Chapter 1 A Disturbance

As dinnertime approached, a commotion suddenly erupted from a courtyard in Vanke Manor. Ye Tao's guards immediately rushed to the scene, where they discovered a blood-soaked man, severely wounded, in a storeroom. Though his clothes were ragged, the original quality of the fabric was evident. His disheveled appearance suggested a desperate escape. Upon being discovered by the manor's servants, the man resisted fiercely in a semiconscious state, his wild swings with a short knife keeping the commoners at bay. He clutched a square object wrapped in thick brocade.

The arrival of Ye Tao's guards quickly resolved the situation. Two guards easily subdued the man, and the commoners were instructed to watch over him. Unwrapping the brocade bundle, the two guards exchanged glances. Inside was a box of unknown material, its surface shimmering like metal. Its size suggested it was a small chest for storing letters and contracts, typically found in the study of a wealthy family. Though it had a tiny, straw-thin keyhole, it seemed impossible to open. The elaborate carvings of dragons and phoenixes amidst swirling auspicious clouds were unremarkable. Since the fall of the previous dynasty and the current division of the land, the exclusive use of dragon and phoenix motifs was no longer enforced. However, the seal at the center of the box indicated that both the box and its desperate protector were of considerable importance. The seal had once been widespread across the continent, symbolizing supreme power and authority. It was divided into two semicircles, each bearing a different image: a tiger on one side and a dragon on the other, representing the two essential qualities of power: force and authority. The seal was undoubtedly the mark of the former imperial family. Whoever the young man protecting the box was, he must have a distinguished background.

"Leave him to us. Watch him for a bit, we'll go back and get the physician and a few more guards. Given his condition, it's hard to say if he can even be moved," one of the guards said to the wary commoners.

The commoners lacked the knowledge of heraldry possessed by the palace-trained guards. Vanke Manor was vast, and they were already overwhelmed with the number of people to care for. Having to spare several people to watch over a dying young man was frustrating. They readily agreed and urged the guards to return as soon as possible.

The box was presented to Ye Tao. He carefully examined it, noting its material. He shook it, listening to the sound within, and scrutinized the lock, his brow furrowing.

Bi Xiaoqing, who was watching, asked curiously, "Can't you open it either, sir? We searched him and found nothing but a sweat towel and some silver. We didn't find a key or anything nearby either."

Ye Tao frowned. "The question is, what would we do with it if we opened it?"

"We could find out who he is, why he's being hunted, and maybe why a group of people are heading in this direction," Bi Xiaoqing said, puzzled.

Ye Tao tilted his head, looking at Bi Xiaoqing. "Didn't Feng Zi say he's not seriously injured and will wake up soon? Can't we just ask him then? I doubt I can open this thing before he wakes up."

Bi Xiaoqing scratched his head, asking strangely, "Is it that difficult?"

Ye Tao shrugged. "I don't want to force it open. Opening it without damaging it will take some time."

Bi Xiaoqing went to find Feng Zi, hoping to hear Feng Zi's assessment of when the mysterious man might awaken. Ye Tao, meanwhile, faced the box in Wang Shi's study. Soon after, Wang Shi, having heard the news, also arrived to observe Ye Tao's attempts to open the box without causing damage.

Wang Shi's study had become a workshop. In a short hour, Ye Tao had assembled the coaxial escapement clock. Because this type of escapement mechanism was too complex, precise, and unreliable, Ye Tao didn't explain much to Wang Shi. Instead, he spent a considerable amount of time personally instructing Wang Shi on assembling the anchor escapement clock. After all, this type of escapement mechanism was a classic. Although Wang Shi was old, he had spared no expense in collecting various intricate machines to disassemble and reassemble, gaining unusual experience and understanding. Although he didn't fully grasp the principles, he did manage to assemble the thing. Upon hearing about the sudden appearance of a strange box without a key, Wang Shi immediately became interested.

"Ye Jinglue, if I'm not mistaken, that should be the Canglong Xia, one of the three treasures of the former imperial palace," Wang Shi said after carefully examining it for a while.

Ye Tao wasn't surprised. His home's technical library contained some descriptions of such things. He just hadn't made a point of collecting them. The Canglong Xia, also known as the Hidden Dragon Box, was used by the former dynasty to store the most confidential documents. Each opening of the Canglong Xia had triggered tremendous upheaval in the court, causing the downfall of important officials and even affecting the succession to the throne.

Ye Tao didn't believe that the Canglong Xia still possessed such power, hundreds of years after the fall of the previous dynasty. At most, it would reveal some secrets. Ye Tao wasn't overly concerned with this time and space, and he didn't care much about what happened. Moreover, even if this was the original Canglong Xia, the contents inside probably weren't relics from the fall of the previous dynasty. The archives also contained documents from that time. The paper and ink used for those secret court files were different, and the storage conditions were ideal. However, until natural rubber appeared before him, the sealing problem had never been completely solved. Those papers would have long become too brittle to touch.

"It'll take time, and I can't make any mistakes. I listened carefully, and there should be a hidden compartment inside, containing liquid. Probably something like strong acid, meant to destroy the contents if the box was breached," Ye Tao said to Wang Shi, somewhat helplessly.

"I wouldn't know about that. I wouldn't dare to know what's inside. But the design of this box is truly ingenious, making it hard not to be intrigued," Wang Shi said with a smile. "Ye Jinglue, I have something else here. Although it's not as intricate as this Canglong Xia, the lock style is the same."

As he spoke, Wang Shi moved a stack of books on the bookshelf and took out a wooden box from behind. The box looked ordinary, and it was empty and unlocked. Wang Shi opened the lid and took out a rather large key, respectfully handing it to Ye Tao and explaining, "This type of lock is rarely made these days. It may even be lost. I spent a lot of effort and money to persuade the owner to sell me this box. However, it's too delicate, and I haven't dared to disassemble it. You see this key, it has two nested parts. When inserted into the lock, if they mesh correctly, after turning it halfway, the second, much smaller keyhole inside the lock core will open. Then, gently push this small handle on the key, and the small key inside the larger key's second layer will pop out from the tip, inserting into the inner keyhole. Then, rotate it in the opposite direction by half a turn, and the box will open."

Wang Shi chuckled and said, "If those records aren't nonsense. The Canglong Xia should be the work of Master Musiyu, while this box in my hand was made by Musiyu's third-generation disciple. The specific shape of the lock core is unknown, but since they come from the same lineage, they shouldn't be too different in principle. It could serve as a reference for Ye Jinglue."

Ye Tao secretly marveled. Wang Shi was indeed interesting. If other aristocratic families spent a large sum of money to obtain something like this, they would undoubtedly place their most important documents and contracts inside and hide it in the safest corner of their residence. Wang Shi, however, seemed to have never intended to use it, but simply collected it for study, or perhaps in anticipation of one day having the skills to disassemble it.

Ye Tao said, "In that case, I won't stand on ceremony."

Although Wang Shi hadn't dared to disassemble the box, he had put in a lot of effort studying it, knowing where to start dismantling it. Ye Tao only needed a quarter of an hour to disassemble the box and key completely. After examining the exquisite structure and the ingenious solution of maximizing technical creativity within the limitations of materials and craftsmanship, he was filled with admiration. These works, which seemed to ignore the average level of technology and craftsmanship of an era and leap to a new height, seemed to appear in every age. However, without solid scientific thought, technological capabilities, and material supplies, these products, destined to serve only the ruling class, could not be mass-produced.

Once immersed in the contemplation of these crafts and technologies, Ye Tao immediately began to ignore the existence of time and other problems. Ye Tao summoned one of the members of his entourage who came from the Ye Family Workshop and was now working at the Yunzhou Manufacturing Bureau but also held a technician's license, and with Wang Shi, the three of them holed up in the study, studying the box. At dinnertime, Dai Qiuyan, who had finished sketching at a location in the manor, came to check on them and simply instructed the kitchen to send the food to the study. Dai Qiuyan knew Ye Tao too well and understood that he would be busy until he had to stop working or until the work was finished.

As darkness completely enveloped the sky, the man protecting the box had yet to awaken. But a group of people suddenly appeared at the manor gates, claiming to be members of a gang, pursuing a traitor from their sect. They had learned that the man was in the manor and demanded that the manor hand him over.

The commoners were at a loss. Naturally, they sought out those in charge of the manor when faced with such a situation. Wang Shi's son was not known for his patience. The Wang family was highly influential in the area, and they had never encountered a situation where a large group of martial artists blocked their gates. He adopted a stern attitude, mobilizing the guards who had received basic training and summoning the several martial arts masters the manor had long supported, ready to put up a fight. This Wang An had confidence in his tough stance. He couldn't allow the manor's guests to be disturbed. If they fought, so be it. If they couldn't handle it, the hundreds of elite soldiers and numerous experts staying at the manor would surely clean up the mess.

Seemingly intimidated by Vanke Manor's show of force, the gang members, though blocking the manor's path and making a ruckus, seemed unable to decide whether to increase the pressure and force the manor to hand over the man.

However, only a quarter of an hour later, two piercing screams erupted from within the manor, shattering the superficial balance. It turned out that while putting on a show, the gang had secretly dispatched people to sneak into the manor.

Under normal circumstances, this tactic might have succeeded. But now, the manor's defenses were formidable. The three infiltrators encountered Huo Dong, who was organizing the defenses and wondering if they could get any peace and quiet. They were killed on the spot. The act of feigning negotiation while sending people to attack infuriated Wang Shi, Huo Dong, and the others. Ye Tao and his party were traveling quickly to Jinzhou. Because Ye Tao had maintained a low profile and flags and banners, while looking imposing, were not helpful for maintaining speed and security, they had not revealed their identities. Instead, they had sent people ahead to arrange accommodations. Few people knew they were staying at Vanke Manor. They hadn't expected anyone to dare to cause trouble.

Huo Dong, who had at most intended to reveal their identity as the Chun Nan Forbidden Army to scare off the intruders, was also enraged. He immediately ordered the corpses to be thrown outside the gate and directed some of his troops to strengthen the defenses. Whether they were the Chun Nan Forbidden Army elites or the Juxian Prince's personal guards, they were not to be trifled with. They couldn't tolerate anyone bullying them.

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I hope everyone is enjoying these chapters. I'm out of manuscript again...