Chapter 205

"Yes, and this jar has always been sealed; the presence of paper indicates it is dry inside. If there are artifacts, they are extremely likely to be perfectly preserved!"

Chen Feng suddenly realized the truth: "I was wondering why you would dig up a useless tea canister; turns out the treasure is inside!"

He immediately took it over to study with the archaeological team on how to open the tea canister.

After all, the rust on it had long since formed a patina.

Forcing it open would very likely damage whatever is inside.

Most importantly, there could be paper inside!

In that case, it would be even easier to damage.

The more Chen Feng thought about it, the more excited he became: a mysterious iron tea canister buried in the wilderness, and what it contained wasn't tea leaves, but paper!

Most importantly, since Fang Yang dug it up, there was a ninety percent chance it contained something valuable!

116. The Authentic Handwritten Copy of Yue Fei's Second Memorial on Dispatching Troops! (Please subscribe!)

While waiting for the tea canister to be opened, the crowd of onlookers at the scene had already exceeded five hundred people.

Director Chen gradually began to feel the pressure.

Fortunately, the site was spacious enough, and there was no sign of overcrowding yet.

As for the foreman and the workers, they had completely stopped working and were just staring intently.

About twenty minutes passed.

The archaeological team applied an unknown solution to the tea canister, slowly cleaning away the rust from the rim.

Under everyone's gaze, the threaded circular cap on the tube's opening was slowly unscrewed.

The atmosphere was so still that even the air seemed silent.

Over five hundred pairs of eyes stared fixedly, awaiting the final result.

The moment the lid opened, the archaeological team exclaimed, "There really is paper inside, and it's dry!"

Chen Feng immediately leaned in, tipped the tea canister, and a thick roll of brownish-yellow paper fell out.

Now, everyone's breathing became rapid.

It was too tense.

There really was something inside.

And it was paper.

Could it be a painting?

However, when Chen Feng unrolled the scroll, what he saw was different from what everyone expected; it was not a painting.

It was writing!

The surface was covered with dense brush characters.

Looking at the first few large characters at the very beginning of the first sheet, Chen Feng unconsciously began to read aloud: "The Second Memorial on Dispatching Troops. The Late Emperor deeply considered that the Han and the traitors could not coexist, and that the royal enterprise could not rely on partial security; thus, he entrusted me with the task of punishing the traitors. Given the Late Emperor's wisdom, assessing my talent..."

After reading a passage, he immediately snapped to attention: "Is this the Second Memorial on Dispatching Troops? The one written by Zhuge Liang?"

Fang Yang also thought it was too coincidental; they had just dug up the drum invented by Zhuge Liang, and now they found his handwritten manuscript?

That didn't make sense; Zhuge Liang's handwriting, how could it appear here after so many years?

As he walked over to take a closer look, the system panel popped up.

【The Second Memorial on Dispatching Troops】

【Author: Yue Fei】

【Scroll Dimensions: 49×1002cm】

【Creation Date: August 1138, 8th Year of Shaoxing, Southern Song Dynasty】

【During the Southern Song period, Yue Fei, while leading an attack against the Jin Dynasty, passed through Nanyang and visited the Temple of Marquis Wu. In his 'postscript,' Yue Fei wrote: "Deep in the night, holding a candle, I carefully examined the inscriptions and poems praising the Master on the walls, as well as the two memorials carved on the steles before the temple. I could not help but weep like rain. That night, I could not sleep, sitting and waiting for dawn. After the Daoist priest finished serving tea, I produced paper and requested him to write. Wiping away my tears, I took up the brush, disregarding skill or clumsiness, merely to relieve the depression in my chest. Yue Fei, inscribed."】

【Reason for Loss: Initially collected by a family surnamed Song. After three generations of collection, it fell into the hands of a wealthy family surnamed Yang in Tongzhou. Later, as the Yang family's fortunes declined, they pawned the manuscript at a pawnshop in Bozhou. During the Xianfeng era, it came into the possession of Yuan Shikai's uncle. In the late Qing Dynasty, it fell into the hands of a wealthy salt merchant surnamed Huang. Later, the Governor-General of Jiangbei deceived him with a fake copy of the Goose Formation, took it, and eventually gave it to the Beiyang warlord Wu Peifu. After Wu Peifu's death, his tomb was robbed, and it was buried here...】

After reading it, Fang Yang was greatly surprised; this was actually Yue Fei's Memorial on Dispatching Troops.

Most people only know Yue Fei's "Man Jiang Hong," but few know that he also wrote a Memorial on Dispatching Troops.

Seeing Fang Yang approach, Chen Feng hurriedly handed over the manuscript: "Fang Yang, could this be Zhuge Liang's Memorial on Dispatching Troops?"

Fang Yang took the manuscript and slowly unrolled it until the very end.

When the two characters "Yue Fei" clearly appeared before his eyes.

Chen Feng was stunned!

"This is actually Yue Fei's handwritten copy of the Memorial on Dispatching Troops!"

Chen Feng frowned: "Fang Yang, is this an authentic original?"

Fang Yang nodded: "It is an authentic original!"

Hiss~~~

"If that's the case, this is another extraordinary artifact!"

Although the surrounding fans did not know that Yue Fei also wrote a Memorial on Dispatching Troops, seeing Chen Feng's shocked expression, they all became agitated.

They originally thought they had dug up something ordinary, but it turned out to contain something extraordinary.

As for the live stream, it was now in an uproar.

【Popularity】 +1+1+1+1....

— 【Holy crap, this works? There's actually treasure hidden inside a broken bottle? If I had dug this up, I would have definitely thrown it away as scrap. Who could have imagined a genuine original by Yue Fei hidden inside? This is simply like a joke, unbelievable!】

— 【Where is that guy who said he would eat the canister? Stop pretending to be dead. You can eat this canister; the netizens in the live stream will testify for you. You all were just talking big; we told you long ago to trust Fang Yang and not dig up things for no reason. Now look, without a doubt, it's another national-level treasure.】

— 【To be honest, this is the first time I've heard that Yue Fei also wrote a Memorial on Dispatching Troops. Is it exactly the same as Zhuge Liang's, or did he write his own? I like both of these ancients very much; it's just a pity their fates were not very good. Zhuge Liang's was slightly better; at least Liu Bei trusted him. As for Yue Fei, I truly feel the one who should kneel before him most is Zhao Gou!】

— 【The fact that this manuscript has survived to the present day is a miracle. It's paper; it must be several hundred years old. If even one person had failed to preserve it properly, it would never have been seen again. Fortunately, the person who buried it placed it in two waterproof tea canisters. I wonder, such a precious item, why bury it here? It doesn't look like something lost by accident. Where is the person who buried it!】

Fang Yang glanced at the characters on the Memorial on Dispatching Troops; one could clearly feel an emotion emanating from the handwriting.

It was just like when Yue Fei, feeling deeply depressed, took up his brush and let it dance like a roaming dragon, completing the "Afterward Memorial on Deploying the Army" in one breath.

This shows his state of mind at the time must have been extremely terrible.

Chen Feng asked curiously, "I always thought Yue Fei's 'Memorial on Deploying the Army' had no authentic manuscript, only stone inscriptions. I never expected there to be a handwritten version. What exactly happened? Do you know, Fang Yang?"

Fang Yang nodded. "There must have been a handwritten version. Paper was already popular during the Southern Song Dynasty; how could it have been carved onto a stone tablet on the spot?"

"True, but then why did he write the 'Memorial on Deploying the Army'?"

Upon hearing this, not only he, but all the fans around turned to look.

Even the fellow workers were curious.

After all, Yue Fei's name is known to everyone in Huaxia, and everyone is very interested in anything related to him.

Fang Yang thought for a moment, took a deep breath, and said slowly, "In August of the year 1138, while Yue Fei led the Yue Family Army in pursuit of the Jin troops, he passed through Nanyang to rest briefly and also visited the Wuhou Shrine in Nanyang to pay tribute to Zhuge Liang."

"Unfortunately, it started raining at that time. Yue Fei decided to spend the night in the shrine. With a heavy heart, he couldn't sleep at all, so he got up, lit a candle, and carefully read Zhuge Liang's 'Beforehand' and 'Afterward Memorials on Deploying the Army'."

"As he read, he thought of his country's shattered mountains and rivers, the inevitable suffering everywhere, and how many families were destroyed. Combined with his own heavy experiences, tears unconsciously flowed down his face, and he could no longer sleep."

"Just then, the Daoist Priest in the shrine brought him tea and also brought the Four Treasures of the Study. At that time, Yue Fei was a general beloved throughout the nation, and the Daoist Priest hoped he would leave behind a piece of calligraphy for them."

"So, Yue Fei, with tears in his eyes, wrote Zhuge Liang's 'Beforehand' and 'Afterward Memorials on Deploying the Army'!"

As Fang Yang's words drifted out, everyone pricked up their ears to listen.

But as they listened, their moods unconsciously grew dim.

As people of Huaxia, they had all heard of Yue Fei's story.

Hearing such a story about Yue Fei from Fang Yang's mouth, they could feel some resonance.

He devoted himself to protecting his home and country, yet he was not trusted by the Emperor, and there were petty people stabbing him in the back.

Moreover, this happened during a time of national crisis, which made people feel even more that he was undeserving of such treatment.

Fang Yang continued his explanation: "When Yue Fei wrote the 'Memorial on Deploying the Army', one could feel his patriotic sentiments through his handwriting. Looking at the manuscript, the characters at the beginning were very dignified and steady."

"But as it went on, his handwriting began to vary in thickness, becoming erratic and dramatic. At this point, it is clear that his mood resonated with the text; his emotions reached a climax. Therefore, the calligraphy on it became lighter and lighter, and the speed faster and faster."

"At this moment, I feel as though I am not seeing Yue Fei writing, but rather him wielding a war blade, fighting on the battlefield! It is as if a great ambition in Yue Fei's heart is shouting, roaring to the heavens, and charging to decide the outcome from a thousand li away!"

At this moment, aside from the sound of the wind and the fans who were still arriving, no other sound could be heard.

Those fans who had just arrived, looking at the scene, could clearly feel a distressing emotion.

It was very lost and low, as if in regret.

Even Director Chen, who had been busy maintaining order, could not help but feel sorrowful upon hearing these words.

A general, living in chaotic times, wanting to protect his home and country.