"This isn't poison gas, I didn't expect... no, I should have expected it..."
After smelling the scent, Professor Meng left the passageway and paced back and forth in the tomb chamber, his expression extremely excited, as if he had become decades younger.
Upon hearing Professor Meng's words, Zhuang Rui realized he had probably made a fool of himself and said sheepishly, "Teacher, even if this isn't poisonous gas, it's been accumulating in the tomb for over two thousand years. It's not good to smell it, is it?"
"There's no benefit, but there's nothing seriously wrong either. Let's wait an hour before going in..."
Professor Meng was clearly in a very good mood, pacing back and forth in the tomb chamber. Zhuang Rui was a little confused, so he nudged Dr. Ren, who was also looking excited, and asked, "Brother Ren, what's wrong with Professor Meng?"
"Hehe, Zhuang Rui, this tomb we discovered this time is quite remarkable. It's a large tomb with a 'huangchang ticou' (a type of ancient Chinese tomb structure)..."
Ren Chunqiang was even more excited than Professor Meng, wishing he could rush into the tomb right now. He had only heard of the "Huangchang Ticou" tomb from the Han Dynasty but had never seen it in person.
"Huangchang Ticou"?
Zhuang Rui was taken aback when he heard this. "Ticou" is a type of burial that originated in ancient times and was most commonly seen in the Han Dynasty. It was rarely used after the Han Dynasty. To be more precise, it was used less frequently after the Western Han Dynasty and even during the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Zhuang Rui now understood why the two were so excited. Although large tombs with yellow cypress wood collages have been discovered in China, they are all from the Western Han Dynasty and most of them have been looted and are not very intact.
If this tomb is indeed a "huangchang ticou" (a type of ancient Chinese mausoleum), then the history of ancient emperors building mausoleums in Mangshan since the Eastern Han Dynasty will be rewritten.
"Alright, let's go inside and take a look..."
After waiting anxiously for more than two hours, the usually composed Professor Meng led the way into the passageway. The answer to who the owner of this tomb was might soon be revealed.
Chapter 896 Yellow Intestine Tiling (Part 2)
The term "Huangchang" comes from the fact that the wood used in the assembly process is all cypress rafters with the bark removed, which are light yellow in color.
The term "huangchangti" specifically refers to a wooden wall built around the coffin of a Western Han emperor, topped with a roof, resembling a house, with an outer chamber.
The use of the "Huangchangticou" burial method served two purposes: firstly, it indicated the identity and status of the deceased, and secondly, it helped protect the coffin from damage.
According to the ritual system of the Han Dynasty, the Huangchang Ticou (黄肠题凑) was an important component of the imperial mausoleum, along with the Zigong (梓宫), Bianfang (便房), and Waizangwai (外藏椁). However, with special permission from the court, some meritorious officials and nobles could also use it.
For example, after the death of Huo Guang, a general of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Xuan of Han "bestowed upon him a coffin, a side chamber, and a set of 'huangchang ticou' (a type of ancient Chinese coffin). The earliest record of the name 'huangchang ticou' in historical documents appears in the 'Biography of Huo Guang' in the Book of Han".
"Teacher, it's getting late, how about... we come back tomorrow?"
Zhuang Rui checked the time; it was already 7 p.m. His stomach was growling with hunger, and he was also quite tired after a day of physical labor. Although the Huangchangticou tomb was very attractive, he still needed to rest.
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Professor Meng shook his head repeatedly and said, "No, we must go in today. Xiao Liu, go upstairs and bring down the food. Be careful after dark. Or, could you ask the armed police to give us a tent? I'll stay in the tomb tonight..."
The darkness inside the tomb is no different from the daytime; both require electric lighting. The discovery of a large Han Dynasty tomb with a huangchangticou (a type of ancient Chinese tomb structure) in Mangshan is of great significance. It will rewrite much of the history in the archaeological field, which is why Professor Meng is so eager to see it.
"Well... okay, I'll go in and take a look too..."
The teacher was almost sixty years old, but he never complained. Zhuang Rui was naturally too embarrassed to say anything more. The group, with flashlights in hand, carefully made their way through the trap-filled passage and arrived at the entrance of the white marble tomb.
The white marble, as white as jade, has not dimmed with the passage of time. Under the light, it still appears crystal clear, and the dragon and phoenix patterns on it are so lifelike that they seem to come alive.
Professor Meng walked in front, and after stepping into the tomb chamber, he stood there motionless for a long time, making Zhuang Rui, who was following behind, feel itchy and quickly looked inside from his teacher's shoulder.
"Holy crap, this...this is the Huangchang Ticou?"
By the light from Professor Meng's lamp, Zhuang Rui witnessed a scene he would never forget.
This is a large tomb chamber that is nearly five meters high and more than 100 square meters in size. In the middle of the tomb chamber, there are countless pieces of wood. All the wood has been stripped of its bark and is slightly yellowed under the light.
Zhuang Rui didn't know what kind of wood these were, but the faint fragrance he smelled at the entrance of the tomb was so refreshing that it made him feel much less tired.
What shocked Zhuang Rui was that all the wood had been broken down into strips of the same size and dimensions, which were densely stacked to form a huge house, complete with a roof.
On the ceiling above the roof, the sun, moon and stars are carved. Next to the huangchangticou (a type of ancient Chinese architecture) is a tall bronze chariot with a terracotta driver on board, which looks almost like real people.
Around the bronze chariot stood six terracotta generals, all the same size as ordinary people, with solemn expressions, their left hands hanging down, while their right hands rested on the swords at their waists, their eyes piercing as they looked around, seemingly guarding their master.
Surrounding the Huangchangticou (a type of ancient Chinese courtyard house), a circle of white marble is used to depict mountains and rivers. There are maidservants guarding the area, all of whom are miniature terracotta figurines. Their appearances are extremely lifelike, and their colors are bright and vivid. At first glance, it seems as if you have entered a miniature world.
On the surrounding walls were more than a dozen luminous pearls that glowed with a soft white light. Although they were not as large and crystal clear as the one Zhuang Rui had obtained from the island's treasure, they were still intact after thousands of years and must not be ordinary.
"Could it be... the tomb of Qin Shi Huang?"
Recalling the descriptions of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum in historical records, Zhuang Rui blurted out this sentence as if possessed, immediately drawing several disdainful glances. The existence of Qin Shi Huang's tomb has long been a matter of public opinion and cannot be speculated upon casually.
"Zhuang Rui, Qin Shi Huang had a coffin made of bronze, dug through three springs, and filled it with palaces, officials, and all sorts of strange and wonderful objects. He used mercury to represent the rivers, lakes, and seas, with mechanisms to circulate it. The upper part depicted the heavens, the lower part the earth, and he used mermaid oil for candles, which were said to burn for a very long time..."
Dr. Ren has an excellent memory and recited the passage from Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian describing the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum. However, he was also shocked by the tomb he saw. It is likely that the owner of this tomb had the idea of imitating the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum.
Professor Meng had already entered the tomb chamber, quietly observing the mountains and landforms. After a long while, he said, "This is an emperor who rose from the ashes. Look, there's a general holding a weapon, and this map of mountains and rivers. It shows the territory of the Han Dynasty, the ancient Yangguan Pass, the grasslands beyond the desert, it's all depicted..."
Generally, the furnishings inside a tomb can reveal the approximate status of its owner. For example, the tombs of emperors of peace often contain pottery figurines of maids eating, drinking, and having fun, while the tombs of generals and emperors who rose to power on horseback are often guarded by weapons and guards.
The mountain and river map and the guards with knives in this tomb indicate that the tomb owner must have been a figure who expanded the territory during his lifetime, which is why Professor Meng said this.
"They hollowed out the middle of the mountain, and judging by the appearance, there must be many other burial pits. Such a huge project would probably take at least twenty years to complete. Which emperor was it?"
Professor Meng looked at the tomb chamber in front of him and fell into deep thought.
The tomb is so large that it would take at least six months to excavate it completely, so Professor Meng was not in a hurry to start.
"Teacher, those terracotta figures need to be protected immediately..."
Dr. Ren was the first to regain consciousness and whispered something to Professor Meng.
Upon hearing Ren Chunqiang's words, Professor Meng seemed to wake from a dream and quickly said, "Oh, right, right, Ren, you take them and quickly protect the terracotta figures..."
Due to exposure to the outside air, the adhesion between the painted layer and the surface of the pottery was already very weak when the painted pottery was first unearthed. After being unearthed, the colors of the painted pottery changed and the paint peeled off, and it gradually lost its color and became like a colorless pottery figurine.
Protecting the glaze of Qin and Han dynasty terracotta figurines was once an international challenge. Later, through in-depth and systematic research on the material composition and techniques of the painted decoration, experts revealed the damage mechanism of the painted decoration and developed protective techniques based on this.
Dr. Ren then took a plastic bucket, poured the liquid in the bucket into a basin and stirred it. He then brushed the colorless liquid onto each terracotta figurine. This is one of the methods, which is a combined treatment method using an anti-wrinkle agent (polyethylene glycol) and a reinforcing agent (polyurethane emulsion).
The role of polyethylene glycol is to resist shrinkage. This agent can absorb moisture from the surrounding environment to keep the painted lacquer layer moist, and then slowly lose water, so that the reinforcing agent can act on the painting before the painting is completely dry, thereby achieving the purpose of reinforcement.
Because there were too many terracotta figures in the tomb, Professor Meng also joined in. It took six or seven people three or four hours to apply the reinforcing agent to all the terracotta figures. They didn't even have time to eat the food that Xiao Liu brought.
"Alright, everyone's worked hard today. Let's go upstairs and rest. We'll continue tomorrow..."
Professor Meng is getting old, and after finishing his work, he was so tired that he couldn't even lift his back. Zhuang Rui also realized that he now truly understood the hardships of field archaeology that he used to talk about.
Although these archaeologists are able to see historical artifacts at the first opportunity, the hard work they put in is far beyond what ordinary people can imagine.
Back on the mountain, Professor Meng reported the findings to the State Administration of Cultural Heritage. Such a large-scale Han Dynasty tomb is unparalleled among the tombs discovered in China, and Zhuang Rui and his team's current technical capabilities seem somewhat inadequate.
The relevant leaders immediately issued instructions that a team of experts would be organized to come and provide assistance by the next day or two at the latest. This made Professor Meng breathe a sigh of relief, as it was unlikely that they could reveal the tomb to the world in two more years with just a few people.
After everyone climbed the mountain, it was already past 11 p.m. Everyone was exhausted and unable to return to Old Zhang's house, so they simply snuggled up next to the tent set up by the armed police and fell asleep.
Although it was already quite hot in May, everyone was still covered with the white cloths meant for wrapping cultural relics. If an unsuspecting person saw this, they might think they had stumbled upon a ghost town—a row of corpses. ...
"Youngest brother, where are you? I've been calling you for two days straight and I still can't reach you."
Before going to bed, Zhuang Rui made a phone call home. He hadn't had time to charge his phone in the past few days and usually turned it off immediately after making a call. This time, before he could turn it off, Zhonghai Weige called.
"Brother Wei, I'm in Henan Province, excavating an ancient Han Dynasty tomb. Let me tell you, this tomb is incredible! I reckon only the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is bigger than it..."
When Zhuang Rui heard that it was Yang Wei calling, he couldn't help but get excited. Although they had graduated for several years, their brotherhood was still very strong. In addition, he was stimulated by the ancient tomb today, so Zhuang Rui talked on and on on the phone.
"Youngest brother, let's not talk about this now. Fourth brother is in trouble, did you know?"
Wei Ge sounded a bit anxious and interrupted Zhuang Rui before Zhuang Rui could finish introducing the unparalleled ancient tomb he had discovered.
Chapter 897 Big Trouble
"What could possibly have happened to the fourth brother? Did he get another girl pregnant?"
Zhuang Rui was quite annoyed when Wei Ge interrupted his long-winded discussion about ancient tombs.
The fourth brother is the kind of pretty boy from Guangdong. He had messed with many female classmates when he was in school. After returning to the bright lights of Guangdong, he changed girlfriends like clothes. Zhuang Rui had long said that he was going to die from being with women.
The fourth brother was only a few days older than Zhuang Rui and always acted like an older brother. He took good care of Zhuang Rui at school. Apart from the eldest brother, he was closest to the fourth brother. Speaking of which, it was the fourth brother who played matchmaker for Zhuang Rui's relationship that ended without a trace at school.
Now, of the five college brothers, all but the fourth brother have children. Every time that guy comes to Beijing, he always pulls Zhuang Rui aside and tells him all about the advantages of being a eligible bachelor.
"No, it has nothing to do with women. Fourth Brother has gotten himself into trouble this time..."
Wei Ge's voice was a little deep. His words made Zhuang Rui sit up and ask, "Wei Ge, what's the trouble?"
Bi Yuntao, the fourth brother, came from a family with considerable influence in Guangdong. They were among the first to engage in friendly trade with Hong Kong. Although they had left the mainland early on, they still had connections in both the legitimate and underworld circles in Guangdong.
Generally speaking, as long as Lao Si doesn't traffic drugs or commit murder, no one in Guangdong, especially in the Chaoshan region, can do anything to him. So Zhuang Rui was a little surprised when he heard Yang Wei's words.
"The fourth brother got hooked on gambling sometime ago and has been spending several months in Macau. He fell into a trap set by loan sharks and lost a lot of money. Now he's been detained..."
"What?"
Upon hearing Yang Wei's words, Zhuang Rui raised his voice, attracting the attention of several people who had already fallen asleep nearby. Zhuang Rui quickly waved his hand, stood up, and walked down the mountain for a while.
"When did the fourth brother develop this problem?"
Zhuang Rui was a little angry. He hated gambling and drugs the most. He had been forced to gamble on the gambling ship last time. He never expected that his brother-in-law, Lao Si, would also get sick from this disease.
As the saying goes, a little gambling is harmless, but excessive gambling is harmful. It's okay to play cards with some stakes among relatives and friends, but if you go to a casino to gamble, then your mindset is already wrong.
"Who knows when this happened? Let's not talk about that now, let's hurry up and get the fourth brother out..."
Wei Ge didn't know much about the specifics either. Since graduation, the brothers had only been able to get together occasionally. Apart from a few people attending Zhuang Rui's museum opening, it had been a long time since they had been together.
Zhuang Rui was puzzled by Wei Ge's words and said, "Wei Ge, why are you telling me this? Lao Si's family isn't poor, and after this happened, aren't his family members asking about it?"
Back in the 1960s and 70s, the fourth son's family started smuggling items like electronic watches and jeans from Hong Kong using a windsurfing boat. Now, their trading group is worth at least several hundred million. Surely they can afford to not even cover the fourth son's gambling debts? Unless his family doesn't want to protect him.
Yang Wei gave a bitter laugh and said, "His family? His family would love to skin him alive, otherwise he wouldn't be hiding in Macau, afraid to go home..."
For high-rollers who frequently gamble in Macau, the casinos won't go all out. Even if you owe huge sums of money at exorbitant interest rates, the casinos will let you go back. They have agents in various provinces across China who specialize in collecting gambling funds, so they're not afraid you'll run away.
Although the fourth brother still owed the casino a large sum of money, he wasn't being held captive by the casino. He was simply too afraid to leave, fearing he might lose his life if he went home.
According to Wei Ge, Lao Si is currently staying at the Macau Grand Hotel, where he is being treated to good food and drinks by the casino. However, only he knows what he is really feeling.
"How much money did the fourth brother actually lose?"
After hearing Wei Ge's words, Zhuang Rui took a deep breath to calm himself down. It seemed that Lao Si had really messed up this time, and he didn't even dare to go home.
"It's a total of... 800 million Hong Kong dollars. He still owes the casino 180 million. This kid has some nerve!"
Wei Ge was also very disappointed in his son. If it were 20 or 30 million, he could find a way to help his fourth son cover the difference, but with 180 million, he simply didn't have the authority to use the family's funds, and his family would definitely not agree.
So, out of desperation, Yang Wei searched everywhere for Zhuang Rui, because only Zhuang Rui might be able to scrape together such a large sum of money.