A female coroner arrived at the Jingzhao Prefecture.

Chapter 97 The Mysterious Study (1)

Li Mu truly lived up to his title as a compiler in the Hanlin Academy; the size of his study was comparable to a small library.

From the outside, it looks like an ordinary study, the kind most common in wealthy families, but inside, it's a completely different world!

The study, which occupies the size of four bedrooms, is divided into inner and outer rooms by a rosewood partition. The outer room is grand and imposing, with floor-to-ceiling bookshelves on the east, west, and south walls, containing an estimated tens of thousands of books! Apart from the doors and windows, the north wall features many intricately designed and beautifully crafted shelves of varying sizes. The items displayed there are quite unusual, mainly bronzes, Luban locks, and abacuses, with none of the jade, antiques, or vases that are commonly favored by ordinary people.

Jiang Zhan was a martial artist, and reading too many books gave him a headache. He skimmed through the books but couldn't understand anything.

But Zhang, the registrar, looked at it very carefully, especially when he got to the abacus area. His admiration was evident in his words. “Lord Li Mu is by no means one of those scholars who like to pretend to be cultured. He does not look down on merchants. In fact, he likes and admires them very much.”

Upon hearing this, the other three were drawn over.

The Great Zhou Dynasty valued civil and military affairs while despising commerce. The abacus was a tool for accountants to make a living, and the sons of high-ranking families rarely used it, for fear of being ridiculed and affecting their chances of entering officialdom.

Therefore, Song Shuyu asked in surprise, "Does Registrar Zhang have any knowledge of the abacus?"

Zhang, the registrar, replied, "My father once worked in the Ministry of Revenue, and my family has had all sorts of abacuses since I was a child, so I have dabbled in them, though I am not very knowledgeable about them."

"Oh, then tell me about the origins of these abacuses that Li Mu has collected." Song Shuyu was overjoyed. They came to investigate the study, only to find that there were secrets hidden there, but they didn't know where to start. They were like blind men lighting a lamp, groping in the dark.

Mu Qingcheng was also delighted. "Since Li Mu is an extraordinary person, his secret may be hidden in some object, but it will not be superficial. So, Registrar Zhang, please explain in more detail so that we can consider it carefully."

Finally feeling he had a chance to use his skills, Zhang, the registrar, was in high spirits. He cleared his throat and explained earnestly, "There are twelve abacuses here. Although the number is not large, they are definitely valuable and extremely rare antiques. These abacus collections span from ancient times to the present, with a historical period of more than a thousand years. The materials are mainly gold, silver, copper, iron, pottery, jade, bone, wood, and porcelain. They are all different in shape and exquisite in craftsmanship."

At this point, Registrar Zhang pointed to the abacuses displayed at the top, his voice filled with excitement, “Look, that’s the oldest ceramic abacus, also called the ‘four-legged animal head tiger-patterned abacus table.’ Below that is a milky white jade ‘scroll-shaped abacus with carved sacrificial offerings.’ Next to it is a gourd-shaped abacus with a scale inside, and a wooden box on the outside. The plate, weight, column, and beads are made of bronze, and the rod is made of ivory.”

"And this one too!"

Clerk Zhang walked excitedly to a brightly colored abacus, his eyes shining. "The craftsmanship of this abacus is absolutely exquisite! A square abacus with a gilded brass frame, brass pillars, and inlaid with green jade beads—it's simply beautiful! And this painted abacus next to it, shaped like an accountant, is also incredibly delicate!"

Following the guidance of Registrar Zhang, and listening to his introductions, the group admired the fan-shaped abacus with two lions playing with a ball, the round abacus with a bracket, the long five-section abacus table with tiger-leg floral panels made of rosewood, and the fan-shaped abacus table with double ruyi-shaped carvings of coins. The decorative designs were pleasing to the eye and lifelike; each piece was a masterpiece, eliciting gasps of amazement!
However, what made Mu Qingcheng linger the longest were the last three abacuses.

Unlike the other nine abacuses which were placed in a prominent position, these abacuses were placed in a corner near the inner room of the study, and there was no lamp, so the light was dim, like a pearl covered in dust, easily overlooked.

"Coroner Mu, do you like this one?" When Zhang, the registrar, noticed that Mu Qingcheng was staring at the abacuses in a daze, he immediately came over to explain: "This one is a patterned abacus. Look, this one is shaped like a lotus leaf, made of white pine wood, white jade beads, and copper pillars."

Mu Qingcheng pondered, "Besides the material, does this shape have any other meaning? You said it's a patterned abacus. In our daily lives, we also leave various meaningful patterns on clothes, purses, weapons, furniture, and other objects. So, what does the pattern on the abacus represent?" "Coroner Mu, have you made any discoveries?" Song Shuyu sensed something was wrong and quickly asked.

Mu Qingcheng spoke frankly: "I haven't found anything yet. However, I feel that these three abacuses are not valued by Li Mu, so I would like to know more about them."

Zhang, the registrar, then said, “The decorative patterns on the abacus do indeed contain certain meanings and represent fortune. For example, various flower and bird patterns, some symbolize good fortune, and some represent prosperity. This lotus leaf-shaped abacus, for instance, symbolizes longevity and good health.”

“It symbolizes good fortune, longevity like the pine and crane…” Mu Qingcheng pondered for a moment, but still couldn’t make sense of it, so she asked, “What about the remaining two abacuses?”

The lighting was really bad, and Zhang, the registrar, had to practically stick his head out of the window. Seeing this, Jiang Zhan took a lantern from the eaves outside and brought it in to help provide light.

A pipa-shaped abacus was hanging on the wall. After examining it, Zhang, the registrar, said, "It is made of red plum wood, white jade beads and copper pillars. It has peony and flying apsara reliefs. It is a common type of musical abacus."

The last abacus, without needing Zhang the Registrar to introduce it, immediately made everyone frown. It turned out to be a painted relief abacus depicting a human figure!

"Who...who is this person?" Jiang Zhan's eyes widened as he guessed, "Judging from his otherworldly appearance, could he be some kind of immortal?"

Song Shuyu pondered for a moment and said, "It seems to be Lü Dongbin."

"Isn't Lü Dongbin the Medicine King deity worshipped by physicians?" Mu Qingcheng asked in astonishment.

Song Shuyu pursed his lips and said with certainty, "I once saw a portrait of Lü Dongbin in the Imperial Hospital, and it is quite similar to this one."

Mu Qingcheng was puzzled, "Li Mu is not a doctor, so why would he collect an abacus shaped like Lü Dongbin? Is it just out of hobby?"

After thinking for a moment, Song Shuyu called out, "Jiang Zhan, go and invite the old steward over."

"Yes, my lord!"

As Jiang Zhan turned around, his finger accidentally touched one of the abacus beads in Lü Dongbin's abdomen!

Suddenly, the "clattering" sound of abacus beads being turned rang out from all directions!
Everyone was shocked and quickly stepped back to observe all the abacuses!

A strange scene happened!

In the absence of people and wind, the beads of the twelve abacuses, which were originally in their initial positions, suddenly began to jump up and down as if someone were moving them, dazzling the eyes of all who saw them!
Thank you for subscribing and supporting me, my darlings! See you in the next chapter!
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(End of this chapter)