Chapter 10

The Extraordinary Gift She Possessed

The first proper breakfast of her new life had ended. Lijin made sure her children’s clothes were neat and clean, ensuring they looked their best before sending them off. Before they left, she reminded them once again of what they had discussed over breakfast.

"Keep it a secret that I have woken up. No matter who asks, do not tell them. Understand?" All three nodded firmly in response to her command.

"Study hard. But if you start feeling bored, review what you have read and heard. Just endure a little longer. I promise I will give you something better in the future."

"Yes, Mother." / "Yes, Mother." Lijin nodded in satisfaction before crouching down to pull them into a hug. Then, she planted kisses on their cheeks several times, making them giggle.

"I love you all." She spoke the words without thinking. She wasn’t sure if it was because of the familiarity she felt from being in this body, but she didn’t feel the slightest bit embarrassed. Before the children walked out of the residence, Jiusi turned back and kissed his mother’s cheek once more.

"I love you too, Mother..." The little boy spoke clearly, his tone carrying a hint of shyness before he ran off, leaving his mother, who was still crouching at the doorway, remained in a daze for a long while.

Her son was too adorable. Oh… heavens, was it always this joyful to be a mother?

After finishing the morning routine, Ning-ning gathered the dishes and returned them to the kitchen. And since it was already Wu hour, she had an appointment with the kitchen overseer of the manor, named Aunt Huang.  Therefore, Lijin decided to change her plan and wait for the maid to go investigate matters in the city in the afternoon, instead of spending the entire day on it.

When Ning-ning returned to the residence later in the morning, they spoke again...

"My mistress, do you want me to gather information about bookstores?"

"Yes. From what you’ve told me, scholar’s books are very expensive, aren’t they?"

"Yes, madam. Very expensive... So expensive that it can even provoke envy when Young Master Jiusi gets to study calligraphy. The Four Treasures of the Scholar are all costly goods. The higher their quality, the more expensive they become." Ning-ning tried to explain what she knew. Since there was still plenty of time left in the morning, she wanted to clarify as much as possible for her mistress.

The Four Treasures of the Scholar were brush, inkstone, ink stick, and paper. Lijin didn’t even need to dig into her past knowledge to understand how valuable these items were.

These four objects were essential tools for learning and writing. Thus, a completed book in this era was a rare treasure—more valuable than clothing or even food. If it was an exceptional written work, its worth could surpass that of an entire residence.

Because of this high cost, a form of class barrier had emerged. The art of reading and writing was reserved for the elite. The more skilled one was in these disciplines, the more they were respected, gaining power and fame. Such individuals were revered across the land and could even be called "masters" or "grandmasters of literature." That was Lijin’s goal. And she had no intention of stopping at merely becoming a grandmaster of literature in the future.

"I want you to inquire about the prices of the Four Treasures of the Scholar. Gather as much information as you can. Ask a variety of sources. Then, visit the bookstores and see if they hire scribes to copy texts or if they purchase already written manuscripts. Can you remember all that?"

"Hmm... I believe I can, madam. But..."

"What’s the problem?"

"The district that sells those items—our city has only one. Nihe City is far too distant from the imperial capital, Longhe. There are only three noble families governing the city. There aren’t many scholars here, so it’s not exactly a thriving business."

"I see... You mean to say this market is too small, don’t you?"​

Lijin watched as Ning-ning nodded back, and she could understand the maid’s concerns as well. This city primarily focused on the ceramic industry, thanks to its rich deposits of high-quality clay. Other businesses did exist, but only to cater to a small, specific group of people.

However, Lijin could not bring herself to give up. The power of words and books that she would create was no less valuable than any other treasure. She remained firmly confident in this path.

Even so, she did not ignore Ning-ning’s warning and considered alternative options related to the city’s main industry. After careful thought, she realized that ceramics—through their colors and glazes—could also be used to create characters and inscriptions. That would not be a problem at all.

Ning-ning was thrilled by her mistress’s idea. After firmly agreeing to her task, she set off to speak with the kitchen overseer. Then, she used the estate’s back entrance—where no guards were stationed—to head into the city and carry out Lijin’s plan.

Today was yet another day that the principal wife of the Wei family remained alone in the residence. But unlike other wives or concubines who spent their days sipping tea, playing the qin, or leisurely eating sweets while admiring flowers, she refused to sit idly.

Her soul had not forgotten the feeling that had washed over her that morning. After finishing a light meal that her maid had prepared post-exercise, she climbed onto her bed, closed her eyes, and entered meditation. She began searching for that strange sensation once more.

Lijin was certain that she had acquired some kind of supernatural power after her experience of crossing into this world. And she wanted to understand it. She wanted to harness it—to ensure that this life would pass through all obstacles with ease.

Gaining such a power in place of a dowry, at the very least, it was far better than arriving empty-handed.

As she entered deeper into meditation, her once-wandering imagination slowly settled into focus…

The soul of a woman named Sali opened her eyes once more within the vast realm of the mysterious dimension. She had thought she had already said farewell to this place. She never imagined she would return again.

However, her desire to read books she had never read before, or to do things she had never done, was no longer answered as it once was. Sali felt a slight pang of regret. She wondered if this place was simply a construct of her own mind. Her gaze stretched far across the endless void before her. Then, she started walking in the direction where the light was brightest.

(Brighter?) Sali paused in her steps, hesitant to move forward as she normally would.

(Why do I instinctively choose this path?) She didn’t understand, so she sought a reason to justify her doubts.

(Was it instinct? Was it because life naturally seeks a brighter future? Strives toward light in hopes of shining in its own way?) She believed that to be true. Yet, her eyes kept drifting toward the darkness in the opposite direction.

Pitch-black... But somehow, it felt more familiar to her.

She didn’t have to squint. She didn’t need to shield her eyes from the light as she walked forward.

She didn’t have to stand out—didn’t need to strive to be one of the dazzling stars…

The darkness was peaceful. It was the perfect backdrop for countless stars to shine, supporting their brilliance without needing to do anything. Letting the night sky glow with its scattered constellations.

Darkness was not frightening at all... Even ink, when brushed onto paper, was black, was it not?

Sali smiled broadly and winked at the sight before her, having made her decision. Her feet stepped forward toward the goal she had chosen. She was unaware that her clothing and once-short hair from her previous world were growing long and flowing—swaying with the invisible wind—making her seem like a celestial maiden from the heavens.

Or perhaps, in this realm of imagination, all appearances followed the desires of the mind.

After only a few more steps, the vast night sky swiftly enveloped the dimension, as if it could no longer wait. Then, Sali found herself standing in an empty chamber, with a dark sky speckled with stars as its backdrop. And before her, four objects appeared​.

Brush, ink stick, inkstone, and paper.

These are the Four Treasures of the Scholar, which she had just discussed with her personal maid that morning.

Yet these objects appeared remarkably different. The purple jade brush was adorned with patterns resembling gold. Its tip looked soft and pliant, ready to render elegant characters into existence. The jet-black ink stick revealed its own excellence, no less impressive. The starlight shimmering within occasionally flickered, catching her eye, drawing her towards it effortlessly.

However... the inkstone beside it refused to be outshone. It was a pale pink jade interwoven with streaks of black, resembling an internal silhouette of dark trees. The hundred branching roots below entwined to form a hollowed basin for grinding ink, exuding an air of grandeur and inestimable value.

The only thing that remained still, until the very end, was a single scroll of paper. Yet, after being scrutinized by a pair of beautiful eyes for a while, it reluctantly emitted a glow of its own.

Sali felt her heart pounding wildly. She had never dreamed of possessing such priceless objects, which, at a mere glance, seemed worthy of an entire city.

This... this wouldn't be cheating, would it?

Or did she have to choose just one among them and abandon the rest?

The Four Treasures trembled slightly, as if rejecting the idea. Lijin, who was struggling to resist the urge to reach out and touch them, extended her hand. Yet before she could grasp the exquisite brush, she hesitated.

Were these… really the only four choices?

If she took the brush, would it still shine without the ink stick, the inkstone, and the exquisite paper? The same applied to the others—they could not glow if even one was missing.

Sali remained uncertain. As she pondered, her body transformed yet again. At this moment, she seemed to revert to Lijin’s youthful self—gentle, stunningly beautiful, a vision capable of toppling a kingdom. Yet her brows furrowed tightly, making her look unexpectedly adorable.

What a pity that this realm lacked an old master to offer guidance, like in the legends. Before making any decisions, she wanted to think carefully.

These Four Treasures could be found in the market. Although their quality was not as exceptional as the ones before her, they could still function adequately for basic tasks... At least, that was what she thought.

What she truly needed were tools to guide her writing. Her handwriting was not so exceptionally refined that it could create priceless works of art. Nor was it so disciplined that she could simply press brush to blank paper and expect a perfectly structured composition. She wanted something that the old world called "guidelines" more than anything else...

The Four Treasures appeared slightly dejected, then slowly floated to arrange themselves upon a black marble table veined with natural patterns. A stone chair, made from a similar material, gleamed briefly as if to announce its presence. Sali’s spirit body took a seat.

The scroll lay to the left. The ink set and brush rested to the right. In the center was a smooth, cool slab of stone—silky to the touch, inviting.

She placed her fingers upon it and, after caressing it in satisfaction for a moment, strands of golden light softly wove together, forming a delicate frame on the page. Adjustable character slots appeared; the resizable page even offered a selection of fonts to guide her precise brushwork.

They could even indicate how much pressure she should apply and which direction to flick the brush tip.

Sali grinned widely… her joy overflowing, impossible to contain.

This was exactly what she needed.

She had truly obtained a treasure from another world... Should she thank the heavens for this?