Suddenly, Kong Weiren chuckled, turning to Ye Fan. "Since you're here to find the tomb, Mr. Ye should also show us some trustworthy means. Do you dare to take a gamble with us, Mr. Ye?"
He was already heavily addicted to gambling, and now that Ye Fan had practically walked into his trap, he certainly wouldn't let him leave easily. Besides, no matter how this played out, they had nothing to lose.
This time, it was Ye Fan's turn to be stunned. "A gamble? How does Village Chief Kong wish to gamble?"
He hadn't expected that after coming here to discuss cooperation, he would encounter something so interesting. Gambling, in Ye Fan's view, was merely a form of life's entertainment. As a tomb guardian in his past life, he often gambled to pass the time, and it gradually became a hobby.
Seeing Ye Fan's interest, Kong Weiren grew even more excited. "Since Mr. Ye knows of the ancient tomb, you must have some understanding of antiques. Why don't we compete in appraising treasures? If you win, this entire endeavor to find the tomb will be completely under your command, with Nan Village and Bei Village following your every instruction without question. But if you lose..."
Kong Weiren's lips curled into a cold smile. "What if I lose?" Ye Fan asked with a smile.
"If you lose, this chicken blood stone belongs to us, and you'll have no further claim to it. Furthermore, you'll have to leave behind a pair of eyes as compensation for the brothers you killed in Nan Village. Do you dare to gamble?"
This was hardly a gamble; it was practically a gamble for his life. Anyone else would have likely refused immediately, but Ye Fan nodded without hesitation. "How could I refuse such an interesting proposition? As you say, we'll compete in appraising treasures."
If it were any other method, Ye Fan might have considered it more carefully. But competing in appraising treasures was as easy as grabbing a snail with ten fingers; it was a sure thing.
Seeing Ye Fan agree, Kong Weiren's smile widened. "Very well, let's go inside and settle this." With that, he ordered the gates opened and walked alongside Ye Fan towards the ancestral hall. The ancestral hall, which had been set ablaze by Shen Bao earlier, was now half its original size and had been completely renovated. Xu Sanhu and the others had naturally been moved elsewhere.
Currently, in the main hall of the ancestral hall, a large table was set. Upon it lay a wooden box. Kong Weiren stepped forward, glanced at it, and then chuckled. "The competition is simple. If you can identify this item and explain its origins within ten minutes, you win. Otherwise, I win. What do you say?"
Ye Fan had no objections and nodded. "Excellent, Mr. Ye is indeed forthright, truly a talented young man. In that case, we shall begin the timer." As he spoke, Kong Weiren removed the wooden box, revealing the item inside. It was a piece of calligraphy and painting.
Ye Fan quickly stepped forward and slowly unrolled the artwork. The Xuan paper was yellowed, clearly showing its age. At this moment, Kong Weiren's voice chimed in with a laugh, "This painting was left by my great-grandfather. For generations, hundreds of descendants in the family have been unable to understand its meaning. It was only when I read the family genealogy that I understood the old man's intentions. Mr. Ye, it's not shameful if you can't guess it."
Kong Weiren laughed heartily. This was clearly a setup, waiting for Ye Fan to fall into the trap. Ye Fan ignored him, focusing intently on the text.
"Six classics, five aggregates hidden in the chest; a thousand-year sword held in the hand. A branch of apricot blossoms crowns the head, delicately perched; winter snow blankets the land, blooming for a long time. One dot like a star, as large as a dipper; half a curtain conceals the bed, nothing to be found. Completing the name, hanging the hat, departing in haste; riding a horse to Chang'an, do you know?"
On the entire piece of Xuan paper, there was only this single seven-character regulated verse, no other writing. For a moment, even Ye Fan frowned. This seemed to be a hidden-word poem, but without understanding the Kong family's past, deciphering it would be truly difficult.
"There are seven minutes left, Mr. Ye, you might as well concede," Kong Weiren spoke incessantly from the side, attempting to interfere. Ye Fan slowly closed his eyes, the seven-character regulated verse constantly revolving in his mind, rearranging, breaking apart, over and over again. Deciphering hidden-word poems relied solely on the mind; experience had nothing to do with it.
Time ticked by. Kong Weiren continued his incessant chatter. Until the last half-minute, Ye Fan still kept his eyes closed. Seeing victory within reach, Kong Weiren's smile grew wider and wider. "Someone, prepare the porcelain bowls! Tonight, Ye Fan's eyes will be used to commemorate our fallen brothers." Kong Weiren laughed unrestrainedly, a triumphant gleam in his eyes.
But at that very moment, Ye Fan's eyes suddenly snapped open, and he nodded with a smile, muttering to himself, "So that's how it is." No one expected that at this final moment, Ye Fan had figured it out.
Seeing this, Kong Weiren frowned. "Ye Fan, are you sure you know the answer? Let me tell you, this is Nan Village. If you speak nonsense, utter gibberish, you will face even more severe consequences." Kong Weiren was full of disbelief. So many experts had looked at this seven-character regulated verse, and they were all baffled. How could Ye Fan figure it out?
Unexpectedly, Ye Fan shrugged. "Just good luck." Then, he picked up the scroll. "Actually, this poem is a character-組 poem. The first line, 'Six classics, five aggregates hidden in the chest; a thousand-year sword held in the hand,' add a horizontal stroke below the character '六' and then add the character '十,' which forms '辛.' The second line, 'A branch of apricot blossoms crowns the head, delicately perched; winter snow blankets the land, blooming for a long time,' remove the mouth from the character '杏,' and add a horizontal stroke above, forming the character '未.' These two characters combined form '辛未,' referring to the year."
Ye Fan's expression was natural, a faint smile playing on his lips. But upon hearing his analysis of these two lines, Kong Weiren's face had already turned grim, his eyes filled with anger.
"What do the last four lines mean?" Dong Dabiao asked with a frown. Although he had some knowledge of antiques and paintings, he was completely baffled by this kind of word game. However, seeing Ye Fan's wisdom, he was actually drawn in.
Ye Fan placed the scroll on the table and looked at Dong Dabiao. "These last four lines speak of the achievements of Village Chief Kong's ancestors. The third line, 'One dot like a star, as large as a dipper; half a curtain conceals the bed, nothing to be found,' remove half of the character '床' and add '大' and a dot, forming the character '状.' And the last line, 'Completing the name, hanging the hat, departing in haste; riding a horse to Chang'an, do you know?' removing the upper part of the character '完' forms the character '元.' These four characters, when put together, mean '辛未 Zhuangyuan' (top scholar in the Xinwei year), referring to Village Chief Kong's ancestor being the top scholar in the Xinwei year. No wonder Village Chief Kong is so shrewd; it turns out he's descended from a top scholar."
Ye Fan cupped his hands towards Kong Weiren and said with a smile. Upon hearing Ye Fan's explanation, everyone showed expressions of shock. Especially the villagers of Nan Village; they only knew that their village chief's family was extremely prominent, but they never imagined they were descended from a top scholar.
Kong Weiren's eyes fixed on Ye Fan, his teeth clenched, his gaze filled with unwillingness. But the facts were before them; at the last moment, Ye Fan had deciphered the poem.
"Mr. Ye is indeed highly talented. I, Kong, am impressed." He bowed respectfully to Ye Fan. Deciphering such a difficult riddle within ten minutes was enough to prove Ye Fan's talent.
"Since the winner has been decided, I trust Village Chief Kong will not go back on his word. Therefore, in the upcoming search for the tomb, everyone from Nan Village and Bei Village must follow my instructions." His gaze swept across the faces of Kong Weiren and Dong Dabiao. Despite their immense reluctance, a bet was a bet, and they could only nod in agreement.