Chapter 258: Donation
Xu Youyou stood on the second floor of the castle, looking out through the worn-out window.
There was no sign of any antique artifacts in the vast lawn below.
If there was anything that seemed valuable on the lawn, it was probably the abandoned fountain.
In the center of the fountain, two brass animal heads were closely pressed together.
Xu Youyou’s gaze paused as she stared at the center of the fountain and couldn’t help but ask, “Is this it?”
“Yes, I am here,” the gentle voice replied.
Xu Youyou thought of a possibility and felt a wave of excitement. She stepped cautiously toward the fountain at the center of the garden.
Seeing that Xu Youyou seemed ready to climb into the fountain, Xu Fang quickly reached out to steady her.
Xu Youyou wasn’t fond of high heels and usually preferred comfortable sneakers. Even though the fountain pool wasn’t shallow, she easily climbed into it.
The water in the pool had long dried up, and the bottom was covered with hard, dry soil, with quite a bit of wild grass growing, making it look desolate.
Xu Youyou took a few steps and finally stood face to face with the two brass animal heads in the center of the fountain.
One seemed to be a sheep, and the other had a sharp, protruding beak, resembling a chicken.
The Summer Palace, the Twelve Zodiac Heads.
She had just come across some information: three of the Twelve Zodiac Heads were still missing—those of the snake, sheep, and chicken.
If these two animal heads were part of the missing three, then her purchase of the castle had certainly been worthwhile.
She recalled that the Twelve Zodiac Heads from the Summer Palace had originally been part of a fountain, designed to serve as water faucets—essentially, the heads functioned as taps.
During the devastation of the Summer Palace, the invaders had looted everything, even the water faucets.
Just then, the system prompted a task completion notification.
【Congratulations, Host, for successfully completing the hidden treasure task. You have received the reward: a task penalty exemption.】
After claiming the reward, Xu Youyou felt a little troubled. She wasn’t sure how to bring these two treasures back.
She still had other questions in her mind.
The gentle voice seemed to guess her thoughts and spoke first, saying, “My partner is asleep and doesn’t know when they will wake up. We are all eager to return to our homeland. Can you help us?”
Xu Youyou didn’t reply but nodded firmly at the two brass statues.
“Thank you,” said the voice, coming from the sheep’s head.
Xu Youyou was curious—how had no one noticed the origins of these two brass statues, despite being exposed to the open air in a fountain for so long?
The gentle voice soon answered her curiosity.
“This castle hasn’t had visitors for many years. In the past fifty years, I haven’t seen any Chinese guests.”
Xu Youyou understood at once. Although these two animal brass heads were products from the Qianlong era, their actual value wasn’t high. Their symbolic significance far outweighed their monetary worth.
“I’ve figured out how to take care of you both,” Xu Youyou said softly.
The voice from the red lacquered plate immediately asked, “Will it be the best museum? If it’s not the best, I won’t go!”
Xu Youyou couldn’t help but laugh. “Don’t worry, you’ll be neighbors with your old friends.”
Just then, Xu Youyou’s phone rang.
“Hello, Miss Xu, this is Chen. You can call me Lao Chen. I’m currently working at the Overseas Cultural Relics Return and Exchange Center at the National Museum. Previously, you contacted us about donating a Yuan Dynasty grape-patterned lacquer plate. This relic was once used by Emperor Kublai Khan. Can I confirm with you again?”
The voice on the other end sounded like a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties. He didn’t have the oily tone one might expect from a man of his age in a high position; instead, his voice felt like that of a scholar working at a university.
Xu Youyou felt a sense of goodwill hearing him speak politely, and she affirmed, “Yes, Mr. Chen. Have you heard of me?”
Professor Chen on the other end of the line laughed and said, “Miss Xu, we did conduct a background check and found that you have been involved in many antique transactions and have had several fortunate finds. We trust your judgment.”
Xu Youyou wasn’t surprised that they had conducted a background check on her; instead, she appreciated his straightforwardness.
“Professor Chen, there are processes that need to be followed, and I will fully cooperate with you in the donation of the relics,” Xu Youyou said with a smile.
Professor Chen continued, “Miss Xu, I heard that you are in Germany. We have a specific process for cultural relics repatriation. Our staff can assist you with sending the relics back to the country.”
Xu Youyou had been worried about customs issues, but upon hearing that they had a dedicated process, she felt relieved.
She looked at the two brass heads now sitting in her hotel suite and continued speaking to Professor Chen on the phone, “I found the sheep and chicken heads from the Summer Palace’s Twelve Zodiac Heads, and I plan to donate them to the National Museum.”
On the other end of the line, Professor Chen exclaimed, “Okay, okay! There are other relics… huh? The Twelve Zodiac Heads!”
Xu Youyou heard a chair fall to the ground.
Professor Chen’s breathing suddenly became rapid.
She waited for about half a minute before the voice on the other end calmed down, “Miss Xu, are you sure they are the Twelve Zodiac Heads?”
Xu Youyou replied, “Almost certain. You can send experts to authenticate them.”
Professor Chen hurriedly said, “Miss Xu, I trust your judgment. I’ll arrange for staff to go over and assist you in sending the relics back.”
After hanging up the phone, Xu Youyou spoke softly to the sheep’s head, “The National Museum is near Tiananmen. There should be many of your old friends there. I hope you will like it there.”
The sheep’s head spoke with the same gentle tone, “I’ve heard people in the castle talk about the capital, about Tiananmen. They said the people there now live new lives. I really want to see what it’s like.”
Xu Youyou smiled and said, “Now, no one can bully us. Foreigners don’t dare to steal from us anymore.”
“That’s wonderful,” the sheep’s head softly sighed.
The Twelve Zodiac Heads had significant meaning. The next afternoon, staff members came to meet Xu Youyou, and after signing a simple donation agreement, they would take the relics back to China.
“Miss Xu, thank you for your trust. The donation ceremony will be held domestically. When do you plan to return to China?” The staff member asked politely.
Xu Youyou looked at the new task that appeared on the system panel thirty minutes before the staff arrived and shook her head, “Sorry, I’ll have my agent attend the donation ceremony. I still have some matters to finish in Europe.”
