The night is cold and the streets are still empty and there is no one.

Under the leadership of Liao Fei, we rushed to Mr. Hu's house overnight.

Mr. Hu’s home is actually not far from Liao Fei’s home, and it is also a square courtyard.

However, the Hu family's yard is more grand and larger than the Liao Fei family's yard.

The Hu family yard was built in the Ming Dynasty and has a more historical and time-like sense than the Qing Dynasty courtyard of the Liao Fei family.

At that time, the Hu family was the "censor" in the county town, probably belonging to the category of historians, and it was also a family with considerable status in the ancient city of Fenghuang. This courtyard was passed down from ancestors. The Hu family has lived here for generations, and has been the "historians" of the ancient city of Fenghuang for generations.

We knocked on the gate of the courtyard. The one who opened the door was an old man in his fifties and sixties. He had a goatee on his chin, was wearing clothes similar to Zhongshan suits, and a pair of black-framed glasses. He looked very intellectual style from the Republic of China era. He felt that he didn't look like living in today's society, making people feel unfathomable.

This little old man with a goatee is the "Old Master Hu" mentioned by Liao Fei. He has a magical name called Hu Zhao!

This name is indeed a bit funny, and I don’t know how Mr. Hu’s parents gave him such an outstanding name.

Liao Fei and Hu Zhao are old acquaintances, so they greeted Hu Zhao.

Hu Zhao's eyes hidden behind the lenses quickly glanced at us: "Liao Fei, you guy is a man who will not enter the Three Treasures Palace for nothing. Come to see me at this time, is there anything wrong?"

Liao Fei rubbed his hands: "These are two of my friends. They have something to do. I want to ask Mr. Hu for help, please help me!"

Leizi and I greeted Hu Ciao politely. Hu Ciao put aside his guard and raised his chin: "Let's talk about it later!"

We followed Mr. Hu into the Ming Dynasty Ancient Courtyard. Liao Fei told us that on this street and even the entire Fenghuang Ancient City, the ancient courtyard at Mr. Hu’s home is the largest residential house, the most luxurious and historical ancient courtyard.

Along the way, there were towering ancient pines, carved screens, and corridor eaves in the ancient courtyard. The heavy historical atmosphere came to my face, and it was obvious that it was the kind of wealthy family at that time.

Moreover, Mr. Hu should be a person with no desires and leisure and elegant heart. There are many pruned potted plants in the yard, a pond of koi, and several bird cages are hung in the corridor.

Mr. Hu is also an old man from the family. His wife left early and lived alone in a huge ancient courtyard. So if you don’t kill time with flowers, plants, insects and birds, life is really boring.

Hu Xiao welcomed us into the hall, which was also quaint, with calligraphy and paintings that might be the ancestors hanging, and there were several ancient Taishi chairs covered with fur blankets, which looked very grand.

Hu Chou brought a pot of ginger tea and poured a cup of each of us to warm up our bodies.

"Tell me directly, what's the matter with me?" Hu Zhao was a cheerful person. Before she could sit back on the chair, she asked.

Liao Fei took a sip of ginger tea: "I'm really sorry to disturb Mr. Hu's rest so late. My two brothers are here today, mainly to inquire about the history of the old courtyard of Longmen Inn!"

Hu Zhao frowned and said, "Hasn't Longmen Inn been built there? Why do you still ask about the history of the old home?"

"This..." Liao Fei lowered his head, not knowing how to speak.

I said to Liao Fei: "Manager Liao, tell me the whole story of the matter to Mr. Hu. If you don't explain the matter clearly, how can Mr. Hu help?"

"Yes, yes!" Liao Fei nodded and told Mr. Hu all the things that happened in the ancient city recently, the things about the red umbrella woman, and the urn. Lei Zi and I added a few words from time to time.

Mr. Hu listened quietly to us and his face became quite serious.

Mr. Hu put down the teacup and gently tapped the table: "I felt something was wrong with so many strange deaths in the ancient city recently. I didn't expect there were so many things behind it! I understand what you mean. You think that urn is the root of all this, so I want to figure out the background of the urn, right?"

"Yes! That's what it means! I hope Mr. Hu can help us!" I hugged Mr. Hu and clasped my fists.

"Of course!" Mr. Hu said: "As a native Phoenix man, I don't want such a thing to happen in the ancient city. In the long run, people in the ancient city were panic and no one came to travel, which greatly damaged and affected the tourism image of the Phoenix Ancient City! Come with me to the inner room, and I will go and check the county history immediately, hoping to help you!"

Mr. Hu took us into the inner room. This is where Mr. Hu often works. It is full of the fragrance of ink and it looks like a family of books. On the front is a large bookcase filled with various books, most of which are history books, and many unofficial history notes. There is a large desk in front of me, with desk lamps on the desk, bundles of files, and four treasures of the study.

Mr. Hu made a gesture of invitation and we sat down in front of the desk.

Mr. Hu turned on the desk lamp and began to search the files under the desk lamp.

We didn't speak, and sat quietly, which could not affect Mr. Hu's work.

There is an old-fashioned wall clock on the wall, and it is also the kind of pendulum, ticking and swaying.

Time passed by minute by minute, and Mr. Hu was still immersed in the big bundle of files, and we were already drowsy.

"Have it!"

Mr. Hu suddenly slapped the table with excitement, which shocked us all to jump up, and he woke up most of the time when he was sleepy.

We looked at Mr. Hu in unison: "Have you found it?"

Mr. Hu nodded and spread a file on the desk, and we all came over.

There is an old photo in the file, which is very ancient. It is black and white, and has turned yellow, and the images inside are also a little off.

My eyes were suddenly attracted by this photo. Although the background on the photo was a little blurry, I could see the ancient well in the center of the photo at a glance. I had seen the photos taken by Boss He before, and I had a deep impression of the ancient well.

It is obvious that when the photo was taken, the small courtyard in the four sides was not yet in decline. Judging from the photos, it was also a very grand courtyard. It may not be as luxurious as the Hu family, but at that time, it was also the courtyard where wealthy families lived.

I secretly wondered in my heart, how could such a beautiful yard be abandoned and dilapidated?

There are so many ancient courtyards in the ancient city, most of which are well preserved, especially those with more grand courtyards, which should be preserved more well.

However, why did it only have this yard that turned into a broken yard covered with weeds?

Where did the descendants of this yard go? Why did people go to the yard without a single person? Has something happened in this yard?

Mr. Hu pointed to the file and told us: "There are records in the history of the county that the owner of this yard, whose surname was Xu, was a wealthy family in the late Qing Dynasty. He was almost the richest man in the ancient city. Now he is the richest man! The yard is called Xu Family Courtyard! The owner is called Xu Fugui, a salt merchant, nicknamed Xu Sanduo. Because he has a lot of salt, a lot of people and a lot of money, he is called Xu Sanduo!"

Finally, the background of the dilapidated ancient courtyard was found out and it was learned that the former owner of the ancient courtyard was the richest man in the ancient city of Fenghuang.

But this made me even more doubtful. Since it was the richest man in the ancient city, why did he decline and fall? Logically speaking, his descendants should be rich and prosperous, and they should be rich and prosperous! Even if they did not have the grand scenes of the past, they would never have been empty-handed. Has there been any change in the Xu family?

"Can you find other clues about the Xu family?" I asked Mr. Hu.

Mr. Hu said: "There are only so many records in the county's history!"

I was a little disappointed. It was not enough to just know the background of the yard. I need to know what happened in the Xu family yard.

"But..." Mr. Hu's twist made me see hope again.

He said: "I can help you check the unofficial history. Since the Xu family is the richest man in the ancient city, there should be a lot of unofficial history about the Xu family. I believe that my ancestors should have more records about the Xu family in the unofficial history! You can wait and I will look for it!"

"Thank you, Mr. Hu!" I clasped my fists to express my gratitude.

I looked up at the wall clock on the wall. It was already three o'clock in the morning. Mr. Hu, wearing black-framed glasses, was still tirelessly looking for answers for us and looking for the history that was overwhelmed by time.

Seeing that Mr. Hu was so diligent, we were embarrassed to doze off again. We all forced ourselves to keep our energy while drinking ginger tea to refresh ourselves while waiting for Mr. Hu.

The Hu family has been historians for generations, so the Hu family not only records a lot of official history, but also records a lot of unofficial history and interesting stories. The files of unofficial history and interesting stories are much more tired than those of official history. Of course, if you want to understand the real Phoenix Ancient City, understand the real customs and customs, and understand the big and small things that happened in the ancient city, it may be that the content of unofficial history should be richer and more authentic. After all, these are the real records of the ancestors of the Hu family at that time.

“Oh—oh—oh—oh—”

It was not until the crowing sound of a rooster came outside that Mr. Hu slowly took off his glasses, stretched his waist, and raised his head from the file.

I turned my head and looked out the window. The sky outside was already getting dark.

In order to help us, Mr. Hu actually endured a whole night.
Chapter completed!