Xu Changming’s remains were found in the fourth cave.
Inside, there was a stone bed, and on it lay a skeleton. It seemed that Xu Changming, knowing his end was near, had climbed up and laid himself to rest on the bed.
Shen Wenhe, ignoring the dirt on the ground, knelt three feet away from the bed and bowed three times, each bow hitting the ground with a “thud, thud, thud.”
“Old sir, I am Shen Wenhe. I read the letter you left and have come to find you. I have collected your belongings and will ensure your remains are properly buried. When I return, I will buy a fine coffin and find a serene place for you. In the future, during the four seasonal festivals, I will also pay respects at your grave,” Shen Wenhe murmured.
As he spoke, a small whirlwind arose across the flat ground, as if responding to Shen Wenhe.
Since he didn’t have a coffin prepared, he didn’t move Xu Changming’s remains. He turned and left, closing the wooden door behind him, and carefully descended the stone steps.
He didn’t enter the wooden house again but circled around, looking for a small path that might lead up. After all, in his later years, Xu Changming must have had a way to get up and down.
Shen Wenhe’s intuition was correct. Near the cliff, he found a narrow path—overgrown with weeds from years of disuse and almost invisible unless searched for carefully.
Shen Wenhe decided to clear the weeds while descending. This place was secluded, ideal for refuge.
Moreover, even during a drought, the water source here made it safe. Even in the event of a flood, the elevated location would protect them. And if the water rose high enough to reach here, there were still caves above for shelter.
Shen Wenhe was busy clearing the weeds, while Bai Nianqing at the bottom grew anxious.
“Why did he just disappear? At least tell me what’s happening!” she thought, pacing around.
She didn’t go far, fearing Shen Wenhe wouldn’t find her. She circled near the pool to look ahead.
After a while, she reached a cliff with vines hanging down. Seeing no way forward and realizing she had walked too far, she decided to turn back.
Before she could, Shen Wenhe emerged from behind the vines.
Startled, Bai Nianqing almost screamed and tried to run.
“Lady, Nianqing,” Shen Wenhe called out. He too was initially shocked but quickly realized that besides the two of them, no one else was around.
“Hubby?” Bai Nianqing turned.
“What are you doing here? You scared me!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling.
“Sorry, lady. Didn’t mean to startle you,” Shen Wenhe quickly reassured her.
Bai Nianqing wasn’t the type to make a fuss; after a few comforting words, she calmed down.
“I’m fine, just startled. How did you get here?” she asked.
Excited, Shen Wenhe replied, “Lady, come with me—we’re about to strike it rich!”
He grabbed her hand and led her to the narrow crevice he had emerged from.
Pushing aside the vines revealed a gap just over a person’s height, wide enough for someone to squeeze through sideways.
Passing through, they entered a small basin.
“This… this is…” Bai Nianqing was speechless.
It was indeed a small basin, surrounded by mountains with only the narrow crevice as an entrance.
The basin was tiny, about half an acre in size.
What amazed Bai Nianqing even more was the ginseng planted within.
Though she wasn’t a medical student, her love of novels had familiarized her with ginseng.
This half-acre plot contained various medicinal herbs, with more than half being ginseng, most of them mature and well-established.
She could tell because the ginseng leaves were large—some with more than a dozen leaves—and a few roots protruded above the soil, thick as a child’s arm.
Among the other herbs, she recognized two: Lingzhi and a small patch of Cordyceps.
“This herb garden must have been planted by Xu Changming, the former imperial physician. Up in the cave, there are also chests of gold and jewels. His remains are there as well. When we return, I’ll buy a coffin, and we’ll properly bury him so he can rest in peace,” Shen Wenhe explained.
“It’s only right. Even if we didn’t gain anything from him, since we’ve encountered this place, it’s fate. Burying him properly is the least we can do,” Bai Nianqing said.
“Come, I’ll take you up to see,” Shen Wenhe said.
“Can I climb up? This cliff looks so steep,” Bai Nianqing hesitated.
“No worries, there’s a small path,” Shen Wenhe led her to a corner of the herb garden.
He had already cleared the weeds along the path.
The cliff was still steep, but stone steps had been carved, making the climb manageable.
Shen Wenhe helped Bai Nianqing up.
“How is it? Lady, is this suitable for us to live and take refuge?”
“Perfect, absolutely perfect,” Bai Nianqing said, inspecting the twenty-square-meter stone platform, the wooden house, and finally the spring.
“This is such a secluded place. The spring water is excellent—cooking and washing without walking far.” She crouched and drank a sip.
“Delicious,” Shen Wenhe agreed. The mountain spring water was pure and sweet.
“This works. Later we can build two more wooden houses so Chang’an and Xiaochun have a place to stay. Otherwise, they could sleep in the cave,” Shen Wenhe said, drinking as well.
“Yes, even if they don’t stay here permanently, we should build the houses. Nianchen is growing up; he deserves one,” Bai Nianqing added.
“All right, let’s check the cave and store the items. Next time, we’ll bring Chang’an and Xiaochun to properly organize this place and bring some supplies,” Shen Wenhe said.
Thinking about moving items, Bai Nianqing remembered her own space. Shen Wenhe knew about it. Nianchen was still small, so it was manageable.
But Chang’an and Xiaochun would inevitably notice unless she didn’t use her space.
How could she not use it? With the famine approaching and so many good things in her space, she couldn’t not make use of it.
Thinking of this, Bai Nianqing asked Shen Wenhe, “Hubby, what if Chang’an and Xiaochun discover my space later? We’re together all day; if I use it, they’ll definitely notice.”