C16 Perseverance

After uttering those words, Yun Buhui fell silent, feeling that it was best to leave things as they were. The deeper meaning, he thought, would have to be discerned by the other party on their own. The young girl blushed upon hearing Yun Buhui's statement.

"Stand up! Try walking around a bit," Yun Buhui encouraged as he rose to his feet. He then stepped aside, arms folded, watching as the girl, who had been crying out in pain just moments before, surprisingly stood up. Under the astonished stares of onlookers, she not only walked around but even managed a couple of tentative jumps, finding her legs pain-free.

The middle-aged man, in his thirties, watched in amazement, as if he were in a dream. Once the reality set in, his joy was uncontainable. Without a second thought, he pulled out a thick wad of cash and offered it to Yun Buhui. "Young man, I can't thank you enough. I won't say much more—please accept this money as a token of my gratitude."

Truth be told, Yun Buhui was tempted to accept the money, as he was in dire need of it. But he reminded himself that a true gentleman acquires wealth honorably and had resolved not to accept any payment.

"Please keep your money," he said. "I couldn't stand to see the girl in such pain. Let's not worry about the money."

The man in his thirties chuckled at Yun Buhui's response. "You're going places, young man. Here's my business card. If you ever need anything, don't hesitate to contact me."

Yun Buhui took the business card with a cursory glance and pocketed it without really reading the print. As he turned to leave, he overheard the previously injured girl speak up weakly, "My brother-in-law wasn't trying to scam anyone. He spent a lot of money to secure a spot for me in tomorrow's performance."

"If I couldn't perform because of my injury, all that money would have gone to waste."

Yun Buhui, who was just about to walk away, was taken aback. He hadn't expected the loss she mentioned to be related to a performance. Glancing at the middle-aged man, who seemed unconcerned and unfazed by his earlier hostility, Yun Buhui's respect for him grew significantly.

"Oh, right, boss, do you accept jade stones here? I mean the finished kind," Yun Buhui inquired, just as he was about to leave the Jewelry Store. He suddenly remembered the real reason for his visit.

The Jewelry Store owner looked at Yun Buhui incredulously upon hearing his question.

"You're looking to sell jade stones?"

Yun Buhui removed the Jade Qilin he had fastened at his waist. The entire piece was only about 15 to 16 centimeters long, a brilliant yellow color, with a single horn atop its head and its mouth agape as though in mid-roar.

"A Yellow Jade carving of a horned Qilin, laughing," he said.

The store owner held the Jade Qilin in his hands, examining it closely. The quality was quite impressive. It was a shame, however, that it was made of Yellow Jade; had it been Hetian Jade, it would have been worth even more. Despite that, the craftsmanship of the carving was exceptional, rendering the Qilin strikingly lifelike. Moreover, it was a rare, top-grade piece of Yellow Jade.

"How much do you want for this Yellow Jade? If the price is reasonable, I'll buy it. Aside from the fact that you've just done me a huge favor, I'm very pleased with the quality of your Jade Qilin," the owner said.

"If you're happy with it, then please feel free to make an offer. I might even continue to bring more jade stones to sell to you in the future," Yun Buhui replied. He thought to himself that since he could nurture jade, he certainly shouldn't discard this lucrative opportunity.

However, the owner's brow furrowed as he responded, "Brother, it's not that I don't trust you, but you know how important the provenance of jade stones is. If this piece has an unsavory history, I simply can't take it."

Yun Buhui understood all too well. In any era, there would always be those who plundered graves. The jade stones they unearthed always needed a market, and the owner's reference to 'unclean' jade was a clear nod to such origins.

After all, if these artifacts were ever traced, not only would the seller be breaking the law, but the buyer would also face serious repercussions.

"I discovered this jade myself, up in the mountains, and I carved the pattern on it too."

"You found it yourself? And you carved the pattern too?" The Jewelry Store Boss repeated, astonishment written all over his face.

"Aren't you a doctor? How do you possess such carving skills?" The boss asked, having regained his composure.

"Have you never heard the saying? Many doctors who can wield a scalpel know a thing or two about carving," Buhui quipped, striking a balance between earnestness and humor, eliciting laughter from those around him. Yet, despite the light-hearted moment, everyone was still amazed by Buhui's ability to carve such an intricate and lifelike Jade Qilin. It seemed impossible that he could have such masterful carving skills without having spent over a decade in the craft.

Buhui could sense the skepticism in the onlookers' eyes, but that was to be expected. It was indeed a rarity for someone his age to exhibit such advanced stone-carving talent. Moreover, the jade had an exceptional roundness and smoothness to it after he had refined it, making it appear freshly carved.

"Since this is a Jewelry Store, you must have some jade materials, right? How about you bring out a piece, and I'll carve it right here, right now. Of course, I didn't bring my own carving tools, so I'll need to borrow yours."

Upon hearing this, the Jewelry Store Boss's eyes twinkled momentarily, but he promptly sent an attendant to fetch a palm-sized piece of Hetian Jade from the storage room.

Buhui took the Hetian Jade in his hands and examined it closely. The quality of this jade was that of a Level Two Jade. Yet, due to the inherent properties of Hetian Jade, even a Level Two Jade was superior to an ordinary Level One Yellow Jade. This particular piece of Hetian Jade felt exceptionally smooth to the touch. The only drawback was a flaw within the jade.

The flaw created a stark contrast in color, with the upper portion being a pale green and the lower part tinged with white. As such, any conventional carving from this jade would likely result in a piece of little value.

After all, when a single piece of jade displays two different qualities, it's almost rendered useless. Luckily, the layer of white jade wasn't very thick. Yun Buhui even thought that using it to carve a white cloud could actually enhance the effect.

"This jade is somewhat unique. Carving it into the laughing, horned Qilin I usually do would ruin it. However, with your permission, I could craft a Cloud Stepping Qilin instead."

Upon hearing this, the Jewelry Store Boss's face twitched involuntarily.

"Brother, I'll be honest with you, and don't laugh—I suddenly feel like I know nothing about the jewelry business. Your laughing Unicorn Qilin and this so-called Cloud Stepping Qilin are beyond me."

The Jewelry Store Boss felt that not only was he bewildered, but others present were equally lost in the fog.

"The Qilin's laugh, also known as its roar, can be used as a paperweight or placed in a home for protection. Legend has it that when a Qilin opens its mouth, no evil can invade. Thus, the laughing Qilin is believed to ward off evil. The Cloud Stepping Qilin, on the other hand, appears to soar, supported by a cloud beneath its feet."

"This Cloud Stepping Qilin symbolizes good fortune. It's particularly meaningful for families with children or those expecting a new arrival, as it signifies the coming of blessings. Each Qilin's pose has its own significance, and I'm now going to carve this very Cloud Stepping Qilin."

Not everyone is privy to this knowledge, especially when it comes to carving animals associated with Divine Beasts, as each pose has its own origin. Yun Buhui vividly recalled an incident from when he was thirteen, learning to carve with Third Uncle Sunn Tian in the village.

Back then, a wealthy family had commissioned them to carve a pair of large stone lions for their entrance. But as Third Uncle began to carve, he crafted one lion with eyes open and the other with eyes closed. The homeowner was livid upon seeing them. After all, a stone lion's fierceness and majesty are conveyed through its open eyes—what menace could a closed-eyed lion possibly convey?

Third Uncle Sunn Tian took the time to explain to the homeowner the significance of the stone lions placed at the entrance. According to traditions passed down by the elders, if a family had a member serving as a high-ranking official in the imperial court, their stone lions would be positioned with one looking up to the sky and the other looking down to the ground. This posture symbolized the official's integrity, with the raised head representing justice and the lowered head symbolizing concern for the people. Such an official was seen as honest and upright. If the emperor or a higher-ranking official were to visit and see these stone lions, they would understand that the homeowner was declaring their honesty and discouraging any attempts at bribery. The profound symbolism of the stone lions created an instinctive sense of respect and admiration, regardless of the homeowner's true character.

In contrast, a pair of stone lions with fierce, wide-open eyes would typically be found only at the entrance of a temple or a government office. These lions served as a warning that evil spirits were not welcome and that the vigilant guardian would not allow any wrongdoers to escape justice.

For ordinary households, the stone lions would usually be depicted with one eye open and the other closed, or alternating between the two. This too had its own meaning, suggesting that good fortune and longevity would enter with the closed eye, while evil spirits would be halted by the open eye. While these were merely mythological beliefs, adhering to such customs was a way to foster a sense of good luck and well-being.

Yun Buhui, reflecting on these traditions, chose not to delve further into explanations. He simply picked up the carving knife, gauged its weight in his hand, and began his work. Unlike the purely manual carving done with the strength of one's arm at home, this knife was mechanically operated, which made the carving experience distinctively different.