Chapter 225
Chapter 225
There was gold and silver in this chamber too.
No one touched it.
They were afraid the objects might all contain Gu.
“Let’s go. We should look in another chamber.”
After studying the story in the murals, one man rubbed his arms.
“Princess Consort Rongyang was ruthless. According to the murals and the stories handed down about her, the Prince of Rongyang fell in love with her at first sight and later married her. He promised she would be his only woman for the rest of his life.
“But only five years after their marriage, a female cousin came to stay at the Prince’s Manor. She deliberately schemed to sleep with the prince, and he took her as a concubine, breaking the oath he had made to his wife.
“After that, he repeatedly made things difficult for the princess consort because of this cousin. Finally, she could stand no more and secretly killed them both. Even in death, she refused to be buried beside him. She claimed the prince’s main burial chamber for herself and sent him near the tomb entrance to guard the door.”
Ji Lu clicked his tongue. “Didn’t the Prince of Rongyang bring it on himself? He made a promise to a Gu woman and then broke it.”
Jiang Yunsui nodded. “Exactly. He deserved it.”
Ji Lu pressed down on her little head. “What would a child like you know?”
Jiang Yunsui snorted and planted her little hands on her hips. “Of course I know! That prince broke his promise first.”
No one dared touch anything in Li Yan’s chamber, and they left.
After countless twists and turns, assisted by Jiang Yunsui’s constitution-which no one could decide was lucky or unlucky-the group watched her trigger mechanism after mechanism and tumble from one place to another.
They ended up battered and disheveled, but arrived at the treasure chamber without serious mishap.
The countless treasures inside dazzled them.
Jiang Yunsui rummaged happily and began hanging things all over herself again. This time she had come prepared, bringing a large sack and a backpack.
The others’ eyes gleamed at the sight of the treasure too.
“The Prince of Rongyang was famously fond of wealth and collected a great deal of gold, silver, and jewels. He once discovered a gold mine and secretly exploited it. These treasures were probably all refined from the gold he found there.”
Ji Lu asked, “He was that brazen? The King of Nanzhao didn’t interfere?”
“The Prince of Rongyang held considerable power then. Even the king had little chance of defeating him. Only after the prince died did the king send men to confiscate the manor’s property, but they found far less than expected. Everyone knew he had hidden his treasure somewhere, but no one knew where. Who would have thought…”
Who could have guessed that the prince had hidden it in the tomb he had built for himself?
“And now it all benefits us.”
“There are words on this wall too.”
Everyone crowded around.
“Let those fated to find it take it.”
Their eyes widened.
“I’m guessing the Prince of Rongyang didn’t write that,” Ji Lu said.
The others nodded.
For a miser like him, these objects had been precious treasures. After going to such lengths to hide them, how could he have allowed others to take them freely?
The earlier story made it clear that the prince had died before his wife.
So the person who had ordered those words carved was obvious.
Well, well…
Who could say they were not the fated ones?
Everyone immediately began gathering treasure.
Like Jiang Yunsui, they shook out sacks they had brought.
Gold was extremely heavy.
Jiang Yunsui could not carry much of it. She hung ornaments on herself, while her little backpack held only the things she especially liked: luminous pearls, fine gemstones, jade, and jadeite.
All the gold went into her sack.
Then, even using all the strength she possessed, she could not lift it.
“I can’t pick it up.”
Ji Si, carrying a bundle of his own, came over to help her.
“Let’s go. This is enough. We should head back.”
“The Prince of Rongyang certainly knew how to hide his wealth.”
Everyone had already taken as much as they possibly could.
They retraced their route.
When they reached Princess Consort Rongyang’s chamber, Jiang Yunsui stopped and pulled a bundle of incense from her little bag.
“Si Si, let’s bow quickly and thank the pretty lady.”
The others had intended to leave immediately, but now the corners of their mouths twitched.
“What made you think of bringing so much incense into a tomb?”
Jiang Yunsui’s large eyes were full of innocent clarity. “Don’t people burn incense for the dead? I brought spirit money too.”
She raised her little chin proudly.
“None of you thought of it, did you? I’m smarter than all of you.”
No one knew whether to laugh or cry, but they were already here and she had already taken everything out.
Each person accepted three sticks of incense, knelt before the coffin, kowtowed three times, and planted the incense in the ground.
Jiang Yunsui burned the spirit money as well.
“All done. Let’s go.”
She dusted off her knees.
“Pretty lady, we’re leaving now!”
Their journey out went so smoothly it made their scalps prickle.
Ji Lu rubbed his arms. “We’ve been walking for ages without seeing so much as a snake. Even the insects run away the moment they spot us. Is that normal?”
“Could there really be something supernatural here? Did burning incense and bowing actually work?”
“Stop talking. Let’s get out quickly.”
They crawled out through the grave robbers’ tunnel again, disguised its entrance, and finally left.
Three people had died on this expedition. Two were killed by mechanisms inside the tomb. A venomous snake bit the third directly over the artery in his neck, and he died on the spot, bleeding from every orifice.
Several others had been injured, but survived.
They hurried down the mountain with the treasure and reached the residence at night.
It was already the evening of the third day.
“Ji Yan’an! Ji Yan’an, we’re back!”
After chewing dry rations for days, Jiang Yunsui was desperate for real food.
“Ji Yan’an, where’s Fat Grandpa? I want a braised pork knuckle.”
“Ji Yan’an, I brought good things back! And I also want…”
She pushed open the study door and several pairs of eyes turned toward her.
So… so many people.
Little Mushroom’s voice had been clear and sweet, but under all those stares, she instantly hunched her shoulders and swiftly withdrew the foot she had placed over the threshold.
She turned to run.
“Come back.”
Jiang Yunsui pretended she had heard nothing.
She had taken only a few steps when someone caught her and lifted her off the ground.
The timid Little Mushroom hung her head and tried to hide herself.
Once set down, she crouched silently for a moment before cautiously raising her eyes.
Just one little peek.
“Hahaha! Isn’t this little girl supposed to be brave?”
That voice sounded familiar.
“Miss Jiang.”
That one sounded even more familiar.
She looked up. “Chiliarch Lin!”
They really were people she knew.
Several of the other faces looked vaguely familiar too. They were all men from the Mobei army.
“Were you hurt?” Ji Yan’an asked.
Jiang Yunsui quickly shook her head. “No. I’m perfectly fine.”
She sounded quite proud.
“I’m hungry.”
“Nanshu, take her to Fat Chef,” Ji Yan’an said.
“Yes.”
“Come on, Little Ancestor.”
Jiang Yunsui immediately followed him with her little backpack. Once outside, she pulled out a large golden pearl and handed it to him.
“This is for you, Nanshu. Do you like it?”
Nanshu looked at the pearl in his hand and nodded. “Of course. Who wouldn’t?”