Chapter Seventeen: Treasure

“I’ll go find Mother and see how she wants to handle this. This is something truly precious; you mustn’t let anyone else know about it,” Lin Sanlang turned and said to Meng Yun.

“How could I be so foolish? This is a treasure worth more than gold. Don’t worry, I won’t breathe a word,” Meng Yun replied. She understood its value well—such a thing could mean fortune, but it could just as easily bring disaster. If word of it got out, it might invite calamity…

When Lin Sanlang arrived at the old house, Madam Lin was massaging Old Master Lin’s limbs—after all, the old man had been bedridden for days, which couldn’t go on. She was surprised to see her youngest son arrive.

“Sanlang, what are you doing here so early? Have you packed everything?” she asked.

“Yes, I’ve brought all I need. I’ll be gone for several months, after all,” Lin Sanlang replied.

Old Master Lin was equally puzzled by his youngest son’s early visit. Hearing Madam Lin’s words, he spoke as well. “There’s still time, no need to rush. Why come so early today?”

Lin Sanlang felt a twinge of guilt, realizing he hadn’t yet told his wife about his departure. But that was not the real reason he’d come today.

“Oh? You have something important to say that couldn’t wait?” Madam Lin said dismissively, shifting her hands to massage another part of her husband.

“That’s enough, help me sit up,” Old Master Lin interjected.

Lin Sanlang stepped forward to help his mother prop his father up with pillows.

“Mother, look at this. Yun found it on Fubao’s little bed this morning.”

As he spoke, Lin Sanlang unwrapped the cloth bundle in his hands, revealing a ginseng root.

“What’s this?” Madam Lin asked, eyeing the purple ginseng inside the cloth.

“It’s ginseng, Mother,” Lin Sanlang answered.

“What? Ginseng?” Madam Lin thought she must have misheard. Ginseng? How could their family possibly have ginseng?

“Ginseng? How could we have ginseng?” Old Master Lin was just as surprised.

“Hush—keep your voice down, Mother. Be careful not to let anyone hear,” Lin Sanlang cautioned, glancing out the door before shutting it, then returning to his father’s bedside.

“Sanlang, is this truly ginseng? But how did it get here, and why is it purple?” Madam Lin clutched her son’s hand, alarmed.

Old Master Lin fixed his gaze on him, waiting for an explanation.

“Mother, I don’t know how it came to be here. Yun found it on Fubao’s little bed this morning. We were both startled. I brought it straight here so you could decide what to do with it,” Lin Sanlang explained honestly.

“You mean it was on Fubao’s bed?” Madam Lin asked. What did this have to do with their precious granddaughter? How could it have ended up on her bed?

“Yun and I were thinking it might be related to those hunters yesterday,” Lin Sanlang said, touching his lower lip as he shared his guess.

“You mean the thing those hunters were chasing on Xiaobie Mountain yesterday was this ginseng?” Old Master Lin finally spoke.

“That’s what I suspect, Father. Maybe Fubao and the others accidentally saved the main ginseng on the mountain, and it left this root behind as a token of gratitude,” Lin Sanlang said excitedly.

“It’s possible!” Old Master Lin’s eyes lit up—the more he thought about it, the more sense it made.

“So what should we do with it?” Madam Lin asked. She could tell from her husband’s and son’s words that this was no ordinary treasure. A ginseng that could run away must have gained a spirit.

“Keep it safe. Only the few of us must know. Though it’s a treasure, if news gets out, those with evil intent might cause us great trouble,” Old Master Lin said gravely, fixing Madam Lin with a steady look.

“Understood. I’ll put it away right now,” Madam Lin replied, not doubting his words for a moment. Such a thing could indeed bring disaster.

“No, it can’t stay in the house,” Old Master Lin said after some thought.

Seeing the confusion on his wife’s and son’s faces, he explained, “This thing has spiritual energy. Ordinary people won’t sense it, but hunters will. No matter how small or how young a ginseng is, not even just a few hundred years old, it can’t escape their noses. We have to deal with it quickly.”

Hearing this, Lin Sanlang suddenly understood. They couldn’t keep it here—if the hunters found out, it would spell trouble. Possessing such a thing might invite villains.

“Then… what should we do with it?” Madam Lin asked, troubled as she looked at the ginseng in her hands.

“Give it to Erlang. He’s leaving for the county tomorrow and won’t be staying long. Before the hunters realize the treasure is in the village, let him take it away. He has connections and might know how best to handle it,” Old Master Lin decided, his tone commanding—he seemed to have everything in hand.

“All right, I’ll go find Second Brother right away,” Lin Sanlang said at once.

“No rush, calm down. Go wash your face first—what are you so excited for?” Old Master Lin’s composure lasted only a moment.

Madam Lin and Lin Sanlang could only look at each other in exasperation.

Who told him to make it sound so serious? How could they not be anxious!