My 1995 Small Farm.

Of course.

This coffin is definitely not going to be opened now.

According to the established rules, when an unclaimed ancient coffin is unearthed, the cultural relics department is usually contacted, and experts decide whether to protect it on the spot or to open the coffin, clean it, and rebury it.

At that time, the so-called experts still enjoyed a high level of public recognition.

Most of them are indeed doing practical things.

However, the excavation in the village involves the special place of Chenwangzhuang.

How to handle it still depends on the opinions of the public.

The senior expert and his colleague whispered a few words to each other, then came over to Wang Laishun and Chen Ling and said:
“Secretary Wang, Mr. Chen, the discovery of this coffin is very important.”

"Judging from Mr. Chen's description, it is very likely that it preserves complete burial information and possible funerary objects."

"It is of great value for studying the local social customs, funeral culture, and even Taoist culture during the Ming and Qing dynasties."

He glanced at the sky: "It's too late today, the light is poor. We plan to conduct a preliminary opening of the coffin for investigation tomorrow morning, in the presence of the police. If the situation inside the coffin is stable, we will decide on the next steps."

“Then tonight…” Wang Laishun looked at the coffin.

"I hope you can send people to guard the area tonight."

The old expert said with a serious expression, "This coffin is too conspicuous. News travels fast, and it's inevitable that some people will have ulterior motives."

Chen Ling nodded: "Fifth Uncle, let's stick to the old method and organize the militia to take turns on duty. I'll bring a few more dogs over so they can give us an early warning if anything happens."

"Okay!" Wang Laishun nodded: "I'll make the arrangements as soon as I get back."

Chen Ling glanced at the black coffin again, a strange feeling welling up inside him.

Wood lacquer... push aside the soil...

There are indeed many old crafts and recipes in this world that modern science cannot fully explain.

He remarked with some emotion, "A Taoist priest's coffin, I really didn't expect that."

Upon hearing this, Chen Gannian smiled and said, "There is an old saying that 'the west side of the temple is where virtuous people are buried, and the east side is where treasures are hidden.' According to old customs, the west side of this Taoist temple is where lay Buddhists of high moral character are buried, or devout believers who have a connection with the temple."

"The expert's words are probably true. There really is some treasure east of the Taoist temple. It just depends on whether it's worth anything in our time."

"Also, Fugui, look, the place where this coffin was buried is less than ten feet outside the west wall of the original Taoist temple... There are many things that cannot be thought about deeply."

That Taoist temple was destroyed back in the 1960s, leaving only the foundation and ruins.

There are many legends about it in the village, but no one can say for sure what its origins are, which deity it was worshipped as, or how it eventually fell into disrepair.

Chen Ling nodded: "If it really is a Taoist temple cemetery, there might be an epitaph inside the coffin, or something bearing the mark of the Taoist temple. This would be a great help in clarifying the early history of our village."

As the two were talking, the experts exploring the ancient tomb suddenly shouted, "We've made a discovery!"

The crowd swarmed around again.

A young staff member carefully picked up a palm-sized, rusty metal object from the loose soil at the entrance of the tomb passage.

"It's a bronze mirror!" someone with sharp eyes exclaimed.

It was indeed a bronze mirror, with blurred patterns cast on the back and the edges corroded and damaged.

Strangely, there seemed to be writing on the back of the bronze mirror.

The old expert took the bronze mirror, shone a flashlight on it, and carefully examined it.

"The characters are... 'Qingxu Temple... ordination certificate...' The rest is rusted and illegible."

Qingxu Temple!
Chen Gannian nodded to Chen Ling, indicating that it matched.

That's the name of the Taoist temple on Donggang Hill back then!
"Ordination certificate" was an identity document for Taoist priests in ancient times, issued by the government or Taoist temples.

This bronze mirror is very likely a relic of a Taoist priest from Qingxu Temple.

At this moment, the expert wearing glasses suddenly asked:
"Grandpa, I forgot to ask earlier, how do you remember these things from the past so clearly? And you even spoke about things like 'firewood lacquer' in such detail?"

Before Fourth Grandfather could answer, Wang Laishun, who was standing next to him, interrupted with a smile:
"Don't underestimate my fourth uncle, you expert. When he was young, he was one of the few educated people in our village!"

"That's it."

Chen Ze and the others chimed in, "Fourth Grandfather is literate. He even studied at the Taoist temple on the east side of our village a few years ago, learning from the old Taoist priest there!"

Several elderly villagers nodded in agreement.

Chen Guowang said with a smile, "My fourth uncle is very sharp and has an excellent memory. He used to help me remember the village's old almanac, the solar term songs, and all the old customs. Whenever someone needed to write a letter or read a contract, they would go to him."

Another elderly woman with gray hair added, "That's right. When my fourth brother was young, he even helped the Taoist temple copy scriptures. Back then, the temple was very popular, and the old Taoist priests were very knowledgeable. My fourth brother learned a lot from them."

"After the founding of the People's Republic of China, he taught children for two years. But the school was very small and dilapidated at that time, and my fourth brother took care of them the whole time."

Grandpa was a little embarrassed by what everyone was saying, and waved his hand: "It's all old news, why bring it up? I just know a few characters and have listened to a few scriptures with the Taoist priest, I'm hardly a cultured person."

The expert, however, became interested: "The old man even studied under a Taoist priest? Those people at that Taoist temple now..."

Fourth Grandfather shook his head: "They're long gone, I don't know where they went."

"Taoist priests also need to farm and eat. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, there was no more incense offering, the houses collapsed, and the Taoist priests soon disappeared."

"But when I was a child, that Taoist temple was quite decent, with three courtyards and the Three Pure Ones enshrined there."

"There's only one old Taoist priest in the temple, but he's really skilled."

He recalled, “The old Taoist priest not only knew how to chant scriptures, but also knew medicine and recognized herbs. I carried water for him and swept the floor. He taught me to read and sometimes told me old stories and old crafts.”

“I told Fugui before that several of his disciples knew hard qigong, and could jump onto the roof and break iron wires.”

This has indeed been discussed before.

Chen Ling was quite surprised at the time.

The Taoist's practice of hard qigong always felt very incongruous to him, given his past life experiences.

The experts were also surprised.

Unexpectedly, in this remote mountain village, there is such a worldly old man who has studied culture with a Taoist priest.

Everyone got into a lively conversation.

Soon it got dark, and the temporary electric lights that had been brought in were turned on at the construction site.

The militiamen have already lined up in shifts and begun their duties.

Chen Ling brought several dogs from the forest farm.

Crouching outside the cordon, ears perked up, vigilantly watching the surroundings.

Chen Ling gave a few instructions and prepared to return to the farm.

When they reached the village entrance, they saw Qin Rongxian and Liang Hongyu leading Rui Rui and Xiao Ming to look at grasshoppers made of straw at a roadside stall.

"Fugui, over here!" Qin Rong waved first.

Chen Ling walked over, and Qin Rong smiled and said, "Your village is really lively now. We just went for a walk by the reservoir, and wow, there are so many birds... there are more than a dozen swans! And several pairs of mandarin ducks, all in pairs on the water, it's so beautiful."

Liang Hongyu laughed and said, "I told Rongxian that now that the school is built, Zhenzhen won't be studying in the county town anymore. She might as well stay here with you for a while longer. Life here is much more comfortable than in the city."

"That's great! Aunt and Uncle can stay as long as they want," Chen Ling said sincerely.

"Dad!" Rui Rui held up two grasshoppers woven from straw. "Grandpa bought these for me and my brother Xiaoming! One is green, and the other is yellow!"

Xiao Ming happily showed it off: "This can move! Look, when you pull the rope, its legs kick!"

Seeing the children's innocent and happy faces, Chen Ling's subtle emotions caused by the ancient tomb coffin dissipated considerably.

Families with young children tend to have dinner very early.

By this time, Wang Susu had already prepared dinner.

Gao Xiulan was holding Lele and feeding her rice cereal, while Kang Kang sat on the ground, leaning against Afu's big belly, shaking a rattle drum loudly.

When he saw Chen Ling looking at him, he just grinned foolishly.

Wang Cunye was tidying up the medicinal herbs drying in the yard when he saw Chen Ling return. He looked up and asked, "How's it going over at Donggang? Did they really dig up another coffin?"

“Yes, an old coffin painted with special lacquer. Fourth Grandfather said it might be related to the old Taoist temple.” Chen Ling washed his hands and sat down at the dining table.

Wang Susu ladled out a bowl of soup and handed it to him: "It's all over the village, and there are all sorts of rumors. Some people even say that digging up a coffin is bad luck and that a Taoist priest should perform a ritual."

Chen Ling took a sip of soup and shook his head: "What's the point of a ritual? That coffin has been buried there for hundreds of years. If it were truly unlucky, something bad would have happened to our village long ago." "Fu Gui is right. I think this is proof of the rich history of your Chenwangzhuang. Once the experts figure out its origins, it might even become a celebrated story for the village."

Qin Rong nodded and smiled.

Chen Ling smiled but didn't respond to that.

He knew in his heart that most of his "good fortune" came from the grotto.

But the existence of the cave also gave him a deeper sense of responsibility for this land.

While we were eating, Lynx arrived on his motorcycle. Before the motorcycle had even stopped, he shouted, "Fugui! Over at the dog farm, Lion King has started eating! He's eating on his own! Hua-ge is overjoyed!"

This is great news.

When Tibetan Mastiffs, these fierce dogs, get sick, their loss of appetite is the most troublesome thing.

Don't be fooled by how fierce, powerful, and strong this dog is.

However, their digestive system is actually quite weak.

When the weather is not right, it's easy to lose your appetite.

He stopped eating and drinking, and eventually became emaciated.

The fact that the person is willing to eat indicates that the treatment is effective and that their body is recovering.

no way.

Tibetan Mastiffs are difficult to care for; these dogs are very territorial.

They are more afraid of heat than cold.

"Where's Brother Hua?" Chen Ling asked.

"He's still guarding the dog farm, saying he wants to see the Lion King finish the meat porridge mixed with medicine with his own eyes."

Lynx laughed and said, "You didn't see it. Brother Hua was even happier than if he had recovered from his illness."

Chen Ling smiled and said, "That's good. I'll go change their dressings tomorrow. What about the tiger?"

"Raja and Maya are adapting well; they wandered around the enclosure several times this afternoon."

“Charles recorded a lot of data, saying that their curiosity about the new environment outweighed their fear, which is a good sign.”

Lynx was very excited: "Fugui, when are we going to let Afu and Ashou go over for a 'blind date'? I can't wait."

"Tomorrow afternoon, please."

Chen Ling thought for a moment: "Let Afu and Ashou walk around outside the fence first and see their reaction. This can't be rushed; they have to be willing to do it themselves."

"I understand, I understand, feelings need to be cultivated slowly." Lynx chuckled.

After dinner, Chen Ling went to the cowshed to check on the newborn calves.

"Fu Bao" and "Zhen Bao" can already trot along unsteadily, following closely beside their mother cow.

The other cows still had heavy bellies, but their condition was stable.

Chen Ling added night grass for them and checked their drinking water.

The moonlight is beautiful tonight, so bright and clear.

Ah Fu and Ah Shou lay under the eaves, their ears occasionally twitching, listening to the sounds coming from the mountains.

Er Tu Zi stood on the perch on the roof, preening his feathers.

Inside the woodshed, two clouded leopard cubs were nestled in their mother's arms, fast asleep.

Chen Ling listened to the children's opinions and decided to keep the little leopard.

Rui Rui didn't like this female leopard before.

But the mother leopard had cubs.

Its demeanor changed; it no longer argued with Rui Rui, and its eyes softened.

She's no longer a grumpy girl.

Rui Rui seems to have forgotten the time she used to fight with it.

They actively wanted to stay.

Then Chen Ling will help raise the children.

Furthermore, Susu also likes this little leopard.

To be honest, he didn't really care about leopards, except for tigers.

I always felt they weren't calm and composed enough, and their tempers changed too much.

I can't feel close to them from the heart.

Professor Han said that felines are a bit neurotic, and he completely agrees.

Only Afu and Ashou are special.

"Let's raise it. Here's the prototype of a zoo. Whatever happens in the future, treat it as my private zoo for now..."

He thought to himself.

Many things can't be planned in time for changes.

He did it according to his own preferences, since he liked these things and could remember them.

The next morning, Chen Ling went to the dog farm to change the Tibetan Mastiff's dressing.

Lion King's skin condition has improved significantly; the redness and swelling have subsided, and the broken skin has begun to scab over.

It seemed to recognize Chen Ling. When it saw him come in, it didn't growl but wagged its tail affectionately.

Chen Ling cleaned the affected area, applied medicine, and gave an injection; Lion King cooperated fully throughout the entire process.

"Ah Ling, that's amazing!"

Zhang Lihua said excitedly, "Last night, in the middle of the night, the lion even licked my hand. It's been a long time since it's been this affectionate with me since I got sick."

Animals know who is good to them.

Chen Ling packed his medicine box: "Brother Hua, we can add more meat to their diet today. Cook it, chop it up, and mix it into the porridge. We'll start the medicinal baths tomorrow."

“Okay! Okay!” Zhang Lihua agreed repeatedly.

After leaving the dog farm, Chen Ling went to the tiger quarantine area.

Charles and Anderson were already waiting there, observing the situation inside the fence with binoculars.

Raja was resting under a tree, while Maya was drinking water by a shallow pond.

He looked wary when he saw Chen Ling, but his expression didn't change much.

She was simply preparing to get closer to Chen Ling.

That's the instinctive reaction of a high-level hunter.

In the wild, this would be absolutely terrifying.

"Good morning, Chen!"

Charles greeted them warmly: "Raja slept well last night. Maya was a little uneasy, but she ate three kilograms of beef this morning and has a good appetite."

Chen Ling observed for a while and nodded: "I'll bring Afu and Ashou over this afternoon. For the first contact, don't let it last too long, about ten minutes. If they show aggression or extreme tension, stop immediately."

“Understood, safety first,” Charles said solemnly.

At 3 p.m., things were bustling with activity in Donggang, and more and more people were gathering to watch.

Chen Ling stopped trying to squeeze in and join the fun, and instead brought Afu and Ashou to the quarantine area of ​​the forest farm.

The two tigers seemed to know they were about to meet "new friends," and appeared more excited than usual.

Afu kept sniffing the air, while Ashou curiously looked at the unfamiliar fence.

As they approached the fence, Raja and Maya inside immediately stood up. (End of Chapter)