Chapter 456

This place is completely different from the hall just now; it's merely a stone chamber.

It has a desk, chairs and stools, a display shelf, and bookcases that reach from floor to ceiling all around.

Moreover, the desk still has brush, ink, paper and inkstone; the only difference is that a thick layer of dust covers everything.

The eternal lamp is still burning, but there are only three lamps, casting a soft light over the stone chamber.

"Could this be the secret chamber?" Xiao Ningyuan walked to the desk; unlike an ordinary study, bookcases lined every side, with not a single volume scattered outside.

He opened a book box and found it full of memorials; picking one at random and flipping it open, the ink was still fresh.

I dare to memorialize: this year's Jiangnan flood disaster, the Ministry of Revenue allocated eight hundred thousand taels of silver for relief, but by the time it reached the localities only three hundred thousand taels remained.

Investigation shows that five hundred thousand taels were transferred via the grain transport into the private treasury of Imperial Uncle Tian Hongyu. I request a strict investigation to uphold court discipline!

He opened another volume: "The prime minister forms factions; all six ministries are his protégés; imperial relatives are corrupt; the national treasury is as good as private property."

At court there is no room for loyal advice; far and wide in the martial world one hears cries of resentment. We submit a blood‑stained petition: Please, Your Majesty, execute the treacherous, restore order, or else the state will cease to be!

Xiao Ningyuan let out a long sigh, gently closed the memorial, and put it back in the book box.

Although he had already learned from that last letter that the previous dynasty fell due to factional strife and imperial relatives seizing power, seeing these memorials let him truly feel the difficulty of the times back then.

No wonder the emperor arranged things this way; all we can do is hope for the restoration of the nation.

Tuan Tuan looked up at him with a small face and said, "Big brother, Imperial Uncle often looks at these little books too, and after reading them he's usually unhappy—what do they say?"

Xiao Ningyuan replied, "They are just some national affairs from the past; they're over, so there's no need to worry about them."

"Oh," Tuan Tuan walked to a bookshelf and said, "Big brother, these bookshelves are so tall! Are those little books inside as well?"

After saying that, she stretched out her little arms, reached a book box, picked it up, and ran to the desk with a thudding sound, handing it to her brother and saying, "Brother, look!"

Xiao Ningyuan took it with a smile and said, "Tuan Tuan, you should also learn to read; once you do, you'll be able to read them yourself."

Tuan Tuan's little head shook like a rattle drum: "I don't want to study! It's so boring! I have three older brothers, plus a second uncle and a seventh uncle, who can help me read, so I don't need to learn."

Xiao Ningyuan shook his head helplessly: "You!"

He opened the book box, and Tuan Tuan peered inside: "These aren't the little books—what are they?"

"Don't rush, brother will show you."

Xiao Ningyuan casually picked up the topmost volume and unfolded it.

After just a few glances, he suddenly froze: "This, this is!"

He rubbed his eyes, hardly daring to believe it, then carefully turned the pages—sure enough!

"What's wrong, big brother? What does it say?"

Xiao Ningyuan suddenly scooped up his sister and tossed her upward: "My dear little sister, we've found it!"

Tuan Tuan, a bit dazed from being tossed by her brother, asked, "What did we find? Big brother, put me down!"

Xiao Ningyuan caught his sister, held her tightly in his arms, and kissed her cheeks several times: "The Nine Palaces Dragon Vein Map! This is it! We've finally found it!"

"Really?" Tuan Tuan exclaimed delightedly, "This is it? That's great! Big brother, let's hurry out—second uncle and the others must be waiting anxiously."

"All right, let's go!" Xiao Ningyuan set his sister down, carefully placed the atlas in his bosom, took her hand, and said, "Let's return the way we came!"

The brother and sister walked out of the stone chamber, passed through the hall housing the coffins, and arrived at the gate of the inner palace.

Unexpectedly, the stone door was shut tight, and no amount of force could open it again.

Xiao Ningyuan silently cursed his misfortune; the inner palace gate had opened only after he and his sister performed the three bows and nine kowtows before the Dragon Throne.

Now the Dragon Throne stands outside, making exit impossible—how could they perform the ritual again to open the door?

Left with no choice, the two turned back to the hall housing the coffins.

Xiao Ningyuan pointed to the left side of the main hall and said, "Returning the way we came is impossible; we must keep going deeper. Come, Tuan Tuan—I'll search this side, you search that side, and we'll look together!"

"All right!" Tuan Tuan bounced over to the right side of the main hall, and the brother and sister carefully examined the walls and floor, beginning their search.

After a while, Xiao Ningyuan was tapping the wall with a dagger when his sister tugged at his sleeve; he looked down.

Tuan Tuan gazed at herself with a wounded expression and said, "Big brother, I'm hungry."

Xiao Ningyuan poked her little nose: "You little pig! How can you be hungry again so soon after eating?"

Tuan Tuan pouted: "It's been ages! By the river we only ate two little cakes—no meat, no soup. If Mother's cooking were here, I could eat my fill and not be hungry all day."

Xiao Ningyuan's heart softened: yes, his sister should be living carefree in the Prince's Mansion, yet she has endured this hardship—he feels guilty toward her.

He bent down, lifted Tuan Tuan, and said softly, "All right, let's eat!"

He looked around—aside from the coffin bed, there was only the spirit platform—and wondered, "Where should we sit to eat?"

Tuan Tuan pointed to the emperor's coffin and said, "Big brother, let's eat there—what a huge table!"

Xiao Ningyuan slipped on his feet: "Tuan Tuan, that's the emperor's coffin!"

Never mind—since it's what his sister wants, it's no big deal; after all, death makes everything meaningless. Compared to paying respects to that former emperor, his sister matters more.

He walked to the coffin bed, first hoisted Tuan Tuan up, then climbed up himself.

Tuan Tuan is small; even standing on the coffin bed she can't reach the huge coffin: "Big brother, I want to climb up!"

Xiao Ningyuan smiled, lifted her, and placed her on the coffin.

Tuan Tuan plopped down, looked around, and exclaimed, "Wow, this table is huge!"

Xiao Ningyuan untied the bundle on his back, spread it out on the coffin, and said, "Come on, take whatever you want to eat."

Tuan Tuan took a small cake from the bundle and began eating it in big bites.

Xiao Ningyuan quickly opened the water bag and handed it to her: "Drink some water, don't choke."

Tuan Tuan's cheeks bulged as she mumbled, "Mm‑hm! Big brother, you should eat too!"

Xiao Ningyuan, however, didn't have his sister's appetite; although they had found the atlas, figuring out how to leave this place remained a major problem.

He shoved a few bites in at random, his gaze continually sweeping the main hall; if they couldn't find an exit here, they'd have to search the secret hall instead.

But the secluded hall's four walls are all lined with bookshelves that reach the ceiling, and I can't move them myself—what a problem!

Tuan Tuan didn't think that much, and after a short while was already fully satisfied.

She brushed off her little hands, shaking off countless crumbs, and took a few sips of water: "Big brother, I'm full!"

Xiao Ningyuan gathered up his bundle and slung it onto his back: "Tuan Tuan, big brother will go look again, you sit here and rest, don't jump down—it's too high, be careful not to fall."

I know!

Xiao Ningyuan jumped off the coffin bed and continued searching.

Not long after, he heard his sister call out: "Big brother, look! The little ants have moved all the crumbs I ate away!"

Xiao Ningyuan smiled, yet didn't turn back: "Good girl, I'll be done searching here shortly, big brother will come over to take a look in a moment..."

Tuan Tuan's earnest voice came: "Little ants, where is your home? I also want to go home—will you take me out?"

No sooner had her words ended than the familiar 'ka-ka-ka' of the mechanism sounded again in the great hall.

Xiao Ningyuan turned in shock, only to see a coffin beside Tuan Tuan slowly sliding backward.

"Tuan Tuan!" he broke into a run toward his sister.