The Great Song Dynasty: You were put in charge of teaching, and you produced a whole bunch of prime

As the palace banquet ended, the most distinguished ladies of the entire Song Dynasty walked out of Kunning Palace, their expressions quite interesting.

No one discussed whether the imperial kitchen's pastries were delicious or not, and no one cared whether the Empress Dowager was in good health.

Everyone was talking about only one thing—the "rainbow" above the Queen's head.

"See that? That luster, wow, it's like they plucked the stars from the sky."

"I heard it's made from the divine stones that Nuwa used to mend the sky! Wearing it can prolong your life!"

"Oh dear, my husband gave me a pair of Western Region glass bracelets just a few days ago. I thought they were quite nice at the time, but now compared to the Empress's... they're practically just two stepping stones!"

As Han Qi's wife, Cui, boarded her carriage, the smile on her face vanished instantly, replaced by a resolute determination that seemed to say, "I am determined to win."

She said to her personal maid:

"Go back and tell the master that those boxes of aged Pu'er tea in the storeroom should not be kept; take them and exchange them for cash."

The old woman exclaimed in surprise, "Madam, that's the master's favorite tea! What are you going to do...?"

Madam Cui snorted coldly and touched the dull gold hairpin in her hair:

"If he fails to snag that exquisite glass at the Fanlou auction in a few days, he might as well sleep in his study with tea leaves from now on!"

……

That night, a family drama known as "pillow talk" unfolded in the mansions of countless high-ranking officials and nobles in Bianjing.

Han Mansion.

The current prime minister, Han Qi, had just returned from court, his back aching from exhaustion. He wanted to have a cup of hot tea, but found the teacup empty.

"Madam? Where's the tea?"

Madam Cui sat in a grand chair, holding a round fan in her hand, fanning herself idly, her eyes filled with a melancholy like a woman confined to her boudoir.

"What kind of tea are you going to drink? Just drink the northwest wind!"

Han Qi was taken aback: "What do you mean, Madam? What have I done to upset you?"

Madam Cui slammed her fan on the table: "Han Zhigui! Look at Lady Fu Bi! I heard she's even going to Fanlou to snatch that 'Heavenly Crafted Glass'! And look at me? My hair is full of what kind of broken copper and scrap iron! Today, when I entered the palace, I couldn't even hold my head up in front of Consort Zhang!"

Han Qi looked completely bewildered: "Heavenly Crafted Glass? What's that? Don't we have glass at home?"

"Who wants that filthy, snot-like junk!"

Cui's eyes reddened, and she began to wipe away tears: "I want the kind that Her Majesty the Empress wears! A translucent one! With a rainbow! If you don't buy it for me, it means you think I'm too old and don't love me anymore!"

Han Qi was at her wit's end and quickly begged for mercy: "Buy, buy, buy! Buy it tomorrow! I'll buy it no matter the cost!"

"That's more like it." Madam Cui smiled through her tears. "I heard Fanlou is going up for auction in three days. Remember to bring plenty of money, don't let that old rich man outbid you!"

Han Qi wiped away a cold sweat, secretly lamenting: What kind of monster is this "Heavenly Crafted Glass" that could turn his virtuous and kind wife into this state?

Meanwhile, the atmosphere at the residence of Liu Chang, the Imperial Academy Chancellor, was even more eerie.

Liu Chang was writing a memorial to the throne by candlelight, his heart filled with grief and indignation. He was preparing to impeach Jiang Lin for "using strange and frivolous skills to disrupt the country."

Suddenly, the study door was pushed open.

Madam Liu walked in carrying a bowl of ginseng soup, a gentle smile rarely seen on her face.

"Sir, are you writing an article? You must be tired. Have some soup."

Liu Chang was flattered and took the ginseng soup, taking a sip: "Madam, what's wrong today...?"

"Master," Madam Liu said softly as she massaged his shoulders, "I heard there's an auction at Fanlou in a few days?"

Liu Chang's hand trembled, and he almost spilled the ginseng soup. He looked at his wife warily: "What are you trying to do? That's all a scam orchestrated by that unscrupulous merchant Jiang Lin! All that 'heavenly crafted glass' is just a bunch of fancy tricks!"

I don't care if it's a strange or ingenious trick.

Madam Liu suddenly tightened her grip, causing Liu Chang to grimace in pain.

"All I know is that the wife of Minister Wang next door said her husband insisted on buying one for her. Although our family is of noble birth, we can't let others look down on us, can we?"

"You..." Liu Chang was speechless with anger, "That's indulging in frivolous pursuits and neglecting one's duties!"

"Liu Chang!"

Madam Liu dropped the pretense, slammed her hand on the table, and roared:

"I've been married to you for decades, and I've never complained about eating meager meals! Now all I want is a glass, and you won't even give it to me? Are you having an affair?!"

Liu Chang shrank into a ball after being yelled at, and the righteous spirit he had displayed while writing the memorial vanished instantly.

"I...I'll buy it, okay..." he said weakly, "But...it's very expensive..."

"So what if it's expensive? Just sell those lousy paintings in your study and you'll have money!"

Liu Chang looked at the walls covered with calligraphy and paintings by famous artists, his heart bleeding.

Jiang Lin! I will never let you get away with this!

Inside the palace, Consort Zhang's Yanhe Palace was in complete disarray.

"Splash—"

The priceless red coral ornament was smashed to the ground and shattered into several pieces.

"That old woman! What right does she have?!"

Consort Zhang was trembling with rage, her nails digging almost into her flesh: "It's just a broken hairpin! And she dares to show it off in front of me! Saying it's 'too plain,' I think she's deliberately trying to provoke me!"

The palace maids and eunuchs around them knelt on the ground, not daring to breathe loudly.

"Your Majesty, please calm down..." the personal eunuch pleaded cautiously. "That hairpin is indeed rare; I've heard there are only a handful in the entire world..."

"I want even a few pieces!"

Consort Zhang whirled around, her eyes flashing with ruthlessness: "Go! Go to Fanlou! No matter the cost, you must snatch one back for me! It must be bigger, shinier, and more translucent than the Empress's!"

"But Your Majesty... the expenses in our palace..."

"If we don't have enough money, we'll ask the Emperor for more!" Consort Zhang gritted her teeth. "The Emperor dotes on me the most; I refuse to believe he wouldn't even buy me a hairpin!"

That night, as Su Shi's "Ode to the Heavenly Craftsmanship of Glazed Tiles" was plastered all over the streets and alleys, coupled with the rumors circulating in the palace that it was the "Empress's style," the two forces converged into a huge storm over Bianjing.

The text was endorsed by Su Shi, which endowed this object with the sacred attribute of "Nuwa mending the sky".

Empress Wu's endorsement of the product imbued it with the symbolic status of "top-tier nobility."

What men value are the phrases "prolonging life" and "treasures left by immortals" in Su Shi's writings.

What women valued was the "radiant beauty" and "outstanding charm" of the empress's headdress.

A two-pronged approach, penetrating every nook and cranny.

The entire elite circle of Bianjing City has been completely overrun.

The next morning, a long queue formed at the entrance of Fanlou Restaurant. They weren't there for a meal; they were all there to inquire about the details of the auction.

Looking at the sea of ​​people, the owner of Fanlou couldn't stop smiling, and at the same time, he secretly rejoiced:

Luckily, I didn't fight Jiang Shanchang to the death back then. This guy isn't a scholar; he's clearly a god of wealth descended to earth!

Meanwhile, inside the Jingshi Academy...

Jiang Lin stood by the window, listening to Qian Duoduo report on the grand scene outside, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Sir, is it almost done?" Zhao Lingjun sat to the side, peeling an orange in his hand, smiling like a little fox. "I've managed to fool the Empress Dowager and the concubines... cough cough, I've mobilized them all."

"That's about it."

Jiang Lin turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the room, a cold glint in his eyes like a hunter pulling in his net:

"The chives have grown tall, and the sickle has been sharpened."

"Tomorrow night, Fanlou."

"Let's go harvest the fattest batch of leeks in the Song Dynasty!"