Histoires de fantômes

Chapitre 166

Gu Zhijin sighed helplessly, "Alright, alright. Although I haven't seen what the zither looks like yet, judging from the vermilion seal of 'Five Lakes' and the music I just heard, I think it's an antique from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. During the war between Wu and Yue, Fan Li, a minister of Yue, used a 'counter-espionage' and a 'beauty trap' to dismantle the power of King Fuchai of Wu and ultimately helped King Goujian of Yue restore his country. Afterwards, he took the beauty Xi Shi and sailed on the Five Lakes, collecting 'black gold phoenix tree' from Shu and 'red dragon whiskers' from Wu. After ten years, he crafted this zither."

When it comes to knowledge about antiques, Gu Zhijin's speech immediately becomes incredibly fluent.

I listened in silence. In terms of knowledge about ancient musical instruments, he could be the teacher of any musician or professor without exaggeration; he just didn't have the interest himself.

"It is said that Fan Li devoted his life to writing a secret manual on how to unify the world, which was hidden in the guqin. Later, during the Warring States period, King Ying Zheng of Qin obtained it, and suddenly his country became incredibly powerful, eventually unifying China and becoming the first true emperor in Chinese history. When Qin Shi Huang sent Xu Fu eastward across the sea to find the elixir of immortality, this guqin also set sail with him, along with Zhongsun Gong, the most famous guqin player in Qin at the time. The guqin disappeared from China after that, remaining silent for more than 500 years, which is why it is often overlooked when modern people select the ten most famous guqin."

"The guqin reappeared in the Tang Dynasty. The poet Li He, known as the 'Poet Ghost,' wrote a famous poem praising a musician playing the konghou. However, according to Li family genealogy records, Li He knew nothing about the konghou, a foreign instrument, but was instead captivated by guqin music. He even purchased a guqin at a high price from a Japanese envoy to Tang China, bearing the seal of the 'Five Lakes' in seal script. The sound produced by this guqin is the beautiful imagery of 'Wu silk and Shu paulownia, clouds gathering in the empty mountains' described in his poem."

Guan Baoling listened attentively and put down her guqin.

Gu Zhijin spoke at length for nearly five minutes, but still hadn't touched on the parts that interested me. If it were just a musical instrument, why pay such a high price of thirty million US dollars? I knew Guan Baoling was just saying it casually; she wasn't a businesswoman well-versed in the market.

"Li He's family fell into poverty after he spent all his savings on a guqin (a seven-stringed zither), but three years later, when the 'envoy to Tang China' who sold the guqin returned to Japan, the guqin had mysteriously disappeared and vanished from China completely."

Gu Zhijin paused slightly at this point, perhaps feeling that he was being taken advantage of by giving me free lectures during his precious time.

"And then? As far as I know, the most expensive Chinese guqin sold at Sotheby's for ten million pounds, while the most precious guqin in your treasure room is only worth six and a half million US dollars. I think this offer of thirty million US dollars seems to be beyond your means!" I deliberately provoked his desire to perform, to see if I could get some truth out of him.

Gu Zhijin chuckled and said, "Of course, the price is a bit high, but a British person is willing to pay a high price to buy part of my collection, so I still have enough money to buy the piano you have. Don't worry about it."

I cut to the chase with a seemingly straightforward question: "Xiao Gu, I'm really interested in knowing what makes the guqin so precious, or what secrets it holds. Thirty million US dollars is nothing to me, and I don't lack that kind of money. If I'm in a good mood someday, I might just saw it apart piece by piece and examine it under a microscope, centimeter by centimeter."

Gu Zhijin immediately cried out in a fit of rage, "No, no, no! Didn't you already promise to sell it to me? Don't break it, it's pointless!"

I whispered, "Tell me the secret!" Before I knew it, my stomach started growling; it was lunchtime.

Guan Baoling had been stroking the red seal. At this moment, she gestured to me and whispered, "Why not agree to his request? Take it slow. Several of the rising tycoons in Hollywood are very interested in ancient Chinese civilization. If we delay for a while, we can sell it for an astronomical price."

I frowned, and Guan Baoling immediately smiled knowingly, lowering her voice even further: "I know you won't sell it, but at least the other party has to take the bait before they'll reveal some valuable secrets, right?"

A young monk carrying a large food box entered the courtyard, stopped under the eaves, and bowed respectfully to me: "Mr. Feng, lunch has been delivered."

Actually, the door had been open the whole time. Guan Baoling and I were so engrossed in our tasks that we didn't even notice the chill that was constantly seeping into the room. I pointed to the doorway, indicating that the monk should put the food box there.

After the monks left the courtyard, Guan Baoling stretched and chuckled softly, "Let's eat, I'm really a little hungry!"

Gu Zhijin, with his keen intuition, asked again, "Feng, who's with you? Have you found another buyer?"

I chuckled twice, indicating my agreement.

Gu Zhijin became visibly anxious and said loudly, "Feng, you clearly agreed to sell it to me first. So, I'll immediately have my sister go to Hokkaido to see you, and bring plenty of information until you're satisfied, how about that? As for the price, we can discuss it anytime by phone. Hehe, between friends, feelings are above all else. 'At home, you rely on your parents; when you're out, you rely on your friends,' don't you always say that?"

This is Gu Zhijin's speaking style. In addition to quoting classical texts, he also mixes Chinese, English, official jargon, slang, and colloquialisms, creating a chaotic and varied style.

"Her name is Gu Qingcheng, a professor in the Department of Music at the University of Hong Kong. She will arrive within 24 hours and can act as my authorized representative." Perhaps Gu Zhijin was truly determined to acquire the guqin, as he quickly provided his sister's information, which made me feel a little apologetic.

After hanging up, I picked up a pen and wrote down the name "Gu Qingcheng" on a piece of paper. It sounded vaguely familiar.

Chinese intellectuals often draw inspiration from classical Chinese texts when naming their children. The name "Gu Qingcheng" likely derives from the phrase "one glance could topple a city, a second glance could topple a nation." Therefore, Gu Zhijin should be renamed "Gu Qingguo" to rhyme and sound harmonious, so the two siblings, both "topple cities and nations," can roam the world together.

The fourth super weapon

— Chapter 6 — The Gu Siblings (Part 2) —

It was a bright and sunny afternoon. After the fierce battle, every grain of rice I swallowed tasted intoxicatingly sweet. When I was alone with Guan Baoling, my emotional hope and anxiety about the Fang Demon's curse kept swirling in my mind, so my gaze would involuntarily fall on her face.

"Feng, how much do you know about the guqin?" Guan Baoling put down her small Japanese lacquer bowl. The first thing she did after finishing her meal was to turn and look at the guqin on the bed. On the purplish-black soundboard, a dark red light seemed to drift erratically. After looking at it for a while, she even felt a bit of eerie fear.

I shook my head modestly, looking forward to Guan Baoling's next move.

She picked up the piece of paper on the table, pointed to the three words "Gu Qingcheng" that I had written, and continued with certainty: "We may not understand, but she definitely will, because she is one of the founders of the Global Ancient Cultural Heritage Research Association, specializing in the study of Eastern musical instruments, and has five postdoctoral titles, all of which are related to ancient musical instruments and ancient music theory."

I quickly searched my mind for a few seconds. There are no more than a hundred outstanding women in the Chinese world. From Ms. Jin, who has embraced both Eastern and Western cultures for the past twenty years, to Ms. Ma, who has swept through the film, television, and music industries in recent years, including several female writers from Hong Kong and Taiwan who are famous for their writing, I know them all, but I just can't connect any of them with "Gu Qingcheng".

"Hmm? Is it the pseudonym 'Jiangnan Pearl Hero'—the shadow editor of the magazine 'Chaoge'?" My mind suddenly clicked, and I thought of a famous figure who had become incredibly popular in Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Southeast Asia over the past two years. However, I had only ever heard of that person but never actually seen her; she was said to be an exceptionally beautiful woman.

Guan Baoling smiled slightly and replied in classical Chinese: "Indeed."

I couldn't help but slam my hand on the table and sigh, "How can a bustling merchant like Gu Zhijin have a sister who seems like an ethereal being? This world is so unfair—"

In my excitement, I made a huge mistake: I shouldn't have loudly praised another beautiful woman in front of her. Of course, Guan Baoling holds an incredibly high place in my heart, and no one can surpass her. I just felt that even if Gu Zhijin had a sister, she was nothing more than a money-grubbing businesswoman.

As a leading high art magazine, "Chaoge" has readers all over the Chinese world. In particular, the "Tour of the Ancient Capital of Six Dynasties" column, which has 10,000 words in each issue, is personally written by the editor-in-chief, who goes by the pseudonym "Jiangnan Mingzhu Xia". The style is extremely elegant, and the writing is sometimes as gorgeous as carved railings and jade steps, and sometimes as fresh as the new buds of apricot branches in Jiangnan. It has received rave reviews from readers.

A talented woman shrouded in mystery always attracts the relentless pursuit of paparazzi. Finally, at a Christmas charity gala in Hong Kong two years ago, a diligent tabloid reporter captured her profile, causing a sensation in Hong Kong. Because she was truly a flawless young woman, like a piece of fine jade, graceful and elegant, with unparalleled beauty—

I drifted off again. Deep down, it was really hard to connect the appearances of Gu Zhijin and "Jiangnan Pearl Hero".

“Feng, she was my short-term talent consultant, so I know this better than others. But we had a gentleman’s agreement that, apart from those few short weeks of collaboration, we would pretend not to know each other no matter where we met. As for the guqin, her knowledge is probably even greater than your brother’s, and her playing skills are simply superb.”

Guan Baoling rarely praises others, but this time, I could tell that all her words came from the bottom of her heart.

"Alright, I hope this Miss Gu won't disappoint us both. I'm not interested in her appearance; I just want to get more information about the guqin."

With four hours until dusk, I knew what I had to do. I immediately took out my phone and called Xiao Keleng. The Shao brothers' refining ceremony would likely require Zhang Baisen's presence; after all, they had come together, and he needed to give an explanation regarding the Shao brothers' fate. After the call connected, I slowly walked into the courtyard. Guan Baoling was tuning her piano again, and I didn't want to disturb her with other trivial matters.

Xiao Ke's voice was calm, probably unaware of the huge changes that had taken place at Fengge Temple last night: "Mr. Feng, what are your orders?" The phone kept ringing, probably because the villa's defenses were still in progress.

I recounted last night's events in the simplest terms possible. It was clear she was deeply shocked upon hearing the name "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain," gasping in shock and urgently asking, "Really? It really is him?"

In all the unexpected events, she didn't care about Fujika's death or Tanino Shinshu's breakthrough, nor did she care about the hundreds of ninjas who were killed or the safe that caught fire—she only cared about the "Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain" incident.

I cautiously replied, "At least on the surface, that is him."

Xiao Keleng slowed down her tone, clearly speaking to me while thinking: "Mr. Feng, a year ago, Mr. Scalpel conducted a special study on 'Wind, Forest, Fire, Mountain,' examining no fewer than a hundred biographies related to him and also accessing many top-secret documents from the Japanese National Archives. He took notes totaling at least 200,000 words, expending a great deal of energy and time. These materials are kept in the study on the second floor."

I hummed in agreement to indicate that I understood.

As a source of pride for the Japanese, Kazan Kaze (also known as Fuurin Kazan) has had his story adapted into movies, TV dramas, animated feature films, and dozens of fantasy novels based on him. His name is a household name, as familiar to every Japanese person as sushi and cherry blossoms.

When I was in the study of the villa, I flipped through the scalpel's notes and noticed this point.

"Mr. Scalpel once said that the greatness of Fenglinshan lies not in his martial arts, ninjutsu, or wit, but in his unique thinking and unparalleled foresight. It is said that the infamous 'Marco Polo Bridge Incident,' which shocked China and the world, was a suggestion he made to the Japanese High Command in North China, along with a complete plan for the invasion of China. He made over a hundred similar proposals, especially when the Japanese army was at its most rampant in Asia; he had already proactively suggested 'shrinking the defensive line,' foreseeing a future reversal of the war's outcome—"

Zhang Baisen's voice came through the microphone: "Feng, Miss Xiao and I will go to Fengge Temple at the same time. I am responsible for the death of the Shao brothers and I must see them off."

Zhang Baisen sounded quite depressed, which was understandable. Shao Hei's death was due to overexertion and mental exhaustion, while Shao Bai's death was shrouded in mystery, with no clues to the killer. The mainland had lost two national treasures, and if the higher-ups blamed him, he would have to bear the responsibility, potentially facing severe punishment.

Interrupted by him, Xiao Keleng did not continue speaking, but I had already read about what she said in various biographies of Fenglin Huoshan.

"Then, see you at dusk." My mood was affected by Zhang Baisen's, and I immediately became depressed, quickly hanging up the line.

Guan Baoling had already adjusted the guqin and placed it neatly on the table. This guqin, worth three million US dollars, was perhaps the only one of its kind in the world. If I were as greedy as Gu Zhijin, my heart should be boiling with excitement, but I always felt depressed because of the tragic deaths of the people around me one after another.

“Feng, Miss Gu’s appearance is perfect, but it’s a pity that she never shows her true face. Perhaps you should secretly set up a digital camera, take pictures of her, and sell them to tabloid reporters…” Guan Baoling was joking, but she was obviously not paying attention, and her words were not funny at all.

I couldn't figure out what was on her mind, but I had a vague feeling that it was related to the tycoon.

"Shouldn't we leave Maple Temple? You've waited your turn, but the oracle from the 'Tower of the Dead' might appear at any time. Perhaps we don't have much time left to wait, right? Mr. Ye called to urge me to return to Hong Kong Island as soon as possible. The once familiar, bustling world suddenly feels foreign after this experience in Hokkaido, and I worry that I might not be able to reintegrate into it—"

She clutched her temples, a pained expression on her face.

Before coming to Fuuki Temple, she must have always been happy and content, carefree and fearless, surrounded by close friends and showered with praise. Her trip to Hokkaido, however, not only failed to break the "black magic" curse within the tycoon, but instead dragged her down, making her the target of the Fang Demon.

"Actually, you've just been away from the modern metropolis for a little while. Just think of it as a happy trip to the countryside. When the trip is over, of course you'll have to go back to the familiar city. After all, there are still many jobs and pursuits waiting for you." I wanted to stroke her long hair, but I was afraid it would be too abrupt, so my hand just stood there in mid-air.

The phone rang again at just the right time, startling her. Her long eyelashes fluttered incessantly, and her beautiful brows furrowed in anger.

I answered the phone and, before the other party could speak, let out a long sigh: "Gu, didn't we already agree on this? Why are you calling again? Please, can you just leave me alone? We can talk about everything when your sister comes—" I've dealt with many antique dealers before, but I've rarely seen anyone as persistent as Gu Zhijin.

The person on the other end of the phone paused for a moment, then responded softly, "Excuse me, is this Mr. Feng? I am Gu Qingcheng, Gu Zhijin's younger sister. I would like to ask you about the details of that guqin. Of course, if you don't mind my limited knowledge, we can also try to discuss its origins."

Her voice was incredibly soft and sweet, as if carrying an unforgettable sweet fragrance, both gentle and melodious.

My emotions instantly shifted from rage to calm: "I'm so sorry, Miss Gu, I've heard so much about you, it's an honor to meet you."

Gu Qingcheng smiled gently, her expression unchanging: "Mr. Feng, have you heard of me? Did you learn it from my elder brother? I am just a poor teacher; I have no great reputation whatsoever."

Listening to her speak, one could discern a subtle, classical elegance in her words, naturally distinguishing her from girls in modern cities. Judging from her voice, she was no more than twenty-five years old, a far cry from Gu Zhijin, who had already passed the age of forty.

Guan Baoling sighed softly and walked out, seemingly preoccupied with her own thoughts.

I should have chased after her, and I knew I should comfort her, but my desire to uncover the origins of the guqin tempted me to sit down by the bed.

“Mr. Feng, if the guqin is indeed, as my elder brother says, the ‘Five Lakes’ guqin, crafted by Fan Li, a minister during the Spring and Autumn Period, and Xi Shi, a beauty, then, as a gentleman does not covet excessive wealth, we will raise the price to eight million. According to the conventions of international ancient musical instrument auctions, all prices are based on pounds sterling, so my quoted price is eight million pounds sterling.”

I heard Gu Zhijin stamping his feet and pounding his chest, the sounds mixed in with Gu Qingcheng's voice.

This price exceeded my expectations for the second time. It ballooned from the initial HK$100,000 that Gu Zhijin had feigned generosity to eight million pounds, almost like magic. However, Gu Qingcheng's frankness left a very good impression on me, perfectly matching the feeling I got from her voice.

I reached out and gently plucked the strings, and a series of stirring and melodious notes rang out.

The fourth super weapon

— Chapter 7 — The Nemesis of Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain —

Gu Qingcheng immediately smiled and exclaimed, "Hmm, Mr. Feng is truly a genius at tuning. My brother said that this morning, the sound of the zither was off-key, as if it hadn't reached the point of being 'outwardly strong yet inwardly gentle, passionate yet profound.' But now it seems that you have tuned this zither to its peak of perfection. If you were to use it to play 'High Mountains and Flowing Water' or 'Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Wind,' it would surely bring out the clear and lofty beauty of the ancient melodies. However, I must remind you that in the frigid climate of Hokkaido, if the strings are tuned too tightly, they can easily become overstretched and break. No one on Earth can replace these strings anymore. If even one breaks, its value will drop by 90%. Therefore, Mr. Feng should treat it with care until it is sold."

After hearing her voice, I became curious about her and hoped to see her soon and get to know this unique classical girl in modern society.

Gu Zhijin quickly interjected, "Hey, with your martial arts skills, don't damage it by channeling your internal energy into your finger, or it'll be worthless!"

He only talks about money; he and Gu Qingcheng really don't have anything in common as siblings.

"I will fly to Hokkaido to meet Mr. Feng before noon tomorrow. If the guqin is verified, I will write you a check for eight million pounds sterling from Citibank. Please keep it safe for the next 24 hours. Thank you very much."

Listening to Gu Qingcheng speak, her words were refined and scholarly, like an old scholar lecturing to young students, yet her voice was so gentle and pleasant, like a serenade played in the low register.

She said goodbye softly, then gently reeled in the line, her movements as gentle as a butterfly resting on a flower in an ancient painting, showing none of the brashness or fierceness often associated with modern girls.

"Eight million pounds?" I carefully touched the vermilion seal on the guqin. It seemed I had seriously underestimated its value before. From now on, I had to reassess the situation. The guqin belonged to Tengjia in Youhuangshui County. The fact that its music could resonate with the xiao music in my illusion should prove its extraordinary nature.

Now that I've decided not to leave it to the Japanese, I'm sure I'll find a way to transport it away. International merchant ships in coastal ports have underground passages specifically for smuggling goods, so taking a guqin out of Japanese territory is by no means difficult.

I hurried out the door. Guan Baoling wasn't in the courtyard, so I didn't need to think about it. My feet naturally led me to the courtyard of the "Tower of the Dead." The only reason she stayed here was to await a divine revelation from heaven. Therefore, the tower and the well were what she cared about most, and everything else was just for amusement.

The journey was quiet; Fengge Temple seemed to have fallen into unprecedented desolation. No one was chanting scriptures or practicing meditation, and no one was moving around freely.

The monk Xiang has no idea how to manage things. It seems the Japanese temple management committee will definitely send a new abbot. They will not let such a great tourist resource be wasted like this.

Winter afternoons in Hokkaido seem especially short. It always feels like not long after lunch, the setting sun casts long, dark shadows from the eaves onto the brick ground.

Turning past the moon gate, the first thing you see is Guan Baoling standing in front of the tower, looking up at the top.

We miraculously escaped from there, so this courtyard is quite memorable. The ground is spotless, without any dust or weeds. At any time, the bluestone floor looks as if it was just laid, with grass roots not yet having had a chance to crawl out from the cracks in the stones. But I know that this courtyard has not been touched for at least three years. Even if it is cleaned more than three times a day, it cannot stop the weeds from growing.

"Below are the sea, mysterious buildings, and strange domes—" Because of the glass box incident and Shao Hei's remote sensing experience, I always feel that there are extremely dangerous forces lurking beneath my feet.

"Fengge Temple is built on a suspended rock stratum. If the underground water and air change abnormally and the rock stratum breaks, the entire temple will instantly sink into an abyss, and everything will be gone. It's truly... truly like dancing on a knife's edge, extremely dangerous!"

Examples of complete building collapses have been numerous over the past century. The most common cause of these accidents is overexploitation of underground mines. Whether it's coal, iron ore, zinc, or gold, once mining plans get out of control, underground miners may empty all the filling material under the building without taking any preventative measures.

In the most extreme example, a giant coal mine dormitory complex outside Moscow sank 70 meters in 15 seconds during the winter of 1985. Along with the coal mine flooding accident, all 435 residents in the building were frozen into horrific ice sculptures along with the building.

Perhaps the monks in Fengge Temple are unaware of their predicament. Many of them simply regard becoming monks as a way to make a living, spending their days eating and waiting to die, and never engaging in mentally taxing work.

If I get what I want, I'll finish exploring one minute and board a plane to Egypt the next, without lingering for even ten seconds on this isolated island of Japan.