A few professionals started working.
They put the bronze mirror back carefully. Professor Chu said, “Old Mu.”
Mu Zhengzhong responded with a “Hmm,” indicating everything was fine.
Professor Meng said, “Old Mu knows his stuff; if he says it’s right, it is.”
Professor Chu seemed to understand as well. He then looked at the mountain’s position, checked the moon, and finally pulled out a compass to confirm. “Is there anyone familiar with the local conditions?”
c looked at the village secretary, “Xiao Xiao.”
Xiao Cheng walked over. “I’m somewhat familiar.”
“Come here; I need to ask you a few questions. Also, tell me more about the history of Qingluan Mountain.” Professor Chu said.
Professor Chu still asked for a detailed explanation.
Xiao Cheng answered every question. In the end, he even pulled out a local map.
Professor Chu spread it out on the ground and, along with Professor Meng, examined it for a while, then pointed out a few spots on the mountain.
Mu Zhengzhong asked, “So, what’s the plan?”
Professor Chu nodded, “Very interesting; there’s a lot of feng shui lore here.”
Professor Meng said, “Let’s start digging then, verify it further. Once we’re certain, we’ll proceed.”
Dong Xuebing saw the three discussing and getting ready to dig. Although eager, he said, “It’s getting late today, and it’s dark now. Should we wait until tomorrow to start? I can arrange for the three of you to rest for the night.”
Professor Chu waved his hand, “There’s no time to wait. I can’t sleep now; I need to see it with my own eyes.”
Mu Zhengzhong chuckled, “Xuebing, shine a flashlight to help us out.”
“Okay.” Dong Xuebing instructed everyone, “Help these professors with the digging.”
Professor Meng said, “No need, we’ll handle it ourselves. We haven’t studied archaeology formally, so don’t just dig around. You don’t need to be so careful if it’s a typical tomb. But especially with this one, the teachers are cautious; nobody trusts anyone. This tells us this tomb is not ordinary.”
The three professors entered the caution zone.
The cultural department of Jiao Lin County lacks experience in ancient tombs, as they have never dealt with them before. However, the staff from the cultural museum had some basic archaeological knowledge, which was good enough to assist the professors.
The flashlight was turned on.
The three professors found their tools, each taking a different area, accompanied by several Jiao Lin County working group members. They started digging down.
Without professional equipment and tools, everyone had to rely on the shovels and picks brought by the locals. The force needed to be controlled to avoid damaging any artifacts below. Even a minor nick could result in significant loss. Although such damage is unavoidable in digging, the goal was to protect as much as possible.
Dong Xuebing and Zhang Dongfang were watching closely from the side.
Other staff members who couldn’t help much also stared intently.
The atmosphere at the scene was quiet; only the sound of shovels digging into the soil echoed repeatedly.
After a long while, there was still no sign of discovery. Dong Xuebing was idle, so he called Su Yan over. “You go down the mountain first and arrange accommodation for the professors. Also, double-check the logistical preparations for the working group members. After all, someone needs to stay on the mountain starting today. Everything—food, clothing, equipment—must be thoroughly prepared so that no one has any worries.”
Su Yan immediately responded, “Okay.”
With no signal on the mountain, Su Yan had to run down to make arrangements.
As soon as the secretary left, Dong Xuebing wanted to walk away for a smoke while he waited. But a shout came from behind as he had just stepped a few paces away.
“There’s something here!”
“Old Meng, Old Mu, come help!”
Professor Chu discovered it. As the only professional archaeologist here, he was the one finding things, while Mu Zhengzhong and Professor Meng were not true insiders in archaeology. Their expertise was more in the identification and analysis of artifacts, making their digging efficiency less efficient than Professor Chu’s.
Both professors immediately joined in, working seamlessly without a word. Professor Meng began to help Professor Chu dig, while Professor Mu carefully swept away the soil on the artifacts with a small brush. The items revealed were starting to show some detail—a sword hilt.
A few minutes later, an old, rusty sword emerged.
Dong Xuebing and everyone else crowded around. “What is this?”
“Let Old Mu take a look first.” Professor Chu carefully handed the sword to him.
Mu Zhengzhong took it with a solemn expression, carefully examining the sword for a full two minutes.
Beside him, Professor Meng was puzzled. “Although it’s mostly corroded, what is this design? Old Chu, have you ever seen this kind of design before?”
Professor Chu shook his head, “Never seen anything like it. Old Mu?”
Mu Zhengzhong finished examining it, gently placing the sword on the ground. “I’ve seen similar designs before, though slightly different, the style and period are quite similar.”
Professor Chu hurriedly asked, “Where did you see a real one?”
“Not a real one,” Mu Zhengzhong replied. “It was in the materials.”
The three discussed for a long time, and finally, Mu Zhengzhong stood up and exchanged a look with Dong Xuebing. Zhang Dongfang noticed and followed them to a secluded spot.
Finding a private spot, Mu Zhengzhong finally spoke. “Xuebing, Director Zhang, we’ve examined the artifacts and analyzed the area. We can now definitively say that a Han Dynasty royal tomb is beneath us. What we’re standing on now should be a burial site for courtiers. Based on the location, there are probably more nearby burial clusters—those over there and there. Old Meng just surveyed around and found no signs of tomb robbery. The underground chambers are likely intact, with significant historical and archaeological value. I now recommend that we immediately seal off this area, not just this part, but ideally the entire Qingluan Mountain. After we go down, Professor Chu will contact the national archaeological team directly, bypassing city procedures. We’ll have Professor Chu pull people up from above for further exploration and excavation.”
Zhang Dongfang was excited upon hearing this, “It can be confirmed as a royal tomb?”
Mu Zhengzhong also appeared somewhat exhilarated, “Almost certainly. This is a major archaeological discovery!”