General Lei nodded in wholehearted agreement and said:
"Though His Highness usually seems rash and careless about details, he actually has his own plans and a very firm mind. On something as important as going to war, if his mind is made up, I fear a few words from us will hardly change it."
Ao Dongping's gaze slowly shifted, finally settling on the desktop.
His desk held all four treasures of the scholar's study-brush, ink, paper, and inkstone-with several thick stacks of documents and files beside them. It was clearly a place where a scholar spent his days bent over his work.
Yet among all the things on the desk, he stared only at one corner for a long time.
A sea-blue jade paperweight lay quietly there.
It was small, roughly the size of a palm, but its texture was lustrous and translucent, with cloudlike tortoiseshell patterns exquisitely carved into its surface.
Sea-blue jade was exceedingly rare. It could only come into being after absorbing the essence of water for ten thousand years and condensing into shape.
Keeping it close and in contact with oneself day and night could gradually improve the smooth circulation of water-based cultivation arts. It was a treasure rarely found.
The sea-blue jade paperweight on his desk had been passed down from an ancestor who had held the exalted position of chancellor of the Dragon Palace.
Otherwise, with his current official rank, he could never have used such a precious object as sea-blue jade.
Following Ao Dongping's gaze, General Lei also looked at the sea-blue jade paperweight.
He was a rough military man of humble birth, with limited knowledge.
Though he could recognize that the sea-blue jade paperweight must be a valuable treasure, he could not say exactly what made it good or what marvelous uses