appartement abandonné du village

Chapitre 8

"You got a lead so quickly? You're not kidding me, are you?" I was quite annoyed.

"Sigh, I'll do it. You wait here." In any case, progress is always a good thing.

In such a short time, what progress could he possibly make? He wouldn't even have time to finish reading that huge pile of newspapers... Or perhaps he got some clues from the newspapers?

Once we entered the hotel room, Wei Xian spread a large newspaper in front of me, and I knew I had guessed right.

That was a preview advertisement for the Duoyunxuan Autumn Art Treasures Auction. It featured pictures of some of the antiques up for auction.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

“This one,” Wei Xian pointed to the largest picture among them.

This is a ceramic basin. At first glance, it doesn't look fancy, but the photo resolution is quite good, so upon closer inspection, you can see extremely delicate and intricate patterns on the basin's surface.

Below the picture is a line of small characters: Ming Dynasty imitation of Shen Xiu's wealth basin.

That's strange. A picture taken from this position should show the most valuable item in this auction, but this item...

"Are you wondering why this item is being auctioned here? I'm wondering too. Something like this should at least be the grand finale of an auction at Christie's Hong Kong."

“Ah, but isn’t this just a replica? Even though it’s from the Ming Dynasty, is it really that valuable?” Wei Xian’s words surprised me greatly.

"Hehe, do you know who Shen Xiu is?"

I shook my head. I knew Liu Xiu, but I had no recollection of Shen Xiu at all.

"In the Ming Dynasty, there was a definition for the extremely wealthy: the three richest households out of ten thousand were called extremely wealthy, so the extremely wealthy were also called the three richest households."

"What does that have to do with Shen Xiu... Wait, are you saying Shen Xiu is Shen Wansan?"

"That's right. Everyone knows Shen Wansan, who was so rich that he was envied by Zhu Yuanzhang and forced into the army, but no one knows that his real name was Shen Xiu."

My heart started racing: "So this so-called wealth basin is..."

Wei Xian's lips curled up: "It's the Treasure Basin, the Treasure Basin that weighs 13,000."

"But this is just a replica, not a real treasure bowl."

Whether the real treasure bowl can actually bring in treasure is another matter, as it is said to have been broken. And this "imitation of Shen Xiuna's treasure bowl" is only one of a kind.

"Why is there only one?"

"When Shen Xiu and Zhu Yuanzhang had a good relationship, Shen Xiu agreed to let Zhu gather the best craftsmen in the land to make a replica of the treasure basin. At the time, Zhu Yuanzhang believed that the treasure basin's magical effects were related to the intricate patterns on its surface. So the replica was made to be almost identical to the original. However, it did not have the same function as the original. Zhu Yuanzhang was quite disappointed and later bestowed the replica upon General Chang Mao."

King of Tomb Raiders (4)

"How did you know? Is it some kind of unofficial history?"

“As a witness to history, of course I know more,” Wei Xian said with a smile.

"So, this 'imitation Shen Xiuna's treasure bowl' is indeed a rare treasure. But what new clue are you referring to?"

"General Chang Mao's tomb has never been officially discovered, and it is one of the legendary hidden tombs in the tomb raiding world, but seventy years ago this tomb was..."

"Wei won't go back!" I blurted out before Wei Xian could finish speaking.

"Yes, this tomb is one of the reasons why Wei Buhui became famous. Therefore, this 'Imitation of Shen Xiuna's Treasure Basin' should have been in Wei Buhui's hands."

After a quick fast food meal with Wei Xian, we headed to Duoyunxuan. Finding the person who entrusted the auction was equivalent to finding Wei Buhui, or at least someone closely related to him.

But we were turned away, and this time even my press pass was useless.

The manager who received us stopped us with a single sentence: "The identities of our clients are confidential; that's industry practice. Otherwise, if it gets leaked, who will guarantee their safety?"

I showed him my press pass and handed him my business card, expressing my desire to interview him about the story behind this 'imitation Shen Xiuna's treasure basin'.

After much pleading, the manager reluctantly agreed to ask the client, and if he was willing to be interviewed, he would give us his contact information.

"However, based on my understanding of the old gentleman, he absolutely does not want to see you," the manager said.

Suddenly, a person came to mind, and I asked, "Could it be... Zhang Qing, Mr. Zhang?"

The manager exclaimed, unable to hide the surprise on his face.

The conversation went much more smoothly after that. Since I had guessed the client's identity myself, the manager told me some more information.

Zhang Qing was a well-known figure in Shanghai's art collecting circles. This time, Duoyunxuan's autumn auction lacked a signature piece. Manager Yang, who had known Zhang Qing for over ten years, knew the old man had an eccentric temper and was difficult to get along with, but he had no choice but to bite the bullet and ask for help. After much pleading and cajoling, he finally persuaded Zhang Qing to provide the treasure.

Actually, I should have realized sooner that Zhang Qing was Wei Buhui. Who else could be the Sun brothers' third collaborator, and also the one with the highest level of involvement, besides that King of Tomb Raiders?

Now everything goes smoothly.

Actually, I had been suspicious of the identity of that old Zhang who had been uncooperative with me, so when I heard the manager say that, I tested him, and sure enough, I was right.

Back at the hotel, Wei Xian and I worked together to sort out the clues we had gathered so far.

At each stage, it's important to sort things out. This not only helps clarify your thoughts, but sometimes, taking time to reflect can also reveal important details that you might have missed due to rushing.

The Sun brothers were looking for an ancient tomb dating back to after the Qin Dynasty, located underground in the "Three-Story Building" area. In fact, based on existing clues, the tomb likely dates back to the Three Kingdoms period. They possessed a flag with extraordinary properties, which ultimately helped them pinpoint the tomb's location.

The Sun brothers' construction of the "three-story building" was actually a pretext for designating an area, clearing it out, and then commencing underground excavation. To conceal their activities, they simultaneously carried out two projects: demolishing the existing bungalows within the area and filling in Qiujiatang Pond to build the Zhabei Garden, thus diverting attention from the large amounts of soil being transported out of the "three-story building" area.

Based on the Sun Quan stone sculpture in Zhabei Garden and the appearance of the Sun brothers, it is speculated that the Sun brothers may be descendants of Sun Quan. Therefore, they had some knowledge of this ancient tomb, at least knowing that entering the tomb was quite difficult and potentially dangerous. Thus, they found three helpers.

One of their accomplices was Zhong Shutong. The Sun brothers hoped to use his historical knowledge to help locate the ancient tomb or learn some details about it, but they clearly failed. It was impossible for a historian to know such minute details, and after several attempts, they gave up on Zhong Shutong. Therefore, Zhong Shutong knew almost nothing about their plan.

The second ally was Yuantong. The Sun brothers hoped his precognitive abilities would provide them with crucial information and help them avoid misfortune. However, after Yuantong moved into the "third floor," his precognitive abilities were inexplicably severely hampered. His only successful prediction was vague and unclear. By then, the Sun brothers had no way to back down, and even adjustments were minimal. Judging from the Sun brothers' disappearance, Yuantong's premonitions were remarkably accurate. But in terms of involvement in the plan, Yuantong was undoubtedly still on the periphery.

King of Tomb Raiders (5)

The third accomplice was Zhang Qing, also known as Wei Buhui. Wei Buhui had been searching for this tomb for a long time, but had only determined the general direction and hadn't been able to find the exact location. So, upon contacting the Sun brothers, this usually solitary tomb raider immediately agreed. Wei Buhui was a direct participant in the plan, and the conditions the Sun brothers used to persuade him must have included entering the tomb with him and a plan for dividing the loot. Therefore, even in the final stage, when the underground passage was cleared to the tomb entrance, and the Sun brothers risked Yuantong's ominous prophecy to enter the tomb, Wei Buhui should have entered with them. To be precise, Wei Buhui should have acted as the trailblazer. Tombs like this are full of deadly traps.

When the Japanese bombed the underground passage, it was almost completely breached. To prevent the passage from being damaged by the bombing, the Sun brothers once again used the power of the Ghost Flag to save the "three-story building." Shortly afterward, they went underground and never came out again.

But Wei Buhui emerged, changed his name to Zhang Qing, and went into hiding, no longer displaying the prowess of the King of Tomb Raiders. His previous tomb raiding hauls had turned him into a collector.

What exactly happened to him underground? Why was he the only one who came out?

We'll have to wait for him to tell us himself.

With mixed feelings, we went to the central "three-story building" once again.

Wei Xian, in particular, who had always been unrestrained and seemingly carefree, became serious. For him, Wei Buhui was perhaps his idol, a lofty and revered idol.

Standing at Zhang Qing's door, Wei Xian's hand paused in mid-air for a few seconds before landing on the door.

The door opened.

Wei Xian shuddered as soon as he glanced at the aged face in front of him.

To my surprise, he suddenly bent down, knelt on one knee, and bowed deeply.

“Wei Xian, son of Wei Yanwu, greets his fourth uncle.”

Zhang Qing looked at the young man kneeling before him for a long time, then sighed and said, "Get up." After saying that, he glanced at me, who was standing far away outside the door, and turned to walk into the house.

Wei stood up, exchanged a glance with me, and went into the house.

I closed the door behind me and followed Wei Xian into the inner room.

I looked around. This was the home of the King of Tomb Raiders! The layout of the room was similar to Su Yicai's, and the furniture was quite ordinary. I didn't see any of the antiques I had imagined.

The king of tomb raiders had a fortune of hundreds of millions, so it goes without saying that he had other treasure troves elsewhere.

"Sit down. I'm too old to walk. If you want tea, pour it yourself." Zhang Qing casually pointed to two wooden chairs.

Wei Xian and I sat down cautiously. I had a lot of questions to ask, but it was obviously better for Wei Xian to speak first. However, Wei Xian was still feeling reserved and didn't know how to start.

"You know him?" Zhang Qing glanced at me, but asked Wei Xian instead.

"Oh, well... we're not that close."

What the hell is this guy talking about? I glared at him sideways.

"Ah, it's like this..." Wei Xian finally came to his senses. Following Zhang Qing's question, Wei Xian recounted his experiences from the beginning of his investigation of the lost map to the time he met me.

Zhang Qing, or perhaps Wei Buhui at this point, listened quietly to Wei Xian's words, his fingers rhythmically tapping the table, his expression unchanged. However, as I watched him closely, I noticed that Wei Buhui's eyes furrowed slightly a few times, especially when Wei Xian was talking about our analysis of the events of that year.

It seems that the facts we have are beyond his expectations.

After Wei finished speaking, we both waited for Wei to speak, but Wei remained silent.

What exactly was he planning? I wondered to myself, but I didn't intend to break the deadlock.

"Are you done talking?" Wei Buhui finally asked.

Wei nodded first.

"Is there anything else you'd like to say?"

"That's about it..."

"The story is over, you can leave now."

"Fourth Uncle!" Wei Xian exclaimed anxiously.

“Mr. Wei, we’ve already investigated this far, and there’s no way we’ll back down now. Besides, at the current pace, finding the underground tomb is just around the corner. After all, it’s right there, isn’t it?” I pointed to the ground.

"If that's the case, why are you even coming to see this old man?"

“Our investigation has revealed that it wasn’t just a simple tomb; otherwise, you wouldn’t be the only one to survive.” As I said this, I glanced at Wei Buhui; he remained remarkably composed, showing no reaction. It seemed, then, that the Sun brothers truly did die inside.

King of Tomb Raiders (6)

"Perhaps you dislike me as a reporter who pries into everything, but I'm investigating this matter only to satisfy my personal curiosity, and I have no intention of making anything public. Besides, your grand-nephew is here, and he's following in your footsteps, hoping to unravel the mysteries you left behind. He's willing to face any danger to keep up with you. Even so, are you still unwilling to tell him what you went through back then, and what he might be facing in the afterlife?"

I appealed to his familial affection; the fact that he let us in and that Mr. Wei said those things shows that seeing each other again after so many years...

My own family members aren't as indifferent as they seem. I was even a little emotional myself when I said those words; if he still doesn't react, I'm truly at a loss.

"Hmph, if you go in, you'll really be asking for death."

Wei finally spoke. It's good that he's willing to talk; I'll just have to provoke him a little more.

"Before coming here, Wei Xian told me a lot about your former glory and unparalleled reputation. But what kind of tomb is this that has kept a king like you from the underworld outside for over sixty years?"

I thought that after saying all that, the old man would definitely slam his fist on the table, but to my surprise, Wei Buhui just grunted.

I felt a chill in my heart. Given Wei Buhui's temper, he was so averse to talking about this tomb. What would happen if Wei and I went to explore the tomb first?

Such a thought flashed through my mind, but I suppressed it. Looking back on my past experiences, I had almost always narrowly escaped death, so this one wouldn't make a difference.

Wei Xian was also surprised by his fourth great-uncle's reaction, and then tentatively asked, "Is that tomb really that dangerous?"

"I don't even dare to go inside that tomb."

Wei Xian's eyes widened: "There's a tomb you didn't even dare to enter? What kind of mechanism is that door? A 'Heaven-Turning Trap'? A 'Hidden Plum Blossom'? Or... a 'Ghost Jumping Door'?"