The most crucial detail was that these five large trunks were no ordinary chests; their locks were designed as Luban locks. If not opened with the proper key, any attempt at forced entry would trigger an automatic self-destruction mechanism. The interior of the trunks was lined with gunpowder of immense power, which would completely incinerate the contents upon detonation.
He Yongan’s mother had entrusted the five trunks to Tian Shengrong but kept the keys for herself, giving them instead to a close confidante she trusted implicitly. This woman was not only her dearest friend, but, most importantly, the wife of an influential and powerful official. Before she passed away, her final request was that the keys be handed over to her son only after he turned eighteen. As for anyone else—including her son’s own biological father—it was absolutely impossible for them to ever lay hands on the items.
For many years, Tian Shengrong’s relentless search for his son had been driven by his obsession with those five trunks. He knew that the bank books his late wife had left behind—the only things he had inherited—had been enough to allow the Tian Family to live a life of luxury for all these years. If he could only get his hands on the treasures inside those trunks, the bank books would pale in comparison. Having lived with his first wife for years, he had a clear understanding of her family’s wealth. He knew perfectly well that the truly valuable items had been locked away in those chest…
Chapter 728