Yangzhou Palace treasure

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An artifact created by the Isu that outwardly appeared to be a talisman was capable of granting otherwordly protection to its wielder. It was guarded inside Yangzhou Palace during the reign of Qin Shi Huang. Highly treasured by the Department of Immortality, its theft by the youxia of Jade Spring was the primary catalyst for the village's subsequent massacre at the hands of the Department's soldiers.

Description

As demonstrated when Nie Jing, disguised as The Fox, used the artifact to defend herself from the strikes of one of Wei Yu's disciples, it deployed an impenetrable shield in front of the user and, when it deflected an object, was able to project a bright light capable of temporarily blinding anyone who gazed into it, remaining truthful to the claims that stated that it possessed seemingly magical abilities.

History

Qin dynasty

By 215 BCE, the artifact was kept in a treasure chest under the guard of the first Emperor of China, Qin Shi Huang, in a palace close to Yangzhou City in the Shang Commandery. During that year, two youxia from the nearby village of Jade Spring, who were disciples of Wei Yu, infiltrated the estate to recover the talisman under the pretext that it had been stolen from the people by corrupt Qin soldiers, information that had been supplied to them by Nie Jing, who was secretly the overseer of the Emperor's Department of Immortality and seeked to give the organization a reason to attack the youxia's residence. As such, Chu Huan and his sworn sibling successfully stole the relic and escaped, but not before alerting the palace's guards to their presence since the security detail at the place had been fortified due to Grand General Meng Tian and the Emperor's advisor Zhao Gao visiting it.

One of the youxia then secured the artifact in the treasury of their village while Nie Jing, who had promised them to take measures against future repercussions of the theft against the Emperor, instead encouraged such an event by reporting to the military commander of the Department, Yang Duanhe, who rapidly dispatched his troops to attack Jade Spring in the following morning. His purple-robed soldiers massacred the villagers in search for the artifact, with Duanhe himself killing Chu Huan, all during which Jing reclaimed the talisman for herself, watching the results of her scheme unfold after that.

The talisman remained in her possession while she plotted a conspiracy with the Xiongnu leader Touman Chanyu through Yang Duanhe to attack the Great Wall of China by creating a breach in Tulu Pass to allow the Xiongnu warriors to pour into Chinese territory, and evaded the youxia Yu Ying's attempts of finding her. When the other surviving youxia learned of her and Duanhe's plan through their alliance with Touman's son and rival claimant Modu, they rushed to Tulu Pass to try and thwart the explosion of the walls. During this event, a confrontation ensued between the unnamned youxia and Duanhe, which culminated in them killing the commander and being attacked by a masked Nie Jing. After a fierce fight, they overpowered Jing and revealed her true identity. To avoid capture or a possible death at theirs and Meng Tian's hands, she used the talisman's power to conjurate a golden shield that repelled their attacks and stunned them, allowing the deceiving agent to escape.

Owners

• Wei Yu's disciple (215 BCE)
• Nie Jing (215 BCE)

Behind the scenes

In the Alpha test of Assassin's Creed: Jade, during which it was titled Codename Explore, the talisman appeared under different circumstances, its powers being used by the character based on the historical figure Xu Fu to attack the protagonist and evade their attacks, by levitating and generating energy force fields, the latter of these traits remaining as the artifact reappeared in the Beta test.

Appearences

• Assassin's Creed: Jade (first appearance)