Xiao Yi motioned for Yunxiao to pick up the stones that Duoduo had just thrown away.
Duoduo found it a bit strange. "Father, those aren't as pretty as these."
"They're just going to be placed in the pond anyway. A few more won't cost much extra." Xiao Yi seemed determined to spoil Duoduo to the fullest.
Duoduo was very happy. Those stones were actually quite pretty, too.
Just not as pretty as these ones.
"Yunxiao, go find someone to move them," Xiao Yi instructed.
Yunxiao hesitated for a moment, then acknowledged the order and left.
Xiao Yi looked at Duoduo. "Is there anything else you want to pick? Why don't you choose them all at once?"
Duoduo looked at the mountain of stones and shook her head.
"Father, these are enough!"
Xiao Yi nodded. "Shopkeeper, the bill!"
The shopkeeper, who had been hiding behind the door, ran out with a face full of smiles, answering eagerly.
"Dear customers, have you finished choosing? We have even better ones inside. Would you like to take a look?"
Seeing that Xiao Yi and his group had selected a huge pile of stones, the shopkeeper figured these were wealthy customers who did not lack money.
Xiao Yi looked at Duoduo, silently asking for her opinion.
Duoduo subconsciously clutched her purse tightly. "I'm not looking anymore! These are enough!"
The shopkeeper froze.
From Xiao Yi's attire, one could tell at a glance that he was no ordinary person.
But judging from the little girl's reaction, was she the one paying for these stones?
"Then would you like us to cut them open for you? What if there is jade inside?" the shopkeeper suggested.
That was how it worked on Jade Street. If jade was cut from one of his stones, the whole street would know in no time.
Then, a steady stream of customers would flock to his store.
Xiao Yi refused.
"They are just meant to be placed in a pond. There's no need to go through all that trouble."
"Besides, if the stones here could really produce jade, wouldn't people have swarmed the place to snatch them up long ago?"
Hearing this, a bitter expression appeared on the shopkeeper's face.
He couldn't help it. Although these stones were mined from a jade vein, no customer had ever actually found jade in them.
Otherwise, they wouldn't have been piled up here for so long, completely ignored.
"You are absolutely right! I will settle the bill for you now."
The shopkeeper had his assistant start counting the stones on the ground.
"The total is five hundred and eighty-three taels. I'll round it down for you; five hundred and eighty taels will do."
The shopkeeper quickly provided the total amount.
Xiao Yi looked at Duoduo. With an aching heart, Duoduo pulled out the fifty-thousand-tael bank note from her purse.
The shopkeeper took it. Seeing the amount written on it, he couldn't help but take another look at Duoduo.
"What is it? Is there a problem?" Duoduo immediately noticed the shopkeeper's expression.
The shopkeeper's face wrinkled into a flattering smile. "No, no. I just wanted to ask, would you like your change in bank notes or silver pieces?"
Duoduo thought for a moment. "Keep the large amounts in bank notes, and give me the small change in silver."
The shopkeeper nodded and went inside to process the transaction.
Yunxiao walked over, leading some people pushing a handcart.
By the time the shopkeeper brought out the remaining bank notes and silver, Yunxiao had already loaded all the stones onto the cart.
"Let's go."
Xiao Yi watched Duoduo put away the bank notes, shot a warning glance at the shopkeeper, and signaled for Yunxiao to push his wheelchair away.
The shopkeeper's heart pounded in fear at Xiao Yi's sharp glance.
The group returned to their own shop.
"Your Highness, Duoduo, did you buy more stones? Don't we already have some in our shop?"
Li Jin greeted them, looking very confused as he saw the assistants moving stones into the shop.
"Li Jin, have the stone-cutting master come over. Let's open one up and take a look."
Xiao Yi's eyes and tone revealed his eagerness.
A faint suspicion was forming in his mind.
Li Jin sent someone to call the master, casually picking up a small stone.
"This stone is quite interesting. It actually has a jade belt wrapping the waist."
Recently, due to managing the jade business, Li Jin had learned a lot from the masters.
Duoduo tilted her head back and looked at the stone in Li Jin's hand.
"Teacher, what is a jade belt wrapping the waist?"
Li Jin lowered his hand and pointed at a line running through the middle of the stone.
"Here, there is a line. This is called a jade belt wrapping the waist."
Duoduo nodded, half-understanding.
The stone-cutting master arrived, carrying his tools.
He bowed to Xiao Yi and Li Jin.
"His Highness wants to open a stone to take a look." Li Jin casually handed the stone he was holding to the master.
The master took it and set up his tools. "How would you like it cut?"
Xiao Yi and Li Jin looked at each other.
They were both laymen.
"How about we open a window first to test it?" Xiao Yi noticed the stone was very small. If they sliced it, there wouldn't be much left.
Xiao Yi's suggestion won everyone's approval.
The master took his tools and began to polish it gently.
As the debris from the surface of the stone fell with a soft rustling sound, a hint of light green was revealed.
"There's jade! It looks like Tianqing Jade!" The master's hands were trembling.
Li Jin squatted down in excitement.
There was jade in the very first piece they opened!
What incredible luck!
Hearing this, Xiao Yi couldn't help but look at Duoduo.
Duoduo was staring nervously at the master polishing the stone, looking just as surprised.
"Teacher, is this jade?" Duoduo was very curious.
In her eyes, this stone was a light green color.
It was like the green of new leaves just sprouting in early spring.
If the green she saw was jade, then what were the other colors?
Li Jin nodded excitedly.
"That's right, this is jade. Although the quality isn't top-tier, it is still exceptionally good."
"It's a pity this stone is too small. It can only be made into a few jade pendants or earrings."
Li Jin felt a bit regretful.
Hearing this, Duoduo pointed to the largest stone.
"Teacher, that stone is the biggest. Open that one!"
Li Jin turned his head, the excitement on his face yet to fade.
He looked at Duoduo. "Is the Princess certain we should open that one?"
Duoduo nodded. "Open it!"
Li Jin personally carried the stone over. "How should we open it? Cut it in half or open a window?"
Now, Duoduo understood.
Opening a window meant grinding a small surface to see what color the stone inside was.
Cutting it meant splitting the stone into two halves.
In Duoduo's eyes, this stone glowed with the red color of flames.
Its color was much more dazzling than the small stone's.
Duoduo hardly even dared to look closely at it.
"Let's open a window. If there's nothing inside, I can still take it back and put it in the pond."
Duoduo wasn't entirely sure if the colors she saw definitely meant there was jade inside.
Hearing this, Li Jin glanced at Xiao Yi.
Xiao Yi gave him a slight nod.
"Alright, we'll open a window!" Li Jin took the tools from the master's hands to do it himself.
This stone was about the size of three cuju balls.
Its surface was covered in moss; it looked as though it had been sitting in a pile for a very long time.
Li Jin first used water to wash the surface of the stone.
Then, he used the tools to slowly and carefully grind away the outer layer.
