Chapter 154: Five Generations Inheriting Titles, All Buried in the Garden

"Absurd!"

The voice was not loud, but it was not soft either; it rang out clearly.

Lin Sicheng looked in the direction of the voice: a female leader, around forty years old, sitting to the left of the chairperson.

There were only two female leaders on the podium; looking at the nameplate, her surname was Xiao. Looking at the documents on the table: Deputy Museum Curator of the Duling Museum.

Lin Sicheng was just matching names to faces when Curator Xiao, with a serious expression and a cold gaze, said: "The 'Biography of Zhang Tang' in the 'Book of Han' states: 'Because Anshi was loyal and cautious in the imperial guard, he was granted a burial mound at Duling.' The 'Annals of Emperor Xuan' in the 'Book of Han' says: (Upon Zhang Anshi's death) he was posthumously titled Jinghou and granted a burial mound at Duling."

"Furthermore, the 'Geographical Treatise of the Book of Han', the 'Treatise on Commandaries and Kingdoms in the Book of Later Han', the Northern Wei 'Water Classic Commentary', and the Tang Dynasty 'Yuanhe County Gazetteer' all record that the Zhang Anshi Tomb is in the Duling mausoleum area, and it is explicitly noted that it is to the southeast of Duling... With so much historical evidence as proof, how could the Zhang Anshi Tomb be outside of Duling?"

Just as Lin Sicheng was about to speak, a male leader sitting next to him cleared his throat:

"Curator Xiao, don't be so hasty: respect doubts and value evidence; arguments should come from history. Seek truth from facts, view things dialectically... When we study history, we should maintain a skeptical attitude toward any historical material and seek verification. Therefore, while affirming historical achievements, we must also face up to mistakes..."

"Ha, Director Wen, what is this tone of yours?"

That Curator Xiao let out a "Hmph," and just as she was about to say something, she suddenly froze.

Director Wen had a smiling face: "Curator Xiao, what is wrong with my tone? Is it too arrogant?"

Curator Xiao did not speak; she glared at him: she had almost been led astray.

Because these words were not spoken by Wen Bing, but by the Beida History Department Director, Mr. Li Dazhao: and from beginning to end, not a single word had been changed.

She huffed: "Viewing things dialectically is correct, but while one history book might have an error, could it be that so many history books are all incorrect?"

"Curator Xiao, it's just a small proposal, please don't get excited."

Tian Jie picked up his tea cup and took a slow sip, "You might not have heard clearly; the proposal says 'suspected,' not 'certain.' Therefore, make bold hypotheses and seek verification with caution."

With a "whoosh," Curator Xiao's face turned red: I just said "absurd," did I break a heavenly law?

She could understand being retorted by one person, but to be retorted by two in a row, and each one more sarcastic than the last?

Just as she was about to say something, someone beat her to it. A male leader to the left of Division Chief Hu tapped the table.

This person was surnamed Sun, and he was the Director of the Yang Mausoleum Archaeological Research Institute, a Level One national museum research unit.

"Director Tian, seeking verification with caution is correct, but doesn't it take time? The case has arisen so urgently, the superiors have set such a short deadline, there are only so many pieces of equipment available; how should personnel be arranged, and how should the equipment be divided?"

"If we are to verify, do we need to arrange a special archaeology team to survey, while simultaneously diverting a considerable amount of instruments and equipment? At the same time, we must arrange a data group to query archives, and then arrange an experimental group to conduct experiments in parallel and collect data?"

"Even more, we have to hold meetings to analyze, judge, and discuss... It means that the fist that was originally clenched must be opened? Director Tian, human resources have their limits; one cannot grab everything at once, and one certainly cannot go about things in a scattered, disorganized way. We must focus tightly on the central task..."

Tian Jie put down his tea cup, unhurried: "Look, Curator Xiao gets anxious, and Director Sun gets anxious along with her? Dialectics is a good thing, and it is normal to have disputes, but shouldn't we wait for the leader to finish speaking first?"

"If there are further requests after the proposal, requests to send people or divide equipment, we can certainly question them. But without investigation, there is no right to speak, so we must first understand: did he make these requests?"

Division Chief Hu took the document, flipped through it, and suddenly fell silent.

It was written very clearly: there was no need for the survey team to send additional people or additional equipment; the proposer would arrange it themselves. If there were any discoveries, then depending on the situation, necessary technical support would be provided.

It meant the person just made a suggestion, had no other requirements, and was helping out of obligation...

But Xida is a teaching unit; where would they get so much field equipment?

Even if they had some, who knows if they were antiques from years ago...

Seeing Hu Zheng not speaking, Curator Xiao and Director Sun were a bit dumbfounded, not knowing how to argue further: if you don't ask for personnel and equipment to be arranged, why put it on the meeting document?

Tian Jie and Wen Bing exchanged a glance and stopped while they were ahead.

The people below were all stunned.

Let's be clear, is this a meeting to arrange on-site work?

There were only eight main units in the entire archaeology survey team, only eight leaders on the entire podium, and on the first day, half of them started infighting?

And everyone was reasonable and well-grounded, with golden sentences popping out one after another?

Having worked in archaeology for so many years, who had ever seen such a novel scene?

Forty or fifty people blinked their eyes, their eyes glowing. At the same time, some turned their heads and stared fixedly at Lin Sicheng.

Including Division Chief Hu.

Logically, such a proposal without any basis should not have been recorded in the meeting documents; if it was recorded, it definitely had to be discussed.

Being questioned and rejected was also normal, as it was just a guess after all.

But for this reason, four people in charge could argue at the meeting, which was quite bizarre.

Hu Zheng was thoughtful, looked at Lin Sicheng, and closed the folder.

Everything that needed to be done had been assigned, the meeting was basically over, and each unit went to their respective positions.

After the meeting adjourned, people walked out one after another, and Wen Bing took the documents and stepped down from the podium.

Before leaving, he smiled at Lin Sicheng and nodded.

Tian Jie walked over carrying his large thermos cup, which was already covered in a patina.

"That is Director Wen from the Municipal Archaeological Institute!"

Lin Sicheng suddenly realized: the Municipal Archaeological Institute was under the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau; it must have been that He Zhuguan had given notice.

"But Director Tian, why did it have to go to the meeting?"

"You don't understand this? If it doesn't go to the meeting, how can it be filed? If it's not filed, what if you actually discover something? At that time, accountability is one thing, and your credit will also be discounted..."

Tian Jie explained, then paused slightly, "But to be honest, your proposal is indeed a bit untenable, yet it was able to go to the meeting; that is not ordinary. It feels like someone has had such bad luck because of you, and was so scared by you that they had to leave themselves a way out?"

Lin Sicheng did not speak.

If it were just an Inverted Pot, it would certainly be a coincidence. But if you add the Public Security Bureau's Jade Lion Paperweight, the Imitation Xuande Censer, and this time. Even if one believes in materialism, one has to be cautious.

That was why Chen Peng said: What if? So he assigned him people without even thinking.

Then, he reminded He Zhigang: Right, what if?

Seeing him not speaking, Tian Jie immediately understood: sure enough, he hadn't guessed wrong; this kid really had done big things.

He thought for a moment: "Do you have any other conclusions?"

Lin Sicheng shook his head: "Director Tian, really none; there are only the few points that Division Chief Hu mentioned, which at most count as guesses."

"Fine!" Tian Jie nodded, "Then just go look; don't have any psychological burden!"

"I know, thank you, Director Tian!"

The two of them talked as they walked out of the office area.

Then Tian Jie led his team toward the east, while Lin Sicheng got into a Leopard, followed by a box-type pickup truck.

In the office, Hu Zheng made a few phone calls.

The meeting had been requested by He Zhigang of the Municipal Cultural Relics Bureau, while the equipment and personnel were provided by the Public Security Bureau.

But the Public Security Bureau, surveying to find a tomb... what kind of nonsense was this?

Upon further inquiry: the only basis was a few points of Prophecy and Weft Studies and Feng Shui, along with speculations based on a few historical records.

Looking at it this way, Xiao Ying was indeed not wrong: it was like indulging a child in their mischief?

Forget it, let it be mischief then. At most, it was just adding one more line to a document; it wouldn't cause any loss, would it?

Hu Zheng thought for a moment, then called Tian Jie again. He said a lot, but the core idea was just three words: Find it quickly!

And this search lasted for half a month.

Sunlight cut diagonally across the wheat straw stacks, the crushed frost slowly melting and dripping from the tips of the withered yellow reeds.

Lin Sicheng sat cross-legged on the top of Sanyao Slope, the cold Wind tugging at his stray hair, swaying it back and forth in front of his forehead.

In the early Western Han Dynasty, this place was called Hongguyuan, one of the "Nine Plains of Chang'an." In the fourth year of the Shenjue era of Han Xuan, eleven phoenixes gathered here, and it was renamed Fengqiyuan.

Legend has it that this place was formed by the beak of a phoenix, hence it is also known as Fengzuipo.

Looking north, high-rise buildings stood in rows, and the Dayan Pagoda stood tall by the bank of Furong Lake. Further to the north, the Drum Tower and Bell Tower were faintly visible.

Turning to the south, dust filled the sky, and machines like monsters rushed and collided. With a rumbling sound, ancient locust trees as thick as a waist were uprooted.

Brick walls collapsed with a crash, and the smell of scorched earth mixed with the pungent exhaust of diesel fuel drilled into his throat.

It must be in this area, the problem is, where exactly?

Over twenty square kilometers, everywhere was being demolished, everywhere was full of machines.

Lin Sicheng pinched the bridge of his nose, removed the stone, and gathered up the materials at his side. Just as he was about to stand up, an off-road vehicle stopped at the bottom of the slope.

Immediately, two figures stepped out. One tall and one short, one sturdy and one thin.

The sturdy one was Tian Jie, and the thin one was the captain of the Archaeology Team under him, surnamed Gao, with whom he had eaten before.

Lin Sicheng picked up the materials and went down to meet them.

"Director Tian, Captain Gao, not busy today?"

"After working non-stop for half a month, even a donkey needs to catch its breath!" After a teasing remark, Tian Jie sighed again, "How is it?"

Lin Sicheng didn't speak, just shook his head.

Tian Jie bared his teeth as if he had a toothache.

After all, it was just a guess, even a guess without much basis; that Lin Sicheng had no discoveries here was within expectations.

The problem was, he hadn't found anything either?

Two teams from the Provincial Bureau, three teams from the Municipal Bureau, plus the two park areas of Duling and Yang Mausoleum, a total of about a hundred people, for a full half month, had surveyed the Duling original twice.

They had surveyed many tombs, eight or nine or ten a day, but as for anything related to Zhang Anshi, let alone a tomb, they hadn't even found a single pit.

This was strange: if one were to say it was buried extremely deep and the machines couldn't detect it, then where did the evidence Lin Sicheng found come from?

No matter how deep it was buried, there should be new Tomb Tunnels and fresh soil, right? But it was all in vain.

If one were to say the survey teams were negligent and didn't find it, the mausoleum area was only about ten square kilometers, and with both the Archaeology Team and the Patrol Detachment there, let alone Cultural Relics, even a mouse running out would have to be checked for its sex.

But for the past half month, intermittently, highly identifiable Cultural Relics had still been flowing into the black market; where were these coming from?

Gradually, even Tian Jie had to wonder if it was as Lin Sicheng speculated: Zhang Anshi's tomb was not in the Duling original?

Truly having no leads, Tian Jie gave his team members a day off.

His mind was too chaotic, and he couldn't rest even if he wanted to, so the two of them prepared to go for a drink. When calling Wang Qizhi, Tian Jie suddenly remembered: all the team members had been given a day off, but he had forgotten this one who was off the books?

Tian Jie thought he might as well call Lin Sicheng along, and on the way, he and Gao Zhendong drove over to pick him up...

Seeing him holding a stack of papers with both drawings and text, Tian Jie pointed at them: "What is that, a Star Chart?"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Just doodled it!"

Tian Jie took it and looked.

About seven or eight sheets, besides the Star Chart, there were also topographical maps with text written below.

It was a bit messy, like casual notes.

Seeing a few of the lines, Tian Jie stopped abruptly:

History records: The Emperor, recalling Anshi's old merits, issued an edict allowing his descendants to be buried nearby...

The tombs of marquises are four zhang high, and those from the rank of Guannei Marquis down to commoners vary accordingly... Only Zhang Anshi's family inherited the title for five generations, all buried in the park, specially granted the tomb system...

From this, it is speculated that Zhang Anshi's tomb should be a family-style tomb complex, with about twenty or more tombs, and the area of the mausoleum should be about one hundred mu...

Tian Jie's eyes widened: No... Lin Sicheng, how big is the entire Duling?

It's only twelve or thirteen square kilometers, and even counting the nearly two hundred accompanying tombs of various sizes on the periphery, it's only twenty-four or twenty-five square kilometers.

According to Lin Sicheng's speculation, Zhang Anshi's family alone would take up one hundred mu, where would the other two hundred be buried?

After reading it back and forth several times, Tian Jie frowned: "Where did you find these two historical records?"

"The former is from the Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital, and the latter is from the Comprehensive Discussion of Customs written by Zheng Xuan of the Eastern Han Dynasty!"

Tian Jie was stunned for a moment: "Miscellaneous history?"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "Yes, miscellaneous history!"

No, strictly speaking, it didn't even count as miscellaneous history, but rather a romanticized novel with mythological colors.

This citation was quite unreliable...

Tian Jie naturally didn't quite believe it; he scanned it twice and handed it back.

Then, he smiled again: "I've been busy for over ten days with no progress, so I just gave the team a day off. But my mind was too cluttered, and I forgot to notify you; I only remembered when I called your teacher..."

"I happened to have an appointment with your teacher, but since he said you don't drink, let's just have a meal together. You've worked hard for so long, take a day off..."

Lin Sicheng nodded.

The hard work was secondary; the key was having no leads, which was quite frustrating.

The three of them walked down, and Lin Sicheng's car was right there. Originally there were two, but now only one remained; originally there were four police officers, but now only two remained.

It wasn't that the Public Security Bureau had pulled them away, but that there was no longer a need for so many instruments, so Lin Sicheng had let Guan Xingmin recall two of them.

Just as they had walked down the slope and were about to get into the car, Tian Jie's phone rang. Assuming it was some leader, he walked to the side to answer it.

Lin Sicheng didn't pay much attention and pulled open the car door to get in.

But just as he sat down, his phone buzzed.

He took it out and glanced at it; the number was quite unfamiliar, but there was a note: Director Chen.

He answered it casually, and Chen Peng's slightly impatient voice came through:

"Lin Sicheng, come to the bureau immediately: early this morning, an Inner Mongolia border defense station searched a convoy of coal trucks preparing to leave the country and found a stele disguised as a floorboard. Upon identification, it is the Epitaph of Zhang Lin, the Marquis Gong of Fuping of the Western Han Dynasty..."

"Then, after emergency interrogation and simultaneous searching, a gold seal was found in the fuel tank of another coal truck: the Golden Seal of Fuping Marquis!"

Lin Sicheng was suddenly stunned: Zhang Lin—Zhang Bo—Zhang Yanshou—Zhang Anshi. This is the fourth-generation grandson of Zhang Anshi...

The most critical thing is that, besides the Epitaph, there is also the Marquis Gold Seal... No posthumous title, only the title of nobility; this is the Initial Marquis Golden Seal of Zhang Anshi...

His heart skipped a beat, and Lin Sicheng hurriedly flipped out that piece of paper from before.

The line on it, over ten characters long, pricked his eyes like a Needle: Only Zhang Anshi's lineage inherited the title for five generations, all buried in the garden, specially granted the burial system...

Outside the car window, Tian Jie was clutching his phone, his eyes wide as lightbulbs.

What was just said: Lin Sicheng, you even believe in unofficial history?

And now?

The Initial Marquis Golden Seal and the fourth-generation grandson's Epitaph—what does it mean that these two things could be found together?

Five generations inherited the title, all buried in the garden...