This metal scroll tube he was very familiar with. He would not even remember the patterns on it wrongly because he also had one.
There were two of these items. They had been personally ordered to be made by the former Ministry of Works official A Jiezhang. One was in A Jiezhang’s hands and the other had been given to him for safekeeping.
Zhong Su took it in his hands and examined it carefully again.
Yu Qing felt slightly surprised. He sensed that when Zhong Yuanwai received this item his hand seemed to tremble a little. A doubt flashed through his mind. With this person’s wealth how could he regard a broken painting as so important?
On second thought it might be because it was the betrothal gift for his own daughter.
But a doubt he had once had in his heart flashed again. How could these two families use a broken painting as the betrothal gift for their children’s lifelong marriage? Especially given A Jiezhang’s status back then.
From Zhong Su’s reaction he vaguely felt that this painting was probably not that simple.
He could not help thinking again of how Ashiheng had repeatedly instructed that this painting must not be lost. He felt that Ashiheng seemed to be hiding something from him.
After examining it Zhong Su unscrewed one end of the cap and poured out half a painting that was as thin and light as silk cloth. Just from the texture and feel of the canvas he knew there should be no mistake. He spread the painting open with both hands and his eyes showed even more unusual colour. Yes it was the other half of the painting he had seen after it had been cut. There would be no mistake.
The other half had originally been in his hands. Now both halves had come into his possession.
On the surface he remained restrained but in his heart he was actually surging with excitement.
Amid the excitement there was sigh after sigh and lament after lament.
Others did not know the significance of this calligraphy and painting but he knew it clearly.
It was precisely because of this calligraphy and painting that he had come together with the then Ministry of Works official A Jiezhang.
Back then A Jiezhang controlled the Ministry of Works and his power was at its peak while he was only a small merchant. Logically the two should have had little connection. He had wanted to curry favour but the difference in status was too great. It was difficult even to see the man once so he could not curry favour at all.
It was only because at that time he had inherited his wife’s family business and some rumours were unpleasant to hear. He was unwilling to guard only the Wen family’s shop so he tried every means to get connected with the Ministry of Works. With great difficulty he finally obtained some small scale work from the Ministry of Works. He organised a group of people who often went into the mountains and it was then that he came into contact with the Ministry of Works.
One day his work team suddenly received an urgent summons from the Ministry of Works. Several other teams were also summoned at the same time. Only after arriving at the site did they learn that the Ministry of Works official A Jiezhang had also rushed over from the capital along with quite a few personnel from the Sinan Prefecture.
Afterwards a group of people entered the depths of a dangerously located large mountain according to instructions. Only after reaching the location did they know they were to dig up an ancient tomb.
After digging out the epitaph they learned that buried here was actually a great general from the previous dynasty. He did not know how those people from the capital had found clues to such a hidden ancient tomb. In any case digging tombs was definitely something they did. After expending great effort to excavate the entrance and enter the tomb they discovered it was like an underground maze.
What he had not expected was that there were actually demonic beings guarding the tomb inside the ancient tomb.
What followed was a terror that Zhong Su would never forget in his life. There were constant sounds of fighting and惨 screams or frightening noises. People kept falling. He was almost scared out of his wits. The people he had brought were all ordinary labourers. How could they withstand it? They all died.
He also thought he was doomed to die. He did not even know how he had survived and come out in the end. In short whenever he saw what seemed like a way out he fled. He escaped completely by instinct and feeling. In the end he really climbed out in a daze from a deep pit.
However as soon as he climbed out of the pit he witnessed an unbelievable scene. A person from the Sinan Prefecture seemed to have been seriously injured. He was obviously just escaping from underground. He held an ancient bronze long box in his hands and was reporting the situation to A Jiezhang who was waiting outside. He said something like it had been found and they could notify everyone to retreat.
As a result A Jiezhang took advantage of his unpreparedness and suddenly stabbed that seriously injured Sinan Prefecture person to death with a sword.
The latter hastily counterattacked in panic and also sent A Jiezhang flying with a palm strike causing him to vomit blood.
The Sinan Prefecture person also staggered and fell towards the deep pit below where he was pierced through by a stone stalagmite.
Zhong Su was truly stunned. He had not expected to see this scene.
A Jiezhang also saw him. He propped himself up on his sword and walked towards him.
He sensed something was wrong and was terrified so he naturally ran.
A Jiezhang was already seriously injured and could not catch up with him on the rugged mountain terrain. Unable to silence him he shouted to stop him and told him some information.
It was about this tomb.
There had always been rumours in the cultivation world that there were several cave heavens and blessed lands where immortals lived in this world one of which was called Little Cloud Interval.
Legend had it that before the immortal from Little Cloud Interval returned to the immortal realm he dismissed the serving maids. After those maids returned to the mortal world one married a great general. Later the maid contracted a serious illness and only before her death did she reveal that she had once served an immortal. She gave a piece of calligraphy and painting to that great general saying it was a map she had drawn and following the map one could find the location of Little Cloud Interval. Afterwards there was a war that destroyed the country. The great general died in battle. His trusted subordinates who had fought bloody battles with him seized his body and fought desperately to break out of the encirclement. After that no one knew where that great general had been buried.
The rumour was that the calligraphy and painting that could find the immortal cave heaven and blessed land had been buried with the great general.
It was said that the source of the rumour came from the trusted subordinate who had buried the great general. Before his death he had told this secret to his descendants. His descendants became greedy but lacked the ability to achieve it alone. When they sought cooperation the secret leaked out.
Because of this rumour those searching for immortal relics all wanted to find the great general’s tomb. The best way naturally was to find those who had participated in burying the great general.
After that whether anyone had found the great general’s burial place no one knew. As the years passed the rumour became just a legend circulating in the world.
Hearing this Zhong Su had roughly guessed whose ancient tomb they had dug this time.
It was indeed so.
The ancient tomb buried in the long river of years had all its traces sealed by dust. A Jiezhang said he did not know where the Sinan Prefecture had dug up the search clues but they had actually found the ancient tomb. This showed that the rumour was very likely true.
From the excavation it was clearly abnormal that there were demonic beings silently guarding the tomb inside the ancient tomb. A Jiezhang suspected that the great general had already visited Little Cloud Interval during his lifetime. Moreover the Sinan Prefecture personnel who had come out of the tomb had already found that accompanying calligraphy and painting.
It was precisely because of this that A Jiezhang had killed that Sinan Prefecture person to silence him!
It was only because A Jiezhang did not want the excavated calligraphy and painting to spread again and bring disaster to the country and the people. He had been in the Ministry of Works for many years and knew deeply how labour intensive and costly such mountain opening and land pioneering searches were. He had long been deeply disgusted with the emperor’s behaviour of seeking immortals.
Zhong Su did not understand at the time and asked Since that is the case if the emperor finds the art of longevity there will naturally be no need to labour the people and waste money searching anymore. Would that not be a good thing?
A Jiezhang said he was thinking too simply. He said that if the emperor obtained longevity the imperial father and son would surely kill each other and the Jin Kingdom imperial family would surely become the target of all arrows.
A Jiezhang asserted that if the emperor obtained longevity that would be the beginning of great chaos in the Jin Kingdom and countless common people would fall into a catastrophe!
In short because A Jiezhang was injured and unable to kill Zhong Su to silence him and because he did not want Zhong Su to leak the secret he had no choice but to negotiate conditions with Zhong Su. Afterwards they together concealed this secret.
Later the legend of the ancient tomb might have been just a legend. More people from the Sinan Prefecture arrived afterwards and fought another great battle with the demonic beings in the tomb. They searched the ancient tomb inside out but still did not find the legendary treasure map.
Fortunately this kind of thing seemed to be commonplace for the Sinan Prefecture. Over the years verifying various clues had often been like this. There was no such easy to find immortal blessed land. It was just a pity to have wasted all that effort in vain.
After that Zhong Su received the promised return from A Jiezhang.
For a businessman to make a fortune it does not necessarily require smooth sailing nor does it require particularly strong ability. Sometimes one lifetime only needs one opportunity and that is enough.
Under A Jiezhang’s quiet arrangements Zhong Su naturally received that one opportunity that changed his fate.
His wife Wen Jianhui knew nothing about these matters and he would not tell her.
To appease Zhong Su and to allow both sides to feel at ease A Jiezhang even lowered his dignity and arranged the marriage between his own biological son and Zhong Su’s daughter.
That calligraphy and painting was also divided into two halves at that time.
Having participated in such a secret Zhong Su had no way back. If he concealed it for many years and did not report it once it was discovered by the court or the Sinan Prefecture no one knew what the consequences would be.
But at that time in order to change his fate he had risked everything. It was already too late to regret after obtaining what he wanted.
Seeing this half painting again at this moment the past events came vividly to mind. How could Zhong Su not feel countless emotions?
This was also equivalent to a token. It was equivalent to a token confirming the identity of Ashiheng.
Although he could pass the Liezhou provincial examination the Liezhou side had certainly already verified the authenticity of Ashiheng’s identity. But seeing this item allowed his heart to be completely at ease after all A Jiezhang could not possibly have told others this secret.
After examining and confirming the half calligraphy and painting Zhong Su put it back into the metal scroll tube then stuffed it into his sleeve. Only then could he finally speak with full confidence. Shiheng you also know about the engagement. You have also taken the initiative to deliver the betrothal gift for the marriage. Since I have an agreement with your father I will not break my word. How about this? Your parents are no longer here so we will handle some matters on their behalf. We adults will arrange the marriage of you juniors properly. You prepare for the examination with peace of mind. After the metropolitan examination we will let you young couple choose an auspicious day to complete the marriage.
… Yu Qings head buzzed for a moment and he felt a bit dazed. He blurted out So soon?
What did he mean? Zhong Sus expression instantly became ugly. Are you feeling wronged?
As soon as the words left his mouth Yu Qing realised he had said something stupid. He quickly corrected himself. Uncle this nephew does not mean that. What this nephew means is that this nephew has achieved nothing so far and really feels ashamed. It would not be too late to welcome your honourable daughter in a grand manner after achieving success in the imperial examinations.
So he felt he was not worthy. Zhong Sus expression eased slightly. He asked lightly Then when do you think you can achieve success in the imperial examinations?
Yu Qing said awkwardly This… this nephew does not know for the time being but this nephew will definitely do his best.
Zhong Su said in a deep voice. Do you mean that if you fail one examination my daughter has to wait another three years for you? If you fail ten examinations does that mean my daughter has to wait thirty years for you? Girls of the same age as Ruochen already have children running all over the place. How many nearly twenty year old young ladies have you seen who are still not married? If you feel my daughter is not worthy of you you can say it directly. I will definitely not force the matter!