Chapter 136: A Huge Shock

This mansion truly deserved its reputation for bringing misfortune to the entire family of the Empire’s former Minister of Internal Affairs. As Lin Qi stepped into the main building, his eyes were greeted by a dazzling golden glow. If his face hadn’t been covered by a mask, his greedy expression would have caused him great embarrassment.

There were no flashy gold, silver, or jewel-encrusted items here, but every object, even the vase in the corner holding fresh flowers, had a significant history. For example, that vase with a deep red base, painted with black glaze depicting a warrior slaying a beautiful woman, was definitely a treasure passed down from the Dark Calendar era.

Before the Rejuvenation Calendar, there was the long and obscure Dark Calendar period, whose exact duration even historical records could not confirm. During that lengthy and terrifying time, there were no unified nations on the Western Continent. Instead, various city-states, independent villages, and towns became the sparks of human gathering and propagation.

Beyond those city-states and settlements lay terrifying magical beasts, evil Alien Races, and countless ruffians who brought about waves of bloodshed.

The Dark Calendar was the darkest period on the Continent, a time when the flame of civilization dimmed the most. Yet, it was also during this frightening historical stage that heroes emerged one after another, making it what people today romanticize as the ‘Demigod Hero’ era.

The story of the warrior slaying the beautiful woman on the vase originated from a legendary tale of a powerful city-state during the Dark Calendar. Love, conspiracy, hatred, chaotic bloodlines—all sorts of unimaginable elements came together to form this timeless legend. The deep red base of the vase and the metallic sheen of the black glaze were impossible for modern craftsmen on the Continent to replicate, as many unique glazes had long since disappeared from the Continent.

A vase passed down from the Dark Calendar era could no longer be valued in Gold Coins. If one had to assign a price in Gold Coins, some mid-level royal families on the Continent would be willing to trade a decade’s worth of tax revenue for such a vase.

These treasures inherited from the Dark Calendar represented culture, heritage, and a symbol of status and identity. Owning such a vase was like a plain-looking Young Girl transforming into a stunning beauty with skillful makeup—it could instantly bestow a dazzling brilliance upon a family.

In the Western Continent, where bloodline and heritage were highly emphasized, even royal families were stratified. A lower-tier Noble family, looked down upon at royal gatherings and limited to marriages with minor Nobles, could, with such a Dark Calendar treasure, proudly boast that their lineage descended from a great hero of that era. They might even claim to be direct descendants of a major city-state’s royal family from the Dark Calendar.

In this way, their bloodline would be branded as pure, like a Pureblood Horse, instantly multiplying their worth and elevating their status. They would soar to greatness, transforming from a lowly chicken into a phoenix perched on a treetop. Even if their nation’s power did not increase at all, their standing within the Continental royal circle would become entirely different.

If, in the past, an imperial princess from such a family was considered unmarriageable even with a dowry, simply owning such a vase would change everything. Even if the princess was somewhat ugly, plump, vulgar, or even lacked virtue, handsome, tall, mighty, wise, and brilliant princes from other royal families would eagerly come with lavish betrothal gifts, begging for her hand in marriage.

A single vase could even alter the fate of a royal family!

Therefore, a mid-level royal family would absolutely be willing to exchange a decade’s worth of national tax revenue for such a vase! And the total tax revenue of a mid-level nation on the Continent over ten years would be no less than one billion Gold Coins!

In the main hall on the first floor of the building, one such vase was placed in each of the four corners: east, south, west, and north.

Lin Qi’s heart twitched, and his face, hidden beneath the pure gold mask, contorted. Even if Blackbeard were standing right in front of him, he wouldn’t be able to recognize Lin Qi’s distorted, spasming face—it had become almost Beastfolk-like.

“Uncle Bar, Aunt Lili, we don’t need to develop the Iron Fist Brotherhood anymore. If we loot this place, we’ll be set for life!” Lin Qi forcibly suppressed the urge to draw his axe and cut down Elham, following stiffly behind Tixiang.

Tixiang’s face also looked somewhat unpleasant; he had noticed the same things Lin Qi had. It was unbelievable, truly unbelievable. Tixiang had long heard the legendary stories about the mansion at No.1 Shenghui Street, but he never dreamed it would be this extraordinary.

The Empire’s former Minister of Internal Affairs—how much had this scoundrel profited toward the end of the Hundred-Year Land-Island War? How could he have collected four such heaven-defying treasures? But it was conceivable that when he acquired these four vases, he might not have spent a single Gold Coin!

Tixiang roared inwardly. He was determined to have his uncle send all the officials from the Empire’s Ministry of Finance who were responsible for auctioning No.1 Shenghui Street to prison. Those useless Finance Ministry officials—how could they have sold such a mansion for so little twenty years ago?

Now, if No.1 Shenghui Street were to be auctioned today, just these four vases alone would enable the Empire to build the Sixth and Seventh Universities, expand ten other universities, and even triple the size of the Empire’s Navy and Army Academies.

“Dereliction of duty! This is dereliction of duty!” Tixiang’s face darkened.

He had once considered using money to tempt those two captivating young beauties, but now, his meager funds seemed like a joke compared to these four vases. And it wasn’t just these Dark Calendar vases—the other items in the first-floor hall were also valuable antiques.

Tixiang even spotted the imperial throne of an Emperor from the Gaul Empire who reigned for only three months five hundred years ago. Damn it, shouldn’t that be stored in the vaults of Victory Palace? Why was it here? And why was it placed near the bar in the first-floor hall? The emblem on the throne was so clear and glaring—it was the unique emblem of the Imperial Royal Family’s possessions!

Seeing Tixiang’s livid expression, Lin Qi quickly stepped closer and whispered into his ear, “Stay calm, Lord Tixiang. No matter how wealthy their family is, this is the Empire! And they are clearly not citizens of the Empire!”

Tixiang’s turmoil immediately settled. Yes, this was the Empire’s territory.

And he, Tixiang, undoubtedly wielded influence here second only to the Royal Family.