In the first box was a stack of silver notes.

The second box was full of jewels.

In the third box was a jade dragon, the size of a hand, white and smooth and without a flaw.

Pan Yucheng gave a start. "The Beast That Holds Xuan."

Qiu Qiyi glanced at Pan Yucheng. "You know something, at least."

Ning Chen asked curiously, "What's the Beast That Holds Xuan?"

Pan Yucheng said, "Years ago the late emperor climbed Mount Jade Dragon to pray for blessings on the people of the realm, and happened upon a fine piece of jade... Afterward, on Master Jieyan's advice, the late emperor had it worked into a pair of jade dragons."

"Master Jieyan said that Mount Jade Dragon was where the dragon vein lay, (TL Note: a dragon vein is a line of power running through the land in Chinese geomancy; an imperial house's fortune is said to rest on it.) and that this fine jade was the dragon's own soul made solid. He named the pair himself, the Beast That Holds Xuan, and said they would keep the Great Xuan's fortune safe for a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations."

Ning Chen raised an eyebrow. "And who is Master Jieyan?"

Pan Yucheng answered, "In his last years the late emperor was deep in Buddhism, and Master Jieyan was an eminent master of that school... The late emperor often had him brought into the palace to point the way when the road was unclear."

The corner of Ning Chen's mouth twitched. "Then this Master Jieyan wasn't much of a scholar, was he?"

Pan Yucheng was taken aback. "How so?"

Ning Chen smiled. "If the jade dragons keep the Great Xuan safe for a thousand autumns and ten thousand generations, they ought to be called the Beast That Keeps Xuan... The Beast That Holds Xuan means holding the Great Xuan's fortune down. With its fortune held down, how could the Great Xuan come to any good?"

Pan Yucheng: "???"

Could it be read that way?

Qiu Qiyi smiled. "There you're wrong. Hold means the same as keep…