Tongbo Mountain

The next morning, an SUV parked in front of Qin Yu's house. Qin Yu carried a sack and got into the car, which quickly disappeared from the town.

"Master Qin, I really appreciate your help this time."

Hao Jianguo sat in the back seat, his uncle drove the car, and Secretary Wang sat in the front. Qin Yu naturally sat in the back seat with Hao Jianguo.

"Analyzing Yin and Yang and Feng Shui for others is our duty."

During this period, Qin Yu had also read some other Feng Shui books and integrated the theories from the Zhuge Inner Canon, so he had some understanding of the Feng Shui profession. In Feng Shui, there are two types of practitioners, just like the differentiation between Yin House and Yang House. One serves the deceased, while the other serves the living. There is quite a difference between the two.

Nowadays, some so-called Feng Shui practitioners offer both Yin House and Yang House services without truly understanding Feng Shui. Feng Shui has strict requirements for the Feng Shui of the deceased and the living. In ancient times, Feng Shui practitioners had clear divisions of labor, with some specializing in Yang House and others in Yin House. Only the true masters could balance both.

But none of this posed a significant problem for Qin Yu. The Zhuge Inner Canon already encompassed the theories of Yin and Yang Feng Shui, inheriting all the skills of Zhuge Liang. He could analyze both Yang Houses and Yin Houses.

The SUV quickly left the county town and roared towards the mountainside, which surprised Qin Yu. The car was driving smoothly, and the cement road twisted and climbed up to the top, resembling a silver snake coiling around the mountain.

Perhaps noticing Qin Yu's confusion, Hao Jianguo explained, "Master Qin, it seems you haven't been to Tongbo Mountain for a long time. A few years ago, the government initiated a tourism development project here, and the mountain road has been renovated. It has become convenient for tourists to visit."

"Yes, I remember when I came to Tongbo Mountain as a child, the roads were all rocky. The ride was bumpy, with cliffs on one side, making it a nerve-wracking experience."

Although the cement road was now in place, the SUV still slowed down as it ascended the mountain. After all, it was now a tourist development area with considerable traffic, and the winding mountain road, combined with the presence of cliffs, made Qin Yu's uncle cautious.

After over an hour of driving on the mountain road, they could faintly see houses in the distance. Unlike the earthen houses Qin Yu had seen before, these houses were flat-roofed brick houses, with some even having air conditioning units hanging outside. People sat in groups of two or three outside their doors, basking in the sun.

The car didn't stop there but continued to drive inward until it reached a bamboo garden. Qin Yu's sharp eyes caught sight of several large characters at the entrance of the bamboo garden: Laikeju.

A middle-aged man with a large belly stood proudly at the entrance. When he saw the SUV stop, a bright smile appeared on his face as he walked briskly towards them.

Secretary Wang was the first to get off the car, followed by Hao Jianguo. The man, seeing Hao Jianguo getting out of the car, had an even brighter smile on his face. From afar, he extended his hands, preparing to shake hands with Hao Jianguo.

However, to his surprise, after getting out of the car, Hao Jianguo didn't shake hands with him right away. Instead, he made way for the others in the car, politely allowing them to exit.

"Could it be that there are other important figures in the car apart from the County Chief?"

Liu Anshan received a call from the County Chief last night, saying he would visit Tongbo Mountain and specifically requested not to disturb the normal work of the local government personnel, allowing him to receive the County Chief alone.

This thought flashed through Liu Anshan's mind, and the smile on his face intensified. This time, however, he didn't extend his hands again. It was common to shake hands with the County Chief as a superior, but if it were other important figures, they might not give him the same courtesy. The rules in officialdom dictated not overstepping one's boundaries, and not everyone's hand could be shaken casually.

Qin Yu had initially planned to get out of the car from the other side but seeing Hao Jianguo making way for him, he followed suit and got out from that side. As he stepped out of the car, the gentle sound of flowing streams and the clear chirping of birds reached his ears, instantly refreshing his fatigued mind from the over two-hour journey.

"Could it be that a leader from the city has come here to visit? But for the County Chief to personally accompany them, it must be the scion of one of the top three families in the city."

Liu Anshan speculated as he saw Qin Yu getting out of the car. Based on his young appearance, Qin Yu's position was definitely not high, so the only reason for the County Chief to treat him with such respect must be his family background.

Once everyone had gotten out of the car, it seemed that Hao Jianguo just noticed Liu Anshan standing beside him. He extended his hand and lightly gestured towards him before retracting it, saying,

"Director Liu, I came to Tongbo Mountain this time for a personal matter. I hope you didn't inform the management team about my visit."

"Don't worry, County Chief. Only I know about your visit here today. However, the comrades from the management team are all hoping for your guidance to motivate them in their work."

"Haha, you're all doing a great job. I'll come and visit to see the fruits of your work when I have the chance."

"Oh, County Chief, you must keep your promise. Everyone is excited and looking forward to your visit. If they find out, they'll be overjoyed for sure."

Liu Anshan's expression was as if he had found a treasure, full of excitement. Qin Yu, who was observing from the side, found it amusing. Director Liu was quite a character. Typically, ordinary government employees would have a mere impression of the County Chief from television. They wouldn't get excited just because the County Chief was visiting. However, hearing it from Director Liu's mouth made it seem like the County Chief was their guiding light, the backbone of their unity.

"Secretary Wang, Mayor Zhang, it's a rare sight to see you here. And who is this?"

Liu Anshan, Secretary Wang, and Qin Yu's uncle were acquainted with each other, as the county town was not that big. These three were considered the County Chief's confidants, so they must have some understanding and communication between them. However, when they came before Qin Yu, they didn't know how to greet him.

"Director Liu, hello. I'm Qin Yu," Qin Yu took the initiative to introduce himself and extended his hand.

"Master Qin, welcome to Tongbo Mountain for sightseeing."

Liu Anshan maintained his smile as he shook Qin Yu's hand a few times before releasing it. Meanwhile, he racked his brain, trying to recall which leader in the city had the surname Qin, but he couldn't remember any.

"County Chief, let's have lunch at Kefeju here. The ingredients are good, all sourced from the mountain, and the hygiene is well maintained."

After exchanging greetings with everyone, Liu Anshan returned to Hao Jianguo's side and made the suggestion.

"What do you think, Master Qin?"

Hao Jianguo's address puzzled Liu Anshan. How could the County Chief refer to such a young person as "Master"? In fact, Hao Jianguo had no intention of keeping it a secret. Since he considered him a confidant and had asked him to wait there, he planned to share the matter with him.

Qin Yu could also guess that, so he didn't beat around the bush and asked directly, "How much longer until we reach the tomb of the County Chief's grandfather?"

"My grandfather is buried near Shifengyan. After driving past Jiuxian Lake, it's about a half-hour hike."

It was already past ten o'clock, and by the time they reached there, it would probably be noon. Qin Yu estimated the time and nodded, saying, "Then let's have lunch first and head there in the afternoon."

Seeing Qin Yu's agreement and the County Chief's lack of objection, Liu Anshan began to lead everyone into a bamboo house. Despite its inconspicuous exterior, once inside, Qin Yu discovered it was a hidden gem.

Thick red velvet blankets covered the floor, and a round table was placed in the center. Paintings resembling Zheng Banqiao's works adorned the walls on both sides, while a corner was lit with incense to repel insects.

Everyone took their seats, and when Hao Jianguo intended to offer the main seat to Qin Yu, he declined and asked him to postpone it. Liu Anshan went out to arrange the dishes, and Secretary Wang, with a smile, followed him, likely to clarify the confusion in Liu Anshan's mind and discuss some matters.

"County Chief, should we prepare a pot of wine for Master Qin at lunch?"

After Liu Anshan finished arranging the dishes, he entered the room and inquired.

"You can prepare it for yourselves. I don't drink much, and I have important matters to attend to in the afternoon, so I'll refrain from drinking," Qin Yu declined with a shake of his head. Hao Jianguo also declined, as he wasn't in the mood for drinking while his ancestral grave matter remained unresolved. With these two refusing, the others didn't feel comfortable asking either. So, they sat there while Liu Anshan livened up the atmosphere by sharing some interesting stories about the mountain.

"Didi Didi Didi!"

A car horn sounded from outside the door, most likely because Qin Yu's uncle's off-road vehicle was blocking the entrance, preventing other vehicles from entering. Qin Yu's uncle heard the sound and greeted the County Chief before going outside to see what was happening. Liu Anshan followed him since he was the landlord here.

Unexpectedly, neither of them returned quickly. Instead, Qin Yu heard some arguments, including some Mandarin mixed in. It seemed that the dispute involved Liu Anshan and someone from out of town.

"I'll go out and take a look."

Qin Yu got up and walked outside, where he saw three Hummers parked in the courtyard. Standing in the courtyard were a dozen or so people, led by a woman wearing sunglasses, a black cloak, flowing long hair, and a pair of tall black boots that accentuated her wild beauty.

"The county town is really small."

Qin Yu recognized this woman; she was the one who wanted to buy his compass on Fengshui Street. The person arguing with Liu Anshan was a young man, and Qin Yu overheard the reason for their argument.

It turned out that the most famous dish at Kefeju was "Stewed Cold Food." "Cold Food" was the local term, and the scientific name was "field frog," also known as "toad" by some people.

The "Cold Food" at Kefeju was caught from the springs and streams in the rural mountains. It had a deep yellow color, tender meat, rich fragrance, and a rich and mellow taste. When combined with their homemade cured meat and stewed over firewood, it became a delicacy that delighted the taste buds.

However, due to the development of tourism in Tongbo Mountain in recent years, the quantity of "Cold Food" had gradually decreased. Moreover, "Cold Food" was considered a delicacy in the mouths of snakes, especially the famous Five-Step Snake in Tongbo Mountain. Locals had a saying: "Wherever there is 'Cold Food,' there will be lurking Five-Step Snakes."

This demonstrated the difficulty of capturing wild "Cold Food." Kefeju received no more than fifty of them each month from local farmers, and the price was high.

To treat the County Chief well, Liu Anshan had specifically made arrangements with the owner of Kefeju yesterday and reserved ten "Cold Food." But now, Kefeju only had twelve left, and this group of people had come specifically for the "Cold Food." When they heard that there were only two left according to the owner, they were resigned. However, when they saw the chef retrieving ten "Cold Food" from a large pot in the kitchen, they became upset. Especially since they were only five people themselves, how could they consume so many "Cold Food"? The young man approached the owner, offering to pay double the price to buy five of them from the other party.