Chapter 93

"这就是欠钱不还的下场……"

On the young man's still relatively fair chest, these words were written in red paint.

It was this line of words that made the onlookers hesitant to act. Even if someone felt pity for the young man and thought he was pitiful, they did not dare to come forward to help, but instead chose to call the police.

However, it was early in the morning, and it would take some time for the police to arrive. During this time, the young man felt as if each second was an eternity, his face turning red and then white, and then red again, as if a box of paints had been spilled, making for a very dramatic scene.

And even now, he could not figure out who had done such a despicable and underhanded deed...

The main reason was that he owed money to too many people, at least seven or eight. All of them were chasing him for repayment, forcing him to go to great lengths to avoid them, which led him to the idea of swindling Zhu Qiao and then running away with the money.

He never expected that a plan that seemed to be going smoothly would be ruined by a scoundrel. Even worse, he was mysteriously knocked unconscious, tied up, and humiliated in a bustling market...

"Whoever you are, I will find you and repay you tenfold, a hundredfold!"

Thinking of this, the young man shed tears of humiliation, but a burning anger raged in his heart, wishing he could explode and take the person who had ambushed him the previous night with him.

When the police finally arrived and rescued the young man, Qi Xiang had already returned to Huzhou Manor safely and smoothly.

The trip to Nanxun had been full of twists and turns.

From the results, the goal had not been achieved. However, Qi Xiang did not feel discouraged; on the contrary, he was somewhat pleased. After all, the unexpected gain could make up for his disappointment.

"Box, box, little box..."

Qi Xiang straightened the box, feeling a bit of anticipation. The young man had hidden the box so carefully and even risked being discovered to check on it, so he was sure it did not contain ordinary things.

The box was locked, and it was a sturdy combination lock.

After studying it, Qi Xiang decided to use a sharp knife to pry open the lock. However, the box was lined with iron, making it extremely hard and solid, and he could not pry it open.

Qi Xiang thought about using a hammer to break it, but he was worried about damaging the contents, so he hesitated.

For a moment, Qi Xiang felt at a loss, considering for a long time without making a move. He was mainly concerned that such a small safe might have some self-destruct mechanism.

If the password was wrong or if it was subjected to a heavy impact, the mechanism inside would activate, leading to mutual destruction.

Thinking of the young man's cunning, Qi Xiang had to be cautious and did not dare to take risks lightly.

"Hmph, a mere combination lock can only lock for a while, not forever." After a moment of contemplation, Qi Xiang was not worried. He put the box aside and waited patiently.

Time passed, and soon it was evening. Qi Xiang, bathed in moonlight, let his spirit drift out of his body and into the lock. With a quick scan, the password became clear to him.

"9527..."

Qi Xiang focused and immediately entered the password. There was a click, and the box unlocked smoothly. At that moment, he took a deep breath and carefully placed the box flat, then slowly opened it...

When the box opened, Qi Xiang saw a thick layer of sponge padding, and in the center, an object wrapped in thick cloth. From its outline, it indeed resembled a circular disc.

Qi Xiang's heart raced as he gently picked up the object. His first impression was that it was very light, as if it only weighed as much as the thick cloth.

"Rolling bead disc..." Qi Xiang held his breath and slowly peeled off the layers of thick cloth. Instantly, a soft, bright glow illuminated the room, casting a warm, hazy light.

At that moment, Qi Xiang was stunned, his eyes filled with admiration. A full moon seemed to hang in the air in the room, like a transparent sphere, clear and pure, without a speck of dust.

The light was soft and gentle, like cotton, and the moon was surrounded by a faint, colorful halo, gradually fading, creating a magnificent and mysterious scene.

Qi Xiang was lost in thought for a long time before he slowly regained his senses.

"The light of the disc is like the moon, what a wonderful rolling bead disc..."

Qi Xiang exhaled, finally understanding why, after several decades, Zhu Hongwu still remembered the rare and beautiful rolling bead disc. Such treasures, once seen, would never be forgotten.

Qi Xiang, entranced, forced himself to close his eyes. After several minutes, he finally shook off the influence of the moon in the air and then looked down at the rolling bead disc.

Under the moonlight, the disc seemed to appear and disappear, as if it did not exist, with only layers of silver-white light flowing. When he touched it lightly, he felt that the inner wall of the disc was smooth like jade and had a slightly cool texture.

The walls of the disc were so thin, as if they were a sheet of paper, easily punctured.

However, Qi Xiang had a feeling that the thin walls, though seemingly fragile, were actually very strong. Even if it fell from the air to the ground, it might not be damaged at all.

"Is this a porcelain disc?"

Qi Xiang squinted and examined it for a while but could not be sure. The material of the disc was indeed very similar to porcelain, and it had been glazed, even showing traces of being shaped by hand.

From these traces, it was clear that the object was indeed a porcelain disc.

The question was, why was the porcelain disc so bright, clear, and free of impurities, and why could it gather moonlight and project it into the air, creating a scene of two moons shining together?

No matter how hard Qi Xiang thought, he could not figure it out, and could only marvel at the wonders of nature.

"Or perhaps this is the legendary kiln change... a kiln treasure!"

Qi Xiang mused. He had once heard an old kiln worker in the江湖 (jianghu) mention that even if the kiln was fired strictly according to detailed steps, there was still a certain probability of mutation during the firing process.

The result of the mutation could be one of two things: kiln disease or kiln treasure.

The "Nan Yao Notes" records that the color of the glaze is entirely dependent on the kiln fire. If there is wind, rain, or dampness, the glaze may turn dark yellow and crack, resulting in various defects, all of which are kiln diseases.

There is also a type of kiln change, which occurs when the essence of the kiln fire condenses, creating a unique and beautiful color, which is both strange and charming, known as a kiln treasure, which is rare and hard to obtain.

Whether it is a kiln disease or a kiln treasure, both can be collectively referred to as a kiln change.

A kiln change mainly refers to the uncertain natural changes that occur in the quality or surface glaze of porcelain during the firing process due to changes in the kiln temperature.

As early as the Song Dynasty, kiln workers had discovered this phenomenon and, using their intelligence, classified and utilized it, successfully firing the famous Jun porcelain.

Jun porcelain has a variety of colors, ranging from brilliant clouds to spring flowers and autumn clouds, from raging sea waves to galloping horses, all of which are unpredictable and masterfully crafted.

This kiln change, originally a defect, was appreciated by ancient scholars and highly esteemed, leading to the increased value of Jun porcelain, which was listed as one of the five famous kilns.

In summary, kiln changes can be roughly divided into three types: deformation, discoloration, and quality change.

Qi Xiang strongly suspected that the rolling bead disc in front of him had undergone a quality change during the kiln change process, resulting in a unique and unparalleled treasure.

Such an object is one of a kind in the world, and if it is damaged, it cannot be replaced. No wonder the old man of the Dong family was willing to die to protect it and refused to sell it for any amount of money.

Unfortunately, the descendants of the Dong family were not up to the task, which made it easier for him to obtain it...

Qi Xiang admired the rolling bead disc and suddenly had an idea. He quickly picked up a water bottle, poured a few drops of water into his palm, and then gently flicked his wrist, scattering the water onto the disc.

He wanted to see if the so-called "water droplets rolling like beads" was true.

Qi Xiang opened his eyes wide and watched intently. The clear water landed on the disc and immediately slid, but after a moment, it dispersed without forming beads.

Qi Xiang was somewhat surprised and tried a few more times, but the water always moved a little on the disc and then stopped, never forming beads.

He finally gave up, but after some thought, he felt relieved.

Qi Xiang speculated that the so-called "water droplets rolling like beads" might have been a mistake made by Zhu Hongwu and his friends when they were drunk, mistaking pearls for water droplets...

Regardless, the phenomenon of the disc gathering moonlight was enough to shock and amaze Qi Xiang. That night, he repeatedly admired the disc, placing it on the bedside table only when the night was quiet, and fell asleep with the moonlight.

The next morning, Qi Xiang woke up slowly. He opened his dazed eyes and instinctively looked at the bedside table. Seeing the crystal-clear disc, he finally fully woke up.

Qi Xiang rubbed his eyes and slowly sat up. Suddenly, his gaze fell on something, and he froze, unable to move.

"This is..." Qi Xiang blinked hard and looked again. In the crystal-clear disc, there seemed to be a few transparent, crystal-like beads.

Each bead was very clear and bright, smooth and round, pure and clean, without a speck of dust.

At first, Qi Xiang thought he was still half-asleep and hallucinating. But when he pinched his face and felt a sharp pain, he knew it was real...

For a moment, Qi Xiang was both shocked and curious. After observing for a while, he could not resist reaching out and carefully picking up one of the beads.

In an instant, he felt no resistance, and the bead shattered, turning into a small puddle of water on his hand. The water was very cool and seemed to have a fresh, natural scent.

Qi Xiang was stunned and immediately widened his eyes. "This is... a water droplet?"

"Wait..." Qi Xiang's mind raced, and he immediately leaned closer to the disc and took a light sniff. Instantly, a very fresh, grassy scent filled his nose.

"Water without roots, a dew-catching disc?"

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