011 Almost broke the pot

Upon entering the right ear chamber and surveying the scene, Chen Duoyu immediately uttered an expletive.

"By the gods, nearly all made of clay, not worth a penny."

The right ear chamber was neatly arranged with various burial goods of different sizes and specifications, including pottery warriors, painted civil officials, painted clay bulls, and lotus-shaped trays, among others.

In addition to these pottery items, there were several bronze and gold-silver objects, with the most representative being a unique burial item of the Northern and Southern Dynasties, the golden tiger.

The golden tiger, mostly cocoon-shaped, with a tiger head piled on top, crouched on all fours like a roaring tiger, indicating it was likely the most valuable item present.

What surprised me most was the presence of some glass bowls and bottles, although with many bubbles and poor transparency.

Zhang Wenjie dismissed my astonishment, attributing it to my lack of exposure. He pointed out that glassmaking technology had been introduced to the Central Plains as early as the Northern Wei Dynasty.

"All right, stop complaining. Thin burials were common during the Northern and Southern Dynasties, so this is not bad. Clean up the battlefield, pack up the valuable items, take as many pottery figurines as possible, and as for the glass, it's fragile and not valuable, so let it be."

Chen Duoyu picked up a painted maid figurine and gave it a kiss.

"My dear, although you are made of clay, this kiss across a millennium is dedicated to you."

The three Chen brothers immediately took out woven bags and cling film from their bags. They securely wrapped all the valuable items with cling film and placed them in woven bags to prevent collisions and preserve freshness.

Zhang Wenjie picked up the walkie-talkie and said, "Old Ding, Lao Duan, tidy up the table, it's time for the banquet."

The red light flashed, followed by the voices of Old Ding and Duan Huaijin.

Old Ding asked, "Excellent, what dishes?"

Duan Huaijin inquired, "How many table settings?"

Zhang Wenjie replied, "Whole chicken, whole fish, no elbows, one table setting."

Their cryptic conversation requires some clarification.

Old Ding's question has two meanings: one is whether any other colleagues had entered before us, and the other is about the quality of the burial goods.

As for Duan Huaijin's question, it is self-explanatory—it concerns the quantity of the burial items and whether they can all be transported in one trip.

"Whole chicken, whole fish" means that the tomb has not been plundered, and "no elbows" indicates that the burial goods are not of particularly high value.

I also helped pack up the burial items, but I was clumsy and wrapped them loosely. In contrast, the Chen brothers' hands were as fast as engines, making me feel inadequate in comparison.

Chen Lao Da said, "Guangting, take a break, we've got this."

I said, "But isn't there strength in numbers?"

Chen Lao Da replied, "The key is, even if I watch you do it, I still won't know how."

Realizing my ineptitude, I set down what I was holding. When I looked up, I found Zhang Wenjie once again showing keen interest in the painted clay sculptures on the wall.

"Mr. Zhang, is something amiss?"

Zhang Wenjie glanced at me, pointed at the wall, and said, "I have a feeling something's off, but I can't quite put my finger on it."

The wall paintings here indeed seemed out of place, depicting a middle-aged man with a sword at his waist. This man exuded an aura of might and dignity, appearing to be a general or similar figure. Particularly striking were his eyes, intensely expressive, radiating a determined gleam.

The true identity of this person remained a mystery, as no discoveries were made throughout the entire right ear chamber.

Before him stood a colossal bodhi tree, blossoming with flowers, beneath which lay a lush grassland. Not far away was a simple, roofless dilapidated house.

"Mr. Zhang, what is that dilapidated house for?"

"That's a latrine."

"Oh?"

As the wind blew and petals fell, some landed on the green grass while others drifted into the latrine.

It was truly astonishing. Why would Emperor Wen of Western Wei, the founding emperor of the Western Wei regime, depict such a bizarre scene in his own mausoleum? What was his intention?

Even Zhang Wenjie furrowed his brow, at a loss for an answer.

By this time, the Chen brothers had finished packing all the burial goods. However, their greed got the better of them, and they went to the entrance of the main tomb chamber, knocking and prying at the door crevice, attempting to force it open by brute strength.

Soon, reality extinguished the brothers' enthusiasm as they sighed and shook their heads in frustration at the tomb door.

Once again, the voice of Duan Huaijin came through the walkie-talkie.

"It's four o'clock, only one hour left, move quickly."

With concerted effort, they divided into two trips, transporting six bulging woven bags plus half of another into the tunnel and securing them with ropes.

"Old Ding, Lao Duan, pull the rope."

After both people and cargo were inside, Old Ding immediately began sealing the furnace, while the others loaded the woven bags onto Duan Huaijin's compartment truck.

Duan Huaijin reached in and opened a valve, immediately causing the sound of rushing water. The water flowed into the space where the artifacts were stored, sealing it completely in no time. Inside, the fish swam freely, continually releasing bubbles, completely concealed.

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, an almost disastrous scene unfolded that nearly spelled our demise.

"Baa, baa, baa."

Suddenly, the bleating of several nanny goats echoed nearby, growing louder and closer, accompanied by the rustling of the green curtain.

"Quick, move quickly, retreat immediately," Zhang Wenjie shouted.

Before we could react, a nanny goat with two horns and a swollen belly emerged, followed by an old man who also emerged from the millet field, meeting us face to face.

The old man scanned each of us with his eyes, and we all stared back at him, silent.

Silence stretched on, stealing away seconds of time.

The old man broke the silence, walking over to grab the goat's horns and smacking its spine twice.

"Damn you, biting through the reins. Wait till you have your kids, I'll sell you next spring."

Raising his hand and nodding, he acted nonchalant, ready to leave with the goat. However, Zhang Wenjie stopped him with a cold voice.

"Old man, stop."

Turning around, the old man forced a smile and said, "Mind your own business. I haven't seen anything."

With that, he attempted to leave again, ignoring Zhang Wenjie's second shout, and disappeared into the millet field, leaving behind the nanny goat.

"Quick, don't let him escape."

The three Chen brothers immediately chased after him like wild dogs, causing a commotion inside the green curtain, followed by a scream.

Not long after, the old man was dragged out, his face covered in blood, one shoe missing, and a hole in his sock revealing a big toe.

"I haven't seen anything, let me go," he pleaded.

Zhang Wenjie, with a sinister demeanor, said, "You've seen things you shouldn't have. If we let you live, it will be a disaster for us."

"I won't say anything. I promise."

Zhang Wenjie said no more. He signaled to the Chen brothers, and Chen Lao Da immediately understood, pulling a woven bag over the old man's head.

By now, Zhang Wenjie had shed his gentle scholar demeanor and transformed into a cold-blooded killer. He drew out his dagger and approached.