Descending the mountain and returning to Zhangjiazhuang, Zhang Sheng gave Fang Yi a package of white frosted plums and a package of Sichuan peppercorn powder, telling him to hurry home and use them to cure his third sister's illness.
Expressing his utmost gratitude, Fang Yi clutched the two paper packages tightly to his chest and hurried back to Baijia Village as if walking on air. By now, a myriad of stars twinkled across the sky, and the night wind blew cold. Pinpoints of dim, yellowish light leaked out from beneath the low eaves of various houses to catch a breath of fresh air.
Auntie Li had not seen Fang Yi all day and was frantic with worry.She had sent Fang Rong, Fang Hua, Fang Rich, and Fang Gui turning Baijia Village almost upside down, yet there was still no sign of Fang Yi. Just as she was at her wits' end, Fang Yi returned beneath the star-studded sky.
With no time to waste, Fang Yi quickly cut to the chase and detailed the method Zhang Sheng had taught him. All of Auntie Li's lingering anxieties instantly vanished. She hurriedly had Fang Ju eat a few of the white frosted plums, then trotted into the kitchen to boil the Sichuan peppercorn porridge.
Once cooked, the peppercorn porridge gave off a distinct, enticing aroma. With a haggard face, Fang Ju ravenously devoured two large bowls of the porridge, after which she had to run to the outhouse several times through the night. By around three o'clock in the morning, she finally fell into a deep sleep in her bed, and Auntie Li could finally set her mind at ease.
Early the next morning, Fang Yi crawled out of his companion's bed and hurried home to check on Fang Ju. Seeing her sleeping quietly and soundly, an indescribable joy welled up in his heart, and the world before his eyes suddenly seemed bright and clear. At that moment, he suddenly thought of Zhang Sheng and was filled with gratitude, resolving to make a special trip to the Zhang family in a few days to properly thank this knowledgeable man from Jiangnan.
Ever since Zhang Sheng returned to his hometown from Jiangnan to visit relatives, the usually quiet Zhangjiazhuang had suddenly become lively. After attending the Zhang family's three days of grand theatrical performances, the warm and hospitable fellow villagers invited Zhang Sheng to their homes as a guest one after another, treating him with the utmost courtesy.
Such hospitality was hard to refuse! Left with no other choice, Zhang Sheng had no option but to go from house to house partaking in the continuous banquets. At the same time, to satisfy everyone's curiosity and various requests, he had to recount everything he knew about Jiangnan to them one by one. Across more than forty households, he told his tales a full forty-plus times. Some villagers even happily followed him from house to house just to listen to him tell stories over and over, still feeling as though they hadn't heard enough.
Living at the very northern edge of Zhangjiazhuang was a widow whose husband had gone up the mountain to gather medicinal herbs on a rainy day a few years prior and tragically fallen off a cliff to his death. Since then, the widow and her orphan child had lived alone. After Zhang Sheng's return, she had also invited him to her home for a meal, but Zhang Sheng had politely declined.
On the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the Lantern Festival, Zhang Sheng counted the days on his fingers, weighed his options, and decided to set off back to Jiangnan the very next day. Although Zhang Qiang and his wife repeatedly urged him to stay for a few more days, seeing that he was determined to leave, the couple had no choice but to help him pack his luggage.
With his departure from his hometown imminent, the journey ahead was long and arduous, and there was no telling when he might return for another visit. To pray for a smooth and safe journey home, after lunch, Zhang Qiang took Zhang Sheng back up the mountain peak to enter the Dragon King Temple to burn incense and pay homage to the Buddha.
Sister-in-law Zhou stayed at home with her three children, waiting while preparing for the Lantern Festival. The three children hung the two exceptionally unique large red lanterns that Zhang Sheng had brought back from Jiangnan beneath the eaves, drawing murmurs of admiration from the neighbors on the left and right.
When Zhang Sheng and Zhang Qiang arrived at the Dragon King Temple, they happened to catch the temple's Lantern Festival prayer ceremony, which was exceptionally lively. The two of them squeezed into the crowd to watch and unconsciously lost track of time.
As the saying goes: men fear fame as pigs fear fattening. Word of Zhang Sheng returning to his hometown to visit relatives, coupled with Zhang Qiang hiring the Fang Family Opera Troupe to put on three days of grand performances, spread like wildfire both inside and outside the mountains. Word passed from ten to a hundred, until the truth was completely distorted. Within a radius of several hundred miles, rumors were flying everywhere that a super-wealthy tycoon from Jiangnan had returned to visit relatives in Zhangjiazhuang during the grand New Year, bringing back several massive chests of unprecedented and unheard-of gold, silver, and treasures.
When ordinary people heard this rumor, they merely felt envious, talked about it, and didn't take it to heart. But as luck would have it, there was one simple-minded, down-and-out man who actually took it for truth!
Living in solitude at the foot of the mountain was a family surnamed Gao. The Gao family had originally been a wealthy local gentry household, but their fortunes had subsequently declined and gone to complete ruin. Now, only an idle, good-for-nothing lazybones of a son remained, named Gao Cheng.
Gao Cheng had grown up accustomed to the good life, unable to endure hardship or perform any work. After his parents passed away, they had left him a considerable estate, but alas, within just a few years he had squandered every last coin, reducing himself from a pampered young master of wealth into a wandering beggar. To make matters worse, a year ago, because he was caught in a petty act of thievery, he had suffered a severe beating, leaving his left leg badly injured and turning him into a cripple.
Making a living by begging, Gao Cheng wandered everywhere, sometimes returning home only once a month. Ever since news of the wealthy man returning to Zhangjiazhuang reached his ears, he had constantly plotted to go there and cadge a full meal, even fantasizing that the wealthy tycoon would generously bestow upon him a piece of treasure so that he could end his miserable life of wandering once and for all. Unfortunately, a massive snowstorm before the New Year had delayed him and kept him from leaving.
As the days grew warmer, the heavy snow finally melted. By the day of the Lantern Festival, Gao Cheng could no longer endure the hunger in his belly. Leaning on a crutch, he limped out of his home, determined to go to Zhangjiazhuang to beg for a square meal. Although the mountains were high and the paths steep, his infinite craving for food gave him boundless strength. Several times he slipped and tumbled down the mountainside, yet each time he managed to crawl back up and continue his journey.
As the sun was setting, Gao Cheng finally entered Zhangjiazhuang. Opening his eyes wide, he cautiously searched for the home of the wealthy Jiangnan tycoon. As he walked forward, he suddenly spotted a household with two large red lanterns hanging at the entrance. His heart leaped with joy—this had to be the place! Having drifted and wandered everywhere and seen thousands of homes, he knew that whenever a doorway hoisted high red lanterns, the occupants were either wealthy or noble.
Night had already fallen, and Sister-in-law Zhou waited and waited, but still Zhang Sheng and Zhang Qiang had not returned from the temple. She was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. For some unknown reason, her eyelids had been twitching all day, giving her a persistent feeling that something was about to happen.
Sister-in-law Zhou first had the children eat their evening meal, then stepped back out the door. The moment her foot crossed the threshold, she unexpectedly caught sight of a sallow, emaciated, tall, and thin stranger standing right before her, startling her so much that she drew in a sharp breath. "Who are you? At this hour, what are you... what are you here for?" she trembled all over, unable to speak clearly.
Seeing that this household appeared cold and desolate, Gao Cheng felt a momentary surge of doubt—could he have found the wrong door? As he cast his gaze about, he saw a woman wearing an apron open the door and step outside, instantly overjoyed, and he quickened his pace to approach her.
"I... want something to eat... Today is the Lantern Festival after all, and I haven't eaten in days. Good sister-in-law, doesn't your family have a distinguished guest? Bestow a full meal upon me. As for gold, silver, and treasures, give me at least a little something so I can go back and live a good life." Gao Cheng pleaded with a cheeky, ingratiating smile.
Sister-in-law Zhou listened in trepidation as he finished speaking, her palms already slick with cold sweat. Seeing that the man was leaning on a crutch and figuring he couldn't cause any major disaster, she forced out a smile and said, "Oh, what bad timing! Our uncle did indeed return from Jiangnan not long ago, but today he went to the Dragon King Temple to burn incense and hasn't returned yet. Why don't... you come back another day?" With that, she swiftly turned back inside, slammed the door shut with a loud clatter, and threw the wooden bolt into place. Soon after, the lights inside were blown out, plunging the interior into pitch-black silence.
Gao Cheng had expected nothing of the sort; just like that, he was coldly locked out by the woman. His soaring hopes were instantly dashed, and resentment welled up in his heart. She couldn't even spare a single meal? With so many treasures in the house, she couldn't even bear to give me a single one!
Looking up, Gao Cheng saw the two large red lanterns hanging high beneath the eaves, and the longer he looked, the more displeased he became. With a reach, he ripped one down. The candle burning inside tilted and quickly caught fire.
Rage rose from his heart, and malevolence took hold of his thoughts. Glancing at the several brand-new thatched cottages before him, Gao Cheng sneered and viciously hurled the burning lantern onto the roof. Immediately afterward, he tore down the second lantern and threw it up as well. Then, letting out a bizarre laugh, he strode away.
Pity the Zhang family's thatched cottages! They were swiftly swallowed by the raging fire. Fuelled by dry firewood, the blaze burned fiercely and instantly transformed into a sea of flames.