Hiromi Collection - Chapter 27
Why was I able to tell without a doubt that this was a key just by seeing half of the shape, and further determine that it was an ancient key, thus seeking Xiao Jin's help?
And why did I notice this unremarkable ancient key when the woman left, and intuitively feel that it was related to the Pomeranian collection?
Luo Jian had always considered himself a thorough materialist, never believing in anything without scientific basis. However, starting with Chu Zhengyu's case, he was forced to confront one thing after another that couldn't be explained by scientific theories and real-world evidence. Luo Jian genuinely felt shaken and confused, perhaps this was the fundamental reason why he was so determined to uncover the true nature of Bomei Group!
Standing at the door of Bian Ruili's house, Luo Jian waited anxiously for the old man to appear. To him, Bian Ruili was perhaps a key, a key that could unlock the door to Bomeiji.
Luo Jian stretched out his trembling hand and knocked on the old wooden door. It seemed like a long time since such a sound had been heard. Luo Jian's knocking attracted a nest of sparrows that had built their nest under the eaves to peek out curiously, but there was no response from inside the door.
Knock knock, Luo Jian knocked on the door again, this time with more force, making a bit noisy. The sparrows flew out of their nest in annoyance, chirping and grumbling in their own language to complain about Luo Jian.
Was Bian Ruili not home? No, impossible. He must be pretending not to hear because he dislikes visitors. Luo Jian made up his mind and continued to knock loudly and persistently.
Finally, slightly slow footsteps came from inside the door, approaching from afar. The door creaked open, and a short, thin old man with gray hair appeared in the doorway.
After carefully examining Luo Jian from behind his old-fashioned, flower-framed glasses, he asked, "Who are you, and what do you want with me?"
"Uh, I am... my name is Luo Jian... Mr. Jin Jinguang gave me your address." Realizing that Bian Ruili intended to see him out, Luo Jian quickly gave the name of Mr. Jin's grandfather.
"Jin Jinguang?" Bian Ruili repeated emotionlessly, "I don't remember." He then turned to close the door.
"Wait!" In his haste, Luo Jian took half a step across the threshold, turned to the side, and used his shoulder to brace against the door. "Mr. Bian, I really need your help. Could you please give me a little time?"
"There is no Mr. Bian here. You've come to the wrong person!"
"Impossible! You are Mr. Bian Ruili, the famous expert in ancient locks. I can't be mistaken." Luo Jian secretly groaned. Although Bian Ruili was old, he was probably used to dealing with mechanisms and the like every day, so he was quite strong. At this moment, he used all his strength to close the door, which made Luo Jian's ankle hurt. If this continued, he might break his bones. He had to think of a way out quickly.
“Bian Ruili is dead!” the old man said coldly. “Don’t waste your time. If you don’t leave, I’ll call the police.”
"Reporting..." Luo Jian grinned and pulled out his police ID from his pocket. "Mr. Bian, I am a police officer. You can just look for me."
The only response he received was Bian Ruili slamming the door shut even harder. Luo Jian, both in pain and anxious, broke out in a cold sweat. Instinctively, he reached for his handkerchief in his pocket to wipe his brow, but instead touched the antique key. If he showed this key to Bian Ruili, would…
In a fleeting moment of inspiration, Luo Jian took out the plastic bag containing the ancient key and showed it to Bian Ruili: "Mr. Bian, I just wanted you to take a look at this key for me, I..."
The confinement was lifted in an instant!
Bian Ruili's expression clearly showed that Luo Jian had achieved his goal. He stared wide-eyed at the key in Luo Jian's hand, looking as if he had seen a ghost.
"Where...where did you get this key?" Bian Ruili asked in a trembling voice, his expression completely different from his calm demeanor just moments before.
"I... a friend gave it to me." Luo Jian lied; he couldn't very well say that he had picked it up from a suspect.
After examining Luo Jian closely once more, Bian Ruili sighed and said, "Come with me."
Following Bian Ruili, Luo Jian crossed the small courtyard and entered Bian Ruili's house. The somewhat dimly lit living room contained a square table, two wooden chairs, and nothing else. Bian Ruili gestured for Luo Jian to sit in one of the chairs, then lifted the curtain beside the hall and went into the inner room to do something. After a while, he carefully emerged from the inner room carrying something.
"This is..." Luo Jian asked, looking at the square ancient wooden box that Bian Ruili had placed on the table.
"This is something passed down through generations of our Bian family, what you call a family heirloom." Bian Ruili sat down, stroking the box with a sigh. "For this treasure, the Bian family has endured countless hardships, fratricide, and bloodshed. Even my branch only managed to acquire this treasure after countless sacrifices, only to have it snatched away again at any moment. It's laughable that I've guarded this treasure for so many years, yet I've never been able to see its true form. It's truly tragic and lamentable!"
In large families, power struggles and the scramble for treasures are often bloody and treacherous. However, Luo Jian never expected that the old man's choice to live in seclusion was actually out of fear that other branches of the clan would find him and steal his treasures. He wondered what the treasures in the box were, why the old man had guarded them for so many years without ever opening them, and what the purpose of Luo Jian's visit was with the Bian family heirloom... the key!
Luo Jian suddenly realized.
"Mr. Bian, could it be that this key...?"
“That’s right.” Bian Ruili glanced at Luo Jian and slowly said, “Our Bian family has been engaged in lock making and key duplication since our ancestor Bian Lingdao first discovered locks in the Eastern Han Dynasty. After the Tang Dynasty, our family business became even more prosperous. At that time, Bian family lock shops were all over the Central Plains, making us one of the richest families in Chang’an. If we were to talk about the most skilled craftsman in the Bian family, we would have to mention our ancestor Bian Qiujie. Family legend has it that although our ancestor Bian Qiujie was born out of wedlock and was a girl, she possessed talents that no one in the Bian family could match in any other generation. As early as when she was thirteen years old, she became famous throughout the world for her exquisite ‘Dragon and Chi Diagram Seven-Linked Lock’. And when she was sixteen years old, she actually encountered an immortal outside Chang’an…”
"An immortal?"
"Yes. It is said that when Bian Qiujie's ancestor was out of the city collecting materials for lock making, he accidentally entered a market on the way."
“Could it be… Bomeiji!” Luo Jian blurted out subconsciously, but Bian Ruili shook his head.
"Our ancestors didn't mention the name of the market. The family records only say that our ancestors met a lock-making immortal there, who taught her various skills. After returning from that market, Bian Qiu's lock-making skills improved more and more. By the time she was eighteen, she had become unparalleled in history. However, for some reason, our ancestors' health began to decline after that encounter with the immortal. According to the family genealogy, her health deteriorated to the point that she passed away before she was twenty. The book that recorded all her learning and the skills taught by the immortal is the family heirloom of our clan."
Luo Jian stared excitedly at the wooden box. For him, Bian Ruili's words were enough to explain the doubts that had always lingered in his mind.
There's no mistake!
It's definitely a Pomeranian collection!
That wasn't a name for any organization or person, but a real market! A fictitious market that had been passed down from ancient times, where people sold strange things and received special items in return!
In that market, Chu Zhengyu, Han Qingyin, Wei Ziru, and Bian Qiujie—names that existed in different times or spaces—were closely linked together. They had all paid different prices in Bomei Market to get what they wanted!
Luo Jian cried out in his heart, feeling his heart pounding faster than ever before. His heart was pounding against his chest, telling him the mystery was solved, but...
Thinking about what would happen next, Luo Jian's eyes dimmed again. But even if he knew about the existence of Bomei Market and the shady dealings involved, what could he do? It seemed that this market didn't actually exist in any particular province or city in China. How was he supposed to find it? And even if he did find it, what actions could he take?
Those who sell bizarre items must possess abilities beyond those of ordinary people. How can I persuade my superiors to arrest them? And how can I actually arrest them?
In an instant, countless thoughts raced through Luo Jian's mind, each pointing to an unfavorable end. His heart sank once again.
Bian Ruili, oblivious to Luo Jian's change in expression, continued, "After the death of our ancestor Bian Qiujie, her manuscripts were kept in this wooden box by her disciple, Bian Shiyi, another ancestor of the Bian family, in accordance with her dying wish. The box was locked with the 'Nameless' key, which Bian Qiujie herself had crafted shortly before her death. Afterward, for some unknown reason, our ancestor Bian Shiyi left with the key to the 'Nameless' key and was never heard from again. As a result, the secret techniques left behind by our ancestor Bian Qiujie have not been seen by anyone for thousands of years."
"Since the Bian family has so many skilled craftsmen, is it possible that in the past thousand years, not a single person has been able to make a key that can unlock this lock?" Luo Jian asked, unable to shake off his inexplicable interest in the name Bian Qiujie. He didn't know why, but he found it hard to ignore this ancestor of the Bian family from the Tang Dynasty.
"No, the mystery of our ancestor's 'Nameless' has stumped the Bian family for generations! Someone once deduced its internal structure based on its appearance and made a corresponding key. However, strangely, despite calculating it countless times beforehand, the key was refused entry when it was actually inserted into the keyhole."
"It can't even be inserted?"
"That's right, it wouldn't even fit! This is a mistake that no ordinary locksmith would make, and that's exactly what happened. The person who made the key was so devastated by this that he gave up the business and never touched locks again. And later, someone finally proved that 'Nameless' can change!"
"The meaning of change is..."
"It can change the keyhole and internal structure on its own!" Bian Ruili said calmly. "Don't be surprised. I could do that too. Ordinary ancient Chinese locks are actually spring-loaded structures, unlike the pin tumbler locks commonly used today, which originated from the West. Ancient locks consist of a bolt and a lock body. The bolt often has several spring plates. When the key enters the lock body, it can squeeze and clamp the open spring plates, causing the bolt to separate from the lock body to unlock it. To be honest, this structure is quite simple. Therefore, many ancient locks differ only in their external shape or the shape of the spring plates, which has certain shortcomings in security. This requires lock makers to think from other angles. Combination locks and seven-piece interlocking locks are products that have emerged from this. The Bian family has long thought that if a lock could change the position and size of the keyhole and modify the internal structure accordingly, it would undoubtedly greatly improve security."
The simplest example based on this reasoning is something called the "Ever-Changing Lock." Bian Ruili said, taking a lock about the size of a flip phone from a drawer in the table and showing it to Luo Jian.
"On the surface, this lock is just an ordinary lock with three holes."
"So that means you need three keys to open it? Do they need to be inserted in a certain order, or else it won't open?" Luo Jian asked.
This time, it was Bian Ruili's turn to show surprise. He looked Luo Jian over a few times and exclaimed, "If it were an ordinary lock, it would indeed be as you say. My 'Hundred Transformations Lock' uses a similar principle to what you described, but with some modifications. There is only one key, but the result is different depending on the order in which you open it. You must follow the incantation and insert the key into different keyholes in a specific order and direction..." Bian Ruili then took out a cylindrical metal rod, on which different patterns of varying lengths and shapes were engraved on different surfaces.
"Inserting the key into this hole from this side will cause the bolt inside the lock body to change position, entering the second locking position. Then, following the same position, inserting the key into another hole from the other side will cause the bolt to change position again. This lock has two bolts inside, each with four positions: up, down, left, and right. Depending on the opening method, the bolts will change their position and angle. And any side of the key can be inserted into one of the three holes to open a different lock. Therefore, compared to ordinary locks where you only need to know the sequence and not which key to insert into which hole, it is quite difficult to open this lock if you don't know the sequence. Hence, it is called the 'Hundred Transformations Lock'. However, 'Nameless' is different! 'Nameless' only has one bolt and one hole, but strangely, it will change on its own. The Bian family has exhausted generations of effort but still cannot find the reason. It can only be said that the Bian family ancestor truly received the true teachings of immortals and created a lock that is impossible in the mortal world."
"Why not try breaking the lock, that way..."
“No. According to the Bian family’s ancestral precepts, the key is the foundation of the Bian family’s survival. We should treat it with the utmost care, let alone destroy it at will! Besides, this lock is so exquisitely crafted that no member of the Bian family could bring themselves to break it after seeing such craftsmanship.” At this point, Bian Ruili gave Luo Jian a meaningful look and said, “I never thought that the key that the Bian family had been searching for for thousands of years would be found by you. It truly fulfills the dying wish of our ancestor.”
"Bian... what did that ancestor say?"
She said, "Once this lock is locked, it must be opened by a destined person. Among our clansmen, no matter who they are, whoever meets the right person must..." At this point, Bian Ruili's face suddenly turned ugly. He hesitated for a moment before continuing, his tone seemingly reluctant.
“Bian asked his ancestor to tell us to give the contents of the box to the person who holds the key.”
Luo Jian suddenly realized, and quickly waved his hand: "I won't accept it, those kinds of manuals are useless to me..."
“Since our ancestor says so, Bian Ruili will do it!” Perhaps angered by Luo Jian’s indifferent attitude, Bian Ruili raised his voice and said sternly, his eyes full of anger as he looked at Luo Jian.
This is, after all, the crystallization of wisdom left by the ancestors of the Bian family. For thousands of years, countless people in the Bian family have made countless efforts, treated it with utmost care, and paid a considerable price for it, yet they still failed to learn the inside story. Now, an outsider has casually obtained the ownership of the ancestors' property and even puts on an attitude that it is of no use to him. Any member of the Bian family would probably find this unacceptable.
Realizing he had misspoke, Luo Jian quickly tried to salvage the situation: "What I meant was, it's such a waste for someone like me who knows absolutely nothing about locks..."
“But that’s our ancestors’ instruction!” Bian Ruili gritted his teeth, reading each word carefully.
"Then...then how about I accept it and then give it to Mr. Bian? What do you think?" Seeing Bian Ruili breathe a sigh of relief and his expression change from anger to joy, Luo Jian finally felt at ease.
Bian Ruili's behavior just now has fully demonstrated his covetousness for the manuscript of Bian Qiu's solution in the wooden box. Luo Jian thought that if he really accepted that secret manual, he probably wouldn't even be able to leave the Bian family's house.
Human nature is rooted in greed. Once greed arises, and it is combined with obsession, one might easily commit acts such as murder and arson.
“Then please open this wooden box now.” Bian Ruili suddenly straightened his expression and said, then respectfully took out half of the key from the bag and handed it to Luo Jian. He then stood aside with his hands behind his back, waiting for Luo Jian to open the wooden box.
"Now...?" Luo Jian asked hesitantly. His previous eagerness to investigate Bomeiji had subsided as the doubts had dissipated, and now he was unsure whether to continue. The contents of the box should indeed be related to Bomeiji, but for some reason, opening it made him feel uneasy.
“Yes, now,” Bian Ruili said forcefully, his tone imposing. After waiting for so many years, it was no wonder he was unwilling to wait even a moment longer.
"Okay... alright." Realizing that further persuasion was useless, Luo Jian picked up the broken key, found the keyhole, aligned it, and gently inserted it.
The key slid in quite smoothly. Before Luo Jian could even consider whether the key needed to be turned to open the ancient lock, he heard a "click" and the crimson "nameless" lock opened and fell onto the table.
"Open...open it..." Bian Ruili's voice trembled noticeably. Luo Jian was even a little worried that Bian Ruili might faint from excessive excitement, and he himself... seemed to be quite agitated as well. Looking at his trembling hands, Luo Jian thought, but the reason for his excitement seemed different from Bian Ruili's. Why was he so excited?
As Luo Jian pondered, his hands trembling, he slowly opened the wooden box containing rare treasures that had been fought over by the Bian family for generations.
"This is……"
Luo Jian took out the silk handkerchief from the box and unfolded it...
As if an eternity had passed, Bian Ruili's piercing screams came from beside Luo Jian: "Why! Why is it a painting? Where is the manuscript of the secret technique?"
He screamed wildly, turning the empty wooden box over and over again, until finally he threw it to the ground and began to wail.
No old man could cry like that; his voice was shrill and his appearance terrifying.
But Luo Jian didn't hear it; his ears were ringing. The white silk unfolded in his hand turned yellow quickly upon contact with air, but it was still clear that it was a painting, a portrait, with two lines of tiny characters written in the lower left corner.
"Red key".
"Bian seeks answers in the summer of the fifteenth year of Zhenguan".
The painting depicts a man who is about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old. His posture is incredibly lifelike, and his appearance is exactly the same as Luo Jian's!
Chapter Thirty-One: Locked-Up Madness
Name: Akagi Gender: Male Age: Appearance: 26 or 27
Occupation: Owner of "Bone Misalignment" shop; Occupation: No. 20, South Tree Stump, Bomei Town
Spring always arrives so early in Chang'an; often, just overnight, while the green tiles and vermilion gates are still covered in a blanket of white snow, the entire city is already ablaze with spring blossoms. This was the fifteenth year of the Zhenguan era, under the incorruptible rule of Emperor Taizong Li Shimin, an era brimming with dreams and vitality, an era where it seemed everything was possible…
"Help! Help!" A woman in a blue silk dress came running down the path from afar. She was a girl of about thirteen or fourteen years old. Her round face was flushed from running, making her look quite adorable. Her bright, large eyes added to her innocent charm. However, contrary to her outward cuteness, while she was casually holding up her skirt with one hand to prevent the hanging ribbons from hindering her movement, she was holding... oh my! A delicate yet gleamingly sharp little axe!
"Yes, I'm here!" At the end of the path, on a glossy chestnut-colored horse, someone called out to the girl.
He was a young man in a tight-fitting outfit, looking no more than fifteen or sixteen years old. His youthful yet handsome face radiated the unique vigor and spirit of youth. The boy had a classic oval face and quite fair skin, so at first glance, he might seem overly effeminate. However, upon closer inspection, one couldn't help but be deeply attracted by his pair of dazzling black eyes! Those bright and captivating eyes, as if exquisitely carved from the finest black agate, shone with a fortitude and composure uncommon among boys his age. Although there was a hint of arrogance, it was clearly an outward aura cultivated over many years on a solid foundation of self-confidence.
"Hey, I've brought you the little golden axe you wanted." The round-faced girl, panting heavily, stopped in front of the boy's horse and handed the axe, which looked quite heavy, to the boy on horseback with one hand—judging from this alone, the girl's arm strength was clearly beyond that of an ordinary woman.
"Yes, thank you so much for making this special trip." The boy bent down to take the axe and carefully placed it into the leather pouch he was carrying on his back. Besides the small golden axe, the pouch also contained a bow, arrows, a saw, and other items. The pouch looked quite heavy, but the boy carried it with ease.
"Not at all, you are my master. My master's orders are not to be taken lightly, let alone something as trivial as fetching an axe. I would go through fire and water for you!" The round-faced girl raised her face and smiled sweetly.
"Cough... You're being cheeky again!" The boy shook his head helplessly, but the smile on his face couldn't hide his affection for the round-faced girl. "I'll say it again, you're actually a few generations older than me. Logically, I should call you 'Auntie,' so stop calling me 'Master.'"
"I don't care," the girl pouted upon hearing this. "Auntie or uncle, since you agreed to teach me lock-making, you're my master. I don't care about seniority, especially since you're three years older than me!"
The boy rested his forehead on one hand, looking helpless against the girl.
"Alright, whatever you want~ When I leave, remember to keep an eye on those idiots at home, and don't let them sell their worthless stuff again."
Knowing that the group of fools the boy was talking about were the young talents of the renowned "Bian Family Locksmith Shop" in Chang'an, who were also the boy's brothers, the girl, who was also from the Bian family, couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"Please, please stop talking about them like that! Every time you say that, I think of those sanctimonious guys who were summoned by the Emperor and who pester you every day to teach them their skills. They are, after all, outstanding talents who are highly regarded in this generation. You really shouldn't keep calling them fools!"