1959Siheyuan, a Turnaround

Ever since Li Weiguo came back from Kunming Lake, he has been like a madman.

At night, he tossed and turned on the kang, unable to fall asleep.

The story told by the old man by the lake kept echoing in his mind like a spell: "Kunming Lake...Prince Qing...treasure..." He muttered to himself, his thoughts in a tangle.

He knew clearly in his heart that the things the old man said might not be entirely true, but Prince Qing did exist, and these legends might not be completely groundless, but they had changed a little in the process of being passed down by word of mouth.

Now it seems that if he really wants to find out the truth of the matter, he can only verify it on his own.

Fortunately, in today's city, those old people who have experienced the vicissitudes of life are still there.

As long as he is willing to put in an effort, he will definitely be able to find out some information.

The next morning, Li Weiguo hurriedly ate a few mouthfuls of breakfast, said hello to his grandparents, and rode his bicycle out.

"Boss, what happened to our Weiguo? I saw him being absent-minded while eating just now!"

Grandma Li stared at Li Weiguo's receding figure and asked Grandpa Li beside her.

"Can you guess what our Weiguo is thinking? But just listen to me and don't worry, our Weiguo is very smart!"

Grandpa Li said jokingly with a laugh, then walked out with his old pipe.

He will go to the courtyard again today. He heard from the craftsmen that the renovation of the courtyard will be completed in a few days. He is very happy!

Li Weiguo's eyes swept back and forth over the elderly people who were strolling, playing chess, and walking their birds with exquisite bird cages in the streets and alleys.

Speaking of these old people, they do have a unique aura.

Although their lives may be a little bit down now, that unique temperament is still faintly exuding.

You can clearly feel it from the way they walk and the way they look at people.

Li Weiguo quickly locked onto the target.

There was an old man wearing an old-fashioned long gown, his hair was gray but combed meticulously, and he was holding a carved bird cage in his hand. He was walking slowly at the entrance of the alley.

Li Weiguo was secretly delighted, thinking that this person must be someone with a story.

He approached the old man with great care and a flattering smile on his face: "Uncle, you really trained this bird! Look at its feathers and its spirit. It's obviously your masterpiece!"

The old man raised his head slightly, glanced at him, and raised the corners of his mouth, revealing a barely perceptible sense of pride: "Humph, of course! I put a lot of effort into this bird."

Li Weiguo quickly took out the cigarettes he had prepared in his pocket and handed one to him respectfully: "Uncle, you are awesome! I really admire people like you who are capable."

The old man took the cigarette and Li Weiguo quickly lit it.

After taking a puff of cigarette, the old man gradually started to talk.

Li Weiguo took the opportunity to steer the topic towards Prince Qing: "Master, I've been particularly interested in the affairs of our old capital recently. I heard that the former Prince Qing..."

When the old man heard the name "Prince Qing", a complex emotion flashed in his eyes, and then he snorted: "That Prince Qing is not a good guy! He is a corrupt official, and there were indeed rumors that he transferred treasures back then."

As he spoke, the old man's voice rose a few notes, as if he had returned to the glorious days of the past: "At that time, people said that it was Prince Qing who filled Kunming Lake with his treasures.

Humph, when this news came out, many people wanted to look for it, but Kunming Lake is so big and deep that most people can't see anything if they go down.

Besides, it would be strange if those people could find the treasure just by searching around like headless flies! Back then, I had seen a lot of the world, and the grandeur of Prince Qing’s mansion, tut tut…”

The old man narrowed his eyes, as if recalling the past glory, and the wrinkles on his face trembled: "But now, there is nothing!"

Li Weiguo quickly agreed: "Uncle, you are well-informed, do you think this is reliable?"

The old man flicked the ash off his cigarette and said confidently, "In my opinion, it's almost certain! But where exactly is it hidden? Who knows?"

Li Weiguo chatted with the old man for a long time and got a lot of useful information from him.

After bidding farewell to the old man, Li Weiguo began to look for his next target. He firmly believed that as long as he worked hard, he would be able to piece together the truth about Prince Qing's treasure.

Li Weiguo continued strolling while pushing his bicycle and saw a group of people watching a chess game around a stone table.

He leaned over, his eyes fixed on the chessboard, while thinking about how to bring the topic to Prince Qing.

The two old men were fighting fiercely. One of them was wearing a double-breasted jacket, had gray hair, and held a cigarette in his hand. He stared at the chessboard with a frown on his face, muttering, "Oh, this move is not going to be easy!"

Another old man wearing a melon-shaped hat looked very proud, "Hey, let's see how you deal with it!"

Li Weiguo saw the right moment and said with a smile: "Two old men, this chess game is really brilliant!"

The old man in the double-breasted jacket raised his eyes and glanced at him, "Hey, young man, you also know chess?"

Li Weiguo waved his hands quickly, "I only know a little bit, not as much as you two. But, I'm particularly interested in the past events in our capital."

The old man in the melon-shaped hat became interested and asked, "What's the matter?"

Li Weiguo pretended to be mysterious and said, "For example, the story of the iron-hatted Prince Qing."

When the old man in the melon-shaped hat heard this, a sly look flashed in his eyes, and he teased him deliberately, "What's the matter? Young man, are you also thinking about those legendary treasures?"

When Li Weiguo was asked about his inner thoughts, he scratched his head and said awkwardly, "I'm just curious, curious."

The old man in the double-breasted jacket chuckled, with a teasing look in his eyes, "Brat, are you also planning on the treasures that Prince Qing transferred?

Let me tell you, the water here is very deep, and most of it is fake.

Think about it, can Prince Qing's transfer of property be known so easily?"

Li Weiguo was so absorbed in listening that he didn't notice the old man's expression. He asked hurriedly, "So, what you said was all false?"

The old man in the melon-shaped hat took over the conversation, with a bit of joking on his face. He did not talk about Prince Qing, but told another rumor: "I have heard of another rare thing.

When the Eight-Nation Alliance invaded China, Empress Dowager Cixi was unable to take away the treasures in her hands, which made her very anxious!

The people around her came up with an idea and had eight carriages full of treasures brought out from the palace overnight.

Those are eight horse-drawn carriages, and those things of Karl Lagerfeld are priceless!

Later, I heard that it was hidden in a yard near the bell tower.

As for which one, well, no one really knows.

The people who live in that area are in a miserable situation now! In most cases, people have dug in their houses, but they have not found any results even after digging ten meters.

Don’t you think this is just nonsense? "