Chapter 258 The Secret of the Jade Bracelet
The next morning, Lu Jingyan got up early and went to the military region.
After confirming that the door was locked from the inside, Su Wantang vanished from her spot and entered the Begonia Space with a thought.
The familiar fragrance of grass and trees wafted towards her, but she didn't linger for a moment and went straight to the second-floor inheritance library. She found it quickly, where several yellowed family notes were placed.
She placed the old pocket watch next to the phoenix blood jade bracelet that she had taken off her wrist on a pear wood desk.
She took a deep breath and began to peruse the notes. These were the secrets of the Bai family, recording family history unknown to outsiders. She read quickly, and soon, in a worn-out copy of the "Bai Family Records," she found the clue she was looking for.
On one page of the book, a passage was written in tiny vermilion ink: "Our family heirloom contains a secret, which cannot be known to anyone but a direct descendant. The rhombus shape is the key, and bloodline is the guide; only then can one glimpse the secrets of our ancestors..."
Below is a small illustration of the diamond-shaped mark, with several extremely complex finger-pressing sequences marked next to it.
This is it!
Su Wantang's heart skipped a beat. She stretched out her slender fingers and, following the order recorded in the ancient book, gently pressed the diamond-shaped marks on the inside of the Phoenix Blood Jade Bracelet.
The touch of the fingertips was cool and smooth. As the last finger touch ended, a faint vibration came from the jade bracelet, almost imperceptible.
At the same time, the hour and minute hands on the pocket watch next to it, which had been still for who knows how many years, began to slowly rotate in the opposite direction at a speed visible to the naked eye.
哢哒.
With a soft click, the dial split open in the middle, flipping up to reveal a combination lock made up of twelve tiny gears.
Su Wantang's breathing became softer.
She looked at the Bai Family Records again. At the end of the record about the tokens, there was a line of small print: "Ancestral precepts are the foundation, numbers are the lock."
Su Wantang closed her eyes, and the words her mother had once taught her to recite floated into her mind. It wasn't some famous saying, but rather a passage that sounded rather strange: "Three generations of merchants, a single lineage, nine deaths and one life, only then can peace and tranquility be achieved."
3, 1, 9, 6.
She stretched out her finger and dialed the four numbers on the miniature combination lock in sequence.
With a soft, crisp click, the combination lock opened.
The pocket watch's inner case popped out, revealing not a movement, but a small recess containing a parchment scroll rolled up thinner than a little finger.
Su Wantang carefully took it out and slowly unfolded it.
The parchment scroll was very fragile, and the writing on it was done with a special ink, small yet clear.
The very first line made her pupils shrink sharply.
"The Bai family originated from the 'White Paper Fan' of the Hongmen, who were in charge of finance and trade. However, their ancestor disdained such practices, took his secret treasures, and fled to Shanghai..."
It turns out that my mother's family history really has such a deep connection with the Hong Kong Hung Society.
She continued reading, and in the latter half of the parchment scroll, the term "moonlight grass" was prominently mentioned.
"...The secret treasure brought out by our ancestors was not gold or silver, but the ancient method for cultivating 'Moonlight Grass.' This grass, naturally grown, can shake the soul, lock memories, and implant memories. However, it is also a double-edged sword, coveted by the likes of 'Eagle's Nest' for a long time. A hundred years ago, 'Eagle's Nest' sent people to infiltrate the Bai family, attempting to seize the ancient method, but failed..."
Su Wantang's heart pounded. This completely confirmed her previous suspicions: the "Eagle's Nest" was searching for the "Moonlight Grass" for their "memory manipulation" technology. And this search had actually begun a hundred years ago!
She took the parchment scroll and immediately left the space.
Lu Jingyan returned at noon. As soon as he entered, he saw Su Wantang sitting in the study with a serious expression and a small parchment scroll spread out in front of her.
"What's wrong?" He walked over and naturally put his hand on her shoulder.
Su Wantang handed him the parchment scroll: "Look at this."
Lu Jingyan took it and quickly scanned it. His handsome brows furrowed more and more, and his deep eyes were filled with turbulent emotions.
"The 'Eagle's Nest' was investigating this thing a hundred years ago?" He put down the parchment scroll, looked at Su Wantang, and his voice was filled with suppressed shock.
“Yes.” Su Wantang nodded. “I found it in the pocket watch my mother left behind. This mark is the Bai family’s family heirloom, and it’s also a key.”
Lu Jingyan immediately connected this intelligence with the information he already possessed.
From Anderson's testimony in the interrogation room, he also learned that the Eagle's Nest's pursuit of a certain special plant had been a constant throughout the organization's history, but Anderson was not of high enough rank to know what it was.
Now, the two clues match up perfectly.
“The Eagle’s Nest’s desire for Moongrass is far deeper and longer-lasting than we imagined,” Lu Jingyan said in a deep voice, pacing back and forth a couple of times.
"They are so persistent that they are willing to spend hundreds of years proving that this thing is of great importance to them. It is very likely that this is the cornerstone of 'Mr. Shadow's' 'immortality of consciousness' plan."
Su Wantang agreed with his assessment: "Moreover, they are in a great hurry. The appearance of Granny Mei and the actions of Xishan Sanatorium both indicate that they want to find the whereabouts of 'Moonlight Grass' as soon as possible."
“Then we must not let them succeed.” A ruthless glint flashed in Lu Jingyan’s eyes.
He picked up the encrypted phone on the table and dialed Zhou Jimin directly.
When the call connected, Zhou Jimin's distinctive voice, tinged with impatience and aloofness, came through: "Who is this? I'm busy. If it's not important, I'll hang up."
“Zhou Jimin, it’s me, Lu Jingyan.”
Zhou Jimin on the other end of the phone paused for a moment, his tone softening slightly, but still sharp: "Brigade Commander Lu? What are your instructions? My project is at a critical stage. The German equipment has just been debugged, and I'm busy."
“There’s an even more important task.” Lu Jingyan’s tone left no room for argument. “You immediately take your core team to the No. 7 classified laboratory in the Haitang Science and Technology Park. There’s a plant sample that I sent there.”
“Plant samples?” Zhou Jimin’s voice rose eight octaves. “You want me, an integrated circuit engineer, to analyze plants? Commander Lu, have you got the wrong person? This is unprofessional!”
“You’ve come to the right person.” Lu Jingjing’s voice was calm and powerful. “I need you to use all the top-of-the-line equipment to analyze all its chemical components and, in the shortest possible time, find out the possibility of artificially cultivating it.”
"Artificial cultivation?" Zhou Jimin seemed to have heard something out of the blue. "Do you think I'm a god? The plant growth cycle is a natural law; how can it be shortened just like that!"
"I don't care what method you use. Light, temperature, nutrient solution—I can meet all your requirements," Lu Jingyan interrupted him directly. "I only care about the result. This matter is under the highest level of confidentiality. Once it's done, I can get you any equipment you want."
There was silence on the other end of the phone.
For a tech fanatic like Zhou Jimin, the allure of top-notch equipment and research funding is irresistible.
After a long pause, he finally spoke in a muffled voice: "...Send the sample over. Let me take a look first. Don't make any promises; I can't guarantee success."
"good."
After hanging up the phone, Lu Jingyan looked at Su Wantang: "I've already arranged for someone to send the 'Moonlight Grass' we cultivated over there. With Zhou Jimin around, at least we can gain more initiative."
It was nighttime in the bedroom of Courtyard No. 1.
The moonlight outside the window was as clear as water, and only a dim bedside lamp was lit inside the room.
As soon as Su Wantang came out of the shower, she was embraced from behind by a pair of strong arms. Lu Jingyan's chin rested on her shoulder, and his warm breath fell on her neck, carrying the refreshing scent of his shower.
"What are you thinking about?" he asked.
"I was thinking about my mother." Su Wantang leaned against him and said softly, "She left so many clues, as if she had foreseen everything. I feel that the burden I carry is getting heavier and heavier."
From seeking revenge for himself, to avenging the original owner of the body, and now, uncovering a massive conspiracy spanning a century. Every step he takes is breathtaking.
Lu Jingyan didn't speak, but simply hugged her tighter. His hands were large, dry, and warm, covering the back of her hands, as if soothing all her unease.
He turned her around so she was facing him, his deep eyes shining brightly in the dim light.
"I'm here."
He uttered only two words, yet they were more comforting than any grand pronouncements.
Su Wantang looked at him, at herself reflected in his eyes, and suddenly smiled. Yes, she wasn't alone. In this life, she had him.
She leaned forward and kissed his lips.
This kiss was unlike any other before; it carried a hint of vulnerability seeking solace, as well as a determination to fight side by side.
Lu Jingyan's response was both domineering and gentle. He easily captured her breath and pulled her into his arms, as if he wanted to embed her into his very bones.
After a long while, their lips parted.
Su Wantang's cheeks were flushed with a beautiful blush, and her peach blossom eyes shimmered with tears. She leaned against his firm chest, listening to his strong heartbeat, and whispered, "Lu Jingyan, we'll find the truth, won't we?"
Lu Jingyan's large hand stroked her long hair, his voice deep and firm, with a hint of hoarseness.
"Yes, we will. We'll drag out every single rat hiding in the gutter."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com