Rebirth 93: Break off the engagement at the beginning and marry Bai Fumei

Ye Hui picked up the bottle, weighed it in his hand, and exclaimed, "Wow, the weight, the feel—this is definitely a good thing!" He squinted his eyes, as if admiring a stunning beauty, and this bottle was indeed it! The Precious Moon Bottle—the name itself sounded very noble and classy!

Its graceful curves, like a slender young woman, are made even more elegant by the lemon-yellow glaze, making it resemble a princess in a yellow dress, noble, elegant, and otherworldly.

Looking at the handle of the bottle, it was actually shaped like a ruyi (a traditional Chinese scepter symbolizing good fortune) and painted coral red. The color was so vibrant and lustrous, like red coral just pulled from the sea, crystal clear, making one want to take a bite! Ye Hui couldn't help but sigh: Tang Ying's choice of the name "Mo Hong" (meaning "Painted Red") was truly brilliant, perfectly showcasing the charm of this coral red!

Ruyi Ears

Ye Hui couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, "This painting is simply amazing!" The peach branches were gnarled and strong, as if they had weathered countless storms and still stood proudly; the peach leaves were lush and green, with different colors on the front and back, making them even more lifelike than real leaves; the peaches were plump and round, pink and tempting, as if they could be squeezed to release juice with the slightest touch.

Five peaches on the front

Even the tiny stamens and buds were depicted with meticulous detail, as if one could almost smell their fragrance. Ye Hui even thought that the artist must be a perfectionist when it came to details, having even drawn the fine fuzz on the peaches!

Four peaches on the back

What's even more amazing is that two red bats are hidden among the peach branches, their wings outstretched, fluttering gracefully, as if adding a touch of liveliness to this beautiful scene of double blessings of happiness and longevity. Ye Hui couldn't help but exclaim, "This composition, this symbolism, is simply ingenious!"

Unlike the symmetrical style favored during the Qianlong era, the "Double Blessings of Fortune and Longevity" patterns on the front and back of this vase, while differing in detail and layout, blend seamlessly, creating a unique charm. Like twins, slightly different in appearance but equally adorable, Ye Hui inwardly praised, "Truly worthy of royal craftsmen! To fuse two different elements so perfectly is simply divine craftsmanship!"

This also reflects that during the Yongzheng era, the imperial kilns, under the leadership of Tang Ying, were full of talented people and had superb technology, reaching their historical peak!

Ye Hui gently stroked the bottle. The white glaze was warm and delicate, as smooth as a baby's skin, just like the white glaze of porcelain enamel painting during the Yongzheng period. It was indeed the highest quality glaze among Yongzheng imperial porcelain! Ye Hui could even imagine the ultimate pursuit of the quality of the white glaze by those master painters back then, striving for perfection so as to better highlight the beauty of the colored materials.

Looking at the exposed clay at the foot rim, the clay is pure and delicate, perfectly complementing the glaze. It is truly perfect! At the center of the bottom, a six-character, three-line inscription is written in underglaze blue seal script. The characters are neat and elegant, the underglaze blue penetrates deep into the clay, and the color is bright and serene. Scattered bubbles rise in the strokes, floating on the underglaze blue material. This is a typical characteristic of the inscription on top-grade imperial porcelain from the Yongzheng period!

Wow, what a magnificent Qing Dynasty Yongzheng period imperial famille rose lemon-yellow ground vase with nine peaches in openwork design! Ye Hui exclaimed in amazement, this vase is simply a work of art among works of art!

"What a fine item, truly a fine item!" Ye Hui exclaimed, using an extremely exaggerated expression and tone, as if the bottle were some rare treasure that could instantly transform him into a collector's tycoon.

He gently placed the bottle back into the box, his movements incredibly careful, as if afraid of bumping or knocking it over. Then he looked up and gave Ishitani Masano a mysterious smile. "Mr. Ishitani, this gift is far too precious for me to accept! As the saying goes, one should not accept a gift without merit. Don't you agree?"

Upon hearing Ye Hui's words, Ishigani Masano was stunned. He looked at Ye Hui with a puzzled expression, thinking: What is this kid up to? Why is he being so hesitant when he's giving a gift? So he asked, "Young Master Ye, what do you mean? Do you think this gift is too meager?"

Upon hearing this, Ye Hui almost burst out laughing. He suppressed his laughter, deliberately put on a serious expression, narrowed his eyes, gave Ishiya Masano a meaningful look, and slowly said, "Mr. Ishiya, please don't play dumb with me. You can't be unaware of the origin of this object, can you?"

"Oh?" Ishitani Masano was even more puzzled. He looked at Ye Hui blankly and asked, "Young Master Ye, what do you mean by that? Does this object have some special origin?"

"Hehe," Ye Hui chuckled softly when he heard Ishitani Masano say that. He glanced at the bottle on the table out of the corner of his eye and said in a pretentious manner, "Mr. Ishitani, to be honest, this item is a legendary item. I've only heard of it but never seen it. You've sent it to me all of a sudden. How could I dare to accept it!"

"Huh? Young Master Ye, stop beating around the bush. What's going on?" Ishigani Masano was completely confused by Ye Hui. If it's a good item, why doesn't he just keep it? Why explain it to him? He had no idea what Ye Hui was up to.

Seeing this, Ye Hui stopped teasing him. He reached out and picked up the bottle, pointing to the pattern on it, and explained to Ishigani Masano, "Mr. Ishigani, take a close look at the pattern on this bottle. It depicts peaches and red bats, symbolizing longevity and good fortune. It is said that this was an item used by Emperor Yongzheng for his birthday celebration!"

He paused deliberately, observing Ishitani Masano's expression, and then said, "Emperor Yongzheng was born on the 30th day of the tenth lunar month, so this day is his birthday celebration every year, and it is also one of the most important festivals in the palace throughout the year. And this Emperor Yongzheng's favorite story in his life is the story of Emperor Wu of Han and the Queen Mother of the West."

Emperor Wu of Han was a famously devout follower of Taoism. Legend has it that on the evening of the seventh day of the seventh lunar month one year, the Queen Mother of the West descended upon Emperor Wu's palace in a magnificent chariot drawn by auspicious clouds. Emperor Wu, of course, treated this deity to fine wine and food, and in gratitude for his hospitality, the Queen Mother of the West presented him with seven immortal peaches.

Ye Hui paused deliberately before continuing, "Mr. Shigu, I must explain to you that the Queen Mother of the West is a figure in our country's mythology. The immortal peaches she gave to Emperor Wu of Han are also called Pan peaches, which are the ones depicted on this bottle. It is said that they grow in the Pan Peach Garden on Kunlun Mountain and only bear fruit once every three thousand years. Eating them can bring people back to life and grant them immortality!"

He deliberately spoke the words "resurrection and immortality" very loudly, as if afraid that Ishitani Masano wouldn't hear him, before continuing, "So, this Emperor Yongzheng was quite a particular person. He wanted to announce his birthday to the whole world, wanting everyone to know that he was going to be a year younger! For good luck, he ordered that the porcelain be painted with peaches, symbolizing..."

Shi Gu sat upright, and upon hearing this, he smiled and tentatively asked, "Does it mean to live as long as the heavens?"

"Mr. Shi Gu is truly learned and talented!" Ye Hui snapped his fingers and gave a thumbs up with admiration. "You guessed it all. It seems your research on our Chinese culture has reached a level of consummate skill!"

After saying that, Ye Hui gently turned the porcelain bottle in his hand, showing the side of the bottle to Shi Gu. "Take another look at this bottle. This is not an ordinary red. It's called 'ruby red.' Just like the ruby ​​red used on this bottle, it's as bright and lustrous as coral. Paired with these exquisite Ruyi earrings, tsk tsk tsk, Emperor Yongzheng really knew how to enjoy life!"

As Ye Hui spoke, he shook his head, as if he had traveled through time and witnessed the extravagant scene at Emperor Yongzheng's birthday banquet.

The red earrings echoed the lemon-yellow of the bottle, complementing each other. This technique of color application is recorded in Tang Ying's "A Brief Account of Pottery Affairs." Ye Huiqiang, with a smile, cleared his throat and continued, "This bottle, besides its auspicious patterns and vibrant colors, also boasts top-notch porcelain! Look at the white glaze, so lustrous and delicate, it feels as smooth as a baby's skin; and look at the body, so pure and fine, without a single impurity—it's simply a perfect work of art!"

"So, Mr. Shi Gu," Ye Hui put down the porcelain vase and said meaningfully, "this porcelain used by Emperor Yongzheng for his birthday celebration is extremely rare and precious! Tell me, isn't it valuable?"

Shi Gu nodded excitedly, looking at the porcelain vase as if it were a rare treasure. "Young Master Ye, you have such a keen eye! You know everything about such a complex object with just one glance. I am truly impressed!"

"Not at all, Mr. Ishitani, you flatter me. I'm just interested in these old objects," Ye Hui waved his hand, feigning modesty.

"No, no, no, Young Master Ye, you're too modest!" Shi Gu gave a thumbs up and said earnestly, "In my opinion, only someone of your noble status deserves to own this porcelain vase. If it were in the hands of us commoners, it would be a waste of its preciousness and a desecration!"

Ye Hui almost burst out laughing after hearing Ishiya Masano's words. He slightly raised his head, glanced at Ishiya Masano casually, and thought to himself: Wow, this little Japanese guy, he's pretty good at flattering!

Then, Ye Hui deliberately tilted his head back and burst into loud, exaggerated laughter, as if he had heard the most interesting joke in the world.