“I see,” WanSow said. “I suppose it is rightfully yours. The treasure and the map have been in your family for hundreds of years. May I ask what you plan to do with the treasure?”
“I don't know yet.”
“But you want it nonetheless?”
“Yes.”
“Then you shall have it,” WanSow said. “Whenever you might be ready. I should warn you, though, your family was selected to keep watch over the treasure, not take it.”
Ying paused. “I know the legend. I never dreamed that I might be a member of the keeper family, though.”
“Think about your responsibilities,” WanSow said. “The treasure is real. Whether it was put there by a dragon is up for debate. A person's position on this matter depends on how superstitious he or she is.”
Ying nodded.
“This house is yours, too,” WanSow said. “Along with much of the surrounding land. It, too, has been in your family for generations.”
Ying didn't know what to say. He glanced around as if seeing this house for the first time. It was old and solid, as Grandmaster had been. “How long have you been living here?”
“I came soon after you and I separated. Grand master suggested I come. Cangzhen had already become his new home. He wanted me to help keep the family secrets.”
“Secrets?” Ying said.
WanSow nodded. “Like the treasure. I take it you have seen the dragon scroll map?”
“Seen it?” Ying said. “I memorized it.”
“Then you know that it leads to this general area.”
“Yes.”
“Well, anybody clever enough to read that map and follow it here was supposed to be clever enough to find this house. I'm sure you noticed the dragons on the roof.”
Ying nodded. “Do they hold clues?”
“Yes,” WanSow replied. “That was a wise assumption The clues lead to a second map etched in a cave far behind the house, and I'll show it to you. But first I'd like to ask you a question, if you don't mind.”
“What?” Ying asked.
“The dragon scroll map explains how you found your way to this house, but you didn't seem at all surprised to find me here. Why not?”
“I learned about you from a pet vendor in Xuzhou,” Ying said. “I acquired some dragon bone from him.”
“Was he a grizzled old man with horribly scarred hands?”
“Yes.”
WanSow nodded. “He used to be part of your father's camp.”
“I know.”
“He worked here in Hangzhou for many years, too,” WanSow said. “I should never have told him my whereabouts.” She paused. “Is there any chance he told anyone else about this place?”
Ying opened his mouth to reply, but someone else spoke up from outside the bedroom window.
“What an excellent question!” the voice proclaimed. “I think I can answer that one. Yes! And now I know about the second treasure map, too. Thank you. Don't worry about the pet vendor sharing your secrets, dear lady. He won't be telling anyone anything, ever again.”
Ying turned toward the open window and saw Tonglong's head rise up in front of it. Tonglong shoved the barrel of a short qiang through it and said, “Don't even think of attacking. My men have the house surrounded. If I go down, Ying, so will you and your mother.”
WanSow smirked. “If anything happens to me, you will never find the treasure.”
“That's not true,” Tonglong said. “And you know it. It might take my men several days to find the cave without your help, but we will find it eventually. Better that you work with me now.”
Ying's upper lip curled back, but he didn't speak.
Tonglong turned to him. “What's gotten into you? The Ying I knew would be spitting threats left and right. Then again, I suppose learning you'd killed your own grandfather might shut anybody up.” He laughed and pointed the qiang at WanSow. “Take me to the cave.”
Ying watched his mother's shoulders slump as she stood and walked out of the house. He followed close on her heels. Ying was hopeful that he might get a chance to attack Tonglong, but his hopes were upset the moment he stepped outside. More than twenty soldiers encircled the house. They had been quite some distance away but closed in quickly. Each one held a long qiang raised in either his direction or his mother's.
Ying glanced at his mother. She shrugged as if to say, There is nothing we can do.
WanSow led them around the garden in which he'd first seen her and up a steep grade thick with pine trees. Ying walked behind her, while Tonglong followed Ying just out of striking distance, his qiang aimed at the center of Ying's back. Fifteen soldiers followed Tonglong, and the other five soldiers ransacked the house.