chapter 8

The two of us grabbed a quick bite, and then Driver Zhang continued driving. About half an hour later, the car entered Meicheng.

“It’s changed a lot.”

Looking at the night scenery outside the window, I couldn’t help but recall the first time Grandpa and I took a van to Meicheng. My eyes grew a little moist.

“When did you first come to Meicheng?” Driver Zhang asked.

“About ten years ago.”

“No wonder! In the past ten years, Meicheng has changed tremendously. Take the Cao Family Old Mansion, for example. If you go see it now, I guarantee you’ll be shocked!” Driver Zhang laughed.

“What happened to the Cao Family Old Mansion?” I asked.

“Let’s go take a look and you’ll see.” Driver Zhang stepped on the gas and headed toward the southwest corner of Meicheng.

I remembered that the Cao Family ancestral home was indeed in the southwest of Meicheng, but when Driver Zhang stopped the car and pointed ahead, telling me that was the Cao Family Old Mansion, I was still quite surprised.

Before us stood a vast estate, brilliantly lit and grand beyond measure. Its scale and magnificence far surpassed the Cao Family Old Mansion in my memory-at least ten times greater!

“People would believe it’s a palace!” Driver Zhang exclaimed. “But they deserve their good fortune. Just look at the descendants of the Cao Family-each one more impressive than the last!”

“Cao Song has four children, right?” I asked.

“Yes, Boss Cao has three sons and one daughter. Each of those sons is outstanding! Ah, people really do get jealous comparing themselves to others!” Driver Zhang said with envy. “By the way, the Cao Second Young Master is in the same profession as you.”

“Same profession? Feng Shui?” I was a bit surprised.

“Exactly! I heard the Cao Second Young Master doesn’t like business, but is passionate about Feng Shui. The famous Master Gu of Meicheng is his teacher,” Driver Zhang said.

“You sure know a lot, Driver Zhang.” I smiled.

“Ha!” Driver Zhang waved his hand and laughed. “I have a cousin whose son-in-law works for the Cao Family, and he’s quite capable. My cousin often asks me to drop by and see his daughter, so I’ve picked up quite a bit.”

“I see,” I said, smiling in realization.

“The Cao Family may be full of talent, but compared to the Third Young Lady, everyone else pales in comparison!” Driver Zhang sighed.

“How so?” I knew he was talking about Cao Xuerong.

“The Third Young Lady isn’t just beautiful; she’s been clever and kind since childhood,” Driver Zhang said.

I thought to myself, beauty and intelligence are one thing, but as for kindness-if Driver Zhang had seen Cao Xuerong that day, he’d never say such things again.

“Everyone says the Cao Family has accumulated virtue for nine generations, and finally produced a destined noble daughter like the Third Young Lady. Her fate is said to be incomparably noble, a Phoenix of the Nine Heavens, not a mere mortal!”

“Impressive,” I nodded.

Perhaps noticing my skepticism, Driver Zhang continued, “It’s actually quite a mystical story. When the Third Young Lady was nine, an Immortal came to the Cao Family and took her as a disciple.”

“There’s no such thing as Immortals in this world,” I laughed.

“That’s just what people say; who knows if it’s true,” Driver Zhang chuckled. “But many witnessed the miraculous scene when the Third Young Lady became a disciple.”

“What was so miraculous?” My interest was piqued.

“Many saw her, dressed in a white long dress like a little fairy, holding a White Jade Lantern carved with green lotuses as her offering to her Master.”

Driver Zhang, seeing I might not understand, explained, “That White Jade Lantern is said to be the Cao Family’s heirloom, specially chosen by the Third Young Lady as her gift to her Master.”

I couldn’t help but laugh.

A White Jade Lantern carved with green lotuses-wasn’t that the betrothal gift Grandpa gave to Cao Xuerong? Yet they claimed it was their family heirloom. Shameless!

“That bow from the Third Young Lady was extraordinary!” Driver Zhang said excitedly. “Suddenly, a swarm of fireflies appeared out of nowhere, swirling above the Cao Family Old Mansion. Even more astonishing, every tree in the Cao Family blossomed at once!”

“People said it was the Milky Way hanging upside down, dead wood coming to life-a sign of great fortune!”

“Sure enough, from that day on, the Cao Family prospered even more, rising higher and higher. Isn’t that mysterious?”

“Quite mysterious,” I nodded, then asked, “What happened to Cao Xuerong afterward?”

“After she became a disciple, the Third Young Lady left with her Master. No one knows where she went, but it’s said she returns to Meicheng once a year. That’s why there are always people lingering outside the Cao Family Mansion, hoping to catch a glimpse of the Third Young Lady and receive some good fortune,” Driver Zhang laughed.

“Are those the people?” I pointed to the crowd lined up outside the Cao Family Mansion.

“Not exactly. Those people are here to collect the Cao Family Blessing Gold,” Driver Zhang glanced over and explained with a smile.

“Blessing Gold?”

“It’s a rule set by the Cao Family. Anyone truly in difficulty can come to the Cao Family to receive a sum of money, called the Cao Family Blessing Gold. There are eighteen spots each day,” Driver Zhang explained.

As we were talking, a commotion erupted near the Cao Family Mansion.

Someone broke away from the crowd, knelt at the gate, and began kowtowing fervently.

“What’s going on?” Driver Zhang looked over in surprise.

Suddenly, he exclaimed, “Oh! That looks like my cousin! You wait here, I’ll go check!”

With that, he hurriedly opened the door and ran over.

I saw that the man kowtowing was a plainly dressed old man. Driver Zhang tried to help him up, but the old man refused.

As the onlookers murmured, a middle-aged man hurried out from the Cao Family Mansion and helped the old man to his feet.

When I saw the man’s face clearly, I was stunned for a moment.

Wasn’t that Brother Hao, the one who dug me out of Grave Mound Ridge all those years ago?