Huangfu Yun knew that throughout Chinese history, the Tang and Song dynasties produced the most imitations of the Imperial Seal of the State, and Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, even before obtaining the real Imperial Seal of the State, had nearly twenty imitations made.
As for the real Imperial Seal, Huangfu Yun didn't even consider that possibility. How could something that had been lost for thousands of years be so easy to find?
"Brother Huangfu, can't you have some standards? All this Tang and Song imitation stuff is just nonsense..."
Zhuang Rui glared at Huangfu Yun with annoyance. Was he, Zhuang Rui, the kind of person who collected fakes? Even if this fake had survived to this day, it would still be an extremely valuable antique.
"Not a Tang or Song dynasty copy?"
Huangfu Yun's face showed disappointment as he said, "So it's a Qing dynasty replica? That doesn't make sense. How could there be Qing dynasty artifacts in a Mongolian tomb? Could it be the tomb of a Qing dynasty Mongolian prince?"
The discovery of Genghis Khan's mausoleum has not yet been announced to the outside world, and Zhuang Rui also signed that damn confidentiality agreement, so he didn't tell Huangfu Yun about these things, which led Huangfu Yun to make wild guesses.
"Brother Huangfu, is that all you've got? Let me tell you, that thing isn't a fake; it's the Imperial Seal of the State, made from the He Shi Bi jade at the behest of Qin Shi Huang. It's the real deal. You'd better hurry up and think of a way to promote it..."
Zhuang Rui stopped and looked at Huangfu Yun with a wry smile. The He Shi Bi had really been missing from the world for far too long. Even though he had explained it so clearly, his brother still didn't dare to guess that it was the real Imperial Seal of the State.
"Oh, so it was made from the He Shi Bi jade..."
Huangfu Yun followed Zhuang Rui's words, then his eyes widened, and he grabbed Zhuang Rui, asking loudly, "The... the real Imperial Seal of the State? I... I say, brother, you, you're not just kidding me, are you?"
"I just got back to Beijing, I haven't even seen my wife and kids yet, why would I be so bored as to fool you?"
Zhuang Rui was truly defeated by Huangfu Yun. While gesturing for Zhui Feng to get into the container truck, he said, "The tomb in Inner Mongolia has been confirmed as Genghis Khan's mausoleum, and the announcement will be made in the next few days. The main artifact inside, the Imperial Seal of the State, will be on display in our museum for the public, but only for three months. Brother Huangfu, I'm leaving this matter to you..."
"The Imperial Seal of the State will be on display in our museum for three months?"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Huangfu Yun was overjoyed. "Don't even mention three months, I can make our Dingguang Museum a household name in the country in just three days!" Over the years, Huangfu Yun had transformed himself from a lawyer into a businessman by running the Dingguang Museum. However, he still retained his lawyer's logical thinking. After calculating for a moment, he said, "Zhuang Rui, shouldn't we also announce the discovery of the Imperial Seal of the State?"
Let alone Huangfu Yun, who deals in antiques and cultural relics, even an ordinary person would know about the huge news impact of this. Huangfu Yun was already happily planning in his mind what kind of press conference to hold.
"This matter will be discussed at the Ministry of Culture's press conference, where the Imperial Seal will be displayed. After that, we will take over the management. Brother Huangfu, tell Yang Jian to make sure the security is well organized and that nothing goes wrong..."
Zhuang Rui's words shattered Huangfu Yun's little plan, but it was also something he had expected. Huangfu Yun didn't show any disappointment, but instead said excitedly, "Alright, Zhuang Rui, leave this to me. Um, I'm not going to the manor with you, I'm going back to the museum first..."
At this moment, Huangfu Yun was filled with immense happiness. He didn't care about welcoming Zhuang Rui or anything like that. His mind was full of various plans for exhibiting the Imperial Seal of the State. He jumped into his car and sped away in a cloud of smoke.
"Damn, we haven't even mentioned Genghis Khan's golden command arrow yet..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head, quite dismissive of Huangfu Yun's lack of composure, forgetting how dumbfounded he was when he first saw the Imperial Seal of the State.
“Temur Anda, Qiqige, this is my cousin, you can just call him Fourth Brother. Hey, Fourth Brother, don't touch Zhuifeng, he has a bad temper…”
After Huangfu Yun left, Zhuang Rui realized he had neglected Timur and Qiqige, so he quickly introduced the two, who were being accompanied by Peng Fei, to Ouyang Jun, who was emboldened to touch Zhuifeng.
"Anda? Zhuang Rui, you've become sworn brothers with this man?"
Ouyang Jun withdrew his hand from Zhui Feng and looked at Zhuang Rui with a strange expression. In their circle, there had never been any real brotherhood or anything like that. People mostly used each other.
"Well, from now on Timur will be your younger brother, and Uyunqiqige will be your younger sister. You're a local big shot in Beijing, so find someone to keep them company for a few days..."
Zhuang Rui looked at Timur and Qiqige with some guilt and said, "Timur Anda, we'll be living together, but... I might not have time to spend with you these next few days..."
"It's okay, Brother Zhuang Rui, lend me Zhui Feng, I'll go wander around by myself..."
Qiqige was still feeling the novelty of flying, and seeing how spacious the airport was, she couldn't wait to ride her scooter around.
"Riding a whirlwind to explore Beijing?"
Zhuang Rui was almost stunned by Qiqige's words, and said with a wry smile, "Let's go home first, let's go home first and talk about it later..."
Timur and Qiqige sat in Ouyang Jun's car, while Zhuang Rui and Peng Fei stayed in their respective containers. There was no other way; neither Zhui Feng nor Peng Fei's white rabbit was used to the unfamiliar and enclosed space.
"Luffy..."
After more than an hour, the container stopped at the entrance of Zhuangrui Manor. Zhui Feng got out of the car and let out a long howl, venting his dissatisfaction at being trapped in the cage.
"Brother Zhuang Rui, this place... isn't as nice as the grasslands..."
Wu Yunqiqi got out of Ouyang Jun's car, looking somewhat gloomy. Perhaps the steel city they had just passed through was too different from the Beijing in the little girl's mind.
"Qiqige, Beijing is the political and cultural center of our country. Many places here carry the weight of China's long history and civilization. You need to carefully study and understand them. I will try my best to spend time with you these next few days..."
Zhuang Rui smiled and patted Qiqige's head, then turned to look at the manor more than 200 meters away. He was filled with emotion; he had been away from home for more than two months, and now he was finally back.
"Waaah..."
"Awooo... Awooo..."
A deep roar followed by a long howl from Zhui Feng, and then a howl came from the white lion that had been left in the manor, sensing Zhuang Rui's arrival.
"White Lion, I'm back."
Upon hearing the white lion's voice, Zhuang Rui shouted in response. He had been away from home for more than two months, and besides his family, he also missed his good friends who had once shared life and death with him.
After two wild growls rang out, the two horses behind Zhuang Rui reacted differently. Zhui Feng raised its head high and glared angrily in the direction from which the sound came, while Peng Fei's white horse took a few steps back, sneezing and showing a fearful expression.
"Gah...gagga..."
A dark shadow appeared in the sky above the distant manor. After letting out a few cries, it quickly flew towards Zhuang Rui's direction. The appearance of the golden eagle made Zhui Feng somewhat uneasy.
It's important to know that golden eagles are natural enemies of cattle, sheep, and horses on the grasslands. Many large eagles can even snatch cattle and sheep into the air and drop them to their deaths.
"What...what kind of animals are these?"
Timur and Wuyun Qiqige, who were standing next to Zhuang Rui, were stunned by the roars that came one after another. If you closed your ears and listened to these sounds, it felt like you had come to a primeval forest.
"Zhuang Rui'an replied, get out of the way quickly..."
Seeing the golden eagle swooping down towards Zhuang Rui's position, Timur was so frightened that he shouted loudly. Knowing the habits of eagles well, he knew that this was the golden eagle's pre-hunt action.
However, the unexpected turn of events surprised Timur and Qiqige, because the golden eagle, whose wingspan was several meters, suddenly flapped its wings and landed steadily on Zhuang Rui's shoulder when it flew above Zhuang Rui's head.
"You brat, you always make me ruin a piece of clothing..."
Zhuang Rui felt a weight on his shoulder, followed by a "crack" as the golden eagle tore his clothes again. However, Zhuang Rui could sense the golden eagle's joy and, laughing and scolding, infused it with a wisp of spiritual energy.
"Luffy..."
Upon seeing the golden eagle land on Zhuang Rui's shoulder, Zhui Feng neighed and pawed at the ground with its front hooves, issuing a warning.
The golden eagle turned its head and looked at Chasing Wind with its bright eyes. As clever as it was, it already knew that another companion was about to arrive at the manor.
Zhuang Rui pulled Zhui Feng over and said with a smile, "Zhui Feng, don't be afraid, this is Xiao Jin. You two will be living together from now on..."
The Wind Chaser was just as intelligent as the White Lion. After understanding Zhuang Rui's words, it hesitated for a moment, then sniffed the golden eagle's feathers with its nose and rubbed its head against the golden eagle's body to show its friendliness.
The golden eagle reciprocated, lowering its long neck and using its curved beak to groom the white horse's mane. This harmonious scene left not only Timur and his men speechless, but even Ouyang Jun, who frequently saw golden eagles and other animals, stunned.
"Zhuang...Zhuang Rui'an replied, where...where did this golden eagle come from?"
Timur might not care about other things, but this magnificent golden eagle made his eyes widen. For a person living on the grassland, owning a hunting eagle was the dream of every grassland person.
Chapter 1198 Harmony between Humans and Animals
Zhuang Rui stroked the feathers on the golden eagle's neck and replied with a smile, "Temur Anda, this is a golden eagle cub I adopted on the snowy mountains. It's grown up now..."
The golden eagle was now over a meter tall. Perched on Zhuang Rui's shoulder, it looked around majestically. Its slightly grayish-brown feathers shone with a golden luster under the sunlight.
"Golden eagle cub?"
Timur's eyes lit up immediately upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words. "Zhuang Rui, is it still possible to get this golden eagle cub? I... I'm willing to trade all my horses for a golden eagle..."
Golden eagles have a long lifespan. Taming an eagle or falcon can help herders drive away wolves and find lost cattle and sheep, making them the best helpers for grassland herders.
However, training a falcon is a very meticulous and skillful task, and wild falcons are extremely rare. A good hunting falcon is very expensive on the grasslands, and the price of such a spiritually intelligent golden eagle on Zhuang Rui's shoulder is simply immeasurable.
"Brother Timur, forget about the money. I'm going to the Great Snowy Mountains next year, and if I have the chance, I'll definitely find you a golden eagle cub..."
Zhuang Rui is also having a headache. There are more and more animals in his manor, but apart from the white lion couple, the rest are basically all alone. As the boss, he has to find them companions.
Golden eagles and wind-chasing birds are relatively easy to find. Although there are few birds of the same kind that can match them, they are not nonexistent. With a little effort, they can be found.
However, King Kong is a bit of a problem. King Kong has grown quite a bit taller. When Zhuang Rui left two months ago, King Kong was already over 2.6 meters tall, which is comparable to the ancestral remains in the cave on Pirate Island.
Zhuang Rui once hired a zoologist to examine King Kong. After staying at the manor for a month, the zoologist gave Zhuang Rui a result: King Kong should be a branch of gorillas in the African rainforest, and these gorillas are generally over two meters tall.
King Kong is a variant among these gorillas. Although this phenomenon is extremely rare, it is not impossible. Just like there are giants like Yao Ming among humans who develop normally and are not caused by pituitary gland diseases.
While the zoologist's conclusions reassured Zhuang Rui, he still hadn't figured out a good solution to King Kong's mate problem. King Kong was currently only about five years old in human years, still a juvenile. But what if this kid went into heat someday… well…
"Zhuang Rui'an replied, 'How...how could I possibly accept this...'"
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Timur rubbed his hands excitedly. He was a kind man and didn't know how to express his gratitude, but he really didn't want to lose the opportunity to get the little golden eagle. Standing there, he felt uncomfortable no matter which way he stood.
"Hehe, alright, Timur's father, I can't guarantee anything about this, but I'll definitely keep it for you if there's a chance in the future..."
Zhuang Rui's thoughts were broken by Timur, who laughed and said, "Let's go home first. It's not good to have our little grassland beauty standing here..."
Timur and Qiqige got into Ouyang Jun's car, while Zhuang Rui climbed onto the back of Zhuifeng, with a golden eagle perched on his shoulder. It was truly a case of leading a yellow dog on the left and holding a hawk on the right.
The security guard at the manor gate naturally recognized Zhuang Rui. As the car and two horses approached, the manor gate opened from the inside.
"Ouch..."
With a loud roar, a massive body lunged at Zhuang Rui with exceptional agility.
"Luffy..."
The already slow-moving Chasing Wind stopped with a long neigh, turned its head, and ran away. Although it was fierce and intelligent, it didn't mean that Chasing Wind was stupid. Even the most ferocious beast in the world could only retreat in the face of the behemoth King Kong.
"It's alright, Chasing Wind, stop, stop..."
Zhuang Rui repeatedly pulled on the reins and used his spiritual energy to soothe Zhui Feng, finally bringing him to a stop. However, even the usually bold Zhui Feng dared not approach the Vajra, as the giant was simply too "majestic" in appearance.
"King Kong, have you been behaving yourself lately? I heard you've been sneaking out to steal other people's corn..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, the once majestic King Kong immediately squatted down, waving his hands repeatedly, looking pitiful, which made people unable to help but laugh.
"You brat, pretending to be pitiful again..."
Zhuang Rui was amused by King Kong's appearance and reached out to stroke its big head. A wisp of spiritual energy seeped in, making King Kong comfortably squint its eyes.
"What...what's going on?"
Not to mention Zhui Feng, even Timur and Qiqige in Ouyang Jun's car were terrified and turned pale. They had seen gorillas on TV, but they had never seen a gorilla of this size.
When Timur and Uyunqiqige saw King Kong's expression towards Zhuang Rui again, their eyes nearly popped out of their sockets. Was this still an animal? Apart from not being able to speak, King Kong's expression was completely indistinguishable from a human's.
After Zhuang Rui patted his head, Jin Gang smugly snatched the travel bag from Zhuang Rui's hand and ran ahead to lead the way, occasionally glancing at Zhui Feng behind him, as if he really wanted to follow Zhuang Rui and take a ride too.
"Don't even think about messing with the Wind Chaser; it doesn't know you..."
Zhuang Rui scolded Jin Gang, then turned and opened the car door, saying, "Brother Timur, Qiqige, get out of the car. You're staying here in Beijing..."