Battlefield Priest's Diary

Chapter 61 Easter Eggs

As night fell, a light rain began to fall.

In a small cabin on the edge of the camp, a kerosene lamp was lit, and unburnt matches were thrown into the fireplace, soon igniting a warm fire.

A light rain pattered against the windowsill, and a small kettle steamed over the fire.

A crow flapped its wings and hopped onto the windowsill, tilting its head to look into the room. Its dark blue pupils reflected the shadows of two people.

"Please use it, but be careful, it's freshly brewed and a little hot." The priest in black handed the ceramic cup of hot tea to the silver-haired Frenchman.

Fabergé took a deep breath, seemingly enjoying the aroma of the hot tea.

"Thank you. Nothing is more calming than enjoying a cup of hot tea in the rain."

After saying this, the old man took a small sip of tea, seemingly lost in a state of reminiscence.

Qin Hao didn't say anything, but carefully observed the person in front of him.

Peter Carl Fabergé

This man may not be considered a big shot by today's standards. Born into a family of goldsmiths and merchants, he did not have a noble status and was considered to be of relatively low status among those around the Tsar.

However, the influence of his works on later generations may, in some ways, be greater than that of most people in this area.

In his youth, he traveled throughout Europe, leaving his mark on major countries such as England, France, Germany, and Italy. After completing his studies, he absorbed and integrated the Renaissance and Rococo styles to create his own unique jewelry-making techniques.

Between 1866 and 1917, his workshop produced 10 jewelry orders, and he himself participated in the design of nearly 1000 exquisite pieces, the most famous of which were 50 Easter eggs of various shapes.

These Easter eggs were commissioned for the Russian royal family to celebrate Easter every year. The production process was kept secret and was only revealed at the moment of presentation.

Each of the 50 Easter eggs contains a unique little mechanism and "surprise".

For example, the "Rose Egg" from 1895 has a lifelike enamel rose embedded inside with an ingenious mechanism, which can bloom with a golden stamen when opened.

The "Coronation Egg" from 1902 reveals a miniature Kremlin when the top ruby ​​is pressed, and the double-headed eagle symbol is projected when projected under candlelight.

The Moon Egg presented by Fabergé at Easter 1914 is said to have blue enamel that changes color with the phases of the moon (suspected to be related to temperature and humidity).
Someone once described Fabergé's Easter eggs like this: "These Easter eggs are Russia's 'One Thousand and One Nights'—each time you open one, another secret is revealed."

With the collapse of Tsarist Russia, most of the Fabergé eggs were lost overseas. Seven of them were taken to exile by Tsarina Maria and sold to France. Several were looted by Germany, and some were sold to the United States by the Soviet government (the "Art for Tractors" plan of the Iron Father).
Of the 43 Easter eggs that have survived to this day, 7 are missing.

Russia considers it a top national treasure, and a single piece entering the market would fetch no less than $3000 million, even without bidding at a premium…

and many more.

Top-tier national treasures, royal collections, and different designs every Easter?
Isn't this consistent with the description of "The Tsar's Treasure" in the diary?

Is this some kind of Easter egg thief role?

Thinking of this, Qin Hao's gaze towards Fabergé began to change.

He then broke the silence.

“Mr. Fabergé, I don’t think you came here just for tea, did you?”

"Hoo~" The white-haired old man sighed softly, looking up at the cross around the neck of the black-clad priest as if he had made some kind of decision.

He asked, "Mr. Putin, is Lensa alright?"

"Who?!" Qin Hao shook his head, his face full of doubt. "Sorry, I've never heard of that name."

“I know, I know… She told you not to tell me,” Fabergé murmured to himself, his face a mixture of nostalgia and sadness.

“But that’s definitely Lunsa’s craftsmanship. Only she could master this kind of technique.” The old man pointed to a spot on the cross, his eyes filled with memories.

Finally, he finished his tea in one gulp and said in an almost pleading tone, "I won't bother her. I just want to ask, is Lunsa doing well?"

Qin Hao pulled his hands back into his sleeves, his mind racing.

Lunsa sounds like a woman's name. Stella said that her ancestors had been working in Russia for nearly 200 years, so this woman named Lunsa was her ancestor.

Judging from his tone, Fabergé and this woman named Rensa are very familiar with each other. So what is their relationship?

Colleague? Student? Lover?

Or perhaps all three?
After a brief pause, the priest in black spoke softly.
"She got married and has her own family and children."

“Then she…” Fabergé’s face showed an urgent expression.

"I'm sorry, sir, that's all I can say from my position. It also concerns my personal integrity." The priest in black immediately adopted a haughty demeanor.

"Alright, that's enough. May I take a look at this mechanism?" The old man sighed, composed himself, and focused his attention on the cross around Qin Hao's neck.

"Please wait a moment." Qin Hao turned and went into the inner room. He opened the mechanism, poured out the pills inside and put them away. At the same time, he rotated the base of the cross and took out all the small items inside, including flint and fishhooks.

Returning to the present, Qin Hao handed the cross to Fabergé.

Touching the surface of the cross, the old man's face showed a nostalgic and sentimental expression. "It really is Lunsa's craftsmanship. After all these years, it still has this delicate and practical style, without adding any decorations."

"Perhaps that's why we..."

Halfway through his sentence, Fabergé became puzzled again. He brought the jewelry he was holding closer to the light, tilting his head back to examine the details of the cross once more.

"Hmm? This material is strange... I've never used it before, it's so tough... And what was used to cut these rounded corners? There's not a single mark left?"

Fabergé, who had just been immersed in his personal feelings, was now in a different state. His face lit up with renewed curiosity about new things. He stood up somewhat eagerly, leaning half his body out to ask impatiently:

“Father Pugin, were you present when this item was being made?”

"I'm sorry, I wasn't there at the time."

Did Narensa tell you where these materials came from?

"No, and I know absolutely nothing about this kind of technology, so even if you explained it to me, I wouldn't be able to remember it." Qin Hao decided to play dumb to the end, spreading his hands to indicate that he was powerless to help.

"What a pity." The old man reluctantly gathered the crucifix in his hand and handed it back to the priest in black.

"If I could understand the principles behind these things, maybe my idea for the next Easter egg would work."

???

Upon hearing this, Qin Hao's eyes suddenly lit up.

(End of this chapter)