Pine nuts, chestnuts…
This warm jade is about half the size of a palm, with one side being delicate and pure white, radiating a soft and moist luster under the light, while the other side gradually darkens, transitioning from a milky yellow to a brown color.
The transition of colors is very natural, with more white and less brown.
From a certain angle, it’s even possible to completely cover up the hint of brown.
The flaw is that this brown color is not a surface color of the jade and cannot be polished away. It doesn’t resemble anything in particular, nor does it have the faint brushstrokes reminiscent of a painting. This piece of jade lacks intricate carvings, simply shaped into a pendant that is round at the bottom and pointed at the top.
It’s especially round, not a flat piece, lying in the hand like a—
An enlarged pine nut.
Mo Li looked at the warm jade expressionlessly. If it weren’t for the sand mouse showing an unusual interest, he wouldn’t have noticed anything special about the shape of the jade.
Speaking of which, among the treasures delivered to the courtyard just now, there seemed to be a string of amber, light yellow mixed with a hint of date-red, so clear it could reflect someone’s image. Strung together, from a distance, they resembled peeled, sugar-roasted chestnuts.
Was the sand mouse not moved by the amber, only to lose control at the sight of a pine nut?
A warm and soothing pine nut to hold…
Remarkable.
Mo Li estimated the size of the warm jade, doubting the plump rat could embrace it.
This jade was almost the same size as the sand mouse, only not as round.
“Your Highness is mistaken; the one who needs this jade now is none other than you,” Mo Li said, not only to the prince but also hinting at a certain sand mouse.
The prince paused, not understanding Mo Li’s intention.
Although he had a persistent cough, it wasn’t due to the cold. The weather was already warming up, and after spring comes the hot summer, but his body couldn’t last until autumn, making the warm jade of no use to him.
Chief Steward Chen, not knowledgeable in medicine, believed that expensive items must be beneficial. Since the doctor said it was useful, it certainly must be.
Warm jade is a rare treasure, only a few pieces can be found even in the royal palace, unseen by commoners in their lifetime.
“Your Highness could keep the warm jade close to your chest, never parting with it.” After thinking, Mo Li asked, “Does the palace have more of such treasures?”
Everyone became flustered at once, with Chief Steward Chen hurrying to search the boxes outside.
Mo Li began to perform acupuncture on the prince, his speed of inserting needles was extremely fast, almost like a flick of his hand, and the prince had three to five silver needles on him in no time.
The palace servants, who were undressing the prince and wiping his sweat, were extremely careful not to touch the needles.
Yu Lan instructed them to step back, staying by the side herself.
After using more than a dozen needles, Mo Li’s movements slowed down. Holding the tip of a silver needle, he concentrated his internal energy to a fine and subtle point, stimulating the acupuncture points and meridians with the needles.
In about half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the prince felt an itch in his throat, followed by vomiting two mouthfuls of black blood.
“Don’t move yet,” Mo Li said without looking up, stopping Yu Lan, then continued to adjust the damaged and exhausted meridians with his internal energy.
The prince felt the heaviness on his chest, as if a stone was pressing down, gradually lighten, and drowsiness surged. He hadn’t slept well since his illness became severe.
Mo Li removed the needles and washed his hands in the hot water brought by the servants.
Yu Lan and a few palace maids were busy dressing the prince again.
“How strange, this jade…”
The prince looked down at the warm jade placed on his chest by Yu Lan, following Mo Li’s instruction, and its effect was almost immediate.
“Everything has its own spiritual energy, only in different amounts,” Mo Li explained.
At that moment, Chief Steward Chen came back in with the attendants. They had gathered a bunch of valuable treasures.
There were two pieces of warm jade, though neither was as large as the one in question. Additionally, there was a foot-tall red coral, a Buddha statue decorated with seven treasures, agarwood bead bracelets, and so on.
The most inconspicuous was a mountain rock bonsai.
Mo Li walked over and gently touched the porous strange stone.
Suddenly, a wisp of faint white mist emerged from the holes in the mountain rock, gradually enveloping the bonsai within it, making the small pine tree grown in the pot seem extraordinary and magical.
“Isn’t this the bonsai known as the ‘Immortal Scenery of Penglai’?”
The crowd craned their necks in surprise.
“His Majesty was very fond of it, wasn’t he?”
“Yes, whenever it rained, the mountain stone would mist up, and when the clouds cleared and the rain stopped, it would return to its original state. This was a treasure of the palace in the previous dynasty, and Chu Emperor Ling also couldn’t bear to part with it.”
“However, rumors later circulated that this stone was absorbing dragon energy, which led to the downfall of the previous dynasty…”
As a result, the emperor grew to despise this curious stone and left it neglected in the storeroom.
The person in charge of the storeroom used it to curry favor with a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Rites, secretly sending it over, only for the chief eunuch to suffer a misfortune within three days, falling from grace and being demoted to live out his days in the Ministry of Bells and Drums.
After that, anyone who coveted or fiddled with the stone secretly would surely face misfortune. The ominous reputation of the Penglai Stone causing harm to its owner grew more and more intense. The most bizarre part was that, even without anyone to care for or manage it, the small pine within the bonsai remained vibrant and full of life.
Isn’t that strange?
If not for the fear of destroying the stone and facing calamity, this bonsai would have been gone long ago.
Yu Lan stomped her foot and said, “Why bring this thing here? This is simply… Your Highness, let me immediately take it out.”
“Wait.”
The prince didn’t believe those rumors. He stared intently at the bonsai and asked in surprise, “It’s not raining outside. How did the doctor make this curious stone produce mist?”
“That’s not mist, but spiritual energy.”
Mo Li withdrew his hand, and the strand of white mist immediately disappeared back into the stone, vanishing without a trace.
The eunuchs behind Chief Steward Chen widened their eyes in shock, almost thinking Mo Li was performing a magic trick.
“Spiritual energy?”
The prince was very surprised; he almost thought Mo Li would start talking non-stop about some secret celestial methods or cultivation techniques like a Daoist priest.
“Spiritual energy is invisible and can only be seen under very rare circumstances.” Mo Li was equally surprised; he knew the palace housed many treasures but did not expect to see so many objects possessing spiritual energy all at once.
Generally, only living things can absorb spiritual energy, such as the white foxes, ginseng, and snakes of Qimi Mountain.
However, the spiritual energy in inanimate objects is fixed; they are considered unique and blessed with spiritual essence.
They can’t transform into spirits but can serve as rare and precious treasures.
“Has Your Highness ever wondered why there are warm jades and cold jades? Why can a piece of jade remain warm like a furnace or cold as ice regardless of the external environment?”
“This…”
The prince was stunned. He had never thought about this principle, just as no one questions why jade mined from the same location can vary in clarity and purity. Isn’t it natural? Just like children born of the same father, their abilities and appearances can differ greatly. Warm jade and cold jade, these rare treasures, are naturally like this. What more is there to say?
Mo Li saw his hesitation and nodded slightly, “They just possess a bit more spiritual energy.”
“Can it be used for healing?”
“Not exactly.”
Mo Li refuted the idea.
Unless one has a dragon vein like him, has learned martial arts, and uses spiritual energy as internal energy.
In fact, Mo Li’s use of spiritual energy is no better than the medical skills of those who use real internal energy; the effects of spiritual energy and internal energy are the same, with no difference in superiority.
“Just now, I forced the spiritual energy out of that stone, and then it absorbed it back. This is similar to rain, where the external atmosphere triggers its change. However, this spiritual energy always belongs to itself. Even if they are destroyed, the spiritual energy will only disperse back into the earth and sky, not to be used by people.”
Mo Li pointed to the bonsai and the warm jade, continuing, “Just keep these two items close to the prince. There are many different types of spiritual energy, indistinct to the common person, but they make a difference to the sick. They can’t cure diseases, but they can make you feel more comfortable and reduce the suffering from illness.”
This is also why places with clear waters and lush mountains, where spiritual energy gathers, are suitable for healing.
The prince nodded involuntarily, and the eunuchs placed the bonsai by the bed, making the sense of relief even more apparent.
The sand mouse, hiding in the doctor’s robe, watched the excitement. These were all new to it, and it seemed the “pine nut” was no longer an option, leading the sand mouse to scratch its paws in disappointment.
Then it froze, as it had scratched a thread loose on the robe.
The sand mouse dared not move anymore, carefully retracting its paws to the side, pretending as if nothing had happened.
Unaware that his garment lining had been compromised, Mo Li instructed Chief Steward Chen to remove the remaining items, but the prince had not forgotten the task he intended to entrust.
“Is there anything you fancy, Doctor? I’m quite concerned about the Second Prince being alone outside…”
“If Your Highness only wishes for someone to safely escort the Second Prince out of the capital, there’s no need for compensation. Brother Meng and I have accepted a hundred silver taels from the Second Prince.”
The Eastern Palace attendees were astonished.
“Originally, the hundred taels were for hiring an assassin to commit regicide. Since the emperor didn’t die, we discounted the money, and the remainder was used for escorting someone out of the city.”
Mo Li didn’t explain why he didn’t kill Lu Zhang, but the prince could understand.
However, to Yu Lan and Chief Steward Chen, it sounded like Master Meng accepted a hundred taels to assassinate the emperor but failed, and now that the Third Prince was rising, could it be that the emperor’s days were numbered?
“Send out orders to find the whereabouts of the Sixth Prince.” The prince quickly went through the names of civil and military officials in his mind, then listed a few names, intending for his subordinates to search their residences.
Mo Li didn’t want to see him make an effort in vain and directly said, “He is at General Liu Dan’s residence.”
The prince was startled again; he didn’t know Liu Dan had returned to the capital, and how did the doctor know this?
“With my own eyes.” Mo Li didn’t mention he was also staying at the general’s house. He packed up his acupuncture needles and said lightly, “General Liu’s days are not easy.”
The prince understood.
The military officials of the Qi dynasty had always been suppressed by civil officials, with the emperor’s indulgence and because the civil officials simply disliked the military officials, seeing them as threats due to their control over armed forces.
If the emperor was incapacitated and civil officials gained power, Liu Dan would naturally be in deep trouble.
“Does the prince still plan to leave the imperial seal to the Sixth Prince, supporting him to ascend the throne?”
“What do you suggest, Doctor?”
“The Sixth Prince is young. Even with the support of a few brothers, the Qi dynasty will quickly fall into turmoil.”
Not to mention the two elder princes were not willing to help the youngest.
The prince smiled bitterly, having no other choice, otherwise why would he propose the throne to Meng Qi?
“Why not ascend to the throne yourself?” Mo Li asked calmly.
“I, my days are numbered…”
The prince’s tone was one of shock, but his expression seemed contemplative.
“The Three Kings of the Chu dynasty might not be a threat, but the King of Tianshou in the southwest is restless. With the presence of the Holy Lotus Altar deceiving the people and jianghu rogues recruiting martial artists to serve the King of Tianshou, it’s evident he is not satisfied with just the southwest. Launching an attack on nearby cities and aiming at Taijing is only a matter of time.”
Mo Li paused, then added, “Your Highness, your days are numbered, and so is the Qi dynasty. If Lu Zhang were still in power, perhaps he could hold off the threat, but now with the Sixth Prince recklessly seeking trouble and the Third Prince attempting to use the power of civil officials for a coup, I see Lu Zhang’s narrow-mindedness. At this point, we cannot expect him to set aside prejudices. If you ascend, at least the three princes will work together in unity.”
The difference between being an emperor and not is significant.
Not just in terms of rites and titles but also in the conducting of sacrifices.
“After you pass, the throne ends with you, and the Qi dynasty will have no more emperors. I think whether it’s the three princes or the civil officials from Wenyuan Pavilion, none would object.”
Author’s Note:
The missing word count update will be made up in the next two days OAQ
———
Warm jade and millennium cold jade exist only in martial arts or fantasy cultivation novels.
In reality, there is no jade that can warm in winter and cool in summer, or emit a chilling aura.
In other words, in reality, jade is just jade; it can’t be a refrigerator or a heater, only possibly warmed by people.
If warm jade appears in a normal, non-fantasy novel, it must be because of a plot twist【Shut up】【Don’t talk nonsense】
Pine nuts, chestnuts…
This warm jade is about half the size of a palm, with one side being delicate and pure white, radiating a soft and moist luster under the light, while the other side gradually darkens, transitioning from a milky yellow to a brown color.
The transition of colors is very natural, with more white and less brown.
From a certain angle, it’s even possible to completely cover up the hint of brown.
The flaw is that this brown color is not a surface color of the jade and cannot be polished away. It doesn’t resemble anything in particular, nor does it have the faint brushstrokes reminiscent of a painting. This piece of jade lacks intricate carvings, simply shaped into a pendant that is round at the bottom and pointed at the top.
It’s especially round, not a flat piece, lying in the hand like a—
An enlarged pine nut.
Mo Li looked at the warm jade expressionlessly. If it weren’t for the sand mouse showing an unusual interest, he wouldn’t have noticed anything special about the shape of the jade.
Speaking of which, among the treasures delivered to the courtyard just now, there seemed to be a string of amber, light yellow mixed with a hint of date-red, so clear it could reflect someone’s image. Strung together, from a distance, they resembled peeled, sugar-roasted chestnuts.
Was the sand mouse not moved by the amber, only to lose control at the sight of a pine nut?
A warm and soothing pine nut to hold…
Remarkable.
Mo Li estimated the size of the warm jade, doubting the plump rat could embrace it.
This jade was almost the same size as the sand mouse, only not as round.
“Your Highness is mistaken; the one who needs this jade now is none other than you,” Mo Li said, not only to the prince but also hinting at a certain sand mouse.
The prince paused, not understanding Mo Li’s intention.
Although he had a persistent cough, it wasn’t due to the cold. The weather was already warming up, and after spring comes the hot summer, but his body couldn’t last until autumn, making the warm jade of no use to him.
Chief Steward Chen, not knowledgeable in medicine, believed that expensive items must be beneficial. Since the doctor said it was useful, it certainly must be.
Warm jade is a rare treasure, only a few pieces can be found even in the royal palace, unseen by commoners in their lifetime.
“Your Highness could keep the warm jade close to your chest, never parting with it.” After thinking, Mo Li asked, “Does the palace have more of such treasures?”
Everyone became flustered at once, with Chief Steward Chen hurrying to search the boxes outside.
Mo Li began to perform acupuncture on the prince, his speed of inserting needles was extremely fast, almost like a flick of his hand, and the prince had three to five silver needles on him in no time.
The palace servants, who were undressing the prince and wiping his sweat, were extremely careful not to touch the needles.
Yu Lan instructed them to step back, staying by the side herself.
After using more than a dozen needles, Mo Li’s movements slowed down. Holding the tip of a silver needle, he concentrated his internal energy to a fine and subtle point, stimulating the acupuncture points and meridians with the needles.
In about half the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the prince felt an itch in his throat, followed by vomiting two mouthfuls of black blood.
“Don’t move yet,” Mo Li said without looking up, stopping Yu Lan, then continued to adjust the damaged and exhausted meridians with his internal energy.
The prince felt the heaviness on his chest, as if a stone was pressing down, gradually lighten, and drowsiness surged. He hadn’t slept well since his illness became severe.
Mo Li removed the needles and washed his hands in the hot water brought by the servants.
Yu Lan and a few palace maids were busy dressing the prince again.
“How strange, this jade…”
The prince looked down at the warm jade placed on his chest by Yu Lan, following Mo Li’s instruction, and its effect was almost immediate.
“Everything has its own spiritual energy, only in different amounts,” Mo Li explained.
At that moment, Chief Steward Chen came back in with the attendants. They had gathered a bunch of valuable treasures.
There were two pieces of warm jade, though neither was as large as the one in question. Additionally, there was a foot-tall red coral, a Buddha statue decorated with seven treasures, agarwood bead bracelets, and so on.
The most inconspicuous was a mountain rock bonsai.
Mo Li walked over and gently touched the porous strange stone.
Suddenly, a wisp of faint white mist emerged from the holes in the mountain rock, gradually enveloping the bonsai within it, making the small pine tree grown in the pot seem extraordinary and magical.
“Isn’t this the bonsai known as the ‘Immortal Scenery of Penglai’?”
The crowd craned their necks in surprise.
“His Majesty was very fond of it, wasn’t he?”
“Yes, whenever it rained, the mountain stone would mist up, and when the clouds cleared and the rain stopped, it would return to its original state. This was a treasure of the palace in the previous dynasty, and Chu Emperor Ling also couldn’t bear to part with it.”
“However, rumors later circulated that this stone was absorbing dragon energy, which led to the downfall of the previous dynasty…”
As a result, the emperor grew to despise this curious stone and left it neglected in the storeroom.
The person in charge of the storeroom used it to curry favor with a high-ranking official in the Ministry of Rites, secretly sending it over, only for the chief eunuch to suffer a misfortune within three days, falling from grace and being demoted to live out his days in the Ministry of Bells and Drums.
After that, anyone who coveted or fiddled with the stone secretly would surely face misfortune. The ominous reputation of the Penglai Stone causing harm to its owner grew more and more intense. The most bizarre part was that, even without anyone to care for or manage it, the small pine within the bonsai remained vibrant and full of life.
Isn’t that strange?
If not for the fear of destroying the stone and facing calamity, this bonsai would have been gone long ago.
Yu Lan stomped her foot and said, “Why bring this thing here? This is simply… Your Highness, let me immediately take it out.”
“Wait.”
The prince didn’t believe those rumors. He stared intently at the bonsai and asked in surprise, “It’s not raining outside. How did the doctor make this curious stone produce mist?”
“That’s not mist, but spiritual energy.”
Mo Li withdrew his hand, and the strand of white mist immediately disappeared back into the stone, vanishing without a trace.
The eunuchs behind Chief Steward Chen widened their eyes in shock, almost thinking Mo Li was performing a magic trick.
“Spiritual energy?”
The prince was very surprised; he almost thought Mo Li would start talking non-stop about some secret celestial methods or cultivation techniques like a Daoist priest.
“Spiritual energy is invisible and can only be seen under very rare circumstances.” Mo Li was equally surprised; he knew the palace housed many treasures but did not expect to see so many objects possessing spiritual energy all at once.
Generally, only living things can absorb spiritual energy, such as the white foxes, ginseng, and snakes of Qimi Mountain.
However, the spiritual energy in inanimate objects is fixed; they are considered unique and blessed with spiritual essence.
They can’t transform into spirits but can serve as rare and precious treasures.
“Has Your Highness ever wondered why there are warm jades and cold jades? Why can a piece of jade remain warm like a furnace or cold as ice regardless of the external environment?”
“This…”
The prince was stunned. He had never thought about this principle, just as no one questions why jade mined from the same location can vary in clarity and purity. Isn’t it natural? Just like children born of the same father, their abilities and appearances can differ greatly. Warm jade and cold jade, these rare treasures, are naturally like this. What more is there to say?
Mo Li saw his hesitation and nodded slightly, “They just possess a bit more spiritual energy.”
“Can it be used for healing?”
“Not exactly.”
Mo Li refuted the idea.
Unless one has a dragon vein like him, has learned martial arts, and uses spiritual energy as internal energy.
In fact, Mo Li’s use of spiritual energy is no better than the medical skills of those who use real internal energy; the effects of spiritual energy and internal energy are the same, with no difference in superiority.
“Just now, I forced the spiritual energy out of that stone, and then it absorbed it back. This is similar to rain, where the external atmosphere triggers its change. However, this spiritual energy always belongs to itself. Even if they are destroyed, the spiritual energy will only disperse back into the earth and sky, not to be used by people.”
Mo Li pointed to the bonsai and the warm jade, continuing, “Just keep these two items close to the prince. There are many different types of spiritual energy, indistinct to the common person, but they make a difference to the sick. They can’t cure diseases, but they can make you feel more comfortable and reduce the suffering from illness.”
This is also why places with clear waters and lush mountains, where spiritual energy gathers, are suitable for healing.
The prince nodded involuntarily, and the eunuchs placed the bonsai by the bed, making the sense of relief even more apparent.
The sand mouse, hiding in the doctor’s robe, watched the excitement. These were all new to it, and it seemed the “pine nut” was no longer an option, leading the sand mouse to scratch its paws in disappointment.
Then it froze, as it had scratched a thread loose on the robe.
The sand mouse dared not move anymore, carefully retracting its paws to the side, pretending as if nothing had happened.
Unaware that his garment lining had been compromised, Mo Li instructed Chief Steward Chen to remove the remaining items, but the prince had not forgotten the task he intended to entrust.
“Is there anything you fancy, Doctor? I’m quite concerned about the Second Prince being alone outside…”
“If Your Highness only wishes for someone to safely escort the Second Prince out of the capital, there’s no need for compensation. Brother Meng and I have accepted a hundred silver taels from the Second Prince.”
The Eastern Palace attendees were astonished.
“Originally, the hundred taels were for hiring an assassin to commit regicide. Since the emperor didn’t die, we discounted the money, and the remainder was used for escorting someone out of the city.”
Mo Li didn’t explain why he didn’t kill Lu Zhang, but the prince could understand.
However, to Yu Lan and Chief Steward Chen, it sounded like Master Meng accepted a hundred taels to assassinate the emperor but failed, and now that the Third Prince was rising, could it be that the emperor’s days were numbered?
“Send out orders to find the whereabouts of the Sixth Prince.” The prince quickly went through the names of civil and military officials in his mind, then listed a few names, intending for his subordinates to search their residences.
Mo Li didn’t want to see him make an effort in vain and directly said, “He is at General Liu Dan’s residence.”
The prince was startled again; he didn’t know Liu Dan had returned to the capital, and how did the doctor know this?
“With my own eyes.” Mo Li didn’t mention he was also staying at the general’s house. He packed up his acupuncture needles and said lightly, “General Liu’s days are not easy.”
The prince understood.
The military officials of the Qi dynasty had always been suppressed by civil officials, with the emperor’s indulgence and because the civil officials simply disliked the military officials, seeing them as threats due to their control over armed forces.
If the emperor was incapacitated and civil officials gained power, Liu Dan would naturally be in deep trouble.
“Does the prince still plan to leave the imperial seal to the Sixth Prince, supporting him to ascend the throne?”
“What do you suggest, Doctor?”
“The Sixth Prince is young. Even with the support of a few brothers, the Qi dynasty will quickly fall into turmoil.”
Not to mention the two elder princes were not willing to help the youngest.
The prince smiled bitterly, having no other choice, otherwise why would he propose the throne to Meng Qi?
“Why not ascend to the throne yourself?” Mo Li asked calmly.
“I, my days are numbered…”
The prince’s tone was one of shock, but his expression seemed contemplative.
“The Three Kings of the Chu dynasty might not be a threat, but the King of Tianshou in the southwest is restless. With the presence of the Holy Lotus Altar deceiving the people and jianghu rogues recruiting martial artists to serve the King of Tianshou, it’s evident he is not satisfied with just the southwest. Launching an attack on nearby cities and aiming at Taijing is only a matter of time.”
Mo Li paused, then added, “Your Highness, your days are numbered, and so is the Qi dynasty. If Lu Zhang were still in power, perhaps he could hold off the threat, but now with the Sixth Prince recklessly seeking trouble and the Third Prince attempting to use the power of civil officials for a coup, I see Lu Zhang’s narrow-mindedness. At this point, we cannot expect him to set aside prejudices. If you ascend, at least the three princes will work together in unity.”
The difference between being an emperor and not is significant.
Not just in terms of rites and titles but also in the conducting of sacrifices.
“After you pass, the throne ends with you, and the Qi dynasty will have no more emperors. I think whether it’s the three princes or the civil officials from Wenyuan Pavilion, none would object.”
Author’s Note:
The missing word count update will be made up in the next two days OAQ
———
Warm jade and millennium cold jade exist only in martial arts or fantasy cultivation novels.
In reality, there is no jade that can warm in winter and cool in summer, or emit a chilling aura.
In other words, in reality, jade is just jade; it can’t be a refrigerator or a heater, only possibly warmed by people.
If warm jade appears in a normal, non-fantasy novel, it must be because of a plot twist【Shut up】【Don’t talk nonsense】
