The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

Mr. Yu was the only teacher in Yun Family Village.

He was a gentle and refined man, well-educated and knowledgeable, deeply respected and loved by everyone in the village.

Even Yun Yan Shui's name had been given to him by Mr. Yu.

As a tenth-generation descendant of the Yun family, Yan Shui's name had been carefully chosen by Mr. Yu based on the clan's naming convention. The character Shui in his name symbolized wealth and prosperity.

From a young age, Yun Yan Shui had joined the other village children at the local school, attending Mr. Yu's classes to learn how to read and write.

Unfortunately, Yan Shui had little interest in studying and spent most of his lessons daydreaming or dozing off.

Just yesterday, during class, his wandering gaze had landed on a sparrow chirping on a branch outside the window, and as punishment, he was assigned to copy The Heart Sutra three hundred times.

"Ah, what am I going to do? Tomorrow we have class again, and if I don't finish copying The Three Character Classic, Mr. Yu will definitely give me a beating!"

Yun Yan Dong pouted miserably, his face scrunched up in despair.

"That's easy—just ask my little sister!"

A sly grin spread across Yun Yan Shui's face.

"Of course! Yan Shuang is so smart and diligent—if we ask her for help, it's guaranteed to work!"

At the mention of Yan Shuang, Yun Yan Dong's eyes lit up with hope, his worries vanishing like clouds in the wind.

The two of them quickly made a plan and, arms slung over each other's shoulders, headed home.

Yun Yan Shui's house was a small thatched cottage surrounded by a neat wooden fence. Inside the yard, his mother had planted a variety of flowers and herbs that filled the air with their sweet fragrance.

His father, the village's only blacksmith, had built a simple shed beside the house for forging tools. It was stocked with various equipment and a furnace for smelting iron.

From the shed came the rhythmic sound of hammering—clang, clang, clang—as Yun Yun Shan, Yan Shui's father, worked tirelessly on a plow for Uncle Xu from the village.

In the middle of the courtyard, beneath the shade of a tall willow tree, sat a little girl about six years old. She was as delicate as a porcelain doll, engrossed in a book she held in her tiny hands.

Hearing the gate creak open, Yan Shuang looked up and saw her brother returning. Setting the book aside, she ran over with a bright smile.

"Big brother!" she chirped sweetly.

"Good girl! Still studying, I see?"

Yan Shui affectionately patted his sister's head, his grin full of pride.

"Yes! Mr. Yu is going to test us on The Three Character Classic, so I'm trying to memorize all of it."

"And what about the Heart Sutra I asked you to copy? Is it done?"

"All done!"

Yan Shuang beamed, her smile as radiant as sunshine.

"Good. I have another task for you."

"What is it?"

"Copy The Three Character Classic one hundred times for Yan Dong. In return, I'll take you to Li Zhai Creek with Dong later and bring back some crabs for you to eat. What do you say?"

"Deal! But I also want crystal shrimp!"

"Done."

Yan Shui readily agreed. Grabbing his tools for shrimp-catching, he and Yan Dong dashed off excitedly.

Li Zhai Creek was about a mile outside Yun Family Village. Its source was unknown, but the creek's cool, clear waters had nourished the villagers for generations.

The creek was filled with rocks, where crabs loved to hide, and its waters teemed with fish, renowned for their fresh, delicate flavor. Many villagers often came here to fish for their meals.

But the creek's most prized treasure was its crystal shrimp.

These tiny, translucent shrimp were no bigger than grains of rice. Perfect for soups or porridge, they required only a few simple ingredients—some seaweed, eggs, a pinch of salt, and a sprinkle of green onions—to create a dish bursting with fresh, delicate flavors. Eating them was said to sharpen the mind, strengthen the body, and improve overall health.

Perhaps it was thanks to these crystal shrimp that many in Yun Family Village lived long, healthy lives, with elders often reaching a hundred years or more.

"Alright, let's get to work," Yan Shui called out as they passed through a dense patch of reeds and approached the creek.

Taking off the bamboo shrimp baskets slung over his shoulder, Yan Shui filled them with rice grains—the shrimp's favorite food—before placing the baskets at strategic spots along the flowing water. Now, it was just a matter of waiting for the shrimp to wander in.

Once the baskets were set, Yan Shui and Yan Dong moved to a cluster of rocks in the creek. Rolling up their pant legs, they waded into the water to catch crabs.

The creek's ecosystem was thriving. Aside from Yun Family Village, there were no other nearby settlements, so the rocks were teeming with crabs.

In just a short time, Yan Shui had caught over twenty crabs, each as large as an egg, their pincers snapping energetically. After cleaning them up, they would be perfect for making spicy fried crab—a dish that was simply irresistible.

"How's it going, Dongzi?" Yan Shui called out to Yan Dong, who was crouched nearby, intent on catching crabs.

"I've got fifteen already!"

"Catch a few more. Tonight, you're eating at my place!"

"Got it!"

Energized by the invitation, Yan Dong redoubled his efforts.

Satisfied, Yan Shui turned his attention to another promising spot in the creek. But as he moved forward, his foot suddenly stepped on something sharp, sending a searing pain shooting through his sole. Crying out in pain, he lost his balance and fell into the water with a splash.

"Yan Shui-ge, what happened?"

Hearing the commotion, Yun Yan Dong called out from a distance.

"It's nothing. I must've stepped on something sharp and hurt my foot," Yan Shui replied, struggling to his feet in the water, looking a little worse for wear.

"Is it serious?"

"Not really, just a small cut that's bleeding a bit," Yan Shui answered as he examined the sole of his right foot. A tiny wound was oozing blood.

He scanned the area, hoping to find some medicinal herbs to stop the bleeding. But just as he was about to search, he noticed a faint, soft glow emanating from the creek bed where he had stepped.

The strange light immediately caught his attention.

Curiosity piqued, Yan Shui ignored the pain in his foot and plunged back into the water. There, nestled among a cluster of smooth pebbles, lay an ancient, weathered bronze mirror.

The mirror's surface was cracked and riddled with spiderweb-like fractures, yet the soft glow seemed to radiate from it.

As Yan Shui approached, the light dimmed, and the mirror returned to its ordinary, unassuming appearance.

Without hesitation, he reached out and retrieved the small bronze mirror, turning it over in his hands for a closer look.

The image of the glowing mirror was fresh in his mind, and he instinctively felt that it wasn't an ordinary object. He decided he would take it home and show it to his father. With any luck, it might fetch a good price in the town ten miles away, helping to supplement their household income.

With that thought, Yan Shui tucked the palm-sized mirror into the bamboo basket at his waist.

After gathering the shrimp baskets scattered around the creek and finding a good haul of crystal shrimp, he called it a day. Feeling content, he and Yan Dong headed home together.

"Ma, I'm back!"

"And where have you been all afternoon?"

Yun Qin Shi, his mother, looked him up and down, her expression exasperated as she took in his soaking-wet clothes.

"Little sister said she wanted to eat crystal shrimp, so I took Dongzi to Li Zhai Creek to catch some crabs and shrimp," Yan Shui replied with a grin.

"We caught a lot of good stuff today, Ma! Look at this!"

Proudly, Yan Shui began unloading the shrimp baskets, revealing a bounty of translucent, glistening crystal shrimp.

The other two bamboo baskets were filled to the brim with small crabs.

"Alright, I'll go prepare them. I'll make shrimp soup and spicy crab for dinner. But you, go change into dry clothes before you catch a cold!"

With a word of caution, Yun Qin Shi took the haul to the kitchen to start preparing the meal.

After changing into clean, dry clothes, Yan Shui went to the willow tree in the yard, where Yan Shuang was still busy copying.

"How's it coming along?" he asked with a playful smile.

"Almost done!" Yan Shuang replied without looking up.

"You're the best sister ever!"

With a doting grin, Yan Shui pinched her round, chubby cheeks before heading over to the bamboo shed, motioning for Yan Dong to relax and cool off in the courtyard.

"Pa!"

"What do you need?"

In the shed, Yun Yun Shan was hard at work, hammering away at a piece of iron. He glanced at his son as he spoke.

"Take a look at this mirror. Do you think it's worth anything? Could we sell it in town?"

From his pocket, Yan Shui produced the small, ancient bronze mirror.

Yun Yun Shan was the village's only blacksmith, a skill he had learned during his years in the military.

After the war between the Yue and Wu kingdoms ended, he left the army and returned home, settling into the trade of blacksmithing. With several fertile fields under his care, he provided well for his family.

Having traveled extensively during his military service, Yun Yun Shan was a man of broad knowledge and experience. He was well aware of the existence of immortals and the various strange and supernatural creatures in the world.

One glance at the bronze mirror was enough for him to realize that it wasn't just an ordinary mirror—it was a relic infused with lingering spiritual energy!