Chapter 58: Opening the Gate to the Treasure Vault

The peaceful days flowed on like water, and another year passed in a hurry.

That year, I advanced to the fourth grade of primary school. I had not grown much taller, but I had become a little more sensible. Compared to other children, my life was very busy, but also very fulfilling.

My parents had aged another year. Perhaps because life was not easy, my father already had wrinkles that could no longer be erased from his face, and my mother had noticeable white hair.

My sisters had become even prettier, like lively adolescent girls.

Su Rou had grown a bit fatter as well, steadily developing toward a square shape.

As for Old Man Jiang, hmm, he was a monster. His appearance had not changed at all.

Another winter had come, and it was a rare warm winter for the small mountain village where I lived.

It was still my birthday, but there was no treatment like last year. My master had said that only when I reached every multiple of nine could I have a big celebration. On other days, it was unnecessary.

However, since it happened to fall on a rare weekend, my family still came up the mountain once and treated it like a countryside outing. My master said there would be no celebration, but my family firmly refused to accept that. I missed last year’s cream cake, of course I could only see it in my dreams.

My parents looked at the things Old Man Jiang had planted in the grassland. After two and a half years together, I already knew he was growing medicinal herbs there, but my parents found them novel and often picked some to take back down the mountain.

My two sisters were not bothered by the cold weather at all and played happily by the pool.

I sat there like a little old man with Old Man Jiang in the bamboo house corridor, each of us with a cup of clear tea, a xiangqi board between us, playing two games of xiangqi.

Life in the mountains did not offer much entertainment. My master taught me how to play xiangqi, so the master and disciple often played a couple of games. Old Man Jiang was extremely skilled in many things, but his xiangqi ability was simply abysmal. After I learned for half a year, I often “defeated him so badly that he lost his armor and helmets.” However, he was shameless in defeat, often using excuses like going to urinate and not coming back, or saying I should practice boxing, or claiming he had not seen the move clearly.

The most outrageous thing was that he often flipped the table over and blamed the table legs for being unstable.

Who told him to be my master? I could only swallow my complaints. Even if I did not want to play anymore, it was not allowed. He was the master. If he told me to play, I had to play.

Old Man Jiang made another terrible move, and I made a good one. I guessed he was about to pull some trick, so I simply tucked my hands into my sleeves and waited calmly and composedly for him to find an excuse.

But this time, he seized on it and said, “Look at how you are behaving. You are only ten years old, yet you act so old and serious. And you even hide your hands in your sleeves? Take them out. Just because of this attitude, I have decided you will be punished today. Go copy the Dao De Jing.”

I looked at him helplessly. I knew it would be like this. I quickly took my hands out and put on a respectful expression. Honestly, it was my fault. Winning against my master was fine, but acting like that only made him lose his temper out of embarrassment.

“Master, why have I not really grown taller? Even Liu Chunyan is taller than me this year.”

At this point, being respectful was not enough. I had to change the subject.

“You understand nothing. Boys develop late but explosively. You are especially good at developing late and explosively. Do not waste the medicinal tonics I gave you. Go copy the Dao De Jing.” He refused to let it go.

“Master, today is my birthday.” Copying the Dao De Jing was indeed useful. At least my classical Chinese improved rapidly, and I could understand what “develop late but explosively” meant. But even that could not endure being made to copy it every day and every month, especially extra assignments. I tried using my birthday as an excuse.

“Less nonsense. Go copy the Dao De Jing.”

“Master, I am already ten today. You said that after I turned ten, you would tell me some things. When are you going to explain them?” I suddenly remembered this and used it as a shield in desperation.

“Copy the Dao...” He suddenly stopped, falling silent for a long moment, then said, “Tonight, come to the small room. I will tell you then.” After speaking, he even knocked the xiangqi board out of place.

But I could not be bothered to argue with that. The small room. My master actually told me to go to the small room. I was shocked.

In fact, the bamboo house was not large. Including the main hall, there were only three rooms. The toilet and kitchen were separate bamboo sheds built outside.

Among the three rooms, one was where I slept, one was where Old Man Jiang slept, and the last was a small inner room attached to his bedroom. Its door was always tightly shut, and we called it the small room.

The entire bamboo house was very simple. The main hall did not need mentioning. There was only one long table and a few chairs.

Old Man Jiang’s bedroom had only a bamboo bed, a rattan chest, and a meditation cushion.

My room had slightly more things: a wooden bed, a wooden desk, a chair, and a small wardrobe for clothes.

So my shock at being called to the small room made sense. After two and a half years on the mountain, I had never once stepped inside it. My master often stayed inside, but whenever he did, the door was always tightly shut. I was extremely curious about what was inside.

Now he was actually letting me go in. How could I not be shocked?

After dinner, I sent my parents down the mountain. By the time I returned, it was already night. But night practice could not be skipped. After copying the Dao De Jing, I practiced the Eight Pieces Brocade for a while. I was already very familiar with the Five Animal Frolics, so my master had me practice the Eight Pieces Brocade instead. There was no choice. Eight Pieces Brocade Five Animal Frolics

Then came the usual medicinal meal and fragrant herbal bath, which were normally my favorite parts of the day. But today I went through them in a hurry, because I was eager to go to the small room. Even the usual drowsiness that would normally appear at this time did not come.

Old Man Jiang was a man of his word. When he said he would take me to the small room, after I finished bathing, he really did bring me there.

When that door, which had always been mysteriously sealed to me, was opened, I felt my heart pounding violently.

But all I saw was darkness. I could not help letting out a disappointed “ah.”

“You think you can see anything without lighting the lamp? Do you think you are a cat? Come in, silly child,” Old Man Jiang said with amusement. He pulled me inside and then skillfully lit an oil lamp.

Under the lamp light, everything in the small room came into view. I looked around in surprise. I had not expected it to be like this.

A large bamboo shelf covered an entire wall. It was like a modern display cabinet, divided into many small compartments. These compartments were filled with all kinds of miscellaneous items, mostly boxes.

Several large chests were placed beside the bamboo shelf. I had no idea what was inside.

On another wall was a small bookshelf filled with books. I took a glance and saw they were all thread-bound volumes, clearly very old.

On the last wall was a small window. Beneath it was a large bamboo desk. On the desk were many items I could not recognize, but among the things I did recognize were my master’s peach wood sword, a cinnabar box, and various magical tools, along with several pieces of jade.

It was practically a treasure vault!

“Seen enough?” Old Man Jiang said from the side. “This is all your master’s possessions. The most valuable things are those books and a few items passed down from your grandmaster. The rest are just ordinary. I did not bring you in here before because I was afraid you would touch things you should not. But you have been on the mountain for two and a half years now. You have read the Dao De Jing and become much more sensible. And I am also about to formally explain some matters of our lineage to you. So there is no problem bringing you in.”

“Master, what are all these things? Can you show me?” I was completely captivated by everything in the room. Children are naturally curious.

Old Man Jiang glared and said, “What did I teach you? Apart from your true nature, all external things are like drifting clouds. If your true nature is a treasure, then external things are like grass. Look at yourself. Besides, if I do not pass these things to you, who else would I pass them to? Compared to those people, what are my possessions worth?”

I nodded repeatedly. In truth, I did not understand. I was just curious. If this were modern times, where everyone knew the concept of antiques, then stepping into this room would have been like playing with fire in the heart. Only my master could remain so calm, even though he understood the value of some of these things.