Finding the Silver Mine

Pan Yun truly found it almost as soon as she started looking. She drew her sword and struck with a clang, splitting a narrow crack in the exposed mountain rock.

She thrust her sword into it and gave it a gentle pry with deft force. The rock crumbled apart and came pattering down.

Xue Shao picked up a piece, pinched it, and examined it. He nodded. "Lead-gray, with grayish-white rock on either side. It really is silver ore."

He squeezed hard, crushing the stone into gravel. The corner of his mouth lifted slightly. "The silver content is quite high."

Chen Liutao and Qu Zhixing did not understand ores, but they trusted Xue Shao. In an instant, the stones looked entirely different to them.

This mine was enormous, with trees growing all over it. Pan Yun clearly could not ask Masuda Shinta to give her this entire stretch of mountain, so she inspected it with great care.

But in Masuda Shinta's eyes, she merely wandered around the mountain, then went to the temple halfway up to discuss Buddhist teachings with its monks. After that, she spent half of every day in the village and the other half at the temple. She seemed to enjoy the local culture and customs, and even wished to measure herself against the monks on the mountain. Thus, she decided to stay.

Once she decided to remain, she brought Wang Cong, Miao Zhen, Zhang Weiyi, and the others up the mountain to survey the Feng Shui and choose a site for a residence.

Masuda Shinta followed along to watch the excitement for two days, only to see them carrying all manner of strange things as they wandered aimlessly across the mountain.

He became rather uneasy.

Seeing that he seemed curious, Pan Yun beckoned him over and taught