Chapter 45 Essential Mantra for Time Travelers! (Camp...)
Shen Lingyue and Pei Jinghuai didn't bring any suitable tools with them on this trip into the mountains, so they had to make do with what they had on hand and found a few large rocks to start digging a hole.
"Let me do it. This rock is very hard. Don't cut your hands."
Pei Jinghuai told Shen Lingyue to take the little fox to rest nearby. He was strong and quick, and soon dug a pit about one meter deep enough to bury the mother fox.
He then picked up some large leaves nearby, tidied up the mother fox, and carefully placed her inside.
"Chirp!"
The little fox grew anxious and darted away from Shen Lingyue's feet, circling around Pei Jinghuai and whimpering incessantly.
Pei Jinghuai patiently reasoned with it, "This is called burial for peace. Only after I bury your mother can it feel at ease letting you come down the mountain with us."
Shen Lingyue sat on a large rock beside her, watching the man and the fox earnestly reasoning with each other, and a smile unconsciously appeared on her lips.
He's so cute.
In the end, Pei Jinghuai persuaded the little fox. He watched as the little fox put the mother fox into the pit, filled it back with soil, and covered it with a thick layer of leaves.
The little fox circled around a few times, then suddenly lay down, its big tail swishing back and forth, its little black nose rubbing against the ground, and its bright black round eyes seemingly filled with tears, whimpering incessantly.
"Hey, don't do this..."
Pei Jinghuai's nose started to sting, and he quickly turned his face away to hide it, took a couple of deep breaths, and then turned back with a carefree, handsome face.
"Alright, from now on you'll live a good life following me. I'll give you big chicken legs every day, okay?"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
The little fox started laughing again, which amused even Shen Lingyue. She pointed at Pei Jinghuai and said, "Take care of it. Stop scaring people like that."
Pei Jinghuai scooped up the little fox, pinched its muzzle, and instructed, "Remember, we all have to listen to her in this family. Don't laugh out loud."
It's so mesmerizing, and a little creepy too.
"Chirp chirp..." The little fox hummed twice, trying to act cute.
Pei Jinghuai carried the little fox and walked down the mountain with Shen Lingyue.
He asked her, "What are you planning to do next? Are we still going to interfere? Or should we just report it to the authorities?"
The Shanze State had "all mines of gold, silver, copper, tin, etc., which belonged to the imperial court."
Even if there were mines, it wouldn't be their Marquis's mansion's turn to mine them; wouldn't that be courting death?
Shen Lingyue shook her head.
"We can't be sure yet if anyone is really mining illegally in the mountains. If they are, and we just brazenly report it to the authorities and alert them, even a fool would know that the closest village down the mountain is Xiaowangzhuang. What if they hold a grudge and come down the mountain to retaliate?"
Xiaowangzhuang is the property of the Marquis's manor. If she and Pei Jinghuai just pack up and leave, won't the manor manager and farmers be the ones who suffer in the end?
She stroked her chin thoughtfully: "We need to continue the investigation until the evidence is conclusive, then report it to the authorities to arrest the person in the mountains, in one go, to eliminate any future troubles."
Shen Lingyue continued talking to herself, feeling a bit scared again when she thought about what had just happened. She reminded Pei Jinghuai, "Next time you see something in the wild, don't pick it up with your bare hands, and don't drink raw water from rivers or streams. It's too dangerous."
Even if other rivers don't have heavy metal pollution, they still have bacteria and parasites.
She is satisfied with her current life and does not want to become a widow for the time being.
Pei Jinghuai looked at her with a strange gaze, as if he had never seen her before, and asked in bewilderment, "How do you know so much?"
Shen Lingyue paused for a moment, then quickly recovered, "Because I...read a lot." She said matter-of-factly, "I am the daughter of the Vice Minister of Rites, the granddaughter of the Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, from a family of scholars and upright officials! Is it strange that I love reading?"
Pei Jinghuai honestly replied, "I didn't notice."
I received a disdainful look from Shen Lingyue.
She snorted, "I love reading all sorts of books, novels, travelogues, and essays. Who knows which book says you can't drink tap water... There's too much knowledge, I've learned too many different things."
Taking the opportunity to lecture Pei Jinghuai: "You haven't studied enough, which is why you haven't been able to catch up with your elder brother all these years."
Pei Jinghuai blushed slightly and retorted defiantly, "I don't need to study for the imperial examinations, so what's the use of all that pretentious classical Chinese?"
He had already planned it out. Although he couldn't inherit the title, Emperor Qingxi, out of respect for Pei Xian, wouldn't make things too difficult for him. He would at least be granted a hereditary official position or a nominal title, and he could also receive a salary.
Isn't that how the second and youngest sons of noble families all managed to get by?
Shen Lingyue said softly, "My elder brother has a title to inherit, and he's more diligent and hardworking than you."
She had heard Yan Yi say that Pei Jingyi worked at the Ministry of War during the day and was never idle at home at night. His study was filled with all kinds of official documents and ancient books. He was an extremely self-disciplined bookworm.
"Oh, so you've already started to dislike me so quickly, and you think I'm inferior to Pei Da in every way?"
Pei Jinghuai exaggeratedly made a sad expression, picked up the little fox and sighed, "It's over, we're going to be kicked out of the house, and from now on we'll be left to fend for ourselves and wander the world..."
Shen Lingyue kicked him in the butt, "...Are you crazy?"
She's a natural-born drama queen, and she even puts on a show wherever she goes.
Pei Jinghuai nimbly dodged, then leaped forward a considerable distance while carrying the little fox, shouting, "Hahaha, come and chase me!"
The little fox also laughed: "Hahahaha!"
It's doubly addictive.
Shen Lingyue was both tired and wanted to laugh. She laughed until her stomach hurt and her legs ached from walking.
When the two humans and the fox finally descended the mountain, it was already evening. The setting sun was like melting gold, and the evening glow slowly flowed like amber, a breathtaking sight.
Shen Lingyue pounded her almost numb thigh and waved her hand, "Let's have chicken tonight!"
The little fox followed Pei Jinghuai's feet, its big tail swaying as it arrogantly walked across the ridge of the field, attracting the attention of the farmers working in the fields.
They were just taking advantage of others' power.
The head of the estate came to greet them, and Pei Jinghuai instructed him, "Pass down the word that the young mistress and I will be raising this fox, so don't accidentally hurt it again."
The head of the farm agreed repeatedly, then glanced at the little fox with envy.
What incredible luck! From now on, he'll be the fox of the Marquis's mansion.
He offered, "Shall I have the kitchen kill another chicken and give it an extra meal?"
"Okay, you can arrange it as you see fit."
After enjoying a whole chicken feast, Shen Lingyue prepared a bath for the little fox that evening.
"It runs around everywhere on the mountain, its fur is all messed up, and it's not allowed to come into the house until it's clean."
The two worked together to chase and intercept the little fox in front of the large wooden tub, finally pushing it into the water and giving it a thorough wash.
The fox was cleaned up, but it exhausted the two of them.
Qingchan and Shuangxu weren't unwilling to help, but this little fox seemed to have recognized its master, only allowing Shen Lingyue and Pei Jinghuai to get close. They could mold and manipulate it however they wanted, but it would bar its teeth wildly at anyone else.
Shen Lingyue reminded Pei Jinghuai, "You insisted on raising this, so you'll be responsible for bathing, feeding, and grooming it from now on. If it runs around the mansion and hurts someone, you'll also be held accountable."
Pei Jinghuai then realized that he had brought trouble upon himself, but he refused to back down. He snorted and said, "I'll take care of it. Don't worry, I definitely won't let you get tired."
Shen Lingyue turned her face away and chuckled to herself.
Yay! Now I can pet foxes after petting cats.
The little fox was washed clean and smelled sweet, its bright red fur even more vibrant. Pei Jinghuai wrapped it completely in a large cotton towel and placed it next to the incense burner to dry. It didn't struggle and comfortably closed its eyes, pretending to sleep.
Shen Lingyue and Pei Jinghuai had also been up all day. After taking turns to wash up, they lay side by side on the bed, too tired to think about anything romantic and just wanting to sleep.
Shen Lingyue suddenly spoke up: "Raising a fox is like raising a child?"
It's too much of a burden on parents.
Pei Jinghuai: "...Raising children is done with the help of wet nurses and maids, so we don't have to lift a finger."
The two exchanged a glance and reaffirmed their determination not to have children for the time being.
Don't ask, the answer is there's already one.
"Oh, I almost forgot about the important matter."
Shen Lingyue suddenly sat up, ran to the table, grabbed a piece of paper, and began to write a letter.
Pei Jinghuai, unaware of what was going on, got out of bed and asked, "Who are you sending a message to, the manor?"
That's right. The two of them need to stay and continue their investigation, so they should write back to their mother to let her know.
"No, I wrote it for my sister-in-law." Shen Lingyue didn't even look up; her handwriting was atrocious and unbearable to read.
Oh dear, she's never studied calligraphy, it's already quite impressive that she can write small characters with a brush...
Pei Jinghuai didn't have time to criticize her handwriting, "What do you want with your sister-in-law?"
"I told her to come to Xiaowangzhuang as soon as possible and meet up with us."
Shen Lingyue made up a reason: "My sister-in-law is smart. She has read more books than I have. She must know what kind of mines are in the mountains."
—Actually, she suddenly remembered that Yan Yi's mother seemed to be a senior engineer at some provincial geological institute.
I don't remember the specifics very well, but in short, I was specifically responsible for mineral exploration and similar work, and I rarely went home throughout the year.
On the few occasions she visited Yan Yi's home, she remembered that there were many professional books related to mineral exploration and development in her study.
Anyway, Yan Yi is definitely much more professional than her, a half-baked academic failure.
It was inconvenient to reveal too much in the letter—actually, Shen Lingyue was too tired to write anymore, so she simply mentioned that the fishpond in Xiaowangzhuang was polluted by the upstream water source, and that she had found something resembling realgar in the mountains, suspecting there was a mineral in the mountains, and asked for help as soon as possible.
This time, Pei Jinghuai didn't stop her. Although he wanted some time alone with Shen Lingyue, he knew the importance of the matter.
After writing the letter, he arranged for someone to send it back to the capital on horseback overnight.
The next day, instead of going into the mountains, they took a walk around the village, rode horses, and walked foxes.
Pei Jinghuai suddenly thought of a question.
"We haven't named it yet."
We can't always have Little Red Hair and Little Fox making all sorts of noise.
Shen Lingyue teased him, "Is that called a scarf, or gloves?"
Pei Jinghuai's eyes widened. "You're too cruel."
Shen Lingyue didn't hold back in exposing his past, "Hey, who was it that first said they wanted to use it to make gloves? Was it me? Who was it?"
Pei Jinghuai: ...
"Anyway, we can't call it gloves. Let me think about it some more."
Pei Jinghuai decided that once he returned to the Marquis's residence, he would start flipping through books to find a good and memorable name for the little fox.
Around 3 PM, the head of the estate came to report that another carriage from the Marquis's residence had arrived.
Shen Lingyue and Pei Jinghuai hurried to the main gate to prepare to greet Yan Yi.
As soon as the carriage came to a stop, Pei Jingyi was the first to step out.
He got off the car first, then turned around and reached out to pull Yan Yi down from the carriage.
When he got off, he naturally put his arm around her waist and helped her up.
As soon as Yan Yi regained her footing, she took two steps forward as if embarrassed and met Shen Lingyue, "What's the situation now?"
Before Shen Lingyue could speak, Pei Jinghuai asked, "Why did you come along too?"
It seems the Ministry of War isn't taking a break today.
Pei Jingyi said slowly and deliberately, "I'm worried about my wife traveling far away alone."
Pei Jinghuai curled his lip; these were all excuses he had used before.
He waved his hand, "Alright, the person has been delivered. We'll take good care of your sister-in-law. You should go back now."
Pei Jingyi not only didn't leave, but followed them into the manor.
“I’ve asked the Ministry of War for leave.” He smiled at Shen Lingyue. “Your sister-in-law is in poor health. I’m worried about letting her go into the mountains with you alone.”
Shen Lingyue: ...Where is that tea aroma coming from?
Before she could even retort to Pei Jingyi, the latter had already regained his serious expression and said to Pei Jinghuai, "I have already informed my father and mother about the situation in Xiaowangzhuang. If there is a mine in the back mountain, it is no small matter. For the sake of the country and the family, I have to go with you on this trip."
This reason was so compelling that Pei Jinghuai had no words to refute it.
Indeed, strictly speaking, this mountain is within the boundaries of Xiaowangzhuang and belongs to the Changning Marquis's residence, as stated on the land deed.
If someone is secretly mining in the mountains under the Hou family's name, and if we don't find out quickly, when the government officials come and discover it, they might think the Pei family is planning a rebellion.
This morning, as soon as Yan Yi received the letter that Shen Lingyue had sent back, she took it to Pei Jingyi to discuss her plan to hitch up a carriage and leave the mansion.
Pei Jingyi read it quickly, secretly criticizing Shen Lingyue's handwriting in his mind. He then immediately made arrangements, sending someone to the Ministry of War to ask for leave, and notifying Pei Xian and Meng Wanyin to come over with her.
Shen Lingyue nodded. “Alright, I’ve already had the head of the estate prepare the room. It’s right next to ours. You’ve been traveling all day, so get some rest tonight. We’ll go into the mountains together tomorrow morning.”
After saying that, she took Yan Yi's hand and said excitedly, "Guess what my husband and I found? I'll take you to see the scarf..."
Pei Jinghuai was so angry he jumped up and down, "I told you not to call it a scarf!"
Shen Lingyue had already dragged Yan Yi away, laughing and joking.
Pei Jingyi looked puzzled and asked him, "Who is Weibo?"
Pei Jinghuai snorted, "You should worry about yourself first."
With his sister-in-law's arrival, he and Pei Jingyi had to step aside.
...
“Scarf, this is my very, very best sister, you’re not allowed to bite her, okay?”
Shen Lingyue took Yan Yi to find the little fox to build a bond, saying, "If you're a good girl and let her touch your tail, I'll give you shredded chicken for dinner."
The little fox lay obediently on the mat that Qingchan and Shuangxu had sewed together overnight, its big eyes darting around as it shook its head back and forth between the two, curiously observing them.
Shen Lingyue held Yan Yi's hand and tentatively approached her little by little.
Only when the little fox nudged Yan Yi's palm with its nose did she dare to continue, gently brushing her hand across its silky fur.
Yan Yi's eyes widened slightly; she had touched a real fox!
...Although it feels almost like a puppy. Well, they're both canines, after all.
And surprisingly, she wasn't allergic to fox fur; she didn't tear up or sneeze even when she was so close. Shen Lingyue breathed a sigh of relief; she could pet foxes with Yan Yi from now on.
"Let me tell you, this little thing is really smart. It must have realized that Pei Jinghuai and I are rich, and we can't get rid of it no matter what we do..."
Shen Lingyue gesticulated wildly as she shared her experience of going into the mountains yesterday. She then carefully recalled the characteristics of the realgar found on the riverbank and asked her, "I'm sure I didn't mistake it, right? Isn't it similar in composition to arsenic?"
"Well, the main component of realgar is arsenic disulfide. When exposed to air or water, it will gradually oxidize to form orpiment, which will eventually be transformed into a highly toxic and water-soluble substance, commonly known as arsenic."
Yan Yi tried to explain the chemical principle to her, "You said that realgar was found by the stream. This transformation process is accelerated in a humid environment. So the stream is polluted by heavy metals, and the animals upstream die from poisoning. When it flows into the fishpond downstream, the dead fish fry will also show the characteristics of arsenic poisoning."
Shen Lingyue started getting all worked up, talking about things like realgar, orpiment, sulfur, and arsenic.
She shook her head and decided to let herself go.
"Do you think there's a mineral deposit where realgar is found? What kind? Gold, silver, or copper?"
Yan Yi smiled and shook her head: "It's not certain yet. There are many possibilities for mineral deposits with realgar as a by-product. We need to go to the site for excavation and investigation, and find other associated minerals before we can make a judgment."
Shen Lingyue seemed to be deep in thought, and after a long while, she sighed, "I didn't expect that there was already environmental pollution in ancient times."
After burying the mother fox, she and Pei Jinghuai walked around the stream and found some small animals that had died from poisoning after accidentally drinking the stream water.
"What will happen to the animals in the mountains if that stream gets too polluted?"
While stroking the little fox's fur, Yan Yi comforted her, "The mountain is so big, there must be other unpolluted water sources. Life will always find a way out."
Shen Lingyue's eyebrows were furrowed, and she muttered unhappily with a frown, "If only we could find a way to clean up the pollution."
It's all the fault of humans, yet innocent animals have to pay with their lives. It's so unfair.
"Perhaps it's not entirely impossible?"
Yan Yi didn't want to see her sad, so she racked her brains to recall fragments of knowledge she had read before: "We can use quicklime for disinfection and charcoal for adsorption. We can also plant some pollution-resistant plants such as cattails and reeds near the water source to absorb heavy metals through their roots. We can also divert the water flow to dilute the pollution concentration and build sedimentation tanks for circulating purification..."
As she listened to her becoming more and more professional, Shen Lingyue interrupted her, both amused and exasperated, "Alright, it's just a small mountain stream. You're making it sound like you're trying to control the Yellow River. That's too much of a fuss."
Yan Yi looked at her very seriously: "But you care, and the little animals in the mountains care too."
For them, it was not just an unnamed mountain stream, but the source of their survival.
Shen Lingyue blinked, looked down at the little fox enjoying the massage, and chuckled softly.
"Once we find out if there are any mineral deposits in the mountains, I'll use my own money to hire someone to go into the mountains and treat that stream the way you suggested, cleaning up the pollution as soon as possible, how about that?"
Yan Yi took her hand. "Yes, let's do it together."
...
The next morning, all four of them were well-rested and had all their tools ready, preparing for their second trip into the mountains.
Pei Jinghuai suggested that they should invite the farmers from the village, as more people would make things easier.
Pei Jingyi stopped him, saying, "The people in the village don't know there might be a mine in the mountains yet. Let's not alert them and make them think we're going into the mountains for a trip."
To make the performance complete, in addition to the shovels and picks needed for digging, Pei Jingyi also had the head of the estate prepare bows and arrows, creating the impression of going into the mountains for hunting and picnicking.
And the little fox, we can't forget it either.
Before Pei Jinghuai could come up with a good name, Shen Lingyue started calling him names like scarf and gloves, which made him so angry that he covered his ears.
The little fox cooperated perfectly, as if it knew it was being called, and came running as soon as it was called.
Pei Jingyi wanted to take care of Yan Yi's health, so the two of them walked slowly behind.
He looked at the two people and the fox arguing in front of him, his eyes softening, and shook his head as if helplessly: "Huaizhou and his sister-in-law are really energetic."
Turning to Yan Yi, he whispered, "Tell me if you're tired. We can stop and rest anytime. We don't have to keep up with them."
As he spoke, he casually put his hand on her waist, saying, "The mountain road is rugged, stay close to me and be careful."
Yan Yi's ears burned, and she acquiesced to his actions.
Since that night... it seems like everything has changed.
She didn't get up until the afternoon of the next day, and the first thing she did was check the drawers under the wardrobe.
Only then did they realize that Si Xiang had placed the incense in the wrong place, causing Pei Jingyi to take the wrong incense.
The "wedding gift" that Yao Niang gave her and Xiao Yue Liang wasn't a sleep aid at all, but rather...
But then she thought about it again and felt that something was not right.
Pei Jingyi was skilled in both literature and martial arts, with a wide range of interests and extensive knowledge. When she first used the calming incense given to her by Yao Niang, he was able to identify several ingredients in it. How could he have accidentally picked up the wrong one?
If it wasn't an accident, then it must have been intentional.
Yan Yi realized what had happened afterward and felt annoyed at her carelessness, but couldn't help secretly complaining about him.
Little Moon is right, he's a hypocrite...
But now that she's come to this point, she has no reason to resist.
Yan Yi admitted that she also had feelings for Pei Jingyi, but she forced herself not to show them because of the so-called three rules they agreed upon.
Now, she and Pei Jingyi are... a real couple, right?
Thinking that she wouldn't have to hide it from Shen Lingyue anymore, Yan Yi breathed a sigh of relief.
She naturally accepted Pei Jingyi's advances, and the two of them unknowingly became more intimate than before.
...
Something seems off.
Shen Lingyue got tired of walking ahead and stopped to rest. When she turned around, she saw Pei Jingyi carefully protecting Yan Yi as they slowly climbed up.
He held her hand and put his arm around her waist. When they encountered difficult places, he would pick Yan Yi up and stride across them himself.
Shen Lingyue hid behind a big tree, while the dog cautiously peeked out, its sharp eyes scanning back and forth between the two of them.
Something's not right, something's very wrong.
Could it be that something happened between the two of them while she was away from the Marquis's residence these past two days?
Why does it seem like our relationship has gotten better and we've become closer?
Shen Lingyue sensed the crisis of her position being shaken and gritted her teeth.
She grabbed Pei Jinghuai and pointed to the two people below, asking him, "Do you feel any changes in your older brother and sister-in-law?"
"Really?" Pei Jinghuai was forced to hide behind a tree and stared intently for a long time before suddenly snorting, "I told you Pei Da was cunning, but you didn't believe me. Look at him, he can't even sit still while climbing a mountain, he has to be all lovey-dovey with his sister-in-law."
Shen Lingyue looked at him, a thousand words turning into a sigh, "Can't it be that elder brother feels sorry for elder sister-in-law?"
“I feel sorry for you too. I offered to carry you up the mountain, but you didn’t want to.”
Before Shen Lingyue could explode, Pei Jinghuai quickly kissed her on the cheek and said with a smile, "I know you feel sorry for me too."
So in his opinion, Pei Jingyi was just a bit cunning, but when it came to loving his wife, the two of them were roughly equal.
It's perfectly normal, what's wrong with it?
Shen Lingyue: "...Never mind, let's keep climbing."
Let's talk about it after we finish our business.
With Pei Jinghuai and the little fox leading the way, the four of them arrived at the stream where they had discovered realgar the day before yesterday before noon.
Yan Yi was nearing her physical limit, so Shen Lingyue let her sit on a rock to rest while the three of them split up to look for traces of other associated minerals.
"Search within an area of eighty paces in all directions from the location where realgar was found."
Yan Yi had thought about it repeatedly on the way here, and reminded the three of them, "Look for stones that are obviously different from ordinary stones, with bright colors, patterns, or even crystals with a cross-section like glass. In short, bring over any stones that you think are special, and you can even dig them up if necessary."
Shen Lingyue also received a small shovel and whistled at the little fox, "Scarf, come on, let's go treasure hunting."
Pei Jinghuai was too lazy to correct her anymore, and just shouted at her retreating figure, "Watch your step and your surroundings, don't go too far."
He and Pei Jingyi each chose a direction, picked up their tools, and went to collect stones and dig soil.
Yan Yi rested for a while and felt much better, so she got up and went to investigate the area near the stream.
The ferns on both sides of the stream were withered and yellow in large areas, and there was also a plant called centipede grass with many red spots on the back of its leaves.
These are all signs of the enrichment of heavy metals such as arsenic and mercury.
She slowly explored along the riverbed until she discovered a faint golden hue in the exposed rock face near the source, nestled among black bands.
"Quartz vein, smoky gray...?"
Yan Yi tried hard to recall the periodicals and magazines she had read. She remembered an article about gold mine development that included a picture, which looked similar.
"Yan Yan, I'm back!"
Yan Yi heard Shen Lingyue calling from afar and hurriedly walked back.
Shen Lingyue returned carrying several stones and piled them on the ground. "Take a look, are there any that look like ore?"
She picked up a piece and pointed to the exposed cross-section, whispering, "I saw it reflecting light from a distance and thought it was glass. What is this? Crystal? Silicon dioxide?"
Yan Yi looked at the light gray columnar crystal and said softly, "It's neither crystal nor glass. This should be stibnite, an antimony sulfide mineral."
Shen Lingyue only remembered one thing: sulfur. "Realgar is also sulfur, so they're all together?"
Yan Yi nodded. With the discovery of this stibnite, the range of mineral deposits in the mountains could be greatly narrowed down.
Now it remains to be seen whether Pei Jingyi and Pei Jinghuai can bring back more clues.
The two waited a while longer, and then Pei Jinghuai came running over excitedly, carrying a large yellow stone.
"Look! I found gold! It's a huge nugget of gold!"
Pei Jinghuai declared confidently, "There must be a gold mine in these mountains!"
"It really is gold."
Shen Lingyue tapped it a few times with a small shovel, and the bright yellow color reflected a dazzling light in the sunlight.
She looked pained. "We discovered a gold mine in our own mountains, but we can't mine it. Isn't that going to kill me?"
Pei Jinghuai patted her head to comfort her, "It's alright, we'll report it to His Majesty and he'll definitely reward us."
Perhaps his official seal will be obtained ahead of schedule.
Shen Lingyue stared at the large "gold nugget" in his arms. "A reward is a reward, but we found it on the ground, we didn't dig it up. We should be able to take it home, right?"
Maybe I can even make two sets of headdresses.
Yan Yi watched as the two of them contemplated how to divide the gold, suppressing a laugh as she was about to burst their dream when Pei Jingyi returned.
"Madam, do you think this is cinnabar?"
Pei Jingyi unfolded the handkerchief, inside which was a red stone the size of a walnut.
Shen Lingyue dropped the gold and ran over to look, exclaiming, "A ruby!"
“It’s not a gemstone, it’s cinnabar,” Pei Jingyi explained. “Also called vermilion, it has a calming effect and can also be used as a pigment.”
He was familiar with this thing, so he easily found it under a dried-up riverbed.
Yan Yi nodded. Based on the associated minerals found by the three of them, she could now determine that there was a mercury-antimony-gold composite deposit in this mountain.
Pei Jingyi was the first to react, "The Guanzi says, 'Above there is cinnabar, below there is gold'?"
"Well, the piece that my second brother found isn't gold, but pyrite, which is usually used to counterfeit gold, so it's also called 'fool's gold'."
Yan Yi ultimately ruthlessly shattered their get-rich-quick dreams.
"...It's fake?" Pei Jinghuai immediately threw it on the ground and kicked it away in disgust. "What a waste of my feelings."
Yan Yi had no choice but to add, "But there should be gold mines in these mountains. Whether it's cinnabar or the smoky gray quartz veins I found there, they all match the geological characteristics of gold mines."
She picked up a twig, drew a few lines on the riverbank, and explained them to the three of them.
"The top layer contains realgar, orpiment, and sulfur, which can be obtained through open-pit or shallow-well mining; further down are stibnite and pyrite, which require digging tunnels and installing supports to allow miners to go down into the mine to dig."
This refers to the kind of "mining" that people imagine: traversing dark underground mines and using hammers and chisels to dig out baskets of stones and transport them to the surface.
“Below that, we’ll find cinnabar and gold,” Yan Yi said, drawing another line. “But let’s leave that layer aside for now.”
It's still unknown whether the gold below is lode gold or placer gold. With the current mining technology in Daye, it's impossible to know how deep they can dig underground.
"So it wasn't a gold, silver, or copper mine after all." Shen Lingyue clicked her tongue, a little disappointed. "Generally, those who dare to illegally mine gold, silver, or copper are either planning a rebellion or plotting a treason..."
But what they found—realgar, cinnabar, sulfur, and the like—seems like it can only be used for alchemy, right?
Wait, speaking of alchemy...
Shen Lingyue's eyes lit up, and she blurted out, "One part saltpeter, two parts sulfur, and three parts charcoal!"
This is a mantra that every time traveler must memorize; its popularity is comparable to that of odd changing and even remaining unchanged.
But if you ask her about the specific proportions...
Shen Lingyue stared at Yan Yi expectantly, frantically hinting: My dear girl, you must understand!
Yan Yi coughed lightly and looked away.
She only studied chemistry, not majored in it.
Moreover, Da Ye had already opened its sea lanes to the Western Ocean, so its research level on gunpowder might even be more advanced than she knew.
Pei Jingyi's expression turned serious.
“Illegal mining of gold, silver and copper can be loosely explained as profit-seeking. But neither alchemy nor gunpowder manufacturing is something that decent people can do.”
He quickly made a decision: "We can't delay any longer; we must notify the imperial court to send troops as soon as possible."
"Big brother, wait a minute." Shen Lingyue raised her hand. "We've only found evidence that there might be minerals in the mountains, but where are the mining sites and the manpower?"
Pei Jingyi pointed to the cinnabar, "Unlike realgar, which can be easily found on the ground, someone must have dug underground and extracted cinnabar, which is why some of these cinnabar slipped through the net and flowed out along the river."
But Shen Lingyue's words made sense; they didn't have enough evidence yet.
If the imperial court sends people into the mountains to search in a grand manner before the mining site has been determined, it will only give them a chance to escape, and there will be endless troubles in the future.
"Alright, I'll send you two down the mountain first and back to the estate to wait for news. Then Huaizhou and I will come back tonight to investigate further into the back of the mountain."
Pei Jinghuai realized what he meant and nodded, "That's right, my brother and I will go investigate. It's too unsafe for you two to come along."
Neither Shen Lingyue nor Yan Yi were trying to be brave; they were well aware of their physical abilities and didn't want to be the ones holding the team back.
So the four of them turned back down the mountain. In order to mislead the people in the village, Pei Jinghuai even took the little fox into the forest and hunted a few pheasants and rabbits as prey.
The little fox learned the skills of a hunting dog without being taught, helping Pei Jinghuai drive away prey. It even managed to catch a rabbit, eating it with its mouth full and bits of meat still stuck in its teeth.
Shen Lingyue complained angrily, "I have to take a shower again when I get back... Ugh, don't come near me!"
"Ha ha ha ha!"
Yan Yi and Pei Jingyi exchanged a glance when they heard such a mesmerizing fox cry for the first time, and couldn't help but smile.
It seems things are about to get lively in the manor.
...
The four of them had a hearty dinner, and then everything went as usual as they went back to their rooms to rest.
As night deepened and the village gradually fell silent, Pei Jingyi and Pei Jinghuai quietly left the house and nimbly headed straight for the back mountain.
Shen Lingyue and Yan Yi also gathered in a room, petting the carefree little fox that was fast asleep, and chatting idly.
"Do you think they'll have a smooth trip?" Shen Lingyue yawned. "It's pitch black in the mountains, how are they going to find it?"
Yan Yi nodded affirmatively, "Without the two of us slowing them down, it will only be easier for them to move around."
Moreover, if there really are people mining illegally in the mountains, given their willingness to do anything for profit and their willingness to risk being beheaded and having their entire families executed, would they really let the miners rest at night?
It must be non-stop, day and night, with three shifts or even two shifts.
“A place with light will only be more conspicuous in the dark,” Yan Yi explained to Shen Lingyue.
The two barely managed to stay awake until the second watch of the night, but they were so tired that they fell asleep fully clothed against the headboard.
As the sky began to lighten and begin to glow, Yan Yi heard a soft sound of the door opening and immediately opened her eyes.
Pei Jinghuai tiptoed in, followed by Pei Jingyi.
Yan Yi got up and woke Shen Lingyue up again, "Well, have you found the place?"
Pei Jinghuai nodded, showing no signs of fatigue despite having stayed up all night; he remained energetic and spirited.
“My older brother and I not only found the location of the mine, but also took advantage of the handover between them to go down into the mine tunnel and take a walk around.”
Shen Lingyue was startled awake by these words and frowned, "Isn't that too risky?"
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Pei Jinghuai pulled something from his pocket and tossed it to her. "Look what this is?"
Shen Lingyue instinctively reached out and caught it, then looked down and almost jumped up on the spot.
This is... a detonator!
-----------------------
Author's Note: The pheasant and rabbit used by Pei Er as disguises: Ahhh, there's a traitor among us! You think you're so high and mighty!
Little Red Hair: Chirp chirp chirp hahaha!
To reiterate: Hunting and consuming wild animals is illegal! Do not imitate the actions described in this article. [doge][doge]
P.S.: All the information about mineral deposits in this chapter was gathered by me from online research. My chemistry level is roughly equivalent to Yuezai's (meaning I have none [doge emoji]). Even Yanyan directly identified various ores and ley line features, so consider this my "golden finger" for my daughter [heart emoji]. Theoretically, it shouldn't be that easy to dig up or find them... so everything is for the sake of the plot [purple heart emoji][purple heart emoji]
//Today, even with a toothache, Master Dou is determined to pay off his debts! Praise myself! [cheering emojis]
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