sorcière

Chapitre 17

After a cursory glance at the corpse, we continued into the passageway. Since the passageway wasn't very long, we soon reached its end. A stone door in front of us was already open. A faint light shone from within, indicating that Yue Laosan and his men were in the tomb chamber inside. Fearing their torches would reveal their presence, we quickly extinguished them and then tiptoed along the wall, inching our way into the tomb chamber.

As we had anticipated, the stone gate indeed led to the main burial chamber. In the center was a nearly square main chamber, flanked by two side chambers connected by passageways. At the very back of the main chamber appeared to be a doorway, suggesting a rear chamber. In the center of the main chamber stood a large, unusual coffin, noticeably taller than ordinary coffins, estimated to be nearly 1.5 meters high. In front of the coffin were four or five wooden boxes, surrounded by numerous bronze, lacquerware, gold, silver, and jade artifacts. While not as valuable as the treasures I had seen in the tomb of the tomb raider, this was still a substantial deal for Yue Laosan and his gang of antiquities thieves and smugglers. At that moment, Yue Laosan was squatting beside a bronze cauldron, carefully examining the patterns on the vessel, perhaps checking for the mysterious "ghostly inscriptions." All of this was clearly illuminated by the torches of Yue Laosan and his men in the main tomb chamber.

After about a minute or two, Yue Laosan laughed and said, "Haha, this is the batch of things! We're going to be rich now! Everyone, hurry up and move them out!" Hearing Yue Laosan say this, his four men were obviously very happy, so they immediately rolled up their sleeves and frantically began to move the burial items with "ghost domain inscriptions".

Professor Cheng and I were extremely anxious. We hoped that Hua Yang would arrive with the police soon to stop Yue Laosan and his group. However, we saw that Yue Laosan and his men had already started moving things out of the tomb, and we hadn't heard anything from Hua Yang. What should we do? Were we just going to watch them move the things away? Professor Cheng and I were burning with anxiety, but we couldn't think of a good way to stop them.

15. Corpse Poison

Just as Professor Cheng and I were extremely anxious, we saw one of Yue Laosan's men carrying a bronze jar walking towards us. Afraid of being discovered, we crouched down and slipped into the right side chamber of the main tomb chamber by following the stone pillars and corners of the walls, looking for blind spots that Yue Laosan and his men wouldn't easily spot.

The firelight shining from the main burial chamber cast a dim glow over the area. The chamber contained numerous personal belongings of the tomb's occupant, primarily wine vessels, tableware, musical instruments, and ritual objects, mostly lacquerware and bronze, with only a small number of gold, silver, and jade artifacts. In the center of the chamber was a chariot, its wooden frame decayed and damaged. Only the two round wheels and some bronze chariot and horse ornaments on the broken fragments suggested it was a magnificent two-wheeled chariot. In front of the chariot were the remains of four sacrificial horses, indicating that the chariot was pulled by four horses. In Han Dynasty rites, this would have been a configuration befitting an emperor or feudal lord, suggesting the tomb's occupant held a high position during his lifetime or was highly favored by the emperor, thus being buried here with the rites due to a feudal lord. Therefore, if the owner of this Han tomb is indeed Li Shaojun from the reign of Emperor Wu of Han, as stated in the Li clan genealogy, it would be quite consistent with the scale and ritual of the tomb. According to the *Records of the Grand Historian*, Emperor Wu of Han regarded Li Shaojun as a divine being and treated him with the utmost respect. Even after Li Shaojun died of illness, Emperor Wu of Han still believed that Li Shaojun had simply achieved immortality through spiritual liberation.

Professor Cheng casually picked up a bronze zun (wine vessel) beside him and examined it carefully in the firelight. He noticed that the zun did not bear the mysterious "ghost realm inscriptions." He then remarked softly, "It seems these artifacts were just ordinary items used by the tomb owner during his lifetime. Those mysterious artifacts inscribed with 'ghost realm inscriptions' were placed around his own coffin. Presumably, these artifacts with 'ghost realm inscriptions' held a very important place in the tomb owner's eyes." Archaeologically speaking, artifacts unearthed from tombs are generally rarer and more valuable the closer they are to the coffin or the tomb owner; hence Professor Cheng's earlier statement.

Just then, I suddenly heard footsteps coming from the passageway connecting the side chamber to the main burial chamber. I thought to myself, "Oh no, it must be Yue Laosan's men coming into the side chamber to check the burial objects." With that thought, I quickly pulled Professor Cheng along, bending low and hiding behind a pile of collapsed stone chimes. Just as we were hidden, the man came in, casually examined a few bronze artifacts, and then shouted towards the main burial chamber, "Boss, these are all ordinary bronze artifacts, none with those strange symbols. Should we still move them?" "In that case, don't move them for now. We've lost a few brothers, we don't have enough manpower, and we can't carry that much stuff at once. Let's move these inscribed artifacts first. These things are quite popular on the market right now." After a while, we heard Yue Laosan's voice again. He said, "It's a pity those three got away. Otherwise, we would have killed them here, so the secret of this Han tomb wouldn't be known to outsiders. Then we could slowly move everything out of here. Come on, come out and help!"

"That guy's really greedy," I thought to myself. "If we hadn't escaped in time, he'd probably be back home by now. We absolutely can't let this ruthless, cunning man get away with this." As I was angrily pondering this, I saw Yue Laosan's henchman casually pick up a white jade pendant from the ground, stuff it into his pocket, and then walk out. Seeing that the man was finally gone, Professor Cheng and I breathed a long sigh of relief. Just then, we heard Yue Laosan from inside the main tomb chamber say, "Everyone come over here and help me pry open this coffin. I want to see what treasures are hidden inside!"

Professor Cheng and I were both tense when we heard this. This coffin was the most important part of the tomb. If Yue Laosan and his group destroyed it, what a huge loss it would be for the Chinese archaeological community! So, Professor Cheng and I disregarded our own safety and came out from behind the pile of stone chimes. We quietly went to the passageway connecting the side chamber and the main tomb chamber, pressed our bodies against the wall as much as possible, and then peeked out to see what Yue Laosan and his group were doing in the main tomb chamber.

I saw Yue Laosan standing to one side, directing his men. His four men, led by the man called "Alang," had somehow found some broken weapons like bronze halberds and iron swords, which they then inserted into the gap between the outer coffin lid and the body, using them as pry bars to try and pry. The coffin lid was likely nailed into the body with very long iron nails, and after so many years, the nails must have been covered in rust, increasing the friction between the nails and the outer coffin wood, making it extremely difficult for the four of them to pry. With their combined effort, the coffin emitted a series of piercing "crackling" sounds. Hearing this sound, for some reason, I felt a chill run down my spine. So I drew the pistol from my waist and quietly loosened the safety, just in case.

About five or six minutes later, the coffin lid was probably pried open a crack. I vaguely saw a plume of black smoke rising from inside the coffin. The man called "Alang" shouted, "Not good, get out of the way!" and quickly retreated. Hearing Alang's warning, the others hurriedly dropped their weapons and ran away. However, despite this, one person was a little slow to react and his hands were smeared by the black smoke. When he reached the others, I saw his expression suddenly become very strange, and then he collapsed to the ground, writhing and rolling in agony. At that moment, the skin on his hands rapidly turned black, and this black color spread from his hands along his arms to his torso. Within seconds, even his face turned completely black, and cries of pain echoed through the air.

Yue Laosan and his men stood around the man, wanting to help but afraid to, their expressions filled with panic. A few seconds later, the man's hands began to peel and ulcerate, revealing the red and white subcutaneous tissue. The flesh seemed to melt away, pieces constantly falling off. At this point, the man was driven mad by the pain, struggling to get up and lunging at the others. In this situation, two gunshots rang out; Yue Laosan had finally fired at his own men. After the shots, the man collapsed to the ground, convulsed a few times, and then stopped struggling, remaining motionless. Although he was dead, the flesh on his body continued to rot. In less than two minutes, the entire corpse had turned into a pool of putrid liquid, emitting a foul stench.

Yue Laosan and his men had never seen such potent corpse poison before, and they were all stunned. After they recovered, they bent over, vomiting violently, even Yue Laosan, a man who had seen his share of life's hardships, was no exception. Seeing this, I couldn't help but feel nauseous myself. I thought to myself, some martial arts novels mention a rare poison called "Bone-Dissolving Water." Anyone touched by this poison would instantly turn into a pool of blood. This corpse poison before me was no less potent than that legendary "Bone-Dissolving Water." Then I thought again, surely Yue Laosan and his men had learned their lesson and would never dare to try to pry open that strange coffin again. This actually made us a little more at ease.

16. Python Coffin

What I didn't expect was that Yue Laosan was indeed a greedy fellow. Although their first unauthorized opening of the coffin resulted in the death of another comrade, Yue Laosan was still unwilling to give up until he obtained the most precious treasure inside. After calming down for a few minutes, I heard Yue Laosan say to his three men, "Just now, we were poisoned by the gas in the coffin because we were too close and unprepared. As long as you keep a certain distance and are careful when opening the coffin, there shouldn't be any problems. Once we get the treasure inside, I guarantee that you brothers will live comfortably from now on." His three men were initially a little scared and unwilling to open the coffin again. However, out of fear of Yue Laosan, they dared not disobey his orders, and were also swayed by Yue Laosan's sweet words. So they picked up iron halberds, longswords, and other metal weapons from the ground, inserted them into the gaps under the coffin lid, and pried it open with all their might.

At this moment, the lingering aura of death within the outer coffin had dissipated. Since the coffin lid had been loosened earlier, after about three to five minutes of effort, they finally pried it open with a "bang." Because we were still some distance from the coffin, and because this coffin was quite unusual—its height was considerable—we couldn't immediately see what was inside. Upon seeing the opened outer coffin, Yue Laosan first frowned and said, "Strange!" But then he immediately appeared delighted, saying to his men, "See? Wasn't I right? I told you the things inside were quite exquisite and valuable." He then took an object from inside the outer coffin and examined it closely. In the firelight, I saw it was a bronze vase with inlaid gold cloud patterns and tiger-shaped handles. The vase had a smooth shape and beautiful decorations; it was indeed a masterpiece of art. At this moment, Hua Yang had not yet brought the police over. Seeing that these exquisite cultural relics were about to fall into the hands of Yue Laosan's gang of cultural relic thieves and smugglers, Professor Cheng clenched his fists, feeling extremely indignant.

Just then, Yue Laosan said, "There's another layer here. Let's keep prying. Everyone, be careful!" He picked up something that looked like an iron spear and, along with his men, began prying. I knew that ancient rituals had clear regulations regarding burial practices. For example, emperors required five coffins and two outer coffins, feudal lords four coffins and one or three coffins and two outer coffins, high-ranking officials two coffins and one outer coffin, and lower-ranking officials one coffin and one outer coffin. Judging from the chariot and horse funerary objects that Professor Cheng and I had seen in the side chamber, this tomb was set up according to the feudal lord's system. Therefore, I estimated that there were at least two or three more layers of coffins inside, which would take Yue Laosan and his men some time. Even so, at their current speed, it wouldn't take them an hour or two to open all the coffins. Once they had taken all the most precious national treasures from the coffins, they would leave quickly, and catching them then would be difficult. At this moment, how we wished that Hua Yang could descend from the sky with the police like heavenly soldiers and generals, and quickly arrest Yue Laosan and his gang, so that these precious cultural relics would not end up in the overseas collection market.

Just as Professor Cheng and I were getting anxious, we heard another loud "bang." Yue Laosan and his men had pried open another inner coffin lid. When they lifted this lid, I saw it was black with red patterns, decorated with flowing, freehand cloud designs—it looked incredibly ornate and exquisite. However, because they had used excessive force to pry it open, the edges of the lid were damaged to varying degrees. Seeing these precious artifacts being wantonly destroyed by Yue Laosan and his men, Professor Cheng and I felt deeply sorry for them. Then we saw them remove many more exquisite gold and jade artifacts from the inner coffin, followed by a burst of wild laughter.

Time ticked by. Although Yue Laosan and his men were drenched in sweat, their enthusiasm remained undiminished. The increasingly exquisite burial artifacts they discovered were fueling their growing desire. Stimulated by these newly unearthed treasures, they had long forgotten the initial surprises and unpleasantness, and were no longer afraid. I imagine that at this moment, they probably only had one thought in their minds: to open the coffin and take the treasure.

Then, they opened the second coffin lid one after another, taking out many precious jewels and artifacts. But as soon as they opened the second coffin lid, I noticed their eyes widen in disbelief; they all stood there dumbfounded, unlike before when they were busy taking out various treasures and artifacts from the coffin. "Strange, what did they see?" I muttered to myself. Just then, I heard one of them say, "Strange, how come there's a giant python in this coffin?" A giant python? Did I hear that right? However, Professor Cheng confirmed that I hadn't misheard; the man had said there was a giant python inside the coffin. "That doesn't make sense. A giant python, would it need such a grand funeral? And treated like a prince?" I quietly asked Professor Cheng beside me. Professor Cheng also looked bewildered, saying, "We can't see the specific situation inside the coffin right now, so it's too early to draw conclusions."

Professor Cheng and I were discussing something when we noticed Yue Laosan and his group making a new move, so we stopped talking and continued observing their actions. Yue Laosan carefully inserted his spear into the coffin and moved it around a bit before slowly saying, "What python? Look carefully, okay? It's clearly an object wrapped in python skin. It startled me too." Hearing this, I understood. The second coffin contained an object wrapped in python skin. Considering the ancient funeral rites for feudal lords, Yue Laosan and his group had already opened two outer coffins and two inner coffins, so there should have been one more coffin. But instead of the final inner coffin, they found a python skin, which was indeed strange. Could this python skin be the final inner coffin? And inside the python skin lay the body of Li Shaojun, the owner of this Han Dynasty tomb? Examples of using animal skin as coffins are not uncommon in archaeological discoveries. However, most of those cases involved using animal hides like cattle or sheep to cover the outside of the coffin to increase its airtightness and preserve the body and burial goods inside. But I had never heard of using python skin directly as an inner coffin to wrap the body like this. Suddenly, many questions flooded my mind, and I didn't know how to answer them.

Professor Cheng and I noticed that Yue Laosan and the others were now completely focused on the coffin and had lowered their guard. To better observe the initial opening of the coffin and gather firsthand information for our research on this Han Dynasty tomb, Professor Cheng and I briefly discussed it and decided to sneak away behind a large stone pillar nearby while Yue Laosan and the others weren't looking. Although the pillar was only five or six meters away, it felt very far. Just as we settled behind the pillar, we heard Yue Laosan say, "I don't know what's inside the python skin, everyone be careful." He then started to pry open the python skin.

Professor Cheng and I peered from behind the stone pillars at the coffins. The four layers of coffins, already opened, were clearly visible before us. The outermost layer was the thickest, about ten centimeters thick. Judging from the color and grain of the wood, it was likely a fine-grained ironwood. Because of its dense texture, this type of wood grows very slowly. It would take hundreds or even thousands of years for a piece of wood to grow to such a thickness, making it an extremely rare material. The other layers of coffins inside this outer layer were relatively thinner, about seven or eight centimeters thick. Since they were nested within the outer layer, it was impossible to tell what kind of wood they were made of. These coffins should have originally been filled with various precious artifacts, but because Yue Laosan and his group had already removed large quantities of these burial goods, there were now quite a few gaps between the coffins.

XVII. Caught in the Net

Then I saw a roughly drum-shaped object inside the coffin, slightly convex in the middle and tapering at both ends. The outer surface of this object was indeed the skin of a large, multicolored python. Because the skin was completely stuffed inside, and its ends were coiled and bent, it truly looked like a giant python that had just eaten and was curled up inside. At this moment, Yue Laosan's subordinate, a man named "Alang," was holding a long sword, preparing to pierce the python skin to see what was inside, at Yue Laosan's command.

Professor Cheng and I craned our necks, watching the man's every move. We saw him aim his longsword at the very top of the python skin wrapping, then carefully probe it. Although the sword was weathered and rusty, the tip remained remarkably sharp. I had assumed the seemingly thin layer of python skin would easily pierce through. But surprisingly, when the sword touched the skin, it felt like striking a sheet of hard iron; it wouldn't penetrate. Even when the man gripped the hilt with both hands and exerted all his strength, the sword was useless; it couldn't pierce the skin. Then we heard the man say, "How strange. This python skin is like iron; I can't pierce it."

Hearing this, Yue Laosan seemed unconvinced. He pushed the man aside, picked up the longsword, and tried to stab the python skin, but couldn't penetrate it. "What kind of skin is that? How can it be so hard?" I wondered. At this moment, Professor Cheng frowned, thought for a moment, and then quietly said to me, "It might not be just a simple python skin. It's likely that the entire python, skin and all, was used to make this coffin. The deceased was then placed inside. Over thousands of years, the moisture in the coffin's skin and flesh gradually evaporated, causing the tissue to dry and petrify, resulting in this thin, yet incredibly hard, layer today."

After listening to Professor Cheng's explanation, I found it quite reasonable. So I nodded and asked, "But why would the owner of this tomb use a giant python as his inner coffin in such a peculiar way?" Professor Cheng, upon hearing my question, quietly said, "Yes, I was also thinking about this question, but when I remembered the records about the owner of this tomb—Li Shaojun—in the Records of the Grand Historian, and then saw the murals on this wall, I understood what was going on." As he spoke, he pointed with his right hand to the brick wall directly in front of us.

I looked in the direction Professor Cheng pointed and saw two life-sized figures, a man and a woman, painted on the wall. But calling them human wasn't quite accurate. While they had human upper bodies, their lower bodies were coiled and intertwined like snakes. Although the two figures in this white-on-black mural looked very strange, I immediately recognized them as Fuxi and Nuwa from ancient mythology.

"What is the connection between this python coffin and Fuxi and Nuwa?" I asked. "According to the *Records of the Grand Historian*, Li Shaojun during the reign of Emperor Wu of Han was a mysterious sorcerer. Even after his death from illness, Emperor Wu believed he had achieved immortality through corpse liberation. However, according to the *Li Clan Genealogy*, Li Shaojun was merely an opportunist with no real magical abilities. Therefore, I deduce that when he was dying, he feared that Emperor Wu would see his corpse and become suspicious, thus exposing his lies. This would be a grave crime of deceiving the emperor, and his entire family would be implicated. So, he deliberately had a giant python brought to him..." After his death, he hid his body inside this giant python, leaving only his head and face exposed. He then proclaimed this a sign of achieving immortality through corpse liberation. Because people knew that the ancient immortals Fuxi and Nuwa had the forms of pythons, everyone believed this explanation, even Emperor Wu of Han. When he was formally buried, his body may have decomposed, making it difficult to remove from the python. So his family simply sewed Li Shaojun's exposed head and face inside, turning the python's body into a peculiar coffin. "Professor Cheng said softly as he looked at me."

After listening to Professor Cheng's explanation, I found it quite reasonable. In the eyes of the ancients, the descendants of Fuxi and Nuwa were considered divine beings, possessing the characteristics of human heads and snake bodies. Since Li Shaojun consistently presented himself as a divine being before Emperor Wu of Han, it was only natural that he would reveal his true form as a human head and snake body after his death.

Just as Professor Cheng and I were discussing this matter, Yue Laosan glanced around and said, "We've been here quite a while. If Professor Cheng's group escapes and calls the police, the mainland police will probably arrive soon if we don't leave. We might as well take this python skin with us and figure out how to open it when we get back." Professor Cheng and I were shocked to hear they wanted to run away. Hua Yang and the others hadn't arrived yet; we couldn't let them escape at this crucial moment. Yue Laosan and his group began packing up the various artifacts and items bearing the "Ghost Domain Inscriptions," preparing to take these precious treasures with them. At this critical juncture, Professor Cheng and I had no other choice, so we pulled out our pistols and fired a shot in Yue Laosan's direction, hoping to temporarily trap them inside the main tomb chamber.

The gunshot startled Yue Laosan and his men, who quickly sought cover behind nearby obstacles. Initially, they were quite panicked and hesitant to return fire. I suspect they thought the police had arrived. However, when they realized it was just Professor Cheng and me, they lost their fear and began to return fire. Professor Cheng and I only had two pistols and no extra ammunition. Professor Cheng was also hesitant to fire indiscriminately, fearing the bullets might damage nearby burial objects. Yue Laosan's group, on the other hand, not only had more pistols than us, but also AK-47 semi-automatic rifles, M870 shotguns, and M16 small-caliber rifles. The crossfire from these long weapons riddled the stone pillar where we were hiding with bullets, and we gradually lost ground. Yue Laosan's group, with their superior firepower, was closing in on us, soon to surround us.

Faced with this critical moment, I said to Professor Cheng, "Professor, you should escape quickly. I'll cover you here." The professor, while firing his gun, replied, "No, you should go. You're still young, and there are many things waiting for you to do. I've lived most of my life, and I'm content. It's just that I can't bear to see these national treasures fall into the hands of these bastards." Seeing that Professor Cheng refused to leave no matter what, and that I couldn't free myself to drag him out, I was extremely anxious.

Just when I was at my wit's end and about to be killed by Yue Laosan and his men, I suddenly heard a lot of chaotic footsteps behind me, followed by a familiar voice calling out, "Professor Cheng, Si Nan, hold on! I've brought the police." Hearing Hua Yang's words, Professor Cheng and I were overjoyed, and our previous anxiety instantly vanished. Meanwhile, Yue Laosan and his men in the main tomb chamber, upon hearing this voice, panicked like startled birds. Yue Laosan, his face contorted with worry, shouted, "Don't panic! A few policemen and you're all this scared? I've wasted my time raising you bunch of useless cowards!"

Although Yue Laosan and his men had powerful long-range weapons and ammunition, they held out for about five or six minutes under the formidable force of the public security criminal police before finally surrendering obediently. When Professor Cheng, Hua Yang, and I hugged each other tightly again, we were so moved that tears welled up in our eyes, and we were speechless for a long time.

18. Archaeological Excavation

Over the next few days, local police deployed officers to seal off and protect the Han Dynasty tomb. With approval from higher authorities, Professor Cheng and professionals from the Institute of Cultural Relics conducted a rescue excavation of the tomb. During this time, I showed Professor Cheng Jenny's notebook containing the "Ghost Domain Inscriptions." Professor Cheng was naturally delighted, repeatedly stating that it was an invaluable research reference. However, the rainy season was approaching. Given the urgency of the tomb's rescue excavation and the tomb's potential connection to the mysterious "Ghost Domain Inscriptions," which could greatly aid further research, Professor Cheng decided to prioritize the tomb excavation and then collaborate with me on the "Ghost Domain Inscriptions" once things became clearer. Furthermore, the institute's manpower was currently insufficient for the rescue excavation. Since I was also one of Professor Cheng's students and was quite familiar with these archaeological works, I eventually joined them. I helped the professor with some tasks and studied these strange written symbols with him when he had free time.

During the excavation and clearing process, we started with the left side chamber of the main tomb. It took us a whole day to unearth a large number of Han Dynasty lacquerware, bronzeware, ironware, bamboo and wooden tools, mostly everyday items. We also found baskets of long-decayed vegetables, meat, and medicinal herbs. The most eye-catching find was a pure gold and silver scale used for weighing medicinal herbs. The exquisite craftsmanship of its work left us in awe.

The next day, we started clearing the tomb from the right side chamber of the main burial chamber, the same side chamber where Professor Cheng and I had previously hidden. The large number of wine vessels, tableware, musical instruments, chariots and horses unearthed there indicated that what was piled up inside were some luxury items enjoyed by the tomb owner during his lifetime.

However, when we arrived at the rear chamber behind the main burial chamber, we found it completely empty. Apart from a triangular hole the size of a mouse hole in one wall, not even a broken pottery jar could be seen. This was rather strange. Had the tomb been robbed? But our investigation and excavation only revealed a robber's hole near the tomb passage, and as we had seen before, the person who dug the hole to enter the tomb had already died under the deadly arrows set in the passage. It was impossible for them to have stolen the burial goods in the rear chamber. Besides, even if someone had entered the tomb, it was impossible for them to have only taken the items from the rear chamber and ignored the priceless treasures and artifacts placed elsewhere. Although Professor Cheng, Hua Yang, and all the archaeological institute personnel involved in the excavation felt puzzled by the empty rear chamber, we didn't have much time to consider this matter due to the ongoing rescue excavation work. So, we left this question in our minds.

Finally, our focus returned to the main burial chamber. Here, we unearthed many bronze artifacts bearing "ghostly inscriptions" that Yue Laosan and his group had almost stolen. There were over thirty pieces in total, large and small, all ritual objects used in ancient sacrifices. Professor Cheng treated them like treasures, personally brushing away the dust from each piece, then carefully numbering, recording, drawing, and photographing them. Finally, he wrapped them in layers of cotton paper, placed them in wooden crates, and transported them out. Later, we also found an epitaph beside the coffin, confirming that the deceased was indeed Li Shaojun from the reign of Emperor Wu of Han. After we finished cleaning the various funerary objects in the main burial chamber, everyone's attention finally turned to the tall coffin in the center of the chamber.

Because of concerns about accidentally damaging the body inside the coffin, the archaeologists temporarily closed the coffin, which Yue Laosan and his team had previously opened, before we even began cleaning it. Now, we carefully opened it layer by layer. When I saw the python coffin up close again, I was still slightly startled by the large, multicolored python skin inside. The python skin wrapped around an object placed in such a tall coffin looked particularly eerie and terrifying. For some reason, just seeing that python skin made me feel uneasy, as if my heart was being gripped.

To better cut open the outer layer of python skin without damaging the object encased within, we decided to first remove the python-skin coffin from the wooden inner coffin and then send it back to the research institute. Once there, we would use X-ray machines, electron scanners, MRI machines, and other specialized equipment to thoroughly scan the object inside the python skin. Based on the scan results, we would then develop a specific cutting plan. After carefully transporting the python-skin coffin onto the vehicle, the rescue excavation of the entire tomb was largely completed. What remained was the tedious and meticulous work of inspecting, restoring, and analyzing all the unearthed artifacts. As we were about to leave the empty tomb, I took one last, careful look at the empty rear chamber behind the main burial chamber. I had a feeling that this empty rear chamber held some hidden secret.

Back at his research institute, Professor Cheng began focusing his research on these "ghost inscriptions." He told me that based on his previous studies of these ancient characters, he discovered that it was a very profound and sophisticated script. According to the available information, it existed at least a long time before the Han Dynasty. Because there is very little archaeological evidence of this script, it is certain that its use was not widespread. Professor Cheng initially thought it was a script unique to a certain ancient tribe. However, considering the discoveries of these inscriptions in Ancheng cellar in Hubei, the Qiyunshan Han tomb in Taibai County, Shaanxi, and the "ghost inscriptions" found in Northeast China as described in Jenny's notebook, the script's discovery range is extremely wide, thus overturning the hypothesis that it was unique to a certain ancient tribe. Furthermore, Professor Cheng discovered a common thread in these discoveries: these characters only appear on ancient ritual vessels and sacrificial implements. They do not appear on wine vessels, musical instruments, or other utensils unearthed alongside these artifacts. Therefore, Professor Cheng concluded that these mysterious characters were likely characters with special meaning that appeared only in some kind of sacrificial occasion.

By this time, the scanning of the python coffin was nearly complete. The scans from the electronic scanning equipment confirmed the presence of a human skeleton inside. In addition, there were some small burial objects such as pearls, jade, and gold and silver. Based on this scan data, Professor Cheng and the research institute staff held a special seminar to discuss the feasibility of cutting open the python coffin and developed a detailed and reliable plan.

At my request, Professor Cheng led me to the excavation site, where I witnessed firsthand the process of cutting open the python coffin. Under the operation of a professional laser cutting instrument, a thin, red laser beam, as fine as a hair, was emitted from the laser emitter. This laser slowly moved along a carefully chosen path based on the scanning results on the outer surface of the python coffin. After the laser cut a slit about one meter long on the outer surface of the coffin according to the predetermined plan, several archaeologists carefully peeled away the python skin and flesh from the human remains inside the coffin piece by piece using pliers, surgical instruments, and other tools. About two hours later, from the opening in the python coffin, the head of a human mummy was revealed before us. Its eyes were sunken and shriveled, its nasal bones collapsed, and its mouth was open, revealing a row of incomplete, milky-yellow teeth. Inside the mouth was a jade cicada, carved using the unique "Han Eight Cuts" carving technique of the Han Dynasty.

19. Hidden Stone Tablet

During the subsequent excavation, numerous jade, gold, and silver artifacts were discovered inside the python coffin and on the remains, all of which were highly consistent with the scan results. However, strangely, on the right hand of the remains, archaeologists found a palm-sized, roughly isosceles triangular stone. Judging from its material, this stone appeared to be ordinary bluestone; aside from its relatively smooth surface, as if artificially polished, it showed no signs of human processing or craftsmanship, and was not a bluestone artifact. Generally, burial objects placed close to the deceased in the inner coffin are either exceptionally valuable or items the deceased cherished during their lifetime. If this is the case, such a common bluestone, found anywhere, certainly wouldn't be anything valuable. So, could it be something the deceased particularly valued? Why would the deceased value this stone so much? These questions immediately arose in our minds.

I looked at the roughly isosceles triangular stone. The shape seemed strangely familiar, as if I'd seen it somewhere before, but I couldn't quite place it. However, my immediate priority was deciphering the "ghostly inscriptions." So, I temporarily set aside the strange python coffin and the stone found inside. For the next few days, Hua Yang, Professor Cheng, and I spent our days at the research institute studying the unearthed artifacts with the "ghostly inscriptions" and all related materials.

That day, as Hua Yang, Professor Cheng, and I were reviewing documents at the research institute as usual, we suddenly heard Professor Cheng mutter to himself, "Strange, judging from these written materials, it seems like something is missing from this excavation." Hearing Professor Cheng say this, we wondered if he had discovered some clue. So we immediately went to Professor Cheng's side to ask for details.

When I approached the professor, I saw him carefully examining the "Li Family Genealogy" he had received from Yue Laosan. Seeing that Hua Yang and I had gathered around him, he pointed to a passage in the genealogy and said, "The legend in this genealogy has now been proven reliable, as we did indeed find the location of Li Shaojun's tomb based on the information recorded here. However, according to the records, the most important item among the artifacts with 'ghost domain inscriptions' that Li Shaojun discovered was the stone tablet from which he made rubbings and presented them to Emperor Wu of Han." Professor Cheng paused, then continued, "According to the records, Li Shaojun buried all the artifacts with 'ghost domain inscriptions,' including that stone tablet, in his tomb. But from the artifacts unearthed this time, apart from thirty-one bronze artifacts with 'ghost domain inscriptions,' we haven't found such a stone tablet at all."

Professor Cheng's mention reminded me that the family genealogy did indeed record such an event. Furthermore, Professor Cheng's mention of the stone tablet also reminded me of the triangular stone found in Li Shaojun's hands inside the python coffin. When I first saw that stone, I felt it resembled a corner of some stone tablet. Thinking of this, I shared my feelings and speculation with Professor Cheng and Hua Yang. Professor Cheng immediately stood up and said, "Yes, yes, it should be just as you said. This triangular stone is the only clue to finding that stone tablet." After saying this, he called Li Ke from the next office in, gave her a few instructions, and asked her to arrange for another entry into Li Shaojun's tomb. Then he took Hua Yang and me to a small hotel outside the research institute, ordered some dishes and drinks, as a small celebration of finding this important clue.

After Li Ke finished arranging all the formalities, Professor Cheng took out the triangular bluestone from the research institute and led Hua Yang and me back to the Han Dynasty tomb in the Qiyun Mountain area. At this time, the tomb site had been sealed off by the relevant departments and was awaiting final planning notification from higher authorities. Fortunately, we had the relevant approval documents, which allowed us to successfully pass the inspection and enter the tomb chamber.

To facilitate the previous archaeological excavation work, temporary power had been supplied to the tomb from the outside, and lighting equipment had been installed. Therefore, once these lights were turned on, the entire tomb was quite bright. When we returned to the main burial chamber, we saw that all the funerary objects had been completely removed, and even the coffins had been taken away. The entire tomb appeared empty compared to before, adding to the sense of death.

Because we had already thoroughly excavated and cleaned the main burial chamber and the left and right side chambers without finding anything particularly suspicious, we decided to focus our investigation on the strange, empty rear chamber. Therefore, we left the rear chamber for last. Afterwards, we split up and carefully searched the main burial chamber and the left and right side chambers. The results were predictable; there were indeed no suspicious clues. This result was not unexpected. So, we finally went together to the rear chamber behind the main burial chamber.

Upon entering the back room, I immediately spotted the triangular hole I had seen before on the wall opposite the door. Seeing it again, I instantly realized that the triangular bluestone in the python coffin must have broken off from this hole. Both its size and shape were remarkably similar to the bluestone. I quickly called to Professor Cheng and Hua Yang, "Look at the shape of that triangular hole in the wall, doesn't it resemble this bluestone?" I held up the bluestone I was holding. Professor Cheng and Hua Yang examined the bluestone and then looked at the hole I had pointed to, confirming that it was indeed as I had described.

Then we walked to the wall and slowly inserted the triangular bluestone into the hole. It fit perfectly. This meant the bluestone had once been part of the wall. If, as we had previously speculated, this bluestone was a clue, then that clue had now led us to this wall. Could there be some secret waiting to be uncovered on this wall? With that thought, I began to carefully examine the wall before me.

After careful examination, we discovered that the wall indeed held a secret. I noticed that the wall in the rear chamber differed in structure from the walls in other parts of the tomb, such as the passageway, the main chamber, and the side chambers. In the aforementioned locations, the walls were uniformly constructed of blue bricks. However, this wall in the rear chamber not only featured blue bricks but also embedded with numerous blue stone slabs of varying sizes. The blue stone retrieved from the python coffin had broken off from the lower left corner of the largest slab. Therefore, the wall had a pit due to the missing piece of blue stone.

Seeing this, I was already pretty sure what was going on; the stone tablet we were looking for was very likely the bluestone slab embedded in the wall right in front of us. At the same time, Professor Cheng and Hua Yang had also noticed the clue on the wall. The three of them looked at each other, then burst into laughter.

Next, Professor Cheng contacted Li Ke at the research institute via mobile phone, and someone from the institute quickly arrived with tools. After the usual procedures of taking photos, drawing diagrams, and recording data, everyone carefully excavated the bluestone slab on the wall, which was about 3.5 meters high and 1 meter wide. After Professor Cheng carefully cleaned the sand off the side of the bluestone slab that was originally embedded in the wall, we could indeed vaguely see some traces of artificial carving on the surface. So I squatted down to take a closer look and found that the artificial carving marks were indeed some strange characters. The stroke structure of some of the characters was indeed very similar to the "Ghost Domain Inscription" we had discovered, while other characters were the oracle bone script that we archaeologists are more familiar with. This was very consistent with the incomplete paper with rubbings of characters that came with the "Li Clan Genealogy". From this, we can conclude that this stone tablet is the mysterious stone tablet we are looking for.

20. Deciphering the Inscriptions

After we excavated the mysterious stone tablet from the wall, we attempted to remove four other smaller bluestone slabs embedded in the wall. Upon inspection, we discovered that these four slabs also had inscriptions on their inner surfaces, and were also four rectangular stone tablets. However, the inscriptions were in Han Dynasty seal script, not the strange "ghost realm inscriptions" we had encountered earlier. Subsequently, the inscribed stone tablet and these four seal script stone tablets were carefully packaged and temporarily transported back to Professor Cheng's archaeological research institute.

Back at the research institute, Professor Cheng and I began studying the "inscribed stele." We first gently removed the remaining clods of earth with a shovel, then used a brush to carefully sweep away the dust clinging to the surface. With our meticulous cleaning, the inscriptions on the stele became increasingly clear. The stele was clearly divided into two parts, left and right, with the center as the dividing line. The left side was inscribed with those mysterious "ghostly inscriptions," while the right side was inscribed with oracle bone script from the Shang and Zhou dynasties. When we first saw these oracle bone characters on the right side of the stele, we were immediately puzzled. We all knew that oracle bone script got its name because these characters were usually carved on animal bones and tortoise shells for divination. But what we saw now were oracle bone characters actually engraved on a stone stele. Wasn't that strange? So, from the beginning, this question lingered in my mind.

Next, since we couldn't yet decipher the "ghostly inscriptions" before us, we could only examine the oracle bone characters carved on the right side of the stele. Although even with my professional knowledge, I could only recognize about 60-70% of these oracle bone characters, with the guidance of the knowledgeable Professor Cheng, fully understanding them didn't take too much time or effort. However, after we finished looking at all the oracle bone characters on the right, we were completely bewildered. These characters seemed disjointed, each appearing as a completely independent character, conveying no continuous meaning. This reminded me of when Jenny and I studied the manuscripts of the Tomb Raider General. Was we going to play another word game, relying on clues to find the order of these characters? Just as I was thinking this, Professor Cheng suddenly burst into laughter. This left Hua Yang and me utterly confused, staring at Professor Cheng with bewildered expressions.

The professor chuckled for a moment, then looked at the two of us and said, "If I'm not mistaken, this stone tablet is the golden key to unlocking the 'Ghost Domain Inscription.'" "A golden key?" Hua Yang muttered to himself. So I asked, "Professor, what exactly is going on?" Hearing my question, the professor pointed to the "inscribed stone tablet" in front of him and said, "Did you see that the 'Ghost Domain Inscription' on the left and the oracle bone script on the right of this stone tablet have the same number of characters?" Hearing Professor Cheng say this, I quickly looked down and carefully counted on both sides, and found that they were indeed the same. But what did this mean? Hua Yang and I were still completely confused. At this moment, Professor Cheng continued, "You should know about coded messages, right? Every coded message translator has a coded message reference book. This book contains translation and comparison information for all coded messages. Relying on this book, coded message translators can translate the received coded messages into ordinary text information."

Hua Yang and I nodded after listening. We knew a little about the coded message Professor Cheng mentioned, but what was the connection between this coded message and the two scripts on the stone tablet? Suddenly, a thought struck me, and I seemed to understand the connection the professor was talking about. But before I could speak, Hua Yang exclaimed, "Professor, are you saying that the characters in the same positions on the left and right sides of the stone tablet are two scripts with similar meanings, which can be translated and interpreted as one another? And the stone tablet is like a translation manual for the coded message?" Professor Cheng nodded and smiled, replying, "Hehe, yes, that's what I meant. But this is just my own speculation; whether it's really like that requires further detailed verification." Professor Cheng picked up his teacup, took a sip of water, and continued, "Those of us who do archaeological research should make bold assumptions and carefully verify them." Hua Yang and I nodded in agreement.

Now that Professor Cheng has presented such a bold hypothesis, the next step is naturally to further verify it. How do we verify it? It's actually quite simple. The bronze vessels bearing "ghost realm inscriptions" recently unearthed in Ancheng City, Hubei Province, and Taibai County, Shaanxi Province, are the best tools for verification. In ancient times, people often inscribed related sacrificial content onto various ritual vessels and objects used in rites. These inscribed characters or patterns often served to record events that occurred at the time. Therefore, the "ghost realm inscriptions" on these bronze vessels must be interconnected and able to express a certain meaning. Given this, we can replace the "ghost realm inscriptions" on the bronze vessels with corresponding oracle bone script characters, according to the records on the stone tablet, and then examine the meaning of the phrases formed by these oracle bone characters. If the text is coherent and logically connected, then Professor Cheng's inference is correct. Conversely, if it is still disjointed and the sentences are not fluent, then Professor Cheng's inference is questionable.

Therefore, Hua Yang and I didn't waste a single second. We immediately retrieved several bronze vessels from the archaeological institute's vault and, referring to the inscription on the stele, replaced each character on the bronze vessels with the corresponding oracle bone script characters, recording them down. This seemingly simple task was actually quite difficult; it took Hua Yang and me three or four hours to organize all the characters.

Afterwards, Professor Cheng and we picked up the recorded oracle bone inscriptions and began to study them carefully. This reading filled us with excitement. Because, except for a few "ghost realm inscriptions" not recorded on the stone tablets, the sentences of most of the "ghost realm inscriptions" recorded on the tablets could be read smoothly. This proved that Professor Cheng's inference was indeed correct. Now, with this "inscribed stone tablet," we essentially had a translation manual for the "ghost realm inscriptions," and the task of deciphering these mysterious characters had finally achieved a major breakthrough.

To facilitate reference during the research process, we copied the "Ghost Domain Inscription" on the left side of the stone tablet into a notebook in order, while the oracle bone script on the right side of the stone tablet was simply converted into the Chinese characters we use today. In this way, a simple comparison manual of the "Ghost Domain Inscription" and modern Chinese characters was produced.

That evening, Professor Cheng invited me, Hua Yang, and Li Ke to his home. Professor Cheng's wife had prepared a sumptuous feast to celebrate our significant breakthrough over the past few days. Since graduating from university, I hadn't had Professor Cheng's wife's delicious cooking for a long time, so this was a real treat.

When Hua Yang and I returned to his apartment, slightly tipsy, I immediately made a long-distance call to Dunzi and Jenny in Hangzhou. I told them the good news that had happened on my end, so they could share in my joy of victory.

21. The Mystery of Qin and Han Bronze Ware

Although we've deciphered a portion of the "Ghost Domain Inscriptions," I still can't say goodbye to Professor Cheng and his team and return to Hangzhou. I'm unsure if this partial deciphering is enough to unlock the secrets of that ancient scroll. If I can't fully unravel it, my efforts will have been in vain. Moreover, since a portion of these mysterious "Ghost Domain Inscriptions" has been deciphered, this breakthrough makes further in-depth research into these enigmatic characters much easier. With Professor Cheng's research, I believe it won't be long before all the "Ghost Domain Inscriptions" are deciphered. Therefore, just to be on the safe side, I've decided to stay with Professor Cheng and his team for a while longer.

Moreover, although we have made considerable breakthroughs, I still can't understand why these oracle bone inscriptions, which are engraved together with the "Ghost Domain Inscriptions," are not found on animal bones or tortoise shells like other ancient oracle bone scripts, but are instead engraved on such a huge stone tablet. After I shared this question with Professor Cheng, he said, "Oracle bone script appeared during the Shang Dynasty and was generally carved on animal bones and tortoise shells for divination, hence the name 'oracle bone script.' However, it wasn't limited to tortoise shells and animal bones. Archaeologists have discovered stone drums inscribed with oracle bone characters in the tomb of Fu Hao during the Shang Dynasty. But these inscriptions usually only contain one or two short characters; we've never found so many oracle bone characters on stone. Therefore, I think there are two possibilities for this stone tablet. First, it is indeed an artifact from the Shang Dynasty, but its appearance is due to a very special reason, making it somewhat unique. Second, this stone tablet is not a product of the Shang Dynasty; these oracle bone characters and 'ghost domain inscriptions' were originally carved on other objects, and later, for some reason, were carved onto this stone tablet by people from a later dynasty." After Professor Cheng's explanation, I found it very reasonable.

Afterwards, we carefully examined the bronze vessels inscribed with "ghost realm inscriptions." We discovered that the inscriptions on these vessels almost all described some kind of incantation, presumably related to some kind of sacrificial ritual. After carefully examining the shapes and decorations of these bronze vessels, Professor Cheng said, "I see that the bronze vessels unearthed from Li Shaojun's tomb have grand shapes and simple decorations, which are very much in line with the practical and simple characteristics of the Qin Dynasty. Therefore, I think these bronze vessels are very likely products of the Qin Dynasty. On the other hand, the bronze vessels unearthed from Ancheng, Hubei, are bold and exquisite, especially the decorations, which show obvious characteristics of the Han Dynasty. Therefore, they should be Han Dynasty items." "Qin Dynasty? How come they just came out of a Han tomb and now they're being linked to the Qin Dynasty?" Hua Yang found Professor Cheng's words a bit strange, so he asked, "Could it be that Li Shaojun discovered these Qin Dynasty relics in some Qin Dynasty site, found these strange 'ghost inscriptions' very mysterious, and used them as a basis to fabricate a bold lie to deceive Emperor Wu of Han?" Professor Cheng replied, "Yes, your deduction has a certain possibility. Maybe this 'inscribed stone tablet' was carved during the Qin Dynasty."

Further research revealed that an increasing number of bronze vessels unearthed from Li Shaojun's tomb have been confirmed as Qin Dynasty artifacts. This is conclusive evidence, although it remains uncertain which specific period of the Qin Dynasty they belong to. In contrast, the bronze vessels unearthed from the Ancheng cellar in Hubei Province are all from the Han Dynasty. Given the inscription on the cellar's stone door, "Emperor Wu's Danfang, entry prohibited," it can be inferred that they date back to the reign of Emperor Wu of Han or even earlier.

Since these bronze vessels are all inscribed with "Ghost Domain Inscriptions," what is the connection between these Qin and Han dynasty bronze vessels, all bearing these inscriptions? We couldn't answer this question immediately and could only continue our research with Professor Cheng. When we examined the four other stone tablets discovered along with the inscribed tablet on the rear chamber wall of Li Shaojun's tomb, we found that these tablets recorded the circumstances surrounding Li Shaojun's discovery of the inscribed tablet.

The story goes that one day, Li Shaojun was hiking in a mountainous area of the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi Province when a sudden storm arose. Startled by the abrupt change in weather, Li Shaojun frantically searched for a place to escape the rain. He stumbled upon a hidden cave and took shelter inside. Once inside, he found the cave shrouded in mist and had a comfortable temperature, quite different from other caves. Driven by curiosity, Li Shaojun ventured deeper into the cave. Reaching a large stone hall, he saw a massive stone tablet inscribed with strange symbols. Around the tablet were numerous bronze vessels, also bearing these mysterious symbols. Intrigued by the writing, Li Shaojun used his clothes and burnt charcoal ash to trace the symbols on the tablet. After the rain stopped, Li Shaojun returned to the outside of the mountains, memorizing the cave's location.

Upon returning home, he carefully examined the strange symbols and characters, finding them increasingly mysterious and unfathomable. A strange idea suddenly occurred to him: these characters were the language of heaven, and the cave must be the abode of immortals. Just then, Emperor Wu of Han suddenly issued a call for talented individuals from all over the land to possess the secrets of immortality. Li Shaojun, upon hearing this, wanted to tell Emperor Wu of Han about his discovery. However, he feared that a small rubbing of a stone tablet alone wouldn't convince the emperor and might even incur accusations of deceiving the emperor. Therefore, he boldly claimed that the rubbing came from a mythical immortal mountain in the Eastern Sea. Emperor Wu of Han, upon hearing this, readily believed him and immediately dispatched people to the Eastern Sea to find the immortal mountain, also greatly rewarding Li Shaojun.

Emboldened by these benefits, Li Shaojun brazenly proclaimed himself a divine being before Emperor Wu of Han. Although Emperor Wu had repeatedly sent envoys to the East Sea to search for immortals without success, he remained deeply trusting and respectful of Li Shaojun. To further deceive the emperor, Li Shaojun, based on his observations in the stone cave, instructed him to cast bronze vessels inscribed with corresponding "ghostly inscriptions." These were to be used as ritual implements in the quest for immortality, and Li Shaojun also commissioned alchemists from various regions to establish secret alchemy workshops to refine elixirs of immortality.

Because Emperor Wu of Han eagerly hoped to achieve immortality, he readily accepted Li Shaojun's suggestions and allocated him a large sum of money to help him concoct elixirs of immortality. Li Shaojun thus amassed a vast fortune, and the Li clan began to prosper. Later, Li Shaojun fell seriously ill and was on his deathbed. Fearing that Emperor Wu would discover his secret and bring ruin to his family, he sent men to the cave to secretly hide the inscribed stone tablets and bronze vessels in his nearly completed tomb. After his death, his descendants recorded this event on four stone tablets, which, along with the inscribed tablet, were hidden in the wall of the rear chamber.

After reading the inscriptions on these stone tablets, we have a clearer understanding of the origins of the bronze vessels discovered in the Ancheng cellar in Hubei. According to these four stone tablets, Li Shaojun advised Emperor Wu of Han to invite alchemists from various regions to establish secret alchemy workshops in different places to refine elixirs of immortality. He also instructed Emperor Wu to cast bronze vessels inscribed with "ghost realm inscriptions" as sacrificial and ritual objects for the rites of seeking immortality. Therefore, it seems that the Ancheng cellar in Hubei was indeed a secret alchemy workshop established by Emperor Wu of Han.