The ocean is vast and boundless. In the dark corners of the reefs, a group of pearl divers silently survive. During the Tang Dynasty, the Cui family of Yangzhou established pearl farms in Hepu, supplying southern pearls annually. Although pearls are invaluable, the lives of pearl slaves are dark and hopeless. The overseers who monitor pearl diving are tyrannical and brutal. Those who are physically weak and cannot go underwater are made lifelong slaves if male, and women are confined in maternity huts.
Duanwu is one of the pearl slaves. Although diving for pearls is hard work, it is the freest time she has. Duanwu grew up without parents and is not afraid of the man-eating sharks beneath the sea. Instead, it is the shameless cruelty of the people on shore that she cannot forgive. However, since she has been confined here since childhood, Duanwu can only live cautiously.
The Story of Pearl Girl
One day, a man in Hepu has long coveted the beautiful Duanwu. This day, he seizes the opportunity to force Duanwu, but Duanwu is not an easy target. She carries a dagger to pry open clams, with a very sharp blade. With the dagger, the other party does not dare to make further advances.
Supervisor Cui from the palace wants to buy pearls five inches in size and is spreading the word everywhere. Whoever can collect large pearls will be richly rewarded. Collecting large pearls requires going to Duanwang Pond, which is very dangerous with many sharks and whales. However, Duanwu hears that there will be a big reward and agrees, even offering a contract of sale. Without hesitation, Duanwu signs up.
A girl who is on good terms with Duanwu sees the deep blue of the ocean and hesitates to dive. Duanwu, wanting to leave the pearl farm as soon as possible, unhesitatingly ties a sandbag to her waist and jumps in.
There is also a boat on the sea. This boat is extremely magnificent, and on board are buyers from the Western Regions. They have gold and silver there, and if they like something, they are generous. On the deck, there is a merchant who, because of misconduct, tries to pass inferior goods as high quality. When discovered, he is to be punished by having his eyes gouged out and his tongue cut off.
Just as the man is begging for mercy, Zhang Jinran steps forward. He criticizes the man’s cruel methods, stating that according to Tang laws, counterfeit goods only need to be punished with flogging fifty times. It’s business, after all, and moreover, on the deck, Tang laws are practically non-existent. Zhang Jinran then offers to exchange his ancestral pearls to replace the other party’s punishment. The Western Region merchants see the pearls in Zhang Jinran’s box and sneer, thinking the pearls, supposedly treasured for generations, are only less than two inches. Little do they know that the pearls they have seen are much larger.
Zhang Jinran does not believe them. The Western merchant Yan Zijian suggests taking Zhang Jinran to see the world. If they encounter larger pearls, the current pearl is given to them for free. Zhang Jinran agrees gladly.
His subordinates tug at Zhang Jinran’s clothes, worrying that the Western merchants might indeed find more valuable clamshell pearls. However, Zhang Jinran does not care about losing some money. He has come with a mission. In recent years, the sea tax has been reduced, but the quality of tribute pearls is not as good as before. He wants to go undercover and try to find out the truth.
After much hardship, Duanwu finally finds a huge pearl but is intercepted by a companion. Fortunately, Duanwu is an excellent swimmer and finally escapes with the large pearl out of the sea. Obtaining the pearl is not easy, but unexpectedly, the matron here swaps Duanwu’s pearl, ultimately giving the slave documents to another pearl diver.
The Story of Pearl Girl
Duanwu cries loudly, earnestly pleading to thoroughly investigate. The pearls she collected were indeed swapped. The old matron, knowing she is at fault, applies to make Duanwu a pearl concubine. A pearl concubine is someone who sells pearls. The old matron privately warns Duanwu that to leave here, one must have no breath, and being a pearl concubine is Duanwu’s only way to be reborn.
Supervisor Cui asks who can buy this huge pearl for 500,000 coins and offers a heavy reward. Duanwu eagerly signs up, hoping Supervisor Cui will give her two sets of slave documents. Supervisor Cui does not want to be haggled over and directly proposes that as long as the pearl is sold for seven million, he will agree to Duanwu’s request.
