Chapter 1, The Will of My Grandfather

Grandfather Yi Shan, final work

After the outbreak of the War of Resistance, I took a brief leave and returned to my hometown in Jiaodong. On my way, I pawned that ring in Jinan and used the money to purchase several acres of land and marry a wife, hoping to lead a stable life. This episode of my past has been deeply buried in my heart, and I have never spoken of it to outsiders

The holiday is about to end. This time, I quietly traveled north to my hometown in Jiaodong without informing the school, and I did not turn on my phone. Sometimes, being undisturbed is indeed a rare form of tranquility

The mother opened her withered palm, revealing a segment of a petrified finger bone and three coins from the reign of Emperor Qianlong.

I squeezed through the legs of General Han and unexpectedly grasped the thumb of Emperor Qianlong. The sensation in my hand was icy; it turned out to be a large jade ring. I pulled it down with force, and then I felt three copper coins tightly clenched in the palm of Emperor Qianlong.

"Qier, after returning to Shenzhen, you should still find a Buddhist temple or Taoist temple to chant sutras, as being respectful to others is never a fault." Mother sat on the kang, chattering away.

The wandering Taoist examined your birth chart, noting that the year, month, day, and hour are all Yin. Three copper coins complement your destiny, and he has renamed you "Yi Shiqi." He mentioned a connection of master and disciple, stating that if you encounter difficulties in the future, you may seek him at Zhongnan Mountain. He forgot the Taoist's title, only remembering that there is a red birthmark on the tip of the Taoist's nose

Qier, that segment of the finger bone is rather peculiar. If there is an opportunity, please quietly return it to the tomb of Emperor Qianlong for me, as a form of atonement for my grandfather. Furthermore, regarding those three Qianlong Tongbao copper coins, a wandering Taoist who rested at our home the year you were born mentioned that these coins have a certain origin. They were presented to Emperor Qianlong for his inspection as model coins, and can be considered the ancestors of all Qianlong coins. They not only possess collectible value but are also extremely effective for divination. Moreover, regarding those three Qianlong Tongbao copper coins, a wandering Taoist who rested at our home the year you were born mentioned that these coins have a certain origin. They were presented to Emperor Qianlong for his inspection as model coins, and can be considered the ancestors of all Qianlong coins. They not only possess collectible value but are also extremely effective for divination.

Mother shook her head: "I have heard your grandfather mention that in the past, during the quiet of the night, sometimes the bones would inexplicably make sounds in the box, but I haven't heard that in recent years"

Not to be trusted, Yi Shiqi thought

Yishi Qi hails from the tidal town of Penglai in Shandong Province. After graduating from the Department of Architecture at Shenzhen University, he remained at the university to teach, specializing in architectural feng shui. His father passed away when he was young, and his mother raised him single-handedly through great hardship. Now that he is to reside permanently in Lingnan, he is truly worried about her. However, his mother adamantly refuses to leave her hometown, where the graves of his grandfather and Yishi Qi's father are located, as she says.

Take good care of your mother

Yishiqi took the small cloth pouch sewn by his mother, placed his finger bones and coins inside, and put it into his inner pocket

Yishiqi gently picked up the ivory-colored finger bone, and a faint, elusive chill of a deadly aura transmitted through his fingertips. He understood that this was the aura of death, the fierce and tyrannical energy of ancient emperors.

Upon entering the door, the first thing to do is to turn on the computer that has been left untouched for several days, then take a shower, comfortably lean back in the chair, and then grab the mouse.

The next day, he bid farewell to his mother and boarded the southbound train

Yishiqi never knew that there was a hidden compartment in his mother's sewing box; he only knew that the purple wooden box was the most cherished dowry of his mother, which he was never allowed to touch

By the time you read this letter, you have already grown up, and there are certain matters that I must let you know.

Yishiqi took the letter with a sense of unease in his heart; this was the first time he had heard his mother mention that his grandfather had left a will for him.

This is a letter stained with yellow mold, written on the kind of yellowed paper from the past, and it appears to be quite old.

At midnight on the 7th day of the 4th month in the year 1974

This is the letter your grandfather wrote to you on the night before he passed away, when you were just a little over four years old. Your mother said as she carefully opened the envelope

Yishiqi silently set down his grandfather's will and fell into deep contemplation

***

My grandfather was a soldier in the logistics battalion of Sun Dianying's National Revolutionary Army, stationed in the area of Zunhua, Hebei. One summer night in the thirty-ninth year of the Republic of China, Captain Han ordered us to blow open the diamond wall of the underground palace of the Qianlong Emperor in the Sacred Water Valley, smashing through two stone doors to enter the tomb. There was over a foot of standing water on the ground, and in the center lay the double coffin of the Qianlong Emperor and the Empress. Under the light of the torches, Captain Han directed us to break open the golden outer coffin, which was filled with scrolls of ancient calligraphy and paintings. The brothers, being illiterate farmers, were only searching for gold, silver, and jewels as their targets. They threw all those paintings into the water, and now, looking back, those were all priceless treasures.

I am a scholar specializing in Feng Shui, and there is generally an inherent logic to supernatural phenomena. The Central CCTV10 Exploration and Discovery Channel often reports on such matters. The host, Li Xihua, who wears glasses, was my classmate during university, and we have maintained contact ever since

The sensation of holding three Qianlong coins is entirely different, warm like a spring breeze, instantly bringing a sense of tranquility and harmony, connecting the heart and the coins, with a desire for spiritual energy to emerge

Shenzhen University is located by the picturesque Nanshan Houhai Bay, with a relatively advanced educational model. The conditions of the faculty dormitories are also quite good. Yishiqi's dormitory is situated on the third floor, and by opening the window, one can see the scattered fishing sails in Shenzhen Bay.

"Qier, you have grown up and become a teacher. How wonderful it would be if your grandfather and your father were still alive," Mother sighed softly as she spoke

"Mother, this is just an ordinary phalanx from the human body; could there be anything unusual about it?" Yi Shiqi said, somewhat puzzled.

Everyone, come out and assemble in formation. I command that no one is allowed to conceal any items; violators will be dealt with according to military law. Several brothers in front were found to be hiding jewelry and were executed on the spot. Sensing that the situation was dire, I secretly swallowed the ring. When they searched me, I only had three copper coins, which caused a burst of laughter from the officials, and they allowed me to keep these coins. I did not expect that on the third day, when I passed the jade ring, I discovered that it contained a fragment of Emperor Qianlong's finger bone.

The child is like a face