Chapter 153: Foolishness

The sky was overcast, and fine, granular snow tapped against the glass; in the blink of an eye, a layer of white mist had formed.

The minibus drove into the mausoleum area and stopped in front of the Museum building.

The pine waves swayed, a thin frost covered the withered grass, and the ridgeline of Duling undulated beneath the gray-white canopy of the sky.

Huang Zhifeng pulled the collar of his cotton coat tight and stepped out of the carriage. Chen Fen followed, and only then did Wang Qi Zhi and Lin Sicheng emerge.

He pulled out a cigarette case and handed one to Wang Qi Zhi. With a "pop," his lighter flickered to life; he took a deep drag, and two streams of white smoke puffed out through his nostrils.

"Lin Sicheng, both Chen and I thought that since you were assigned to the Consultant group, you would be participating in experimental research. Instead, what are you doing—looking for a tomb?"

Huang Zhifeng was exceptionally baffled. "Looking for it is one thing, but you're actually looking in the opposite direction of the Archaeological Institute: they go east, and you insist on going west? No, the tricks you come up with are truly one of a kind."

Lin Sicheng did not speak, only smiled.

"You're still smiling?" Chen Fen felt frustrated that he wouldn't live up to expectations. "Look at you, in such cold weather with such strong wind, wouldn't it be better to stay in a warm room? You have to go running all over the mountains and fields; isn't this just looking for suffering when you don't have to?"

"Going south by driving north, acting in total opposition—you're bound to be laughed to death in the end. Why bother?" Huang Zhifeng tried to persuade him, coaxing him like a child. "Be good, come with me and Chen, and I'll go find the leadership to get you transferred over right now!"

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "There are so many professors, Researchers, and Doctors in the experimental group; I'd just be tagging along if I went."

Huang Zhifeng looked completely unable to understand: "The problem is, by looking to the west, aren't you just wasting your time?"

"It's fine, wasting time is fine!" Lin Sicheng smiled. "I just had a sudden whim, and having happened to read some Prophecy and Weft Studies and Feng Shui knowledge, I wanted to give it a try!"

"Neglecting your proper work!" Huang Zhifeng was exceptionally helpless. "I really give up on you!"

Unable to persuade him, they could only let him be; other staff members came to invite them, so Huang Zhifeng and Chen Fen had to head to the laboratory first.

Before leaving, they left a final instruction: in such cold weather, just go up the mountain for a bit of fun. If he was truly bored, he could go to the Provincial Museum to keep Yao Hansong company.

The old man was left in the laboratory all by himself, quite lonely...

Wang Qi Zhi was only representing the school to tag along and was incidentally there to drop off Lin Sicheng, so he wasn't in any particular hurry.

After those two left, he rested his chin in his hand, looking thoughtful: "The teacher certainly supports you. But to be honest: your reason for looking to the west is a bit insufficient."

By rights, it really was a bit so.

But the problem was, was the tomb of Zhang Anshi really to the west?

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Teacher, let me try!"

"Fine, then give it a try! Even if you don't find it, at most you'll be laughed at a couple of times. I've already made arrangements; no one will make things difficult for you!"

Wang Qi Zhi nodded. "If someone is blind, don't get anxious, and don't argue; just come back, and Teacher will stand up for you!"

Lin Sicheng smiled: "Thank you, Teacher!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than two more buses drove up, with paper stuck to their windshields: Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology, Field Archaeology Research Institute.

Many people got off and, one after another, entered the office area of the Museum.

Wang Qi Zhi stared with his eyes wide for a long time; only when the people had almost all walked away did he see an acquaintance. He hurriedly waved: "Director Tian, Director Tian?"

A man in his early forties with a dark complexion and a sturdy build paused and walked over: "I didn't see you at the Bureau, I thought you hadn't come?"

"I came, I went to the Public Security Bureau side!"

After exchanging pleasantries, Wang Qi Zhi introduced him: "This is Director Tian of the Shanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology's Field Archaeology Research Institute. The year before last, while excavating a Three Kingdoms tomb in Qingfeng Gorge (in the middle section of the Qinling Mountains, belonging to Baoji), I lived in the same tent as him for a year. You can just call him Teacher Tian."

Lin Sicheng was startled: he hadn't expected Wang Qi Zhi to have this experience.

Field archaeology was truly bitter work, let alone deep in the Qinling Mountains. For Wang Qi Zhi to persist for a year was truly impressive.

Thinking to himself, Lin Sicheng hurriedly greeted him: "Hello, Director Tian!"

"Hello, hello..."

Wang Qi Zhi turned back: "This is my student, I've told you about him, keep an eye on him!"

"I know!" Tian Jie nodded vigorously, his large eyes blinking as he sized him up from top to bottom.

This was his first time meeting Lin Sicheng, but Wang Qi Zhi had been bragging about him ever since they met, even making special phone calls to brag when he had a bit to drink.

Bragging about how great this student was, how much of a genius he was, how smart he was, and how much he knew. It was no exaggeration: Tian Jie's ears were almost calloused from it.

Now that he saw him, he did look quite handsome and spirited, but whether he was as great as Wang Qi Zhi said, he didn't yet know.

But his ideas were definitely unique: looking in the opposite direction of the Archaeological Institute was quite individualistic. Anyway, in all his years of doing archaeology, this was the first time Tian Jie had seen someone like this.

The key was that there were actually people supporting him: the Public Security Bureau had specially assigned him three sturdy young men to carry equipment, and also provided a local guide.

And just a moment ago, He Supervisor had even called specifically to ask if he could assign one more recorder and one more surveyor to Lin Sicheng, and even said: "What if?"

That a Deputy Bureau Chief of the Municipal Bureau could say such things, and that the Municipal Public Security Bureau could support him unconditionally—at first thought, it felt quite absurd.

But combined with all the bragging Wang Qi Zhi had done, Tian Jie instantly formed a judgment: this kid definitely had real ability. And nine times out of ten, he had done something extraordinary that outsiders were unaware of.

Otherwise, why would one Supervisor follow along with this nonsense? It couldn't be that two leaders were both following along with nonsense, could it?

Pondering secretly, Tian Jie nodded: "Fieldwork is very tiring; if you feel tired, just say the word, and if you have any difficulties, bring them up anytime!"

After a slight pause, he emphasized again, "The bond between your teacher and me was forged in the same bed; don't be shy!"

Wang Qi Zhi spat: "What kind of 'bed'?"

Tian Jie grinned.

The three great bonds in life: having carried a gun together, having gone to the countryside together... the two of them truly had a great relationship.

After chatting for a few sentences and saying goodbye to Wang Qi Zhi, Tian Jie took Lin Sicheng into the office area.

"Little Lin, how do you plan to search?"

Lin Sicheng was unhurried: "I have to wait for the sky to clear, first observe the celestial phenomena, and compare them with the Star Chart! Then compare that with the terrain."

Tian Jie nodded: "Hmm, the idea is good!"

After Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty established Confucianism as the sole orthodoxy, Prophecy and Weft Studies gradually flourished. They revered the "unity of heaven and man" and "serving the dead as one serves the living," which is why they would "Watch Stars to bury" and have the "soul return to heaven and earth."

But that referred to ordinary officials and nobles.

For a high-ranking official like Zhang Anshi, who was a Marquis, held a fief of ten Battalion Commander, served three generations of emperors, and was a pillar of the restoration, there were ritual requirements for where and how he was buried after death.

For example, the "Biography of Zhang Anshi" attached to the "Book of Han: Biography of Zhang Tang" writes very clearly: When he passed away, he was posthumously titled Jing Hou... Emperor Xuan, because of Anshi's loyal and cautious service in the palace guard, bestowed upon him a tomb at Duling.

Furthermore, many later geographical documents have mentioned it, such as "Water Classic Commentary: Wei River" (written by Li Daoyuan of the Northern Wei Dynasty):

To the east of Duling lies the Zhang Anshi Tomb; seven hundred household servants all tended to the tomb, piercing the earth to create chambers, and piling stones to form the outer coffin... The tombs of Tang's son Anshi and his grandson Yanshou are all located there.

As well as the Local Chronicles: the Tang Dynasty "Yuanhe Maps and Records of Prefectures and Counties": Marquis Zhang's tomb, located east of Duling...

Look, it's all east of Duling.

But Lin Sicheng suddenly said: It is west of Duling. Ask for the reason: is it relying merely on speculation from Prophecy and Weft Studies?

No exaggeration, no one cursed him for having a brain cramp; it was already decent that he was just acting on a whim.

But with a close friend's exhortation beforehand and a colleague's care afterward, Tian Jie certainly had to look after him. Whether he finds anything or not doesn't matter, just don't let this kid get mistreated.

Thinking wildly, the two entered the conference room.

The task arrangement meetings at the site were organized separately by each group; the archaeology side was handled by the Archaeology Division of the Provincial Archaeology Research Institute.

There were also many supporting units; for instance, the Shaanxi Institute of Archaeology, the research office, and the laboratory of the Provincial Institute all sent teams. The Shaanxi Institute of Archaeology even sent two field teams, with Director Tian Jie personally in charge.

There were many people, and the small conference room was packed full.

After entering, Lin Sicheng found a seat at random, while Tian Jie went to the leadership table.

There were quite a few people, about eight or nine, all team leaders from various units.

The meeting officially began, with materials distributed in advance placed on the tables; Lin Sicheng picked one up and flipped through it.

Sure enough, after patrolling for more than a week, no signs of recent grave robbing had been discovered east or southeast of Duling.

But the physical evidence from the Public Security Bureau showed that the grave robbing activities were still continuing, and were constant.

The materials also mentioned: Could it be that the sudden Inspection Department and search startled the grave robbers, causing them to abandon the Zhang Anshi Tomb immediately and switch to robbing other Western Han Dynasty tombs?

It's not impossible, but the entire Duling mausoleum park is only so big, and a team of over a hundred people has searched almost every inch. Therefore, even if they were robbing, they should be robbing tombs outside of Duling.

And are there really that many Western Han Dynasty tombs in Xijing?

However, the Zhang Anshi Tomb still must be found; after all, the legacy documents, Jade Wenming, Qingbai Mirror, and Seven-Star Board cannot be fake.

The meeting proceeded in an orderly manner, with the leader following the list and arranging each group one by one.

But as he was reading, the voice in the microphone came to an abrupt halt.

The person in charge of the meeting was the Deputy Section Chief of the Archaeology Division, surnamed Hu, in his fifties, with a gaunt face.

Not knowing what he saw, his brows knitted into a "chuan" shape, his eyes staring fixedly at the document.

Immediately, he raised his head again, his expression slightly serious: "Lin Sicheng from Northwest University, which one is he?"

Lin Sicheng was startled for a moment and raised his hand: "Leader, it's me!"

Hu Zheng's gaze was scorching, his expression strange, as he stared at Lin Sicheng for more than ten seconds.

Thereupon, he pointed to the document: "The theory that 'the Zhang Anshi Tomb is southeast of Duling' should be a misrecording in ancient literature, and his family cemetery is suspected to be outside of Duling... just this, you proposed it?"

Lin Sicheng was completely stunned; he opened his mouth, not knowing what to say.

That's right, he did propose it: but he had only mentioned it at the Public Security Bureau... oh no, to be precise, it was in private, to Guan Xingmin, Director Zheng, and Bureau Chief Chen.

At the time, he also asked if they could send him two helpers to try and look for it. Anyway, since he was idle, it didn't matter if he couldn't find it.

Bureau Chief Chen Peng hardly hesitated and agreed on the spot, saying let's try it and see.

But he absolutely had never mentioned it in any public setting, much less submitted any written materials.

Then where did the record on this document come from?

Not only was it submitted to the investigation team, but it was also transferred to the archaeology group, and even specifically arranged at the meeting?

Haha... Director Huang, oh Director Huang, has that mouth of yours been blessed?

It really is enough to make people laugh to death...

Lin Sicheng was astonished, and Tian Jie was even more astonished than him: such a proposal actually made it onto the document? More importantly, he hadn't seen it before?

It was just quite unbelievable.

Without surprise, this was definitely added by some leader as a last-minute notice.

Suddenly, he remembered the phone call he received shortly before setting out: Director Tian, little Lin has quite a few ideas, and it's not impossible, look, can you provide some support...

Haha, He Zhigang?

Just as he was guessing, a cold snort came from beside him: "Isn't this nonsense?"