Records of Strange People and Strange Events in the Old Mansion

Chapter 167 Repair

Zhu Huan and Dan'er had dinner under the big camphor tree and returned to the old house. They walked into the main house and were happy to see that it was empty.

Dan'er was puzzled and asked Zhu Huan: "Sister, why did they leave without even having dinner?"

"Because I scolded him so badly." Zhu Hu replied.

Dan'er asked, "Doesn't that mean there's no one to help you protect the old house, and no one to help you repair the old house?"

"It's enough to have you and me to protect the old house, not to mention the dogs and badgers. As for the repair of the old house, they can't help." Zhu Hu replied.

Dan'er asked, "They can't help? No way? Grandpa and uncle are great craftsmen, and the old house usually relies on them for maintenance."

"They are just maintaining the old house from falling down. To truly repair the old house it still needs the help of top craftsmen and a professional team." Zhu Hao replied.

Dan'er asked: "Have you found a top craftsman and a professional team?"

"Of course, they will be here tomorrow. You should go to bed early. If you have any further questions, you can ask them tomorrow." Zhu Hu walked into his room.

Dan'er had no choice but to go upstairs and sleep in the room where Lu Huan had slept before. This was Zhu Huan's arrangement and he had to obey.

Sleeping in the bed that Lu Huan had slept in, Dan'er tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep. Hearing no sound downstairs, he simply got up and tiptoed downstairs.

"What? Are you still wondering?" Dan'er had just reached the door of the study when Zhu Hu's voice rang in his ears, and then the light came on. Dan'er looked in the direction of the voice and saw Zhu Hu sitting upright on the big chair in the middle of the hall, looking at him with a smile.

Dan'er smiled apologetically: "Hehe, the one who knows me best is my sister."

"Are you still wondering how Huang Doujiang survived when his body was split into two? How could Wang Yanjing be the brother of Lu Bo's son Lu Huan? And what is his relationship with the Willow Spirit?" Zhu Hu asked Dan'er.

Dan'er answered honestly: "Yes, yes, yes."

"Then come and sit down, I'll explain it to you." Zhu Huan pointed to a chair beside him.

Dan'er went over and sat down, raised his little head and asked Zhu Huan: "Sister, Huang Doujiang's body was clearly cut into two pieces, how come he came back to life?"

"How could someone just die in the main house of the old house? Or was it an outsider who died here? That head was not Huang Doujiang's head at all, but a fake head made by your grandfather and your uncle." Zhu Hu explained.

Dan'er was even more confused: "Fake head? There are real and fake people, and there are also real and fake heads?"

"The so-called true and false, false and true, that is life, that is the way of the world. You and I have both faked our deaths, so what else can't we fake? Your grandfather and uncle are masters of mechanisms. They calculated that Huang Doujiang would break into my room regardless of the consequences, so they carved a wooden head of hers and hung it on the door frame in advance. As long as she pushes the door, the wooden head will fall down and hit her real head, and she will naturally be knocked unconscious." After Zhu Hu finished speaking, his eyes unconsciously looked towards his room.

Dan'er suddenly realized, "Oh, I understand. The soybean sauce person fell to the ground, and the wooden head rolled in front of the people present. Naturally, those people would not pay too much attention to the real head on the soybean sauce person, but thought that her body was already in two."

"It is said that people are prone to hallucinations when they are frightened. In addition, they already had a sense of awe towards the main house of the old residence. Zhu Shanzi had also warned them beforehand, so naturally, villains like okra and weasel felt extremely guilty." Zhu Hu was inspired.

Dan'er's little head nodded like a chick pecking at rice, and he praised Zhu Huan as he nodded: "Great, really great, a true master is someone who can grasp people's psychology."

"Thank you for the compliment. Next, let me talk to you about Wang Yanjing." Zhu Hu withdrew his gaze from his room and looked at the "Zhi Han Tu".

Dan'er's eyes also stayed on the "Zhi Han Tu" and asked Zhu Huan: "Sister, did you start to doubt Wang Yanjing's true identity after you found out that he stole the "Zhi Han Tu"? "

"That's right, but even if I had some doubts, if Wang Yanjing was upright, I still wouldn't be able to tell. I can only blame himself for being too despicable. Like Zhu Shanzi, he was too greedy for women, and I ended up seeing his flaws." Zhu Hu showed disdain and disgust on his face.

Dan'er asked, "Sister, is it that he wanted to be the willow spirit's brother but was also bewitched by the willow spirit? Did he expose his own butt?"

"That's right. The Liu family has been tomb robbers for generations, and they send their children to various masters to learn. The willow spirit's younger brother was sent to Lu Bo's door in order to learn the mortise and tenon structure technique. The willow spirit's younger brother is the same age as Lu Xi, and it is inevitable that two boys of the same age will have disputes. Once, the two men fought for a toy, and Lu Xi picked up an awl and poked the willow spirit's younger brother. Perhaps it was destined, Lu Xi's awl pierced the willow spirit's younger brother's temple, and he died on the spot." Zhu Huan sighed after he finished speaking.

Dan'er asked: "In order to deal with the Liu family, Lu Xi took over the body of the willow spirit's brother?"

"Dealing with it is a small matter. Taking the opportunity to break into the Liu family and the Jianliu clan is the big matter." Zhu Huan replied.

Dan'er sighed with a mature look, "Alas, people are greedy for money and everything is gone, birds are greedy for food and die. Whether it is the Liu family or the Lu family, isn't this money enough to live a life of wealth for several generations? Why do they have to go to such great lengths to search for and steal treasures?"

"Everyone has his own pursuits. Isn't okra rich enough? But doesn't it also have to toil and live a miserable life all year round? How nice it would be to travel leisurely on a white horse and in spring clothes." Zhu Huan sighed.

Dan'er said: "She walks slowly in the yellow okra, white horse and spring clothes? I'm afraid she won't be able to reach this level in her next life or the next."

"Okay, it's getting late, let's go to bed. The renovation of the old house will officially begin tomorrow." Zhu Hu got up and walked into his room.

Dan'er went upstairs and soon fell asleep. She dreamed that she was wearing a green dress and riding a big white horse through the blooming mountain flowers...

Flowers bloomed in the mountains, butterflies fluttered, and a stream gurgled through the forest into the distance. Zhu Huan scooped up a handful of clear spring water and brought it to his lips. His body and mind were already extremely clear. He said to Zhu Yuanzhang and Chou Yu standing beside him: "Don't be too obsessed with everything. Let nature take its course and you will eventually achieve your goal."

"Fairy, I have thought it through. Whether you can be reborn or not is entirely up to fate. Next, I will help you repair the old house." "That's right. Putting aside all the grudges and calming down to help the fairy repair the old house is the important thing." Zhu Yuanzhang and Chou Yu sang in unison.

Zhu Hu laughed and said, "Oh, your realm has become so high all of a sudden? Then you two can tell me how you plan to help me."

"Fairy, I ordered the construction of this old house for Grandma Taizu. I personally took care of every detail. I can say that I remember every brick, tile, door, window, mortise and tenon of the old house clearly. I can help you identify the plan and check it so that the old house can be repaired to its original state without any error." "Fairy, I was once punished by this stinky emperor to be a slave to Grandma Taizu. I am familiar with the furnishings of the main house and where Grandma Taizu hid her treasures. I can give you some advice." "Hey, hey, hey, from the sound of your voice, you are resentful of me for punishing you to serve Grandma Taizu? Didn't you say just now that you wanted to throw away all the grudges?" "I don't have any resentment towards serving Grandma Taizu, but I have resentment towards you, the stinky emperor. I can't possibly throw away the grudges towards you." "You are such a hypocritical little girl. You speak better than you sing in front of the fairy." "Aren't you the same? You say one thing in front of her and another behind her back..."

"Shut up, everyone!"

Zhu Huan slapped the bed hard and woke up. He opened his eyes and saw that it was already dawn. He got up quickly, dressed and washed carefully.

When she opened the door, she saw Dan'er standing in the hall waiting for her, dressed neatly. Zhu Huan was very happy and went over to him, took his hand and walked out of the main house.

Standing under the eaves of the main house, Zhu Hao took a deep breath of the refreshing morning air and said to Dan'er, "A new day has begun in the old house."

"A new day has begun in the old house, a new day has begun in the old house..." Dan'er repeated Zhu Huan's words and followed Zhu Huan to the big camphor tree.

Under the big camphor tree, the neighbors who woke up early gathered around and greeted Zhu Hu as soon as they saw Zhu Hu passing by: "Good morning, fairy."

"Good morning, everyone, you've worked so hard, getting up so early to work in the fields." Zhu Huan was very grateful to these neighbors. Although they had all migrated down the mountain, they still came back to work diligently in the fields. Of course, Zhu Huan offered them a good salary, which was much higher than working in some factories in the town and county. Without the one-armed Luo, the cross-legged man, and the Tian family father and son, the neighbors were purer and more harmonious.

Just as Zhu Hu had finished eating the breakfast prepared by Zhu Pangzi, a greyhound came over to report that a guest from afar had arrived. "Hello, hello, welcome, welcome." Eighteen strangers came down from the big camphor tree, carrying large and small bags on their shoulders, and the leader was the old craftsman who had accompanied Zhu Hu into the cave.

"Sister, why are there only eighteen people? Isn't he the real Ruburt?" Dan'er asked Zhu Huan quietly while the old craftsman and other craftsmen went into the shed to pack up.

Zhu Hao replied to Dan'er: "Renovating an old house does not depend on the number of people, but on their own skills. And his last name is Kuai (kuǎi), and he has nothing to do with Lu Bo."

"He has nothing to do with Ruburt? Then why does he claim to be the real Ruburt?" Dan'er was even more confused.

Zhu Hu explained: "He was testing me at the time, but he did that for my safety and the safety of the old house."

"I still don't understand." Dan'er shook his head, still looking confused.

Zhu Hu smiled and replied: "How can one person understand everything? Anyway, his ancestors were the ones who actually built the old house."

"But didn't he show you the word 'Lu' on his arm in the cave that day?" Dan'er asked, his eyes unable to help but look at Zhu Huan's arm.

Zhu Hu took the initiative to roll up his sleeves to show Dan'er. Zhu Hu's arms were empty without any marks. Dan'er was even more confused and muttered, "What's going on?"

"Don't think too much. The matter is very simple. The old craftsman had already anticipated what Ruburt would do, so he deliberately changed the trick to make Ruburt give up further action on his own initiative." Zhu Hao explained further to Dan'er.

Dan'er was still confused and asked Zhu Hao: "What does Ruber want to do?"

"It's to find the treasure that Lan Yu hid in the old house. But he has given up now." Zhu Huan saw the old craftsman coming out of the shed and hurried forward to greet him, no longer paying attention to Dan'er.

Dan'er looked at Zhu Huan and the old craftsman chatting and laughing as they led the other craftsmen towards the old house, and the question marks in his little head became more and more numerous and bigger.

Fatty Zhu came over and said to Dan'er, "Don't underestimate this old man. His ancestor is Kuai Xiang, the founder of the Xiangshan Gang."

"Kuai Xiang? Xiangshan Gang?" Dan'er tried hard to search for information about Kuai Xiang in his little head.

【Kuai Xiang】 was a carpenter from Xiangshan, Wu County. He was able to lead major construction projects. In the 15th year of Yongle, he built the BJ Palace. In the Zhengtong period, he rebuilt the three palaces and the civil and military offices. At the end of the Tianshun period, he built the Yuling Mausoleum. All of them were designed by him. He could draw two dragons with two hands, and they would merge into one. Whenever there was something to be repaired in the palace, the imperial eunuchs would lead them in. Xiang would use a ruler to measure it accurately. If he was not careful, he would put it in the original place without any error. He would order the workers to do things that violated his instructions and he would not obey his orders. He was initially appointed as the secretary of the Construction Office, and later became the left assistant minister of the Ministry of Works, with a salary of the first rank.

This is the record of Kuai Xiang in the "Wu County Chronicles". Dan'er read it with Zhu Huan in the study room of the main house of the old house. Of course, it was Zhu Huan who intentionally showed it to him.

Dan'er still remembers that a book recorded that the "Xiangshan Gang" was a famous group in the construction industry in the Ming Dynasty. At that time, there was a saying among the people that "all the skilled carpenters in Jiangnan came from Xiangshan."

According to records, Kuai Xiang was an all-round carpenter, mason, stonemason, lacquerer and bamboo craftsman. The expertise of the Xiangshan Gang was not limited to wooden buildings, but also integrated woodwork, waterwork, brick carving, wood carving, stone carving, and painting. The Xiangshan Gang pursued not only the construction of a house, but also the creation of an overall living space that perfectly combined aesthetic value and practical value.

"Well, this old craftsman must be an all-rounder who is a carpenter, mason, stonemason, painter and bamboo craftsman. The craftsmen he brought with him must be from the Xiangshan Gang. The old house will surely be restored to its original state and shine again." Dan'er was extremely excited and chased after Zhu Huan and the old craftsman like a gust of wind.

When they chased into the old house, they saw the old craftsman holding a picture album and explaining the structure of the old house to Zhu Huan and his craftsmen. Dan'er followed Zhu Huan and listened with great interest.

"As a large courtyard with eight entrances and eight exits, the core of the old house is naturally the main house, so our renovation work starts from the main house, and then the ancestral hall that echoes it."

"Wasn't the ancestral hall built later?" Dan'er suddenly asked. The old craftsman did not blame him, but called him to his side. He stroked Dan'er's little head with his broad palm and asked him: "Are you interested in the structure of the old house?"

"Yeah." Dan'er nodded vigorously.

The old craftsman smiled kindly and asked Dan'er, "Would you like to help me repair the old house?"

"Yeah." Dan'er nodded vigorously.

Zhu Huan reminded Dan'er: "Why don't you kneel down and salute your master?"

"Master, I kowtow to you." Dan'er knelt down in front of the old craftsman and kowtowed three times.

The old craftsman helped Dan'er up and said with a smile: "Okay, okay, I like you as my apprentice. I like you."

"Old man, thank you for accepting Dan'er as your disciple." Zhu Huan was happy for Dan'er, and he was even happier himself.

The old craftsman smiled and said to Zhu Huan, "I should thank you and the old house for letting me have such a spiritual disciple in my lifetime. Do you know? Everything in the world is about fate. He and the old house are destined to be together. He must be another great craftsman of the next generation."

"I don't have any extravagant expectations for him to become a great craftsman. I just hope that he can learn from you, old man, so that the wild wolf will not bring him to your old house in vain." Zhu Huan's eyes were moist.

According to Dan'er's mother's recollection, it was not Zhu Yunshan who rescued Dan from a wild wolf, but the wild wolf took the initiative to carry him to the old house.

Dan'er's mother clearly remembered that it was a snowy morning and people were still asleep when a wolf howl woke up all the neighbors in Lu Budao Village.

At first, everyone thought it was a wolf out looking for food in the cold weather, so they quickly closed the doors and windows, especially the chicken coop and sheepfold, to prevent the wolf from attacking. But at noon, the wolf was still howling under the big camphor tree. Some brave neighbors were curious and went out to check, including Zhu Yunshan and Zhu Shanzi.

When the wolf saw someone open the door of the old house, it stopped howling, bent its front legs to the ground, and shook its head towards the old house.

Tian Laizi, the then militia captain, raised his rifle and was about to shoot the wolf, but Zhu Yunshan stopped him, saying that the wolf did not seem to be looking for food, so he should wait and see what it wanted to do.

Zhu Hu, the head of the family at that time, hurriedly put on his clothes and came out, and without saying anything, asked Tian Laizi to shoot the wild wolf. Zhu Yunshan stood in front of the gun and said to shoot him first and then the wild wolf.

Zhu Hu and Tian Laizi scolded Zhu Yunshan for being crazy? Could it be that this wild wolf is your relative or the reincarnation of your ancestor?

While they were arguing, a wild wolf ran towards Zhu Yunshan with a bundle in its mouth.

Before Zhu Yunshan and everyone else could react, the wild wolf dropped its bag at the threshold of the old house and disappeared in the heavy snow.

Zhu Yunshan opened the bundle and saw that there was a baby boy inside.

Zhu Shanzi, who had been standing aside without saying a word, spoke up and said that it was a very bad omen that a wild wolf had brought a baby boy to the old house, and that the baby boy must be immediately thrown into Taiping Pond to drown or be burned under a large camphor tree, otherwise the old house would be in disaster, and so would all the people living in it.

Ma Yasha came out to stop them, saying how could a good life be drowned or turned into an altar so casually? She would raise the child.

Zhu Shanzi threatened that if Ma Yasha dared to bring the child into the old house, she and Zhu Yunshan would be driven out of the main house and the old house. Zhu Hu and Tian Laizi agreed and resolutely refused to let Ma Yasha bring the child into the old house.

Without saying a word, Dan'er's mother picked up the child and went back to her room, leaving behind one sentence: "I am her biological mother."