At Lu Chongming's signal, Wang Guan naturally followed his gaze. Beneath a range of undulating mountains, there was a mountain village built nestled against the hills and situated by the water.

As they drew closer, one could distinctly sense the tranquility and serenity of the hamlet.

Looking closely, the village boasted over seventy percent green coverage. From the outside, most houses were obscured by lush trees, with only the eaves peeking out.

The shade of the trees acted as a natural barrier, not only shielding them from wind and rain but also muffling extraneous noise, naturally imbuing the village with a sense of peace.

The charm of country life was something urban dwellers could not truly grasp but could certainly imagine and yearn for.

Conversely, those who lived constantly in the quiet villages often greatly envied the superficial glamour of city life.

It was, in essence, an irreconcilable paradox.

Much like Mr. Qian Zhongshu’s famous line from Fortress Besieged: those inside the city walls wished to escape, while those outside longed to rush in. This applied to marriage, careers, and most human desires.

Others might not know, but as Lu Chongming returned to the village he hadn't seen in a long time, he felt a surge of emotion.

Pointing to every blade of grass, every tree, and the large stones by the roadside, he spoke with intimate familiarity, able to point out every subtle change.

These were memories from childhood, and instead of fading with time, they had become increasingly vivid.

“When we were kids, everyone loved to play in the water by the bridge, crawling back and forth beneath the stone bridge…” As Lu Chongming drove towards the river in front of the village, Wang Guan looked out the window and saw a small bridge spanning the water. However, it was a wide and long bamboo-and-wood structure, not stone.

“It was stolen after all.”

Lu Chongming’s expression darkened, and he immediately spat out a curse.

He wished the bridge thief would fall to his death, choke to death while eating, drown while drinking, and be suffocated while smoking… “Alright, calm down,”

Wang Guan consoled him, changing the subject. “Since you’ve finally come back, didn’t you buy a lot of gifts? And you brought the stele back too. Hurry up and let your relatives know so they can be happy.”

“Mmm,”

Lu Chongming nodded, drove away from the riverbank, and slowly stopped beside a particular house in the village.

To be honest, even among neighbors and relatives within the same village clan, there were degrees of closeness and distance.

The scenario of an entire village, young and old, turning out to welcome one returning person only existed in movies and television; it was rarely seen in real life.

Unless you were a high-ranking official who had prepared gifts for every single villager, such a scene was unlikely to occur.

Lu Chongming certainly hadn’t bought gifts for the entire village, but he had brought quite a lot, filling the entire trunk of the car.

After stopping in front of that house,

He called out loudly, and two children immediately ran out.

“This is my cousin’s house. These two are my nephews,”

Lu Chongming introduced them, patting the heads of the two boys.

Then, he took out two handfuls of soft millet and handed them over.

Simultaneously, a plain-looking young man in his early thirties emerged; this was presumably Lu Chongming’s older male cousin.

Seeing Lu Chongming, he was also very pleased and greeted him directly in the local dialect.

The dialect of Suzhou.

Wang Guan had learned a little from Bei Ye, but this man spoke so quickly that Wang Guan couldn't quite grasp the meaning.

Regardless, with this man’s help, everyone managed to carry the gifts inside.

In the main hall now, there was a middle-aged man of about fifty, who, unsurprisingly, was Lu Chongming’s cousin-uncle. Seeing his nephew come to visit, he was naturally beaming.

Of course, upon noticing the accompanying guest, he did not forget to offer water and cigarettes.

Wang Guan did not smoke and politely declined. While accepting the tea and taking a small sip, he observed the layout of the house.

It was a simple building of grey brick and cement, two stories high with a central courtyard, and a flat roof suitable for drying things.

In short, it was an architectural style that retained both urban features and mountain village customs.

Clean, tidy, and unpretentious—that was Wang Guan’s initial impression.

It couldn't be helped; Lu Chongming and his cousin were conversing, and since Wang Guan didn't understand, he could only survey the surroundings.

Lu Chongming’s cousin noticed this. After sorting through the gifts, washing a plate of fruit, and giving the two largest pieces to the children, he began to engage Wang Guan, chatting idly.

Amidst the rambling conversation, Lu Chongming suddenly stood up and urged everyone to go outside and inspect the stele.

Seeing the stele, Lu Chongming’s cousin looked surprised, reached out to touch it, and then shook his head, as if chiding Lu Chongming for being redundant and unnecessary in bringing the item back.

After all, in his mind, the stele had never held much value.

At least, what Lu Zigang supposedly left behind was nothing more than a tale he heard, which he never truly believed.

However, since Lu Chongming had brought the item back, the cousin didn't press the matter further.

But when he heard Lu Chongming intended to return the item to its original spot, he immediately stopped him.

“Why?” Lu Chongming was naturally puzzled. Since the item was brought back, shouldn't it be put back? Should he keep it for himself? The cousin immediately said a few words that caused Lu Chongming’s expression to change instantly.

“What did your uncle say?” Wang Guan was curious and couldn't help but ask.

“I said, the item was stolen, and now Ah Ming has brought it back. Knowing his character, he must realize this is just a coincidence, but some people might still gossip.”

At this point, the cousin spoke in Mandarin: “If any idle gossip arises, even jumping into the Yellow River won't clear Ah Ming’s name.”

“Surely it won’t come to that,”

Wang Guan was taken aback.

“It’s better to be safe than sorry,”

The cousin stated solemnly, “Everyone in the village knows Ah Ming has made something of himself now, so some people are bound to become envious, unable to bear seeing others succeed…” “That’s true,”

Wang Guan considered it and admitted that the cousin had a point.

Jealousy is the original sin, an inherent part of human nature that cannot be entirely eliminated.

Lu Chongming understood this too. After frowning slightly, he hesitated, “If that’s the case, I’ll move it back quietly. If you don’t mention it, no one will know, and there won't be any rumors.”

“That’s possible, but if you put it back right now, the careful observers will certainly know it was you. It’s better to leave the item with me for now,”

As he spoke, the cousin smiled, “After you leave, in three or five days, I’ll place it back. That should be fine, and perhaps we can even fabricate a legend about an ancestor’s divine manifestation, the stele being miraculously recovered.”

“Fine, let’s do that.”

Lu Chongming nodded in agreement.

From this, it could be seen that his cousin was quite strategic and likely not just an ordinary mountain farmer.

Wang Guan pondered, and only after making a few discreet inquiries did he learn from Lu Chongming that his cousin was the village party secretary.

He was quite an influential figure, frequently attending meetings in the town and city—a man embedded in the system. No wonder he possessed such insight.

Or perhaps, no wonder he was so adept at analyzing human nature, immediately considering the worst possibilities… “Let’s not talk about this anymore,”

At this point, Lu Chongming’s cousin signaled, “Ah Ming, take your friend out for a walk. Be back in half an hour for dinner.”

“Okay,”

Lu Chongming nodded, called Wang Guan, and they wandered through the village.

The village environment was generally good, but the roads were an issue.

Rural paths were simply not as solid as city concrete roads, and after a light rain the previous night, they had become somewhat muddy.

Seeing the mud, both men instinctively walked uphill, gradually arriving on the slope.

From this height, they looked out, and the entire village spread beneath them, completely visible.

“This is truly a blessed location for Feng Shui,”

After observing for a moment, Wang Guan couldn't help but exclaim.

“How so?” Lu Chongming asked curiously. “Do you understand Feng Shui?” “I met a remarkable man in Lu Province some time ago; he taught me a few tricks,”

Wang Guan smiled. “He said the simplest way to judge whether a region’s Feng Shui is good or bad is the Four Spirits Formula of Feng Shui.”

“I know the Four Spirits,”

Lu Chongming chuckled. “Azure Dragon on the left, White Tiger on the right, Vermilion Bird in front, and Black Tortoise behind, right?”

Wang Guan raised an eyebrow and countered, “That’s correct, but do you know how to interpret it?” “... I really don’t,”

Lu Chongming admitted honestly.

“Heh heh, if you don’t know, just listen obediently,”

Wang Guan said with a smile. “The Four Spirits Formula belongs to the Form School… As for what the Form School is, I don’t fully understand it either. If you want to know more, look up the reference materials yourself.”

“Basically, it’s a visual analogy. Like how we see it now: facing the village, the left is the Azure Dragon, the right is the White Tiger, the front is the Vermilion Bird, and the back is the Black Tortoise.”

Wang Guan spoke fluently: “Do you see? The Black Tortoise is the backing mountain. The taller and more refined the mountain range, with no messy rocks, it indicates your village is very stable and produces outstanding talent…” “As for the Azure Dragon and White Tiger, they are two mountain ranges that seem to embrace the village like arms, forming a natural barrier—what is called a place that gathers wind and retains Qi. However, Qi is mobile; it needs to flow to constitute living energy (Sheng Qi); otherwise, it becomes stagnant Qi (Si Qi), which isn’t good Feng Shui.”

As he spoke, Wang Guan pointed across the landscape, his voice passionate: “So, this is where the river comes in. The river meandering signifies an embracing and responsive formation. Mountains govern people (Ding), and water governs wealth (Cai). The more bends the river takes as it flows, the more Sheng Qi is gathered, and the wealthier the village becomes. Otherwise, if the water flows straight, the energy can’t be retained…” “That seems quite logical,”

Lu Chongming couldn't help but laugh. “Not bad, you’ve got some skill.”

“Of course,”

Wang Guan chuckled. “Actually, Feng Shui is just that. A place with clear water and lush mountains is naturally good. Conversely, if the mountains are barren and covered in stones, would you feel secure living there?”

“Water is even more essential, it’s a necessity for life. If the flow is curved, it means the water is gentle; adults can relax when children play nearby. If the current is rapid, forget the children, even adults would feel uneasy…” Wang Guan said casually, “Feng Shui, boiled down, is the study of the environment—it’s all about ensuring people live comfortably and avoid unexpected dangers.”

“Yes, exactly right, very well said,”

Lu Chongming replied with interest. “But as far as I know, every auspicious Feng Shui location has a core nexus point, or ‘Jie Xue.’ So, tell me, where is the spiritual nexus of our village?” 〖Website Update Fast No Pop-up Pure Text www.〗RT