Anning practiced her spells every night, and by the time winter arrived, she had mastered some magical skills.
Meanwhile, Li Zhifang had been influenced by Anning's medicated concoctions that made him particularly serene and free of desires. He never made any inappropriate demands of Anning, which naturally pleased her.
As the winter weather grew colder, Anning took the opportunity before the water froze to visit the mountain late at night when everyone was asleep.
She had scouted the location before; this time she went to retrieve the hidden items from the cave.
Indeed, the items stashed in the cave were quite substantial, and Anning spent several days transporting them.
She buried these items deep within the courtyard of the home she shared with Liu Shangai, to ensure they remained undiscovered.
Of course, she did not bury everything; she kept two gold bars and two antiques from the previous dynasty inside the kang (a traditional heated bed) in their house.
