Chapter Sixty-Three: The Dragon Blood Jade

“How could that be? None of the screens displayed in the main hall caught your eye?” Master Zhao asked awkwardly, clearly at a loss for words.

“Those are priceless treasures. I have no intention of purchasing anything so expensive,” Han Qing replied directly, shaking his head, leaving everyone bewildered. No one could fathom what he was up to.

“Just look at what I bought—the jadeite I chose earlier. See how brilliant and translucent it is...” Young Master Zhu prattled on endlessly, clearly enamored with his piece of jade, though the others regarded it with indifference.

“Please, try to persuade Brother Han. For some reason, he insists on taking a stone from my pond!” he pleaded.

A stone?

Young Master Zhu stared in shock. There was nothing special about it. He couldn’t understand.

“I can’t change his mind.”

“If you want it, take it. But with so many people watching, if you leave with nothing but a worthless stone, what will become of the Zhao family’s reputation?” Master Zhao said helplessly.

“Stop beating around the bush. Tell us, what exactly is the story behind this thing?” Young Master Zhu pressed. He knew there had to be more to that stone than met the eye.

“If you’re offering it to me, I’ll accept. But once it’s cut open, don’t regret your decision,” Han Qing replied nonchalantly. After all, he was just trying his luck.

“Cut it open? What is he talking about? He thinks any random stone could be worth a fortune?”

“Maybe he believes he has some talent, that he can see through things at a glance.”

Most voices in the crowd were mocking and derisive, though a few, who recognized Han Qing, remained silent.

“Grandfather, he’s lost his mind! He thinks one of our stones is more valuable than any of our treasures!” Master Zhao exclaimed as the old patriarch emerged. He hurried over and relayed the entire story.

“It’s nothing. If he wants it, let him have it,” the old patriarch replied indifferently. Having witnessed Han Qing’s abilities before, he knew this young man was far from ordinary. Still, he found it curious—why choose such an ordinary stone from a pond full of them?

“Master Han, may this old man have a look? If it’s truly priceless, I’d like to see it with my own eyes.”

“Of course,” Han Qing agreed with sincerity.

Some among the crowd began to wonder. Could it really be true? If jade was revealed inside, did that mean all the stones in the pond were potentially jade?

At that moment, the King of Jade Gambling, Magnate Zhou, arrived.

“I’ve been looking at stones all my life—there’s nothing I haven’t seen. Mind if I take a look?” Magnate Zhou said with a sneer, clearly dismissive of those around him.

Han Qing nodded, unfazed, a hint of amusement in his expression, waiting for the jade king’s verdict.

“No need to cut it. It’s just an ordinary stone, nothing special, found everywhere,” Magnate Zhou declared.

At that, the crowd’s hopes faded. If the expert said so, what could anyone else say?

“Young man, you’d do better to study a few more years. Reality is not like what you read in books,” Magnate Zhou mocked, not seeing anything amiss in his own words.

“Exactly. Does he really think reading a few pages will turn stones into gems?”

“Right? For a moment, I almost believed him because of how certain he looked.”

The jeers grew louder, the crowd eager for drama and quick to kick a man when he was down.

“Still, let’s cut it open. Even the master might be wrong once in a while,” Han Qing said suddenly.

Magnate Zhou’s expression darkened immediately, and the others stared in shock.

“Brother Han, this Magnate Zhou is famous everywhere. They say if he claims a stone contains jade, it always does,” Young Master Zhu whispered hurriedly, thinking Han Qing might not know of the man’s reputation.

“Go on, then,” Master Zhao agreed, instructing the servants to fetch the tools quickly.

After fifteen minutes of hammering, the stone finally revealed its true form. Yet few paid attention, prepared instead to mock him.

“Look! Jade! Dragon’s Blood Jade!” a merchant cried out in astonishment as he glimpsed an edge of the stone.

Dragon’s Blood Jade, according to legend, was formed when the blood of ancient dragons seeped into the mountains and, after centuries of transformation, became jade. Its milky white base was streaked with red—a sight rarely seen. Most jade on the market was ordinary Hetian jade.

Hearing this, Magnate Zhou stepped forward in disbelief. Indeed, it was a once-in-a-century find.

“How can this be? Just now it was nothing but a worthless rock!”

“Incredible! I never thought I’d see such legendary jade in my lifetime,” the crowd exclaimed, all eyes fixed on the Dragon’s Blood Jade.

Han Qing, however, remained calm, instructing the craftsman to polish the edge so it could be made into a pendant.

“Master Han, your vision is truly extraordinary, to have singled out this treasure at a glance,” the old patriarch said, his tone carrying an unspoken meaning.

But Han Qing refused to take the bait. He had asked clearly before whether the stone was for sale, and the Zhao family insisted on giving it as a gift. Now, if they wished to take it back, that was simply not how things were done.

“It is only because of the auspicious grounds of the Zhao family. Without them, how could I have found such a treasure?” he replied, praising the Zhao family instead.

The old patriarch, understanding the implication, accepted this answer.

Magnate Zhou, however, was the subject of scorn.

“To think the so-called King of Jade Gambling couldn’t recognize such a precious stone. How did he gain his reputation?”

“Exactly! Maybe he does make mistakes after all,” the crowd murmured, most of them directing their dissatisfaction at Magnate Zhou, convinced that he’d let a priceless treasure slip through his fingers and allowed someone else to seize the opportunity. Their envy never ceased.

Magnate Zhou left, visibly embarrassed. He had been invited as an honored guest by the Zhao patriarch, yet ended up making a fool of himself and tarnishing his reputation.

“How did you know it was Dragon’s Blood Jade?” Young Master Zhu asked, astonished, examining the stone in Han Qing’s hand. Its smooth texture was truly breathtaking.

“I didn’t know. I just thought this stone looked different from the others, that’s all,” Han Qing replied with sincere honesty. It had been a stroke of luck.