Exploring

Xu Dabo exclaimed: "Don't worry about that Qibao, they didn't even say anything about the winery even to their family, they all know the boundaries, on top of that there's still that agreement in place."

The old man said: "Second and third, you two can't sit idle. You need to make arrangements in advance so that you won't be panicked when the time comes."

"Will do, Father!"

......

That afternoon, after sending Wu Xinyi on her way...

"Xiaoling." Qibao said: "I'm sure those diamonds aren't the only ones!"

"Yeah, maybe they have a whole diamond mine here!" Xiaoling replied.

"In this place, people don't even know what diamonds are for yet." Qibao said: "But if we could get that mine, think of all the silver we'd have!"

Xiaoling said: "Let's worry about that after we find it! Mining won't be easy!"

Qibao thought about it and agreed. It was still uncertain whether there was a diamond mine.

The next day, Xu Dabo followed the carriage to town and didn't return until noon.

The old man asked: "Eldest, what did they say?"

Xu Dabo laughed: "What else can they say, they are all willing, and said that they don't want a penny of the silver they earn, they will give it all to our family, saying that they want to repay for giving them a new life. However, I refused."

The old man said: "That's good. You did the right thing." He continued: "They have discussed it among themselves. Those who are free will come over to help. If there are people who are good with their hands, they can make some small gadgets during this period, which will come in handy when the time comes."

The old man nodded. "They're all grateful people."

"But someone did ask for something in return." Xu Dabo said.

The old man asked: "What is it?"

Xu Dabo exclaimed: "They said that the house they live in belongs to our Xu family, so they can't call it a slum anymore, it doesn't sound good, so they asked you to help think of a name."

"True." The old man replied: "We'll wait for Wenwu to come back. He can decide."

Xu Dabo nodded in agreement.

......

What Qibao didn't expect was how fast the news would come.

That afternoon, a constable from the magistrate's office visited the Xu family.

The constable had been sent by Wu Xinyi, who reported that the old man was currently at the town market.

Qibao didn't delay, and after greeting her family, she rushed to the town with the constable.

The constable led the way, and they quickly arrived at the stall of a man around sixty years old. His stand was filled with various goods, and Wu Xinyi was still squatting there, engaged in conversation with the old guy. 

Upon seeing Qibao arrive, Wu Xinyi stood up and whispered: "Qibao, I listened to you yesterday. As soon as the old man appeared, I sent someone to notify you. See if I'm a loyal friend!"

Qibao smiled: "Absolutely! You're the most loyal friend."

Wu Xinyi continued: "I've already worked out where the stone came from. The old man said it was washed down from the mountain during a rainstorm. He liked how it looked, so he took it home. And now, it sold to me on the first day he put it out."

Qibao approached the old man and asked: "Grandpa, where do you live?"

The old man looked at Qibao and said: "I live in a nearby village. Are you asking about that stone, young lady?"

Qibao nodded and replied: "Yes, grandpa. I think this stone is very special. It's so shiny and I really like it."

The old man told her: "I went up the mountain yesterday too, but I didn't find anything like it. Maybe there's only one."

Qibao thought for a moment before saying: "Grandpa, I'd like to see for myself. Will you take me to the mountain? Don't worry, I won't disappoint you. How about I give you one or two taels of silver?"

The old man was tempted. He thought that even if he sold everything he could for a month, he wouldn't get that much silver. This was a good deal for him, so he quickly said: "All right, I'll take you there. But I can't promise we'll find another one."

Qibao said: "That's fine. Just take me to the right place, and I'll search myself. If we don't find one, I won't blame you."

The old man began packing up with a swift motion as he agreed: "Sounds good." He thought to himself that wealthy young ladies were different. They were so generous with their money. If he could snatch up a few more of these golden chances, his family would have it much easier.

Wu Xinyi suggested: "Qibao, do you want me to go with you?"

"Sister Xinyi, you'd better go back." Qibao replied: "It's getting late. By the time we return, it'll be dark. Your father will worry about you. Don't fret, I'll be fine. Don't forget, I know some martial arts."

Xinyi hesitated for a moment before agreeing: "Alright then, just be careful!"

Qibao nodded her understanding.

The old man interjected: "Miss, I've tidied up. We can leave now."

Qibao acknowledged this. After bidding farewell to Wu Xinyi, she followed the old man away.

On their journey, the old man carried a large bundle on his back but showed no signs of strain, as if he had grown accustomed to its weight. He remarked with a smile: "Miss, you're younger than I expected, yet you have quite the daring spirit. Aren't you scared I might be a bad guy?"

Qibao asked: "So, are you a bad guy, Gramps?"

The old man laughed heartily: "You're a clever one, child! If I were a bad guy, why would I bother selling at street stalls to make a living?"

Qibao inquired: "Gramps, why do you still sell at street stalls at your age? Where are your children?"

The old man sighed: "Long ago, I experienced the bitterness of burying my own child. I've come to terms with it now, saving money for my own coffin. That way, when it's my time, I won't end up wrapped in a straw mat, leaving this world in disgrace."

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

Qibao tried to comfort him: "Grandpa, none of us can know what fate holds. The most important thing is to live in the present."

The old man muttered: "True! The living are the ones who matter most!"

As they talked, the pair walked along until they reached the entrance of a village.

By then, smoke was rising from the chimneys of every household.

The old man pointed to a path leading up a mountain at the edge of town: "That's where I found it."

Qibao glanced at the mountain. It was much smaller than Daqing Mountain.

"Grandpa, thank you for showing the way. You can go home now! Here's one tael of silver—take it and keep it safe. I'll manage from here on my own." Qibao said.

The old man didn't refuse the silver: "Thank you, miss. If you need help, come find me at home. My house has a big rock by the door."

Qibao nodded.

After the old man entered the village, Qibao headed towards the mountain.

"Xiaoling, check carefully. Is there a diamond mine on this mountain?"

"Right away, master."

Qibao circled the entire mountain but found nothing unusual.

Xiaoling said: "Master, let's climb to the top first and see from there."

Qibao agreed and found a path leading up.

By the time Qibao reached the summit, it was getting dark.

The mountain wasn't large or dangerous, and the path he took seemed to be well-traveled.

After searching the peak, she still couldn't find anything special.

Qibao frowned: "Is there really only one diamond?"

Xiaoling replied: "Even if there's a mine, it would be inside the mountain. If it's deep, it might be hard to get to. What if we try this? You'll have to work a bit, start digging around."

Qibao rolled his eyes: "What a terrible idea! How long would that take?"

Qibao found a rock to sit on and carefully scanned the area around her.

"Huh! Xiaoling, doesn't this rock seem a bit special?" Qibao asked.

Xiaoling replied: "Yes, it does. This rock sticks out more than the others."