Chapter 162: Forcing Someone to Use Their Ultimate Technique

The woman pinched her phone, her knuckles turning slightly white. Her other hand supported her forehead, her fingertips tapping her brow unconsciously.

Tap after tap.

Zhao Polan!

Why was he able to invite Zhao Polan to come out of retirement?

Don't let the nickname fool you; in the Grave Robbing trade, this is a figure as famous as Yu Dahai, Gao Zhengang, and Yang Bin.

People only call him that in private; if they were face-to-face, even big bosses would have to cup their hands and call him Chief Zhao.

If it were that old lady of his family, a big boss would have to bow low and call her Matriarch.

What they respect is not age, but the heritage, the craftsmanship, the seniority, and the money.

In the fifties, because their family status was poor and they couldn't get enough to eat, Zhao Xiuneng's grandfather and father began "filtering pits": they specialized in digging graves that others had already robbed, never touching intact artifacts, never turning over coffins, and never touching "zongzi" (corpses) or crossing the square (the body).

They only scavenged for broken pieces, which they would repair and sell after bringing them out. Later, they were sentenced—one to eight years, the other to five.

Not long after they got out, the old man passed away, and the family kept quiet for twenty years. In the early eighties, Zhao Xiuneng and his father returned to their old trade. But they hadn't been at it for two years before they were caught again.

Fortunately, the father and son only filtered second-hand pits; they didn't cause destruction, they only picked up scraps. The father took all the blame and was sentenced to two years.

In the third year, the father got out, and after only a few months of work, Zhao Xiuneng went in, sentenced to one year.

Just like that, the father went in while the son came out, and the son came out while the father went in. This continued until the early nineties, when the father passed away and his mother took over.

It just so happened that the peak period had passed and there were more and more people in the trade, so the old lady changed her strategy: she only bought, never robbed.

She didn't buy intact artifacts either, only scraps; after buying them back and repairing them, she only sold them as damaged goods. But what the buyers sold them as later, that was unknown.

The nickname "Zhao Polan" (Zhao the Scrapper) was coined during that time.

But the old lady's craftsmanship was superb, her fame grew, and more and more people came specifically to have them repair things or buy "Scavenger of Broken Pieces" goods.

Naturally, Zhao Polan became Zhao Patao (the Scavenger of Broken Pieces who specialized in restoration), and slowly it was called Zhao Batou (Chief Zhao).

In any case, in the three provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, and Shanxi, few people in the Grave Robbing or Antique Trade hadn't begged this mother and son to repair something. For example, Yu Dahai, or Yang Bin. Especially Yang Bin, who served as an Apprentice to the old lady on and off for four years.

Later, the reputation spread, and many tomb robbers from other provinces came with damaged artifacts, gradually spreading to the southern coast.

The old lady also had a very high moral standing; when encountering disasters or difficulties, such as a man being executed and leaving behind orphans and widows who couldn't survive, she would provide appropriate relief.

After some back and forth, how could there not be many who were grateful, how could their seniority not be high, and how could their heritage not be long-standing?

The key is that it wasn't just Grave Robbers and antique dealers who came to them for repairs. Famous collectors, high-ranking officials, and even cultural and museum institutions were more numerous than the grave robbers.

At the very least, in the Guanzhong region, this mother and son were the genuine "sitting tigers" and "walking immortals" of the Cultural Relics, Antique Trade, and even the Grave Robbing trade.

So, the question arises: how many years has it been since Zhao Xiuneng washed his hands of the trade? If not twenty years, then at least fifteen or sixteen. The Zhao family's net worth is at least two or three hundred million, if not seven or eight hundred million.

Yet, with one phone call from this person, he could get the sixty-something-year-old Zhao Xiuneng to bring his two sons to help him dig a pit?

Involuntarily, and for no reason, the woman's intuition that something was wrong grew stronger and stronger.

It was even heart-stopping.

After frowning and thinking for a long time, the woman changed her SIM card and entered a very long string of numbers.

Anyone who travels abroad often would know this is a Singapore number.

It took a long time to connect, and a lazy voice came through the phone: "Nianqin!"

"Brother-in-law, that man from Zhejiang has taken the bait! But he invited Zhao Polan!"

"I know, Song Laosan (who provided the card) called last night!"

A creaking sound came through, as if someone had sat up from a bed. "Looking at it this way, this person's identity and background are fine; at least he's not a cop!"

"I know, but brother-in-law, I've never heard of this person before?"

"That's not strange. This trade produces talent in every generation; it's not rare for a genius to appear occasionally. We aren't Zhao Laotai, who knows peers from every sect and path. Not to mention he's from out of town..."

After a slight pause, the man on the phone laughed. "Nianqin, you're afraid you won't be able to hold him down and will be counter-attacked by him, right?"

The woman gave a hum.

She had been very worried before, feeling that Lin Sicheng was too capable. Now that Zhao Xiuneng had suddenly popped up, Xu Nianqin was even more worried: with both a powerful dragon and a sitting tiger, she feared they would fail to kill the snake and end up being bitten instead.

"This person's connections definitely aren't simple, and Zhao Polan's (Zhao Xiuneng's) connections aren't simple either. I'm afraid that even if we expose them, they will be suppressed by people above..."

If they can't create huge influence and social impact, the so-called misleading the police and luring the tiger away from the mountain will just be empty talk...

The man gave a "Heh": "Suppress? How can he suppress it? If they overturn (dig) the Longlou and the golden casket (referring to a large tomb), and then get buried by the shifting sands, how long can those above suppress it? If you're still worried, then make it big—big enough that those above won't dare to suppress it!"

The woman's heart jumped: "Brother-in-law, how do we make it big?"

The man thought for a moment: "You still have the blasting powder, right? We didn't just open that one Tomb Tunnel; move a little bit in ahead of time... hmm, move a bit more in. Watch for the right moment, and when they are halfway through opening the tunnel, set it off. When the time comes, blow it up so earth-shatteringly that I'd like to see who dares to suppress it!"

"Thump, thump... thump, thump..." The woman's heart was beating like a drum: how many people would this blow up?

Even if that person didn't get blown to death, he would probably have to face a firing squad...

Seeing that she didn't speak, a cold laugh came from the phone: "If you don't dare to do it, then hand it over to Song Laosan!"

The woman was stunned, her expression changing suddenly.

The people under her didn't really respect her much to begin with; if she didn't dare to do this, she wouldn't need her brother-in-law to speak—the people below could overthrow her themselves...

As these thoughts turned, she gritted her teeth: "Brother-in-law, I'll do it!"

"Good, as long as you dare to do it!" The man praised. "But don't be impatient. The tunnel here will open soon; wait until they start pulling out the goods to set it off... Keep the people steady first!"

"Brother-in-law, I understand!"

A dial tone came from the receiver. The woman let out a breath and changed her SIM card again.

She first made arrangements for Song Laosan, and after giving her instructions, she calmed her mood before calling Lin Sicheng.

Once the call connected, she feigned a hearty laugh: "Boss, have you found the Longlou?"

"I found it, but it's been licked clean; there isn't even a piece of the coffin left." Lin Sicheng laughed. "Yu the Pot-Holder and Gao the Eye-Master truly live up to their reputations!"

"Hahaha~"

The woman laughed again. "Isn't there another one? You're so professional and knowledgeable; you wouldn't fail to recognize the treasure hall and the golden casket, would you? I only charged you a hundred buckets of water (one million), I've lost out!"

"That's hard to say. Whether it's a loss or a gain, we'll have to wait until we've entered the pit (the tomb) to know!"

"It's definitely going to be a huge profit!" The woman suppressed her laughter and deliberately lowered her voice, "But I just heard some rumors that things haven't been very peaceful lately, so I'm specifically giving the boss a heads-up: it's better to keep a low profile for now..."

There was silence on the phone for a moment, then a voice came through: "Many thanks!"

"You're too kind, Boss. I'm still waiting for you to help me move the goods, so please, whatever you do, don't get into any trouble..."

"Rest assured!"

After chatting for a few more sentences, the call ended. The woman sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose: That should have kept things stable, right...

Lin Sicheng gripped his phone, his expression gradually turning gloomy.

Beside him, Zhao Xiuneng furrowed his brows tightly.

If they are already planning to use you as a scapegoat and are definitely going to detonate your position in the end, would they kindly warn you that things haven't been peaceful lately?

This is clearly a delaying tactic.

But why delay? Shouldn't it be that the faster the digging goes here and the sooner the explosion is triggered, the safer they are?

Suddenly, a flash of light crossed his mind, and Zhao Xiuneng's heart skipped a beat: Could it be that they don't think the explosion will be loud enough and want to up the ante?

This is bad, I've likely ruined things...

He moved his lips, just about to say something, when Lin Sicheng shook his head: "General Manager Zhao, no need to worry. At most, they are just playing tricks inside the tomb. But I'm not actually digging, am I?"

That is true.

Zhao Xiuneng secretly relaxed.

Immediately after, Lin Sicheng's phone vibrated twice, and he answered it.

"Little Lin, we've tapped Song Zixiao's (Song Laosan) phone. Xu Nianqin is talking to him: they are preparing explosives and planning to hide them in the tomb passage of the Prince of Beili..."

Lin Sicheng's expression changed: Quicksand and mercury aren't enough, they have to set off a blast and listen to the bang?

How badly does this group want to kill him?

In a flash, Chen Peng warned: "Little Lin, if it's not working out, you should pull back first!"

"Director Chen, I'm not actually going to dig the tomb!"

With five or six armed Police following him every day, and the fact that this group just wants him to help them solidify the scapegoating, it actually shows they are deeply convinced of his identity. So there is no need to shrink back at the slightest sign of trouble.

More importantly, this group is too arrogant, bold enough, ruthless in their actions, and even more vicious at heart. With no grudges or enmity, they want to take a life the moment they make a move?

It's impossible to have the Police protect him for a lifetime; if they aren't dealt with this time, he's afraid he won't be able to sleep peacefully in the future...

"Director Chen, let's wait a bit longer, at least there's no immediate danger for now!" Lin Sicheng paused, "And perhaps, Director He will have news soon!"

"That's true!"

After giving a few more instructions, Chen Peng hung up the phone.

Zhao Xiuneng said with a dark face: "Boss Lin, we must find a way to completely sever the claws of Yu Dahai, otherwise there will never be a day of peace!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: "I know!"

At the very least, this "International Intermediary Organization" must be dug out.

Compared to that, those so-called card-layers, leg-men, and front-men are at most small shrimp on the periphery.

Just to mention one point, if the capital transfer channel is cut off, what can he use to organize?

But fortunately, Lin Sicheng has already found the origin of that phoenix-patterned square mirror: the daughter of Emperor Zhongzong of Tang, Princess An Ding, and the daughter of Wei Hou's cousin Wei Zhuo, County Princess Rong'an, Wei Ying.

When Wei Hou usurped the government, she bestowed rewards on the Wei Clan on a massive scale, and Wei Ying was enfeoffed as a County Princess. But only a few years later, Li Longji launched the Tanglong Coup, and Wei Hou was beheaded and her corpse exposed. The descendants of the Wei Clan, "regardless of gender, young or old, all died."

This included Wei Zhuo and his children.

Afterwards, Ruizong Li Dan was restored to the throne and issued an imperial decree to "level the graves of Wei Xuanzhen and Xun (Wei Hou's father and brother)," and ordered that rebellious officials could not be buried in the Wei Clan ancestral cemetery, but could only be "buried outside the cemetery."

The Wei Clan descendants mentioned here refer to the direct relatives of Wei Hou. The so-called Wei Clan ancestral cemetery refers to this branch of Wei Xuanzhen (Wei Hou's father) of the Jingzhao Wei Clan.

Historically known as Rongxian Ling, it was excavated in 1984 during the construction of the National 7067 Project (National Aerospace Power Research Institute), unearthing over three hundred Wei Clan tombs.

But among them, there was no Prince Consort Wei Zhuo or his children.

Based on the "buried outside the cemetery" in the History Books, Lin Sicheng is ninety percent certain that these few tombs are located within the 1.2 kilometers between the current Research Institute and Huangzipo.

Any further, and it wouldn't be "outside the cemetery"; any closer, and it would be inside the Wei Clan ancestral cemetery.

Lin Sicheng even dares to narrow the left-and-right distance to within five hundred meters.

After all, they were a Prince Consort and a County Princess; since their titles were not stripped, they would certainly be left with some due dignity. Even if buried outside the ancestral cemetery, they would certainly be on the branches extending from the dragon vein...

The report has already been submitted, and Director He has gone to urge them. A little over one kilometer north-to-south, and no more than five hundred meters left-to-right, less than one square kilometer in total, it should be approved very soon.

As soon as work stops and the Police surround the area, it will be like catching a turtle in a jar. Even if it is an "International Intermediary Organization," can he grow wings and fly abroad?

Pondering secretly, Lin Sicheng picked up a pen and sketched on the drawing board.

On it was drawn a phoenix, with lines, dots, and circles in between.

Zhao Xiuneng also understands Feng Shui, but compared to Lin Sicheng, it is at most superficial. So he looked at it half-understanding, feeling completely lost.

Just as he was about to ask, with a "beep," an off-road vehicle kicked up a dragon of dust and sped over.

In the blink of an eye, it reached the foot of Huangzipo, and the off-road vehicle beeped again.

This is Director He's vehicle; He Zhigang must be inside.

It seems the report was approved?

Lin Sicheng felt a surge of joy, tucked the drawing board under his arm, and walked quickly down the slope.

The driver opened the car door a step early. Just as he sat in the passenger seat, his heart skipped a beat.

He Zhigang was there, and Chen Peng was there too; the two were sitting in the back row, their expressions equally gloomy.

Lin Sicheng was stunned for a long time: "The report, it wasn't approved?"

The two men with dark faces nodded in unison.

Lin Sicheng was a bit puzzled: Even if it is a state-level unit, they shouldn't be this heartless, right?

"No, it's just a half-kilometer radius?"

"Director Li (Director Li of the Public Security Bureau) and Director Liu (of the Cultural Relics Bureau) went together, but the command headquarters flatly refused, saying that although it is only half a kilometer, the area south of the Institute and north of Huangzipo is exactly where the Aerospace Robot Research Center is located. They cannot take responsibility for any delays to the construction schedule..."

After a slight pause, He Zhigang sighed: "Stopping the work is possible, unless the provincial government issues them a document, or if a large tomb is truly unearthed..."

Before he could finish, Chen Peng sneered: "If I dared to have the province issue a document, why would I be in such a damn hurry? If a large tomb could be unearthed, why would I need them to stop work?"

"Heh... This is forcing me to use underhanded tactics on them!"

He Zhigang's eyes flickered, and he did not make a sound.

If the local public security organs wanted to come up with a way, there would be no shortage of methods.

But after all, it is a national project, and Chen Peng must be prepared to shed this uniform at any time...

Lin Sicheng furrowed his brows, remaining silent. After a long while, he looked up and glanced at the drawing board in his hands.

A phoenix, head held high, soaring through the air.

"Director He, as long as a large tomb is unearthed, the work will stop?"

He Zhigang was stunned for a moment: "Correct!"

Lin Sicheng nodded: This is forcing people to use their ultimate trump card!