Meanwhile, Sophia was still listening to the ancient Imperial Palace’s night guards as they spoke of the history of Phoenix Harp. “The harp is a musical instrument of Cethos, but most were lost later. The harp we speak of in the modern days is actually the lyre that came in from abroad, a Western musical instrument. Never had I expected that I’d have the opportunity to see Phoenix Harp with my own eyes in this lifetime! It’s truly stunning!”
“Look! The craftsmanship of this Phoenix Harp is perfect! It’s simply flawless! No matter the material and the craftsmanship, everything is just superior! It’s worthy to be a national treasure!”
“It’s truly the same as written in the ancient records in our museum! Everything is the same! My life hasn’t been in vain since I’ve gotten to see such a perfect instrument in person during my lifetime!”
And so they continued waxing lyrical about the harp, but Sophia was skeptical. A national treasure? Isn’t that too much?
Upon seeing the infinite care and caution the Imperial Palace employees took to the point of even wearing gloves, Sophia’s heart pounded. Stark regret assailed her for allowing the guards to see her harp. What if… it becomes a national property instead of my personal property once it’s taken away? All at once, she quickly pulled Michael over, placing him front and center. “Be careful!” she urged anxiously. “This is our family’s harp, given by a friend of Taylor’s, so there’s just this one! And his fans are all aware that this harp belongs to us. Remember that…”
Earlier, Michael asked Justin about the harp. As Justin was well-read over the years, he knew quite a bit about the harp and agreed that this harp was no ordinary harp. I wonder how Sophia is so lucky to have gotten her hands on Phoenix Harp that has been lost for centuries. The last time Phoenix Harp was ever seen was probably during the last years of the previous dynasty when battle raged to combat foreign invasion. The Imperial seal was stolen then, alongside a large number of national treasures, and among them was the final pristine Phoenix Harp in the palace.
Taylor had also once hired a composer who specialized in history as an advisor when he was to film ‘The National Treasury Action.’ The expert had duplicated a harp perfectly and even asked the ancient Imperial Palace museum to duplicate a Phoenix Harp as prop, but it was not as exquisite as this harp before his eyes. Back then, the Phoenix Harp suffered a tragic end, for it was burned by invaders before it could be transported away. What a pity!
“Tsk-tsk. If this is truly the Phoenix Harp, then it’s truly priceless! It’ll fetch a king’s ransom. Buddy, your fan is truly something else!” Justin lamented while carrying his daughter, smelling like baby powder.
After putting away the harp, a senior guard came over with an ingratiating expression on his face. Rubbing his hands, he said to Michael, “This… well… you once donated the Imperial seal, Mr. Murray, so why don’t you donate this harp now?”
Sophia instantly panicked and blinked at Michael vigorously. Her eyes were flashing so swiftly that Michael was almost blinded.
Noticing that she liked this harp very much, Michael schooled his face into a serious expression and answered, “This is different from the Imperial seal. I obtained the seal for the country, but this harp is my wife’s private collection. Master Louis Osborne has even worked on it, so we’re reluctant to part with it for the time being. However, you can take it back for study and duplication.”
At this, Sophia breathed a sigh of relief though her eyes remained anxiously fixed on the harp as she fretted. Upon seeing this, Michael couldn’t help stroking her hair and wrapping an arm around her shoulder. “It’s fine. I’ll keep an eye on things. They won’t dare steal it. After all, who would dare steal from the winner of the Academy Award for Best Actor?” he murmured in a whisper.
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