The Tomb-Raiding Journey Starting from Time Travel

Chapter 10 （The Golden Armor General's Tomb）

Old San poured another glass of wine for Zhao Yang.

To be honest, Zhao Yang couldn't help but recall the eerie scene from the tomb yesterday. The image of the female corpse pouring him a cup of "wedding wine" kept flashing in his mind as he watched the wine being poured.

"Brother Zhao, this half jade bi was retrieved from the Princess Xiu's tomb in the mass grave at Qingshui Town, right?" Old San asked with a smile after pouring the wine.

"You know?" Zhao Yang raised an eyebrow in surprise, astonished that Old San knew the exact location of the tomb and even the name of its owner.

Since they were in the same line of work and already knew about the tomb, why hadn't Old San and his nephew acted sooner?

Old San didn't hide anything and nodded, "Of course! That's a Feng Shui treasure land with two dragons facing the moon. Almost all of our peers in the area know about it, but no one dares to enter."

"Why not?" Zhao Yang pressed on.

Old San chuckled again and continued, "Brother Zhao, since you dared to enter that tomb, don't you know how dangerous it is? Or perhaps you don't know the story of Princess Xiu?"

Zhao Yang shook his head again. Being a latecomer to this profession, it wasn't surprising that he didn't know, but hearing Old San's words, he became very curious and asked, "Please enlighten me, so I can learn something new."

Old San wasn't stingy with his knowledge and nodded, "Princess Xiu was the youngest daughter of a Tang Dynasty prince. She was not only stunningly beautiful but also skilled in the four arts: music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She had a childhood sweetheart named Guan Yi, a general who contributed greatly to the Tang Dynasty. The Tang Emperor even gave him the title of the Golden Armor General!

The prince's daughter and the renowned general were well-matched in status, a perfect couple. However, the Tang Emperor also admired Princess Xiu's beauty and talents, so he ignored their longstanding affection and decreed her marriage to the Third Prince.

Faced with the imperial decree, Princess Xiu found it difficult to disobey and feared implicating her family, so she chose to wear a red wedding dress, hang a white silk ribbon from the beam, and took her own life in resentment and unwillingness!"

"In our line of work, we say that red garments are ominous, a smiling corpse is dangerous, and a ghost's laugh is worse than its cry. Princess Xiu died in her red wedding dress filled with resentment, and combined with the excellent Feng Shui of the land—two dragons embracing the moon—the energy in that place remained unchanged for over a thousand years. The rivers on either side never dried up, making it a perfect place for nurturing a corpse. The female corpse in that tomb must have already turned into a vicious entity! Even though our peers know the location and the tomb is filled with treasures, no one dares to step into it lightly..."

After listening to Old San, Zhao Yang finally understood. No wonder the walls of the tomb depicted a wedding procession, the main chamber was decorated as a bridal chamber, and the fierce female corpse was dressed in a red wedding gown, insisting on sharing a drink with him...

At the same time, Zhao Yang cursed the system in his mind again, "This system is ruthless, giving me a deadly tomb as my first mission!"

"You figured out I was in Princess Xiu's tomb just from this half jade bi?"

Zhao Yang placed the half jade bi on the table, looking at Old San with some doubt.

Old San nodded, "Indeed, because I saw the character 'Xiu' engraved on the jade bi, and the carvings on it match the historical records."

Zhao Yang took a closer look and, sure enough, there was a small, ancient character 'Xiu' on it, which he had previously overlooked, mistaking it for a decorative pattern.

Old San continued, "This jade bi was originally a complete piece, a token of love between Princess Xiu and General Guan Yi. The other half is in the Golden Armor General's tomb at Shibali Slope!"

"The Golden Armor General's Tomb!"

"The Golden Armor General's Tomb!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yang was not the only one shocked. Even Chen Fuwang, who was busy eating, stopped chewing and swallowed a whole piece of meat in one gulp.

"Yes!" Old San said seriously, "After learning that Princess Xiu had hanged herself in her wedding dress for his sake, General Guan Yi also committed suicide in grief. His tomb is located less than thirty miles away from Princess Xiu's tomb at Shibali Slope. It is another infamous 'Mutual Tomb' in the area!"

Zhao Yang, with his limited knowledge, didn't understand what Old San meant by a 'Mutual Tomb,' but he knew that if no one dared to touch it, it must be another extremely dangerous tomb. Moreover, it housed the formidable 'Golden Armor General.'

Zhao Yang also realized that Old San's earlier offer of ten thousand silver dollars for the whole jade bi wasn't just a gesture. The sumptuous meal at Fengxian Tower and the courteous treatment were meant to persuade him to join in on excavating the Golden Armor General's Tomb!

Knowing that it was another deadly tomb, why would he still go in? Wasn't that asking for trouble with a giant zombie?

Zhao Yang replayed the dangerous scenes from the Princess' tomb in his mind. It was not something an ordinary person could handle.

Zhao Yang knew he had to continue in this line of work, but as a beginner, it was better to start with some small, modern tombs to build up courage. Trying to run before he could walk would only end in disaster!

So Zhao Yang shook his head and said to Old San, "Sir, thank you for this meal. If my brother and I ever become successful, we will repay you. But as for this jade bi, I'm afraid I can't sell it."

Zhao Yang's meaning was clear. He appreciated the meal and the hospitality, but he couldn't do this business, and he definitely couldn't go down to the Golden Armor General's Tomb!

These days, tomb robbing is rampant, and you can easily find several grave robbers on the streets. Let them find their own partners; if they wanted to die, they should do it elsewhere!

Old San heard Zhao Yang's words and understood his intentions. Instead of being disappointed, he smiled and said, "Brother Zhao, are you afraid? To be honest, the Golden Armor General's Tomb is indeed dangerous. None of our peers have dared to touch it for years, and those who did never made it out alive. But..."

He paused for a moment, his gaze fixed on the half jade bi on the table, and continued, "But with this half jade bi, things are different. The Golden Armor General's Tomb and Princess Xiu's Tomb are 'Mutual Tombs.' Although extremely dangerous, the half jade bi can be used to neutralize the danger! Otherwise, my nephew and I wouldn't risk our lives for it."

"The Golden Armor General made significant contributions to the Tang Dynasty and was posthumously honored by the Tang Emperor with the title of Duke of Jing. He was buried with great pomp, and according to historical records, his tomb is filled with countless burial treasures..."

Countless burial treasures...

Before Old San could finish his sentence, Zhao Yang stood up, bowed to him, and said, "Thank you for the meal, but my brother and I are not capable of joining this venture. Goodbye!"

With that, Zhao Yang dragged Chen Fuwang away.

As he watched Zhao Yang and Chen Fuwang leave, Old San didn't try to stop them but smiled and said, "Brother Zhao, I hope you reconsider. We'll be waiting under the old locust tree at Shibali Slope after You time tonight..."