Chapter 51

Looking at the numbers in his account, Wu Di smiled confidently, perhaps it wouldn't be long before there would be another zero added to the end.

After picking up Oudou from home, they went to Principal Lu's place for a meal. After more than a month of recuperation, the couple's complexion had improved a lot, and some of their chronic ailments had also greatly improved. Aunt Song watched the two of them wolf down their food and couldn't help but secretly wipe her eyes with her sleeve.

"Slow down, you two, you look like you've been reborn as hungry ghosts! School is about to start, Oudou, you'll be in third grade, right?"

"Grandma, it's still early, there's another month to go!"

"Hehe, I've talked it over with your grandpa, we'll stay for another week and then leave. In the future, we'll come to see you often."

"Why? Are you not going to keep Oudou anymore?"

"Oudou, be a good boy, grandpa can't let go of your classmates. That bunch of little rascals, no one can control them except me!"

Principal Lu's face lit up with a proud smile.

"That's right, that's right. When we go back, I'll help you spank Dog Egg. He pushed me and made me fall on my butt, and I'll also spank Second Daughter's palm. She borrowed my eraser and never returned it... Grandpa, I'll go back with you. I'm afraid to go to school here..."

"Oudou, be a good boy, don't be afraid. If anyone dares to bully you, call grandma, and grandma will spank them..."

Wu Di didn't say anything. He knew that Principal Lu's couple, like his parents, didn't belong here. They had their roots. The older they were, the harder it was for them to leave their homeland.

After spending the night at the sanatorium, Aunt Song and Wu Di chatted a lot, talking about Oudou, Principal Lu, and herself. They chatted until very late before they finally went to sleep.

The next morning, they had breakfast until around ten. Wu Di calculated the time and decided to have lunch before leaving. He took Oudou and Principal Lu's couple for a walk in the city, bought Oudou a few toys, and by the time they finished, it was already three o'clock.

Wu Di smiled wryly, time really doesn't last when you're shopping. Well, let's do it tomorrow.

The next morning, Wu Di left Oudou with Principal Lu's couple and went back to the Zhong family to get the stone. He drove straight to Old Chang's villa. The old lady kept shouting from behind:

"Take someone with you, don't move it alone, what if you strain your back?"

At eleven, Wu Di arrived at Old Chang's place. Like Zhong Qi in the past, he called out loudly at the door:

"Grandpa Chang, the treasure is here. Fourth Brother, come and help!"

Zhong Qi, wearing shorts and a tank top, fanning himself with a large palm fan, followed Old Chang, who was dressed the same way, as they swayed out. Old Yang, waving his hands, ran behind them,

"What treasure? What treasure? I've even prepared the heart medicine."

Seeing Wu Di carrying a large object wrapped in a sheet from the car, looking quite strained, Old Yang was furious:

"You brat, you always use sheets to wrap things. Last time it was the porcelain board, and this time it's the same!"

Wu Di was speechless,

"It's so big, what else could I use to wrap it?"

Carrying the 60-70-pound object through two courtyards really tired Wu Di out. He carefully placed the stone on the coffee table, sat on the ground, and started drinking water from a cup, which made Zhong Qi jump and curse:

"Brat, put it down, that's your sister-in-law's cup!"

Old Yang uncovered the mysterious veil and was dumbfounded,

"Old Chang, am I seeing things? Is this thing called a treasure?"

Old Chang shook his head, approached, and gently touched the jade surface, then started circling the stone, occasionally tapping it casually.

Wu Di was surprised. He didn't know if Old Chang was really skilled or just used to it, but he actually discovered the stone's true secret.

"Strange, Little Five, do you know what's inside?"

"I don't know, but I guess it's a jade piece. Otherwise, it wouldn't be so heavy."

"A jade piece this big? If it's older than the outer layer and carved by a famous artist, it would indeed be a treasure."

Wu Di pulled out a handheld electric saw from his bag, smiling,

"I'm ready. Today, I'll cut it open and see what's inside."

Seeing Wu Di about to cut it in the middle, Old Chang quickly stopped him. Wu Di pointed to a crack he had made a few days ago and said:

"I think it's two halves glued together here. Cutting here will definitely work."

"You're always unreliable. Use this!"

Old Chang took a long, thin object from a drawer, with a small blade at the end,

"A glass cutter?"

"This is a diamond cutting slot knife, specifically for cutting stones. Your electric saw is for cutting wood."

"Ah? I just wanted to play a trick on you, but I didn't expect the old man to be so well-equipped."

Wu Di smiled sheepishly and pulled out an identical tool from his backpack.

Old Yang laughed and slapped Wu Di on the back of the head,

"Little monkey, are you trying to rebel?"

Chang Linlin covered her mouth and whispered to Zhong Qi,

"Ziyi has been scolded like this since she was little."

Wu Di was about to start cutting, but Old Chang stopped him again, telling him to lift the top cover.

"Why? I think it's two pieces glued together here. If I cut both sides, they'll come apart, right?"

"Did you feel anything moving inside when you moved it?"

"No."

"That's right. Either the sides are directly glued to the base, or as you said, but the base is also glued. If you cut it, you won't be able to take it out."

Wu Di finally understood. He had been thinking wrong. Even if he cut it in half, would he dare to pull it apart? The answer was clearly no.

Wu Di worked hard, but Zhong Qi just yawned. Old Chang shook his head, called two guards, and sent Wu Di to the side to cool off.

An hour later, the top cover was lifted, and several people gathered around. The heads blocked all the light, and Old Chang gave them a few knocks on the head, sending them retreating.

"Indeed, it's a jade carving, and it seems to have micro-carving techniques. There are words on that stone slab. Let me see."

Old Chang took out a flashlight and examined it carefully. After a moment, he said excitedly,

"It's a Zigang jade, started carving in the 32nd year of Wanli, and it took three years to complete. On the day it was finished, the wind and clouds rose, heavy rain poured, and the mountains and rivers changed color, lasting for three days without stopping! Amazing! Xiao Li, hold it, let Xiao Song cut. Be careful, that board might be in two halves, don't break it."

After another hour, the few people who had eaten quickly returned to the living room. The four side panels were all removed, and the long jade carving was fully exposed.

Old Chang didn't look at the jade carving but first examined the side panel with the words.

"Grandpa, what is this? I can't see anything clearly. It's all lumps. Did it melt?"

Old Chang was startled and turned to say,

"Let me see. Oh, it's micro-carving. Incredible, under those conditions, to carve so small and so much, no wonder even Lu Zigang took three years to pour his heart and soul into it. Linlin, bring grandpa's magnifying glass."

The base of the jade carving had words, "Mountain and River." Old Chang first examined the jade quality, then the overall piece, and couldn't help but praise,

"No wonder Lu Zigang called it divine jade. Look, white, green, emerald, black, brown, yellow, red, it's a seven-color jade, such a large piece of seven-color jade! Little Five, I'm a bit jealous of your luck."

Wu Di had already explained the origin of the item. At this moment, everyone thought about how this treasure was something someone had insisted on selling to him, and they all shook their heads in sighs.

Chang Linlin brought a pile of magnifying glasses and a few small flashlights. Each person had a magnifying glass and leaned over the jade carving to examine it. The jade carving was long enough that they didn't have to worry about crowding. After a while, Chang Linlin straightened up and said,

"My goodness, it's so tiring to look. This jade carving is so big, how long will it take to see everything?"

"Tomorrow, we'll order a super-large magnifying glass and put it in front of this jade carving!"

Zhong Qi suggested.

"Hehe, use the flashlight to see."

Chang Linlin picked up a flashlight and shone it on the stone carving. Accidentally, she shone it into Old Chang's eyes. Old Chang straightened up and shouted,

"Linlin, stop fooling around, turn it off..."

Suddenly, he pointed to the corner of the room and shouted,

"Look, what's that?"

Everyone quickly looked at the corner but saw nothing. Old Chang lowered his head and thought for a moment, then said,

"Linlin, turn on the flashlight and shine it from the same angle as before."

Chang Linlin agreed and set up the flashlight.

After a moment, a brown mountain peak floated in the air at the corner of the room.

"Move the flashlight slowly."

The mountain peak disappeared, and along the direction of the eaves, forests, fields, people, and markets began to appear. Everyone was stunned. Suddenly, the scene disappeared, and Old Chang said in a daze,

"Is it over?"

"No, Linlin dropped the flashlight."

"Linlin, Xiao Si, Xiao Wu, each take two flashlights and shine them from different angles!"

Inside the room, a city and some broken mountains and rivers appeared.

"The houses are too low, and the light is uneven..."

Old Yang frowned as he watched.

"Xiao Li, move a table to the yard without any obstructions! Xiao Si, Xiao Wu, carry it out. Be careful not to slip."

The two people carefully carried the jade carving out and placed it on a table in front of the living room. It was mid-summer, and the sun was scorching. After the sunlight shone on the jade carving for about half a minute, a mirage-like scene began to appear in the air, centered above the jade carving and spreading out, quickly crossing the courtyard wall.

"Xiao Li, go outside and see how far it extends. Xiao Liu, go in the other direction. We'll move the table further out, the house is in the way."

Old Chang directed calmly. Wu Di kept his head up, looking at the scene above the jade carving. It was a city without a bottom, with tall and thick walls, bustling streets, pavilions, buildings, shops, and taverns, all vividly depicted.

"Nanjing, this is the prosperity of Nanjing at that time. How did he do it?"

"There are also post stations, forests, and villages. This is the Yangtze River, this is Zhenjiang, this is... Xiao Liu, how far have you gone, what do you see?"

"About 100 meters beyond the wall, there's a sea and a big river. Let me see, Huating County, Hangzhou... "

"Old Zhonghai!"

"Old Chang, I'm further, almost 200 meters. There's Shancheng, Rongcheng, Yichang... This is blocked by tree shadows, this should be Wuchang..."

Xiao Li was on the phone and walking back.

"This is a map of the Yangtze River along the Ming Dynasty! A madman, he's a true madman! How did he do it? How did he do it?"

Old Yang collapsed on the ground, and three medical staff quickly gave him medicine and listened to his heart.

"Mountain and River, River and Mountain, River and Mountain, Mountain and River, hahaha, this isn't just a jade carving of mountains and rivers, it's clearly the three thousand miles of beautiful mountains and rivers of the Ming Dynasty!"

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