Zhuo Yu Feng Yang Chapter 23

Chapter 23: New guests in leisurely clouds, new connections with old things

It was the first rain after autumn, and it fell all night.

The wooden door of Xianyunzhai was wet from the rain and glowed with a warm wooden light.Jiang Zhuo was sitting by the window, holding a piece of Jun kiln porcelain that he had just received in his hand, rubbing the earthworm mud patterns on the glaze with his fingertips.Lu Jingyang was lying on the table opposite, holding a fine brush in his hand, and was carefully removing rust from a Qing Dynasty copper seal. There was a bit of patina on the tip of his nose, like a kitten stealing food.

“The mark of this copper seal is about to show up,” Lu Jingyang raised his head, his eyebrows bright, “Look at the trend of this painting, it looks like it was engraved by the Construction Office of the Ministry of Internal Affairs during the Kangxi period.”

Jiang Zhuo glanced up and nodded lightly: “The writing is square and the knife skills are sharp, which is the style of the manufacturing office. Be gentle when removing the rust, so as not to damage the writing.”

Lu Jingyang responded quickly, and the strength on his fingertips became a little lighter.

At this moment, there was a sound of very light footsteps at the entrance of the alley, stepping on the wet bluestone with a bit of hesitation.Immediately afterwards, the door of Xianyunzhai was gently pushed open, and a slender figure stood at the door. His navy blue gown was stained with raindrops, and he was holding a heavy wooden box in his hand.

The person who came was about fifty years old, with white frost on his temples and a bookish air between his brows and eyes, but his face was pale and a bit tired.He didn’t speak after entering the door, but glanced at the antiques on the ancient shelf with stern eyes, and finally landed on Jiang Zhuo, nodding slightly: “Are you Boss Jiang from Xianyunzhai?”

Jiang Zhuo put down the porcelain piece, stood up and nodded: “I don’t dare to take it. Who is your Excellency?”

“My surname is Gu.” Mr. Gu’s voice was a little hoarse, and his hand holding the wooden box tightened, “I heard that Boss Jiang has a unique eye for treasure appraisal and is also proficient in restoring antiques. I took the liberty to come here today to ask you to see something.”

Lu Jingyang also stopped what he was doing and looked curiously at the wooden box in Mr. Gu’s arms.The box is made of old elm wood, the corners are badly worn, and there is a small plum blossom engraved on the lock, which looks like it has been there for a while.

Jiang Zhuo stepped aside and said, “Mr. Gu, please take a seat. You might as well take out your things and take a look.”

Mr. Gu thanked him, carefully placed the wooden box on the table, took out a bunch of brass keys, and opened the lock.As soon as the box was opened a crack, a faint aroma of camphor wood mixed with the stale smell of time came out.

He took out an object wrapped in blue cloth and unwrapped the layers to reveal an inkstone as big as a palm.

The inkstone is made of end stone, with a blue and purple color. There is a thin layer of ink dirt accumulated in the inkstone. In the center of the inkstone, there is an orchid grass carved with elegant knife skills and orchid leaves stretching like flying.The most special thing is the side of the inkstone, which is engraved with a line of small seal characters: Orchid grows in the empty valley, and the inkstone hides for thousands of years.

Jiang Zhuo’s eyes fell on the inkstone, and the system prompt sounded instantly:

[Ding——Item detected: Duanxi Laokeng Inkstone from the Jiajing Period of the Ming Dynasty]

[Material: Duanxi pockmarked stone, the stone is fine and turns into dew when breathed]

[Features: The small seal on the side of the inkstone is handwritten by Wen Zhengming, a calligrapher of the Ming Dynasty. There is a hidden grid hidden on the bottom of the inkstone, and there is…]

The prompt sound stopped suddenly, just like when it was checking the cultural relics list, it was cut off by an invisible force.

Jiang Zhuo’s eyes darkened.

This inkstone is not simple.

He stretched out his hand to take the inkstone, and his fingertips touched the stone surface, which was as warm as jade. It was indeed a good material from Duanxi Laokeng.He looked at the skylight outside the window carefully and saw that the flowing blue and grass patterns on the inkstone were indeed Wen Zhengming’s brushwork.

“This inkstone is a family heirloom.” Mr. Gu looked at the inkstone with a bit of sadness in his eyes. “My ancestor was the editor of the Hanlin Academy during the Jiajing period. This square inkstone was personally gifted by Wen Zhengming. But three years ago, my daughter got a strange disease, and all the famous doctors were helpless. Some people said…”

He paused and his voice lowered a bit: “Some people say that there is something hidden in this inkstone that can save the little girl’s life. But I looked over and over countless times and couldn’t find any clues.”

Lu Jingyang came over and stared at the inkstone for a long time, then suddenly said: “Mr. Gu, look at the lines on the bottom of this inkstone, is there something wrong?”

Everyone’s eyes fell on the bottom of the inkstone.

Bottom of inkstone bottom of inkstone.

The bottom of the inkstone is flat and smooth. It should be plain, but there is a faint line of very light lines, as if it were pricked with a fine needle. If you don’t look carefully, you can’t notice it at all.

Jiang Zhuo’s fingertips landed on the edge of the pattern and stroked it gently.The direction of this circle of lines is very special, like a switch of a mechanism.He remembered the “hidden grid” in the system prompts and had an idea.

“Mr. Gu, this inkstone does have a hidden compartment.” Jiang Zhuo raised his eyes, “It’s just that the mechanism of the hidden compartment is very delicate. If you open it forcibly, it will damage the inkstone. I need some time to study the solution of the mechanism.”

Mr. Gu’s eyes lit up instantly, as if he had grasped a life-saving straw: “Boss Jiang, please! As long as I can save my little girl, I am willing to pay any amount of money!”

“There is no need for money.” Jiang Zhuo shook his head and gently put the inkstone back into the wooden box. “The fate of antiques is inherently wonderful. I will help you unlock the mechanism. I just hope that you can take good care of this square inkstone and don’t let it wander to other places.”

Mr. Gu nodded repeatedly, his eyes red: “Thank you, Boss Jiang! Thank you, Boss Jiang!”

After seeing Mr. Gu off, the rain gradually subsided.

Lu Jingyang lay on the table, staring at the inkstone in the wooden box, his eyes full of curiosity: “Boss Jiang, what do you think is hidden in this secret room? Is it a prescription? Or some other treasure?”

Jiang Zhuo looked at the small seal on the side of the inkstone and tapped the table with his fingertips.

Wen Zhengming’s handwriting and the inkstone from the Jiajing period hide the secret of healing.

The story in this Fang Inkstone is probably more twists and turns than they imagined.

The rain outside the window stopped, and the setting sun penetrated the clouds, casting a golden light that fell on the inkstone, making the orchid grass pattern come to life.

The lights of Xianyunzhai came on again.

This time, what they want to unravel is an old relationship hidden in the inkstone that spans five hundred years.