Chapter 531: Chapter 514: Good Things Everyone Wants

Because she had to wait for the items from Ancient Capital to be delivered together to Hong Kong, Lu Jiaxin waited for half a month, but she felt that the wait was worth it after seeing these items.

Nie Zhan became worried when he saw the six items sent by Lu Hongjun, saying, “Jiaxin, your dad is a public servant, and your ancestors had no foundation, where did he get so much money to buy all these good things?”

He suspected that these items were gained through his future father-in-law’s corruption or bribery, or purchased with money obtained that way. If that were to come to light, it could affect Jiaxin’s reputation.

Lu Jiaxin shook her head and said, “I’ve asked him several times, and he insists that he bought them with his salary, that he did nothing illegal or criminal.”

“Do you believe that?”

Lu Jiaxin knew what he meant, she shrugged her shoulders and said, “Whether I believe it or not doesn’t matter, what’s important is that he insists it was legally obtained.”

“He’s already sixty years old and retired, there shouldn’t be anyone going after him anymore. Back then, there were a lot of messy accounts, and probably no one will dig up such old sesame and rotten millet.”

Nie Zhan said, “I’m just afraid that if there’s an issue, it will implicate you.”

Lu Jiaxin smiled, “What could it implicate me with? Not to mention I was only a few years old at that time, but also, the capital for my business in Hong Kong wasn’t even given by him. If there really is a problem, I’ll just return the items.”

Nie Zhan knew her well and asked, “Would you be willing to part with them?”

Of course, Lu Jiaxin was reluctant to part with them, objects like the Jadeite cabbage and the Child-delivering Guanyin were carved so lifelike, how could she be willing to return them? “When the time comes, I’ll liquidate them to them at ten times the price. If that still isn’t enough, I’ll promise them that after a hundred years I will donate these items to a museum.”

Considering the amount of money she had donated to the Mainland, having this promise at the back should let her have her wish. Over the years, many good items were taken out in exchange for more foreign currency.

The next day, Lu Jiaxin received a call from Su Heyuan, “Jiaxin, I’ve heard from Heming that you’ve brought back a lot of good items this time, one of them is a Child-delivering Guanyin carved entirely from Mutton-fat Jade. Such a Guanyin is rarely seen, and it’s extraordinarily lifelike.”

Lu Jiaxin didn’t blame Su Heming for blabbering, firstly, because she didn’t tell Su Heming not to spread the word, and secondly, the person told was Su Heyuan, and they were close relatives.

“Why, do you want it?”

Su Heyuan said, “It’s not that. Old Lady Hu really hopes for more children and grandchildren in the family, and for this reason, she also venerates a Child-delivering Guanyin at home. Jiaxin, your Guanyin is a real treasure, you need to keep it safe. If the Hu Family gets to know about it, they will definitely ask you to give it up.”

“I’m not selling, no matter how much money is offered.”

Su Heyuan said, “What if Hu Zhifeng and Grandma Hu plead with you, would you still not sell?”

Lu Jiaxin said firmly, “I won’t sell. A gentleman does not seize what others enjoy. If Sister Shimeng really considers me a friend, she wouldn’t pressure me into something I’m unwilling to do.”

Su Heyuan asked, “What if Old Lady Hu and Mrs. Hu also come to plead with you? Can you refuse them at such an old age?”

“Why can’t I refuse just because they are old? They are not my elders. Why should their happiness have anything to do with me?” Lu Jiaxin said.

Just because she was on good terms with Zong Shimeng, it didn’t mean she had to give up her favorite things to the Hu Family elders; that’s not how things worked.

Seeing her so resolute, Su Heyuan said, “If it comes to that, they will ask me to approach you. Jiaxin, I’m not joking with you. Old Lady Hu is stubborn, and if she knows you have such an exquisite Child-delivering Guanyin, she will surely do everything she can to convince you to part with it.”

He was worried that the fire might burn himself, afraid that the marriage would face more troubles again.

“I understand.”

Lu Jiaxin originally planned to enjoy her treasures and then store them in a bank’s safety deposit box. But Su Heyuan’s reminder made her realize she couldn’t rely solely on the bank’s safety deposit box; she needed to find her own place for her treasures. Moreover, having them at home would allow her to see them whenever she wanted.

At night, Lu Jiaxin mentioned this to Nie Zhan, “Ah Zhan, I want to buy a piece of land and build a villa on it, so I can fully meet my own tastes and needs.”

“How come you suddenly want to buy land and build a house?”

Lu Jiaxin didn’t hide it from him, she told him about Su Heyuan’s reminder, “Everyone wants nice things, and I can’t reveal those treasures in public, or surely someone will target them.”

Nie Zhan thought about what Nie Jingwen had said before, asking him to inquire if Jiaxin would sell those jewels. When he first saw those jewels, he knew they were no ordinary items, but they still fell short compared to the Jadeite cabbage and the Child-delivering Guanyin. If these items were exposed in public, indeed many people would covet them.

After thinking for a moment, Nie Zhan asked, “Where do you want to build the house?”

There were already large villas in Shallow Bay and Deep Water Bay, now only Victoria Peak was left. Lu Jiaxin asked, “What do you think about buying a piece of land in Bakkado and building a large villa there?”

Nie Zhan laughed and said, “Of course you can, you are now Hong Kong’s richest woman, you’re totally qualified to buy land on the peak and build a house. However, from applying for the land to moving into the villa, it will take at least three years.”

Applying for the land would take some time, then they would have to find a top world-class designer. Because of the various requirements–beauty, safety, underground chambers, and more–just the design phase would take a considerable amount of time.

Lu Jiaxin felt three years was not a problem, after all, she was quite happy living here, “Ah Zhan, I’ll leave this task to you.”

Nie Zhan touched her hair and said with a laugh, “Silly girl, building your own house is not a trouble at all. Or are you saying, you won’t let me live there in the future?”

Lu Jiaxin hadn’t thought that far, it was just a habit to say such things. She replied with a smile, “Didn’t you stay here even though I didn’t allow you?”

Nie Zhan felt he had asked a pointless question.

Two days later, He Bin brought back Emperor Yongzheng’s seal.

Lu Jiaxin immediately opened the box upon receiving it. This seal had a warm texture, its entire body pure white and dense, pristine and flawless; on it was carved the script “Treasure of Emperor Yongzheng’s personal brush” in seal script, matched with nine chi dragons coiling through the clouds as the knob, majestic and imposing.

“This is a great piece.”

He Bin nodded and said, “The three experts who appraised it said this seal is a national treasure. One of them even hoped I could donate it to a museum, which I refused.”

He wouldn’t invite the expert who suggested donating again. If they wanted to donate their own treasures, nobody would stop them, but how could they ask an employer to make a donation?

Lu Jiaxin touched the seal, and said with a smile, “This item cannot be donated. Before Emperor Yongzheng ascended to the throne, the National Treasury was in great deficit. But after he took charge, he reformed the finances, and through a series of measures, he filled the treasury. He reigned as the emperor for thirteen years, and when he left, he left over thirty million taels of silver for his successor. Back then, an ordinary family could live quite well on ten taels of silver a year.”

Upon hearing this, He Bin understood; an emperor who could accumulate wealth would surely not want his seal to be donated but kept for oneself to honor.