Chapter 721 Young General vs. Rich Lady 24
"At the end of the Xia Dynasty, northern tribes invaded the Central Plains, which marked the beginning of the decline of the Xia Dynasty. Many famous generals emerged at that time, and King Weiwu was one of them. The emperor of the Xia Kingdom granted the Wangdu area to King Weiwu. Later, the royal family declined, and the various vassal states established themselves as kings, and thus the Wei Kingdom was established."
"When the history books were revised in later times, there were very few records about the Wei Kingdom, and there was no record of the Huo family army. But when I studied history, I always felt it was very strange, as if something had been erased. Later, I saw some folk histories, opera essays, and all of them mentioned the Huo family army, but unfortunately there was no clear evidence."
"I guess that King Wei Wu was not actually very brave. He relied entirely on the help of a slave beside him. At that time, it was still a slavery system. Slaves were completely subordinate to their masters, and all their achievements belonged to their masters. Perhaps the emperor showed mercy, or perhaps King Wei Wu showed mercy, and gave this brave slave a surname. Later, the Huo family has been protecting the Wei Kingdom."
"In the beginning, the territory of Wei State was not large, but relying on the brave and warlike Huo family army, it annexed the surrounding small countries and expanded its territory. At that time, hundreds of countries fought each other, and only six countries remained. Wei State was one of them. Later, the six countries stood on their own, and with the invasion of northern ethnic groups, there was chaos for more than two hundred years..."
When talking about history, Yi Wenju was like a chicken with blood pumped up. He paced back and forth in the room, talking incessantly and couldn't stop at all.
This is also the reason why Ji Yunhuan doesn’t like coming here. She feels as if she is back in the history classroom, listening until she is drowsy.
My mother likes to talk about these things, but she really has no talent for it. She forgets what she hears and can't remember so many dynasties and history at all.
Ji Yunhuan took out three more jade cups and successfully attracted Yi Wenju's attention. She finally had the chance to speak.
"Just tell me how much these things are worth. I'm afraid I'll be cheated when I sell them."
Yi Wenju glared and said angrily: "Who else do you want to sell it to? No one knows the value of it except me, so I will definitely buy it as ordinary jade. If it is a single one, I will buy it for 10 million. Your whole set is more valuable for research, so I will give you 50 million!"
"I have known your mother for so many years, and I have watched you grow up. Don't worry, I will definitely not lie to you."
"Preliminary judgment is that this set of jade lamps was given to the Huo family by Emperor Xia. There are dark patterns carved inside, and under special conditions, the words inside can be seen. It has very precious research value. I will take it to the laboratory for further testing. If it can really prove the existence of the Huo family army, it will be a major discovery in history!"
Ji Yunhuan originally thought that it would be sold for a few million at most, but it was sold at a high price of 50 million, so she immediately agreed.
Yi Wenju was not only an expert at the Hanyuan City Cultural Relics Research Institute, but also a collector himself. There were many antiques passed down in his family. He was not short of money, so he transferred the money to Ji Yunhuan on the spot.
Ji Yun smiled happily and took out a tiger-shaped jade sculpture. "This is also an antique from the Six Kingdoms period. Please help me take a look at it. I will sell it to Grandpa Yi without bothering two people."
Yi Wenju carefully put on a pair of silk gloves, changed into high-power glasses, and held the tiger-shaped jade sculpture to observe it carefully.
"It's so lifelike! Especially the eyes, which are quite charming. During the Six Kingdoms period, bronze was the main utensil, and the iron forged was not pure and hard enough, but they were able to carve such a vivid work. It's really amazing!"
"There is a small pattern here, with the words 'made by imperial decree' written on it. Judging from the handwriting, it is Wei State's small seal script. It should belong to the royal family of Wei State. Logically, there should be a complete set. The jade is of excellent quality and the craftsmanship is also good. Do you have any more? Ten million each. I'll take as many as you can get."
Ji Yunhuan took out all the jade carvings of the twelve zodiac animals and earned 120 million!
It’s not that Ji Yunhuan has never made money before, but this was a no-cost business. When the bronze mirror was passed to her, she took it and sold it. In less than an hour, she earned 170 million.
It feels so good to get rich suddenly!
Yi Wenju took out a box to put the jade carvings and jadeite cups in, first put a layer of velvet on it, and then filled it with something to prevent it from being hit. He touched them one by one and couldn't let go of each one.
"How come you brought it with you just in your bag? It would be a shame if it got bumped or dented! There are only a few cultural relics from the Six Kingdoms period, and each one is very precious."
"What else do you have in your bag? Why are you hiding it? Take it out and show it to me. I still have money, I can afford more!"
Ji Yunhuan took a jadeite cup, a jade carving, and a painting. She didn't know which one was more valuable, so she brought all three and asked for the price.
Now the jadeite cups and jade carvings have sold for 170 million yuan, and she is somewhat reluctant to sell this painting.
This painting was drawn by Huo Xiao herself, and she likes it very much.
"It's nothing, just a worthless painting. I'll give you all the jade carvings. If I find something good in the future, I will bring it to you as soon as possible."
Yi Wenju's eyes lit up. "There are actually paintings and calligraphy from the Six Kingdoms period. At that time, paper was a rare commodity. Most people used bamboo slips, and some used silk, but only paper could be used for painting. Take it out quickly and show it to me. How is it preserved? Can I see it clearly?"
"Look at how irritable you are. You don't even know how to take care of jade, not to mention the delicate calligraphy and paintings. Once your mother is gone, won't it get damaged in your hands? Even if you don't want to sell it, you should show it to me. Don't damage it!"
Ji Yunhuan was also afraid that if she stored it improperly, she would damage Huo Xiao's painting, so she took it out.
The scroll slowly unfolds, and a scarlet horse appears on the paper, with lush green grass under its feet and endless green mountains in the distance. With just a few strokes, the distant artistic conception is outlined.
It seemed as if someone was calling the horse outside the painting. The horse looked back, its eyes filled with joy.
Yi Wenju saw the vermilion seal at the signature at a glance, and his hands were shaking with excitement, "It's Huo Xiao! It's actually Huo Xiao's painting! According to legend, Huo Xiao had a thousand-mile horse named Chi Xiao, this horse must be Chi Xiao."
"This painting is surprisingly well preserved. These pigments should be natural minerals that will not change color over the years. The paper and ink used for painting are also of great research value."
"Rumor has it that Huo Xiao was so brave that he could fight a hundred people alone, and he had great military talent. He defeated the northern tribes many times. It's a pity that he died young. After his death, all traces of the Huo family army were wiped out. If what is recorded in the unofficial history is true, if Huo Xiao were alive, maybe Weiguo could have united with the six countries and achieved hegemony sooner!"
"The six kingdoms fought for more than 200 years, and no such brilliant generals appeared. Later, the northern tribes occupied most of the land of Wei, Qi, and Lu. The Shu Kingdom in the west had a rugged terrain and backward economy. The Song Kingdom and the Lu Kingdom in the southernmost part were also very weak."
"After the northern invaded the Central Plains, there was chaos and fighting for hundreds of years before a new regime was barely established. However, it was also a short-lived dynasty. The vitality of Chinese civilization was severely damaged, and many things were lost..."
For the first time, Ji Yunhuan became interested in history, because Huo Xiao was not just a fleeting name in history books, he was a living person, a friend she met across time and space.
Ji Yunhuan asked anxiously: "Grandpa Yi, please tell me quickly, how did Huo Xiao die?"
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