Chapter 119: Priceless Treasure

The West Market of Chang'an was the city’s hub of commerce, built upon the ruins of the Sui dynasty. Spanning two wards, it was enclosed by rammed-earth walls four meters thick. Each of the four cardinal directions featured two gates. Inside, two north-south and two east-west parallel streets intersected in a tic-tac-toe grid. The market was a dense thicket of shops, with cries of hawkers echoing incessantly. The western side was home to common shops that catered to the masses—butchers, fishmongers, eateries, and taverns—while the eastern side housed prestigious establishments frequented by the wealthy and noble, ranging from silk merchants and saddleries to the "cabinet houses" that served as secure repositories for money and valuables. The divide between the noble East and the common West was stark and well-defined.

The Qianbao Pavilion, or "Pavilion of a Thousand Treasures," stood in the northeast corner of the West Market. It was said to have opened its doors during the Sui dynasty; over the past century, it had weathered countless storms, firmly entrenching itself among the high-ranking officials and aristocrats. Even as the Great Tang endured waves of bloodshed over the last few decades, the pavilion remained unshaken. Its triennial Treasure Appraisal Assembly drew wealthy merchants from across the empire to Chang'an. Though the high-ranking nobles themselves might not frequent the West Market, they all had sons and grandsons yet to enter government service, and even the most reserved among them would send a steward or servant to represent their interests.

At that moment, two rows of guards in black stood ramrod straight at the entrance of the Qianbao Pavilion, firmly holding back the curious crowds. Although the onlookers knew these sword-wielding guards were dispatched by the Jingzhao Prefecture to maintain order rather than being the private employees of the pavilion, they could not help but whisper in awe. This was, after all, the first session of the appraisal assembly. Any merchant or commoner with a treasure could enter to request an appraisal, while the scions of noble families and their servants had already taken their places inside to enjoy the music and dance. Who wouldn't want to get in and witness the spectacle?

When Zhang Jian arrived at the scene with Du Shiyi, he looked at the opulent gates and the solemn guards, letting out a long sigh: "Even if we were to pass the imperial examinations and make our names, I fear we might still struggle to step foot inside this place."

"Not necessarily."

Du Shiyi glanced at the crowd, where an occasional person clutching a parcel would be cautiously led inside, only for others to emerge later, crestfallen. He smiled faintly and said to Zhang Jian, "Master Zhang, let us enter."

Seeing Du Shiyi stride toward the gate with his Kunlun slave in close pursuit, Zhang Jian hesitated. He then recalled that Du Shiyi was of the Jingzhao Du clan and was currently staying at the residence of Cui Taizhi, the Vice Minister of the Yellow Gate. It was not strange for him to be registered to enter. After a moment of hesitation, he followed. To his surprise, when Du Shiyi reached the gate, he did not mention the name "Cui" at all. Instead, he simply pointed to the large leather bag carried by his slave, Tian Mo. The middle-aged man in gray, who was tasked with inspecting treasures, didn't even look twice before waving them through!

Confused, Zhang Jian only realized what had happened once they were inside. He caught up to Du Shiyi and asked in a low voice, "Master Du, why did they let us in without asking?"

Du Shiyi looked over at Tian Mo, who was following closely, and chuckled at the Kunlun slave, who had grown a head taller over the past three years. "It is simple. This time, we are reaping the benefits of his presence."

Ever since Tian Mo had been under his care, he had often accompanied Du Shiyi on his travels. Though he had made mistakes in the beginning, Du Shiyi had never once mentioned selling him. While they were at the Lu Family’s hermitage on Mount Xuanlian, Du Shiyi had even arranged for Hou Xiao, a master of hunting and archery, to teach him many skills. Over time, Tian Mo’s affection and reliance on his new master had come to rival that of his former master, Magistrate Xue. Hearing this, he asked curiously, "Master, do you mean me?"

"Exactly. I mean you."

Seeing Tian Mo’s astonishment and Zhang Jian’s sudden realization, Du Shiyi did not explain further. A steward led him to an elderly man sitting in the center. Seeing the elder examining an object from a red-lacquered box brought by a previous visitor, Du Shiyi signaled for Tian Mo to unstrap the leather bag. The elder spoke lazily, "These are merely a few South Sea pearls. The quality is not the best. If you wish to sell, ten thousand coins at most—barely one and a half taels of gold. I suspect the noble guests inside will not find them worth their notice."

The man in brown holding the box could not hide his disappointment. He emphasized that they were heirlooms, but seeing the elder turn away, he could only dejectedly hand the box to a servant in exchange for a paper voucher.

"Just go to the cabinet house next door to collect your payment. Whether you want full strings of copper coins or gold, that is up to you. Next!"

The elder yawned as he spoke, but when he saw the group of three approaching, he stopped stretching. He dismissed the twenty-seven-year-old scholar in shabby clothes, but his eyes locked onto the sixteen-year-old youth in white and the Kunlun slave carrying the large bag. Before he could speak, a voice rang out from further away.

"Ha! Isn't this the Nineteenth Young Master? You just returned to Fanchuan the other day, and here you are at the Qianbao Pavilion. Could it be that you are here to sell some ancestral treasure?"

Du Shiyi turned to see Du Wenruo. Without answering, he unfastened the bag Tian Mo was holding and withdrew a short-necked, pear-shaped pipa. Du Wenruo was incensed by his cold demeanor, but the elder, who had been sitting so lazily, suddenly stood up with such force that he didn't even have time to put on his shoes. He rushed over, reached out without permission, and began to carefully stroke the soundboard, then probed the backboard. He pulled his hand back as if burned, straightened up, and stared at Du Shiyi.

"This soundboard is dragon-cypress wood, and the backboard does not appear to be ordinary sandalwood... Young Master, may I have a closer look?"

Du Shiyi had been worried that the appraisers might lack the eye for quality, but seeing the man’s expertise, he nodded calmly. "By all means."

When the elder took the pipa, his breathing quickened. He took a deep breath to steady himself, then began to gently stroke the backboard, tapping it and listening closely. After a long while, he plucked a string, and his eyes widened. "Wonderful! It is Luosuo sandalwood—without a doubt, Luosuo sandalwood! This is the finest material for a pipa backboard, worth more than a thousand pieces of gold... And this is not new wood, but aged timber from many years ago. Beyond its lustrous sheen, the resonance and penetration are vastly superior. This is priceless—no, it is a treasure beyond measure!"

Seeing the usually fastidious elder trembling, the steward knew they had encountered a true masterpiece and ran off to report to the head of the pavilion. Du Wenruo, not expecting Du Shiyi to produce something of such value, narrowed his eyes and sneered, "Nineteenth Young Master, if you sell a family heirloom, people will laugh at you!"

The elder, as if oblivious to the surroundings, asked Du Shiyi, who had just smiled and thanked him for his discerning eye, "If you are willing to sell, I offer one million coins!"

"Not for sale."

Seeing Zhang Jian stand there in a daze, Du Shiyi uttered those two words and turned to put the pipa back into the bag. Just then, the steward who had left returned with a middle-aged man. Before even reaching Du Shiyi, the man called out, "Young Master, if you are willing to part with this pipa, my master is prepared to offer three million coins!"

In this era of prosperity, a peck of rice cost only seven or eight coins, and a whole pig five hundred. Three million coins was a staggering sum that left Zhang Jian reeling and Du Wenruo dumbfounded. Even Du Shiyi was shocked.

First one million, then three million—had he truly gotten such a massive bargain from Zhang Xu?

Thinking this, he remained calm and shook his head. "I came to the appraisal today because I felt uneasy after acquiring this item in the Eastern Capital. I am not selling. Please convey my apologies to your master."

The middle-aged man, knowing that several nobles inside—including the Tenth Young Master Dou of the Duke of Bi’s household—had already set their hearts on this instrument, stifled his annoyance and forced a smile. "If you find the price too low, we can discuss it."

Seeing Du Shiyi remained unmoved, he added with a heavier tone, "The Tenth Young Master Dou of the Duke of Bi is very interested in this pipa. The Duke of Bi is the uncle of the Emperor; his status is supreme. If you are willing to part with it, you will forge a beneficial connection, and your future will be bright indeed!"

He expected this to be persuasive, but the youth merely raised an eyebrow. "Is the Tenth Young Master Dou here? I wondered who would value an instrument so highly. Since it is him, it is no surprise. It has been a year since we parted in the Eastern Capital; please, lead the way."

Seeing that Du Shiyi knew the Tenth Young Master Dou, the middle-aged man, relieved that he would not face the Dou family’s wrath, smiled and said, "In that case, Young Master, please follow me."

As Du Shiyi followed him away, Du Wenruo, who had been ignored like air, finally lost his composure and stalked off with a cold laugh. Zhang Jian, as if waking from a dream, gritted his teeth and dragged Tian Mo along to follow them.

They entered the backyard, passed through a corridor, and arrived at an open hall. Inside, seated on mats, were many nobles dressed in fine silks and brocades. In the center of the hall, dancers in light gauze swayed gracefully on a silk carpet, accompanied by musicians. Amidst the music and dance, a sweet, intoxicating fragrance hung in the air, making one feel drowsy. Zhang Jian felt his steps grow heavy, and it took a moment for him to muster the resolve to step onto the dais.

"Has the Luosuo sandalwood pipa been purchased?" a young man reclining on a mat to the left asked lazily. When the middle-aged man hurried over to whisper in his ear, the youth sat bolt upright and stared at Du Shiyi. After a long moment, he burst into laughter. "I wondered who could possess such a peerless treasure—it is the Nineteenth Young Master! Come, sit! The song you played on the pipa with the Thirteenth Young Master Wang at the Anguo Temple in the Eastern Capital has become famous even here in Chang'an!"

Under the gaze of the crowd, Du Shiyi walked over to the Tenth Young Master Dou as if he were alone. He bowed, sat down on a mat brought by a maid without hesitation, and took a bowl of beverage from another. After drinking half, he smiled and said, "To be honest, Tenth Young Master, if not for that song, 'Chu and Han,' I never would have obtained this priceless treasure."