Zhuang Rui helped Ouyang Zhenwu up, complaining, "Uncle, what brings you here? You've been through so much all night, can you handle it?"
Among the younger generation in the Ouyang family, Zhuang Rui has the best relationship with Ouyang Jun, and the most respected person is Ouyang Lei. As for the elders, he is closest to his youngest uncle, unlike when he sees his eldest uncle, he is more serious and rigid.
Ouyang Zhenwu looked at his only nephew and chuckled, "You brat, you've been running wild since you were released and don't want to go back. Your grandfather has been nagging you about it so many times. If you don't go back soon, he'll send troops to arrest you..."
As one of the core members of the Ouyang family, Ouyang Zhenwu knew a little about Zhuang Rui's miraculous medical skills and had even experienced them firsthand. If it weren't for the fact that the old man's health had been good recently, Zhuang Rui would probably have been summoned back to Beijing long ago.
Hearing Ouyang Zhenwu mention the old man, Zhuang Rui's expression darkened, and he said in a low voice, "Uncle, don't worry, after this is over, I'll go back to Beijing to take care of Grandpa..."
Although Zhuang Rui has never stopped treating the old man over the years, the seemingly omnipotent spiritual energy can not resist the erosion of time. In recent years, he has shown signs of aging. Fortunately, it is just the aging of bodily functions and there is no disease to befall him.
"By the way, Uncle, how did I manage to trouble you this time?"
When Zhuang Rui saw that many more people were getting off the helicopters, he immediately changed the subject. He was also quite curious. Although excavating the tombs of the Mongol emperors was a big deal, it shouldn't be necessary for a high-ranking official like Ouyang Zhenwu to come in person.
Upon hearing Zhuang Rui's words, Ouyang Zhenwu's expression turned serious. He said, "Zhuang Rui, in recent years, the country has been considering developing the grassland economy and promoting grassland-themed tourism. However, apart from some traditional projects, there haven't been any other unique features. If we can truly unearth the tombs of Mongolian emperors this time, it will play an immeasurable role in promoting the economic development of Inner Mongolia..."
As the Minister in charge of the cultural department in China, Ouyang Zhenwu's vision is naturally much longer-term than Zhuang Rui's.
Ouyang Zhenwu also has a deep understanding of traditional Chinese culture and is very familiar with the history of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty. He knows that if it were indeed a tomb of a Mongol emperor, its sensational effect would be no less than that of the Terracotta Army of Qin Shi Huang.
It's worth noting that the annual ticket revenue from visiting the Terracotta Army is as high as 200 million yuan. And that's not even the biggest part, because the expenses for tourists' food, drinks, and accommodation alone far exceed the ticket price. In other words, the Terracotta Army alone can bring in more than 1 billion yuan in revenue for the local area every year.
If such a tourism project could be developed on the grasslands, it would surely drive the rapid development of the surrounding economy and solve the problem of grassland sightseeing being limited to a single tourism project involving horseback riding and wrestling.
However, this alone was not enough to entice Ouyang Zhenwu to come in person. After glancing around, Ouyang Zhenwu whispered to Zhuang Rui, "The old man heard you've achieved something again, so he sent me to see you..."
The old man was getting on in years and missed his children and grandchildren terribly. He hadn't seen Zhuang Rui for more than twenty days and missed him terribly. When he heard that Zhuang Rui had made another major archaeological discovery in Mongolia, he simply sent Ouyang Zhenwu, who was in charge of cultural affairs, to make a trip there.
"Uncle, thank you, Grandpa..."
Zhuang Rui could feel the care and love the elderly people had for him. Whether it was his maternal grandfather who was far away in Beijing or his uncle in front of him, their concern for him came from the bottom of their hearts.
"Alright, that's enough of our private conversation. Let's get down to business, Zhuang Rui. This is quite a large operation. If you give false information, I'll have to punish you severely..."
Ouyang Zhenwu smiled and waved his hand. As he spoke, many people also disembarked from the other two helicopters.
Among these people were many domestic archaeological and linguistic experts whom Zhuang Rui knew. The fact that so many people could be gathered in just one afternoon and then sent here overnight shows how much importance the country attaches to this matter.
There was even a camera crew that pointed their cameras at Minister Ouyang and Zhuang Rui as soon as they got off the plane. They were sent by CCTV and would record the entire archaeological process from now until the end of the excavation.
Along with the helicopter, some instruments and equipment arrived. Soon, a huge tent was erected about 20 meters from the lake. After Ouyang Zhenwu went in first, all the experts followed suit.
"Let's first hear Zhuang Rui's report on the preliminary findings of this scientific expedition, and then everyone can observe the actual artifacts before deciding on the next steps..."
Ouyang Zhenwu was pragmatic and didn't waste any words. He had Zhuang Rui take out the gold ingots brought out from the river and hand them over to the experts and scholars on site. When he went in for the second time, he brought out a few more.
At the same time, Zhuang Rui also recounted in detail how he discovered the entrance to the underground maze to everyone present, including the many difficulties such as the underground currents and aquatic plants in the river.
Scholars frequently raised questions, which Zhuang Rui answered one by one. After learning all this, the experts all showed excited expressions.
These experts were unaware that it was merely a back passage for the craftsmen who built the tomb; in their understanding, the underground river was the entrance to the tomb.
Of course, this understanding is not wrong. Based on the various forms of the tombs observed by Zhuang Rui, only the passage at the bottom of this lake is the most convenient way to reach the tombs.
"This...this is written with Borjigin. This is the earliest script of Mongolia, and it was only passed down among the Mongolian royal family. Because so few people learned it, it was gradually lost..."
Soon, a Mongolian language expert holding a gold ingot was able to decipher the characters on it.
"That's right, this is indeed Borjigin. Although no Mongol royal tombs have been unearthed so far, some Mongol royal artifacts have survived, and these words are inscribed on them..."
An expert on Mongolian culture also offered his opinion: "Gold ingots of this size and shape have never been unearthed before. I suspect that they were used as burial goods for emperors. Xiao Zhuang's discovery is very likely a Mongolian royal tomb..."
"That's hard to say. We need to conduct some surveying first, otherwise it would be embarrassing to make a fool of ourselves..."
"Yes, without the survey video, we can't make a judgment..."
“Aren’t these objects all evidence? I think we can set up a command center first, and then conduct further investigations…”
Archaeological conferences are not like government reports. In a short time, the experts present put forward their opinions. The more experienced and prudent ones wanted to excavate more clues, while those who were eager to enter the imperial tombs advocated for the immediate establishment of an archaeological site command center.
"Alright, everyone stop arguing. Here's the plan... Xiao Zhuang will lead a five-person exploration team down below, bringing some wireless equipment so the people above can also see us. We'll discuss whether to start excavation and the specific details then..."
Seeing the chaotic scene, Ouyang Zhenwu and Professor Meng discussed it in hushed tones before making a decision.
Archaeology is a very rigorous discipline. We cannot start an excavation based solely on the few gold ingots that Zhuang Rui has produced. A lot of meticulous work is still required.
However, Ouyang Zhenwu's decision to appoint Zhuang Rui as the team leader had two implications. Firstly, Zhuang Rui had been there before and was familiar with the route. Secondly, this position as team leader also established Zhuang Rui's future presence and status within the command headquarters.
Chapter 1174 Focus (Part 2)
After the charter was finalized, the camp immediately became busy. As it turned out, once the state machinery was in operation, its efficiency was exceptionally high. Zhuang Rui had only briefly mentioned the underground situation to Professor Meng yesterday, and many related equipment had already been prepared today.
Five sets of diving equipment representing the most advanced level in China were placed in front of Zhuang Rui and his team, along with various wireless devices and a lighting system that could work continuously for more than 72 hours, all of which were to be taken down with them.
If it weren't for the initial survey, they probably would have taken that bulky diesel generator with them.
In addition, there were five sets of clothing specifically designed for hazardous operations. According to relevant professionals, these clothes could withstand the corrosive effects of strong acid for a short period of time, which was used by Zhuang Rui and others to pass through the passage on the rock wall covered with "slugs".
Besides Zhuang Rui, the people who went into the water with him this time were all young scientists who had a certain status in the domestic archaeology or history field. The main criterion for selecting team members this time was that they must be strong and healthy.
There was nothing that could be done about it. The currents at the bottom of the lake were turbulent, and it was impossible to let Professor Meng, who was in his seventies or eighties, dive into the underground river like a young person. Of course, "young" is relative; the oldest one was already forty-eight or forty-nine years old.
Ren Chunqiang was the second person to enter the underground river. Due to his age advantage, he was fortunate enough to become a member of the exploration team. Among the other three people, there was also a professional who was debugging wireless equipment.
Through the underwater camera carried by Zhuang Rui and his group, everyone on the shore could clearly see the situation at the bottom of the lake, which amazed them. If it weren't for Zhuang Rui's "accidental discovery," no one would have known that such a shocking secret was hidden at the bottom of the lake, which was full of aquatic plants.
With professional diving equipment, entering the underwater channel became much easier. A few minutes later, Zhuang Rui led the four of them through the channel and into the underground river.
After hanging several lights on the rock wall, the scene inside the cave was immediately clearly displayed on the ground monitor, with the camera pointed at the pile of gold ingots on the ground.
Among all the dynasties in Chinese history, the Yuan Dynasty left the fewest historical traces. There are very few artifacts or cultural legacies. The appearance of these artifacts with strong Yuan Dynasty characteristics has excited the researchers on the ground.
The old Mongolian linguist, who had lost half his teeth, was so excited when he saw the gold ingots zoomed in that he almost danced with joy.
"Zhuang Rui, walk forward a bit, and check the place with the strong acid..."
Professor Meng issued instructions to the exploration teams below from the temporary command post on the ground.
"clear……"
After Zhuang Rui nodded in agreement, he led the four of them deeper into the riverbed. This time, they were all wearing jumpsuits and boots, and their pace was much faster than when Zhuang Rui first came in. After more than ten minutes, they arrived at the top of the rock wall, which was covered with a dense swarm of "slugs".
"This is a phenomenon unique to karst landforms..."
"That's right, these objects do contain strong acids..."
Upon seeing the "slugs" on the top of the rock face, two geological experts on site provided an explanation: this phenomenon is extremely common in karst landforms and is caused by changes in the soil and rock structure.
"Gentlemen, I'd like to know, is it possible for a person to pass through here without any defensive measures?"
Professor Meng asked the two geological experts, whose concerns were related to archaeology, that this landform phenomenon had existed for more than a few thousand years and must have already been there when the tomb was built.
This raises a question: if those people couldn't get through here a thousand years ago, then the tomb couldn't possibly be deep in the underground river. Going further, whether the tomb even exists inside is debatable.
In fact, after observing the underground situation through the cameras, many experts present began to have reservations about whether there were Mongolian imperial tombs deep in the underground river.
Because some sections of the underground river were too narrow to transport the materials needed to build the mausoleum, none of the people present could have imagined that this was merely an escape route for the craftsmen at the time.
After observing the scene through the camera for a while, a geologist said, "As long as you're careful, it's safe for people to pass through. The formation of these strong acids takes a very long time; even a single drop might take years or decades. Otherwise, this underground wouldn't be a river but a flow of strong acid. If a person accidentally comes into contact with these strong acids, simply rinsing with clean water immediately will not be fatal unless there's a severe acid rain..."
"Alright, Zhuang Rui, you can continue through this area and move further in..."
After receiving a reply from the geological experts, Professor Meng gave instructions.
Protected by their protective suits, Zhuang Rui and his group quickly passed through the area of strong acid and continued deeper into the underground river. In some narrower sections of the terrain, they discovered several traces of human excavation.
All of this puzzled everyone on the ground. There was no tomb below, right? These traces indicated that humans had been active here before, but to think that an imperial tomb could be built through this underground river was simply a pipe dream.
After traveling about 700 or 800 meters, the underground river branched off. Fortunately, there were clear man-made markings at the branch, which saved Zhuang Rui a lot of trouble. Otherwise, if he had led everyone directly into the correct river channel, who knows what people would have thought.
Although the straight-line distance on the ground, from the entrance of the underground river to the secret passage of the tomb, is only three or four miles, this distance is magnified infinitely in the complex and winding terrain of the karst caves and underground rivers.
In addition, the presence of many underground creatures of unknown toxicity within the underground river further slowed down Zhuang Rui and his companions' progress, forcing them to conduct reconnaissance while advancing in some areas.
The group walked for nearly ten hours, taking three or four breaks in between, until it was already dark on the ground, before they finally arrived at the exit of the tomb's secret passage.
The exit of the secret passage is in an open area where the underground river flows swiftly.
Since this was an escape route rather than an entrance, the craftsmen did not conceal it, and the traces of artificial excavation were very obvious. Zhuang Rui and the others found the hole covered with moss without much effort.
"A robbery hole?"
The experts, whose eyes were already bloodshot from exhaustion on the ground, couldn't help but exclaim in unison when they saw the opening. They were all archaeological experts with rich experience in field excavation, and they were all familiar with such openings.
The appearance of this hole has also dispelled the doubts in the minds of some experts.
The presence of tomb raiders' tunnels inevitably indicates the existence of large tombs, a fact well-known in the archaeological community. Especially in such a mysterious and unpredictable place underground, the tombs on the other side of the tunnels must be extraordinary.
However, the discovery of the tomb robbers' hole also indicated that the tomb had most likely been damaged, which brought a mix of surprise and delight to many experts.
"Zhuang Rui, your work for today is finished. You can now return the way you came..."
After some discussion, the people in the temporary command post on the ground decided to withdraw the underground exploration team, because entering the tomb through the tomb-raiding tunnel would pose many unknown dangers. The next step of the exploration would require a lot of careful work before it could proceed.
Furthermore, Zhuang Rui and his group did not carry the necessary equipment to protect the funerary objects, which would likely damage some of the precious artifacts in the tomb.
When Zhuang Rui and his group returned to the ground, it was already past midnight. However, the group of scientific experts inside the large tent were wide awake and engaged in a heated discussion.
After quickly replenishing their water and food supplies, the exhausted Zhuang Rui and others were called into the tent. As the first batch of expedition members to conduct the excavation under the supervision of relevant departments, they would all become part of this excavation.
"It is now basically confirmed that there is indeed a large tomb underground, preliminarily identified as the tomb of a Mongol emperor. However, the identity of the tomb's occupant still needs further investigation. I suggest that a command center be established for this excavation to coordinate subsequent work..."
After some discussion and debate, Professor Meng announced the establishment of the command center for the excavation of the Mongolian imperial tombs. Since today's date is July 28th, this scientific expedition is also named the "7.28 Inner Mongolia Major Scientific Expedition Project". Everyone present, including Batel and others who initially discovered the underground river at the bottom of the lake with Zhuang Rui, were also included in the scientific expedition team. This also included the consideration of having Batel coordinate with the locals.
In addition, Ouyang Zhenwu became the chief commander of this excavation, but he is busy with other matters and will return to Beijing early tomorrow morning, so Professor Meng became the on-site chief commander of this operation.
As for the deputy commanders, there were six people, including a leader from the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and several well-known experts in the field of archaeology in China.
As the discoverer of the tomb, Zhuang Rui was nominated by Professor Meng to become a deputy commander of the operation, which was somewhat unexpected for Zhuang Rui.
However, Zhuang Rui had previously discovered the tomb of Liu Xiu, which yielded a large number of precious cultural relics and historical materials, and also had the discovery of the Peking Man skull fossil and the Song Dynasty shipwreck, making him quite well-known in the domestic scientific research community.
Since he was the one who discovered the tomb, no one else had any objections, and the framework of the command center was thus established.
Such a scientific expedition project of profound significance must be announced to the world. Therefore, Minister Ouyang's task was to hold a press conference immediately after returning to Beijing to announce the news to the world.
And this remote place, located deep in the grasslands, will surely become a place that the world will focus on.
Chapter 1175 The World's Attention