The next morning, Li Lanzhen went to the dining room and learned how they had settled in the previous night.

Bai Houpu's family moved into Xuan Shen's courtyard.

Xuan Shen's courtyard was the same size as theirs, except that he had one less room in the east wing and one less room in the west wing than Li Lanzhen.

After they left, Han Minghai and the others thought about picking up his uncle's family and adding an extra room to his yard.

So now in his courtyard, there are three rooms in the east wing, two of which are inner and outer rooms, and another room has been added to the west wing. Apart from the kitchen, the other rooms also have kang beds.

As a result, Bai Houpu's family lived in this courtyard. Although it was crowded, they were still very grateful for the arrangements made by Han Minghai and the others.

The girl from the small mountain village, who lived with her elderly mother, was invited by Tiehua and the others to stay in their courtyard.

The others were also settled in.

Although the accommodations were rather cramped, they were very happy to have come to Peach Blossom Spring and spend their days there.

And they also heard yesterday that Bai Yuanzhi said the winters here are very short.

In just a few months, they will be able to build such a new house.

In the original small mountain village, almost all the houses were built with a combination of stone and wood.

Winters are very cold, and the only thing we use to keep warm is a charcoal brazier.

So they lay on the warm kang (heated brick bed), finding it incredibly novel.

I secretly admired this as a truly wonderful thing for getting through the winter.

Later I learned that this was a method brought by Li Lanzhen.

In their hearts, Li Lanzhen had risen to a new level.

Although the women in the small mountain village are almost equal to the men at home.

But when I looked at the women in Peach Blossom Spring, I saw that they were in good spirits, full of energy, and had their own things to do. They were not subservient to the men.

It was as if they could see that before long, their lives would be like this too.

After breakfast, the villagers were handed over to Han Shunde for arrangements.

Li Lanzhen and Xuan Shen led Bai Houpu and the others up Dongshan Mountain.

They found the cave within a cave through the cave on the east mountain, and then entered the familiar Calabash Valley.

Bai Houpu and Bai Yuanzhi walked around the area several times, observing their surroundings, but still shook their heads.

"Aunt Lanzhen, we've lived here for over three years and never noticed there was a cave here!"

Li Lanzhen suddenly remembered Grandpa Shanxing coming here to collect medicinal herbs.

The cave in Peach Blossom Spring and on East Mountain was discovered by Shan Xing'er's grandfather.

Could it be that Master Shanxing discovered this medicine valley and opened up this cave within a cave?

Li Lanzhen then shared her conjecture with Bai Houpu.

They nodded, thinking to themselves, "Maybe that's how it is."

Nothing else matters now. Looking at the wildly growing, desolate medicine valley, their eyes revealed regret and heartache.

Bai Houpu kept saying, "Tsk tsk, what a pity, such good medicinal herbs have been wasted for so many years!"

Xuan Shen said, "Uncle, it doesn't matter. Even if it's overgrown, these herbs are growing so well on their own. We can take care of them slowly."

Although many medicinal herbs have passed their optimal harvesting period, they still retain their medicinal properties.

Bai Houpu nodded and said, "You're right. In the next few days, we'll quickly clear away the weeds and pick all the plants that need to be picked, and process them into powder or pills as soon as possible."

They talked as they walked until they arrived at the stone house at the back.

Bai Yuanzhi has already led the others to begin clearing out the medicine valley.

Bai Houpu, Xuan Shen, and Li Lanzhen entered the central hall of the stone house.

I sat on a stool next to the stone table.

Xuan Shen then told Bai Houpu that Li Lanzhen had discovered a stone table with the character "Hua" on it that day.

Then, they discovered a secret passage in the back wall of the east bedroom.

After hearing this, Bai Houpu suddenly stood up, shook his head, and said...

"How is that possible! We've lived here for over three years and had no idea there was a secret passage in the back wall!"

I carved these words on the table and chairs.

The character "华" on the back wall of the east room was also carved by me.

But we haven't dug the secret passage!

As he spoke, he hurriedly ran towards the east room.

Li Lanzhen and the other two followed behind. After arriving at the east room, Bai Houpu stretched out his trembling hand and looked at the character "Hua" according to the stroke order.

As the last stroke was made, the back wall opened with a "click," revealing a dark, deep hole behind it.

As he walked in, he saw the herb shelf and the small bedroom/study.

He raised his hand and stroked all the items on the desk.

Li Lanzhen saw that he was both excited and in pain, and tears had blurred his vision.

Li Lanzhen stood at a distance, not approaching.

Let the uncle and nephew recall the scenes of their loved ones living and working in this house.

More than half an hour later, they returned to the stone table in the main room and sat down.

Two women were outside cleaning the yard and the other stone houses and the kitchen.

They brought a pot and stove, and by then they had boiled water, brewed a pot of tea, and brought three bowls to the stone table.

Xuan Shen poured tea for the two of them.

Li Lanzhen noticed that Bai Houpu was still very agitated, and his hand holding the teacup was trembling slightly.

After taking a couple of sips of tea, he said, “Xuanshen, your father sent a message telling me to lead all the workers to escape and flee to the farthest place as quickly as possible.”

He also told me that you, your sister, and Manager Hua all had things to do in Youzhou City.

I fled with my family and the workers overnight.

We never returned here; it seems your father fled here with his guards.

I lived here for at least a year.

Perhaps it was at this moment that they opened the secret passage.

No one knows what happened, but he was ambushed and died in some underground cave where nobody knew him!

His voice choked with emotion as he finished speaking.

Scrophularia also silently shed tears.

Li Lanzhen was also slowly recalling and reviewing the incident.

She felt that Bai Housheng's guess was correct.

I just don't know why Xuan Shen's father would hide in that cave in the underground river.

perhaps……

She blurted it out as soon as it was on her mind.

“Mr. Bai, Xuan Shen, perhaps there is a secret passage leading to that cave!”

Otherwise, why would your father be there?