Northern Song Dynasty, mid-term Renzong Dynasty (1040 AD). The "Chanyuan Alliance" has maintained peace for decades. The ruling and opposition parties are prosperous on the surface, the bureaucracy is huge and inefficient, and social contradictions are surging undercurrents.
"Purple Glazed Gold Ribbon Lamp" - a unique treasure from the famous Ru Kiln. The glaze color is unique, like the first light after the rain. The body of the vessel has natural gold thread patterns ("golden ribs"). It is the only pair of this pair. It was the tea set that the queen of the dynasty ordered to use at her thousand-year birthday banquet. It symbolizes auspiciousness and royal honor. It is extremely rare and fragile.
This lamp was transported safely and intact from Ruzhou (now Ruzhou, Henan), the place of origin, to Bianliang (Kaifeng), Tokyo within ten days. (Bianliang is located to the east and north of Ruzhou. The straight-line distance is about 200 kilometers, but it needs to go through mountains and cross rivers, and the road is rugged.)
Zhao Yan - a ninth-grade official in Ruzhou Prefecture (such as Cang Cao joining the army/a low-ranking record officer under the chief clerk), who was born in a small local family in decline. He has little knowledge of paperwork, is cautious, and even a little cowardly, but has a basic conscience. His family has a connection with the porcelain industry (his father may have run a small porcelain workshop), so he has some knowledge about porcelain. My wife is newly pregnant and is under pressure to support the family.
