The dialogue between Miao Qingfeng and the old man was in their local dialect, which was hard for outsiders to understand.

  “Boss, what are they talking about?”


  “They are praising you, saying that you are handsome.”


  “Huh, can that be?”


  “What do you think?” Yang Guanfeng asked. “They are using their local dialect. It’s the language that only the people in their village can understand. Do you think I can understand them?”


  The young man was stunned. He had not expected that the captain would make such a joke.

  “He said he could take a look for you.” Miao Qingfeng smiled at the two of them.

  “Alright then, take a look at him first.” Miao Qingfeng pointed to the young man beside him.

  “Why me?”


  “You are heaty. You have to be checked.”


  “Boss, how can you tell that I am heaty?”


  “Bad breath.”


  “That’s because I ate stinky tofu.”


  “Come on, don’t talk so much nonsense.”


  The old man’s way of consultation was not to check his pulse but to look. He would stare at people continuously and ask questions, but the young man could not understand what he had said. Fortunately, there was a translator beside him.

  Miao Qingfeng asked the questions, and the young man answered them. The old man also looked at his tongue coating and raised his shirt to check his chest, abdomen, and back.

  “How is it?” The young man who had assumed that there would be nothing wrong with him was confused by his actions. There should not be much of a problem, right?

  “Didn’t we just have a physical examination last month? You were in good health back then, right?” Yang Guanfeng, who was standing at the side, asked.

  “Yes, I had passed all the categories at that time, but I am quite overwhelmed and worried about the old man’s staring and prodding!”


  The old man began to speak, but he still spoke in his local dialect. The two outsiders could not understand what they were saying at all.

  “He said that you are in good health,” Miao Qingfeng said. “It’s just that you haven’t had a good rest recently. Be sure to rest more.”


  “Oh, that’s good to hear.” The young man let out a sigh of relief.

  “As for you, however……” Miao Qingfeng pointed to Yang Guanfeng.

  “There’s something wrong with your body.”


  “Oh, what’s the problem?” Yang Guanfeng did not ask, but the young man beside him did because he was worried.

  This captain of his was very stubborn and fiery. He would not even give his boss face when he was angry, but he was quite nice to people like him. He would always think of them when there was something good. People like him admired and appreciated their captain very much. Now that he had heard that there were some physical problems with his body, he was nervous. He felt even more nervous than when he thought that there was something wrong with himself.

  “His stomach, intestines, and kidneys all have problems,” the old man said as Miao Qingfeng translated beside him.

  “Ah, is it serious?” the young hurriedly asked.

  “It’s not very serious, but he has to undergo treatment and recuperate,” Miao Qingfeng said, translating the old man’s words. “The first thing is to have a regular work and rest schedule, and to nourish your body with medicine.”


  “Do you want sone medicine to be prescribed?”


  “Sure,” Yang Guanfeng said without hesitation.

  “OK, wait for a moment,” Miao Qingfeng said. “You won’t be able to buy the medicine sold here outside. I ensure you that you will be able to feel the effect immediately after taking one set.”


  “I’ll have to thank you well then,” Yang Guanfeng said with a smile.

  He knew there was something wrong with his body. It had been detected during the last physical examination. His gut was not good. He had some stomach ulcers, which had a lot to do with his irregular routine and diet.

  After being in another room for a long time, the old man only came out holding a package.

  “There are seven sets of medicine in it,” Miao Qingfeng said. “Take one per day. Take it one and a half hours after you’ve had your breakfast. Don’t forget. After seven days, you will be completely well.”


  “OK, thank you. How much is it?” Yang Guanfeng took out his wallet.

  The old man waved his hand.

  “It’s free.”


  “How can that do?” Yang Guanfeng disagreed. He still took out $500 and handed it to the old man.

  “No!” The old man didn’t look very happy.

  “You have to accept it, or I may be suspected of taking bribes,” Yang Guanfeng said.

  “Can this really be counted as a bribe?” Miao Qingfeng asked. “Besides, it’s just a few of us here. If I don’t spill and he doesn’t spill, who will know?”


  “You know, I know, and heaven and Earth know about it. Talk to this old man and persuade him to take it.”


  “OK.” Miao Qingfeng said a few words to the old man, who then accepted the money.

  “Well, that’s perfect. My heart feels at ease,” Yang Guanfeng said.

  “Shall we go on?”


  “Let’s continue.”


  The three of them wandered around the village. Along the way, they met some villagers. Miao Qingfeng took the initiative to greet them. When they met the children, he playfully tussled with them. It was apparent that the villagers got along well. The people’s style of communication was simple and peaceful. They also gave off pure and simple vibes. It seemed logical since they did not have too much contact with the outside world. It allowed for some ancient things and culture to be passed down.

  “Captain Yang, how do you feel?” Miao Qingfeng asked.

  “The people here are very simple, and they look very satisfied!”


  That’s right. It’s satisfaction. After this journey, what he saw on the faces of these people were the smiles of satisfaction. He had been a seasoned criminal police office for many years. He knew what was real and what was fake. Those people’s expressions were not fake. They were all real. They were satisfied with this kind of life, no matter if they were old or young.

  There were also children around.

  “What do they do when they go to school?”


  “There are schools in the stockade. There are people here who teach them,” Miao Qingfeng replied.

  “How about high school and university?”


  “They have to leave the village for that.”


  “When I came here, I calculated that it would take more than two hours to drive to the nearest town from here. If any children wanted to go to school, it would be very inconvenient, right?”


  “It would be a little inconvenient. They can live outside,” Miao Qingfeng said.

  “I see. I’m sorry. I was just curious, so I asked a little more.”


  “It is no problem,” Miao Qingfeng said.

  Yang Guanfeng wandered around the stockade once more and found nothing unusual.

  “Captain Yang, it’s already noon. After so much walking, you should be hungry. Shall I take you guys to taste the delicious food in our stockade?”


  “Sure,” Yang Guanfeng replied.

  The ate at Miao Qingfeng’s home. Miao Qingfeng’s sister was the cook. She was a beautiful girl. The food she cooked was fragrant. The ingredients were all local delicacies. The food was delicious. The cooking method was also very unique. With the secret seasoning, it tasted extremely delectable.

  “Mmm, it’s delicious!” The young man kept raising his thumbs.

  “Thank you,” Miao Qingfeng’s younger sister said with a smile. As soon as she smiled, she seemed even more beautiful. The young man was stunned by her beauty.

  Thwack!

  Yang Guanfeng kicked him under the table.

  Son of a b*tch! Don’t disgrace me here!

  “Captain Yang, would you like a drink?”


  “No, thank you.” Yang Guanfeng refused.

  “It’s a home-made wine. It’s not very strong.”


  “No, I shall pass, thank you.”


  Miao Qingfeng smiled. “That’s a pity. This wine can’t be drunk outside.”


  After hearing that, the young man stared at the wine jar. He was a lover of alcohol and liked to taste good wine.

  “Would you like a drink?”


  “No, I have to drive!”


  “Drive? Just stay the night here and leave tomorrow. You won’t be drunk after sleeping through the night.”


  “Drink some if you want to,” Yang Guanfeng said.

  There were rules, of course, but sometimes they had to be tweaked accordingly to adapt. He had to take human feelings into account. He was a person who knew how to change and adapt. As long as it did not involve principle and moral issues, some things could be done with one eye open and one eye closed if it made people happy. That was one of the reasons why his subordinates liked to follow him so much.

  “Well, thank you, Boss.”


  “Why don’t you have a drink as well?”


  “No. Didn’t the doctor just say that I have a weak stomach? I can’t drink at the moment.”


  “A lot of medicinal herbs have been added to this wine. It has the effect of health care. Not only would it not increase the burden on your stomach, but it could also treat diseases.”


  “Have a little drink, Boss?”


  “OK, just a little.”


  Yang Guanfeng took a sip. The wine was not spicy. It had a clear and unique fragrance. It was a slightly sweet and delicious drink similar to fruit wine.

  “Mmm, delicious!” The young man took a sip.

  “You won’t be able to drink this wine outside,” Miao Qingfeng said.

  While drinking, Yang Guanfeng asked some questions, some of which had something to do with the case, but most of which had nothing to do with the case.

  After the meal, they rested a while before going to the bamboo tower.

  “Thank you for your hospitality.”


  “You’re welcome.”


  When the girl returned home to clean up the dishes, she found several hundred dollars under the place where Yang Guanfeng had sat.

  What is this? She was a little stunned, but she quickly understood what the other party had meant.

  “Strange outsider,” the girl mumbled.

  “Where are you going?”


  “Ah, is there a lake there?” Yang Guanfeng asked as he pointed just a little in the distance.

  “Ah, yes, shall we go and have a look?”


  “Yes, let’s go.”


  The three men arrived at the lake, which looked very clear. There was an island in the middle of the lake and several boats beside it.

  “What is this lake called?”


  “Soothing of Gods Lake,” Miao Qingfeng said.

  “Soothing of Gods Lake? What a nice name.”


  “Do you see that little island in the middle? There is a unique plant on that island. It’s a kind of grass. It gives off a unique fragrance. It is a kind of medicinal herb, a precious medicinal herb.”


  Yang Guanfeng nodded.

  They walked around the lake.

  “Can I go up on the mountain to have a look?” He pointed to the mountain not far behind him.

  “Yes, but we can’t go to some places. All the dead people in our stockade are buried there.”


  “I understand.”


  Miao Qingfeng led them up the mountain along a slightly rugged road. Standing on the hillside, they could see the overall appearance of the village. The buildings were tidily arranged.

  Yang Guanfeng’s gaze fell on the lake. The one they had just seen.