Reborn As Super Heiress

Chapter 1457: Chapter 1441: Underground Treasures

To preserve these artifacts, the Albert family indeed put in a lot of effort.

To be able to preserve these antique artworks with such painstaking methods and earnest attitude, this Earl of Albert is indeed a true collector worthy of Huo Sining’s respect.

However, seeing these artifacts, Huo Sining always felt some unresolved emotions. After all, these items were looted from Huaxia, even if it was in the early last century, and it indeed has little to do with this Mr. Earl, but Huo Sining still felt pained and indignant.

Especially when the old butler, upon Adrian’s request, handed Huo Sining a printed list of Huaxia antiques from the collection house, Huo Sining couldn’t help but tremble when seeing the shocking names one after another on that list.

”Southern Song Dynasty Guan Kiln Brush Washer...”

”Northern Song Dynasty Ding Kiln Chinese Pattern Flat Plate...”

”Yuan Dynasty Blue and White Fish Algae Pattern Jar...”

”Chenghua Doucai Chicken Cup...”

”Southern Song Dynasty Longquan Kiln Celadon String Pattern Vase...”

”...”

With each name read, Huo Si’s heart trembled incessantly.

Huo Sining once saw a file on Zhou Shitao’s bookshelf, which recorded countless precious cultural relics lost when the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded Huaxia Country, especially the treasures of Yuanmingyuan being the most valuable.

At that time, an initial estimate was made that these lost Huaxia antiques were at least in the millions, with at least one million, if not more, from Yuanmingyuan alone.

Huo Sining, after seeing these numbers, soon forgot them.

Numbers in the millions were too vague and lacked any physical perception, so Huo Sining didn’t feel much about it.

But when she was there in person at this moment, witnessing these artifacts placed in another country’s Earl’s underground collection room, with so many dazzling treasures displayed before her eyes, the visual impact brought her a feeling and stimulus far greater than those numbers in the millions.

Every artifact here, when taken out, could serve as the cornerstone treasure of any provincial museum in Huaxia!

No wonder there’s a rumor circulating in the Imperial Capital, that in the fifties and sixties, someone near Yuanmingyuan raised pigs, using pigpen fences made of stone and wood from Yuanmingyuan’s carved beams and painted rafters.

The more luxurious Yuanmingyuan was, the more precious the plundered artifacts were. These objects, known only in Huaxia civilization materials as myths, are now intact before her eyes. Huo Sining couldn’t describe her feelings at the moment, whether she was shocked, heartbroken, or should she be grateful?

At least, these artifacts were still properly preserved, giving her a chance to re-encounter them, to see them with her own eyes in their true form, rather than just imagining what they might look like from a pile of unfamiliar and pale textual data.

She could only comfort herself in this way, taking several deep breaths to barely calm her surging emotions.

Walking between the rows of shelves filled with exquisite antiques, Huo Sining felt as if she had arrived at the Huaxia’s Imperial Workshop, with time interwoven over hundreds of years before her eyes, traversing all seasons, with artisans in ancient robes bustling around.

Lingering among these antiques, even Huo Sining felt her greed, wanting to possess all of them.

Yet she knew very well that her idea was just a daydream.

”Huo, these antiques have actually been collected since my great-grandfather started it. By my time, it has already been several generations. The list contains more than forty-two thousand seven hundred pieces, spanning from the Tang Dynasty to the Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties. I believe you have seen that the list is classified, from porcelain to paintings and other miscellaneous items, written very clearly.”

”There have been people who proposed to purchase these items from our family, but I have declined them all. In fact, I have only brought a very few people into this collection room. Apart from Mister Li and his grandfather, you are the first pure-blooded Oriental I have brought in.”

”If you want to see each of these items, it would probably take a long time. In fact, I have spent decades to thoroughly sort them all out. Of course, if Miss Huo is interested, you are completely welcome to stay in my castle. I welcome you to appreciate these items one by one in this collection room, and we can also communicate more, as I do lack a confidant friend.”

Adrian began to murmur in Huo Sining’s ear. Seeing that Huo Sining wasn’t responding, the old Earl continued:

”I understand these items are both shocking and hurtful to Huaxia people. As I said before, these collections were taken from your motherland, and the means weren’t very honorable, but I sincerely want to be friends with Miss Huo. So, to show my sincerity, Huo, you may choose one of these antiques, and I will give it to you for free!”

”Give me one?” Huo Sining looked up at Adrian with surprise, somewhat doubting if she had heard wrong.

The antiques on these curio shelves, even the most ordinary ones, would fetch at least hundreds of thousands to millions at auction, not to mention those unique items like Yuan Blue and White Chenghua Doucai, each of which could shock the entire collection world, with single pieces auctioned at over a hundred million. Such offerings, this old Mr. Earl said to give just like that?

Adrian nodded and said, ”Yes, give you one, but I can only give you one. I hope you won’t find me too stingy, because if it’s too many, I cannot make the decision. You know, there are other heirs in my family, and if I give away too many, they would not agree.”

Hearing this, Huo Sining couldn’t help but laugh: ”Mr. Earl, I am surprised and delighted by your generosity and kindness. You truly regard me as a friend. Since this is the case, I also do not want to put you in a difficult position with your family. I thank you for your kindness, but as for giving me an antique for free, let’s forget it.”

Seeing Huo Sining actually refuse such a great opportunity, Adrian was surprised: ”Why? I can see that Huo, you love these antiques very much, but why would you refuse without hesitation? Won’t you reconsider?”

Huo Sining shrugged and smiled: ”No, I won’t reconsider. I don’t want to hide it from you, Adrian, you have too many wonderful things here. I want every piece, and I wish I could take this whole collection room back to Huaxia Country, but I know that’s impossible. You let me choose one, and I find it difficult to choose. Choosing any one, I feel I would regret it after going back, so let’s forget it.”