Zhuo Yu Feng Yang Chapter 36

Chapter 36: Decoding the secret edict and searching for Qing Yan

The morning light shines through the window lattice on the long table of Xianyunzhai.The yellowed mulberry paper was carefully unfolded, and Tang Ying’s handwriting was strong and powerful, with every stroke revealing grief, anger and unwillingness.

Jiang Zhuo, Lu Jingyang and Lu Chenwei stood in front of the table, holding their breath and looking at the contents of the secret edict.

“Li Mingshan, a doctor in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, used the pretext of buying porcelain materials from official kilns to enrich his own pockets and extorted hundreds of treasures. When someone refused, he was charged with fraud and demoted to the border…” Lu Jingyang read softly, his voice full of indignation, “This Li Mingshan is simply audacious!”

The secret edict records in detail how Li Mingshan framed Tang Ying and embezzled official kiln porcelain.The most important thing is the last few sentences: “The exquisite work I have made in my life is hidden in Qixia Valley of Qingyan Mountain, waiting for future generations of Qingming people to dig it out to prove my innocence and return the treasure to the world.”’

The map attached next to it has simple lines, but the markings are very clear: On the west side of the main peak of Qingyan Mountain, there is a cliff, and there is a clear spring under the cliff. Three hundred steps up the spring, you can see two ancient pines leaning on each other, and below it is the entrance to Qixia Valley.

“Qingyan Mountain…” Jiang Zhuo rubbed his chin, his eyes deep, “I remember that place was developed once ten years ago, and then it became a no-man’s land due to landslides.”

Lu Chen nodded and added: “Yes, it is overgrown with grass and inaccessible, but it is a good place to hide things.”

“Then shall we set off now?” Lu Jingyang couldn’t hold back the excitement in his heart and clenched his fists, “Finding those official kiln porcelains will bring justice to Tang Ying and make the people of the Xuanshi Society give up completely!”

Jiang Zhuo shook his head, and his eyes fell on the last line of the secret edict: ‘The mechanism in the valley can be understood according to the position of the bird with the ribbon on the porcelain vase.’

“Mechanism?” Lu Jingyang was stunned and quickly looked at the enamel bottle on the side.

There are five ribbon birds on the vase, three facing left and two facing right, with different curvatures of their wings.

“It seems that this bottle is not only a secret message, but also the key to unlocking the mechanism.” Jiang Zhuo’s fingertips lightly brushed the ribbon bird on the bottle, “We have to take the bottle with us.”

Lu Chen pondered for a moment and said: “The terrain of Qingyan Mountain is complicated, and there are definitely fish that have slipped through the Xuanshi Association. I will send a team of people to follow you and prepare some tools for climbing and breaking traps.”

“You don’t need too many people.” Jiang Zhuo said, “If there are too many people, it will be easier to expose the target. Just bring a few with good skills.”

After the discussion was completed, the three of them split up to prepare.Lu Jingyang went to pack the mountaineering equipment, Lu Chen arranged the manpower and vehicles, and Jiang Zhuo carefully put away the enamel bottles and secret edicts and put them into a shock-proof brocade box.

On the day of departure, the sky was clear and clear.The three cars drove out of the city in a low-key manner, heading towards Qingyan Mountain.

The car stopped at the foot of the mountain. Several people put on their hiking clothes, carried their bags, and walked into the mountain on foot.

Qingyan Mountain is indeed desolate, with weeds half as tall as a man everywhere, and the road underfoot is rugged and difficult to navigate.The sun shines through the dense branches and leaves, casting mottled light and shadow. There are only the chirping of insects and birds all around, making it seem extraordinarily quiet.

Following the map’s guidance, they climbed over a low slope and saw a cliff.There is a clear spring under the cliff. The water of the spring is tinkling and crystal clear.

“This is it.” Jiang Zhuo pointed to the clear spring, “Walk up three hundred steps along the spring.”

A few people walked along the path beside the spring, the fallen leaves rustling under their feet.After walking about three hundred steps, my eyes suddenly opened up.Two vigorous ancient pines stand next to each other, their branches intertwined like horned dragons. Sure enough, there is a hidden hole under the tree, covered by vines and weeds. You can’t find it unless you look carefully.

“Entrance to Qixia Valley!” Lu Jingyang whispered, his eyes filled with excitement.

Jiang Zhuo signaled everyone to stop. He walked to the entrance of the cave and observed it carefully.There are five grooves on the stone walls on both sides of the cave entrance. The shape of the grooves is exactly the same as the ribbon bird on the enamel vase.

“It is indeed a mechanism.” Jiang Zhuo took out the enamel vase, “Five ribbon birds, three facing left and two facing right, corresponding to the direction of the groove.”

He asked Lu Jingyang to help hold the bottle, while he moved the grooves on the stone wall one by one according to the direction of the ribbon bird.

“Click——”

After a soft sound, the vines and weeds at the entrance of the cave slowly parted to both sides, revealing a passage that could only allow one person to pass.

The passage was pitch dark, and Lu Chen’s men immediately took out their bright flashlights and illuminated the road ahead.

Jiang Zhuo walked in the front, holding the brocade box tightly in his hand.Lu Jingyang and Lu Chen followed closely behind, and everyone’s heartbeats couldn’t help but speed up a bit.

They knew that at the end of the passage, there were not only treasures from the official kilns that existed a hundred years ago, but also a piece of historical truth that had been sealed in the dust.

In the mountain forest behind them, a black shadow was quietly following, with greedy light shining in its eyes.

The fish that slipped through the net of Xuanshi Society finally caught up with them.