"Hmm, what about Nakagawa?"
Zhuang Rui nodded in satisfaction. Re-education through labor is not a criminal punishment, but an administrative punishment. It is generally applied to those who repeatedly fail to correct their behavior but do not constitute a criminal offense. Luo Zhiping was sent to re-education through labor for his first offense of soliciting prostitution, which is already a very serious punishment.
Deputy Director Xiong glanced cautiously at Zhuang Rui and replied, "Mr. Zhuang, since Luo Zhiping paid for the prostitution, and Zhongchuan said he didn't know it was paid sex, therefore... we don't have enough evidence to convict him. The final punishment is a fine of five thousand yuan. Do you... do you think this is appropriate?"
In fact, fining Zhongchuan 5,000 yuan already put a lot of pressure on Deputy Director Xiong and Director Ma. You know, after the matter was over, Zhuang Rui and others could have just walked away, but the impact of the matter had to be borne by the local authorities.
To put it bluntly, nowadays, in any region that attracts investment, "ladies' services" are indispensable, and in any commercial investment region with a large influx of foreign investors, sex services are bound to be very well-developed and thriving. The two are inextricably linked.
For example, take a certain coastal city in the south that is known as the "sex capital" by the Chinese (I won't mention the name, otherwise you wouldn't need to cross provincial borders to find out about it). Almost all the factories there are built by Hong Kong and Taiwanese investors, which has also boosted the prosperity of certain underground industries. If a married man goes there on a business trip, I estimate that nine out of ten wives will cry, make a scene, or even threaten suicide.
To put it bluntly, this is what some leaders often refer to as the investment environment. Having this environment doesn't guarantee attracting investment, but without it, investors will definitely perceive it as a poor investment environment. This is a very real situation in China.
Therefore, punishing Zhongchuan will, in a sense, have a significant impact on local investment promotion efforts. At this moment, Deputy Director Xiong will report the results of the investigation to Zhuang Rui, while Director Ma is at the police station comforting Zhongchuan. As for Luo Zhiping, he is destined to be cannon fodder.
"Hehe, I'm not familiar with the relevant laws, so I presume Director Xiong's handling of the matter is reasonable and legal..."
Zhuang Rui smiled, then changed the subject, "However, I think that in the future, when Director Xiong enforces the law, he should distinguish between who is on our side and who is the enemy. This is no longer the time of the Eight-Nation Alliance, where any foreigner could ride roughshod over us. If a foreigner breaks the law, he must be severely punished!"
Zhuang Rui also understood that it was already quite good that the matter could be handled like this. This was because Luo Zhiping lacked experience and Zhongchuan did not understand the situation in China. Otherwise, if they hadn't been caught red-handed, as long as they had stubbornly denied it, Luo Zhiping could have even been exempted from detention and re-education through labor. The "ladies'" testimonies alone were not enough to convict them.
"Yes, yes, Mr. Zhuang is right. We will definitely pay attention to this in our work in the future..."
Deputy Director Xiong nodded his head like a chicken pecking at rice, but in his heart he didn't think much of it. When foreigners break the law, they are usually deported. As long as a foreigner has a little money, it is very difficult to convict and sentence him. Not only will foreign embassies interfere, but some interest groups in China will also help him get away with it, whether intentionally or unintentionally.
"Alright, you can go now..."
A great man once said that his influence was limited to Beijing and had little impact outside the city. Zhuang Rui, at most, could only influence the courtyard house in Beijing and, further afield, his own suburban manor.
Zhuang Rui understood these things; these things couldn't be changed overnight, nor could they be changed by Zhuang Rui's abilities. This made Zhuang Rui feel somewhat bored, so he waved his hand and let Deputy Director Xiong leave.
Chapter 1094 Underground Palace
The weather in May was just right, so early the next morning, Zhuang Rui and the others checked out of their rooms and headed to their last destination in Xi'an: Mount Li.
Mount Li is a branch of the Qinling Mountains on the north side, stretching more than 20 kilometers from east to west, with a maximum elevation of 1,256 meters. The mountain range is undulating and covered with lush trees. From a distance, it looks like a dark blue horse, hence the name Mount Li.
Since the Zhou, Qin, Han, and Tang dynasties, this place has always been a popular tourist destination. Many palaces and villas were built here, attracting tourists from all over the world. Here you can find "Lishan Evening Glow", which is known as one of the "Eight Scenic Spots of Guanzhong", "Beacon Tower" where the feudal lords were summoned by beacon fires, Bingjian Pavilion commemorating the Xi'an Incident, and Laomu Temple commemorating Nuwa mending the sky.
Of course, the most famous thing about Mount Li is the underground palace of the First Emperor of Qin. The palace of the First Emperor of Qin was originally a two-story building with two floors above ground and underground. At the foot of Mount Li, there is also the Terracotta Army pit, which is known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World".
Although he had heard of the Terracotta Army for a long time, this was Zhuang Rui's first time visiting it. The rows of lifelike terracotta warriors deeply impressed him. In particular, the spiritual energy flowing from the terracotta warriors made Zhuang Rui feel as if he had entered a huge treasure trove.
Dr. Ren found an acquaintance at the museum who obtained passes for Zhuang Rui and the others, allowing them to enter the burial pit and observe up close the artifacts that represent the pinnacle of craftsmanship from over 2,000 years ago.
Whether it's the Terracotta Army or those exquisitely crafted bronze artifacts, every detail embodies the dedication of ancient artisans, and they are virtually flawless.
The No. 2 bronze chariot, which caused a sensation throughout the world, is particularly astonishing in its complexity, exquisite craftsmanship, and superb skill. The interior of the chariot is lined with beautifully painted cushions, and the bronze plates are painted with various vibrant geometric patterns. It is supported by eight 3-centimeter-high bronze piers at the four corners and the center, functioning much like a modern "sleeper carriage." The bronze chariot is composed of a total of 3,462 castings, including 1,742 bronze castings, 737 gold castings, and 983 silver castings, with a total weight of 1,241 kilograms. What is truly remarkable is that all the components here are cast in one piece. These thousands of castings, whether large ones such as canopies and umbrellas exceeding 2 square meters, as well as chariots, bronze horses, and bronze figurines, or small tubes less than 0.2 square meters, are all cast in one piece.
These exquisite gold, silver, copper, and iron castings would not have been easy to make, not only in the Qin Dynasty 2,200 years ago, but even today with advanced technology and complete equipment. Imagine that without lathes or modern metallurgical equipment, they were able to cast such exquisite gold, silver, and copper chariot and horse parts of different sizes and specifications. It was truly a great achievement.
Zhuang Rui was able to see the Qin general terracotta warriors, which were not on public display due to their rarity. Fewer than ten of these terracotta warriors have been unearthed in total, divided into two categories: those in battle robes and those in armor. They wear pheasant-feather crowns, are tall and robust, possess outstanding bearing, and exude the air of great generals. The generals in battle robes are simply dressed, but have floral knots decorating their chests, while the generals in armor are adorned with eight colorful floral knots on their chests, backs, and shoulders, creating a magnificent and flowing effect that underscores their rank, status, and military authority.
Zhuang Rui knew that these terracotta warriors were probably made based on the prototypes of the Qin generals who had been famous throughout history. Standing among the terracotta warriors who were about the same height as him, Zhuang Rui felt as if he were among Meng Tian, Bai Qi, Wang Jian, Wang Ben and others.
The heavy weight of history washed over him, and Zhuang Rui felt as if he were immersed in an era more than two thousand years ago. The tall terracotta warrior beside him seemed to come alive, telling the story of the rise and fall of dynasties and the changes of that era.
More than two hours later, Zhuang Rui and the others emerged from the Terracotta Army pits. Each of them seemed to be burdened by a heavy feeling of history. It wasn't until they left the museum and arrived at the Lishan Mausoleum that the oppressive feeling in their hearts eased somewhat.
The original mausoleum was built in accordance with the principle that Qin Shi Huang would continue to enjoy wealth and honor after his death. It was modeled after the layout of Xianyang, the capital of the Qin state, and was roughly in the shape of the Chinese character "回" (hui). The mausoleum was surrounded by inner and outer walls. The inner wall had a circumference of 3,870 meters, and the outer wall had a circumference of 6,210 meters, making it almost like a city-state. However, the magnificent buildings on the ground have been destroyed by war and chaos after more than two thousand years of wind and rain.
The current Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum was built after the founding of the People's Republic of China and has become a scenic tourist attraction. In order to allow tourists to experience the glory and majesty of the emperor, a large-scale performance of "Recreating the Guard of Honor - Changing of the Guard Ceremony of Qin Shi Huang's Mausoleum Guards" is staged at the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum. Zhuang Rui and others changed clothes and went forward to experience the feeling of being the first emperor of all time.
"Unprecedented, and there will never be another like it..."
Standing at the foot of Mount Li, looking at the layered mountains, Zhuang Rui sighed. Only in the special period of a feudal dynasty could the entire nation's resources be devoted to serving the emperor. This is why the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor is hailed as the "Eighth Wonder of the World." In fact, the entire northern foothills of Mount Li are the burial mound of the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor. The tall burial mound is surrounded by majestic peaks and blends seamlessly with Mount Li, creating a beautiful landscape. The burial mound alone is over a hundred meters high, and the mausoleum covers a total area of more than fifty square kilometers. Imagining the enormous palace beneath, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.
Seeing Zhuang Rui's flushed face, Dr. Ren, standing next to him, assumed his junior colleague was about to dig a few holes here and quickly said, "Zhuang Rui, what are you thinking? You're not allowed to dig holes here, otherwise even Xiao Peng's credentials won't save us..."
As a key national protected scientific research institution, the mausoleum is guarded by troops. To conduct scientific research at the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum, one must apply for approval several months in advance and obtain approval from the leader in charge of national science, education and culture. If Zhuang Rui dared to go down to Luoyang City to conduct surveys here, he would definitely be arrested.
"Brother Ren, no, come on, let's go up and take a look..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head. If he wanted to survey the underground situation, why use such a clumsy method as a shovel? Zhuang Rui only needed to find the location of the underground palace to reveal the rich and colorful underground world to him.
After climbing the more than 70-meter-high earthen mound, looking around, the surrounding terracotta army pits seemed to guard the area where the mound was located. These Qin warriors in life were still protecting their emperor in death. It was as if the emperor of all ages could raise his arm and call out, and these terracotta warriors would come back to life and continue to expand his territory.
Zhuang Rui looked around. On the burial mound, there were still many remnants of city walls that were almost weathered away. Not wanting anyone to disturb his survey of the underground palace, he said, "Senior brother, Peng Fei, let's each take a look around and experience what it's like to stand on Qin Shi Huang's head..."
In October 2006, the state, in conjunction with various departments, conducted the largest-ever exploration of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum's underground palace. This exploration mainly used remote sensing and geophysical detection technologies, which would not damage the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum's underground palace. In particular, the hyperspectral remote sensing archaeological technology was used for the second time internationally, but for the first time in China.
In fact, as early as March 1986, the survey and positioning work for the accurate location of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum's underground palace had already been carried out during the 863 Program. After more than 20 years of unremitting efforts by many scientific research experts, the underground palace of the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum has been confirmed as the place where Zhuang Rui is standing at this moment.
Zhuang Rui walked alone to a spot on the mountaintop, looked up at the sun, took out a pair of sunglasses and put them on. After confirming that no one would disturb him, he took a deep breath to calm his excited mood, and spiritual energy surged from his eyes, seeping into the ground beneath his feet.
Within a distance of about twenty meters, Zhuang Rui could clearly see that the color of the burial mound was different from that of ordinary soil. These burial mounds were made of multiple layers of fine soil compacted together. In particular, the palace walls connected to the underground were constructed by workers who would shoot arrows at the walls from a distance to test the strength of the rammed earth walls during construction. If the arrows could penetrate the walls, the completed palace walls had to be demolished and rebuilt.
The Guanzhong region has historically suffered major earthquakes of magnitude 8 or higher, yet the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum remains intact, demonstrating the rigorous procedures and sturdiness of the construction at the time.
"Ten meters, twenty meters, forty meters, damn, that's equivalent to a ten-story building..."
The spiritual energy in Zhuang Rui's eyes stretched downwards like tentacles, but after twenty meters, he could only use the strength of the spiritual energy underground to determine the existence and distribution of objects below.
"Huh, what's this?"
Forty meters ahead, Zhuang Rui's vision was filled with colorless darkness. However, when the spiritual energy penetrated beyond forty meters, Zhuang Rui's eyes suddenly lit up, and colors formed by various spiritual energies filled his vision.
Colors formed by the condensation of various spiritual energies of varying strengths filled every inch of the underground space. This made it impossible for Zhuang Rui to discern the shapes of these objects one by one, nor could he sense the so-called underground "sun, moon, mountains, and rivers," because every place there was a priceless treasure that embodied the hard work of his predecessors.
This was the first time Zhuang Rui had encountered such a situation. Helpless, he could only expand the range of his spiritual energy, wanting to accurately sense just how big this underground palace, which had been sealed for over 2,000 years, really was.
Forty meters underground, a tomb chamber nearly 200 meters long from east to west and more than 150 meters wide from north to south appeared vividly in Zhuang Rui's mind, thanks to the information fed back by spiritual energy. The main underground structure and the tomb chamber were both rectangular in shape, with a height of about 15 meters, equivalent to a standard football field.
Chapter 1095 A Tragedy Caused by Two Charlatans
Zhuang Rui has been using spiritual energy to appraise objects over the past few years and has discovered some patterns. The more recent the object and the lower its value, the lighter the spiritual energy it usually displays. For example, objects from the late Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China period mostly exhibit a white spiritual energy.
Antiques from the early Qing Dynasty to the Ming Dynasty gradually deepened in color, from pale yellow to orange and then to red. Extremely precious items that were often worshipped and played with may even exhibit deep red and light purple colors.
Precious artifacts from before the Ming Dynasty, such as those from the Three Kingdoms, Tang, and Song Dynasties, often exhibit a purple hue. Bronze artifacts from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods are predominantly deep purple, and even include purple-gold hues. For a long time, Zhuang Rui has relied on the vibrant colors of these artifacts to identify antiques, but today, this method has lost its effectiveness.
Forty meters underground, in the palace-like sleeping quarters of Qin Shi Huang, almost everything was tinged with a purplish-gold hue. The rich spiritual energy filled Zhuang Rui's eyes, warm and comfortable. Even in the Potala Palace or pirate treasure troves, Zhuang Rui had never seen such abundant and pure spiritual energy.
"How many treasures did Qin Shi Huang plunder with the full power of an entire nation...?"
Since almost everything touched by spiritual energy was a rare treasure, it was very difficult to identify what was inside the underground palace. Zhuang Rui slowly calmed down and tried to figure out what these objects were. After all, for thousands of years, the treasures in Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum have attracted many tomb raiders and archaeological experts, but no one has been able to truly understand what was inside the underground palace.
"This... should be bamboo slips. Legend has it that Qin Shi Huang burned books and buried scholars alive. Could it be that he moved all the bamboo slips into his underground palace?"
Zhuang Rui sensed spiritual energy entering a chamber in an underground palace. Although he could see purple-gold spiritual energy everywhere, he noticed that there seemed to be dividing lines among these spiritual energies. Judging from the shape of the long, thin objects, they looked very much like the bamboo slips used by the ancient people of the Warring States and Qin Dynasties to record writing.
The room was about thirty or forty square meters in size and was almost entirely filled with objects that looked like bamboo slips, which made Zhuang Rui's imagination run wild.
In the thirty-fourth year of Qin Shi Huang's reign, Chunyu Yue, a scholar from Qi, opposed the then-current "prefecture-county system" and demanded that, according to ancient customs, sons and brothers be enfeoffed. Prime Minister Li Si refuted this and advocated prohibiting the people from using the past to criticize the present and from using private schools to slander the government.
Qin Shi Huang adopted Li Si's suggestion and ordered the burning of all historical records of the states except for the "Qin Records". He also ordered the surrender and burning of privately held copies of the "Book of Poetry" and "Book of Documents" that were not in the Imperial Academy. Anyone who dared to discuss the "Book of Poetry" and "Book of Documents" was to be executed, and those who used the past to criticize the present were to have their entire families exterminated. Private schools were banned, and those who wanted to learn the law had to take officials as their teachers. This occurred in the second year after the "Burning of Books." Two sorcerers (people who practiced alchemy and cultivation) named Hou Sheng and Lu Sheng secretly slandered Qin Shi Huang and fled. When Qin Shi Huang learned of this, he was furious and sent imperial censors to investigate. The investigation revealed that more than 460 people had violated the law and were all buried alive. The tragedy caused by these two charlatans is known as the "Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars." The two events combined to form the "Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars" is why Qin Shi Huang was labeled a "tyrant" by later dynasties. The "Burning of Books and Burying of Scholars" has always been evidence of Qin Shi Huang's cruelty and tyranny, and he has been cursed by scholars for more than two thousand years. Even now, some people still feel resentful when they think of this historical event, wishing they could dig up his grave and whip his corpse, wishing they could travel through two thousand years of time and squeeze Qin Shi Huang dry.
It cannot be denied that Qin Shi Huang's decision led to the disappearance of many books that recorded the brilliant civilization of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods in China, when a hundred schools of thought contended. Many of the stories we know about before the Qin Dynasty are still based on information unearthed from ancient tombs from the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.
However, the burning of books and burying of scholars also played an indelible and significant role in the unification of Chinese culture, and enabled the smooth implementation of the prefecture-county system, thus creating the historical pattern of the great unification of the Chinese nation. Therefore, no one can give an accurate conclusion on who is right and who is wrong, and there has always been great controversy in the academic community.
However, those who study history know that, as can be seen from Li Si's memorial, all the books of the Qin Dynasty, including those that were ordered to be burned, had complete copies kept in the palace.
More than 2,000 years have passed, and no one has found any trace of these books. Some historians have concluded that these books were hidden in the Epang Palace and were burned to ashes by Xiang Yu. Other historians have wondered whether these books, which record the contention of the Hundred Schools of Thought, were taken into the underground palace by Qin Shi Huang.
So when Zhuang Rui sensed these bamboo-slip-shaped objects radiating spiritual energy, he couldn't help but feel excited. For archaeologists, there is no treasure more valuable than written materials in archaeological excavations.
Even the most precious objects are ultimately just playthings, at most demonstrating the advanced casting technology of the time. However, if a civilization disappears from records, it is very difficult to restore it. Due to the burning of books and burying of scholars by Qin Shi Huang, many mysteries in China before the Qin Dynasty were lost in the long river of history.
Zhuang Rui is now almost certain that what he sensed were the books that were burned at that time. Zhuang Rui believes that if these bamboo slips can be unearthed, it will be a cultural feast for historians, representing the dissemination of many lost historical truths. The importance of this discovery will be no less than the sensation caused by the discovery of the Peking Man skull fossil in the last century.
Unfortunately, Zhuang Rui could only sense these civilizations that were once thought to have disappeared through his spiritual energy. He was also unable to retrieve them intact from the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum. During the process of Zhuang Rui using his spiritual energy to explore downwards, he could sense that there was indeed a layer of mercury at a depth of twenty or thirty meters underground.
This mercury did not form mountains and rivers as historical records suggest, but rather penetrated deep into the soil and, for some unknown reason, did not evaporate. It was several meters deep, and no matter where you started digging, you would first come into contact with this layer of mercury.
Although current technology can eliminate the toxicity of mercury, no one is certain that all the objects in the underground palace can be preserved intact during the subsequent excavation, because these objects, which are more than two thousand years old, would probably deteriorate and rot immediately if exposed to air.
Putting aside everything else, if the ancient bamboo slips that Zhuang Rui sensed were to be destroyed, it would be an absolute disaster. This is probably the main reason why modern archaeologists and leaders have not made the decision to excavate the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum.
Suppressing the urge to excavate these legendary civilizations, Zhuang Rui painstakingly transferred his spiritual energy elsewhere and began to sense them one by one. However, based solely on the shape perceived by the spiritual energy, he could only roughly discern that in the very center of the underground palace, there was a massive golden coffin. The dense, almost tangible spiritual energy indicated that this should be the final resting place of the First Emperor of All Time.
"It seems that most of the stories passed down since the Qin Dynasty are fabricated..."
Upon sensing the golden coffin, Zhuang Rui recalled a record from the "Stories of the Three Capital Regions," which stated that after Qin Shi Huang's death, a shepherd boy, while chasing his sheep, accidentally fell into Qin Shi Huang's underground palace. In order to find his lost sheep, he lit a fire for light, which burned down the emperor's coffin.
This legend has had a certain market throughout history, but seeing is believing. Zhuang Rui now firmly believes that no one has ever entered the Qin Shi Huang Mausoleum in more than 2,000 years.
"Xiao Zhuang, what's wrong? Why are you standing here in a daze?"
Just as Zhuang Rui was immersed in the palace of the First Emperor of All Time, filled with rare treasures, Dr. Ren's voice came from behind him, startling Zhuang Rui, who was almost unable to extricate himself. The spiritual energy that permeated the underground palace returned to his eyes like mercury flowing across the ground.
Zhuang Rui chuckled self-deprecatingly, half-jokingly saying, "It's nothing, Brother Ren. I was just trying to see if I could communicate with Qin Shi Huang, but... you interrupted me..."
"That's great! You ask Qin Shi Huang if there's a passageway in this underground palace, and we can go down and take a look..."
Upon hearing this, Dr. Ren burst into laughter. He and Professor Meng had conducted a comprehensive survey of the underground palace in 2006 using remote sensing and geophysical exploration technology. The results showed that the only way to bring the underground palace to light was to remove the layers of soil by opening the coffin. However, this would damage the unearthed artifacts and was unanimously rejected by many archaeologists.
"Don't worry, Brother Ren, we'll definitely have the chance to see the true face of Qin Shi Huang's mausoleum in our lifetime..."
To Dr. Ren, Zhuang Rui's words were just a joke. However, Dr. Ren did not expect that Zhuang Rui was not speaking without reason. After witnessing the vast cultural relics in the underground palace, Zhuang Rui had decided to personally excavate this ancient imperial tomb that had attracted so much attention in the future.
In fact, excavating imperial tombs is not entirely unsolvable from a technical standpoint; there are ways to do it. One method is to excavate first, and then, when approaching the underground palace, construct a vacuum chamber above the entire excavation site. This would ensure that once the underground palace is connected, all the cultural relics will not be damaged due to air circulation.
However, this method only applies to Zhuang Rui, and it requires a huge investment and the approval of domestic experts and high-level leaders. It cannot be done overnight, so Zhuang Rui can only keep it in mind for now.
Dr. Ren suddenly remembered something and looked at Zhuang Rui, saying, "By the way, Zhuang Rui, I just saw that Japanese guy from yesterday. He wandered around the imperial mausoleum, and when he saw us, he sneaked away..."
Chapter 1096 Arrival in Dunhuang
"You mean that Japanese guy named Nakagawa? He's been released so quickly?"
Zhuang Rui was taken aback by what he heard, but his mind was still focused on the underground palace of the First Emperor, so he didn't take it to heart. He had long anticipated this outcome, as the officials in the country were always outwardly soft but inwardly hard.
"That kid's been acting suspiciously, I wonder what he's up to, Brother Zhuang. Should I... chase after him and ask him?"
When Peng Fei and the others saw Zhuang Rui stand up, they all gathered around. They hadn't dared to disturb him while he sat on a rock with his eyes closed, assuming he was thinking about something important.