The Ancestral Legacy Begins in the Wild West

Chapter 132 Memories of a Famous Sword: Sheng Haizhou, Antique Collector

"What the hell is going on? Sending this kind of thing by express delivery?!" Zhang Chang'an muttered, somewhat speechless, as he carefully examined the famous sword and spear.

The package was tightly wrapped in yellow tape. It also went through Guangzhou customs, but it didn't look particularly unique. At least, it certainly didn't look like something you'd expect from two national treasures.

However, the things inside were still the same as he remembered.

The lacquer on the Bingzi Jiaolin knife is mottled, the blade is plain black, and the handle is a Chinese-style grip that he modified himself. The blade is mostly intact, with only a few fine, indelible scratches.

"Click—" He took out the blade with his other hand and examined it carefully. The blade was still cold under the fluorescent light, and the four ancient inscriptions were as clear as ever.

At the other end was a spearhead wrapped separately in soft cloth. The spearhead was larger than a typical cross-shaped spear, with a prominent central ridge; in terms of length, it almost resembled a short sword. It was also very well preserved.

"These two items are made of excellent materials and are crafted with great skill. The key is that they must have been highly valued. It is not surprising that they have been preserved so well after more than 150 years."

He sat back on the sofa, remained silent for three seconds, and then took out his phone.

Is it legal for individuals to own cultural relics?

"Inheritance of Overseas Cultural Relics by Citizens of the Celestial Empire"

This is indeed a perfectly normal reaction.

The previous exoskeleton didn't look like anything special either. Although it was also a hundred years old, it was made of metal and didn't have special whale oil, so it couldn't function at all. Therefore, it couldn't really be considered a very impressive antique.

The way he obtained it was similar to these two items; it seemed that the timeline was altered, changing the past so that he inherited it on the very day he inherited the family genealogy.

However, this item is a cultural relic and must be opened and inspected by customs upon entry.

Moreover, even if the family tree is directly altered, and all the troubles on the transportation route are smoothed over, it doesn't seem to guarantee peace of mind if the law doesn't allow it.

Fortunately, after some searching, he confirmed: "If it is a cultural relic that has been legally inherited by an individual and has a clear provenance, it can be held normally. There is no need to worry that it will suddenly turn into 500 yuan and a banner. And I have legal entry certificates and clear provenance records."

Just like the money the family genealogy book gave him, the initial 500 was in cash. Later, it was direct bank transfers.

Although the inheritance procedures were cumbersome, he never had to handle them and they were absolutely legal: "So, does that mean I've become an antique collector right now?"

Inside the box, beneath two other items, was a document bag containing customs declarations, a list of imported goods, and a notarized certificate of inheritance. Nothing should go wrong.

As he flipped through the pages, something occurred to him: "Moreover—the Bingzi Pepper Forest and the Dragonfly Cutter, although national treasures, have had their historical trajectory completely altered because they were taken away by Lord Tiezhou in the 19th century."

"The reason these two items were so famous is probably largely because they were both successfully passed down to the modern era. The Bingzi Jiaolin sword is also a rare example of a Sui and Tang dynasty sword."

"Now, although they are still the sword of Prince Shotoku and the gun of Honda Tadakatsu as recorded in history, they are not as well-known because they have been lost for more than a hundred years."

"Of course, there are always legends and historical records involved—it seems that it's still easier to drink tea that has been preserved as a cultural relic."

Zhang Chang'an pondered for a moment and then helplessly shrugged: "But anyway, I have all the paperwork in order, so there's no need to panic. If they really come looking for me, they'll be the ones begging me. At most, they'll just keep a file and do some observation and research."

This is mainly because the family genealogy was too complete. The customs record is from half a month ago. Even if he didn't want to do this and planned to leave these two things abroad, he couldn't.

Zhang Chang'an pondered for a moment, then rummaged through the moisture-proof paper and the padding material in the box, preparing to put those two things back first. But as he did so, he actually found an even older envelope at the bottom of the box.

The letter paper inside was slightly yellowed and quite antique, but it was folded neatly, with only some wear on the edges.

He gently unfolded it; it contained calligraphy written in Chinese. The seal at the end was also a red square seal in Chinese, reading "Sheng Haizhou Yin." The date was Meiji 43 (1894).

"Katsu Kaishu? Ryoma's guy—"

Before he could think it through or examine it more closely, everything suddenly went black.

A moment later, Zhang Chang'an found that the scene in front of him had changed into a Japanese-style room.

"This is... a transfer of memories?" Zhang Chang'an quickly realized and accepted the situation: "No problem, skills can be transferred, so weapons can be transferred too."

In my memory, the paper sliding door was half open, and outside was a small dry landscape garden. The sound of bamboo awls tapping on stones drifted in, clear and distant.

The room was simply furnished with a low table, two cushions, and a calligraphy scroll hanging on the wall that read: "A bosom friend afar brings a distant land near."

Tie Zhou Gong, dressed in a kimono, sat upright on a futon, opposite a middle-aged man. The man was around fifty years old, with a thin face, a short beard, and wore a dark-colored, wide-striped robe with a black overcoat. His posture was upright but not stiff.

Zhang Chang'an immediately understood: "Sheng Haizhou. An enlightened figure in the late Edo period, the one who facilitated the bloodless surrender of Edo, the teacher of Sakamoto Ryoma, who wrote poems for the Beiyang Admiral Ding Ruchang —"

"Mr. Zhang."

Sheng Haizhou spoke, bowing slightly as a gesture of respect.

"Longma often mentions you to me. He says you are a very capable Han Chinese. Moreover, you are a rare person who has ideas and integrity."

Tie Zhougong's brows twitched slightly.

Sheng Haizhou continued, "The Qing Dynasty today—I won't mince words—is extremely corrupt. It's the kind of ending we must try our best to avoid."

"However, I have studied a lot of Sinology, so I don't believe that country will always be like this."

Because I believe there are still many virtuous, capable, and principled people there who won't be forgotten forever because of the current situation. One day, they will step forward.

As Sheng Haizhou said this, he picked up the teacup in front of him, took a sip, and then put it down.

"Just like Mr. Zhang did in Nijo Castle two years ago."

As he spoke, he silently shook his head: "I feel very ashamed about that matter, because of my position, I don't know everything in the shogunate, yet they are the ones who control the vast majority of the shogunate's power."

Katsu Kaishu's eyes became much more serious: "And now, after lying low for more than a year since the Ikedaya incident, I have succeeded to the position of Naval Commissioner, which is the highest-ranking officer in the Navy, and I am finally able to do something."

As he spoke, he took something from his sleeve and placed it on the low table. It was a letter that had not yet worn out. Beneath the freshly dried ink on the white paper, a red seal was faintly visible.

"I can't promise how much you can accomplish right now, but regarding what you did in that battle, things that should have been investigated by some people in the shogunate, I can temporarily exempt you from punishment."

"This is a plea of ​​immunity."

Katsu Kaishu's tone was quite solemn: "The seal of the Ministry of the Navy, plus my signature. With this, the people on the shogunate's side can no longer make things difficult for you with the Nijo Castle matter. Anyone who wants to touch you will have to bring me down first."

Then, he changed the subject: "Besides that, there's the knife you have, and the Dragonfly Cutter, both of which have records written on them. They're being presented to you personally in an official capacity."