Allure of a Country Maiden-Chapter 414 - 412

As time advanced, there came more and more people headed northwest in search of the treasure.

Shangguan Xuanyi had already issued public announcements throughout the regional Government Offices, declaring that the so-called treasure was a myth, but to no avail. Nobody believed him, or maybe they just didn’t want to miss the chance to strike it rich overnight despite the slim possibility!

The situation escalated as some villages even organized their able-bodied male villagers to join the treasure hunt.

Though many left, only a few came back.

However, those who managed to return insisted on the existence of the treasure. They also claimed they saw a fairyland in the desert, which was filled with abundant food and beautiful houses.

They returned to take their families with them back to the fairyland to settle down.

Upon hearing such rumors, more and more people set off, with many impoverished civilians joining the hunt for this fairyland.

Because of this, the border towns in the northwest were forced to close their gates to prevent citizens from venturing out in search of the treasure or the so-called fairyland.

This action triggered a rebellion among the treasure hunters.

The treasure seeking civilians clashed with the soldiers guarding the city! There were even casualties among the soldiers and civilians!

When this report reached the Emperor’s desk, the furious Emperor threw it onto the table.

What foolish, ignorant people! If there really was a treasure, would the treasure map be so widely publicized?

Who would not want to monopolize the wealth?

Err, although there indeed was a treasure, it had all been brought back by his son! But this was certainly not something that could be announced to the entire world!

And the claim of a fairyland was sheer nonsense!

Utterly foolish!

Such incidents must be incited by someone behind the scenes, but the motive was not clear.

The Emperor then ordered Shangguan Xuanyi to head to the northwest to thoroughly investigate and resolve the matter.

Four Seasons Restaurant

Shangguan Xuanyi, Shangguan Xuanjun, Shangguan Xuanyi and Di Shaowei were discussing the matter at hand.

"Could it be that the mastermind deliberately guided a large number of people there with the goal of eradicating those poisonous spiders, so they could become the ultimate profiteer?" Shangguan Xuanhao hypothesized.

Shangguan Xuanyi shook his head. He once suspected as much, but now he felt it was probably not so simple.

He had already sent Feng Xing to investigate, but no news had come back yet.

"A fairyland? A fairyland that simply vanishes the moment you pursue it? Could it be that those people were just hallucinating? I’ve stayed in the desert for so long, and all I’ve seen is sand, nothing more—where’s there a fairyland? If a fairyland truly existed, would the people of Xiyue still scramble for food from the civilians of the border towns each year? They would rather seal their national gates and keep it a secret!" Di Shaowei became infuriated yet amused upon hearing these absurd beliefs.

"It is utter foolishness. Those border town soldiers put their lives on the line braving freezing temperatures to defend our country, so that the civilians can live in peace. And now, they are heartlessly killed by these ignorant people. In my opinion, we should open the city gate and let them pursue their fairyland in the desert, and never return!" A furious Shangguan Xuanjun hammered his fist on the table.

Shangguan Xuanjun had deep emotional ties with the northwest soldiers. Hearing that they tragically lost their lives due to such absurd reasons made him livid.

"They may have witnessed an illusion!" Xiao’er proposed after hearing them.

"What kind of illusion?" Di Shaowei asked upon hearing her.

"A mirage!" Xiao’er voiced her guess.

"What is a mirage?" Shangguan Xuanyi looked towards Xiao’er.

The other people also focused on her, waiting for her explanation.

"A mirage, also known as a Fata Morgana, is a kind of optical illusion. It can appear on calm seas, rivers, lakes, snowfields, deserts, or even in the air or ’underground’, occasionally creating illusions of high towers, city walls, or trees. That’s precisely what a mirage is."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Xuanjun nudged Shangguan Xuanyi, "It’s too deep for me. Explain it."

Shangguan Xuanyi didn’t speak—he didn’t quite understand either!

Di Shaowei didn’t understand, but following his teacher’s advice of not being ashamed to ask questions, he asked, "Why does this kind of illusion appear?"

After some thought, Xiao’er said, "Do you know why it rains? Why sometimes there is a rainbow after the rain, and sometimes there isn’t? Do you know why these phenomena occur?"

Everyone: shook their heads!

This is simply a natural phenomenon. They had become so accustomed to wind and rain happening regularly each year that they never bothered to think about the reason for it.

Moreover, these phenomena were the work of Mother Nature. If she wanted to create wind, she created wind; if she wanted rain, there was rain! Who could control that!

"Both a mirage and a rainbow are phenomena of light refraction and reflection!"

The conversation was getting more and more obscure!

Everyone: looked bewildered!

Di Shaowei wanted to ask what light refraction and reflection were, but he was afraid! What if he still didn’t understand after Xiao’er’s explanation?

"What is light refraction and reflection?" Shangguan Xuanjun asked without hesitation.

She made a mistake—this wasn’t a natural science class! How was she supposed to explain what a mirage was to people from the ancient past?!

"You don’t need to understand the specifics. All you need to know is that a mirage is a type of optical illusion! What those people saw in the desert was a hallucination! But the hallucination is entirely reflected by light from a certain place."

Optical illusion? What was that?

Shangguan Xuanhao was completely lost!

He turned to Shangguan Xuanjun, "Did you get any of that? If you did, please explain it to me in layman’s terms!"

Shangguan Xuanjun pushed away the bewildered Shangguan Xuanhao, "I don’t get it either."

Xiao’er felt she had encountered a true dilemma in life!

"Can I just not explain?" Xiao’er asked, dejected.

Shangguan Xuanhao: "No, you stirred my curiosity. If you don’t clarify, I won’t be able to sleep."

Xiao’er: "Why should I care if you can sleep or not!"

Shangguan Xuanhao gave her a woeful look, "Miss, please explain! Insomnia is torturous!"

"Is it like looking in a mirror? The mirage is the illusion in the mirror. Something you can see but can’t touch!

"Brother Shangguan is really intelligent. That is more or less the idea." Xiao’er gave Shangguan Xuanyi a thumbs-up.

"But the things in the mirror are real!" Shangguan Xuanjun interjected.

"Mirages are also real, we just don’t know their exact location." Xiao’er explained.

"So there really is a fairyland?" Shangguan Xuanhao asked, bewildered.

"It’s not a fairyland, they are real scenes that are simply reflected. If the Imperial Palace you’re familiar with was reflected, you would probably believe it to be an illusion." Xiao’er grew a bit thirsty as she talked and intended to take a sip of water.

Shangguan Xuanyi then handed her a cup of tea.

After consuming the entire cup of tea, Xiao’er continued, "Mirages, however, don’t easily form, it requires specific conditions. As such, if you see this phenomenon, adjust your line of sight, and it will disappear!"