However, these people knew that they would have to live in anonymity from now on, so they each took out a lot of gold and silver jewelry from the tomb, enough for them to live a peaceful life.
However, there was a craftsman among them who was fond of gambling. After enduring it for a few years, he started gambling again. After losing the unmarked gold and silver, he took out the burial objects made according to the specifications of the emperor's tomb. This revealed his whereabouts, and he was caught by the trail.
This incident caused a stir in the court and among the public. Some scholars criticized the emperor for his cruelty in using living people for burial, which caused a great uproar.
Although the craftsman was executed, the craftsmen who later built imperial tombs for the Tang Dynasty were kept by the royal family. Not only they themselves, but their descendants were also used to build imperial tombs, and this practice continued from generation to generation.
Clearly, the hidden door that Zhuang Rui discovered was left for the craftsmen who built Genghis Khan's tomb. They had expected to be left in the tomb, but they never imagined that the Mongols would be so cruel as to execute these craftsmen as human sacrifices. As a result, the hidden door never served its purpose.
Looking at the hidden door, Zhuang Rui shook his head slightly. Although the Yuan Dynasty had a vast territory, it was undeniable that for the Han people, those hundred years of rule were a period of utter darkness, and the misery was even far greater than the disasters brought by the Qing army after entering the pass.
The Mongol Yuan Dynasty was a conquest dynasty. The Mongols were conquerors of the Han Chinese and various ethnic minorities in the Chinese mainland. During the Mongol Yuan rule, the Mongols divided all Chinese people into three classes, with the Han Chinese being the third class, at the bottom of society.
Han and Southern people lived a life worse than cattle and horses under the Mongol's butcher's knife. The Mongols prohibited Han and Southern people from practicing martial arts and possessing metal knives. The Mongol system stipulated that ten households formed a bao, and the bao chief was a Mongol or Semu person.
The property and women of these ten households could be taken by the Mongols at will. The ten households shared a single kitchen knife, and the first night after a new bride was married was to be given to the Mongol headman. This was the so-called "first night right of possession."
Because of the humiliating right of the first night, Han Chinese at that time would kill their firstborn child after marriage. This is the origin of the practice of killing the firstborn child. Our ancestors used this helpless but resolute method to maintain the purity of their bloodline.
The most direct manifestation of this brutality was that during the 98 years of Yuan Dynasty rule, the Han population dropped from 80 million to 30 million, the lowest point in China's population since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods.
Although Zhuang Rui studied the history of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty, he had no goodwill towards that ruling class. Therefore, when talking to Peng Fei, he subtly referred to Genghis Khan as the "Old Ghost of the Mongols".
Therefore, the Mongols killing the craftsmen who built the tombs was a trivial matter to them. It was just a pity that these craftsmen, despite their careful preparations for escape, could not escape their fate of death.
Although the events of a thousand years ago are impossible to verify, Zhuang Rui believes that the truth is not far from his guess. ...
"These riches were all plundered, and I will make sure they return to the world..."
Zhuang Rui could hardly be considered a qualified archaeologist. He couldn't approach history with a detached attitude. After figuring this out, Zhuang Rui made a decision in his heart.
"God help us, there must be an entrance and exit in the river..."
Now Zhuang Rui pinned all his hopes on that secret passage that led to the surface. Without alerting Peng Fei, Zhuang Rui took a deep breath and turned his gaze toward the underground river beyond the passage.
Underground rivers are formed by the accumulation of groundwater or the seepage of surface water into the ground through cracks in underground rocks. They are formed by the erosion and collapse of rocks and the transport of water. Most underground rivers have an outlet but no inlet, meaning that the water in an underground river can flow out, but people cannot enter it.
Zhuang Rui's gaze followed the winding riverbed underground, which gradually rose in elevation after three hundred meters.
This discovery delighted Zhuang Rui. As long as the flow remained unchanged, there would definitely be an exit leading to the surface.
"Damn, it's so long!"
Zhuang Rui had no idea that the length of this underground river far exceeded his imagination. After chasing along the course of the underground river for nearly four or five miles, the underground river was now only a dozen meters above the ground.
"This is... a large lake?"
When Zhuang Rui's gaze fell upon the exit of the underground river, he was somewhat dumbfounded, because the exit of this underground river was actually at the bottom of a lake. The entrance was completely submerged by the lake water, and one had to dive more than twenty meters in to reach the high point where the underground river was not completely submerged by the lake water.
However, compared to the layers of broken dragon stones beneath the Alzhai Grottoes, this entrance is already exceptionally advantageous. Its length of over twenty meters is nothing to many people. If those craftsmen had not died under the Mongol's sword, perhaps they would have had a real chance to escape.
"Luffy..."
Just as Zhuang Rui was thinking of an excuse to go and see the lake, he suddenly heard a familiar horse neighing. The sound that echoed across the grassland surprised Zhuang Rui, and he quickly sat up.
As soon as Zhuang Rui stepped out of the tent, he saw Zhui Feng running towards him from dozens of meters away. His strong body showed a faint golden light in the morning light. Upon seeing Zhuang Rui, Zhui Feng, who was running, happily let out a long neigh.
"Hey, buddy, what brings you here?"
Zhuang Rui ran a few steps towards Zhui Feng and hugged Zhui Feng's big head as it approached.
Seeing how magnificent Zhui Feng was, and especially how his white rabbit horse fawned over him, Peng Fei couldn't help but feel jealous. He pouted and said, "Brother Zhuang, it's not just this show-off guy who's here, Old Ba and the others are here too..."
Upon hearing this, Zhuang Rui raised his head and looked in the direction from which Zhui Feng had come. Sure enough, Batel, Timur, and Dr. Ren were riding their horses toward them, and even the little girl Wu Yun Qiqige had not been left behind.
"Zhuang Rui'an replied, 'I've brought you your Chasing Wind...'"
Even from more than ten meters away, Timur's hearty laughter reached Zhuang Rui's ears. The four of them reined in their horses and stopped in front of Zhuang Rui's tent.
Chapter 1165 Enter
"Brother Timur, what brings you here?"
Zhuang Rui patted the head of Zhui Feng's horse, signaling it to rest aside, and then went to greet Timur and the others.
Timur said with a smile, "Dr. Ren said you've gone missing, how could we not come?"
"I didn't say that. You were the ones who came here yourselves because you didn't trust them..."
Ren Chunqiang quickly corrected Timur's words. Although Zhuang Rui did not return yesterday, he was not too worried. Zhuang Rui had experience in wilderness survival, and with Peng Fei having gone out to find him, there would be no danger on the grassland.
This morning, Batel and a few others came over from the ranch. When they heard that Zhuang Rui hadn't returned yesterday, they mounted their horses and searched the area in the direction Zhuang Rui had traveled yesterday.
Zhuang Rui was only about ten kilometers away from the Alzhai Grottoes, which is why the sun was high in the sky when Batel and the others found their way here.
"Zhuang Rui'an replied, 'Everything's arranged at home. Brother Batel will take care of the ranch for me, so I can go to Beijing with you without worry...'"
Timur hesitated for a moment at this point, then continued, "However, Zhuang Rui'an said, I want to take Uyun Qiqige with me; she also wants to see the capital, Beijing..."
Seemingly fearing Zhuang Rui might disagree, Timur quickly added, "Zhuang Rui, all expenses along the way will be our own responsibility; we won't cause you any trouble..."
Zhuang Rui glanced at Wuyun Qiqige, who was playing with the hem of her clothes with her head down, and couldn't help but laugh. This girl is usually very wild, how come she's so well-behaved? Judging from Timur's appearance, he was probably also pushed quite hard by Wuyun Qiqige.
“Brother Timur, Beijing is my home, and we are sworn brothers. Why are you bringing up expenses when you visit my home? Uyunqiqige is Brother Batel's sister, and also Peng Fei's and my sister. There's no need to say anything like that in the future…”
Zhuang Rui knew that although Peng Fei and Batel had not formally tied the knot, they were still sworn brothers, and taking one of his girls to Beijing for a trip was nothing to him.
When the little girl heard that Zhuang Rui had agreed to let her go to Beijing, she stopped pretending and jumped up, shouting, "Ah, Brother Zhuang Rui is the best..."
"Well, it's upgraded. Just a few days ago, Brother Zhuang Rui was a big bad guy..."
Zhuang Rui laughed upon hearing this. Getting along with these straightforward grassland people was truly a pleasant experience. There was no need to guess what they were thinking or to be on guard against anything.
"Zhuang Rui'an replied, 'Then...when shall we leave?'"
Timur also had a smile on his face, deeply agreeing with Zhuang Rui's words. He had been harassed by Wuyun Qiqige these past few days, and now that Zhuang Rui had agreed, he felt relieved.
Zhuang Rui thought for a moment and said, "Let's leave the day after tomorrow. This archaeological trip to Mongolia hasn't been going well, so I'd like to stay another day..."
As Zhuang Rui spoke, he racked his brains trying to figure out how to steer the conversation toward the lake three or four miles away. If he couldn't get close to it, everything he said would be pointless.
As for returning to Beijing? Ever since Zhuang Rui discovered that secret passage, he has no plans to go back anytime soon. The discovery of the Dunhuang documents and the Genghis Khan Mausoleum are of paramount importance, and even a novice who has just entered the archaeology department can tell the difference.
"Zhuang Rui'an replied, 'Don't think about work. Since you're leaving the day after tomorrow, I'll take you out for some fun these next couple of days...'"
Timur tilted his head and thought for a moment, then asked Batel with some uncertainty, "Brother Batel, there seems to be a lake not far from here, right? Shall we go there for a bit? The fish there are really plump and delicious..."
"You mean Zhahanduotu Lake? That sounds like a nice place. Okay, we've already brought tents, let's go there..."
Batel nodded and said to Zhuang Rui, who was standing beside him looking confused, "Brother Zhuang, the lake Timur mentioned is the most beautiful place within hundreds of miles around here. Although the lake isn't very large, its water never dries up, and the scenery is truly stunning..."
"Zhahandaotu? That place, also known as Swan Lake?"
Before entering the grassland, Zhuang Rui had carefully studied the grassland map and had a vivid memory of the name Zhahanduotu, which was a lake deep in the grassland and was also known by the locals as Swan Lake.
Zhuang Rui never imagined that this ordinary name would become the focus of the world in the near future, with countless scientists and historians flocking to it.
"Yes, that's the place, Zhuang Rui'an, you know it?"
Timur chuckled upon hearing this and said, "There's nothing good on the grasslands except cattle and sheep. I'll go back and hunt some waterfowl to bring to my Anda family; they taste delicious..."
"Temur's father, as long as you have the intention, it doesn't matter whether you bring anything or not..."
Zhuang Rui could feel Timur's heartfelt affection, but at this moment he could only apologize in his heart. He estimated that his trip to Beijing would have to be postponed for a while.
"Let's go, Swan Lake is a great place. We're getting tired of eating beef and mutton these days. Let's catch some fish and make some fish soup..."
Dr. Ren was also familiar with Swan Lake. As a qualified archaeological team member, one must have a solid grasp of geographical knowledge. Dr. Ren had done a lot of research before entering the grassland.
After Peng Fei packed up the tent, the group rode horses toward Swan Lake. Before long, the vast lake and a large reed bed appeared before them.
"So beautiful..."
Looking at the clear lake water in front of him, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but sigh.
Compared to famous tourist attractions in mainland China such as Taihu Lake and West Lake, this little-known lake is even more beautiful, with its endless expanse of clear water rippling gently, creating a tranquil and picturesque scene.
With its azure sky and azure lake, Swan Lake is like a sapphire embedded in this vast grassland. Reeds grow abundantly in the lake, where flocks of birds inhabit, and even two swans can be seen frolicking and playing on the water not far away.
“Hey, Zhuang Rui’an, you’re really lucky. Those big white birds are usually only seen in spring and autumn. I didn’t expect there to be two left. I’ll go shoot them down and we’ll take them to Beijing…”
Just as Zhuang Rui was immersed in the beautiful scenery, Timur's spoilsport words rang in his ears. Seeing his sworn brother take the bow and arrow off his horse, Zhuang Rui quickly jumped off and grabbed Timur's hand.
“Temur’s aunt, those…those are swans! They’re a globally vulnerable species, a Class II protected animal in China. Hunting them is illegal…”
Zhuang Rui was at a loss for words. The beautiful white swan had become a big white bird in Timur's mouth. If this guy saw a mandarin duck, wouldn't he think it was a quail?
"Ptect animals?"
Timur was taken aback by Zhuang Rui's words, then looked at Batel and said, "Brother Batel, when we were little, didn't we often come here to hunt birds? The meat of this big white bird was the most delicious..."
"The meat... tastes good?"
Zhuang Rui, Peng Fei, and Dr. Ren were all stunned by Timur's words. In this day and age, there are still people who say that swan meat is delicious. Judging from the way Timur licked his lips when he spoke, he must have eaten a lot of it back in the day.
"Ahem, I... I didn't know swans were protected animals back then, and I never fought them afterward..."
Batel felt quite uncomfortable being stared at by Zhuang Rui and the other two. He had worked in the military cracking down on wildlife smuggling along the border, so he knew that swans were protected animals.
"Old Ba, I never knew you... had tasted swan meat before?"
Peng Fei chuckled and drew out his words, clearly mocking Battulga for being a toad eating swan meat.
"Go away, you were so ignorant back then, how would you know about protected animals..."
Batel blushed at Peng Fei's words, then turned to Timur and said, "That animal is protected by the state; you're not allowed to kill it anymore."
"Humans eat birds, birds eat fish and insects, so why can't we kill them?"
Timur was somewhat unconvinced. The steppe people's rules of conduct revered nature, and their bloodline followed the irrefutable truth of the law of the jungle.
“Brother Timur, you’re right, but this bird is almost extinct. If we keep killing it, we’ll never see it again, that’s why we’re protecting it…”
Zhuang Rui remounted his horse and, while talking, intentionally or unintentionally moved closer to a lake.
Timur laughed upon hearing this and said loudly, "Hey, now I understand, don't I? If we're not going to fight, then we're not going to fight. Zhuang Rui'an, I'll go down to the lake and catch some fish for you..."
Arriving at a lakeside first, Zhuang Rui jumped off his horse and laughed, "I'll dismount. I honed my swimming skills in the ocean..."
"Zhuang Rui'an replied, 'The lake here is very deep, more than ten meters deep. Shall we go somewhere else?'"
Timur and his men followed Zhuang Rui's horse to this place. After dismounting and surveying the terrain, their expressions changed. This lake was not only very deep, but also prone to strange occurrences, and few people came here to fish.
"It's alright, Brother Timur. When I was in the ocean, I've dived down to depths of tens of meters with my bare hands..."