"Yes, yes, Little Xue, quickly tell us what this book says."
Qiu Xiaolin's watery eyes sparkled with curiosity. She leaned closer to Lu Lianxue, peering at the book from side to side. Even though she couldn't understand the text, she kept looking back and forth, so curious it was as if a little more looking might make her understand the content.
Zhang Wei and the others also looked over.
"Okay, let me see. This part seems to be about..."
Lu Lianxue pointed to the ancient characters on the book and patiently translated them word by word for Zhang Wei and the others:
"In the sixth year of Tianqi, on the sixth day of the fifth month, during the morning hours, a great upheaval occurred in the capital. Historical records state that the sky was clear that day, but suddenly a sound like a roar, gradually approaching from the northeast of the city towards the southwest corner, coincided with a giant fireball rolling through the sky."
"The earth-shattering roar was like the wrath of heaven. Thread-like and tidal colorless chaotic clouds appeared in the sky, flying wildly. Large, black mushroom and lingzhi-shaped clouds stood like pillars in the southwest corner of the city. Heaven and earth were plunged into darkness, dust, and light fire gathered, the sky and earth collapsed, and ten thousand houses were flattened."
"On the day of the incident, from Fuchengmen in the east to Xingbu Street in the north, within a range of 1500-2000 meters long and 6500 meters wide, timber, stones, human bodies, and the carcasses of birds rained down from the sky. Tens of thousands of houses, and tens of millions of people were blown into powder, and rubble soared into the air."
"The capital's upheaval was tragic, and no one knew the cause. The common people believed it was the anger of the Fire God, bringing down a natural disaster and causing human calamity, because before the disaster, some people saw a fireball ascend from the Fire God Temple at Di'anmen."
"However."
"I know this is not the wrath of the Fire God, nor any divine wrath. This is because someone spied on the well that my clan dug and guarded, triggering the formation within the well, which caused immense disaster. Although I wished to lead my clan to guard it, I was powerless."
"There are too many people seeking the well, and I cannot stop them. I can only resist stubbornly. My clan guarded it for many years without incident, leading to a lapse in vigilance, creating an opportunity for them, and causing the disaster in the capital."
"This is my fault, I am a sinner. But I cannot reveal the truth, and can only conceal it with the current emperor, solely to prevent the guarded well from being spied upon again."
"But I will not let this go. I have decided to abdicate my position as patriarch and kill one by one those who came to spy on the well today, eradicating their entire clan, to mourn the tens of thousands of citizens who died in the capital and to comfort their souls in heaven."
"Today, I write this matter into this record, hoping that future generations of the clan will see it and not relax their guard, and not let tragedy happen again."
As she uttered the last word.
Lu Lianxue also turned the page of the book. The writing changed, and so did the handwriting:
"The writing that follows is from another dynasty. I cannot understand it, so I can only translate up to this point."
Zhang Ping and the others did not respond immediately.
Including Zhang Wei, they were all still immersed in the content Lu Lianxue had narrated.
It was only after a while.
"Holy hell, mushroom-shaped clouds? That's a damn bomb explosion, or what? Tens of thousands died? And it was because of the well our ancestors dug? Little Xue, are you sure you read it correctly?"
Zhang Ping snapped back to reality, his face full of disbelief and bewilderment. He quickly exclaimed in shock:
"What kind of well was this dug? Even mining well explosions don't have this much power. This explosion must have involved at least tons of gunpowder!"
"Uncle, I didn't read it wrong. It was indeed your family's well that caused it."
Lu Lianxue's gaze was firm.
Zhang Ping was even more stunned. He paused for a few seconds before managing to articulate:
"... Were our ancestors really well diggers? Are you sure they weren't demolition experts?"
Compared to Zhang Ping's shock, Zhang Wei and Qiu Xiaolin, who knew about the Dragon Suppressing Well, could confirm that the incident was caused by a well. As long as it was the Dragon Suppressing Well, it was possible for it to cause such a large-scale disaster.
At this moment.
Their attention was not on the well, but on the time of the incident.
"An explosion in the sixth year of Tianqi? Isn't that the Tianqi Great Explosion recorded in history?! My heavens, the truth of the Tianqi Great Explosion was because of the Lock... Zhang Wei, your family's well?"
Qiu Xiaolin's voice trailed off, almost blurting out "Dragon Suppressing Well," but she quickly caught herself as she glanced at Zhang Ping and his wife beside them, and quickly stopped speaking.
"Little Lin, what is the Tianqi Great Explosion? Do you know about this explosion?"
It was Zhang Ping's wife who asked. She had heard the implication in Qiu Xiaolin's words, suggesting she knew about that event.
"Yes, Little Xue, Little Wei, and I all know about it. This is the very famous Tianqi Great Explosion in our Great Xia's history."
Qiu Xiaolin explained:
"Whether in ancient times or modern times, natural disasters do occur, and our Great Xia is no exception. Some natural disasters, besides causing immense casualties, are also quite bizarre. In our Great Xia's history, there are three such bizarre natural disasters."
"One of these bizarre natural disasters is the Tianqi Great Explosion. It happened around the Ming Dynasty, when a large-scale explosion occurred in the capital. Some said it was caused by floods, others said it was the wrath of the gods. There's still no definitive answer."
Qiu Xiaolin's gaze involuntarily drifted to the ancient book:
"But now there is a definitive answer. It turns out that the Tianqi Great Explosion was indirectly caused by your family, Little Wei."
Zhang Wei also nodded at this moment:
"I never expected that the legendary Tianqi Great Explosion was actually caused by our family. Dad, I think I understand now why our family has declined."
"Indeed, I understand too."
Zhang Ping's eyebrows shot up as he heard this. Then he added:
"Tens of thousands died in an explosion. Just based on the guilt carried by the ancestor who wrote this event, they must have provided relief and charity, distributing food and so on for so many casualties, and who knows..."
His speech paused.
Zhang Ping looked at the ancient book:
"Who knows if this kind of incident has happened more than once with our well. Damn it, the wells our family dug are too dangerous, more dangerous than mine explosions. Is this really a water well? Little Xue, see if there are any more ancient characters you can read, quickly translate them."
Upon learning that the Tianqi Great Explosion originated from his ancestors and the Dragon Suppressing Well, even Zhang Ping, who was in his middle age and known for his calm disposition, could not maintain his composure.
Unfortunately, Lu Lianxue shook her head:
"Uncle, I've looked at other characters just now, and I don't recognize any of them. This might require people from history or archaeology to look at it."
"Dad, give me the book. I'll find someone to help translate it tomorrow."
Zhang Wei took the ancient book from Lu Lianxue and flipped through it. He confirmed that he couldn't understand the ancient text, only vaguely recognizing some simpler ancient characters.
Zhang Ping did not refuse. He even urged:
"Take it, just don't sell it. And quickly find someone to translate it. Tell me what it says later. Good heavens, are our family's ancient books this interesting? I thought they were like the Book of Songs. If I had known, I should have looked at them earlier."
...