Chapter 224
Chapter 224
Jiang Yunsui was an expert at hide-and-seek. Even a kitten hidden high in the rafters could not escape her.
Before long, she had found every animal taking part in the game.
“All right, that’s enough for today. We’ll play again next time.”
Tomorrow, she was going treasure hunting!
The next morning, Jiang Yunsui stood among the people Ji Yan’an had selected.
Tiny as she was, she did not even reach their thighs.
Strictly speaking, she was six years old now.
But she had grown only the tiniest bit since she was five.
She was still a short, white, soft little glutinous rice dumpling.
“Keep these hidden on you.”
Ji Yan’an took out several porcelain bottles and handed them around.
They contained antidotes and medicines that could save their lives.
He also replenished the poisons Jiang Yunsui had used, along with her hidden weapons.
Qianqian and Houhou were coming this time as well. The two roosters were exceptionally useful against venomous insects.
“Ji Yi, protect her carefully.”
“Yes, Young Master.”
Besides Ji Yan’an’s men, the group included several specialists familiar with tomb mechanisms.
Ji Si carried Jiang Yunsui. As they left, she waved toward Ji Yan’an.
“Ji Yan’an, we’ll be back very soon!”
If they could follow the route she had taken last time, they really would return quickly.
But matters were not destined to go so smoothly.
The moment the group entered, they encountered venomous spiders just as before.
“There are too many spiders. Don’t get bogged down-run!”
“There are mechanisms ahead. Watch yourselves.”
Someone stepped in the wrong place. A row of holes instantly opened in the wall.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh…
Short arrows shot toward them.
“That way!” Jiang Yunsui cried. “We went that way.”
Holding torches aloft, the group followed the direction she pointed.
“It was right here. I stepped on a mechanism, and whoosh! I rolled down through a hole over there.”
“Where is the mechanism?”
Jiang Yunsui scratched her cheek guiltily. “I forgot.”
She had been exhausted from running at the time. Remembering the direction and approximate location already proved how clever she was.
“Search,” Ji Yi ordered decisively.
This wealth had practically been delivered into their hands. However difficult it was, they had to find it.
Jiang Yunsui grew tired after searching for a while and plopped down.
Crack…
Jiang Yunsui’s eyes went round.
Everyone spun toward her. The next instant, a hole opened in the wall she was leaning against, and she tumbled through it, arms and legs flailing.
“Aaaaaah!”
“Why is it always me?!”
Her childish voice rang with fury.
The others fell silent.
It might be unkind to say so, but… at least they had found it.
They hurried through the opening after her.
Jiang Yunsui climbed up and dusted off her clothes.
“Hissss…”
The sound made her scalp prickle. There had not been a snake here the last time!
Something cold seemed to loom behind her, and something beneath her feet was moving.
She stiffly looked down. Oh. She was standing on a python thicker than both her legs put together.
She turned her head and found an enormous snake’s head facing her.
Jiang Yunsui: QAQ
“I didn’t mean to.”
The snake did not care. A sweet, soft little cake had fallen right beside its mouth. Of course it had to take a bite.
The python opened its jaws wide.
Whoosh!
Ji Si leaped through the opening and landed with one foot on its neck.
More people were behind him, so he quickly moved aside.
Whoosh!
Another man jumped down, this time landing on the snake’s head.
“Hm? What’s moving under my feet?” Ji Lu asked.
“Move aside down there! I can’t stop myself!”
Thump, thump, thump…
One person after another poured down like dumplings into a pot, landing in a heap on their stomachs.
Jiang Yunsui had already been carried out of the way. Everyone else had landed… directly on the python.
She pressed her palms together. “I hope you’re born into a better life next time.”
“What are you muttering about?” Ji Lu asked.
Jiang Yunsui pointed one chubby finger at the long, twisting shape beneath them.
Ji Lu jumped. “What the hell is that?!”
“I knew I was standing on something.”
“A snake! It’s a snake!”
“What an enormous snake. Uh… I think we flattened it.”
Someone’s dagger had even ended up buried squarely in the snake’s head.
When they saw that it had stopped moving, everyone burst out laughing.
“Does this count as accidentally taking care of a problem?”
Jiang Yunsui cackled too.
“It wanted to eat me!”
A fragrant, soft little cake might have made a tasty snack, but several hard buns capable of cracking eggs-and choking someone to death-had followed right behind it. That was a little too much for any throat.
And so, the python had choked to death.
“Which way now?”
Three passages lay ahead.
Jiang Yunsui pointed at the one on the far left. “This way.”
Before long, a swarm of insects chased them down the passage. The creatures could burrow into human skin. They were small, which made them especially troublesome to kill, and there were far too many of them.
Fortunately, they had a weakness: fire.
The group carried torches, so as long as they ran quickly, they would be fine.
In fact, most creatures inside the tomb feared fire.
“This mechanism is broken. It won’t open.”
Jiang Yunsui scratched her hair. “What do we do?”
“We’ll have to find another route.”
See? There was no chance the entire journey would go smoothly.
They encountered several more mechanisms. One caused the floor to suddenly drop open, revealing a deep pit filled with sharpened iron spikes.
Anyone who fell would be impaled straight through.
Jiang Yunsui crossed without incident, but the mechanism activated as soon as the adult behind her stepped on it.
It must have been triggered by weight. She was a child, after all, and much lighter than an adult.
Fortunately, the others reacted quickly and caught the man.
After pulling him up, everyone broke into a cold sweat.
“Grave robbing really isn’t work just anyone can do.”
There seemed to be another mechanism every few steps. They were impossible to guard against.
“There’s a coffin over here,” Jiang Yunsui called.
She had already run into another burial chamber.
Once everyone had caught their breath, they followed. Besides the coffin, the chamber contained jewelry, ancient paintings, porcelain, and other objects.
Jiang Yunsui was studying one of the paintings. Darkness did little to hinder her vision.
“What a pretty lady.”
The painting indeed depicted a woman. She wore magnificent red Miao dress, formal, ornate, and beautiful. She was probably a princess consort or someone of similar rank.
“There are words underneath.”
Someone brought a torch closer and recognized them.
“Princess Consort Rongyang, Li Yan.”
“Could this be the tomb of the Prince of Rongyang of Nanzhao?”
“Judging by its scale, it certainly belongs to royalty. It should be. Legend says Princess Consort Rongyang came from Miao territory. The venomous creatures in this tomb were probably all raised by her.”
“There are words here too.”
Pictures had been carved into the stone wall. They were difficult to understand, but parts could be deciphered. They appeared to recount Princess Consort Rongyang’s life.
At the very end was a single sentence.
“You may take the treasure. Do not open the coffin. Bear the consequences if you do.”
Even without that warning, no one would have dared open it.
Miao women were not to be trifled with. Opening the coffin of a Miao princess consort skilled in Gu arts would be nothing short of courting death.