Rebirth: The Time-locked Girl
Chapter 176 Qianyuan Treasury, provoked a pair of lunatics! [2 more]

Chapter 176: 176 Qianyuan Treasury, provoked a pair of lunatics! [2 more]

The one who remained unconscious was indeed Xiang Yannan, but what mattered most was that someone was slapping the Xiang Family in the face!

In Yunjing, the Xiang Family was the sky.

No one had ever been able to leave unscathed after tarnishing the Xiang Family’s honor.

"Yes," two guards replied respectfully, "Fifth, Fifth Master, we only know it was a girl, about one meter seventy-five, quite tall, but she struck with incredible precision, we..."

"Useless, you can’t even defeat a woman, what’s the use of keeping you?" Fifth Uncle Xiang picked up a teacup and smashed it on the head of a guard, "If your young master doesn’t wake up, you can all quit."

The two guards dared not speak or show anger, and hurriedly went off to carry out Fifth Uncle Xiang’s orders.

**

The Yunjing Museum was vast, with a total of eighteen exhibition areas.

In an afternoon, with Curator Xiang’s explanations, they had only covered four exhibition areas.

"Miss Ye, since you’re so fond of antiques, would you like to attend the auction the day after tomorrow?" Curator Xiang suddenly asked, "It will be held in Yunjing, and the auction items are definitely authentic. If there’s anything you like, I can bid for you."

Merely based on the fact that Ye Wanlan had found Princess Yongning’s Concentricity Pendant and did not keep it for her own profit, but instead handed it over to the museum, she had earned his admiration!

"You flatter me, if there is something I like, I will buy it myself," Ye Wanlan smiled, "Your money should be kept for protecting the relics in the museum."

"This..." Curator Xiang hesitated.

"Curator!" At that moment, an assistant hurried over, "There’s trouble!"

"What happened?"

"Xiang Yannan of the Xiang Family has been attacked, seriously injured and in a coma, and has been taken to the hospital. Fifth Master Xiang is about to issue a citywide manhunt for the perpetrator!"

After hearing this, Curator Xiang nodded and said, "That’s their business, it has nothing to do with me."

The assistant continued, "Because the surveillance didn’t capture it, and no trace was left at the scene, Fifth Master Xiang hopes the main house could help find the assailant."

"I’m just a museum curator, how does this relate to me?" Curator Xiang waved his hand dismissively, then suddenly asked, "Wait, who did you say Xiang Yannan is?"

He and his assistant looked at each other, both silent and bewildered.

"Her Royal Highness the Princess, I don’t think he is your descendant; he seems a bit foolish!" the Qingyun Pendant whispered softly, "Others have been asking him for so long, and he still doesn’t know who it is."

Ye Wanlan pondered, "Perhaps after three hundred years, the genes have changed quite a bit."

"Her Royal Highness the Princess, I understand genetics!" the Qingyun Pendant chirped lively, "But doesn’t genetics favor survival of the fittest? How could they remove the excellent and keep the inferior?"

Ye Wanlan remained silent.

It was also fortunate that no one else could hear the Qingyun Pendant’s voice; otherwise, with such a sharp tongue, it was bound to be smashed to pieces someday.

"He... he’s the one who snatched the dagger from the Prince of Yan right in front of the Cultural Relics Bureau." The assistant wiped his sweat, "Now, this dagger has also been sent to the main house, it’s meant for Young Master Shaoyu."

"What? How could they force themselves upon cultural relics?" Curator Xiang erupted in anger, "Well done! He really is despicable!"

The dagger had arrived along with the Concentricity Pendant and the Golden Step Shake and he had also observed the dagger up close, but couldn’t find anything particularly special about it.

But Curator Xiang could assert, there must be some mystery hidden within the dagger.

Who crafted it?

It was none other than the expert in Qimen Dunjia and Hundred Refined Mechanism, the Prince of Yan.

Could it be an ordinary dagger?

Curator Xiang also knew that many people from the Xiang Family had visited the Cultural Relics Bureau several times, but none had succeeded.

"This is bad!" Curator Xiang suddenly slapped his forehead, "If the dagger is in the main house, doesn’t that mean it ends up in the Elders Council’s hands, how can I get it for Miss Ye..."

Ye Wanlan looked up, "The Elders’ Council?"

"Yes, the Elders’ Council, a bunch of stubborn old men, they’ve always had a fetish for collecting relics," Curator Xiang explained with a headache, "And they never inquire about the origin of the relics, anything that lands in their hands is bound to be taken to the Qianyuan Treasury."

"The Qianyuan Treasury?" the Qingyun Pendant murmured, "Why does that name sound so familiar?"

"This Qianyuan Treasury was once the treasury built beneath the palace of Fengyuan City," continued Curator Xiang, "Three hundred years ago, the remaining members of the Xiang Family avoided massacre by hiding in the Qianyuan Treasury, which led to the establishment of today’s Xiang Family."

Ye Wanlan’s voice was soft, "Yes, I know."

All other members of the Xiang Imperial Family could leave, except for Emperor Yongshun, Princess Jingan, Princess Yongle, and members of the direct lineage.

Because if they flee, the enemy would definitely track their whereabouts, which means that other collateral family members wouldn’t survive either.

Therefore, they had to use their lives to pave a path of survival for the rest of the Xiang Family members.

Ye Wanlan thought that if she were still there at that time, if she were driven to such extremities, she would do the same.

"The current Qianyuan Treasury isn’t the original one from Fengyuan," sighed Curator Xiang. "It’s a replica, but it’s also arranged using Qimen Dunjia. Only the Elders Council knows how to enter; I’ve been in there, but sadly I don’t understand the layout."

"I understand," Ye Wanlan nodded slightly. "I’ll treat you to a meal in a while, and then you can take me to the Qianyuan Treasury of the Xiang Family."

"What?!" Curator Xiang was shocked. "Miss Ye, you didn’t listen carefully to what I said. Without the proper method, it’s impossible to enter the Qianyuan Treasury, not only that, but traps will also be triggered, resulting in an untimely death without a complete corpse!"

It wasn’t that no thieves had set their sights on the treasures inside the Qianyuan Treasury. Even an internationally renowned crime syndicate had infiltrated the Xiang Family and failed to gain entry, only to lose their lives in vain.

Curator Xiang often marveled at the endless wisdom of their ancestors; things from a thousand years ago still proved to be immensely useful in today’s high-tech society.

"I know," Ye Wanlan said with a slight smile. "I just want to take a look, is that alright?"

Curator Xiang, feeling helpless under her gaze, relented: "Alright, alright, looking is fine, but you absolutely can’t enter, nor can you conflict with the Elders Council. The matter with that dagger... I’m afraid it will be really hard to retrieve."

"We’ll know when we get there," Ye Wanlan said indifferently.

"Ah! I finally remember!" The Qingyun Pendant flickered with a sudden burst of enlightenment. "Wasn’t the Qianyuan Treasury built by the command of the former Emperor? The blueprints were drawn by Lord Prince Yan himself!"

The construction of the Qianyuan Treasury took eight years, and just the number of blacksmiths surpassed eighty thousand.

"Hey, entering the Qianyuan Treasury should be a piece of cake for Her Royal Highness the Princess," declared the Qingyun Pendant joyously. "Lord Prince Yan personally taught our princess how to get inside."

Ye Wanlan massaged her temples.

The Qingyun Pendant was only so forthright because it knew nobody else could hear its words.

Otherwise, all her secrets would be exposed by this incessantly babbling Jade Pendant.

"Curator, please continue," Ye Wanlan spoke up. "Let’s move on to the Shun Dynasty. I’m also very interested in that."

The four most powerful dynasties in the history of the Shenzhou Calendar, from oldest to most recent, are the Shun, Yong, Yin, and Ning Dynasties.

The Shun Dynasty was the first great unified dynasty on the Shenzhou Land Continent and started the journey towards vying for supremacy in the world.

"Okay," Curator Xiang replied still fraught with concern. "In the evening, you must stick with me; the Xiang Family’s estate is too large, and there are many people even I haven’t seen."

Ye Wanlan nodded, indicating she took his words to heart.

**

At this very moment, at the Xiang Family residence.

"You’re saying Xiang Yannan was beaten up and is now unconscious?" the elder sitting in the superior position touched his prayer beads. "Now they’re asking for our help to find the culprit responsible?"

"Yes, Fourth Elder," said Steward Xiang respectfully. "I’m not sure if it’s a case of revenge. Xiang Yannan has offended many people, but I suspect and infer that he was attacked because of the dagger he snatched."

There were too many people coveting that dagger; several factions within the Xiang Family were keeping an eye on it.

Moreover, the Xiang Family was far from united; the internal strife was fierce.

Xiang Yannan had seized the dagger to claim credit—how could the other factions let him off?

Steward Xiang added, "However, it’s also possible that the original owner of the dagger had someone beat Xiang Yannan as revenge since their property was stolen..."

"We are not going to give away that dagger," the Fourth Elder shook his head. "Although it’s true that Xiang Yannan did something wrong, once something enters the Xiang Family, how could there be any reason to relinquish it?"

The dagger, personally crafted by King of Yan He Jia, besides the Xiang Family, who else was qualified to hold it?

Privately claiming the Imperial Family’s relics, one would only do so in exchange for fame and fortune.

And just by chance, the Xiang Family had both of these. Even leaking a bit from their fingertips would be an unattainable luxury and wealth for the ordinary person.

"I understand what you mean," Steward Xiang replied. "But about Xiang Yannan..."

After visiting the hospital and witnessing Xiang Yannan’s injuries, the assaulter was extremely vicious and resolute, undoubtedly someone who had taken lives before and was a desperate fugitive.

"First, find the murderer. If they turn out to be troublesome, we can just hand over Xiang Yannan. The dagger has already been placed in the Qianyuan Treasury, beyond anyone’s reach," the Fourth Elder waved his hand dismissively. "Such a minor matter doesn’t need the Elders’ Council’s discussion; my decision is sufficient."

Steward Xiang left the Elders’ Hall and returned to the main hall: "The Fourth Elder said we would help find the murderer, but the dagger has entered the Qianyuan Treasury, and it cannot be surrendered."

"Such a big attitude," Yan Tingfeng stood at the doorway, speaking blandly.