Youhu

On the busiest street in Jinzhou, a small appraisal stall occasionally appears, adding a touch more excitement to the bustling scene.

The stall owner is a lively girl Youhu who confidently considers herself a seasoned appraiser. She claims that with just a light touch, she can discern the history behind any antique. Her early career saw just one slip-up—misjudging an ancient Ding. She later purchased it from the client, repaired it with her cryogenic powers, and now keeps it close as a reminder to stay sharp.

Despite her playful self-promotion and carefree antics, people don't mind trusting her, especially since her appraisal fees are modest—just the cost of a meal and a sprinkle of compliments.

"This folding screen predates Jinzhou, a rare treasure perfectly preserved! You can even call it a witness to Jinzhou's rise and fall!"

"The glaze here? Smooth as jade, soft as silk. It's not ancient, but the craftsmanship is definitely worth the price!"

Her insights, whether on artistry or historical value, hit the mark every time, earning her the trust of her clients.

Adding to the charm of her appraisals is a unique flair—call it a show, if you will.

While others might inspect antiques with magnifying glasses, Youhu examines each piece with lively gestures, reciting witty poems as if she's performing some ancient, mysterious ritual.

Initially, people worried she might accidentally damage their valuables, but after seeing her skills, they've come to embrace her eccentric ways. Perhaps true masters just have their... well, quirks.

Youhu always carries a scroll-like box filled with miniature replicas of antiques she's appraised, each crafted with her Forte. These replicas aren't just souvenirs, but handy tools to fend off Tacet Discords. In the summer, they can double as coolers. Just pop some fruit in with an iced replica, and voilà—a chilled snack!

Inside the box is also a booklet where she writes limericks about every antique she encounters:

"A guy from the Ministry of Development asked me to find that missing enameled porcelain from Huanglong. Noted!"

"That merchant definitely got the celadon tripod incense burner through shady means! I hinted he should return it, but who knows if he'll listen. Better keep an eye on him."

"That carpenter at the city gate is chopping wood with a centuries-old knife! The audacity! What a disgrace! I'll... let it slide this time. Just need to tell him the knife's true worth later."

These interesting notes help keep her memories fresh.

Take that merchant with the incense burner. After weeks of strange events and sleepless nights, he recalled the street appraiser's warning:

"Haiya, that incense burner's from a bad place! Your luck won't hold up against it—misfortune's coming your way!"

She had said it with such flair, like a storyteller spinning a tall tale. The merchant hadn't taken her seriously at first, but his recent misfortunes made him reconsider.

One night, after the fifteenth eerie shadow flitted outside his window with its bone-chilling shriek, he rushed to return the stolen burner.

Had he dared to look up, he might have seen another scene unfolding:

The Patrollers had spotted a suspicious figure on the rooftops and moved in to question them.

Youhu, dressed in a makeshift disguise, saw the guards approaching and fled, stumbling a few times along the way.

Even as she ran, she managed to jot down in her booklet: "Celadon tripod incense burner, returned to its rightful place."

Youhu was born in a bustling port town known for its antique trade, where her parents were both esteemed appraisers.

On her first birthday, her parents, following local customs, surrounded her with objects representing various trades. It was said that the first item the child touched would predict their future interests and career path.

But that day, little Youhu ignored pens, swords, and cooking utensils, crawling straight to her mother to latch onto the family's precious heirloom—a genuine antique Ruyi ring—and refused to let go.

Growing up surrounded by antiques, Youhu's love for them blossomed. She was fascinated by everything about them, soaking up the driest, most obscure appraisal facts with a twinkle in her eye. But what she loved most was listening to the stories her parents told about the antiques.

The deep chimes of the ancient bell echoed with memories of distant times when people knelt in devotion before golden statues praying for their family's wellbeing.

The stone carvings depicted bold youths drawing their bows, warding off Tacet Discords to protect the people.

Youhu's lively nature shone through as she immersed herself in the world of antiques, the Tacet Mark on her arm glowing faintly to illuminate her eyes.

In every antique, she saw a little piece of history and a glimpse into the remnants of a civilization. This magic still holds her spellbound today.

Chenpi, Youhu's master, often praised her talent. "To be honest, your knowledge of antiques lacks structure. But don't worry, I'll teach you everything you need to know."

"What's truly valuable is your respect for the history in these antiques and your keen perception. In other words, you're a natural appraiser."

And Youhu would flash a cheeky grin, "Pfft, my parents already said I was born for this."

The so-called renowned appraisers are always squabbling over the value of antiques.

First, they downplay an antique's value, snapping it up for a pittance, only to turn around and hype it up to sell for a fortune. Craftsmanship? History? Mere afterthoughts in their pricing games.

However, Youhu has a different approach. For her, the worth of an antique isn't measured solely in currency, but something more unique.

Genuine appreciation is the first factor. Youhu enjoys facilitating deals where buyers are deeply respectful of the antiques and sellers entrust their cherished items to someone who truly appreciates them. As the antique changes hands, its frequency is mirrored in the hearts of both parties.

Another factor would be conscience. When Youhu was seven, raiders ransacked the town looking for riches. To them, antiques were just another form of loot.

The wealthy merchants and local appraisers panicked, abandoning their treasures as they escaped.

The raiders, ignorant about the true worth of these antiques, justified their plundering by saying the people here didn't deserve their treasures anyway, and such items might as well be taken somewhere they would be appreciated.

But not everyone fled. Some stood their ground, facing the raiders with steely resolve. They knew the true value of these antiques and defended them to the bitter end.

And that brings us to the final factor. The courage to sacrifice.

Now, it is Youhu's turn to make a sacrifice. Whether it is her talent, her knowledge, or the lengths she will go to recover them, she is determined to return every lost antique back to its rightful owner.

In the past, those who couldn't see the value in these relics trampled all over them. But today, Youhu's mission is to return each lost antique to where it truly belongs.

Over the course of examining countless antiques, Youhu has developed a habit of replicating her favorites with her cryogenic powers.

She once made an ice chime. It didn't quite match the original's melody, but the crisp sound of shattering ice was delightful in its own way. She also crafted an ice Ruyi, swinging it with such gusto that she nearly smashed the nearby ice cauldron and mask!

People often ask about her most treasured antique. Youhu always hesitates, her eyes fixed on the Ruyi ring before her. This is her family's heirloom—once shattered, but now pieced together with ice.

Her mother had told her that the Ruyi ring symbolized completeness and good fortune. Youhu was mesmerized by the clear and translucent jade. But when raiders came, she could only watch as the ring and other treasures were pillaged and shipped away.

Three years later, she found those plundered items displayed as trophies in a museum. Despite an exhaustive search, the Ruyi ring was nowhere to be found.

It wasn't until she stumbled into a dusty storage room that she found the ring's shattered fragments, along with a tag that read "Low value, not for display." What she valued most was dismissed by those who didn't understand its true worth.

Heartbroken yet determined, Youhu clutched the fragments and trudged through knee-deep snow, her tears freezing as they fell. Driven by a sudden thought, she ignored the biting cold, crouched down, and used her Forte to piece the ring back together from the ice before losing consciousness.

When she awoke, her hands were etched with delicate snowflake patterns. The next thing she saw was a perfect, gleaming ice Ruyi ring lying beside her, as if it had been waiting for her all along.