There were too many delicacies in the northern part of the Pyu Empire, especially the elephant's penis, which was a great tonic. Ang Lee couldn't control himself after eating it, causing him to have backaches for seven or eight days. If it wasn't for his good body, he probably wouldn't even be able to walk. Good things should be taken care of. He couldn't eat too much at once, or he would have to bear the consequences of being greedy. In any case, Ang Lee wouldn't eat anymore.
Other than elephants, what was the most famous thing in Elephant Mountain was naturally the various jade resources. There were a lot of gems, jades, and pearls here. There were also several gold mines and expensive luxury goods like elephant tusks. The wealth here was astonishing. If it wasn't for these huge benefits, the small forces in the northern part of the empire wouldn't be in conflict with the Pyu Empire. The reason why they were in conflict was because of these treasures.
A gold mine was very valuable, and a jade mine's price was unknown. These were all very valuable assets, so the Pyu Empire naturally wanted to monopolize them. However, the small forces in the northern part of the empire didn't want to, so they naturally resisted. Thus, the conflicts and struggles that lasted for hundreds of years were formed. For the sake of these precious resources, the Pyu Empire and the forces in the northern part of the empire often fought. Sometimes, when both sides were tired of fighting, they would sit down and negotiate. Both sides would mine a certain resource together, and then split the profits according to a certain ratio. This was also a method they often adopted. After all, the production of some resources was very large. Even if both sides divided the profits, it would still be a considerable amount of wealth.
Not far from Li An's residence, there was a jade mining mine. The scale of this mine was not large, and it was a small gem mine. However, many of the gems produced were top-grade gems. This was something that many factions did not expect. Not only was the Piao Country's imperial court envious, but the surrounding factions were also envious. They all wanted to come and get a share of the profits.
This small gem mine had become a hot potato in the hands of these small forces. They could lose this gem mine at any time, so they quickly increased their mining speed. At this time, the arrival of the Tang Dynasty's army gave the small forces a glimmer of hope. If they could cooperate with the Tang Dynasty, it would be the best.
The reason why a gem was called a gem was because it had to meet several basic conditions. First, it had to be beautiful. Beautiful meant gorgeous, sparkling, and dazzling. If a gem wasn't beautiful, it couldn't be called a gem. This kind of beauty could be expressed in a gorgeous color, transparent and clean, or have special optical effects, such as cat's eye, changing colors, or night light. These were all very precious gems, or have special patterns, such as chrysanthemum stone, agate, plum blossom jade, and so on. For example, if they were both diamonds, the transparent ones with few flaws could be used to make precious diamonds, while those with poor transparency, many flaws, and dark colors could only be used as industrial raw materials.
In addition to its beauty, it also had to have durability, which meant that it was hard and wear-resistant and could last for a long time. Due to the high value of gemstones, people inevitably hoped that they could be durable and could even be passed down from generation to generation. One of the reasons why diamonds were the most expensive gemstones was that they were the hardest gemstones in the world and were not afraid of corrosion. Therefore, the more valuable gemstones in the world were mostly some hard and corrosion-resistant silicate minerals, such as jadeite, a few oxides, such as ruby, sapphire, and so on, as well as simple minerals. Soft and easily corrosive gemstones had lower value and were often used to make handicrafts.
In addition to beauty and durability, gems also had to meet the characteristics of scarcity. If they were produced in large quantities, they couldn't be called a gem. The rarer something was, the more expensive it was. Among the extremely rare emeralds in the world, the high-quality ones were frighteningly expensive. Ordinary people didn't even dare to think about it. Some beautiful and durable gems were produced in large quantities and were easier to mine, so their prices had always been lower. Some common rocks also had the characteristics of beauty and durability after being polished, but they couldn't become a member of the gem family. The reason was that things that were easy to get were cheap.
It had to be said that people were quite cheap. Obviously, some things were better, but because they were easier to get, their prices were very low. Some things weren't particularly good, but because they were rare, their prices were as high as the sky. The rarer something was, the more expensive it was. This had been the case for thousands of years. Many people just liked to chase after rare things, which really made people helpless.
The representatives of the small forces invited Ang Lee to visit the jade mine. Ang Lee naturally wouldn't refuse. It would be good to see it for himself. Although Ang Lee didn't lack gems, it wouldn't be a bad thing to get more. If he was lucky enough to get the best quality gems, then it would be too delightful. Ang Lee didn't care about the value of the gems. Ang Lee wanted to be lucky.
Because he heard that this small jade mine produced many kinds of precious jade, Li An was quite excited. As for what kind of jade, they didn't say clearly, because there were more than a dozen kinds. It was really unbelievable that a jade mine had more than a dozen kinds of jade. Those who didn't know the details would suspect that these jade were buried here by someone with ulterior motives.
"Honorable guest, we have a rule here. Every honorable guest can get a random gem. However, the specific gems you get depends on your luck."
The representatives of the small forces took out ten gems, each covered with a black cloth, and placed them on a table.
Ang Lee was immediately interested. This kind of random selection game was quite interesting. Ang Lee had always believed in his luck, and believed that he would be able to get a more expensive gem.
"Emerald, not bad. It seems that my luck is very good!"
Ang Lee recognized the treasure he had chosen at a glance, and was in a very good mood.
"Yaofu, you can also choose one. I believe that with your luck, you will definitely be able to get a good gem."
Ang Lee looked at Zhao Yaofu and said.
Zhao Yaofu smiled slightly and said, "Okay, then I'll give it a try."
"What kind of stone is this? It looks like a cat's eye."
Zhao Yaofu looked at the cat's eye stone in his hand and said with a smile.
Ang Lee said happily, "This is the cat's eye stone. Our luck is too good! I suspect that there are precious gems inside. Open it and take a look. "
After the eight black cloths were opened, Ang Lee showed an expression that he had expected it. These ten gems were relatively precious, and none of them were ordinary. However, in terms of value, the gems in the hands of Ang Lee and Zhao Yaofu were the most precious. Although the other eight gems were also precious, their value was slightly lower.
However, Zhao Yaofu didn't seem to like the cat's eye stone. He took a fancy to another gem, and left the cat's eye stone behind. He picked up the gem that wasn't as good as the cat's eye stone.
This gem was a chalcedony, and it was a relatively rare Ice Colored Chalcedony. In terms of preciousness, the Ice Colored Chalcedony was not much worse than the cat's eye stone.
What was the Ice Colored Chalcedony? It was said that the Ice Colored Chalcedony was a rare gem among chalcedony. Due to the small size of the raw ore, and the outer layer was mostly covered with a thick layer of weathered miscellaneous ores. Only a small part of the inner layer was suitable for use. When processing, it could only be obtained by killing the chicken to get the egg. It was extremely difficult. The natural Ice Colored Chalcedony was a very precious gem. Due to its rich color and excellent craftsmanship, it could be made into extremely exquisite ornaments. It was one of the most collectible colored gems.
The Ice Colored Chalcedony could also be called the Ice Colored Chalcedony. It was a type of colored chalcedony that was formed when the main body of the chalcedony crystal was infiltrated with the mineral factor. Therefore, it had a rich visual effect. The best quality of the chalcedony should be the same color, and the texture should be transparent. The so-called Ice Colored Chalcedony had to meet the following major elements: the color was pure and bright, the structure was delicate, the texture was transparent, and the luster was like a glass.
The Ice Colored Chalcedony had a variety of colors. Luster, translucency, and bright color were its obvious characteristics. The common types of chalcedony were mainly colorless and transparent to white. Some of them were formed by the long-term erosion of minerals, which was the best raw material for beautiful carvings. The ones with uniform colors and bright colors were rarer and more precious. Although the Ice Colored Chalcedony could be produced in various colors, there were more common types of red, blue, green, and other colors. Regardless of whether it came from the supreme cultural background of the royal family or its rarity, the Golden Chalcedony was the rarest and most precious.
Since it was a precious gem, there would naturally be people who would fake it. There were many ways to judge the Ice Colored Chalcedony, but it depended on its unique characteristics. The Ice Colored Chalcedony had the spiritual energy of natural chalcedony. After looking at a lot of natural jades, one would be able to feel the spiritual energy of the Ice Colored Chalcedony. Those fake ones would naturally not be able to fool one's Fiery Golden Eyes. The natural Ice Colored Chalcedony was particular about "ice", "moistness", "transparency", and "brightness".
"Ice" meant that the Ice Colored Chalcedony had a cold feeling to the touch. That kind of fresh and refined spiritual energy seemed to be able to purify the impetuous soul and precipitate the illusory world.
"Moistness" meant that the Ice Colored Chalcedony was full of water. Its texture was fine, its luster was smooth, and it looked fresh and sparkling.
"Transparency" meant that the Ice Colored Chalcedony was evenly translucent to the point of being transparent. When it was observed by light, the translucent phenomenon was obvious. There was a beautiful halo phenomenon, and the finished product would be sparkling and translucent.
"Brightness" meant that the Ice Colored Chalcedony was usually bright and lustrous, giving people a very strong affinity. It was infectious and pleasing to the eye.
It was because of these factors that the Ice Colored Chalcedony was worth a lot. In layman's terms, the Ice Colored Chalcedony with its luster, luster, and silkiness was worth treasuring.
Of course, there were some simpler ways to judge it. For example, the carving method. Because the Chalcedony was hard, it could carve marks on glass, copper, or iron without causing any damage to the body. There was also the hand touch method. If the Ice Colored Chalcedony was real, it would feel cold and smooth.
The observation method was also very simple. Place the Ice Colored Chalcedony in a bright place and observe it. The color was pure and beautiful, the texture was as clear as ice, and the luster was uniform. There was also a magnifying glass to observe it. The main thing was to see if there were any cracks. If there were cracks, the value of the Ice Colored Chalcedony would be greatly reduced. However, the Pyu did not have a magnifying glass, so this method was temporarily useless.
Because the Ice Colored Chalcedony was the best of the best, it had to be carefully maintained to maintain its luster and luster, and to preserve its artistic and economic value.
First of all, it had to avoid collision. Although the Ice Colored Chalcedony was very hard, it had to be carefully avoided. It had to be cleaned and placed properly when it was not worn. Secondly, it had to avoid chemical corrosion. It had to avoid contact with chemical agents to prevent corrosion and affect the luster of the Ice Colored Chalcedony. It was best to avoid heat sources. It had to be careful to avoid heat sources such as open flames and stoves. This was because when the Ice Colored Chalcedony was heated, its molecular volume would increase, which would destroy its original internal structure.
Seeing that Zhao Yefu actually exchanged the Cat's Eye Stone for the Ice Colored Chalcedony, Ang Lee smiled and said, "Yefu, this Cat's Eye Stone is more precious than the Ice Colored Chalcedony. It's a bit of a loss for you to exchange it like this."
Zhao Yefu frowned slightly and said, "No, that cat's eyes are quite scary. It's a bit uncomfortable to look at. This Ice Colored Chalcedony looks better. It's quite comfortable to look at."
Obviously, what Zhao Yefu cared about was not the value of the gem, but whether she liked it or not. If he liked it, it was the best. If she didn't like it, it wasn't good. She had never lacked money since she was a child, so she naturally didn't care whether the gem was expensive or not. She didn't care about this, and Ang Lee naturally didn't care about this either. Ang Lee's mansion in Chang 'an City had all kinds of gems, such as the gems in front of them. In fact, Ang Lee's mansion had all kinds of gems, and he didn't lack any of them. As long as you had money, you could get anything you wanted. Naturally, Ang Lee didn't lack gems.
There were many ways to mine gems. Some were open and violent mining, and some were digging. The gem mine in front of them belonged to the latter, which was the digging method. This method of mining produced less, but it was also safer, and it was not easy for people to fish in troubled waters. After all, as long as they sent people to guard the entrance of the cave, outsiders could not enter at all. However, the open-air jade mine was different. They could mix in from all directions, and if they were not careful, outsiders would mix in. It was also easier for the miners to fill their own pockets. They would secretly leave the ore somewhere, and then make a hidden mark. Then, the people outside could mix in and take the gems away. With the entrance of the cave, it was different. As long as a group of guards guarded the entrance of the cave and searched the absentee workers, then all the gems mined by the miners could not be taken out. This could greatly reduce the possible losses and prevent the ore from being stolen by the miners. Humans were greedy, and the miners who mined the gems were naturally no exception. These gems were so expensive, and the miners who mined them could get very little income. It would be abnormal if they did not have any other thoughts.
Some of the gems that were mined were bare, and some were wrapped in outer layers. No one knew what was inside these outer layers. Most of them were rubbish, and only a few of them were precious stones. They did not intend to delve into what was inside. These stones could be sold directly. Anyway, there were many people who liked to gamble on stones. It was none of their business if others lost their fortune. As long as they could make money from the stones they mined, it was enough. Only with enough money could they better expand their strength and protect their own industries. Otherwise, these industries would be taken away by others sooner or later.
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