Prologue

Finally, after Old William had seen off all the guests and closed the castle, he treated me to a relatively sumptuous Scottish meal and then took me to a room at the far east of the castle. The door to the room was tightly locked and covered in dust, indicating that it had not been entered for a long time. Upon entering the room and lighting the dim candle, I was astonished to see that all the furniture in the room was of Eastern style: ancient armchairs, tables, beds, and even a dusty incense table. Being in this place, time seemed to instantly rewind to a distant era.

The ancient castle I am going to may not be very famous, perhaps due to its remote location. Indeed, the degree of remoteness has exceeded my expectations. It is said that some visitors can walk here from nearby, but it is essentially a place where there is no one around, with no houses, only grassland. I originally thought it would be similar to Windsor Castle, located in a small town, but I did not expect it to be in such a seemingly desolate environment

After having a wild time for half a month, my cousin is going to intern at a trading company, leaving me alone to accompany my aunt every day, which has become quite boring. I hold a tourist visa, which still has half a month before it expires. My aunt has noticed that I seem rather unenthused, so she has been introducing me to various local attractions in different ways.

Ancient people believed that the north represents yin and the south represents yang, and that a place with good feng shui should have a harmonious balance of yin and yang. As early as the primitive society, the ancestors of China constructed villages and houses facing south while sitting to the north. In contrast, there are no such strict considerations abroad, as houses can face any direction.

The book is divided into five volumes, quite thick. Due to the age of hetushu.com, the pages have yellowed, but they are still well preserved. I carefully turned the pages, revealing lines of vertically arranged traditional Chinese characters. Later, I learned that the true name of this ancient castle is Qilin Castle, and the owner who built this castle is named Lin Qi

Houses facing south are a tradition in China and are one of the architectural principles of traditional Feng Shui theory. According to the study of Yi Zhan, the south is abundant in vegetation and rich in Yang energy, making it the supreme direction for those who aspire to rule.

At the entrance, I encountered the very warm-hearted castle owner, William, a slightly overweight middle-aged Scottish man. He seemed quite pleased to see visitors so early in the morning, especially when he noticed that I was Chinese, which appeared to excite him a bit. I couldn't tell whether he was speaking the truth or just trying to get close to me. He mentioned that his ancestors came to Scotland in the sixteenth century and settled here, claiming that his lineage includes mysterious Eastern Chinese.

Above the incense table hangs a portrait of a man, a middle-aged gentleman dressed in ancient attire, with a gentle smile and a long sword slung across his back. It is a watercolor portrait, vividly lifelike, as if with a mere brush of dust, he could step out from the painting.

I carefully scrutinized the stout old man; apart from his black hair, there was hardly a trace of Eastern genes. Old William is the owner of this castle, having inherited the family legacy. He does not hold a job, instead selling tickets to the castle and receiving visitors. For those who wish to experience life in a castle, he also offers accommodations. This is how he earns a living, along with selling books. Although the castle is quite remote and the business is not particularly thriving, it is sufficient for a comfortable life, and his days pass quite leisurely.

From this, I perceive a magnificent history, a legendary tale that is bizarre and extraordinary to the utmost degree

The name of the castle has a somewhat Chinese flavor, called Qilin Castle. After driving for half an hour, I finally saw the castle, which is built on a small island in the lake. A stone bridge spans the lake, connecting the castle to the mainland. The tranquil lake and the ancient castle create a picturesque and poetic scene.

I hurriedly asked Old William what was going on, and he warmly invited me to stay as a guest in the castle, promising to take me to visit the secret chamber left by his ancestors in the evening

The castle covers a vast area, and I believe maintaining such a structure must incur significant costs. Many places inside show signs of wear, yet they are kept very clean, indicating that Old William has put considerable effort into this castle. Old William told me that there once lived a malevolent witch on this small island, who was his ancestor. He came from the distant East, eradicated the witch, was granted the title of Earl, and built this castle. ... Nowadays, one can still see some ghosts within this castle ... Old William told me that there once lived a malevolent witch on this small island, who was his ancestor. He came from the distant East, eradicated the witch, was granted the title of Earl, and built this castle. ... Nowadays, one can still see some ghosts within this castle ...

On that day, my aunt returned from outside and handed me a beautifully crafted brochure, smiling as she asked, "You've been here for so many days, and you haven't visited the castles of Scotland yet, have you?" I took the brochure, which featured a castle standing majestically on a small island. The castle did not appear very large, yet it was stunningly beautiful, a typical example of European style.

Old William spoke with great seriousness, yet I remained noncommittal. The ghosts and the *图* book castle are merely gimmicks, which I can understand. However, when Old William mentioned that every year a ghost festival is held here, attracting witches and shamans from around the world to exchange experiences in spiritual communication, I could only roll my eyes. During the "ghost festival," there often occur phenomena that science cannot explain. I could only roll my eyes.

But who exactly was the first owner of this ancient castle? Why are there Taoist incantations inscribed on the stone tablet? If it truly was an ancient Chinese person, why would they come to Scotland?

Scotland has long been known as the "Land of Castles." The number of its castles is countless, with 1,185 recorded in history. Many of these have become historical landmarks. Throughout history, the Scottish nobility has engaged in extensive construction to protect their interests, building castles and palaces. The shapes of castles from different eras vary, with the "L" shape, "E" shape, and "Z" shape being the most common. Their architectural artistry reaches the pinnacle of exquisite craftsmanship, and the interior decorations are luxuriously appropriate, harmonious, and dignifiedly elegant. The various styles of furniture are antique and exquisite.

When I arrived, my cousin was just starting his summer vacation, so he took me along to have some fun. We splashed in the waves at the beach, watched several football matches, and even attended an authentic Scottish wedding. Interestingly, this wedding had similarities to customs in some old places in our country. The bride sews her hair into the pleats of her wedding dress to pray for good luck and lets blood drip onto the inner seams of the skirt. Before the wedding day, the bride is not allowed to wear very extravagant or complicated dresses. To accommodate this custom, part of the wedding dress's pleats is sewn on only at the last moment. When the bride leaves her home for the last time as a single woman, she should step out with her right foot first, as this is considered auspicious.

This summer, I visited my aunt's family who immigrated to Scotland. When talking about Scotland, people's first impressions are certainly bagpipes and men in kilts. However, upon arriving here, I learned that bagpipes are not played every day, and men do not wear kilts every day either. Today, Scots wear kilts as formal attire or only during celebrations. Typically, kilts are worn at weddings or other formal occasions, while in everyday life, people dress as they normally would. Men do not wear kilts every day; today, Scots wear kilts as formal attire or only during celebrations. Typically, kilts are worn at weddings or other formal occasions, while in everyday life, people dress as they normally would.

Interestingly, the bride's bachelorette party is also held on the eve of the wedding. The bride is often adorned by her friends with balloons and ribbons, and her body is covered in flour and soot, parading around the streets for a week. During the parade, the sounds of clanging pots, cans, as well as bells and whistles accompany the festivities, serving to ward off evil spirits

The Supreme Old Lord commands urgently as per the law

My aunt has always cared for me since I was young. Knowing that I have been feeling restless these past few days, she suggested that I go out for a stroll. I agreed but didn't take it to heart. Early the next morning, I drove a second-hand SUV that my cousin bought, heading straight for the castle that my aunt had introduced to me. I was quite curious, as I had only seen ancient European castles in movies and on television before. Now, being able to see the true face of a castle with my own eyes was somewhat exciting.

I called my aunt and informed her that I would be staying overnight at the castle. Aunt was pleased to hear of my interest in the castle. After hanging up, I anxiously awaited nightfall, while simultaneously harboring doubts about the stone tablet. Could it be that Old William intentionally erected a stone tablet there to attract guests? However, upon further reflection, this seemed absolutely impossible. Firstly, the majority of the visitors here are foreigners, and very few Chinese people venture to such a remote location. Moreover, this is not a famous castle, and the stone tablet appeared to have weathered the trials of time; such an effect could not have been achieved without several hundred years of history.

Old William invited me to sit down, and then took out several thick ancient books from the safe in the room. He told me that no one in his family had looked at these books for many years, and the deeds left by their ancestors had gradually become unknown. If I could understand these books, he hoped I would share them with him

The weather today is not very good. Apart from someone as idle as me, I have not seen a single tourist. Old William enthusiastically took on the role of my tour guide. Once I entered the castle, I began to believe what he said. The exterior of the castle is indeed European in style, but some of the buildings inside clearly exhibit characteristics of Ming and Qing architectural styles. The main castle is situated with its back to the north and facing south.

However, when I visited the cemetery behind Old William's castle, where the owners of the castle throughout the ages are buried, I discovered something extremely incredible. It is known that many family castles abroad have burial grounds for their ancestors, and in some of these cemeteries, crosses are placed, with names inscribed on the tombstones. Yet, on the last massive stone tablet at the back of this castle, leaning against the mountain, I unexpectedly saw nine red traditional Chinese characters.