"Heavens! Even an emperor wouldn't live in such a golden house, would he? If only I could..."
Suddenly, a sentence came through everyone's earpieces. Although the sentence was not finished, everyone already knew what the guy was thinking, because just now, they had also had the same thought.
"Everyone living in this place is dead. Alright, everyone, stop thinking about it..."
Although dazzled by the gold, Zhuang Rui was the first to regain his senses, and his words also brought the staff gathered around the tomb entrance back to their senses.
Gold represents wealth. Although Zhuang Rui's net worth is not as much as this room full of gold, he is still a billionaire and his resistance to money is much stronger than that of ordinary people who earn a living on a salary.
"Zhuang Rui, take a look at the opened tomb door. Can you confirm that it's gold?"
Suddenly, Director Guo's voice came through Zhuang Rui's earpiece. It was coming from the earpiece in Zhuang Rui's left ear, which was the encrypted channel of several command leaders, used to communicate things that were not suitable for ordinary staff to hear.
"Nonsense, of course it's gold..."
Zhuang Rui inwardly scoffed, but the sharpness in his eyes already told him that even if this wasn't pure gold, its purity was extremely high. Of course, since his superior had spoken, Zhuang Rui still pretended to examine the door carefully before saying, "Director Guo, it's gold, and a very high purity one at that. This gold door alone is several tens of centimeters thick..."
"Don't go in yet, everyone wait outside..."
Director Guo's voice came through the public channel and then went silent, leaving Zhuang Rui and the staff present somewhat confused. They exchanged questioning glances through the glass of their oxygen masks.
"Alright, don't look at me, I want to go in even more than you do. I want to roll around in that golden house, and then I'll have no regrets in this life..."
Seeing everyone looking at him, Zhuang Rui couldn't help but laugh and tease them, which made everyone laugh. The oppressive feeling in their hearts after discovering the gold was relieved quite a bit.
After waiting for about twenty minutes, Zhuang Rui heard a voice calling in his ear: "Xiao Zhuang, Xiao Zhuang, please respond if you hear me..."
"This is Zhuang Rui. What new instructions do you have, boss? May I enter?"
Upon hearing Director Guo's voice, Zhuang Rui subconsciously asked a question in return.
"Zhuang Rui, listen carefully. This tomb chamber is only open to you and Reporter Wang. Everyone else, please leave. I'll repeat myself: Zhuang Rui, only you and Reporter Wang are allowed to enter this tomb chamber. Everyone else, please wait outside..."
Director Guo made these remarks on the public channel. As soon as he said this, the staff who were waiting to enter the tomb chamber immediately became agitated. Director Guo's instructions clearly showed that he did not trust them.
Although their expressions couldn't be seen through the oxygen masks, the heavy breathing coming through their earpieces revealed that they were not at peace.
"Director Guo, isn't this a bit inappropriate? Our comrades are all seasoned veterans. What? Doesn't the organization trust them?"
Zhuang Rui was somewhat skeptical, but relying on his close friendship with Director Guo despite their age difference, he spoke half-jokingly and half-seriously.
Over the past month, Zhuang Rui has gotten along very well with the archaeological staff who were transferred from relevant departments across the country. Moreover, these people are now his direct subordinates, which is why he spoke up for them after hearing this.
“Zhuang Rui, I’m not joking with you. I understand your emotions, but orders must be carried out. Also, those who went out must stay in Tomb Chamber No. 3. Without permission, they are not allowed to leave and discuss the situation of this tomb with the trainees…”
The sound coming through the headset was somewhat noisy, clearly indicating that the senior experts present also had differing opinions. Just as Zhuang Rui was about to speak, Professor Meng's voice rang out: "Xiao Zhuang, proceed with the plan. We'll explain to everyone later..."
"Alright, Brother Ren, you take everyone outside and wait for a bit..."
Zhuang Rui was somewhat helpless. Although he held the title of deputy commander-in-chief, he only had the authority to make decisions on the spot when excavating and dealing with problems. Now that the two heavyweight commanders-in-chief had spoken, Zhuang Rui had no room to say anything.
Fortunately, Professor Meng's highly respected position in the industry made the staff present less resistant, and they all left the tomb under Dr. Ren's guidance.
"It's just dealing with gold, isn't it?"
Although Zhuang Rui knew that there was a considerable amount of gold, he wasn't particularly concerned about it given his wealth; having a lot of money was just a number.
However, Zhuang Rui did not think too deeply about it. Although these gold items were burial goods, they were real international currencies and the foundation for stabilizing a country's currency. Each country's gold reserves also represented the strength of that country.
It's important to understand that a room of 70 or 80 square meters is entirely made of gold. Even if it's just a thin layer, the total amount is astonishing. If this news gets out, it will definitely attract the attention of many countries.
Although Zhuang Rui was wealthy, he still had the mindset of an ordinary person. When he saw this batch of gold, he was only shocked by his own instincts, but he didn't have any other thoughts.
However, Director Guo on the ground was different. He was first and foremost an official, and only secondly a scholar. He immediately recognized the importance of the gold and the necessity of keeping it secret.
In fact, Zhuang Rui didn't know that just now, in addition to the deputy commanders, even some archaeological experts on the ground had been asked to leave the command post. The twenty minutes that Director Guo made Zhuang Rui wait were spent on the phone with Beijing, reporting the situation.
The relevant instructions from Beijing came back quickly. The instructions were brief: block the news, ascertain the gold reserves, and strengthen military security in the archaeological area.
Orders were sent out from Beijing, and an army group originally stationed on the Inner Mongolian border suddenly set off towards the Alzhai Grottoes under the pretext of participating in Inner Mongolian military exercises.
A vice governor of the central bank, along with elite personnel from the bank, drove directly to a military airport on the outskirts of the capital, boarded a waiting special plane, and flew towards Inner Mongolia.
Meanwhile, the troops stationed outside the Alzhai Grottoes received an order from above and immediately selected officers of company level and above to form a 30-man detachment to enter the underground tomb.
Additionally, the area around Swan Lake, where one enters the mausoleum from the ground, was also cordoned off, with a group of heavily armed soldiers, all of whom were second lieutenants.
The previously relaxed camp suddenly became tense, and the senior experts who had been brought out from command post were all placed in one room, where Professor Meng was explaining things to them. ...
Zhuang Rui was completely unaware of what was happening on the ground. Although he was slightly dissatisfied, he still carried out the command's orders and entered the golden tomb chamber with CCTV reporter Wang.
The feeling of sensing something with your eyes is completely different from actually standing in this room where the floor, walls, and roof are all covered with gold bricks. It's like being in a fairy tale world where everything is within reach yet seems so unreal.
"Damn it, even Emperor Wu of Han didn't have such a grand gesture!"
Four golden horses, each nearly 1.8 meters tall and with a unique design, and a golden chariot were placed in the center of the tomb. Historical records state that Emperor Wu of Han once offered a golden horse made entirely of gold to exchange for the Ferghana horse, thus establishing the fame of the Ferghana horse.
Historical records contain many inaccuracies, and it's unclear whether this matter is true or false. However, what's presented to Zhuang Rui now are genuine golden horses cast in gold.
Around the golden carriage was a long row of weapon racks, and the swords, axes and halberds on them all radiated a dazzling golden light. Zhuang Rui knew that all of these items were made of gold, without the slightest deception.
"Hey, Mr. Wang, don't keep pointing your camera at me. You need to record this entire Golden House; these are invaluable documents..."
Zhuang Rui had a pretty good idea of what Director Guo was thinking. Other unearthed artifacts might be able to be put back in the museum after it was built here, but this golden house would definitely be looted from top to bottom, leaving not an inch of gold behind.
Therefore, the scenes captured by reporter Wang may be the only visual record available in the future, and these treatments will probably not be made public.
"Ah, ah, I'm... I'm sorry, I'll film it right away, I'll film it right away..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Wang Ji quickly pointed the camera at the objects inside the house. This was understandable, as the old saying goes, "There are golden houses in books," but who has the chance to see them with their own eyes?
Chapter 1183 Confidentiality Agreement
"Every single scene in this tomb must be recorded; not a single detail can be missed..."
Zhuang Rui knew that after today, this golden house might no longer exist. Out of respect for history, Zhuang Rui wanted to record it all with images.
After a brief moment of distraction, Wang Ji regained his composure and used his camera to capture every scene he saw, even recording the golden dome painted with mysterious astronomical images.
"Director Guo, can these cultural relics on the ground and walls be preserved?"
Zhuang Rui didn't know what the final outcome of this batch of gold would be, but it would be a great pity if these exquisite gold artifacts were actually melted down into gold ingots or gold bars and stored in the national treasury.
That's why Zhuang Rui asked that question. He spoke to Director Guo through a special channel while wearing an oxygen mask, not expecting that reporter Wang, who was also in the tomb, would hear him.
There was no reply from Director Guo in the earpiece. After a long while, his voice finally came through: "Xiao Zhuang, you have to understand, these things... are no longer something we can decide. However, I will report your opinion..."
As an official, Director Guo could only give such an answer. However, he was also an archaeologist and did not want these works of art, which seemed to have been given life, to eventually become lifeless gold bricks.
While reporter Wang was recording video footage, Zhuang Rui was sorting and labeling the gold items. What used to be the work of five or six people was now being done by him alone, leaving Zhuang Rui feeling utterly exhausted. ...
"Damn it, staying in this golden house isn't so pleasant after all..."
After going outside and getting a new set of oxygen equipment, Zhuang Rui continued his work. Gold is valuable because it is scarce, but after working in a room full of gold all day, Zhuang Rui had become numb to it.
Since entering this golden tomb, Zhuang Rui has been working for fourteen or fifteen hours, changing oxygen six or seven times and only eating once. It's only because he has a way to eliminate his own fatigue that he has been able to do so. If it were someone else, they would probably have collapsed from exhaustion long ago.
This is also what Zhuang Rui wanted to leave behind for future archaeologists, as he had been instructed that the tomb would be dismantled starting tomorrow morning and all the items would be transported out.
"Xiao Zhuang, pay attention and see if there are any inscriptions on these gold artifacts..."
After Professor Meng finished giving the senior experts some advice on the ground, he returned to the command post. Compared to Director Guo's official status, Professor Meng was a pure scholar, and his attention was more focused on the tomb itself.
“Teacher, it only has the words ‘Borjigin’ engraved on it, which can be identified as the Golden Family founded by Temujin, but it only has the surname and not the given name…”
Zhuang Rui also held a smaller camera in his hand, which he used to transmit the inscriptions on the golden bow and arrows to the ground command center.
As Zhuang Rui said, this tomb contains a large number of items inscribed with the words "Borjigin", but there is no name of the tomb owner. So far, the most "valuable" tomb has not yet revealed the mystery of the tomb owner.
"Okay, Xiao Zhuang, keep an eye on things, and report back immediately if you find anything..."
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's reply, Professor Meng remained calm, which was perfectly normal for a veteran scientific researcher like him.
Archaeological work is like this: the most difficult part of excavating a tomb is verifying the identity of the tomb owner. For example, the Han Dynasty tomb at Shizishan in Xuzhou, which was excavated in the last century, did not reveal the identity of the tomb owner for a long time after the excavation was completed.
Later, while visiting nearby villages, one of the archaeological team members accidentally discovered a bronze seal hanging around a child's neck. After investigation, it was found that this bronze seal had been taken from the tomb.
The identity of the owner of this grand Western Han Dynasty tomb has only now been revealed: it is the tomb of Liu Wu, the third King of Chu who was enfeoffed in Xuzhou in the early Western Han Dynasty.
Therefore, Professor Meng didn't expect to determine the identity of the tomb's occupant before excavating the main burial chamber. Moreover, given the tomb's unique geographical environment and the state of its condition when previously entered, it didn't appear to have been looted. Thus, Professor Meng wasn't in a hurry. ...
"Mr. Zhuang, please come with us for a moment. Oh, and these are our identification documents..."
After working continuously for more than twenty hours, Zhuang Rui had just stepped out of the golden tomb chamber and into the third tomb chamber outside when two middle-aged men in suits stood in front of him.
"Huh? The Ministry of State Security? What's going on?"
After glancing at the red ID, Zhuang Rui was first stunned, then became furious. He had been working himself to the bone all day, and now he didn't even have the right to rest.
"Xiao Zhuang, cooperating with the security personnel is a citizen's duty..."
Director Guo's voice came through Zhuang Rui's still-on earpiece.
"All right……"
Zhuang Rui shook his head helplessly. If he had known there would be so much trouble, he would have preferred to invest a large sum of money in Inner Mongolia, using the renovation of the Swan Lake tourist environment as a cover to secretly pocket the wealth.
"Mr. Zhuang, for national security reasons, please sign this document..."
Upon arriving at a tomb chamber that had been temporarily converted into an office, a security officer presented Zhuang Rui with a confidentiality agreement.
"Damn it, you need your security department's approval to go abroad? Are you trying to kill us?"
Zhuang Rui carefully read through the terms of the confidentiality agreement. The rest were fine, but one clause in particular infuriated him.
This clause implicitly suggests that Zhuang Rui's future travel abroad will be restricted. It doesn't mean he's completely barred from going abroad, but the procedures for doing so will be much more complicated than before.
"Mr. Zhuang, this is for your safety, not to restrict your personal freedom. As long as you have a valid reason, you can go anywhere in the world..."
The two National Security Bureau personnel seemed to know Zhuang Rui's identity and background, and showed enough patience to explain to him.
"Okay, I'll sign..."
Zhuang Rui shook his head helplessly. If something involves national security, then there's no reasoning with it.
Zhuang Rui knew in his heart that if he did not sign this agreement, although the relevant departments could not do anything to him, he would definitely be excluded from the archaeological team and would not be able to continue to participate in the subsequent archaeological work.
Moreover, it is certain that they will also ask people related to them to persuade them. Rather than having Ouyang Lei and others persuade them, they might as well just sign the papers and be done with it.
However, Zhuang Rui was unaware that he had already received a lot of preferential treatment, and the background behind him had already eliminated a lot of trouble for him.
Apart from Zhuang Rui, all those who had personally witnessed the gold signed a much stricter confidentiality agreement, which included clauses such as not being allowed to leave the country for three years, not being allowed to talk to anyone about their experiences in the tomb for five years, and not being allowed to accept any media interviews without authorization.
Of course, once this agreement is signed, the benefits are obvious.