37: Chapter 37 Great Sale of Genuine Works by Famous Artists

[Item Name: 2 Qing Daoguang Blue and White Underglaze Red Plum Vases, from the Jingdezhen Imperial Kiln, exclusively for royal use]

[Estimated Value: 16,000,000 Yuan]

[Energy Absorbed: +1600 points, Total Energy: 1,384,840 points]

[Item Name: 8 Qing Xianfeng Famille Rose Floral and Bird Pattern Plates, dedicated for palace use, exquisite craftsmanship]

[Estimated Value: 92,000,000 Yuan]

[Energy Absorbed: +9200 points, Total Energy: 1,394,040 points]

The third box...

The sixth box...

Hu Tian, like an untiring glutton, opened eight large copper-cornered iron-clad boxes in succession, collecting hundreds of treasures and a massive amount of gold, silver, and jewelry.

The energy value had soared to a staggering 1.78 million points.

The system's estimated total value had reached over 1.63 billion. Seeing this figure, Hu Tian curled his lip and thought to himself: "This number looks like a phone number; I've lost all sense of scale. I just feel the golden light filling the room is a bit blinding—it truly 'blinded my titanium alloy dog eyes'."

Beads of sweat broke out on Hu Tian's forehead—not from exhaustion, but from extreme excitement. This feeling of getting rich overnight made him tremble all over, his blood boiling as if it were on fire.

He knew the main event was still in the deepest part; everything before this was just an appetizer, and the real "Manchu-Han Feast" was only just about to be served.

Hu Tian came to the inner chamber, where seven slightly smaller red sandalwood boxes were placed. The material was precious, emitting a faint fragrance that was refreshing to smell, as if it could cleanse the soul.

The boxes were carved with cloud and dragon patterns that were lifelike, and the locks were made of gold. It was extremely luxurious, highlighting the owner's noble status and exuding an air of "untouchable for any but royalty."

Looking at the golden locks, a playful smile curled at the corners of Hu Tian's lips: "A mere golden lock wants to stop me? Before a descendant of Lu Ban, this is nothing but showing off!"

He once again displayed the unique skills of Lu Ban. His fingertips danced, and the golden lock opened as easily as a toy in his hands, emitting a series of pleasant, crisp sounds as if welcoming the master's arrival. It could truly be said, "With a laugh and a chat, the golden lock vanished into thin air."

He took a deep breath to calm his racing heart, then reached out with slightly trembling hands toward the first box and slowly opened the lid.

Click—the moment the latch popped open, a ghostly green light shot out from the gap.

Hu Tian instinctively squinted, but he couldn't bear to look away.

The light swirled and leaped in the dim warehouse, moving through the air like a living thing, carrying fine specks of light that were breathtakingly beautiful.

"Damn, is this the legendary treasure light? It's completely dazzled my Karsilan eyes!"

The lid was fully opened.

In his mind, the radar boomed.

[Item Name: A string of Qing Dynasty East Pearl Court Beads! Total of 108 beads, each round and plump with a warm luster, exclusively for royal use, epic-grade jewelry]

[Estimated Value: 82,000,000 Yuan]

[Energy Absorbed: +8200 points, Total Energy: 1,796,840 points]

[Item Name: A Pigeon Blood Ruby! Weighing about 50 carats, the color is rich as blood, pure and flawless, rare in the world, epic-grade jewelry]

[Estimated Value: 120,000,000 Yuan]

[Energy Absorbed: +12,200 points, Total Energy: 1,809,040 points]

[Item Name: Three Emerald Rough Stones! Total weight about 3000 carats, crystal clear, vibrant emerald green color, epic-grade jewelry]

[Estimated Value: 260,000,000 Yuan]

[Energy Absorbed: +26,000 points, Total Energy: 1,835,040 points]

Hu Tian's heartbeat accelerated, a burning sensation in his chest, his blood surging through his body. Every cell was cheering and leaping, as if participating in a grand carnival.

Hu Tian carefully picked up one of the fist-sized emerald rough stones. It felt heavy in his hand, with a warm and delicate texture, as if he were holding a clump of solidified spring water.

He raised his flashlight and aimed the beam at the rough stone.

In an instant, a soul-stirring emerald green light burst forth from inside the rough stone. The light seemed to have a life of its own, swirling, leaping, and flowing in the dim warehouse.

The green was like the tenderest new leaves of spring, or like the deepest pool in the mountains after rain. Through the refraction of the crystal, it transformed into thousands of fine rays of light, weaving a shimmering, colorful web in his palm.

Hu Tian was mesmerized, his breathing nearly coming to a halt.

This pure, rich green could simply suck a person's soul in, making one willing to sink into it.

Just then, the system prompt in his mind sounded again. This time it wasn't a simple item identification, but carried the weight of history: [Item Origin Trace: These three emerald rough stones came from the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom Heavenly Kings Mansion treasury!]

[Detailed Information: In 1853 AD, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom captured Nanjing and established the capital at Tianjing. The Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan moved into the Xu Garden and rebuilt it into the Heavenly Kings Mansion. To manifest the majesty of the Heavenly Dynasty, Hong Xiuquan ordered the looting of treasures from the city's nobles, aristocrats, and wealthy merchants to enrich the Heavenly Kings Mansion treasury.]

[In 1856, the East King Yang Xiuqing was killed in the Tianjing Incident, and the treasures in his mansion were all moved into the Heavenly Kings Mansion. This included these three emerald rough stones, originally looted by the East King from the Liangjiang Governor-General's treasury, witnessing those bloody and tumultuous years.]

[In 1862, the Wing King Shi Dakai's western expedition failed. Before leaving, he secretly sent a batch of treasures back to Tianjing to be kept by the Heavenly King. These three emerald rough stones were mixed among them, carrying the Wing King's final tragic heroism.]

[In 1864, with the Xiang Army on the verge of breaking through Tianjing, Hong Xiuquan knew the Heavenly Kingdom's fate was sealed. He ordered his trusted aides to move the most precious treasures from the Heavenly Kings Mansion treasury in batches. These three emerald rough stones, along with other jewelry, were packed into red sandalwood boxes and hidden in the Holy Treasury to prolong the last hope of the Heavenly Kingdom.]

Listening to the system's narration, the emerald rough stone in his hand seemed to suddenly become scalding, burning his palm.

Through the emerald crystal, he seemed to see that vigorous peasant uprising from over a hundred years ago, seeing the rise and fall of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, seeing countless treasures displaced in the flames of war, and hearing the roar of the wheels of history rolling forward.

This rough stone had once shone in the East King's secret chamber, had been held in the hands of the Wing King's trusted aide, and had originally been viewed by the Heavenly King Hong Xiuquan as a straw to clutch at, hoping to use it to trade for support from overseas forces to turn the tide.

Unfortunately, history left no chance for the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom; in the end, it was a case of "flowers fall, do what one may."

The treasure was hidden here, passed down for a hundred years, experiencing the vicissitudes of life, and finally fell into his, Hu Tian's, hands. It could be said, "The swallows that once graced the halls of the Wang and Xie families have now flown into the homes of common people"—no, they have flown into "Hu Tian's" home!

"So that's how it is..."

Hu Tian muttered to himself, a complex light flashing in his eyes—a mix of awe for history and the heroic spirit of controlling his own destiny.

He gently stroked the smooth surface of the emerald rough stone. His fingertips felt the cold touch, yet it carried the warmth of history, as if he were having a conversation across time and space with the ancients from a hundred years ago.

Over a hundred years ago, Hong Xiuquan might have stroked this gem in the same way, carrying despair for the future and a final hope, lamenting the helplessness of "the blue sky is dead, the yellow sky shall stand."

Unfortunately, history is ruthless, and the affairs of men are full of vicissitudes; the former glory eventually became passing smoke.

The former Heavenly King's treasure now all belonged to him. This was not just an inheritance of wealth, but a relay of history.

Hu Tian carefully placed the rough stone back into the box, took a deep breath, and cast his gaze toward the remaining six red sandalwood boxes, his eyes flashing with a light woven of curiosity and greed.

He knew that inside them lay even more unknown secrets, waiting for him to uncover them one by one.

Click—the moment the latch popped open, the second box contained several scrolls of calligraphy and painting. The fragrance of ink was pungent, and the artistic conception was profound, as if the entire misty rain of Jiangnan had been locked within this small space.

[Item Name: Authentic Qing Dynasty Zheng Banqiao "Bamboo and Rock Painting"! Paper hanging scroll, the brushwork is vigorous, the spirit of "clinging to the green mountain without letting go" leaps off the paper, epic-grade artifact]

[Estimated Value: 120,000,000 Yuan]

[Energy Absorbed: +12,000 points, Total Energy: 1,847,040 points]

[Item Name: Qing Dynasty Shitao "Landscape Album" 12 leaves! The composition is strange and magnificent, the brush and ink are vivid; it is a masterpiece of Shitao's later years, in excellent condition, epic-grade artifact]

[Estimated Value: 100,000,000 Yuan]

[Energy Absorbed: +10,000 points, Total Energy: 1,857,040 points]

Hu Tian's gaze swept over the remaining calligraphy and paintings in the red sandalwood box one by one. Each one revealed a thick historical atmosphere and artistic charm, simply synonymous with "priceless."

He gently pulled out another scroll. After unfolding it, the vigorous brushstrokes and deep ink tones on the calligraphy and painting seemed to carry the power of traversing time and space, striking straight at the heart.

This was a "Pine and Crane Painting" by Wang Shigu of the Qing Dynasty. Cranes danced among the pines with serene expressions, symbolizing longevity and nobility, making one feel peaceful upon seeing it.

In the painting, the pine branches were vigorous and powerful, the details were exquisitely depicted, and the ink tones were perfectly balanced, full of vitality, as if one could hear the rustling of the pines and the cranes calling in the nine heavens.

[Item Name: Authentic Qing Wang Shigu "Pine and Crane Painting", paper hanging scroll, rigorous composition, vivid artistic charm, a treasure of the early Qing painting circle]

[Estimated Value: 85,000,000 Yuan]

[Energy Absorbed: +8500 points, Total Energy: 1,865,540 points]

Hu Tian took out another soft scroll from the box. This was a landscape painting by Shen Zhou of the ming dynasty, with distant mountains holding dark green hues and clouds swirling—a typical Jiangnan ink style. The lush, moist mountains and flowing water patterns perfectly fused, full of the painter's leisure and deep affection, making one feel as if they were in a paradise beyond the world.

[Item Name: ming dynasty Shen Zhou "Clear and Distant Landscape Painting" scroll, vivid brush and ink, typical literati landscape, well preserved]

[Estimated Value: 92,000,000 Yuan]

[Energy Absorbed: +9200 points, Total Energy: 1,874,740 points]

Finally, Hu Tian pulled out a relatively well-preserved flower and bird painting by Chen Hongshou of the ming dynasty. In the painting, hundreds of flowers were blooming, the gold and silver colors were delicate, and the birds' postures were lifelike, overflowing with an elegant natural atmosphere, as if one could smell the fragrance of flowers and hear the singing of birds.

[Item Name: ming dynasty Chen Hongshou "Hundred Flowers Painting" authentic color painting, bright colors, meticulous heavy color style, extremely high collection value]

[Estimated Value: 73,000,000 Yuan]

[Energy Absorbed: +7300 points, Total Energy: 1,882,040 points]

Following that, more heavy hitters arrived one after another: [Item Name: ming dynasty Tang Bohu "Lady Painting" authentic! Silk color painting, the lady's posture is graceful, her face beautiful, a handed-down masterpiece by Tang Bohu, epic-grade artifact]

[Estimated Value: 15,000,000 Yuan] [Energy Absorbed: +15,000 points, Total Energy: 1,897,040 points]

[Item Name: Qing Dynasty Bada Shanren "Lotus and Water Bird Painting"! Ink on paper, concise brushwork, ethereal artistic conception, a representative work of Bada Shanren's later years, epic-grade artifact]

[Estimated Value: 13,000,000 Yuan] [Energy Absorbed: +13,000 points, Total Energy: 1,910,040 points]

[Item Name: ming dynasty Wen Zhengming "Orchid and Bamboo Painting" hand scroll! Ink on paper, three meters long, lush orchids and bamboo, rich literati atmosphere, well preserved, epic-grade artifact]

[Estimated Value: 11,000,000 Yuan] [Energy Absorbed: +11,000 points, Total Energy: 1,921,040 points]

Looking at these authentic works of masters from the Ming and Qing dynasties, a feeling of awe welled up in Hu Tian's heart, and at the same time, he couldn't help but want to look up to the sky and roar: "God, are you trying to stuff the entire history of art into my hands?"