Ancient tomb excavation traces

Programmer's comment: The first volume, *The Shadow of Yuanling*, is nearing its end. I need to prepare for the second volume, which requires a lot of research and is quite demanding. I'd like to express my gratitude to reader "Bai Qingzhu" for their comments, urging for updates, and donations yesterday. Also, a quick note to readers who like "Little Taoist Priest" Zhang Zhuyi and "Ancestor" Feng Xie: they are both protagonists from ancient times, and their stories will be quite substantial.

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The matter of the intricacies of the plan was put aside for now; we were already in Princess Chu's main coffin chamber. Everyone was there except for the deceased Liang Jiu. A huge weight lifted from my heart, and I finally breathed a sigh of relief. We were now only one step away from unveiling Princess Chu's mystery, and I was filled with indescribable excitement. All the days of travel and physical suffering had been for this moment.

Although the main coffin chamber was quiet and undisturbed by any evil spirits, it exuded a dark and heavy atmosphere that made people uneasy. If it weren't for the large number of people, they might have really gotten sick from this oppressive atmosphere. Fortunately, the lighting equipment that Lao Tiao had temporarily made was a lifesaver; otherwise, the place would have been pitch black, and the two lamps that burned without any illumination would have been like will-o'-the-wisps.

We placed the two "tomb guardian torches" we had on the east and west sides of the main coffin chamber, keeping one for ourselves as well. At this moment, no one dared to relax, after all, this was the lair of the big boss, and this lair was not small. The entire space was square with a round top. This structure was exactly what Yin-Yang theory called "heaven is round and earth is square".

In Yin-Yang theory, "round" represents movement, such as the moving sun and moon. "Square" represents stability and is associated with Yin. The combination of movement and stillness is just right. This design shows that Sima Yan not only understood geography but also had some understanding of celestial phenomena. The concept of "round heaven" is actually the ancients' initial understanding of the universe and represents their wisdom.

Upon closer inspection, one can see that something on the bronze dome is faintly glowing.

The young Taoist priest said calmly, "Those are the Seven Luminaries..."

Upon hearing this, I rubbed my eyes, counted them, and there were indeed seven. They were of different colors and seemed to be made from various rare minerals that were polished and then inlaid.

The "Seven Planets" is a collective term for the Sun, Moon, Venus, Jupiter, Mercury, Mars, and Saturn, and is very important in astrology. Moreover, I also saw magnificent cloud patterns around these seven planets, as if they were depicting a celestial scene.

Chen Yi looked at the seven glowing gems and said, "Hey, Liu Zi, do you think we should give Sima Yan a title, like 'China's Best Backup Plan' or 'Top-Tier Senior Brother'? These 'Seven Stars' correspond to Mi Ling's main coffin. The layout is so elaborate, it's like the Chu princess really went to heaven to become a god after she died."

I lowered my voice and replied, "We've been to the heavens, so where are the gods? It's just that although the ancients were intelligent, they lacked knowledge of many supernatural phenomena, diseases, and disasters, so they naturally began to fear. Fear leads to prayer, and prayer leads to all sorts of imaginations. Mi Ling could understand celestial phenomena during her lifetime, so in the minds of the ignorant people at that time, she was naturally an extraordinary figure. Even someone as clever as Sima Yan couldn't escape his yearning for the celestial palace. He probably also thought that Mi Ling, after her death, could ascend to heaven, and that she could take him with her."

"What you're saying... 'When one attains enlightenment, even one's chickens and dogs ascend to heaven'? You know, that old codger Sima Yan already considers himself a chosen one, does he really need Mi Ling to help him? If you ask me, let's stop talking nonsense, roll up our sleeves, pry open that Chu princess's coffin, I want to see if that mystical Mi Ling has turned into bones or truly ascended to immortality."

As Chen Yi spoke, he became restless, but the ancestor grabbed him and said, "Before you get promoted and make a fortune, you must carefully examine everything in the ancient tomb to avoid being tricked." After speaking, he assigned Chu Ba to check whether there were any mechanisms in the main coffin chamber. Chu Ba received the order and went to check carefully.

The young Taoist priest was used to working alone and began to study on his own. His original purpose in coming here was to find out about the "living dead," but in fact, he spent most of his time saving us. Thinking about it, we feel sorry for him.

The bronze coffin lay silently in the center, exuding a cold and mysterious aura. To understand the purpose and deeper meaning of its design, the rest of us followed our ancestor to the front of the coffin.

In front of the coffin is a huge, outstretched deer antler, which resembles the outstretched hands of people praying for blessings.

Chen Yi exclaimed dramatically, "With antlers that big, could that deer be a hundred-year-old elk spirit?"

Upon hearing this, Bao Cai shook his head and sneered, "Hey Fatty Chen, do you even know anything? How can a deer live to be a hundred years old? It's one thing to be ignorant, but now you don't even have common sense?"

"Get lost! You've seen all that filth, and you still don't believe there are hundred-year-old deer spirits?" Chen Yi retorted. "I'm just asking you, did man-eating vines even exist in our time? So you've forgotten the pain after it pierced your butt?"

The pain of being pierced by the "man-eating vine" was a deep wound in Bao Cai's heart. Upon hearing this, he awkwardly touched his buttocks, still feeling lingering fear.

The old ancestor, unable to bear the two constantly bickering, stretched out his hands, pressed one on each of their faces, and pushed them away. He then approached to examine them closely and said, "Oh dear, these horns are pieced together, but the craftsman's skill is so high that they look like they came from a deer..."

Hearing what the ancestor said, I went closer to look, but unfortunately I didn't have his good eyesight and couldn't figure it out.

The base of the deer antlers was shaped like a shaman, kneeling on the ground, his hands supporting the antlers, with two thick iron chains piercing his collarbone. This person, when standing, was probably about the same height as Bao Cai. His exposed skin was dried up, as if he had been mummified. The ancestor said this person was unlikely to be a lowly servant, but probably someone of high status and good fortune; otherwise, such exquisitely carved, spirit-connected deer antlers wouldn't be supported by him.

I nodded. This custom of finding someone with good fortune to receive important items has continued to this day, and there are many similar practices in our time. For example, when a girl gets married or moves to a new house, someone with good fortune is asked to "press down" on the bed, all for the sake of good luck.

Chen Yi said, "This person has turned into a dried-up corpse and has been kneeling here all this time. What good fortune could he possibly have? In the end, he'll just fall into the Yellow Springs. Isn't that just suffering?"

Chen Yi's words raised a very real issue. Since ancient times, which emperor didn't want "the world in his hands and a long life"? But alas, when a person dies, he is nothing but bones. No matter how fortunate a person is, he cannot escape the day when his bones rot and turn to dust, leaving behind only a name, a tragic and miserable end.

This reminded me of our renowned ancestors, such powerful figures, who too would one day disappear; the thought is undeniably somber. Coming back to my senses, I looked at the shaman-like figure again. He wore black sacrificial robes, a colorful pendant of bird feathers and seashells around his neck, and a dark red "bixi" (a type of apron) tied around his waist. In ancient times, the "bixi" was used to cover the body, hanging between the legs. It was decorated with mythical beast patterns, suggesting he was performing a solemn and grand sacrificial ceremony.

What was particularly striking was that this person's sacrificial robes shimmered, giving them an exceptionally sacred appearance that inspired a sense of awe. I felt puzzled and was about to reach out to touch the garments when the ancestor stopped me, saying, "The light on these robes is generated from crushed mica powder. I advise you not to touch them. Remember how I was careless? When I was in another tomb with Tanzi, I took the bamboo slips and fell victim to a sneak attack."

I nodded. Mica powder is highly stable and resistant to high temperatures and corrosion. In the early days, "mica burnished silk" was unearthed from the tomb of Zhao Mei, the King of Nanyue. It can make the fabric have a slight luster and look extremely beautiful.

As I carefully examined the man's clothing, Bao Cai and Lao Tiao stared intently at the golden mask worn by the shaman. The mask, chilling and eerie, combined with the deathly aura emanating from the man, created a strange effect. Four eyes were visible on the mask, their outlines merely shadowy. Through these dark eyes, one could vaguely make out the face within. The face was charred black, with four luminous eyes set into its arid surface, a dull green hue—quite bizarre. And on the center of the mask's forehead were three vertically arranged malachite stones, their bands of light clearly defined.

Our ancestors said that these three malachite stones represent "heaven, earth, and man." They had seen a similar mask in another Chu tomb, but that mask was made of bronze and was not as exquisite and luxurious as this one.

On either side of the shaman sat two people, both wearing masks, and judging from their clothing, they were two women. Their masks were relatively ordinary, inlaid with ancient glass.

The two women each hold a musical instrument. The woman on the left holds a "tao," which we now call a "rattle drum," while the other holds a bell. The three of them together create a solemn atmosphere.

Judging from the antlers and the three mummified corpses, the main coffin chamber might be where Mi Ling ascended to heaven. I'm pondering this, trying to gather more information to confirm this idea. Chen Yi couldn't contain himself any longer. He anxiously said, "Boss, I lost all my digging tools. Do you have any left? If so, let's dig up this golden mask. At least we'll have some meat to eat when we get back..."

For some reason, looking at Chen Yi's impatient face, I suddenly felt a chill. I saw greed in his expression. There were many treasures on the bronze castings before, but I had never seen Chen Yi like this. But it's not surprising; people always have an irresistible pursuit of gold.

Looking at the intricate patterns carved on the gold mask, their arrangement seemed quite regular, as if foreshadowing something. Around the three malachite stones, there were also intricate inscriptions, none of which I could recognize, and even my ancestors couldn't decipher them.

Bao Cai said, "Oh dear, what can be carved? It's nothing more than a few phrases like 'Death to the grave robbers' or 'Gods bestow blessings'."

The old ancestor, after hearing Bao Cai's casual remark, stroked his chin and nodded seriously, saying, "Brother Liu's analysis makes sense..."

I watched as the ancestor and Bao Cai hit it off immediately, shook my head, and continued watching. At that moment, I stared at the golden mask, somewhat mesmerized… The mask exuded a captivating aura, and I even had a strange feeling that the person behind the mask was calling to me.

I reached out my hand absently, and the four eyes on the golden mask emitted a ghostly green light, as if trying to pull me into his world. I realized something was wrong, but my body couldn't shake off this feeling of powerlessness. This feeling was like what old people often call "sleep paralysis"—I wanted to scream but couldn't, I wanted to move but couldn't, and I could only be filled with endless panic and fear.

Just when I was feeling utterly exhausted, someone slapped me hard on the back. I cried out and fell to the ground, feeling as heavy as a stone, gasping for breath. Chen Yi, who was next to me, was the same.

I caught my breath and looked back. The person who had patted me was the young Taoist priest. He stared at the mask and said, "Miss Lan, are you sure the lines engraved on this golden mask are a map of this tomb?"

Lan Quexi nodded and said, "Not exactly the same. The maps I've seen aren't as simple as the one on the mask, but even with the simple lines, the various branches and intersections are accurate..."

I was confused and wondered: was the regular pattern on the golden mask a map of the tomb? I stood up and stared blankly at the mask. The four eyes on the mask looked like small green light bulbs, emitting an eerie light.

"Little rascal, don't look at those four eyes too much..." the old man reminded me, "I was chatting so happily with Brother Liu that I forgot to tell you."

I felt ashamed and then asked in confusion, "Why are these eyes so strange? They weren't that bright just now."

The old ancestor said, "This person is the 'Four-Eyed God,' a deity imagined by the people of Chu. One of his eyes represents heaven and earth, while the other three symbolize the sun and moon, mountains and rivers. The more you look at his eyes, the brighter they become, and the brighter they become, the more confused you will become, eventually being taken to another world."

"This isn't a god, it's the ancestor of demons and monsters! Just looking at its eyes makes me dizzy..." Chen Yu cursed as he stood up.

In ancient times, ordinary people were not allowed to look directly into the eyes of deities; it was considered disrespectful and would incur divine punishment. I didn't believe it at first, but after experiencing it firsthand, I know it's true.

The four eyes were identified by the ancestor as "luminous pearls." These "luminous pearls" glowed with a light similar to emeralds, suggesting they were of high quality. If four such exquisite "luminous pearls" were found even before the coffin was opened, what would be in Princess Chu's coffin?

Chen Yi snapped out of his daze and saw that the four eyes were luminous pearls. He was so excited that he stammered, "My God, these are pure natural 'luminous pearls'! You know, luminous pearls are of a high level and not something that ordinary rich people can own. Only famous figures like Qin Shi Huang and Empress Wu Zetian could use them. They are truly priceless treasures. If I were to collect this, I would be famous in the antique world! My God..." Chen Yi couldn't finish his sentence and just reached out towards the mask. Bao Cai, hearing what he said, couldn't contain his excitement either and went over. The old ancestor sighed, then swiftly grabbed them by the collar, saying, "If you're lucky enough to take a look, that's enough. But if you try to take it, you'll be bewitched. As the saying goes, 'The greatest treasures in the world are not for ordinary people to enjoy...' If you two are destined to be kings and can control the aura of this treasure, then take it as you please. If you want to stay alive and go back to eating meat and drinking wine, then keep your thieving eyes closed and don't glance at it."

The words of the ancestors carried weight. Chen Yu swallowed hard after hearing them, and Bao Cai also shrank back, avoiding looking at the sinister "luminous pearl".