like sound that echoed throughout the vast laboratory.

Upon realizing that the sound was coming from the Dragon-Patterned Bell, Lu Zigang forgot to dial 110 and instead looked up in astonishment, staring dumbfounded at the Dragon-Patterned Bell in Hu Hai's hand. Wasn't it supposed to be kept from being shaken? Hey!!!

"Don't call the police," Hu Hai ordered Lu Zigang. Now that he held the Dragon-Patterned Bell, he naturally had the authority to command others. He wasn't afraid of the other party calling the police, nor was he afraid of the officers; he simply preferred to avoid trouble.

"Okay." Seeing that there was room for negotiation, Lu Zigang nodded cooperatively and said, "But you have to put the Dragon Pattern Bell down first."

Hu Hai's lips, which had been curling into a smile, froze in place. Could someone who was being controlled even make demands? Hu Hai was silent for a moment, then shook the dragon-patterned bell in his hand again, and before the crisp sound had faded, he quickly said, "Give me your halberd."

Lu Zigang stared wide-eyed, utterly speechless. This young master Hu had seemed so approachable just moments before, how did he suddenly lose his mind?

Hu Hai Baigan looked at the dragon-patterned bell in his hand in disbelief. The copper tongue and the dragon-patterned bell had clearly been restored together, so why could he still not command others? Or was he using it incorrectly?
Next, Hu Hai began trying various methods, constantly shaking the dragon-patterned bell in his hand, and for a time the crisp sound of the bell rang incessantly. Lu Zigang, who was initially surprised and uncertain, eventually found a chair and sat down, resting his chin on his hand and watching Hu Hai's rare and ridiculous performance.

Lu Zigang now understood. It wasn't that it couldn't be shaken! The boss and Young Master Hu were fooling idiots! Young Master Hu himself was shaking it with great enthusiasm! However, the sound made by the dragon-patterned bell was quite pleasant.

Hu Hai couldn't hear Lu Zigang's inner turmoil, otherwise he would have been even more agitated. He had subconsciously sensed that something was amiss, but couldn't quite put his finger on it.

Just as Hu Hai was at his wit's end, he suddenly saw a blue shadow flash by, and felt a sharp pain in the back of his right hand, unable to hold the Dragon Pattern Bell anymore. On the other side, Lu Zigang's exclamation came, but neither of them heard the sound of the Dragon Pattern Bell falling to the ground.

Hu Hai looked closely and realized that the blue shadow was actually a small blue three-legged bird with bright colors and a light body. However, the beautiful tail feathers that used to trail behind it were broken off, and there were several bald patches on its tail. Hu Hai knew very well that this was the achievement of his Minghong.

It's a pity he should have brought his little red bird with him; he shouldn't have left it at home eating beef jerky.

Hu Hai watched as the three bluebirds, carrying the dragon-patterned bell, flew to a corner of the laboratory and landed gracefully on a person's outstretched arm. Obediently, they lowered their heads and placed the dragon-patterned bell in the person's palm.

"Boss? How come you... are here too?" Actually, what Lu Zigang wanted to ask was how he got in. He helplessly rubbed his forehead, realizing that he could now accept all sorts of strange and bizarre things happening without batting an eye.

"I was worried things might change, so I came to end the transaction early." The shopkeeper glanced at the silk on the table in front of Lu Zigang, noticing the six columns of Qin seal script on it. He couldn't help but think that this young master was still as extravagant as ever, even after more than two thousand years, taking out so many things without batting an eye. Moreover, the Han clerical script he had written earlier was only for Lu Zigang's readability, unlike Hu Hai who specifically wrote Qin seal script to show off. However, the handwriting was much better than that of more than two thousand years ago, showing that he had put in a lot of effort.

The shopkeeper pointed to two brocade boxes placed to the side and said calmly, "These are the two remaining antiques that we agreed on. You can check them."

Lu Zigang quickly waved his hand and said, "No need, no need to check, I trust the boss." Lu Zigang couldn't wait for these two big shots to leave. He believed the boss wouldn't renege on his promise regarding the antiques.

Hu Hai looked thoughtfully at the rabbit doll that had appeared on the boss's shoulder, and suddenly nodded in understanding, saying, "That's it, you just wanted to lure me out. I knew you would definitely be able to sense the effect of that golden ghost mask, but it was still hanging on the wall. It turns out it was a trap to lure the enemy."

The rabbit doll's ears twitched, as if startled. The shopkeeper soothingly stroked the doll with his free hand, and seeing Hu Hai about to take out Zhang Jiao's yellow turban and leave, he said, "Don't you want this dragon-patterned bell anymore?"

Hu Hai snorted coldly and said, "This dragon-patterned bell is a fake. I just tested it." He wasn't afraid of Fu Su's wrath at this point, since taking the fake back would be of no use.

The shopkeeper smiled slightly and said, "This is the genuine article, but the copper tongue piece I gave to Lu Zigang is not." As he spoke, he removed the copper tongue piece from the dragon-patterned bell and then took out a piece of wood from his pocket.

"Huh? Could this dragon-patterned bell actually be a wooden bell instead of a gold bell?" Lu Zigang stared intently at the wooden tongue in the shopkeeper's hand, somewhat unable to comprehend it.

"Yes, back then, Emperor Yang Guang used the Dragon Pattern Bell to carry out large-scale construction projects, which brought disaster to ordinary people. So I replaced this one with another wooden tongue piece, and the replacement wooden tongue piece rotted away over the long years." The shopkeeper calmly put the wooden tongue piece into the Dragon Pattern Bell.

Hu Hai then realized what was wrong. So that's how it was. No wonder the boss had said that he had replaced it with another tongue piece. But he had just seen that the original bell cavity of the dragon-patterned bell was empty before Lu Zigang installed the copper tongue piece.

At this moment, the three bluebirds suddenly spread their wings and flapped twice. Their melodious and clear chirping attracted Hu Hai's attention, and he subconsciously raised his head. The next moment, he heard an indescribable, melodious, and subtle tapping sound.

"when--"

It was just one sound, yet it seemed to echo endlessly in his ears.

"Forget about my presence here. Go back to Fusu's side and pretend to help him on the surface, but secretly report all his movements to me through the Golden Ghost Mask." A clear, cold voice seemed to pierce through layers of fog and directly into his mind. Although Hu Hai subconsciously wanted to resist, he only struggled for a moment before calming down again.

"Yes." Hu Hai mechanically replied, then stiffly clenched the yellow turban in his hand, and disappeared into thin air the next second.

Lu Zigang was speechless with astonishment. He turned his head, wanting his boss to give him a reasonable explanation, but he only had time to see his boss's wrist flick slightly.

"when--"

The sound of the dragon-patterned bell rang out again.

"Forget what happened after the Dragon Bell was rung in my hand. You have already completed your deal with me."

When Lu Zigang came to his senses again, he found that he was the only one left in the laboratory, along with the brocade box that had been used.

He felt like he had forgotten something, and he held his head and thought for a long time, but he couldn't remember it no matter how hard he tried.

"So, it was all a scheme set up by the boss?" The doctor stared at the deep pit that had appeared on the ground and sighed with regret. "Such a useful dragon-patterned bell, and it was just buried right at the center of the formation? Boss, why didn't you use this dragon-patterned bell to control Fusu? It would have been so much better if you had him give his body back to me."

The shopkeeper's hand trembled as he held the dragon-patterned bell-shaped brocade box. He let out a soft sigh before saying calmly, "It's not that I don't want your body back, it's just that Fusu... he wouldn't fall for it so easily."

The person who understands Fusu the most in this world is him. The reason he was able to plot against Huhai this time is because Fusu doesn't care about Huhai. Otherwise, how could it have been so easy?

The doctor sighed upon hearing this. Although he thought that Prince Fusu was a bit too immature, he couldn't really treat him like a middle school student. He was Qin Shi Huang's carefully groomed heir, and although he died an untimely death by a twist of fate, his cunning was undoubtedly superior to ordinary people. The doctor suppressed the urge to continue his吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or critical comments), but still reluctantly twitched his two long ears: "Then there's no need to bury this dragon-patterned bell, is there? Couldn't we use other antiques instead?"

"This is a demon. Because humans never cherish things that are obtained too easily, they take them for granted over time." The shopkeeper said with a half-smile, holding the brocade box. "King Zhou of Shang and Emperor Yang of Sui were both rare and outstanding rulers in their youth, but the most fatal flaw of being an emperor is that they think they are the Son of Heaven and that it is only natural for others to obey them."

"But people's hearts change, and cannot be controlled forever," the boss sighed. "Even using the Dragon Pattern Bell is useless."

The doctor didn't say anything more to refute, and looked down with the boss as the dragon-patterned bell was buried in the array eye, and then everything returned to normal.

"So, the dragon-patterned bell is actually a fake?" Fusu was playing Liubo chess against himself, using the very same set he had taken from the Liubo chess house. One of the pieces had a crack, which had been carefully repaired with gold inlay.

"Yes, I tried many times, but it was no use." Hu Hai lowered his head deeply, subconsciously feeling that there was something he had forgotten, but a voice in his mind kept telling him that it didn't matter if he couldn't remember.

"Oh, perhaps the effect of the dragon-patterned bell has worn off." Fusu seemed completely unconcerned, casually waving his hand and saying, "There's nothing else for now, you can go about your business."

Hu Hai bowed respectfully to Fusu, then backed out of the study and quietly closed the door.

Fusu casually tossed down the six chopsticks in his palm, and moved a Liubo piece on the board according to the numbers displayed with the cross-section facing upwards.

“Cheng Xiao and Mou, call for the five white ones.” Fusu murmured, reaching out to flip over one of the chess pieces, on which Hu Hai’s name was clearly written in cinnabar.

Fusu held the chess piece and smiled slightly for a moment. Then he accurately picked up another chess piece on the board and flipped it over. Sure enough, there were three characters written in cinnabar on it.

Lu Zigang.

"It seems this game isn't over yet..." Fusu lowered his eyes, placed the two chess pieces back on the board, and then revealed an expectant smile.

"Bi Zhi, it's been so long since we played chess together, I really miss it..."

(End of this chapter)