Gu Jin’an smiled and said, "The student understands the teacher’s earnest intentions. Rest assured, teacher, Jin’an now only wishes to focus on studying. As for official positions and the like, I will discuss them after I have completed my studies." "Good." Scholar Shang was very relieved. If it were those with short vision, when faced with such a great merit, even with the risk to their lives, they would not let it pass. Gu Jin’an was not afraid of death, but he knew that he currently held little sway and that removing half of the village chief’s responsibilities was a significant matter. If he were to succeed, not only would he be in danger, but so would his family members. He would not allow his family to be in danger again. "Old Master, Elder Gu and Miss Xiao Yu are here." Ah Jiu brought Third Grandpa and Gu Jinli to the outside of the study and announced loudly. Gu Jin’an hurriedly went out to greet them and asked, "Third Grandpa, Xiao Yu, why have you come? Has something happened at home?" Gu Jinli smiled and said, "Nothing’s wrong. We’ve come to ask Uncle Shang about the wasteland outside the town’s Gate Tower." Upon hearing this, Scholar Shang made a curious noise and said, "Why are you asking about that wasteland? Come inside first, then we can discuss." Gu Jinli and Third Grandpa entered the Shang Family study, and after they were seated, Gu Jinli explained their intentions. She did not conceal her intention to buy land to set up a shop, as Scholar Shang was straightforward and disliked those who were secretive. Only by telling him frankly would he make an effort to help. She also mentioned her suspicion that the so-called wasteland was not actually barren but was ruins. "I see." Scholar Shang stood up and walked to a bookshelf on the right side of the study, rummaged through an old wooden box, and took out a book: "I’ve heard my grandfather talk about that piece of land; afraid of forgetting, he wrote it down." Scholar Shang enjoyed recording strange tales and would write down many antique stories he heard. When he had nothing else to do, he would flip through them, finding them quite interesting. "The land outside the Gate Tower is indeed not a wasteland but was once a large estate. The stinky pond that Doctor Wu mentioned was the back garden of that estate." "It was all from the early years of the Great Chu. My grandfather said, no one knew how, but the house caught fire. It burned for several days and nights, with people from Shang Family Village and the town rushing to put it out. But the fire was too fierce; they couldn’t save it, and after a few days, nothing of the house remained. The people who looked after the estate were also burned to death." "Later, several Daoist nuns came to the ruins and held a procession to chant scriptures for the relief of the dead souls. After that, the ruins had been left alone. Over time, the place became where the townsfolk dumped their garbage." "As for who owned the estate? Even my grandfather didn’t know, only that it belonged to a noble Lu Family from the south side, not often inhabited, just prepared for the main family to use as a resting place when they traveled to Jiangnan." The noble families of the former dynasty had multiple residences and often built fortresses, raised private armies, and held great power. They would prepare residences in various places throughout Great Chu for resting during travel, which was a common practice. "Uncle Shang, is it a private residence?" Scholar Shang nodded. Gu Jinli frowned, finding it troublesome: "Do you know who the owner is? Is it still that Lu noble family?" Scholar Shang shook his head: "No, the Lu Family has long been in decline. The current registered owner of that land is the Hu Family." "The Hu Family? Who is this Hu person? Is there an address on the records?" Scholar Shang shook his head: "No, this record was made at the beginning of the country’s founding; by now this Hu person, I suppose, is no longer of this world." The clue was broken again. Gu Jinli’s eyebrows were tightly knit as she recalled the story Scholar Shang had just told and pressed on: "The Daoists, those few Daoist nuns, where did they come from? Do you know which Daoist Temple they belonged to?!" Scholar Shang still shook his head: "I don’t know, so many years have passed, and I haven’t seen any Daoist nuns come to worship in those ruins anymore. However..." Scholar Shang suddenly remembered something: "The old man who sells night jasmine in the town, it’s said that his mother was raised by a Daoist nun, he probably knows the origins of those Daoist nuns." What a twist of fate! Gu Jinli immediately asked: "Uncle Shang, do you know where the night jasmine seller lives?" "I know, that old couple lives in the bamboo forest behind the ruins." Ah Jiu, carrying tea and snacks, came in and sighed: "The old man’s surname is Mi, and he has had a hard life. He had a son who later died of illness. For many years, it has been just the old couple getting by." Ah Jiu, being whimsical, liked to wander into town when there was nothing to do, which is how she came to learn about Elder Mi’s circumstances. "I know Elder Mi and his wife, I often go to that bamboo forest to dig bamboo shoots, and I bring them some food." "The fresh bamboo shoots we eat come from the ruins’ bamboo forest?" Scholar Shang heard this for the first time, but he had eaten plenty of them. Ah Jiu scratched her head and laughed: "Please forgive me, master, I was afraid you would find it inauspicious, so I never dared to tell you the origin of the fresh bamboo shoots." After all, that ruin has witnessed floods and deaths by fire, which people usually avoid. With a slap, Scholar Shang hit Ah Jiu on the head with the book in his hand: "Do I, your master, care about such superstitions? Since you know Elder Mi, then take Third Uncle Gu and Xiao Yu to find the person. Let’s get this matter settled today." His grandfather told him that piece of wasteland is actually in high demand. Many people had inquired about it, but no one could find the owner, and over time, no one asked any longer. Now that the Gu Family has set their sights on that piece of wasteland, they need to act quickly to avoid any complications. "Ei, I’ll go prepare the cart right away, to take Elder Gu to find Elder Mi." Ah Jiu ran out to prepare the cart. It wasn’t yet time for Gu Jin’an to finish schooling, so he didn’t accompany Third Grandpa and Gu Jinli to find people, only sending them out of the study’s courtyard. Gu Jinli and Third Grandpa left the Shang Residence and waited at the front gate for a while, and then Ah Jiu came with a mule cart. The mule cart was fast, and in a quarter of an hour, they arrived at the bamboo forest behind the ruins. The bamboo forest was vast, with some bamboo growing on top of dilapidated walls. Elder Mi’s house was deep in the bamboo forest, a small abode of one and a half rooms with walls of green bricks faintly marked with smoke stains. An elderly woman was feeding chickens in the open space in front of the house. Upon seeing Ah Jiu, she smiled: "Young fellow, have you eaten all the fresh bamboo shoots?" Old Lady Mi was very fond of Ah Jiu. This young fellow was kind-hearted. People from the vicinity often came to dig bamboo shoots, but not one of them gave anything in return; they would just dig and leave. This youngster would bring rice and flour for the old couple, and on a couple of occasions brought two pieces of meat and a pot of meat oil, quite generous indeed. Ah Jiu hopped off the mule cart and said with a smile: "Granny Mi, today I’m not here to dig shoots. I’ve brought two guests with me who want to ask Elder Mi a few questions." "What questions? Anything about the old man, I know – you can just ask me," said Old Lady Mi, but she still turned around and shouted into the house: "Old man, hurry up and come out, there are guests." Elder Mi was a night jasmine vendor, so he had to get up in the middle of the night; at this time, he was catching up on sleep. But as he was a light sleeper, after Old Lady Mi shouted a few times, he woke up and came out asking, "What guests? What are you looking for this old man for?" Gu Jinli stepped forward, saluted Elder Mi, and asked: "Elder, we want to inquire about a Daoist Temple that has the character ’Hu’ in it, attended only by Daoist nuns. Do you know of it?" Elder Mi paused for a moment, then said: "Are you looking for Hu Yun Temple?"