Chapter Nineteen: The Mystery of the Cripple and the Feng Shui Secret Treasure (Part One)

When He Zhixing returned home to Wuzhen, it was already past seven forty in the evening. No sooner had he reached the doorstep than his grandfather spotted him. "You rascal, coming home so late and covered in sweat! Hey, what kind of tree are you carrying on your back?"

“Oh, it’s nothing,” He Zhixing replied, carefully placing the young sapling down and carrying it in at a slant, setting it by the corner of the front yard wall. He saw both Elder He and Elder Chen had come by, and the two elders were astonished: this boy has been nowhere to be seen these past days—was he out digging up trees?

They watched as he rummaged through another bag for something. Noticing the gate was still open, he hurriedly asked his grandfather to close it, washed his hands at the faucet, and headed toward the living room. The two elders followed. Only then did He Zhixing speak, “Uncle and Elder Chen, you’ve come to see me?”

Elder Chen clapped him on the shoulder. “Hey, you’re quite something, kid! Top of the whole school in the exams. As soon as the report card arrived, you vanished. We’re here to congratulate you.” Feeling guilty, He Zhixing scratched his head and grinned sheepishly.

“Thank you, both of you,” he said, chuckling. “I haven’t done much these days, just went into the mountains with some classmates to find a few things.” He Zhixing carefully set down the cloth bag he was holding and slowly opened it.

Elder Chen couldn’t contain his curiosity. “Let’s see what treasures you’ve dug up.” Only then did He Zhixing pull out an enormous old Tianqi root from the bag. Elder Chen exclaimed, “Ah, precious Tianqi! Genuine old Tianqi—look at the thickness, it must be decades old, and the head is huge...” His uncle and grandfather leaned in, examining the rare root.

After the elders finished admiring the Tianqi, they noticed the cloth bag was still bulging a bit and urged him to show the rest. When He Zhixing took out several lingzhi mushrooms, even his grandfather was amazed. “Centenarian lingzhi—and one that’s decades old, another just over ten years?” His grandfather could hardly believe his eyes.

This was extraordinary—how could he keep uncovering such rare treasures, each a once-in-a-century marvel? The three elders were utterly astounded, their exclamations filling the room.

He Zhixing kept unpacking. This time, he brought out a small nylon pouch, tied up in red. They couldn’t see what was inside, but as soon as he opened it, a faint fragrance wafted out. The mingling scents of precious medicinal herbs in the room made everyone feel invigorated. He Zhixing placed the pouch on the table, smiled, and gestured, “See for yourselves.”

“Ah, snake gall! But why is the surface of the gallbladder golden yellow?” His uncle and grandfather discussed in low voices. Elder Chen, experienced as he was, spoke up, “Could it be the gall of the Red-lined White Spirit Snake?”

His uncle cried out, “What? That Red-lined White Spirit Snake? I’ve heard it’s incomparably rare. Its gall can be used as a precious medicinal catalyst; a seriously ill person who takes a bit can recover, boost their constitution, and achieve health and longevity.”

The three elders, Elder Chen, the uncle, and the grandfather, were all struck with awe, their breathing noticeably quickened. Once they had calmed down, He Zhixing spoke, “Don’t worry, since you all know, I won’t forget you when the time comes.”

It was then that Elder Chen asked, “That little tree you set by the wall outside—what is it?” He Zhixing had expected the question and replied with a smile, “It’s Black Evergreen Wood.”

“What, Black Evergreen Wood? That legendary tree of eternal life, able to revive the dead! They say if a branch breaks and is kept for a while, as long as it hasn’t completely withered, plant it in the ground, give it some water, and in days it will sprout leaves and come back to life.”

“Yes, it’s that kind of tree.” Elder Chen seemed to seize an opportunity. “No way, kid, when I leave later, break off a small branch for me—I want to plant it too.”

He Zhixing smiled. “Of course, no problem.”

The four of them drank and chatted at He Zhixing’s house. Grandfather had prepared pig’s ear and other snacks for their drinks. It was past ten when they finally left, and as expected, before leaving, Elder Chen and the uncle each broke off a small branch of the Black Evergreen to take home: truly, lovable old rogues!

Elder Chen also asked He Zhixing to visit him early the next morning. He Zhixing had no idea what it was about, and when he asked, Elder Chen simply told him he’d find out tomorrow.

He Zhixing endured the anticipation through the night and arrived at Elder Chen’s home early the next morning. Elder Chen leisurely retrieved a page of old straw paper from the folds of a thick book in his study. The paper was tattered, barely a full page—about two-thirds remained, with the rest lost to decay.

On the straw paper were some symbols, notes from the Four Treasures of the Ancient Study, written with brush and ink, and a diagram of a geomantic layout. Though the top of the drawing was missing, it was clear it depicted a Water-Fortifying Black Tortoise formation. Beneath it was a line of verse: “Build a temple beneath the rolling hills, and an official brings the seal of luck.”

He Zhixing wasn’t sure why Elder Chen was showing him this. “Elder Chen, what is this?”

Elder Chen explained, “Oh, this? It was given to me by a mentor, now departed for a few years. His family was from the Lian clan in Creek Village, originally from Meixian, and he settled in Creek Village for good. He has many descendants, but none inherited his talents, so his lifetime of skills died with him, which is a pity. I was only his registered disciple, not an official one. He gave me this a year before he passed, saying this diagram held a secret. He tried for years to uncover it but never succeeded, so he entrusted it to me. He also said it was subtly connected to the geomantic layout of his old home.”

He Zhixing was instantly intrigued. “Treasure hunting! That’s my favorite!”