Empreinte de main en sang

Chapitre 66

Perhaps, obtaining the Fuxi Ram Horn Pillar and the Jianmu Doll is Han Shan's true purpose.

What did he want these two items for? While they were both extremely valuable, they weren't enough to warrant Han Shan devising such a complex plan. Therefore, there's only one answer: they must be related to sacred objects of the Ba people.

The sacred object was hidden by Ba Rong in the room representing the fire trigram in the Bagua room, but its contents led to Ba Qi's tragic death at the hands of Yang Zheng. That might have been another of Ba Rong's plans, but how could he allow his own son to become a victim of such a plan? Therefore, Ma Nan had to consider another possibility—that all of this was actually orchestrated by Han Shan.

The last clue left by Ba Rong was the chrysanthemum painting with flames that he gave to Chu Yan. Based on it, you can find the Star Platform, and then, according to the eight-pointed star pattern on it, find the Bagua room in the Duguang Building. In the room representing the fire trigram, you can find his letter.

Now, Ma Nan suspects that Han Shan had already deciphered these clues. Therefore, it's entirely possible that he forged Ba Rong's will. Having followed Ba Rong for many years, imitating his handwriting shouldn't have been difficult for him, and it's also entirely possible that he knew Ba Rong had a biological son. So, he used this information to set a trap to kill the Ba people, all for the purpose of obtaining Ba Qi's Fuxi Ram Horn Pillar.

But some questions remain. Since Ba Qi had already arrived in the city, he must have had many opportunities to obtain the Ram's Horn Pillar, such as killing Ba Qi. So why did he insist on having Yang Zheng kill him?

Perhaps because he, like Chu Yan, had consumed the poisonous herb of the Ba people, his later attempt to bribe them might have been merely to obtain the antidote. Since Han Shan was initially under Ba Qi's control, he naturally dared not kill Ba Qi to take his ram's horn pillar before obtaining the antidote.

So, now there's one crucial question remaining. If the suicide note that Ma Nan discovered by Ba Rong is fake, then what would be the contents of Ba Rong's real suicide note?

Ma Nan suddenly realized that perhaps Ba Rong was there, and had truly left behind the whereabouts of the sacred objects of the Ba people.

To obtain those sacred objects, Han Shan must acquire the Fuxi Ram Horn Pillar and the Jianmu Doll.

If all of this is true, then where is the real sacred object? Has Han Shan already obtained the treasure with the Fuxi Ram Horn Pillar and the Jianmu Doll?

Manan had no desire for the sacred objects of the Ba people, but he was very curious about them.

He thought that if Ba Rong wanted to leave the sacred object to Han Shan, he would have told him in person. But the fact that he left the clue to Chu Yan showed that he had long been wary of Han Shan. With Ba Rong's intelligence, couldn't he have imagined that after his death, Han Shan would do everything in his power to find the Ba tribe's sacred object? And knowing that Chu Yan was his daughter, wouldn't Chu Yan's situation be very dangerous?

Ma Nantou had a slight headache. He knew he must have overlooked something in this matter, but he couldn't find the answer for the time being.

In the evening, Xiaotong came upstairs to call him for dinner, but he made an excuse that he had something to do and continued to lock himself in his study.

In the middle of the night, Hongmian was suddenly awakened by a noise outside. She got up, put on her clothes, and went downstairs, where she saw Ma Nan putting on his coat. Where was Ma Nan going so late?

“I’ve already made plans with Qin Ge to go to the Duguang Building again tonight. Maybe then I’ll find out what I’ve missed,” Ma Nan said.

Chapter 40

The corridors and rooms on the 8th floor of the Duguang Building are arranged according to the Bagua (Eight Trigrams) orientation.

This place has been sealed off since that night. Qin Ge and Ma Nan returned here, both feeling somewhat heavy-hearted.

“Perhaps Barong is here, leaving us with the answers to all our questions,” Manan said.

Qin Ge still didn't know why Ma Nan wanted to come back. When she asked him in the car, he wouldn't say. He only told her that it was just an idea of his, and maybe he was wrong, so he needed to go with him to verify it.

Now, Ma Nan finally told him what she had thought of.

“I guessed that Ba Rong would leave the secret in the room representing the fire trigram based on the image of the fire god Zhu Rong on the Star Platform. All the rooms here are the same, and I found the room representing the fire trigram based on their directions. I think Han Shan must have thought of this as well. Moreover, he discovered Ba Rong’s will earlier than me, forged a copy and left it inside, and then let me find it, so that the Ba people could believe that the will was real.”

Qin Ge nodded: "But even so, Ba Rong's will has fallen into Han Shan's hands. What else can we possibly find if we come here now?"

Ma Nan seemed unsure as well: "I suddenly realized that Han Shan and I were both wrong."

"Wrong?" Qin Ge didn't understand.

"Perhaps we've all come to the wrong place; Ba Rong's real will isn't there."

Qin Ge frowned; he still couldn't understand Ma Nan's words. If they were looking in the wrong place, why would they have found Ba Rong's suicide note?

“We used the Fire trigram to represent the fire god Zhurong, and in the Earlier Heaven Bagua, the Li trigram represents fire, and its position is due east. So, like Han Shan, I was certain that the room was the final destination of that series of clues. But last night, I carefully reviewed all the details and realized that I had overlooked something,” Ma Nan said.

Qin Ge remained silent, waiting for Ma Nan to give his answer.

“Feathers!” Ma Nan said.

Ma Nan determined the location based on the feather pattern on the bathroom wall. The connection between the Li trigram and feathers comes from a book called *Shuogua Zhuan*. *Shuogua Zhuan*, traditionally attributed to a Song dynasty scholar, mentions that "Li represents fire, the sun, lightning…" and later extended to represent feathers, literary talent, and so on. In short, Li symbolizes light and brightness.

The problem lies here: the Bagua mentioned by people in the Song Dynasty was already different from the Fuxi Bagua. To distinguish it from the Fuxi Bagua, later generations called the Fuxi Bagua the Pre-Heaven Bagua, and the later Bagua the Post-Heaven Bagua. The idea that the Li trigram represents feathers, although unverifiable, only originated in the Song Dynasty. Therefore, the feathers mentioned here should refer to the feathers in the Post-Heaven Bagua.

The Ba people are descendants of Fuxi, and it is common knowledge that Fuxi created the Eight Trigrams. Therefore, when searching for the Li trigram, Ma Nan didn't think much about it and subconsciously judged it to be due east according to the orientation of the Earlier Heaven Eight Trigrams. However, from the perspective of the feather, it should belong to the orientation of the Later Heaven Eight Trigrams.

Below are two diagrams showing the orientation of the Eight Trigrams:

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As can be seen from the diagram above, in the Earlier Heaven Bagua, the Li trigram is located in the due east, but in the Later Heaven Bagua, the due east is represented by the Zhen trigram, while the Li trigram moves to the due south.

“Let’s go to the room facing due south now and see what we can find there,” Ma Nan said.

The same room, the same pattern, the same feathers. Ma Nan had brought tools with him beforehand, so this time he easily smashed open the marble slab, revealing a hole hidden behind it.

Manan nervously retrieved an iron box from the cave; it was exactly the same as the one they had found last time.

It seems this is where Ba Rong truly left his writings.

Upon opening the tin box, they found another letter inside. Ma Nan eagerly unfolded it to read, and Qin Ge leaned over as well. The handwriting on the letter was just as vigorous and powerful as the previous one; even upon close inspection, it was difficult to discern any difference between them.

Whoever sees these words, if you hope to find the whereabouts of the sacred objects of the Ba people, then I am destined to disappoint you. Of course, I most hope that the person reading this letter now is Han Shan. This is your last chance. If you are smart enough to find this place, then your entire destiny will be changed.

I have no doubt about your past loyalty to me, so I shared my secret with you, letting you know about the sacred object of the Ba people. Of course, I did this because I needed your help. You are a very talented child, and I even think you are smarter than Manan—you certainly know who Manan is; he is also one of my adopted children, and technically your older brother. Of all the children I adopted, I rely on the two of you the most. However, Manan is honest and kind by nature, indifferent to fame and fortune; family is the most important thing in his life, and he would abandon everything for it. Therefore, I chose him to lure the Ba people into the trap on Peach Blossom Mountain. As for you, you have harbored great ambitions since childhood and are cunning. I like you because I see many of my younger self in you.

I don't regret stealing the sacred artifacts of the Ba people. Although these years have been tough, with me constantly on the run and escaping their pursuit, life needs spiritual strength to sustain it. Even if I have to pay the price with my life for stealing the treasures and betraying my people, at least my life won't be so mundane.

Han Shan, my child, I know you, like me, don't want a mediocre life, but you might make a mistake by coveting the sacred artifacts of the Ba people. If I were alive, it would only remain a thought in your mind, and you might never act on it. But if I were dead, everything would be different. You would have no one to hold back in this world, and searching for the sacred artifacts would become your greatest desire—I've told you before, the sacred artifacts don't belong to you, or even to me. I've already arranged their final destination, and that won't change whether I live or die.

The battle at Peach Blossom Mountain is imminent; the success or failure of over a decade of planning will soon be revealed. Although I am quite confident in the plan, I cannot guarantee that nothing unexpected might go wrong. If I die, everything I have now will be inherited by you, including this Duguang Mansion. With your intelligence and talent, this is the stage for you to showcase your abilities; in time, you will surely have a bright future ahead of you.

I hope you can see these words first, so that even from the afterlife, I will bless you.

If someone else discovers these words, Han Shan—my child, you have disappointed me. The price you will pay for your mistakes will be your life.