Chapter 2001: Offering a Dragon Pearl! (1/2)

”Ridiculous! Do you mean to say that our beloved subject An would dare to harm Us?”

The 'Sage Emperor' broke out in laughter upon hearing the official's words.

”Wen Lan, what rubbish are you saying?” A Bureau of Rites official was waiting and ready to stand up and loudly rebuke him. ”So many people are watching this feast of all countries, and you insist on damaging His Majesty's dignity?”

The Bureau of Rites was responsible for planning out this feast. Wen Lan's words were unquestionably a criticism against it.

”Haha, everyone, there is no need to be concerned. An Yaluoshan only feels respect and love for His Majesty. How could I harm a hair on His Majesty's head? If everyone is worried, An Yaluoshan will open it and let everyone have a look first!”

An Yaluoshan heartily laughed, apparently not minding Wen Lan's doubts.

Wang Chong said nothing, but his brow furrowed even more.

Clap!

An Yaluoshan held the golden box in one hand while his left hand removed the clasp and opened the lid.

Whoooah!

The moment the golden box was opened, a blinding light filled the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal, and all the torches, lanterns, and fire basins seemed to momentarily dim.

”Ah!”

Outside, the countless inhabitants of the capital cried out in shock.

In their eyes, it was like a large moon had appeared above the open-air hall of the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal, so bright that it stole radiance from the actual moon above.

”What's that?”

”Such intense light!”

”Let me see! The new Andong Protector-General is truly generous, gifting the Sage Emperor such a supreme treasure!”

The packed crowd outside stretched their necks to see what treasure An Yaluoshan had gifted.

”It's a luminescent pearl!”

Only Xu Qiqin managed to keep her cool, instantly recognizing that the treasure in An Yaluoshan's box was a giant luminescent pearl.

Though luminous pearls were precious, they were everywhere in the Great Tang Imperial Palace. While the Imperial Palace might not have had one hundred, it had at least seventy, many of which had been acquired during the occupation of the Arabian Empire. Wang Chong had seized many luminescent pearls from Mutasim III's treasury and brought them back to the Imperial Palace.

But all of these pearls seemed dim in comparison to An Yaluoshan's pearl, like comparing fireflies to the moon.

This was because An Yaluoshan's pearl was simply too huge!

”Your Majesty, Youzhou borders the Eastern Sea, where divine dragons dwell and spiritual energy gathers. In the past, when fishermen were out at sea and the weather was misty, they would see divine dragons crossing the skies.

”This lowly subject obtained this luminescent pearl by chance from a fisherman. As this pearl glowed at night, the fisherman said that it was a luminescent pearl, but when the lowly subject obtained it, he immediately knew that this pearl was no ordinary object. This was no luminescent pearl, but a dragon pearl!”

An Yaluoshan's words immediately caused an uproar.

Wang Chong and Xu Qiqin coldly watched, but the rest of the crowd chattered amongst themselves.

This treasure in An Yaluoshan's hand was clearly no ordinary object. But to say it was a dragon pearl was clearly a little too much.

”Haha, if everyone does not believe, just watch!”

An Yaluoshan seemed to have predicted this reaction, and he heartily laughed. Boom! He instantly sent Stellar Energy into the head-sized pearl.

Above the large pearl, small mountains and gurgling rivers began to form, and even tiny little trees and animals. This was clearly a miniature model of the land.

”This… is a miniature map of the Central Plains!”

A Bureau of Revenue official shot to his feet in excitement.

The pearl was displaying none other than the mountains and rivers of the Central Plains, and even birds and beasts were vividly realized. If one carefully listened, one could even hear the flowing of the rivers, as if they were real rivers rather than illusions.

Bang!

All the officials in the Pavilion of Petal and Sepal were struck dumb.

”The 'Records of Master Guan Wei' mentioned dragon pearls. They said that dragon pearls were congregations of spiritual energy. They appeared similar to luminescent pearls, but the spiritual energy in them resonates with the Nine Provinces, allowing them to display an image of the realm.”

”The first book of the 'Three Texts' says that dragon pearls are the size of a head and are the essence of the sun and moon, an auspicious omen.”

”The ancient texts really do say that the Eastern Sea is where Dragon Qi gathers. Could it be that the Andong Protector-General really did obtain a dragon pearl?!”

Many of the officials taking part in this feast of all countries were eminent and erudite scholars.