chsdbacks Chapter 27 Li Qingge's Suspicion
Chapter 27 Li Qingge's Suspicion
Li Qingge carefully tucked the jade pendant into his pocket, his palm touching the warm, smooth jade, yet his heart felt inexplicably heavy. He ruffled his sister's soft hair, trying to make his voice sound normal: "This looks quite valuable. I'll keep it for you, okay? I'm afraid you'll lose it."
Little Qingyi looked up at her brother, a little reluctant to part with the sparkly pendant, but still nodded and held up her little finger: "Make sure you put that clay away carefully! It's for Pretty Jie Jie!"
"Don't worry." Li Qingge hooked her little finger with hers, but the strange feeling in her heart lingered.
The next day was the weekend, and Li Qingge left home early in the morning with his schoolbag on his back, telling his parents he was going to the library to look up information. After riding his bicycle quite a distance, he turned and headed towards the quiet antique street in the west of the city—where his grandfather's old friend, Grandpa Chen, had opened a small shop.
Pushing open the somewhat old glass door of "Cangyu Zhai," a familiar scent of sandalwood mixed with the smell of old paper wafted in. Grandpa Chen was sitting by the window, holding a cup of tea and reading the newspaper.
"Grandpa Chen," Li Qingge called out.
"Oh, Qingge?" Old Chen looked up and smiled. "What brings you here today?"
"Grandpa asked me to get something, could you please take a look?" Li Qingge took out a soft cloth bag from the inside pocket of her clothes and carefully handed it over.
Old Chen took it, glanced at it briefly, and the casualness on his face slowly faded. He walked to the bright spot by the window, put on white gloves, took out a special magnifying glass, and then gently opened the cloth bag.
The white jade pendant lay on the dark velvet, its warm, lustrous white color resembling a handful of moonlight.
"Hmm?" Old Chen hummed softly, picked up the jade pendant, and slowly turned it against the light. He squinted his eyes and brought the magnifying glass closer to examine it carefully. His fingers lightly brushed over each engraving, sometimes pausing to get even closer, his breathing becoming softer.
The shop was quiet, with only the faint sound of cars outside the window. Li Qingge stood to the side waiting, her palms slightly sweaty.
After a while, Old Chen straightened up, took off his gloves and glasses, his face serious, but his eyes brightened. He looked at Li Qingge: "Qingge, tell Grandpa the truth, where did this come from?"
Li Qingge's heart skipped a beat, but she tried her best to keep a calm expression: "It was a gift from a relative. They said it was an old item. My grandfather and father weren't sure about it, so they asked me to bring it here for you to take a look."
Old Chen stared at him for a few seconds, then didn't ask any further questions, his attention returning to the jade pendant. He held it in his hand, stroking it, his voice tinged with barely suppressed admiration:
"Child, if my eyes aren't deceiving me... this is genuine Hetian mutton fat jade. Look at the luster, the smoothness, something that can't be found in something that's only a few decades or a hundred years old. And look at the pattern—a typical Tang Dynasty lotus and ruyi pattern, with full lines and a grand layout, exuding the opulent atmosphere of the Tang Dynasty. Even the way the perforation is done, the way the silk ribbon is woven... all exude an ancient charm."
He paused, his voice growing deeper: "In my opinion, this is most likely from the Tang Dynasty, and might even have come from the palace. It's so well preserved... it looks like it was just made recently. But the 'old' feel of the jade is undeniable. Strange, truly strange."
Tang Dynasty...in the palace...
These two words struck Li Qingge like a hammer, leaving his head buzzing. Afterwards, Old Chen spoke some more technical terms, such as the origin of jade materials and the characteristics of Tang Dynasty craftsmanship, but he could barely concentrate on them anymore.
Stepping out of "Cangyu Zhai" and pushing open the glass door, the hustle and bustle of the street outside immediately rushed in. The sunlight was dazzling, car horns blared, and pedestrians came and went—everything was vibrant and alive, a familiar sight of modern life.
But as Li Qingge stood at the door, she felt a little dazed.
Zhinu...Sizi...Princess Changle...
These names automatically matched up in his mind—
Zhinu was Emperor Gaozong of Tang, Li Zhi.
Princess Sizi, also known as Princess Jinyang, was Li Shimin's most beloved youngest daughter.
Princess Chang Le, Li Lizhi, the eldest daughter of the legitimate wife.
My sister's nonsensical remarks sounded like a child's ramblings: "The house is super big," "No electricity, so we use candles," "A beautiful older sister in ancient costume," "Our ancestors"...
All the fragmented and strange pieces were suddenly connected by the thread of "Tang Dynasty court".
Could it be that every time my sister goes missing, she doesn't go to the neighbor's house, but instead...?
More than a thousand years ago?
That "ancestor," could it be...?
Li Qingge stood still, seemingly oblivious to the bustling street scene. The jade pendant in her pocket pressed against her skin, warm yet surprisingly heavy.
An inexplicable chill crept up from the soles of my feet, mixed with the shock of sudden realization, and a hint of... faint excitement.
He took a deep breath, the warm summer air filling his chest.
I need to go home right away...