Within the Beijing Zhou Family’s living room, a sense of harmony and warmth pervaded, and Zhou Jiao was also feeling tranquil. Overall, Zhou Jiao felt quite good at this mont. The air after the rain was refreshing, and importantly, she had spotted the stone temple.
It wasn’t clear whether it had been knocked down by lightning or fallen into disrepair due to lack of maintenance. Under the flashlight’s beam, the roof and corners had collapsed, and the main door was missing.
Zhou Jiao was unaware of the situation inside.
From a distance, facing the ancient temple, she knelt on the ground and respectfully bowed three tis. Not for any particular reason; just the presence of the hidden chamber nearby perhaps ant that her great-grandfather had been there, donated, or even made a vow.
She too took an oath: when the ti cos for change and peace prevails, her family and loved ones survive the crisis, Zhou Jiao would co again to restore the ancient temple and revere the Buddha statue.
When she stood up again, the sky began to reveal a crescent moon, and the dim stars started to shimr; gazing at the barely visible surroundings, Zhou Jiao once more nodded towards the ancient temple.
Steadying herself, Zhou Jiao began to follow the cues left by her grandmother, stepping towards the ravine, standing under that crooked-neck tree, she gently caressed the ancient, weathered trunk.
Unexpectedly, after that upheaval of steel practice years ago, it still stood. The ancient tree was surely spirited and ought to be delighted as well.
Following the cue, she walked a hundred ters forward, then turned right a hundred ters, and another two hundred ters ahead—there lay the mountain with no further path, reaching the destination her grandmother had described.
Zhou Jiao sprinkled the dicinal powder onto the pile of weeds. After a while, seeing no reaction, she began using a machete to cut away the thick vines hanging on the rocks ahead, concerned that the truth might be uncovered later; she cautiously used the side door to gradually move and clear the obstructions.
Before long, when the familiar protruding round stone was exposed, Zhou Jiao took a breath, realizing it was quite late since leaving the city. Although she had inford the guesthouse she might stay with her elders, she still planned to return to the guesthouse if possible.
With familiar steps, at the final step standing on one foot, Zhou Jiao pressed her hands down with all her strength on the protrusion. She had to do it, reminded of the clumsy mistake she and her father made last ti.
Who knew if her ancestors had set the chamber’s access based on the person’s weight? What to do if it was designed for a man?
Luckily, her ancestors weren’t favoring sons over daughters, and the door opened just like the Gu Family’s old residence, splitting from the ground and slowly welcoming her.
Seeing this, Zhou Jiao’s heart tightened. This scene resembled the Gu Family ancestors’ thod. Would it disappoint her father again? She’d rather have the door open from the front than from the ground.
Zhou Jiao sighed inwardly, composing herself, and then proceeded down the stairs with familiar steps. Observing the simple oil lamps and smooth stones along the sides, she squinted slightly. The nouveau riche style of the Gu Family was sowhat different, sothing felt off!
What did the position of the Governor of Guangdong and Guangxi imply? A ruthless mindset could lead to the exploitation of the region’s wealth, imdiately becoming imnsely wealthy.
Zhou Jiao shook her head; that wouldn’t be the case! The Zhou Family has always maintained righteousness.
The stairs weren’t long, and at the end lay three paths. Zhou Jiao chose the one on the left, according to her grandmother’s guidance.
Of course, if you think this easily leads to the hidden chamber, you might die miserably!
Every fifty ters was a deadly trap. There were no snakes, spiders, or bats from novels, but poison-tipped arrows were everywhere, a touch of them ant no return.
Otherwise, why did Gu Mingzhu stress and caution his son in the will, further indicating the critical importance of this hidden chamber?
Thinking of these, Zhou Jiao was filled with strength. After deactivating the chanisms, she worried whether her grandmother might have overlooked sothing, cautiously rolling a large stone forward to prevent any improbable errors.
Like that, she navigated through three barriers and conquered six generals, deactivating four chanisms in this short passageway of a few hundred ters, reaching the stone door, and upon seeing the seal script, Zhou Jiao couldn’t help shedding tears.
She could finally tell her father that she had found the Zhou Family’s secret chamber! After a catastrophic fire, their heritage remained. Her grandfather truly had sothing left for her father!
Zhou Jiao fiercely wiped away her tears, excitedly standing before the fifth chanism. With the correct steps and deactivating the final chanism, the world behind the door would unfold for her and her father.
Perhaps so of the Zhou Family’s past affairs could be unraveled, at worst they might see the relics left by their ancestors!
After following the footsteps in the will, Zhou Jiao carefully traced on the seal script, drawing ticulously. Soon, the alabaster doors swiftly retreated into the stone wall with a "click".
Looking at the hidden chamber even more spacious than the Gu Family’s old residence, Zhou Jiao didn’t bother to examine the jade and gold decorations on the racks, running quickly to the wooden boxes before the bookshelf, flipping open the lids...
Each box truly contained ancient books, paintings, and stationery treasures. Even the paper was ticulously wrapped in oil paper stack by stack, not to ntion the paintings rolled and packaged.
Zhou Jiao didn’t open them, just going by the red and green silk ribbons distinguishing the packages, seeing the colorful silk bands. Even without imperial yellow, she could tell so were extrely precious.
The Zhou Family’s ancestors must have been obsessed with calligraphy and painting; a large box containing only a few rolls, with various satin surrounding them. If future generations were illiterate, they might think the ancestors collected a batch of satin, ending up degraded, and cursing in frustration.
Would the ancestors burst into laughter seeing this?
Zhou Jiao smiled, plunging into the boxes one after another, her smile broadening. There was no gold and silver; instead, it was full of calligraphy, painting, stationery treasures, ceramics, and books.
Very good, excellent! From this, she could reassure herself that the Zhou Family ancestors didn’t exploit the people’s resources. As for those who amassed wealth unjustly, they could have it.
Holding a wooden box taken out from a large box, looking at the engraved seal script "Zhou" on it, Zhou Jiao’s hands trembled with excitent. This should be what they father and daughter had been searching for!
Suppressing the urge to open it, Zhou Jiao carefully stored it away, the only one that could be opened first by her father—Zhou Xiaozheng.
She once again surveyed this hidden chamber. Compared to the Gu Family’s tightly packed old residence, filled with wooden boxes, hardly room for a foot, this place undoubtedly contained fewer things but was imnsely important for the Zhou Family.
Perhaps her grandfather Zhou Jinyu’s reluctance to go abroad was greatly influenced by the contents within. Ancestral property, this was ancestral property! How could he take it abroad with watchful eyes on him?
As if she had found the answer, Zhou Jiao’s joyful mood suddenly fell. She shook her head, sweep cleaned went back, holding a large broom to erase footprints, activated the chanism to leave the cave.
This ti, Zhou Jiao did not intend to destroy the hidden chamber. Leaving behind the Zhou Family’s relics, when the situation beca more relaxed in the future, she planned to let her father personally co to honor their ancestors.
User Comments
0 comments from readers