He was told she was "on her way back to the mansion," but after asking for details, he learned that Xiao Jinghong had just departed from Guangyuan in northern Shu State and was expected to arrive in five days.
As for the birthday gift she had prepared, it was beyond Chen Yi's expectations. He hadn't thought she would be as thoughtful as Xiao Wan'er.
Yan Hong, with extreme caution, had his subordinates carry the box into the Spring Lotus Garden and began his introduction:
"This was carved from a giant turtle shell specially sourced from Guangyue Prefecture. It is named 'The Confluence of Fortune, Prosperity, and Longevity.'"
The nearly ten-foot-long turtle shell had three figures with distinct expressions intricately carved into its back in openwork. One held a peach, another a gold ingot, and the third a sign with the character for Fortune.
The inside of the shell was filled with some kind of crystal-clear, resin-like substance.
