Chapter VII 1
After Li Jianping and Xiao Cao came out of Mu Linfeng's residence, they drove a Toyota Land Cruiser away from Mujiaying.
After the SUV drove out of the village , Xiao Cao said softly while driving: "Director, this matter is a bit strange. Could it be related to the tomb-robbing organization that infiltrated Qingzhou?"
Li Jianping was also thinking about this matter. He shook his head and said, "No, I don't think Mu Linfeng has any connection with the tomb-robbing organization. There may be other hidden stories behind this matter."
Xiao Cao seemed to disagree with Li Jianping's opinion: "According to our investigation some time ago, we know that the tomb-viewing skill and the "Emperor Burial Mountain Map" are two magic weapons passed down from the ancestors of the Mu family. Mu Linfeng called and said that he found the tomb-viewing skill, but the "Emperor Burial Mountain Map" was not found. I feel that there is something wrong. Mu Linfeng must be hiding something."
"You mean Mu Linfeng found the "Emperor Burial Mountain Map" but didn't tell us."
"Well, that's very possible."
Li Jianping immediately asked: "What do you rely on to make such a judgment?"
"When a person changes his or her choice, it is usually caused by two factors: one is coercion, and the other is the huge temptation of benefits. Mu Linfeng's situation is obviously not the first factor. According to the intelligence we have, the other party is a very powerful international cultural relics smuggling group. It is entirely possible that they would pay millions or even more to buy the "Emperor Burial Mountain Map" in Mu Linfeng's hands. And he handed over the "Emperor Burial Mountain Map" to the research team for a prize of at most tens of thousands, so it is not surprising that he made such a choice."
Li Jianping listened to Xiao Cao silently, and then retorted: "I believe that the two factors you mentioned are completely suitable for ordinary people, but they have no effect on a special forces soldier who has been tempered by the army for many years. I have read Mu Linfeng's file in the army. This guy is definitely an outstanding soldier. For people like him, honor and oath are above all else. If he attaches great importance to interests, he would not refuse to be accepted by some good units and become a chef. Of course, intimidation will not make him bend down, so I said that there is another hidden story in this matter..."
After hearing what Li Jianping said, Xiao Cao pondered for a moment and asked, "It seems that Mu Linfeng's military service has not yet ended. He was forced to transfer to civilian work. Why is this the case?"
"Alas," Li Jianping sighed softly, "Even a hero can't resist the temptation of beauty. This guy secretly got a female soldier pregnant..."
"Haha... this doesn't mean he should be kicked out of the army, does it?" Xiao Cao couldn't help laughing.
"The fatal thing is an ectopic pregnancy. The female soldier had a sudden heavy bleeding before she even realized she was pregnant. She almost lost her life. Coincidentally, the father of this female soldier is also a soldier, and a division commander. In his rage, can he still let Mu Linfeng stay in the army?"
"So that's how it is."
Li Jianping then said in a helpless tone: "Some very outstanding talents are beaten to death just because of a small problem. Some people even specifically stare at others' heels. The more outstanding a person is, the more they are stared at. Even if they make the slightest mistake, they will be hit..."
Xiao Cao smiled and asked, "Director, you have such deep feelings. Have you ever had the same experience?"
"Don't beat around the bush, kid. Just drive your car..." As he said this, Li Jianping took out his cell phone and called Professor Dongfang.
Professor Dongfang was also shocked when he heard that Mu Linfeng was going to quit the research group. He asked anxiously on the phone: "Do you know why Mu Linfeng is not joining the research group?"
"It's not clear yet, and he hasn't explained it himself."
"Have you been threatened by any foreign organization?" Professor Dongfang asked.
"I just analyzed it with Xiao Cao. It's unlikely that Mu Linfeng was interfered by the outside world. I think it might be his own fault."
After Li Jianping finished speaking, there was silence for a few seconds on the other end of the line, and then the professor's low voice came out again: "Director Li, how do you plan to carry out your work next?"
"We now have two important tasks. One is to closely monitor the movements of those people coming from abroad, and the other is to ensure the safety of Mu Linfeng to prevent the enemy from taking any action against him."
"Very good, do you think it is necessary for me to go to Qingzhou in person to talk to Mu Linfeng? I feel that this young man is not someone who will change his mind easily." The professor said in an inquiring tone.
"I think you should not come here for the time being. Wait until you find out the real reason why Mu Linfeng left the research group, and then study the next plan. What do you think?"
"Okay, Mu Linfeng is very important to our later work. You must not only protect his safety, but also understand the specific reasons for his withdrawal. This is very important."
"Understood. I will report any progress to the professor in a timely manner. If there is nothing else, I will hang up now."
After Li Jianping finished the call, he said to Xiao Cao: "Go to the Municipal Public Security Bureau."
At the same time, Ma Ermu, who entered the country as a tourist, also began to take action. Ma Ermu knew more about the fight between the Ma and Mu families than Mu Linfeng. Ma Ermu, who came from a tomb-robbing family, returned to China not only to find the "Emperor's Burial Mountain Map", but also to compete with the descendants of the Mu family.
Ma Ermu learned from his ancestors that there was no ancient tomb that the Ma family had not excavated, except for the tomb on the "Emperor's Burial Mountain Map" in the hands of the Mu family. Ma Ermu's ancestors tried every trick but failed to get any clues from the Mu family, so Ma Ermu tried his best to deal with the Mu family. For this reason, Ma Ermu designed a series of tricks to defeat the descendants of the Mu family from all aspects.
However, Mu Linfeng was completely unaware of the impending danger. Li Jianping's warnings were also turned a deaf ear to Mu Linfeng. Later, Mu Linfeng paid a heavy price for his carelessness.
Mu Linfeng left the county two days after he finished the funeral of Zhu Fugui's father. He turned a deaf ear to what was happening outside and devoted himself to studying "Tomb-Looking Notes". He was almost isolated from the world, so he knew nothing about what was happening in the county.
During this period, many people in the county exaggerated the fact that Mu Linfeng presided over Zhu Fugui's funeral. It became a strange thing in the county, and his story was spread in the streets and alleys.
Many colleagues and friends contacted Mu Linfeng after hearing about it, but suddenly found that he was missing. No one knew where Mu Linfeng had gone, as if he had evaporated from the county, which added to the mystery of the matter.
The cripple was in charge of building the old house, and was very busy every day. Mu Linfeng locked himself in the room and concentrated on copying the "Grave Divination Notes". After copying a paragraph, he would study it several times carefully, and only moved on to the next paragraph after he had mastered it thoroughly. Therefore, he progressed very slowly, and it took more than ten days to copy only half of it.
On the afternoon after Li Jianping and Xiao Cao left, Mu Linfeng was concentrating on copying the "Tomb-Looking Notes" when he suddenly heard the sound of the courtyard door being pushed open. Thinking it was Zhang Xiaosan coming back, he didn't pay much attention to it. Then he heard someone shouting in the courtyard.
"Lin Feng, where the hell are you hiding? Get out now..."
Mu Linfeng knew it was Gao Hongjin as soon as he heard it. No one else dared to talk to him like that. Mu Linfeng hurriedly put away the notes he was copying and put them in the drawer of the desk. Before he could even get up, Gao Hongjin broke into the room with two people.
As soon as Gao Hongjin entered the room, he shouted, "You are not a good brother. You sneaked into the mountains without saying a word and turned off your cell phone. You made your family go around looking for you. I only found out you were hiding here after I called Little Cripple..."
As he spoke, Gao Hongjin turned to Zhang Xiaosan and said, "Little cripple, go and do your own thing. You are just like Lin Feng, leaving without even saying goodbye. What kind of master should take care of his disciple?"
Xiao San smiled and said, "You guys chat, I'll go boil two pots of water."
Gao Hongjin waved his hand: "No, let's talk about the important things first, go and do your thing."
When Xiao San heard this, she didn't bother to be polite anymore and turned around and walked out of the room.
Gao Hongjin then said to Mu Linfeng: "Lin Feng, you should thank me very much. You are a celebrity now. Everyone in the county knows you..."
Before Gao Hongjin could finish, Mu Linfeng looked at the two strangers behind him and asked, "Who are these two friends..."
Mu Linfeng looked at the two people who came in with Gao Hong and felt that they looked familiar, but he couldn't remember where he had seen them. After he came back from the army, he had been working as a chef in a hotel. He had a narrow circle of friends, so he didn't know many people in the county. The temperament of the man in front of him was different from that of ordinary people. He was wearing a dark suit, looked dignified, and his eyebrows revealed a sense of dominance.
"Oh, let me introduce two friends to you. You must have heard of Chenhong Group, the most famous private enterprise in our county. This is Boss Tan, the head of Chenhong Group, and this is his secretary..."
When Gao Hongjin said this, Mu Linfeng suddenly remembered. No wonder he looked so familiar. It turned out to be the most famous entrepreneur in the county, the eldest brother of the Tan family. The two brothers started out by running a simple food processing business. At first, it was a family workshop in the mountain village that processed hawthorns. Now it has developed into a well-known pharmaceutical company in the province with assets of more than 1 billion.
Gao Hongjin was a capable man. Although he was a chef, he was very good at scheming. He had friends from all walks of life and was familiar with people in various units in the county. Unexpectedly, he also knew the Tan brothers.
Boss Tan took a step forward, took the initiative to extend his hand, and said in a loud voice: "I have heard of Master Mu's name for a long time. Please forgive me for disturbing you today..."
Boss Tan's palms are thick and broad, and he has great strength when shaking hands. Such people are good at control, just as the ancients said: big hands control the universe.
Mu Linfeng smiled and said, "How can a chef like me be famous? Chairman Tan is the real god. I welcome him to my little temple. How can I be surprised?"
Gao Hongjin stood aside and said immediately: "I think everyone should not be polite. After meeting for a while, we will become friends. Let's talk business ."
Mu Linfeng hurriedly asked the three people to sit down. There was no sofa here, only a chair and a long wooden bench. Boss Tan sat down beside the bed, and Gao Hongjin and the secretary sat on the long bench.
After sitting down, Boss Tan looked at Mu Linfeng and said straight to the point: "I have heard for a long time that the ancestors of the Mu family are the most famous 'lumps' in our area, and their skills in tomb-reading are unmatched. Recently, I have heard of the legendary stories of Master Mu in the county, so I came here to ask for help. Mr. Gao will tell you the details."
At this time, Gao Hongjin took over the words of Boss Tan: "Lin Feng, this is what happened. Mr. Tan is already in his early eighties this year. Two years ago, he was diagnosed with a terminal illness. The two Tan brothers took the old man to major hospitals across the country... Alas, it is difficult to go anywhere when you have a life-threatening disease. To be honest, the old man is already terminally ill. The only request of the old man is to die at home, otherwise he will die with regrets..."
At this point, Gao Hongjin lit a cigarette, took a deep puff and continued, "You know the customs in our area. No matter who it is, if someone dies outside the village, they cannot enter the village. Otherwise, the old and young men in the village will not agree. They can only build a mourning shed outside the village to do 'official business'. This is what the old man is most worried about, so he insisted on returning to the old house."
The situation Gao Hongjin described does exist. The coffin of a person who died away from home is strictly prohibited from entering the village, and even cities have such a custom. In some villages and towns, for people who died away from home, all funerals must be held outdoors, which is something that the elderly are extremely taboo about.
Holding a funeral outdoors is fine if it is sunny, but it is a taboo if it rains, especially if the coffin is soaked by rain, the descendants will suffer from poverty. Therefore, there is a saying in the countryside: "Rain hits the coffin lid, and the descendants are not covered." "Rain hits the spirit, generations of poverty." Therefore, in general, when the elderly feel exhausted, they will take the initiative to give up medical treatment and never stay in the hospital, but return home to wait for death.
From this imagination, we can see how much of a deterrent effect dying away from home has on the elderly. They would rather give up survival and return home to pursue a good beginning and a good end. Therefore, the elderly's fearlessness of death is conditional on location. The elderly who are about to die can only leave peacefully and calmly by staying at home...
Hearing Gao Hongjin's words, Mu Linfeng hurriedly asked, "Has Mr. Tan returned home?"
"I just came back from the provincial capital yesterday. The old man is over 80 years old. To use the old saying, it's a happy funeral. So Mr. Tan wants you to intervene in advance and prepare everything that needs to be prepared for the funeral in advance. Take care of the old man's "business" throughout the whole process. In addition, there is another very important matter that must be handled by you personally..."
When Gao Hongjin said this, Mu Linfeng understood what was going on, so he asked, "Do we need to choose a good cemetery for the old man?"
"Yes, that's exactly what happened. Please personally help the old man find the dragon's acupoint." Gao Hongjin replied immediately.
The Tan family lives in a remote mountainous area. Although the government advocates cremation, most people still choose burial, except for those who die violently or abnormally. The civil affairs department does not intervene too much, so most of the elderly are buried in the mountains.
In the local area, the death of young children and the death of childless elderly people are generally regarded as abnormal deaths. "Violent death" refers to death by hanging, lightning, knife, car accident, drowning, fire, snake bite, dystocia, etc., also known as "negative death".
In people's minds, anyone who died a violent death was guilty in his previous life. This was karma. The body must not be brought home, and the deceased must not be washed. The shroud must be white. People who died a violent death must also be cremated, and their ashes buried in a remote and desolate wilderness. They cannot be buried in the family cemetery. "Master Mu, your ancestor's tomb-finding skills are well-known far and wide. It was the idea of the old man in the family to ask Master Mu to find a tomb. The old man specifically mentioned that only the cemetery chosen by the Mu family is the best place for him to rest..." As he spoke, Boss Tan raised his hand and signaled to his secretary.
The secretary immediately unzipped her handbag, took out a bank card from it, and then handed it to Mu Linfeng with both hands.
Mu Linfeng took the card and took a look at it. It was a "gold card".
